ã€ŠPokeFlicks and Hollywood Hitsã€‹


 Scene 1 - Take 1: Dulled Aspirations and Explosive Revelations

    "Alright, I''m warning you that this is a high-stakes car chase," The Director''s voice fizzled through the walkie-talkie. "I''ll ask one more time, are you sure you want to do this? We have a stuntman on the side and ready to do it in your place. We can edit your face on his during editing, over."

    Harper brought the device closer to his face with a smile. "The audience is one-hundred percent going to tell if I wasn''t doing this scene myself, Director. I''m ready, over."

    "Very well then," The Director soundly responded. "Good luck, Harper Moore, over."

    Harper secured the walkie-talkie underneath his seat and tightly gripped the wheel with both hands, slowly taking deep breaths to calm his nerves. This was it, his hard work over the years had finally paid off. The years of practice, numerous auditions, and stress accumulated during his chase for stardom didn''t go to waste. He was finally here as an actor, starring in a major motion picture. If he failed now, there would be no second chances.

    "We''re continuing as planned!" He heard the Director''s voice shout in the distance. "We only have one shot at this, and we better make this count!"

    "Lights!"

    Harper turned on the ignition.

    "Cameras!"

    He revved the engine.

    "Action!"

    Harper slammed on the gas, jolting the car forward and creating skid marks on the road before quickly speeding onto the freeway. Two black SUVs with tinted windows were chasing behind him from a distance, rapidly gaining speed. Gunmen leaned out of the windows with guns at the ready.

    "Shit!" Harper steered around the cars ahead of him. "They''re onto us!"

    The gunmen opened fire from their SUVs, causing the rear window of Harper''s car to shatter. Harper managed to duck just in time, narrowly avoiding the bullets flying above his head.

    "Ririo! Luraio!" Lucario shouted through the gunfire, striking down the bullets flying in their direction with his paws.

    "Alright!" Harper looked back onto the road, now protected by his pok¨¦mon partner. "Be prepared to hit back at them at my command!"

    "Riar!" Lucario grunted, bracing for the upcoming turn on the freeway intersection.

    Harper swiftly turned the steering wheel, expertly maneuvering his car to avoid the vehicles ahead as they merged into a different lane. Stabilizing himself, Lucario leaned out of the window, clapping his paws together and slowly spreading them apart and focusing his aura. In his palm, a spiral of blue orbs formed, each one progressively smaller than the last like a coiled magazine.

    "Gatling Aura Spheres! Now!" Harper shouted as he drifted on a right turn.

    Holding his left paw stable, Lucario consecutively swiped aura spheres with his right paw toward the SUVs like playing cards, spending each orb like ammo. The move created miniature explosions in their general vicinity, violently hitting the asphalt in front of their enemies. The gunmen attempted to dodge the aura spheres, only to fail when Lucario shot the final orb in his move at one SUV''s wheels, causing the SUV to swerve into the other and crash both of them.

    "Good job, Lucario!" Harper looked over his window and back at the gunmen, now buried under a hubris of flame and metal.

    "Cari! Rion!" Lucario extended its arm, pointing ahead toward the exit ramp that led into a sprawling industrial area, the towering buildings casting long shadows in the late afternoon sun.

    "You''re reaching the exit ramp!" The Director''s voice crackled underneath Harper''s seat. "JUMP NOW!"

    With one hand continuing to grip the steering wheel, Harper leaned over and pressed the eject button on his seatbelt, hoping for a quick release. However, to his dismay, the mechanism failed to unlock the strap, leaving him trapped.

    "T-The seatbelt isn''t working!" Harper fumbled. "Get out of the car!"

    Looking to his side, Lucario was already gone. Harper had no time to think about his pok¨¦mon partner, he was only able to wait for the inevitable as the car sped off the ramp, flying in the air before falling closer and closer to the ground until¡ª

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    ¡ªHarper jerked out of bed, accidentally falling off the side of his bed and falling frontside onto the floor. He winced in pain as he sat himself up, leaning on the side of his bed for support. Any notion of going back to sleep was completely gone as the blunt pain on his face and chest were more than enough to keep him awake.

    "Fuck¡­ my chest¡­"

    Finally realizing that the alarm was blaring the entire time, he leaned over to his nightstand and grabbed his phone, turning it off. The time read "8:30 AM", a time he wished was anything else.

    Tossing his phone behind his back onto the bed, a worn-out sigh escaped his mouth, still sitting on the floor long overdue for a sweep. In fact, his small studio apartment was in need of a complete cleanse. His discarded clothes layered the floor in mounds, hiding the dirtier parts of the room. The curtains were starting to discolor into a muted hue, barely letting any sliver of light from the window penetrate through. In the corner lay an abandoned pizza box on a worn coffee table, a sour reminder of yesterday''s late-night dinner.

    Despite the chaos, the place had a subtle aura of indifference. Harper wasn''t intending to protest against his own cleanliness, but it was more an eventual acceptance of the clutter that had built over as time passed. The room mirrored the current state of Harper''s life, where days and weeks had blurred the line between comfort and turmoil.

    Now fully awake and aware of his surroundings, Harper begrudgingly stood up from his seated position to start the day. Today was going to be easier than others, as the day''s schedule was planned to sort the equipment over in the storage units in the backlots of the movie studio he worked at. Why he was assigned this job, he didn''t know as his position was Key Grip, not a storage manager. Upper management''s excuse was that since Harper knew how to properly manage equipment due to his experience, he should be the one overseeing its storage. If they weren''t paying overtime for this, he would''ve rejected the request immediately.

    Slowly changing into his last set of clean clothes, Harper began to remember the dream he had before waking up on the ground. He had this dream before, of him being in his father''s shoes before the accident. Harper came to terms with his father''s death years ago but despite that, his mind liked to remind him of the incident. Not only did he dream about being an actor, why was there a lucario in there? It felt so natural that he didn''t even question it during that car chase.

    "That''s hilarious," Harper scoffed at himself. "That damn dream had to include a pok¨¦mon¡­"

    Feeling bitter about his life, Harper stretched his back, grunting with each popping vertebra. He picked his phone up again and loaded his emulated copy, the save still fresh from last night''s play session. He knew that he recently emulated a copy of Pok¨¦mon Black 2 on his phone. Not given the chance to play the sequel as a kid, he had since subconsciously ignored the Pok¨¦mon franchise until recently when nostalgia urged him to return. As he had already played Pok¨¦mon Black, it was only right to do a blind playthrough of the game he should''ve played all those years ago now that he found the time to finally start it last night.

    Entering the game and opening his party of pok¨¦mon, he looked at the only slots that were filled, a snivy and a riolu. Grass-type starters were his favorites; he always chose one in every new game he got as a kid.

    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    Currently, he was at the part where he found a herdier captured by Team Plasma behind the Flo-something ranch. He also learned from the internet that you could catch a riolu in that very ranch, a task he had followed the entire night and finally accomplished right as the drowsiness set in. Before he could look at his pok¨¦mon''s stats, his phone rang, notifying him of a caller.

    "I wasn''t expecting a call this early," Harper thought as he read the caller''s name. The name "Director Gale Reagan" stood out, immediately causing Harper to pick up the phone in record time.

    "Oh hey, Mr. Reagan. Is there a reason for an early ca¡ª"

    "-Don''t you ''oh hey'' me!" Gale yelled through the speaker, causing Harper to recoil and stretch his phone as far away from his ear as possible. "Where are you right now?! We''re about to start filming in two hours and all the stuff isn''t even out yet! Everyone''s waiting for your lazy ass to get out here, so HURRY UP!" His phone cuts off soon after, leaving Harper in a daze.

    "Shit, filming started today?" Harper quickly opened up his calendar app, only to feel a sense of dread. His unease only grew upon seeing the dates for today''s and tomorrow''s schedule.

    TODAY:

    AUGUST 15 - SORT EQUIPMENT IN WAREHOUSE

    TOMORROW:

    AUGUST 16 - "CRAZED GUNMAN" FILMING TODAY

    How in the world did he swap the days together? This had never happened to him before, causing Harper to question his memory but he soon realized that he was only wasting time. Harper was one mistake away before Gale fired him on the spot. As much as he hated the new director, he didn''t want to be out of a job any time soon. Harper frantically grabbed his keys and ran out of his apartment, racing to his car and driving off to the freeway. As he drove down the busy intersection, Harper began to reminisce on his life and how everything led to this moment.

    Film production was something Harper had always wanted to take part in since he was a child. The ability to take an idea and make it real on the big screen was incredible to him. He wanted to participate in that process, helping someone achieve their goal of creating a movie that millions would watch and enjoy. Harper wouldn''t have come to that realization without his father, who worked as a famous stuntman. However, during Harper''s early childhood, his father passed away from a stunt gone wrong. The tragedy caused his mother to despise cinematography, causing their relationship to split even more when their views collided.

    Harper''s dream was to be an actor, but multiple failed attempts in auditions created a wall

    between him and his goal. It was only till his last audition that he ended up finding an opportunity to become a Best Boy to assist in a couple of B-list movies. From there, he climbed his way up to the position of Key Grip in major motion pictures. While he was satisfied with his job as Key Grip, the multiple movies he had to work under Gale Reagan were a hassle, causing Harper to judge his sense of duty in the field.

    Harper drove through LA''s congested traffic as he cursed himself for living in such a crowded city. He had to go to the middle of nowhere and sit in the heat of the desert sun for god knows how long, only to drive back home tired in the dead of night. He groaned to himself, preparing for the nightmare that was Gale''s upcoming lecture that was bound to occur the moment he stepped foot out of his car. Minutes later, the traffic began to open up and Harper stepped on the pedal, speeding off down the freeway.

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    With only a few minutes to spare, Harper made it to the movie set, and just like he predicted, he saw Gale storming to his car.

    "You''re the last one to arrive, how is that possible!" Gale screamed at his face. "You''re the goddamn Key Grip here for fuck''s sake!"

    "W-well, Mr. Lewis," Harper stammered. "I had some scheduling is¡ª"

    "I don''t want to hear any excuses, Harper!" Gale scolded as his face began glowing red. "You''re lucky I''m busy with other stuff right now so just know that one more slip up and it''s goodbye to your job!"

    "Y-yes, sir, Mr. Reagan."

    Gale sighed to himself, exhausted from yelling. "Jesus Christ, I can''t believe I deal with this bullshit all the time," he muttered, just loud enough for Harper to hear as he walked back into the set. Harper clenched his fist in his pants pocket, the urge to punch the guy was ever-increasing but his urge to get today''s work over with was greater. He sighed before stepping out of his car, he could tell that today was going to be a long day. Harper shuffled over to the trucks, preparing himself for manual labor.

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    Hours had passed since Harper''s arrival on the set, much to the dissatisfaction of everyone. His lateness had delayed the workflow of everyone else from the film crew to the actors and actresses present for today''s shoot. Some of the crew members whispered with each other about him, knowing that Harper was able to eavesdrop. Every one of them had the same idea after witnessing the director''s explosive temper in the morning.

    "He''s only here because of his high position, any lower than Key Grip and he''d be fired on the spot."

    There wasn''t a moment in today''s shoot where he didn''t hear someone say something along those lines. The words entered his ear and flew out the other, the maintenance of equipment demanded much more of his attention than listening to some bad-mouthing.

    Constantly having to rig cameras to create the perfect frame, stabilizing lights, and readjusting angles of set pieces was tiring but he was used to the monotony. He knew his role in creating a film was pivotal, but the treatment he received from the entire film crew tested his patience. Scene after scene, reshoot after reshoot, with scripted gunshots and screams flooding Harper''s ears once every couple of minutes, soon became dull sounds.

    It wasn''t until Gale''s assistant director¡ªor as he called him in his head, the "director''s pet"¡ªshouted the announcement that lunchtime began. Everyone on the set stopped what they were doing and immediately gathered at the assembled food stand shaded underneath a large tent that had been set up a few minutes ago. The berating from Gale left Harper with an upset stomach that remained till now. Because he still needed to eat something as he skipped breakfast, he decided to eat lightly with some carrots and ranch from the craft service station. Sitting down at a nearby bench, he silently ate his light snack and took his phone out of his pant pocket, opening up his DS emulator.

    Cheren would be an easy gym leader thanks to his new pok¨¦mon, and the game onward would be a breeze. It had been years since his last playthrough of any Pok¨¦mon game and since he barely made any progress in his session last night catching a riolu, he hoped that this lunch break would provide that opportunity to keep playing. As luck would befall Harper, he felt two taps on his shoulder. When he turned around, he came face-to-face with the director himself.

    "What''re you spacing out for?" Gale growled. "I need you to do something."

    Harper stood up from his bench seat, stating. "Sir, the lunch break is still ongoing."

    "Shut up and follow me," Gale snapped before walking away, forcing Harper to follow behind. The director approached the trucks that Harper had to unload with little assistance and opened the one at the very end that he was instructed not to empty.

    "This is all the explosives we''ll use for the next scene," He pointed out. "We''ll have them go kaboom on an enemy tank as the main actor races to his car."

    "But sir," Harper retorted. "explosives need to be handled by the Special Effects Superviso¡ª"

    "Aren''t you the equipment guy?" Gale interrupted. "Get it done, Harper, or I''ll make our discussion this morning look like a tea party, NOW MOVE IT!"

    With a disgruntled "Yes sir¡­" Harper picked up the explosives shaped like C4 and walked to the fake battle tank. Harper muttered curses as he attached the ''C4'' to the underside of the tank. Every event since the moment he got out of bed to where he was right now, kneeling on the hot, uneven, and barren sand was irritating, to say the least. Placing explosives on a fake tank wasn''t even a job that was supposed to be his in the first place.

    ~Hell, I''m not even qualified to be holding this,~ Harper waved one in the air. ~Sure, it''s not an actual C4, but it can still kill someone as swiftly as the real thing.~

    His current situation caused Harper to devalue himself, if only he had done better in his past auditions, then maybe he would be in a better spot. Sure, being a Key Grip was a pretty solid position in the cinema industry, but there were personal drawbacks.

    There was no fame.

    There was no glory.

    He was helping with filmmaking, but not the way he had hoped for.

    Harper wanted to matter in the industry he loved and had a passion for, but he certainly wasn''t doing that in his current state. Being cooked in the middle of the damn desert while everyone else was on their lunch break underneath the shade of the tent was downgrading.

    Harper then began placing the explosives on the backside of the tank. ~This movie makes me hate being a Key Grip. The moment this movie premieres, I''m looking for another casting audition. I know I said the last one was the last, but I gotta do something.~

    As he placed the last couple of explosives, he overheard a conversation in the distance gradually growing louder over time.

    "Wait, the explosives are already placed?" The Special Effects Supervisor questioned as he walked with the director.

    Gale answered back, still facing the tank. "They already have, and they''re ready for the next scene."

    "But sir, I was supposed to handle them," The Supervisor responded. "Only an authorized individual, like me, can handle or move them. No one else here has that permission."

    "It doesn''t matter now. The Director snapped back. "It''s already done, you wanna take ''em all off and put them back on yourself?"

    The Supervisor sighed, unable to argue any further. The director glanced over at the supervisor''s hands with curiosity. "What''s that in your hands, anyway?"

    "This is the detonator, sir," He explained, raising the device up. "When we start filming, I''ll be pushing it at the right moment for the fullest effect and to ensure that it explodes at the right distance from the actor."

    "Yeah, yeah, the usual stuff," The Director said, snatching the detonator from the SFX Supervisor''s hand. "It''s not primed, right? So if I just press i¡ª"

    "SIR NO DON''T PUSH THE BU¡ª"

    Upon hearing the supervisor scream, Harper tried to step back from the tank, but it was too late. A flash of white and red blinded him, followed by a sudden burning sensation in his front. Pieces of shrapnel lodged into his body and sliced through his skin. The pain was unbearable, but it only lasted for a split second. A sudden sensation of heat covered Harper and soon enough, he only knew darkness.

 Scene 1 - Take 2: Unfamiliar Situation and Disoriented Transformation

    ~Fuck, my head¡­~

    The only thing Harper could feel was pain, and it was all over his body. His head throbbed with agony as he stirred out of consciousness. Trying to breathe was difficult, the burned skin on his chest stretched with each inhale. Even taking slow breaths was a daunting task. His eyes felt raw from the blinding effects of the bomb and unless he wanted a flood of tears running down his face, he had to do with keeping them closed. A deafening tinnitus rang in his ears, completely overwhelming any other noise in the vicinity. Harper was unable to move any of his extremities, as his muscles were too sore due to the impact.

    But even without moving his arms or legs, he could tell that something was off.

    ~That''s odd,~ Harper thought. ~We''re in the middle of the desert, so why do I feel fresh grass?~

    The grass wasn''t the only peculiarity he noticed, as the ambient noise changed as well. The familiar desert wind was now gone, instead replaced by trees rustling with faint bird chirpings in the distance. Straining himself, he slowly sat up on the grass. His head felt heavier on each side, Harper assumed that he had a mild concussion right now. After taking a minute to breathe, he gave a shot at standing up. What should have been an easy task, even through his injuries, was much harder, as the moment he put pressure on his right leg to lift himself up, he fell.

    ~The hell? Why can''t I stand?~ Harper tried again, failing each time, his reward being a faceplant into the earthy soil. Something about his legs felt wrong like they were bending the wrong way. They can''t be broken because if they were, then he''d have been screaming in pain the whole time. Still unable to open his eyes properly, he blindly yelled into his surroundings.

    "Hey guys?! Is everyone okay?!" Was it just him, or was his voice higher pitched? His voice felt sore and scratchy, did the explosion do something to his throat? Harper tried to ignore it, it wasn''t the most important thing to worry about right now. "I''m okay! I''m not dead!"

    Nobody responded.

    "Guys, I know you''re out there! Mr. Reagan?" Harper yelled in a random direction before entering a coughing fit. Regaining his composure, he shouted again. "Your ass is lucky I''m alive, get ready for a lawsuit of a lifetime!"

    Still no response.

    His eyes were beginning to adjust and Harper tried to speed it up by rubbing them, removing the tears being accumulated. The moment he placed his hand on his eyelid, something was very, very wrong. Instead of skin that was rubbing his eyes, why did he feel FUR?

    "What the fuck?" Harper muttered to himself as he began rubbing harder, desperate to see what the hell was going on. The fur tickled his face but it didn''t matter, whatever was wrong his body was far more concerning. Once his eyes stopped watering, he could finally see what was wrong with him.

    And his synopsis?

    EVERYTHING.

    He couldn''t see his skin because blue fur covered his entire arm. Looking further up his arms and to his body, he noticed the fur covered his entire body, his chest was different due to the black fur. Two metal plates were stuck on top of his hands.

    Hands?

    He turned his "hands" over and saw two paws before his face. His fingers were replaced with three large nubs, each one able to move independently from the other.

    ~Oh god, oh fuck, please don''t tell me. Oh nonononono,~ Harper tried to stand up but again tripped over his foot. When he looked back, he saw that they were also paws. Every body feature that was on Harper''s body was looking scaringly similar to something from his childhood memory.

    "Oh shit, please don''t tell me I''m a¡­" he trailed off and saw a nearby pond. His legs were refusing to listen to him, so Harper compromised by crawling to the edge of the water like an army soldier during training. If anyone was watching nearby, he didn''t care about how embarrassing it looked. Once he reached the edge, the reflection in the water confirmed his beliefs.

    He wasn''t greeted with a reflection of his face.

    What instead looked back at him was a riolu.

    "Hah, this is a dream," Harper laughed hysterically before coughing again, falling on his back onto the lush grass. "Heheheh, yeah, this is just a dream. I''m probably in a hospital bed over in LA. Mr. Reagan is probably paying the medical fee right now since he''s so nice, right?"

    Using a nearby tree standing next to the pond as support, Harper slowly stood up, placing his hands on the bark. His tail was instinctually counterbalancing his weight and he hated how relieving that felt, having a new extremity he couldn''t control was reality shattering to him enough. Harper then remembered that riolus had those weird things dangling on his head where his ears should be. Guess that answered why his head felt heavier than usual.

    "If this is a dream, it''s been going on for too long now, c''mon braaaiiiiin wake me uuuuuup," Harper sang as he slightly hit his head, trying to force himself out of this nightmare.

    His brain refused to wake up.

    "Alright, that''s it," He swiftly slapped his left cheek, and his right cheek followed. He was still stuck in this body.

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    As much as he didn''t want to admit it, he had to.

    This was reality.

    "Okay¡­ I''m stuck in the middle of goddamn nowhere, no one around to help, and in a body of a fucking pok¨¦mon," Harper emphasized the last part to himself. His attempts to ground himself were failing. The amount of internal questions continued to pile in his head until one shattered every other.

    Did that bomb kill him?

    It probably did, as he wasn''t even in the middle of the Californian desert, but that didn''t explain why he was in this body. Harper wasn''t a religious person but he definitely knew that this isn''t what happens after people die. In what world would someone be taken to the Pok¨¦mon games after they die? At the revelation that he was an inch away from death''s doors, he began hyperventilating.

    ~WhyamIstillalivewhyamIstillalivewhyamIstillalivewhyamIstillalivewhyamIstillalive¡­~

    The pent-up stress caused Harper''s nerves to shake even harder and his legs soon gave out, causing him to slump onto the ground. Breathing still hurt but the sheer panic that he was feeling overrode the pain.

    ~Shit shit shit, I''m having a panic attack; what''s that thing people do to calm down? Oh, right, name things around me,~ Harper tried to take deeper breaths as he identified his surroundings.

    "Okay, there''s a tree, another tree, the pond, a pile of leaves, a fallen log." As Harper looked around the environment, his heartbeat steadied, and his breathing slowed. Ignoring how he dodged death and why he was in a new body calmed him down considerably. "I see some fern, umm, some mud¡­" Eventually, Harper ran out of things to spot, but at that point, he had complete control over his mental state. With a clear conscience, he was finally able to see just where he actually was.

    He was in the middle of some forest with no sign of any human activity, not even a dirt path was available to set a trail. This forest was an extreme contrast to where Harper was before the explosion. He had no idea how he got here and how he got a completely new body. His injuries were still holding him back from walking around efficiently, causing him to limp and lean from one tree to the next. Harper was slowly adjusting to his new body, walking was becoming easier if only by a minuscule amount. After a few minutes of pained navigation through the forest, he heard a rustling from a nearby bush, causing him to freeze.

    "I swear I heard someone her¡ª" What looked like a yorkshire terrier emerged from the foliage, turning her head side to side before locking her eyes on Harper. "-Oh my goodness! You''re covered in injuries!"

    ~Is that a herdier?~ Harper stared at the pok¨¦mon in silent bewilderment. He expected to see other pok¨¦mon in the future since he was now, somehow, a pok¨¦mon himself. He just didn''t expect to see one so soon.

    "Don''t force yourself to stand up!" She directed to him before turning her head to the further end of the forest. "Honey! Get over here! A child needs saving!"

    ~Me? A child?~ Harper thought as he heard another herdier rapidly approaching. He knew that his voice sounded higher pitched and he was much shorter than usual, but did he really look like some kid?

    When the other herdier arrived, he winced at the sight of Harper''s injuries. "Oh goodness, you need some rawst right now. Riolu, can you walk?"

    "S-somewhat," Harper grunted out, the pain on his chest beginning to resurface.

    "Okay, good; now hold onto mine and my husband''s backs," The two herdiers stood on Harper''s left and right. "We''ll walk you to the ranch."

    ~Ranch?~ He quickly dismissed the thought and did as the herdier told. He placed his arm on each of them and held his body up like walking crutches. Having support from the Herdiers helped walking to be much easier, as less weight was being displaced in his new feet.

    "I know walking will hurt, but our trainers aren''t far away. Just bear with the pain a little more, son," said the second herdier. Harper grunted in response, and they began their trek to the herdier''s trainers.

    During the hike to the border of the forest, Harper regained his thoughts and started to think to himself. He was a pok¨¦mon now, he couldn''t deny it or reverse it. There was also no way he was able to contact the old world. He absolutely died from the explosion, the aches on his body reminded him with every passing second. The two herdiers finding him was a blessing, but where had they come from? He needed proof as to the broad scope of where he was, so he turned to one of the herdiers and asked.

    "Do¡­Do you know where we are?"

    Both of them tilted their heads in confusion as they looked at him. "My boy," one of them replied. "Did your injuries also hurt your head? We''re on the outskirts of Route 20."

    Route 20? Harper began to connect the dots. He was a riolu and he found himself in a forest that was near some ranch. Two herdiers find him injured, both are a male and a female. The most progress he made when he played his emulated copy of Pok¨¦mon Black 2 was when he completed the side quest of helping the farmers with¡­

    ~Holy shit.~

    The proof was irrefutable now; Harper was in the Unova Region.

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    The streets of Virbank were thick with fog, and the smell of chemicals permeated in the air. White smoke emanated from the columns of the nearby Virbank Complex, the main cause of the city''s iconic haziness. Roxie O''Connor ran through the fog, trying to catch up with her father, who was stupidly throwing his life away for some asinine dream.

    "Pop!" Moxie shouted through the fog. "Pop! Just listen to me for once!"

    Her father, Liam O''Connor, halted his brisk walk. He exuded unbridled optimism, almost to a fault, unable to hear a single argument she had.

    "Don''t stop me, my daughter!" he exclaimed as he turned around fashionably, his captain''s suit barely holding on. "Living here in this clammy port city has drained me of my true potential!" Mr. O''Connor then pointed over to the brightly lit horizon of the Pok¨¦star Studios. "Only Pok¨¦star Studios can help me reach my goal! I have reached my goal of becoming a sea captain, but now I must also become a star!"

    Roxie couldn''t help but groan as she slid her hands on her cheeks downward. "Pop," she said in a cheery and sarcastic tone. "If your ship doesn''t leave the port any time soon," Roxie snapped. "The entire port is going to be in utter chaos because of your MIDLIFE CRISIS!"

    "Oh, my daughter, it''ll be completely fine," Mr. O''Connor adjusted the brim of his captain''s hat. "If you can split the responsibilities of your role as a gym leader and being the leader of a band, why can''t I do the same?"

    Before Roxie could refute his belief, O''Connor quickly turned around and dashed to the gate connecting Virbank and Pok¨¦star Studios. Roxie stood there, caught off-guard by her father''s sudden departure and abandonment of his duties. She crouched into a ball, hands over her head. After a few seconds of incoherent mumbling, she snapped.

    "AAAAAAAAH!" She stomped to a nearby alleyway and began kicking over garbage and trash cans. "You dim-witted¡­dense¡­dumb¡­daft¡­dippy¡­ dolty¡­doltish¡­DOOFUS!"

    She ran out of the alleyway and shouted at the city gate. "I''VE HAD IT WITH YOU! I''LL BE IN THE GYM!" She walked back to her gym, trying her best to not think of the consequences her dense father''s actions would eventually bring. Despite her efforts, however, thoughts lingered in her mind, to her, only the sensation of playing music could deafen it.

    Someone at Pok¨¦star better put some sense into her idiot of a father.

 Scene 1 - Take 3: Toxic Skirmishes and Assistive Wishes

    During the walk in the forest, Harper got to familiarize himself with his two rescuers. The male herdier went by Winston, and the female herdier''s name was Willow. Both of them were under the care of their ranch owner and his wife. It felt odd to converse with beings that weren''t human but apart from the physicality of it, their conversation would be as normal as it would get. If he ignored the fact that he was talking to two pok¨¦mon and instead pretended that he was talking with people, it was easier to take in the situation.

    To pass the time while they walked, the two herdiers began talking about their encounter with an evil human. Winston was gradually becoming angrier as the story unfolded, the fact that he was remembering was boiling his blood.

    "So get this son, some evil-looking trainer in some strange black costume decided to steal my dear Willow!" Winston barked with outrage. "Our trainers and I had no idea how she went missing, and we wouldn''t have ever found out if it weren''t for those two trainers who came by."

    Willow continued the story as Winston tried to catch his breath from his rant. "They immediately started looking for me when they heard I went missing. The evil trainer stole me while I was behind the barn, leading a lost Mareep back to the field. He tried to run away from the scene as fast as he could but got lost in the forest. Then, the nice trainer found us and roughed up the bad guy."

    Their story was parallel to how everything played out in the games. He remembered fighting the new Team Plasma member before his hunt for a riolu. Wondering if the "nice trainer" was the same as the video game main character, he proceeded to ask Willow.

    "What did the trainer that saved you look like? Did he have a visor with a blue jacket and shorts?"

    "Why yes, he did," Willow raised an eyebrow. "How did you know that?"

    Harper couldn''t find a proper response without revealing the truth, he felt like he shouldn''t tell anyone his real identity just yet. The herdiers and their trainers already have too much to worry about with his injuries, so telling someone that he was a human would be immoderate. Unable to explain why he knew the player character''s appearance, he shifted the topic of the conversation.

    "Was the bad guy arrested?"

    "That bastard ran away as soon as the authorities were called," Winston growled. "If only I were there to battle him, I''d clamp my jaws straight into his neck for taking my wife like that."

    "Dear, watch your language," Willow chided. "Not in front of a child like that."

    "I''m not a child," Harper blurted out.

    "Of course, you aren''t, you''re very brave for handling your injuries so well."

    ~There''s no convincing anyone.~

    As the three continued to walk, Harper felt something drip down his chest. Looking down, he realized that the burnt skin was beginning to rip due to stretching his arms sideways to hold onto the herdiers. He was also feeling slightly weaker as time passed, the pain was beginning to feel less ignorable. Harper tapped both of their shoulders, grabbing their attention.

    "Can we pick up the pace? My chest¡­"

    "Oh dear, it''s getting worse," Willow gasped at Harper''s fur, stained from blood and dirt when he crawled on the ground. "Let''s hurry, Winston."

    The three sped up their walking and quickly made their way to the edge of the forest. There was a fence that bordered the cluster of trees and the flat expanse of land.

    "Is that the ranch you live at?" Harper asked, pointing at the barnhouse.

    "There''s no ranch around here, son, other than our Floccesy Ranch," Winston answered. "Our trainers should be nearby; they''ll be able to help you further."

    The human-turned-riolu nodded in response as the herdiers began walking faster. After ducking under the fence and exiting the forest, Harper looked around the ranch, amazed at how ordinary it looked. The farm was surrounded by a fenced perimeter with a vast field for the Mareep to graze. A smaller field section was fenced off, and mounds of hay sat in the corner. The wooden barn, stablehouse, and silo stood side-by-side with a bright red roof on each one. If the Mareep were replaced by sheep from Earth, Harper would have assumed that he was back in his original world.

    The trio of pok¨¦mon walked up to the two ranch owners who were reboarding the side of the stablehouse. The woman was working on the bottom of the wall as the man did the same with the top while on a ladder. The man wore a bandana damp from sweat and green overalls dirty from sawdust and dirt. The woman was clothed in a vest and dress just as dirty as her husband''s, her visor blocking the bright rays of the sun.

    "Hey, Reed! We need urgent care right now!" Winston barked loudly, surprising the man and causing him to drop his hammer and nail. Just as he was about to fall off, he regained his footing and grabbed the ladder''s sides, catching his breath.

    "Winston!" The man said in a tense voice as he descended the ladder. "You know how easily I get scare¡ª"

    His face of mild irritation soon turned into shock as he glanced at Harper. His body was covered in injuries, the first and second-degree burns singing the fur, the chest area being the largest. Cuts covered nearly every part of his extremities, a multitude of unsanitary colors staining his fur.

    "Meadow!" The rancher called out. "We got an injured pok¨¦mon here! Get the first aid kit in the living room!"

    His wife stopped working on the stablehouse, rushing over to Harper with the same face the man made. "Oh goodness, Reed. I''ll do just that, go take Riolu to the kitchen table." She requested, leaving the group behind.

    "Willow, Winston, you heard her. Let''s go," Reed picked up Harper and ran to the nearby house. Harper''s consciousness was beginning to drift away, being both physically and mentally tired from everything that happened since his encounter with an explosion was taking a toll on his body.

    ~Maybe, just maybe¡­ I''ll wake up in my real body after all this¡­ I''ll be back in my bedroom before I know i¡­~

    Harper passed out as soon as Reed opened the front door.

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    Nate''s battle with Cheren was a tough one. His inability to capture a riolu left Nate in a moody state; a fighting type would''ve made Cheren a breeze to complete; despite not catching a riolu, catching his new partner, Mareep, lifted his spirits. Snivy and Mareep fought tooth and nail against Cheren''s Normal-type pok¨¦mon. Normal types, having no resistances or advantages to Nate''s pok¨¦mon, made his first gym battle reasonably tricky. He had overheard that Roxie was a Poison-type, which would be difficult for Snivy, but he had to face the disadvantage. The path to Champion was going to be tough, and the second gym was just another obstacle.

    Winning in unfavorable odds would only help Nate be a better trainer.

    The entrance to the Virbank City Gym was unlike any Nate had ever read about in his research of the gyms he had to compete in. Unlike Cheren''s gym, which was behind Aspertia City''s trainer school, Roxie''s gym was deep underground. The first entrance led to a network of stairs where rock music grew louder as he descended. As Nate walked down the steps, he noticed a sign on the wall showcasing the schedule for the next couple of days. All the slots for today read:

    Koffing and the Toxics

    Practice Session: 12 a.m. - 3 p.m.

    Concert: 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

    Upon reaching the actual entrance to the gym, the attendant behind the front desk sat up from her slumped position and faced Nate. The attendant was visibly tired, with bags under her eyes, and used herbal tea bags in a nearby trash bin.

    "You here for a battle?" She grumbled, annoyed that her attempted nap was interrupted. "If you''re here for the concert, it''s not happening anytime soon."

    "No, I''m here for the battle I registered for at 3:00 p.m.," Nate responded. "You were the one who wrote down the appointment for me two days ago."

    "Did I?" She questioned herself as she began clicking her pen on the side of her head. The attendant started to flip over her clipboard and noticed his name. "Oh yeah, right, you''re Nate, correct?"

    "That''s me."

    "Well, you''re here a little early. Just go inside and wait for their practice session to end."

    Nate thanked the attendant in response, but she spoke up right before he touched the door handle.

    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    "Hey, can you make the battle as long as possible?" She requested as she returned to her slumped position on the desk. "The battles here are so much quieter than Roxie''s band. I haven''t slept properly in ages."

    Wanting to finish the fight as fast as he could, Nate gave the attendant a shrug and a nod, neither responding with a yes or no. When he opened the doors, volume blasted Nate''s body with the full force of the underground club''s music. Many speakers and subwoofers decorated every free space in the room.

    "P! O! K! ¨¦! M! O N! POK¨¦MON!"

    Covering his ears, Nate walked over to the table furthest from all the speakers and waited for the band to finish playing. While waiting, he looked around the underground club and noticed several people listening to the band. The DJ was in the back of the club, playing with his turntable and adjusting the balance levels of the song. Roxie''s band was so absorbed in their playing that they never noticed Nate entering through the double doors. The main stage was small, but it was the perfect size for Roxie''s band, consisting of a lead bass, electric guitar, and drums. The back wall of the stage had a picture of a koffing, fitting the band''s name. The club''s center was empty since it acted as the battlefield for the gym.

    As Nate observed the club/gym and looked back at the band, Roxie finished her final riff, ending with a strum that reverberated across the room. She stood dramatically, looking down with her playing hand held up high. When Roxie looked up, the audience began to lightly applaud. She noticed the loudest person clapping was Nate, standing out from the crowd with his visor and bright blue jacket.

    "So you''re Nate? The trainer set for 3 o''clock?" She spoke as she held the mic, pointing at Nate. When he nodded in response, Roxie flung her guitar behind her like a backpack and jumped off the stage, pok¨¦ball already in hand.

    "The attendant told me a while ago that this is your second badge, so I''ll be using a corresponding team for that," She explained as she walked to her side of the arena. "I''m also not going to hold back; I have some anger in me that rocking out won''t fix."

    The DJ picked up his mic, and after tapping it twice to test its functionality, he announced to the sparse audience. "Today''s match is between Challenger Nate and Gym Leader Roxie. As this is Nate''s second badge challenge, Roxie will be using her second badge team. This will be a two-on-two match, and only the Challenger is allowed to swap out. The battle is over if the Challenger calls forfeit or renders the defender''s team unable to battle."

    Roxie turned back to face Nate, who was prepared, standing on the opposite side. "Get ready, ''cause I''m about to knock some sense outta ya!" Roxie shouts, ready to throw her pok¨¦mon into the battlefield.

    "I''m ready to return the favor," Nate replied, grabbing a pok¨¦ball from his belt and touching the button, enlarging it.

    After their short conversation, the DJ spoke into the mike. "Are both trainers ready?" When they both looked at the DJ with a fiery glare, he took it as a yes and continued. "Then let the match¡­ BEGIN!"

    Nate and Roxie throw their pok¨¦balls in tandem into the arena, both shouting their pok¨¦mon''s names simultaneously.

    "Let''s do this, Mareep!"

    "Go, Whirlipede!"

    With a click from both pok¨¦balls, a shimmer of light escapes them. When their respective pok¨¦mon appear in front of them, their trainers issue out their commands instantly.

    "Mareep, use Cotton Spore!"

    "Whirlipede, Rollout!"

    Mareep''s wool began to glow as vast clumps swiftly flew towards Whirlipede''s route, blocking rollout''s stampede.

    "Tch, you made the right play," Roxie scoffed. "Whirlipede! Turn and switch to Poison Sting!"

    Whirlipede halted before it hit the first ball of wool on the ground and jumped to the right, shooting a sharp, pointy needle in Mareep''s direction. A Poison Sting hits Mareep in her front leg, the venom beginning to course through her veins.

    "Shit! Mareep! Take the needle out and use a Thunder Wave!"

    Using her hoof, she knocked the needle out of her leg before more poison could enter and proceeded to send ripples of electricity around her. The Thunder Wave successfully hit Whirlipede before he could roll away, causing the pok¨¦mon to twitch erratically.

    "How astounding, ladies and gentlemen!" The DJ exclaimed. "Both trainers have already inflicted status effects on each other in such a short time frame! This match is getting shockingly toxic!"

    The crowd began to cheer for the two battlers, equally split between the Challenger and the Gym Leader.

    "Go, Roxie! Beat him for the next concert!"

    "Go, Nate!"

    "Beat Roxie!"

    "Stomp the newcomer!"

    Nate grinned as he heard the encouragement ringing around the underground club. This was his first gym battle with public attention and hearing people cheer for his opponent didn''t deter him. In fact, it motivated him to prove them all wrong.

    "Use Tackle and then Cotton Spore on his eye!"

    Before Whirlipede could react, Mareep was already in front of the poisonous Bug-type and hit Tack squarely in the eye. When Whirlipede stumbled, making clicking noises as it was bearing the pain, Mareep shot a ball of wool at its injured eye.

    "Ooooh!" The DJ recoiled, putting his hands before his mouth when Mareep connected her Tackle. "Whirlipede is now both paralyzed and blinded on his left side! How will Roxie fight with more disadvantages weighing her pok¨¦mon down?"

    "Fight off the paralysis, Whirlipede! Use Screech!"

    An ear-splitting noise emanated from the bug''s mouth, causing everyone in the underground club to cover their ears, Nate included. Roxie wasn''t fazed by Whirlipede''s screech, Nate assumed it was from the frequent loud volume she always played in. Roxie took the opportunity to issue another command while his ears were still deafened.

    "Perfect! Now use Rollout at 10 o''clock!"

    Whirlipede shifted left and began to roll towards Mareep. Despite paralysis affecting his top speed, it still packed a punch when he pummeled Mareep right on her forehead. Mareep stumbled around after receiving the blow, still trying her best to stay afoot.

    "Mareep, use Thunder Shock while Whirlipede''s close to you!"

    Sparks of electricity began to accumulate around her wool and she soon shot the collected energy, zapping Whirlipede. The continuous electrocution was too much for the Bug-type as he began to roll side to side until he fell onto the floor like a loose tire.

    "Roxie''s Whirlipede is unable to battle!" The DJ exclaimed. "With Nate''s Mareep still standing and his other pok¨¦mon on standby, let''s see how Roxie can turn the tide in her favor!"

    Roxie called back Whirlipede into her pok¨¦ball, whispering into it as she brought it to her forehead. "You did well; your poison brought his pok¨¦mon to its knees."

    Nate looked over at Mareep. She was barely keeping it together, her face scrunched up from the poison that''s been in her body far longer than it should''ve. Her leg looked the worst, Mareep was leaning on her other three legs to disperse the pain away from it. Not wanting to strain her too much, Nate called Mareep over as he took her pok¨¦ball out.

    "Mareep, you did great," Nate complimented her, soon calling her back into her pok¨¦ball. "Good job on holding it out till the end. Let''s have Snivy take over now."

    "Nate uses his right as a challenger to swap out his pok¨¦mon! What will our battlers change to now?"

    "Let''s finish this, Snivy!"

    "It''s on you now, Koffing!"

    Nate released his starter pok¨¦mon while Roxie let out the namesake of her band.

    "Bold of you to have a Grass-type sent out!" Roxie scoffed as she crossed her arms. "Hope you have a strategy knowing you''re under a type disadvantage! Koffing, use Smokescreen!"

    Fumes emerged from the Koffing''s geysers, covering the combat zone in a thick haze of smoke. Snivy began looking over his shoulder frantically, expecting an attack from an unexpected angle.

    "Snivy, use Magical Leaf to blow the smoke away!"

    Snivy began to spin on the tip of his feet as he summoned leaves, revolving alongside the grass snake pok¨¦mon. The whirlwind that the magical leaves created from rotating repeatedly sucked up the smoke. When Snivy stopped spinning around, the smoke and the leaves dissipated from the arena.

    Roxie scoffed at Nate who was grinning, glad that his idea worked.

    "I''d better end this fast! Koffing, use Sludge!" Roxie commanded as she threw a hand to her side.

    Koffing''s cheeks began to fill up before shooting muck in Snivy''s direction. The bile hit his tail leaf, the edges sizzling and melting away. Snivy winced in pain as he shook off the excess as much as he could. Nate wanted to help him get the sludge off but doing so would be forfeit. Ending the battle as quickly as possible was the only way to help, and that was exactly what he intended to do.

    "Use Wrap on Koffing while he''s close!" Nate shouted.

    Vines began to extend from Snivy''s shoulders and wrapped around the surprised Koffing like a ball of yarn. Without another command from Nate, Snivy began to slam the gas pok¨¦mon up and down onto the ground multiple times.

    "Damn it! Koffing, use Poison Gas!"

    Purple fumes emanated from Koffing''s holes and Snivy let his vine whips go, the poison beginning to burn off the first layer. The damage had already been done, as Koffing was having difficulty keeping afloat, slowly gravitating towards the floor as time passed.

    "Alright, let''s finish this Snivy! Use Vine Whip and smack him down!"

    Without sparing another second, Snivy withstood the pain inflicted by poison gas on its plant-like tendrils and used two vines to smack Koffing onto the ground. In an act of desperation, Koffing released another Poison Gas, this time much larger than the last. The impact created a cloud of poison, and unease festered in Nate. When the gas dissipated, the only one remaining was Snivy, standing firm. Koffing remained motionless on the ground, fainting from the repeated physical blows.

    The silence left from the final attack was broken by the DJ, who tapped into the mic and spoke. "M-my goodness, ladies and gentlemen! I have not seen a spectacular battle like this in ages! The victor is Nate!"

    The DJ''s announcement led to the crowd erupting into a frenzy of applause. Not wasting another second, Nate rushed over to Snivy and released Mareep from her pok¨¦ball to heal both at the same time. Taking out a potion from his bag, he sprayed his pok¨¦mon simultaneously. As he healed the two, he noticed Roxie sending Koffing back into a pok¨¦ball before she walked over to Nate. She dug into her pockets and took two pecha berries out.

    "You''re gonna need these as well," She held the berries forward. "Nice battle, Nate."

    "Thanks, Roxie," Nate replied, taking the pechas and passing them to his pok¨¦mon. The berries were doing their job, as Mareep and Snivy were looking much more lively than how they looked a moment ago.

    She then asked him. "How did you come up with clearing the smoke with Magical Leaf?"

    "Well, I knew I was going to have trouble with this battle since I was under a type disadvantage with my two pok¨¦mon." Nate turned back and faced his Snivy, who was shaking the nearly empty bottle on his tail. "I know that the snivy evolution learns Leaf Storm much later in their life, but spinning around some summoned leaves is fundamentally the same as its move counterpart. And since Leaf Storm uses wind to a certain extent, I expected my discount version to be the same."

    Roxie laughed. "Tricks like this will get you far, Nate," She rummaged through her other pocket and took out the Toxic Badge, dropping it on his open hand. "Here you go, you deserve this."

    Nate stared at the golden badge with embedded purple gems, laughing cheerfully as he held it high to his head. The club broke into another round of applause in response. When the noise died down, Roxie tapped his shoulder.

    "So you''re going to Castelia City next, right?" when Nate confirmed her question, she continued. "Well, you''re out of luck. The only person who has a round trip from Virbank to Castelia by boat is my Pops, who''s too dense to listen to me." She sighed, looking down at the ground with her hands on her hips.

    "I know you''re capable, especially after seeing you battle, so I''m gonna ask for a favor for Virbank''s and my sake. Can you get my Pops to leave Pok¨¦star Studios and return to his job?"

    "Sure, Roxie," He accepted as he called back his pok¨¦mon, who returned to their pokeballs in healthy condition. "I''ll find him as soon as I can."

    "Thanks, Nate. Just look for someone named Liam O''Connor; he should be doing whatever actors do at movie studios."

    Nate hummed in response, turning around and exiting the underground club through the double doors. He was now one step closer to his dream of being Unova''s champion.

 Scene 1 - Take 4: Shattered Dreams and Unlikely Opportunities

    Harper flipped through his script, rereading the lines he had gone over for the past couple of days, muttering them to himself. His leg bobbed up and down with nervousness as he frequently glanced at the clock. The time for his audition was about to occur in a couple more minutes, and tension grew in his body with each passing second.

    He wasn''t the only one in a state of anxiety; the waiting room was filled with actors and actresses who wanted the starring role as much as he did. The people rehearsing aloud to themselves only solidified to Harper that he was about to say the same lines to the interviewers.

    He had heard that the director himself was there to oversee the audition, an unusual occurrence but not unheard of. The rumor only fueled Harper''s need to get the role, a chance to impress the casting agent and the director himself, which was perfect for his dream to happen.

    Taking a deep breath, he attempted to calm the butterflies swirling in his stomach. It wasn''t helping like he hoped it would, it only cemented the fact that he was really here, trying to get a role that everyone else here was gunning for. As he continued to review his lines, Harper couldn''t help but steal glances at the diverse talent around him. Each face carried its own story of ambition and determination, creating an unspoken camaraderie among the anxious performers. Some exchanged supportive nods, while others remained lost in their own worlds of preparation.

    The rumor about the director''s presence intensified the stakes. Harper couldn''t shake the image of impressing the casting agent and the visionary behind the project. It wasn''t just about landing a role but about making an indelible mark that could shape his entire career.

    As the minutes dwindled down, the energy in the room was becoming more desperate. Harper''s palms felt clammy, and he resisted rechecking his reflection in the nearby mirror. The door to the audition room loomed like a gateway to his aspirations, and he couldn''t escape the sense that destiny hung in the balance.

    With a final glance at the script, Harper steeled himself. The nervous energy transformed into a fierce determination. He whispered the lines again, committing them to memory, and rose from his seat. He knew that this audition could be the turning point he had been tirelessly working toward. The room pulsed with the collective heartbeat of dreams. Harper was ready to take the spotlight and give the interviewers what they wanted and more.

    Just as he had finished rereading the last part of the script, he heard a voice from the door dividing him and his last shot as an actor.

    "Number 13, Harper Moore! You''re next!"

    Harper stood up from his chair, collecting his thoughts, and walked over to the person who called his name.

    "Harper Moore, that''s me."

    The employee stood to the side, keeping the door open with his hand on the handle. Harper gave his thanks as he walked in, later taking deep breaths in an attempt to calm himself down further.

    As he entered the dimly lit audition room, the fluorescent lights flickered above Harper. The suspense was hanging in the air, and Harper could sense that the interviewers already harbored a certain disapproval. Their looks of contempt struck Harper as he made eye contact with each person.

    The current situation was not looking good.

    One of them began flipping through sheets of paper before taking one out, reading through as Harper stood nervously in the limelight. The fact that he had everyone''s resumes and sat in the middle of the table confirmed the rumor. The director really did show up to help pick the starring role.

    "You''re Harper?" The Director asked. He nodded in response. "Alright then, let''s get this over with, we have nearly 20 other people to look at."

    Harper cleared his throat and started reciting the lines from memory. As he spoke aloud, the interviewers exchanged skeptical glances. Harper felt their eyes on him, judging every expression, every nuance of his performance. The role demanded more than he could offer regarding looks, but he pressed on, determined to prove himself.

    However, the director interrupted him before he could get to the end of his line.

    "Sorry, Harper, but we''re seeking someone different for this role," He explained as he placed Harper''s resume face down in another stack. "You''re not the type of actor we envisioned."

    Harper looked up from his script, confusion written on his face as his heart sank. What did they mean by that? Was Harper''s looks the reason? His tone of voice? Before he could ask, another interviewer spoke up, already prepared to answer.

    "You''re just not what we need. Your acting style doesn''t fit the vision we have for this character."

    A cold realization crept over Harper. He wasn''t merely being rejected for this role; they were dismissing him as an actor altogether. One of the interviewers punctuated the rejection when they whispered to their neighbor. "Honestly, he''s not even noteworthy enough to be an extra."

    Harper overheard their insult, but with proper etiquette, he took a slight bow, thanking them for their time. Harper left the audition room, the weight of disappointment clinging to him like a cloak. The door closed behind him, sealing the chapter of his failed attempt at breaking into the film industry. He threw the script he had been devoting the past week into a trash can with force, along with his self-esteem.

    Wandering through the corridors of the office building, deep in dejection, Harper spotted a job board adorned with various fliers. Most of them advertised future auditions, something he knew he would fail at a moment''s attempt. Dejectedly skimming at the fliers, a glimmer of hope ignited as he noticed a particular flier seeking a Best Boy Grip. It demanded film school and movie tech experience, making what was Harper''s years of film school pointless, useful again. This was a new opportunity, he made a compromise on his dream of being in front of the camera. His changed dream was still a chance to be part of the filmmaking process.

    The sting of rejection faded as quickly as it came. The urge to defy his mother''s beliefs out of spite and his newly repaired dream gave Harper a new-found determination. Harper ripped the flier off the bulletin board. Resolve flickered in his eyes as he clutched the paper, hoping that this unexpected turn might lead him to a new path in the world of cinema.

    As soon as Harper stepped out of the casting building, he found himself out in the middle of the desert. The flier had disappeared and in his hands was a C4. A combat tank stood tall in front of him, the heat of the sun reflecting off the metal into Harper''s face. Harper began to look around, confused by the sudden change in the environment. Before he could drop the C4 in his hands, he heard a familiar shriek from the distance.

    "SIR NO DON''T PUSH THE BU¡ª"

    Realizing what he was reliving, Harper attempted to run away, but just like the first time, he got caught in the blast.

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    Harper''s eyes shot open, a gasp escaping his lips as he jolted upright in bed. His chest heaved with rapid breaths, his heart pounding against his ribs. The lingering echoes of his dream still clung to the edges of his consciousness, the most vivid image of the shift to his death in the movie set. He began to look side-to-side, disoriented about where he was before the two appendages on his head hit his eyes.

    Stolen novel; please report.

    Harper winced from the pain, mumbling, "Stupid dread thingies." After rubbing his eyes, he began to look around. Harper sat on a pullout sofa embroidered with flowers covered in a similarly designed blanket. A coffee table decorated with a single potted plant sat in front of the sofa. Winston and Willow slept nearby in front of the unused fireplace. The living room''s decor featured vintage farm tools, throw pillows, and fresh flowers. Despite the traditional appearance, modern utilities like a flat-screen TV and DVD player were seamlessly integrated into the comfortable rural setting.

    ~Shit¡­ so this isn''t a dream after all,~ Harper looked down at his new paws and then at his side dreads. The sudden shift of a human body in his nightmare to this body made him feel alien now that he was a riolu. He was slowly remembering what had transpired before he ended up on this sofa bed. After dying from that bomb, he somehow ended up in the Unova region and was now in the house of the ranch that was in the games.

    Winston and Willow woke up from their nap after noticing Harper''s movements, their heavy-eyed faces quickly shifting to one of happiness. Winston dashes out of the living room and to the front door. "Reed! Meadow! The kid''s finally awake!"

    Willow stayed behind, standing up and leaning her paws on the sofa''s edge, staring tenderly into Harper''s eyes.

    "Are you feeling any better? You''ve been sleeping for an entire day."

    "An entire day?" Harper repeated as he looked at his body. All his appendages were wrapped in bandages, he even noticed that his tail was as well when he looked behind his back. His chest area was also enveloped, lacking any sign of blood. It seemed like the bleeding had finally stopped.

    "It''s a good thing we found you so soon as well; if you were out there any longer with those injuries untreated¡­ I don''t want to imagine it."

    Reed and Meadow walked into the living room led by Winston. The couple knelt by the sofa as Winston stood next to Willow.

    "Your injuries were treatable, but if the herdiers didn''t find you¡­" Meadow said until she started looking downward, imagining something dark.

    "Thankfully they did," Reed spoke up. "And we had enough rawst berries to treat your burns."

    Harper''s new nose scrunched up as he noticed a bitter scent coming from somewhere. He took his right arm up to his face and sniffed. He recoiled from the scent, the bandages were the source of the smell.

    "Rawst berry juice heals burns greatly when they''re applied like an ointment, so just bear with the smell for a while," Reed explained. "You''ll make a full recovery other than some scars and burn marks but your fur will block them out of sight."

    When he finished explaining, Reed sighed as he thought to himself before asking Harper a question. "There was also something we wanted to ask once you were awake. Do you know what caused your injuries?"

    As Harper heard the question, he began to sweat, unsure of how to respond to their curiosity. The same logic applied here like when Willow asked how he knew what the player character looked like. He couldn''t just tell them all that he was from a completely different dimension and was now in the body of a pok¨¦mon. Adding an impossibility on top of another was two too many.

    "Are you not sure, Riolu?" Meadow put her hand on his hand, or now his paw. "If you don''t remember, it''s alright."

    Harper was given the perfect excuse, and he quickly nodded in response. He decided that memory loss was a decent coverup to his previous life.

    "Well, that''s concerning, but I''ll take your word for it," Meadow continued. "Reed and I believe that a Fire-type pok¨¦mon attacked you before Winston and Willow found you. There wasn''t any smoke in the forest, so we were stumped about how you got burned."

    "I''ll send a word to some rangers later about a potentially dangerous Fire-type wandering in Route 20''s forest," Reed added. "Just know that you''re safe here, Riolu."

    "Thank you for treating me," Harper said to the human couple. "And thank you for finding me," He faced the Herdier couple.

    Reed and Meadow smiled, not comprehending his exact words but getting the message before going back outside, the herdiers following suit. The familial connection he tangibly felt with everyone made Harper realize that he left what family he had behind as well.

    Harper never had a wife, his work life made sure to keep his marriage status single. He was also an only child, Being the only child, he experienced a deep sense of isolation that was made worse by his unsupportive mother. His father had been his pillar of support, but after his death, there was no one to help him in his time of need. Harper''s once-tense relationship with his mother shattered after his father''s death because she never came to terms with Harper''s wish. She hated that he wanted to follow in his father''s footsteps in the film industry, the very industry that had killed his father.

    His loneliness turned into his regular companion. No friends to turn to, no siblings to share memories with. The emptiness that surrounded his existence was a reflection of his father''s absence. He had no genuine relationships at work and felt alone even there. Colleagues remained as colleagues; they never moved past the work environment to become real friends.

    The harsh truth was hard to swallow, but it was inevitable.

    Harper didn''t miss his old life.

    His path toward his dreams and aspirations to be an actor was met with criticism from his mother and his peers. Even when he compromised his dream to make movies by changing his dream job to Key Grip, he was still horribly treated. The years of mental beatings brought him down multiple times but he continued to hope that something would eventually change.

    An explosion to the face answered that hope. The combustive response to his desire affirmed to Harper what the little voice in his head told him each day when he woke up.

    "Cinema didn''t need Harper Moore."

    A tear dropped from his eye, and another, before they became sobs, muffled by a blanket on his face. It was the first time he had cried in years, the furthest he could remember doing so was when his father had passed away.

    Harper didn''t know if this was the last time if he would ever cry.

    He hoped it was.

    Nothing could be worse than this realization.

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    "You won''t need your bandages anymore," Meadow said as she unwrapped Harper''s arms. "Your body needs some fresh air as well so I want you to go outside and walk around, ok?"

    Harper gave an attempt of a thumbs up with his right paw, curling two pads and leaving one up. Meadow chuckled at Harper''s response, unwrapping the last of the bandages and throwing it away in a nearby trash bin.

    "You can walk anywhere within the ranch, we want you within eye contact in case you get attacked again. Also, don''t disturb the mareep and flaaffy while they''re grazing. If you need anything just call for anyone nearby, alright?"

    When he nodded, Meadow smiled at him before leaving the house, moving on with her daily tasks. Harper scooched to the edge of the sofa and jumped off, immediately losing his balance. He stumbled around before catching himself on the coffee table.

    ~Right, my feet aren''t human.~

    Harper remembered that dogs walk like how a person would walk on their toes. With that in mind, he began to take small steps before walking at a steady pace. It was much easier to walk now compared to his first attempt in the forest.

    ~Aha, I can finally walk now, at least one more thing is making sense in my life.~

    Harper walked to the front door that was left ajar and gave it a push. The sunlight hit his eyes as he stepped into the outdoors. Harper began to look around, shading his eyes as he observed the area. The scenery was as farm-like as it could get with pastures and grain all over. With nothing else to do, he walked over to a nearby fence to look at all the electric sheep pok¨¦mon.

    Harper''s change in height created a few problems, one being that he couldn''t look over the fence, if he were still human this wouldn''t have been an issue at all. He climbed the fence, embarrassment growing as he finally reached the top. Harper hung his arms over the fence railing, staring at the mareep and flaaffy in a detached state.

    After what seemed like hours, Harper noticed an aged man approaching the ranch''s front gate. The man wore a purple suit and navy blue dress pants. He was balding, the sides of his head being the only area with hair. The blondeness of his remaining hair stood out the most from his eccentric outfit. Most noticeable was his curled, yellow mustache, which he gave a twirl as he took a phone call.

    "What do you mean we still don''t ''ave someone to take ze role? That''s preposterous! I thought we would ''ave sorted zis out by now!" He huffed as he continued his brisk pace on the ranch''s pathway.

    ~Role?~

    Whatever the man was talking about, Harper paid full attention to the man''s conversation. Thankfully, the man was so absorbed in his one-sided talk that he didn''t notice the riolu sneaking behind him a distance away.

    "You know extremely well! Without zat role, our studio will go bankrupt if we don''t release zat movie. If ze personnel at ze Pok¨¦star Studios can''t find a proper pok¨¦mon, zen I''ll ''ave to do it myself!"

    Pok¨¦star¡­ Studios?

    Was that some Hollywood equivalent in the Pok¨¦mon world? Harper didn''t know if it was in the games, as he never got far enough to explore the rest of Unova''s sequel. But in the end, it didn''t matter to him if it existed or not in the games.

    Harper was gonna get that role.

    His dream wasn''t going to die just yet.

 Scene 1 - Take 5: Silver Screens and Serendipity

    Harper snuck from fence post to fence post, keeping enough distance to listen to the suited man''s conversation.

    "I''ll find ze right pok¨¦mon for ze role before I return, so make sure ze movie set is ready by zen! We shall make zis movie magnificent!" The man ordered, shutting his phone off and stuffing it into his pocket.

    The man began walking over to the ranch couple who were continuing their work on the stablehouse. Harper realized that they were fixing the same wall as yesterday before he showed up covered in wounds. Winston and Willow sat nearby, observing the herd of Mareep that grazed near the fence.

    Harper hid behind a barrel, peeking over the side with one eye. Reed and Meadow turned their heads, hearing footsteps behind their backs.

    "Mr. Stu Deeoh!" Reed exclaimed as he stood up from a crouched position. "What brings you back to our ranch?"

    Reed took off his glove and extended a hand over to Mr. Stu Deeoh, who in response extended his. Both men gave each other a firm handshake and let go.

    "Oh, please, just call me Stu. You see, simplicity ''as its own charm." He requested, turning over and giving a handshake to Meadow.

    "I was just in ze neighborhood, and I just wanted to thank both of you again for allowing my Pok¨¦star Studios to film ''ere. Your generosity is truly appreciated."

    "Of course Stu, we were more than happy to let you use our ranch," Meadow said as she looked at Reed. "Floccesy Ranch in a short movie, what a dream come true. I don''t want to sound biased but ''Pok¨¦mon Farm'' is my favorite from your studio."

    "Ah, zat''s great to ''ear!" Mr. Stu Deeoh chuckled with a big grin on his face before it slowly changed into a small frown.

    "Is something the matter, Stu?"

    "Sorry, I never wanted to bring any gloominess over ''ere." Mr. Stu Deeoh said while looking at the sky. "Hearing your opinions cheered me up, but I don''t think it''s enough to save Pok¨¦star Studios. It''s a challenging situation."

    "What do you mean? Is something bad happening?"

    "Something very difficult indeed. We don''t ''ave enough budget to keep ze studio afloat for much longer. We only ''ave enough for one last film since our last film was such a flop. Who decided on a romance film with a Jynx without my approval anyway?" Mr. Stu Deeoh explained as he shook his head side-to-side.

    "Ah, my apologies for rambling on about zis. It''s just that ze movie currently in production ''as great potential, but we don''t ''ave the perfect pok¨¦mon for ze main role and our current ''uman main role is, as you say, not ze best. ''e was our only choice for ze role since other movie studios stole our star actors and actresses. Curse Pok¨¦ball Pictures." he grumbled as he shook his fist.

    "Gee, Stu," Reed sighed. "Is there anything that we can do to help?"

    Realizing the conversation was about to end soon, Harper stepped out of his hiding spot and slowly walked toward the couple.

    "Riolu!" Meadow called out. "Feeling good enough to walk already?"

    Mr. Stu Deeoh turned around and looked down, making eye contact with the bipedal jackal.

    "Oh. My. Arceus," he crouched down, observing Harper as he whispered to himself. After a minute of incoherent mumbling, Mr. Stu Deeoh promptly stood up with a wide smile.

    "This Riolu is ze perfect pok¨¦mon for ze movie!" He cried out as he turned to Reed. "Is zis Riolu yours?"

    "Nope. Our herdiers found him in the forest. He forgot his memories and was injured but we treated him right and proper."

    "He''s perfect for ze role! I was in search of a pok¨¦mon zat would work as a partner and was a Fighting-type. Who knew zat coming back to Floccesy Ranch was ze perfect occasion?"

    Mr. Stu Deeoh gave a hearty laugh before looking at Harper. "So what do you think, boy? Do you want to become an actor?"

    Harper nodded furiously.

    Mr. Stu Deeoh laughed again from Harper''s immediate response. "Ah, why, thanks for ze positive attitude! I''m feeling so much better already! We must go now! Moviemaking can''t go on without someone in front of ze camera!"

    Reed and Meadow leaned towards Harper, both prepared to say their goodbyes.

    "We talked with the police and they''re looking for the attacker, be safe, ok?"

    Harper quickly hid the grimace on his face, knowing that they wouldn''t find the attacker or any attacker at all.

    "Ok, Reed. I don''t know how I''ll ever repay you but I will."

    Reed smiled, satisfied with his answer despite the language barrier. Meadow dropped to her knees and gave him a hug.

    "Stay safe and be the biggest movie star for us, ok?" She said as she tightened her hug.

    Harper grunted, unable to speak due to his lungs feeling they were about to be crushed. Meadow let go, standing back up as he started to breathe heavily. Winston and Willow walked up soon after, both licking his cheeks.

    "You be careful out there, son."

    "We don''t want to see you covered in injuries ever again, ok?"

    Harper grinned at the Herdiers. "Of course. Next time you see me, it''ll be on the big screen."

    He turned to Mr. Stu Deeoh and began walking out of the ranch, both waving back to the two ranch couples.

    After Harper lost sight of the ranch on the horizon, he looked up at Mr. Stu Deeoh.

    "So, what''s the movie about?"

    "Ah, so you''re curious about Pok¨¦star Studios aren''t you?"

    ~Oh right, people can''t understand me.~

    "Well, my little riolu, Pok¨¦star Studios is the most famous movie studio ''ere in Unova! I myself built it from the ground up. Our movies ''ave always captivated our audience, and we want to continue zat goal forever and ever!"

    Mr. Stu Deeoh continued walking before coming to a steady halt and turned to Harper, kneeling down on one knee and placing his hand on his shoulder.

    "I know I asked if you wanted to be an actor in my movie already, but I just want to ask again. You want to be a world-famous star?"

    Harper gave a thumbs up, flashing a fang while grinning.

    "Fantastique! Let us make ''aste! I''ll show you around ze studio!"

    Mr. Stu Deeoh resumed his brisk pace, Harper following suit. Virbank City and Pok¨¦star Studio were now within view. Just a bit further till his second shot.

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    "Holy shit, this place is bright."

    Pok¨¦star Studio''s name was on the dot. Everywhere Harper looked, there was something glowing bright to hurt his eyes. The path took a golden sheen, its edges neatly dotted with floor lights. Each section of the pavement had engravings of people and pok¨¦mon''s names with their hand and paw prints. One name stood out to him as he stepped over the Walk of Fame.

    ~Brycen, why does that sound familiar?~

    As he continued walking, Harper saw multiple vanity vans and storage warehouses. A large model of a bridge stood out to him, looking oddly similar to another bridge back in the old world.

    "Ah, I ''ave observed your keen interest in ze Skyarrow Bridge model, non?" Mr. Stu Deeoh exclaimed, walking over to the bridge replica. "Zis was a crucial scene in a monster movie featuring a Tyranitar! Ah, those were ze glory days..."

    Mr. Stu Deeoh stood still, entranced in his past memories until Harper gave a tug on his pants, waking the man up.

    "Oh, where are my manners? Pardon moi, Riolu. Ze soundstage should be just around ze corner."

    The both of them made their way to a large structure, the top decorated with LED lights and colorful artwork. The sign depicted a ginormous, mecha dinosaur fighting against a superhero as a UFO hovered over the both of them. The place was practically screaming, "I''m a sound studio!"

    "Zis is the spot, Riolu," Mr. Stu Deeoh announced as he pointed his arm toward the building. "Here, we create all our best movies and ''ave our actors and actresses shine brightly in their roles. I know you''ll do just ze same."

    Harper smiled in response, the praise he was receiving already in the past hour exceeded the amount he got back in his past life. Mr. Stu Deeoh opened the door, letting Harper in first, before walking in himself.

    When Harper entered the sound studio, he was met with a cacophony of creative chaos. The studio crew paced from one spot to another, checking the equipment before moving on to the next. He could somehow sense the tension in the room. The desperation to keep movie production going and to not lose their jobs hung firmly in the air. The fluorescent lights shone brightly onto the set, which resembled a theme park. A merry-go-round and a mini Ferris wheel were placed to the side, both in the middle of technical repairs by staff.

    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Mr. Stu Deeoh and Harper made their way through the set, stepping over cables that snaked through the floor like an ekans until they were behind an aged man, clothed in a brown suit and hat.

    "Director Sergio! I ''ave found ze perfect pok¨¦mon!"

    "I swear, Mr. Stu Deeoh. I prefer you don''t call me by my first name," He turned around to face Mr. Stu Deeoh. Sergio looked down, seeing Harper give an awkward wave.

    "Wow, Mr. Stu Deeoh. You really did find a ''mon for the role," Sergio began looking at Harper''s appearance, his eyes moving up and down before locking onto his chest area. "So what''s with the burn mark?"

    "Ze people who healed ''im did ze best zey could, but it''s all right either way. Nothing our VFX team can''t edit out, right?"

    "They better get bonuses then, the team''s already worked their asses off in our past movies," Sergio sighed as he began flipping through his clipboard. He landed on the final page, turned the board around, and showed it to Mr. Stu Deeoh. The board was out of reach for Harper to read, but whatever was written changed Mr. Stu Deeoh''s facial expression.

    "We only have enough in our budget to shoot a two more shots and do a test screenin''."

    "And zat''s all we''ll need to make Pok¨¦star Studio rise to its former glory, Director Sergio! I trust Riolu to you, so if you''ll excuse me, I ''ave other movie matters to attend to."

    "But Mr. Stu Deeoh, this is the only movie in production righ¡ª and he''s gone."

    Before Sergio could finish his sentence, Mr. Stu Deeoh was already out the door.

    He sighed to himself, muttering about needing a smoke break before looking at Harper.

    "What moves do you know?"

    Harper, taken aback by the sudden question, didn''t respond. What moves did he know? All he knew was that he was a Fighting-type and that the riolu evolutionary line were empaths. Harper cursed himself, angry that he didn''t play his run of Black 2 further.

    "Oi, you gonna show me or what? We''re kinda runnin'' low on time," The director impatiently tapped his wrist.

    Harper shrugged, shaking his head as he raised his arms.

    "You don''t know? What, did you forget how to use Force Palm or somethin''?"

    Sergio got his answer when Harper shook his head.

    "Damn it, I wouldn''t have chosen you if the studio weren''t so desperate for talent right now. I''ll find someone who can train you, stay over there," Sergio pointed to a bench that sat next to the craft service station.

    After Harper sat down, he noticed the food in the craft service station. The station was divided into two sections, one for people and one for pok¨¦mon. The human side had the usual. Cold-cut sandwiches, chips, and carrots with ranch were spread out on the table. The pok¨¦mon side, however, piqued Harper''s interest more. Berries and miniature poffins decorated the table, it was like a rainbow in food form. The smell of berries hit Harper''s enhanced canine nose, the sweetness already making him start to drool. Just as he was about to grab the closest berry, Harper heard a shout from across the room.

    "Oi, Riolu! Get over here! I got someone to help you before we start filming."

    Harper shook off his instincts to chow down on the berry and walked over to the director, who was currently talking with someone.

    When Harper came to Sergio''s presence, he realized who he was talking to. The stranger wore a thick, light blue kimono, his right arm exposed. He wore an eye mask and his long hair was tied back in a ponytail, sticking upward into the sky. Harper realized why he remembered that name on the Walk of Fame.

    It was Brycen, the gym leader from the first Black game.

    Harper remembered battling against him as a kid. Brycen''s Beartic always gave him trouble against his unprepared and underskilled team. His Serperior was the only one that was a high enough level to compete but the type disadvantage didn''t care for that. His childhood strategy of carrying five other pok¨¦mon with an overpowered starter worked until Brycen showed up.

    ~Why is he here? Does something happen in Black 2?~

    "You took a while," Sergio remarked. "Brycen, this is the Riolu that''ll be takin'' the main role alongside Liam. Somehow, he doesn''t know any moves so I was hopin'' that you could teach him. Knowing you, you''re the best one for the job."

    "A Riolu, not knowing any moves? This is an interesting case," Brycen leaned close to Harper. "According to the script, you need to know at least two moves. One to fight against a pawniard and another to fight a vullaby. I have to get ready for filming so I can''t help, but my Beartic can teach you in my place. Follow me, you don''t want to train in the way of the studio crew."

    Harper and Brycen stood in an abandoned outdoor movie set. It was modeled to look like an average street, eerily similar to New York City''s.

    "We were about to start filming a criminal movie here before the studio fell into hard times. If this movie goes well, maybe we can start filming again."

    "I''m sorry, but no one has told me what kind of movie we''re making here in the first place."

    "Alright, Riolu. I''ll let Beartic take over for now. Go, Beartic!" Brycen shouted as he threw a pok¨¦ball high into the air.

    ~Why do I bother conversing with people,~ Harper thought as the pok¨¦ball opened up. A huge, bipedal polar bear with icicles for a beard materialized, air beginning to condense near his fur.

    "You heard from your pok¨¦ball, you know what to do."

    Beartic grunted, giving a single nod. Brycen smiled, patting the side of his arm as he walked to his vanity van.

    The immense stature of the ice bear put too much pressure on Harper. His childhood memory of him didn''t help either.

    "Hey kid, no need to be nervous. I''m not gonna eat you," Beartic chuckled.

    "I''m not a kid."

    "You look like one and you sound like one, you''re a kid. Anyway, let me ask you something. Is it true you don''t know any moves?"

    "Yes," Harper sighed, unable to prove his true age. "Apparently, I have memory loss from my injury a while ago. Forgot what moves I had or how to use them."

    The lie dug into Harper''s self-respect but he didn''t show it.

    "Apparently?" Beartic tilted his head but he shook his assumptions away. "I''ll take your word for it. This is your first time acting as well but I only have enough time to teach the moves."

    "Wait," Harper interrupted, raising his paw. "I don''t even know what kind of movie I''m going to be in."

    "No one told you?"

    "No one, I tried asking Mr. Stu Deeoh and Sergi¡ª"

    "Mr. Pok¨¦monski."

    ~Pok¨¦monski?~ Harper imagined his full name. ~Interesting last name.~

    "Yeah," He continued. "I asked both of them but they don''t understand me so..."

    "Well, I guess I''m the one telling you then. I''m not in the movie but Brycen is and since I''m his pok¨¦mon, I get to see the production. You''re going to be taking the role of a superhero''s pok¨¦mon."

    "Superhero?"

    "Indeed, a superhero," Beartic repeated. "I heard the human you''ll be acting with isn''t the best, but they''re still moving on with production. The title of the movie went by ''Riolu-Man of Justice vs. Brycen-Man'' if I remember."

    Beartic clapped his thick paws together. "Ok, enough talk. Since you''re fighting a Steel-type and a Flying-type, I''ll teach you a Fighting-type and an Ice-type move. It''ll be enough to get you through filming."

    Beartic gripped his right paw as ice crystals began collecting around its fur. A pale blue glow emanated as he jabbed the air. A small blast echoed as the temperature slightly dropped. Beartic started to explain as he shook off residual ice shards from his fists.

    "That''s Ice Punch, you''re not an Ice-type but since it''s like a Fighting-type move, you can learn it fairly quickly."

    Beartic placed his left paw in front of Harper''s face.

    "Punch."

    "What?"

    "You heard me, punch my paw. No holding back."

    Harper looked back in his memories, the days when he helped film a karate film. There was a training scene when the main character was throwing punches on a wooden dummy. Remembering the fighter''s posture, he slid his right leg behind him, tensing his arm as he twisted his hip. A meaty thud reverberated as his fist landed on Beartic''s paw, shockwaves coursing through Harper''s arm.

    "Not bad, kid. You even had a rough idea of posture. I''ll show you Ice Punch again, remember how cold it is as I strike."

    Beartic threw another punch, once again dropping the area''s temperature. Harper''s body gave a slight shiver.

    "All right, now you try. Imagine ice around your fist as you charge energy into it."

    ~Energy? Oh right, I''m a pok¨¦mon now.~

    Harper closed his eyes and clenched his fist, imagining frost accumulating on his fist.

    ~My hand is cold, it''s as if it''s in an ice bucket. I''m in a snowstorm and I don''t have gloves.~

    Deep in his thoughts, Harper continued to imagine cold scenarios until Beartic spoke up.

    "Hey kid, open your eyes. Don''t lose your focus though."

    Harper slowly opened one eye, and a bluish-white light similar to Beartic''s glowed from his paw. Ice surrounded his fist but it didn''t feel encased, it felt like a chilled hug more than anything.

    "Perfect," Beartic commented. He raised his paw in front of Harper again. "Another punch, same as last time."

    Harper threw another punch, similar to his previous one. The impact was stronger, pushing Beartic''s paw back a little bit.

    "Damn, my paw feels a little numb," He began rubbing one of the pads.

    "Sorry..."

    "Don''t be, this is great!" Beartic exclaimed as he ruffled Harper''s head. "A non Ice-type learning Ice Punch this quickly? We''re making great progress. Just give me a couple more Ice Punches, try to summon it faster."

    After he smoothed the fur on his head, Harper started imagining his fist in an icy grip and punched again.

    Thirty minutes passed, and Harper''s fists were beginning to turn pale underneath his fur. The constant summoning of ice made flexing his paws somewhat difficult. Beartic seemed to notice, later asking about his condition.

    "Hey kid, you ok?"

    "Yeah," Harper replied as he rubbed his fists together. "They''re just really cold."

    "Heh, I assume they would be. Guess we should stop with ice punch then. You already got the hang of it. Now, let''s move on to our next move."

    Beartic began to look around the area before locking his eyes on a large, wooden prop next to a trash bin. When he dragged it to the center of the movie set, he turned it over to Harper.

    "The next move you need to know is something much more suited to your evolutionary line. It''s a Fighting-type move called Force Palm. While I do know some Fighting-type moves such as Focus Punch, I''m not a Fighting-type. You''ll learn this faster than I would be able to."

    "You don''t know Force Palm?"

    "It''s a move I wanted to learn, but can''t. At least I know the method to learn it."

    "Most Fighting-type pok¨¦mon learn this pretty easily but Riolus learn this the fastest. Has to do with their ability with aura. You have aura control?"

    Before Harper could respond, Beartic waved his hands.

    "Right, memory loss. You probably don''t remember it. It''s ok though, I was going to teach you anyway."

    "For Force Palm, most users collect Fighting-type energy into their palm and blast it out with force. For you though, since you can work with aura, you would combine both Fighting-type energy and aura together. It deals decent damage internally and it''s a great move to use in close combat situations."

    "I don''t even know how to use my aura."

    "It''s fine, you''ll get the hang of it at some point. Maybe you''ll remember how to use it when you get your memories back."

    "Yeah¡­ anyways, how do you use Force Palm?"

    Beartic shifted his position into a fighting stance, legs spread out and his paw flat facing in front of him.

    "Copy my stance and place your paw on the board."

    Harper did as Beartic said, shifting his posture to match his. He placed his paw on the plank of wood.

    "So, now what?"

    "As I said before, collect energy into your palm, and right as you push into your target, expel it. If you learned Ice Punch this fast, you''ll get Force Palm just as quick."

    "I hope so," Harper muttered as he closed his eyes. If summoning ice was done by imagining the sensation of coldness, what did he need to think of for Fighting-type energy? He opened his eyes again and looked back at Beartic.

    "How do I summon Fighting-type energy?"

    "Since Fighting-types revel in competitions and overcoming odds, the best way to summon its energy is to think of those kinds of scenarios."

    ~Competitions? I never fought in any compet¡ª~ That''s when Harper realized. He never fought in physical battles, he fought in another sense. The years of futile auditions to obtain a role against hundreds of other participants. His goal to become an actor was hampered by cruel judgment wherever he stepped foot in.

    No more.

    A flurry of energy rose from Harper''s body, surprising Beartic.

    "Nice job, kid! Just focus all of that into your palm!"

    Harper concentrated, feeling the Fighting-type energy surround his body slowly, but surely flowing into his paw. In a couple of minutes, he had succeeded.

    "Now just push and let go!"

    When Harper pushed his palm into the plank, it immediately burst into hundreds of wooden pieces.

    "Perfect! See, what did I tell you? You''re a natural!"

    Harper fell to the floor, legs giving out from all the energy he just ejected. He stayed in a seated position, catching his breath.

    "That felt so refreshing, why did it feel so refreshing?"

    "Fighting-type pok¨¦mon love the thrill of a battle, and you''re no different. Fighting is a form of relieving stress, did you have any pent-up or something?"

    "I guess so," Harper answered, looking down at his two paws.

    "Seems we still have time before Mr. Pok¨¦monski comes to pick you up," Beartic looked up at the sun. "What do you say we take a short break and then try the two moves again, faster this time?"

    "Sounds like a good idea," Harper responded, feeling better than he ever did in his entire past life.

 Scene 1 - Take 6: Theatric Shame and Newfound Fame

    Harper''s break lasted a short moment but his spirit felt rejuvenated. That alone was more than enough to continue training. Soon enough, he was able to summon Ice Punch and Force Palm without waiting to let it charge. Piles of broken wooden planks lay to the side of the temporary training grounds. The effects of Force Palm shattering them into an unrepairable state. Harper began to feel bad for the studio janitor.

    "One last time, kid! Ice Punch! One more time!"

    Without hesitation, Harper''s fist began to accumulate ice as he slammed his paw on Beartic''s, creating the same small blast that Beartic''s Ice Punch created.

    "Whew, nice job," Beartic rubbed his paws together. "You''re gonna make me the first Ice-type pok¨¦mon to eat an aspear berry."

    "Is... is that a bad thing?"

    "Nonsense! For a kid from the wild like you and with amnesia on top of that, I haven''t had this much stimulation since my debut movie!"

    "You were in a movie?"

    "I sure was, little riolu," He answered as he ruffled Harper''s head. "''Enter the Beartic'' is a movie I''ll never forget starring in."

    As Beartic was about to explain the plot of the film, Harper heard footsteps rushing over to their vicinity. The footsteps grew closer until he saw who it was, Mr. Pokemonski.

    "I swear I sent someone over, did no one show up?" He panted, trying to catch his breath.

    Both Beartic and Harper shook their heads in unison, unsure what he was talking about.

    "I told one of the crew to tell the riolu to come back but I guess you''re hearin'' it from me now. Hurry and get over to the makeup room, you look like a mess. We''re filming soon," Sergio scurried back to the set, mumbling something about indiscipline.

    "Well, I guess that''s it for training," Beartic broke the silence. "You better get your keister over to makeup."

    "Where is it? I never got a proper tour of the entire studio."

    "Just go back to the set and take a right from the exit door," He pointed back in the general direction of the movie set. "Should be easy to spot."

    "Got it. Thank you for the training, Beartic, and sorry for hurting your paws."

    "You need to learn when to stop apologizing, kid. It''s perfectly fine. How ''bout I give you a proper tour after all this is done and done? I''ll forgive you if you accept."

    He responded to Beartic''s request with an awkward chuckle. "Sure, I''d like that."

    "That''s great to hear, now run along," Beartic nudged Harper with both his paws. "Everyone at the movie set is waiting for their star."

    The riolu flashed a grin, running back to the set. He followed the polar bear''s directions and arrived at his destination. It was a vanity van with a whiteboard hanging on the door, the words "Makeup room" written in colorful marker. Harper gave three knocks on the door and stepped back.

    "Who''s there?" The woman asked as the door flung open, barely hitting Harper''s snout. She was an Asian woman who looked to be in their 30s. She wore torn jeans and a t-shirt with an Alolan Ninetales decal. Her black hair was held up with multiple claw clips. She turned her head from side to side, looking around the vanity van.

    "Uh, right here," Harper raised his paw as if his name was called out for school attendance.

    The woman looked down, realizing that it wasn''t a person she was looking for. Her face brightened up at the sight of the little, blue jackal.

    "So you''re the little star that everyone''s been talking about!" She crouched down to match Harper''s height. The woman pinched his cheeks with both hands and shook them. "Well, aren''t you the cutest riolu I''ve ever seen in my life!"

    Harper shooed her hands away from his face, taken aback by the woman''s sudden physical interaction.

    "Oh, sorry about that, Riolu," She stood back up and pushed the door open with one hand for Harper. "It''s just that I love cute pok¨¦mon, and you!" She pointed squarely at his face. "Are no exception! My name''s Layla, Mr. Pokemonski said to give you a cleanup."

    Layla waved her free hand, urging Harper to enter the vanity van. When he walked through the door, his senses were overloaded. The bright fluorescent lights burned his eyes and the smells of beauty chemicals penetrated his much more powerful nose. Harper rubbed his eyes to adjust his pupils to the sudden change in lighting.

    "Ok, Riolu. Just hop on the seat here and I''ll work my magic!" Layla grabbed a child''s stool and placed it on the barber chair, patting the seat.

    ~I swear to God, I''m not a fucking kid,~ Harper wanted to argue back but had no proof to counterargue. His dignity as an adult drained away with every passing second in the barber chair.

    That was when he saw himself in the mirror, the first time he saw his reflection since the incident in Route 20''s forest. Harper never properly looked at himself, the panic he felt at the time overrode his common sense. His former blue eyes were now a sharp red. The fur around his eyes looked like a mask, two black appendages hanging on the side of his head. His ears were now on the top of his head, one instinctually flicking towards the nearest sound.

    ~I still can''t believe this is me,~ Harper thought to himself as he touched his face, his reflection following suit.

    Layla brought a small rolling cart filled with an array of beauty products and supplies. She was now wearing an apron like a barber. She grabbed a spray bottle, giving it a test spritz before grabbing a hair comb.

    "You have some matted fur in some spots, when was the last time you groomed yourself?"

    Harper gave a shrug. He technically showered two days ago but that was during his human life. He had no clue about his new body.

    "No matter, that''s why I''m here in the studio in the first place!" Layla proclaimed.

    Layla''s bottle sprayed mist all over Harper. The water particles forced a cough out of his throat. She brushed Harper''s tangled fur with force, almost tugging his head into the back of the chair.

    "Ow! Layla, that friggin'' hurts!"

    "Does it hurt, Riolu? Sorry about that, but just bear with the pain a little bit more. Your fur is a little worse than I thought," After brushing the rest of the fur on his head, Layla noticed the marking on Harper''s chest.

    "Oh my, is that a burn mark?"

    Harper looked at his chest through the mirror, the explosion left a burn mark in the imperfect shape of a star. He thought that since scar tissue prevented the regrowth of fur(?) follicles, he would be left with a bare spot on his chest forever. Meadow and Reed''s medical treatment proved to be better than what the old world had to offer. Small patches of fur were beginning to grow back.

    ~It''s crazy how the Pokemon world can heal injuries like this with just a couple berries,~ Harper rubbed his chest. The scar no longer emanated any burning sensation, but it did tug slightly when using his muscles. He realized that Layla was waiting for an answer and nodded back.

    "Oh, you poor thing. I''ll try to fix that as much as I can so don''t worry about that," Layla brought out a pair of scissors from her apron''s pockets, cutting the overgrown parts of Harper''s fur. After some time, the both of them heard a knock on the door.

    "Who is it?" Layla called out to the door, turning her head to the door.

    "It''s Vincent!" A young man''s voice responded. "I''m here to read Riolu''s script!"

    "The door''s unlocked, you can come in!"

    Vincent entered the door with a thick folder in one hand. He adjusted his glasses as he looked through his binder and placed it on a nearby table after taking a few pieces of paper out.

    "Hey Layla, sorry but I won''t take much of your time," Vincent apologized, scratching the back of his head. "We''re all pretty busy right now and I have to reread the script to Brycen''s acting team soon."

    "That''s alright, Vince. Just do your usual and pretend I''m not here."

    Vincent hummed in response, Harper turned his barber chair to face Vincent.

    "Hey there, Riolu. You heard from Layla already but my name''s Vincent. I''m the script supervisor here, both for people and pok¨¦mon. I''m here to read the script so just remember your cues, got it?"

    ~Read? Why does he need to read it to me?~

    Before Vincent could recite the first line, Harper waved his paw to catch his attention.

    "What is it, Riolu? Do you need something?"

    He pointed at the script and then to himself, using his other arm to make a beckoning gesture.

    "You... You want the paper?"

    Harper nodded.

    "Uh, sure. Here you go." Vincent skeptically gave the script to Harper. A look of confusion was written on his and Layla''s face.

    Harper gave a quick glance at the beginning of the script, titled "Riolu-Man of Justice vs. Brycen-Man." Just the beginning monologue was enough to make Harper laugh.

    "My God, you cannot get any more ''superhero'' than this," Harper remarked as he continued reading.

    The villain named "Brycen-man" invades a cheery amusement park to wreak havoc. Riolu-man then jumps into the scene and says a corny line about being the messenger of "truth and ideal." After some more dialogue, the both of them release their pok¨¦mon to battle. Harper stopped skimming through the text and started reading much more closely.

    Brycen-man''s Pawniard is released first and throws attacks at props and extras, making sure not to directly hit them to avoid injuries. Riolu-man enters the scene and releases his partner pok¨¦mon. Some lines later, Riolu-man shouts a command first, issuing Harper to use Force Palm. Pawniard faints in one hit and Brycen-man then calls Vullaby out of its pok¨¦ball. After some more banter between the main characters and some dialogue from a surrounding crowd, the fight resumes. Vullaby throws a Feint Attack and Riolu gets hit but gets back up, throwing an Ice Punch. When Vullaby faints, Brycen-man says some more dialogue before fleeing in defeat. Positive dialogue from the crowd and a final monologue ends the movie.

    Harper turned the last paper around, expecting the script to continue but instead saw blank space. He looked at Vincent as he pointed at the back of the paper, asking nonverbally if there was any more of the script.

    "You''re asking if there''s more? That''s everything, Riolu. We''re running on a tight budget for this last movie. That''s why we''re filming a short film, if it works out we can make it a full feature."

    Vincent finished answering Harper''s question before realizing what just happened.

    "W-wait, that''s not even the important question to ask here," Vincent leaned towards Harper, who was still sitting on his stool. "You understood the script?"

    Harper winced, apparently pok¨¦mon are illiterate in this world. He braced himself, ready for the humans in the vanity van to realize what he really was.

    "If you really understood it... then this makes my job so much easier!" Vincent exclaimed. "You have no idea how much time I''ve put into rereading scripts for pok¨¦mon, having one literate pok¨¦mon saves me so much time!"

    Harper breathed a sigh of relief. Day one of acting and he was already one mistake close to being caught.

    "I''m just going to quickly test you on the script if you remember what to do, got it?" When Harper gave a thumbs up, Vincent started to read the script.

    "When you see Pawniard, what''s the first move?"

    Harper pointed at himself and reenacted Force Palm in front of him without the use of Fighting TE.

    "Ok, and what happens when Vullaby is summoned?"

    Harper pretends to punch his side, signaling his blow from Vullaby''s Feint Attack. He then summoned Ice Punch on his right paw, dropping the temperature in the vanity van like a portable AC. When he dematerialized the ice on his fist, the van heated back up.

    "I''ll be damned, you really understood the script," Vincent marveled. "Not only that, but you memorized it so fast as well. Since my job here is done, I''ll be heading out now. Sorry again for the intrusion, Layla."

    Layla who was silent the entire time snapped out of her shock from seeing Harper''s literacy.

    "O-Of course! Don''t worry about it! It''s your job after all!"

    When Vincent closed the door, Harper felt a sudden jolt of movement. Layla swiveled the barber chair in her direction.

    "Now, when were you such a smartypants? Your face when you read the script and how you showed your moves to Vincent was just sooo cute!"

    Harper blushed in embarrassment, realizing that Layla was watching the entire time.

    "Oh, don''t be embarrassed," Layla read Harper''s emotions like a book. "I''m just complimenting you. You''re gonna be a killer actor, I know it!"

    Harper tried to hide his smile but failed spectacularly. He pointed at his fur, showing the unfinished trim Layla was undergoing.

    "Right! I haven''t even finished cutting," Layla swiveled the chair to face the mirror and continued cutting Harper''s fur. "We''re almost done anyway so just hold on for a bit longer."

    A few minutes later, Layla slumped back into an adjacent barber chair. She began to admire her finished masterpiece, a perfectly trimmed riolu.

    "Look at you! You''re a perfect star now!"

    Harper stood up from his embarrassing child stool and admired himself through the mirror. The areas where his fur was matted and overgrown were now completely smooth and tidied up. The only spot left that Harper saw was the burn mark on his chest, lightly covered with black fur.

    "Arceus, I almost forgot to fix that spot. Just give me a moment, Riolu," Layla realized as she walked to the back of the van and opened her backpack.

    "Mascara, no... Lotion, no... Powder, no..." Layla grumbled to herself. Harper leaned over to take a look, still standing on the barber chair with his hands on the back.

    "Foundation won''t work, what about... aha!" Layla cried out, holding a bottle high above her head.

    "Ok, Riolu. This is some black hair and fur dye." She walked back to Harper, unscrewing the cap. "It''s safe for both humans and pok¨¦mon. Just don''t touch your fur or spill water on it after I apply the dye and it''ll dry quickly."

    Layla tapped the contents of the bottle and rubbed her hands together. A quick smear on Harper''s chest and a few strokes of her comb finished the job.

    "Look at you now!" Layla washed her hands off with wet wipes. "It''s like the scar was never there!"

    Harper looked at the mirror a final time. Layla was right, he was as similar to a normal riolu as ever. The scar was barely identifiable, his chest was as pitch black as it should''ve been.

    "You should hurry now, Riolu," Layla commented. "I don''t think Mr. Pok¨¦monski wants to wait any longer."

    Harper nodded, hopping off the barber seat and walked to the door. His arm barely reached the door handle.

    "Let me get that for you," Layla walked over and opened the door. "I hope I can see you again soon!"

    "Thanks, Layla, I hope you''re my makeup artist next time."

    Layla smiled, waving goodbye as Harper ran to the movie set.

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    "Oh, thank the Twin Dragons you''re finally here. I''m not gettin'' any older here," Mr. Pok¨¦monski looked down at the riolu who had just busted through the door. "Seems that Layla did a decent job with your burn mark. The VFX team is going to be real thankful for that."

    Mr. Pok¨¦monski turned around to face the studio crew. "Where''s Liam! His partner pok¨¦mon is finally here!"

    "Someone called for me?"

    A slender, middle-aged man in a flashy superhero costume emerged from the busy crowd of employees. His face was covered by a bright red mask with blue-tinted lenses. A yellow vest connected to a cape of the same color. A blue short-sleeved undershirt was tucked into a yellow pair of pants, held up by a comically large belt.

    "Riolu, this is Liam. Liam, this is the riolu that Mr. Stu Deeoh found for you. Now that you''re introduced, Lemme call Brycen over."

    After one loud holler, Brycen arrived at the scene. His costume was just as extravagant as his fictional enemy. A purple skin-tight suit covered his body with a v-shaped opening on the front, exposing his toned chest. Neon green lines accented the edges of the costume and cape. His black gloves ended with the same green fingers.

    "Ah, Riolu," Brycen noticed Harper standing next to the director. "I''ve heard from my Beartic that your training went well."

    When Harper nodded, Brycen kneeled down and looked at him face-to-face.

    "Do you have a trainer, Riolu?"

    Harper shook his head. "No."

    "I''ve been here in Pok¨¦star Studio for an extremely long time. Even after I retired due to a stunt gone wrong, I eventually returned. I was a gym leader, but I knew that I was destined for the spotlight," Brycen took out a pok¨¦ball and held it in front of Harper. "I do not intend to ever leave the studio again, even if it''s on the brink of bankruptcy. If you believe the same, be my pok¨¦mon. I''ll never use you for any battles outside a movie set if you so desire. You are also going to have to be inside a pok¨¦ball so you can look good for the camera when you jump out of it."

    Brycen''s request both felt out-of-the-blue but sensical at the same time. Being Brycen''s pok¨¦mon? Harper never imagined being a former gym trainer''s pok¨¦mon, if at all anyone''s pok¨¦mon. He just assumed he would be a pok¨¦mon associated with Pok¨¦star Studios and not an individual. If he was Brycen''s pok¨¦mon he could be with Beartic far more often. A pok¨¦mon who was far more talented in acting and had much more experience was a great deal.

    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    Another part of the deal was about jumping out of the pokeball. Pok¨¦mon battles were much more flamboyant when trainers threw their pok¨¦ball in style. The anime''s depiction was proof that it had style.

    Harper was convinced.

    "So do you accept, Riolu?" Brycen asked again.

    "I sure do, Brycen," Harper acknowledged, touching the pok¨¦ball''s button. The red and white ball opened up, turning Harper into pure energy and sucking him in before closing.

    The sensation of being in a pok¨¦ball was strange to say the very least. Harper''s physical body didn''t exist but he could still look around while being in the pok¨¦ball. His point of view was the same as it was outside. He could see underneath Brycen''s face due to the pok¨¦ball''s perspective. He was still awake but something uncomfortable was tugging at his consciousness. Harper tried to move to ease the tension and the pok¨¦ball rumbled.

    ~Oh, the pok¨¦ball is trying to capture me.~

    Harper ceased his struggle and the cramped sensation disappeared when the pok¨¦ball clicked.

    "Other people will be able to use your pok¨¦ball as if it were their own for film production," Brycen explained. "Don''t worry, you''ll still be registered under my name and no one else can capture you."

    Harper shook his nonexistent body, his pok¨¦ball doing just the same.

    "I''ll be giving you to Liam for now. As they say in the film business, ''break a leg.''"

    ~People say that in the Pok¨¦mon world as well?~ Harper thought as he felt Brycen hand his pok¨¦ball over. Liam took Harper''s pok¨¦ball and latched it onto the side of his belt.

    "Alright, everyone!" Mr. Pok¨¦monski yelled through a megaphone. "Get to your places! Turn on the merry-go-round and a mini Ferris wheel! Remember, this is our second-to-last chance to keep Pok¨¦star Studios alive! If we don''t fix anything after this goes to a test screening, it''s over!"

    Everyone gave a collective sound of agreement as they scurried to their designated positions. Grips tightened bolts on the camera rig and gaffers adjusted the lighting to achieve the perfect mood. The cinematographer finalized different perspectives that the camera would frame in each sequence. Harper could see some familiar faces while he sat on Liam''s waist. Vincent was reading the script to Brycen''s acting team, his Pawniard and Vullaby. Harper could see the passion Vincent was emitting, overacting each of the pok¨¦mon''s moves to express the impact they needed to feel and hit. Nearby was Layla, putting makeup on the extras who would be the one standing in the background watching the scripted fight. Some of the extras tried to adjust their hair but Layla gave a quick slap on their wrists to stop them. Harper even saw Beartic, who was leaning against the wall at the very back of the movie set and admiring the view of the busy movie set.

    Seeing everyone eager to get into character and begin film production excited Harper. He was no longer the one behind the camera, he was the one the camera was pointed at. It was finally time to prove everyone who didn''t believe in him wrong.

    "Everyone better be in their places now!" Mr. Pok¨¦monski shouted. "Ready! Set! ACTION!"

    The camera assistant who stood in front of the camera gave his clapperboard a swift smacking sound before scurrying away. The scene began with cameras giving angles of the extras in the amusement park, pretending to enjoy their time with fellow friends and family. The sounds of screams from thrill rides, the hustle and bustle of people, and mechanical noises from roller coasters filled the air. If a green screen wasn''t in the background, someone could''ve been fooled that the amusement park was real.

    Vincent started to speak the intro monologue through the director''s megaphone, looking at the script while doing so.

    "A place of never-ending smiles! Everyone''s ideal place to play! The amusement park!

    But a threatening shadow lurks over this happy place... The stage is set for trouble...

    However!

    It''s darkest just before the dawn!

    A hero has appeared on the scene! And that hero''s name is...

    Riolu-man!"

    The director chopped his hand down, signaling Brycen-Man to enter the scene. Brycen followed along and ran into frame while laughing maniacally.

    "Mwahaha! Go, my pok¨¦mon! Unleash your destructive power! Demolish everything in this amusement park till nothing remains!"

    Brycen threw his pok¨¦ball into the air with force, his Pawniard jumping out as he gave a menacing gaze at the extras. His sword hands glowed with Steel-type energy and right when they collided with each other, he shot a gyro ball into the crowd. Everyone dodged by a hair, the attack only hitting the side of the Ferris wheel.

    Just as Pawniard began charging another attack, Mr. Pok¨¦monski gave another hand signal in the opposite direction of Brycen.

    "C-can you hold on, please?" The brave Riolu-Man stuttered.

    ~What the hell? That''s not even close to the script at all?~ Harper looked at the director, expecting him to call cut. Mr. Pok¨¦monski doesn''t. He instead slapped his forehead with his left hand and motioned his right hand in a circle, telling the camera crew to keep rolling.

    "Wh¡ª Who are you?" Brycen-Man questioned.

    "The Messenger of Truths and Ideals, Riolu-Man enters!" Riolu-Man stood in a heroic posture. "Hey, Brycen-Man!" He then pointed at Brycen. "It''s not nice to do bad things!"

    Brycen-Man chuckled at Riolu-Man. "An amusement park¡­ A place of idle dreams or, perhaps, ideal dreams... I have no use for either ideals or dreams!"

    "We''ll see about that! Riolu, go!"

    Riolu-Man grabbed Harper''s pok¨¦ball and threw it into the air. Harper flipped in the air and landed on his two feet, posing like Bruce Lee.

    ~Perfect landing.~

    "Riolu, use Force Palm!"

    Harper dashed towards the menacing-looking Pawniard, facing his paw forward.

    "Pawniard! Dodge sideways and use Brick Break!"

    Brycen-Man''s commands failed to reach Pawniard in time, and Harper''s Force Palm touched his chest. A blast of Fighting TE flowed and expanded out from his paw. The Pawniard was blasted away from the fight scene and into the merry-go-round. The camera locked onto the sharp blade pok¨¦mon, shifting its frame to match the speed it was launched. The attack created a large dent at its pillar in the center, a Pawniard stuck in it. The camera crew zoomed into the defeated steel/dark type.

    "Tch," Brycen-Man scoffed, taking a pok¨¦ball and summoning Pawniard back in. "Just a single hit to KO my pok¨¦mon... You''re pretty good, Riolu-Man! Despite that, however..." Brycen-Man clutched his other pok¨¦ball. "You will be brought down to your knees before me when I end you with my dark, secret arts!" He gave an intimidating pose, pointing at Riolu-Man. "Prepare to be finished!"

    "I''m scared!" Riolu-Man spat out.

    ~Waitwaitwaitwait, what?! ''I''m scared?'' The fuck? What kind of line was that?~ Harper looked at Mr. Pokemonski with his peripheral vision. From the looks of it, it seemed like the camera had no intention to stop.

    Brycen-Man was also taken aback by the fearful callout but he quickly hid his expression. The change in mood forced him to improvise.

    "Mwahaha! How pitiful, Riolu-Man! Why should I waste my secret arts on someone like you with that attitude? This should do it! Vullaby, go!"

    Vullaby popped out of her pok¨¦ball and ruffled her feathers, ready for her commands.

    "Use Feint Attack!"

    Vullaby collected Dark-type energy in her wings and lunged at Harper. As soon as she was in front of Harper she disappeared, confusing Harper. When he turned around, Vullaby was behind him and slammed her wing on his back. The speed of the attack and the exasperated nature of seeing Liam throw the script into a trash bin and set it aflame caught Harper off guard. The Feint Attack hit Harper and launched him off his feet. He slid on the ground, ending right in front of Riolu-Man. The pain from the attack prevented Harper from moving any of his muscles, all he could do was lay on the ground in defeat. His eyes were on the ground but he could somehow feel the studio crew cringe from Vullaby''s accidentally successful attack.

    "Mwahaha! This is the end for you, Riolu-Man! My secret dark arts were no match for your pok¨¦mon! Now, just stand in the corner and cower in fear as I destroy the amusement park!"

    "Yowch!" Riolu-Man dramatically fell to the ground. "I wasn''t hero material after all..."

    ~W-what?~ Harper had enough energy to raise an eye. ~You know what I don''t even know anymore.~

    Vincent raised the megaphone and recited an ending monologue, one completely different from the one in the script.

    Facing Brycen-Man, the Masked Man, Riolu-Man lost all his strength to fight...

    However...

    No one will ever forget how he timidly fought with all his might!

    Thank you, Riolu-Man!

    Good-bye, Riolu-Man!

    "Hold the camera on Liam and Riolu just a little bit longer..." The director muttered to the camera crew. "And CUT!"

    All the tension in the movie set immediately dropped upon hearing Mr. Pok¨¦monski''s words. The studio crew ran into the set, adjusting the props and attending to the actors and actresses. Harper heard thundering footsteps coming closer and closer.

    Beartic lifted Harper off of the ground and placed him in a seated posture, leaning him onto one of his large paws.

    "Kid, you ok? You took quite the beating."

    "Yea, I-I''m alright. I''m not dead," Harper grunted. "Just feeling really bruised."

    "Of course you would," Beartic remarked. He turned his head into the crowd and yelled. "We need some help here, right now!"

    A set medic showed up soon after, a bottle of potion and oran berries from the craft service station.

    "Here, Riolu," She knelt downwards and handed Harper some berries. "Eat these while I use a potion on you."

    Harper grabbed one and bit down. The taste was disgustingly sweet, his least favorite sense of taste. Despite that, he continued to chew. The stinging sprays from the bottle of potion and the oran berries were beginning to close up his wounds.

    When the potion and oran berries ran out, the set medic stood up and looked at the two pok¨¦mon.

    "You''re patched up, Riolu. Just take it easy with moving around or the wounds will open up again, I need to go help Brycen''s pok¨¦mon now."

    Harper and Beartic thanked her as she turned her back, walking over to Brycen. A deep sigh escaped from Harper''s mouth.

    "What''s the matter, kid?"

    "I failed. This was my moment, and I fucked it up."

    "Hey, language," Beartic pointed a finger at Harper. "You didn''t screw up. If anyone screwed up, it''s him."

    Beartic pointed at Liam, who was receiving a tirade of a lifetime from Mr. Pok¨¦monski. Liam looked down at the ground, unable to maintain eye contact with the director. The director''s face was red with fury, words of rage and insults rushing out of his mouth like a burst dam.

    "So... how much longer, Beartic?" Harper asked.

    "Till what?"

    "How much longer until we see the test screening?"

    "Knowing the skills of our editing and VFX team, we''ll be seeing it real soon. The set medic said to not move extraneously so I''ll walk you around myself."

    "How are you going to do tha¡ª woah!"

    Beartic grabbed Harper by his waist and raised him high into the air, placing him on his shoulders.

    "By riding my shoulders," Beartic responded. "Gosh, I don''t think I did this with another pok¨¦mon ever since Weavile was just a Sneasel..."

    Beartic snapped out of his memories. "C''mon, let''s see Brycen and ask if we can see the test screening."

    "Sure..." Harper replied as he held onto Beartic''s head tightly.

    "What''s with the attitude? Lighten up!" Beartic shuffled his shoulders, causing Harper to slightly bump upwards. "I know things''ll get better, I''ve seen what ups and downs look like."

    ~God, I hope so.~

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    "Damn, this place is huge."

    Nate couldn''t help those words leaving his mouth upon entering Pok¨¦star Studios. The cinematic haven was a labyrinth of sound stages, production offices, and editing suites.

    Already lost, all Nate could do was wander around the studio. He needed to find Roxie''s father as soon as possible, Virbank City''s ports depended on the man. Nate glanced side-to-side as he walked down the yellow cement road, looking for any significant landmarks where Nate might find Liam O''Connor at. Luckily, Nate found a group of vanity vans clustered up next to a huge movie set. A man dressed in a nautical captain''s uniform stepped out of one of the vans.

    ~Bingo.~

    Nate walked up to the man and grabbed his attention with a greeting.

    "Uh... Hello, sir?" Nate gave a brief wave of his hand. "You''re Mr. O''Connor, correct?"

    "Why, yes I am!" Liam noticed the Pok¨¦mon Trainer and tipped his captain''s hat. "Liam O''Connor at your service, what''s your name?"

    "Nate, sir. I''m here on behalf of your daughter, Roxie. She asked me to tell you to return to the Virbank Ports."

    "You know Roxie? Did you defeat her in a gym battle?"

    Nate nodded.

    "So she still doesn''t believe in me," Liam closed his eyes and rubbed his chin. "You must be a pretty good trainer if Roxie asks you for a favor..." His eyes lit up brightly and firmly grasped Nate''s shoulders. "I have the perfect idea! I''ll take you to the Pok¨¦star Studios Theater! We''re holding a test screening for my most recent short film and if you like it, tell Roxie that I''ll be staying here, alright?"

    "But Mr. O''Connor," Nate refuted. "The Virbank Ports need you as much as I d¡ª"

    "Nonsense, my boy!" Liam interrupted. He gave Nate a side hug and began walking, forcing Nate to move beside him. "I can balance my work life as a sea captain and actor! If my daughter can be a gym leader and a rock star at the same time, then I can do just the same!"

    Nate sighed, unable to convince Roxie''s father because of his positively stubborn attitude. All he could do was oblige to the captain''s request.

    Liam led Nate to the Pok¨¦star Studios Theater, its exterior was an architectural marvel. The building boasted a modern facade that reflected the glitz and glamour of the silver screen. Large billboards stood tall on the side of the theater, showcasing the studio''s most iconic films. A poster showcased a Caucasian man with facial scars pointing into the distance, a Vulpix on his shoulders. Another had a ginormous tyranitar stomping through a cityscape, completely in black and white.

    "All these movie posters show Pok¨¦star Studio''s finest films. It''s everyone''s dream here to be able to be a part of something great here. Now let''s go see the test screening shall we?"

    The both of them entered the doors and walked through the clean and neatly furnished lobby. A red velvet carpet led the way to the theater room entrance. The stairs in the corner of the lobby led to a second-floor balcony with additional framed movie posters to observe. The only occupants were front desk staff and a janitor mopping a corner. Liam confidently strode to the man standing behind the desk and initiated the conversation.

    "Hello, good sir! I''m here for the test screening with a fellow guest!"

    "Of course, Mr. O''Connor," The employee replied. "You''re the last one to arrive, we''ll begin the test screening once you take your seats."

    Liam thanked the man and walked to the door as Nate followed behind. Upon entering the theater room, Nate realized why the lobby was so bare. Almost every seat was packed with guests. Nate assumed that they were the test audience. He noticed two pok¨¦mon standing in the very back, the beartic''s white fur stood out from the black interior. A small riolu sat on his shoulders, it was similar to a father carrying their child.

    "Over there, Nate. Those are the perfect seats, not too close but not too far," Liam pointed at the empty seats in the middle of the theater. When the both of them sat down, he felt one of his pok¨¦balls shake.

    "You want to watch, Snivy? How about you, Mareep?"

    Snivy''s pokeball shook twice, meaning that he wanted to. Mareep stayed silent, most likely asleep. If other pok¨¦mon were watching in the theater then he assumed his pok¨¦mon were allowed as well. Harper unfastened Snivy''s pok¨¦ball from his belt and released the grass snake pok¨¦mon. Snivy hopped on Nate''s lap and sat down. The lights slowly dimmed until the room was pitch black. Nate heard the film reel whirl behind his head, the projector shone the movie onto the large, silver screen.

    An old-timey countdown began.

    5

    4

    3

    2

    1

    The screen cut to black, and the Pok¨¦star Studio logo appeared. The eyes blink twice before the logo fades away. The next cut shows the title for the movie. "Brycen-Man; Riolu-Man of Justice vs. Brycen-Man."

    ~Huh, interesting title. Boy, I wonder who the main character''s partner pok¨¦mon is.~

    The first scene of the film depicted a crowded amusement park. Crowds of people enjoying the moment as a narrator spoke a monologue. When the narrator finished speaking, the villain of the movie, Brycen-Man jumped in and began to ruin everyone''s fun.

    "This is where I come in, Nate," Liam whispered to Nate.

    Nate grunted in response, he never liked it when someone talked during a movie but he gave up on arguing with him. Liam''s stubborn go-happy attitude was impossible to bend himself.

    Liam''s character, Riolu-Man, jumped into the scene and spoke some lines. Brycen-Man bantered back and began their pok¨¦mon battle. The dialogue was pretty cheesy but so far Nate was enjoying the movie. Snivy''s facial expression proved that he felt the same way. Nate''s statement was proven to be correct when he saw Riolu-Man release, well, a riolu. The swift Force Palm that riolu charged up hit the Pawniard like a truck, launching it into a merry-go-round. The enjoyment and thrill of the battle were immediately snuffed out like a Litwick flame after Brycen-Man spoke a threatening line.

    "You will be brought down to your knees before me when I end you with my dark, secret arts! Prepare to be finished!"

    "I''m scared!" Riolu-Man blurted out.

    The audience recoiled in confusion, the flow of the movie suddenly disturbed by the offbeat dialogue.

    ~There''s no way that was part of his script,~ Nate thought, turning his eyes to Liam.

    Liam was confused like the audience, although for a different reason.

    "Did they not like that?" Liam softly questioned himself.

    The movie continued on, ignoring the negative response from the viewers.

    Brycen-Man released his Vullaby and used Feint Attack, hitting Riolu squarely on his torso. As soon as the camera showed the blue jackal fainting on his partner''s feet, everyone in the audience stood up and walked out to the exit. Some of them muttered harsh criticisms and insults as they went through the walkway.

    "What kind of movie is this?"

    "Is this some out-of-season April Fool''s joke?"

    "Worst movie ending I''ve ever seen, can''t even bear to finish it."

    "Poor Riolu, I was expecting the hero to win."

    The exit door closed and left Nate, his Snivy, Liam, Riolu, and the beartic in the back the only attendees remaining in the theater. The narrator finished the scene with an ending monologue as Nate saw the movie fade to black.

    Liam stood from his seat and trudged to the exit, his head held low.

    "M-Mr. O''Connor,! Wait up!" Nate stuttered as he returned Snivy back to his ball, running to the exit to catch up to Liam. He heard the beartic and riolu talking with each other when he passed by them. The riolu stopped talking and stared at Nate with a sense of ambiguity.

    Did Nate have something on his face? He surely didn''t signal anything to tell him. He tried to ignore the riolu''s uncomfortable stare and continued walking through the exit door. Nate found Liam sitting down in one of the lobby''s velvet sofa chairs, deep in thought.

    "Mr. O''Connor?" Nate sat down in an adjacent sofa chair. "Are you ok?"

    Before Liam could open his mouth, the lobby''s doors burst wide open. A balding, old man in a purple suit strutted into the room. He looked around the area before locking his eyes on Liam, disheartened by the reception of the film.

    "Ah, Liam, my star actor! How deed zee test screening go?"

    "Horrible. Everyone left before it even ended," Liam sighed before he slapped his thighs and stood up from his slumped posture. "However, this has made me realize something that I should have done a long time ago," Liam''s voice began to grow more confident. "My first goal was to be a sea captain and my next goal was to be a star and in a way, I''ve achieved that right now. I pursued my dream and I met it. If you stop pursuing your dream, your life may as well be over."

    Liam looked at Nate. "I''ll be heading back to Virbank, I have a daughter to apologize to and a seaport to manage. Look for me if you ever need a ride to Castelia, I owe you."

    "Thank you, Mr. O''Connor."

    "No, thank you. I''ll be on the big screen and hit it big one day but for now, my duties as a sea captain are calling for me. Farewell, Nate. Mr. Stu Deeoh, consider this my resignation," Liam departed outside the theater, Nate waved goodbye as he closed the door.

    Mr. Stu Deeoh started tapping his head and murmured to himself. "Well now zat our star actor is gone, I must find anozzer to take ''is place..."

    Nate soon realized why Mr. Stu Deeoh stopped talking, his eyes locked on him.

    "Luckily, Liam ''as brought forth a potential star! So your name eez Nate?"

    "Yes, Mr. Stu Deeoh. I''m a Pok¨¦mon Trainer who''s currently collecting badges to become the Pok¨¦mon Champion of Unova!"

    "Hah! I like your positive attitude!" Mr. Stu Deeoh laughed aloud. "an aspiring goal for such a young trainer! However, I must formally ask you, would you like to act in our movie? You could be zee very person we need to turn it around."

    Nate pondered the effects of becoming an actor for Pok¨¦star Studio. Acting was similar to bringing trill to a crowd during a battle, the only difference was that it was scripted. Nate also wanted to see the proper ending to the movie he just watched.

    It had potential.

    And Nate knew he was the perfect choice for the role.

    "I''ll do it, sir."

    "Fantastique! I''ll let you meet wiz zee riolu whenever I find ''im."

    The theater doors opened and the final audience members left the room. The riolu was still riding on the beartic''s shoulders. Now that they were in a brighter atmosphere, Nate thought it was pretty cute. A small, baby-like bipedal jackal riding the shoulders of a cold, menacing arctic bear.

    "Ah! Speaking of which, zey were ''ere after all! Beartic! Could you pleeze come over ''ere? I ''ave some matters to speak of wiz Riolu and our Pok¨¦mon Trainer ''ere."

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    "¡ªank you, Riolu-Man! Good-bye, Riolu-Man!"

    The film cut to black, the lights in the room started with a soft, dim glow and slowly intensified until the theater was completely illuminated.

    "I can''t believe everyone just walked off like that," Harper breathed out. "I knew the scene was bad but... wow."

    "Don''t worry, kid," Beartic said. "The studio has enough money for one last chance. This test screening wasn''t the end."

    "Where''s my name?" Harper squinted, skimming through all the names of the studio crew.

    "It''s underneath the cast section. It''s right there."

    Beartic pointed at the screen, Harper''s name next to the words "Cast" and "Team Justice."

    Cast

    Brycen-Man - Brycen

    Brycen-Man Gang - Pawniard, Vullaby

    The Riolu-Man - Liam O''Connor

    Team Justice - Riolu

    Extras - P! Casting

    "I know I never told anyone my real name yet, but I still kinda wish that it still showed up."

    "Did you say something?" Beartic asked.

    ~Did I say that out loud?~ Harper realized his mistake but quickly changed the mood. "Oh, um¡­ yeah I was going to say that I didn''t like it."

    "Fair enough. Liam''s acting was, to put it nicely, not so good. I''ve seen some not-great actors but at least they followed the script but Liam changed the entire story dynamic completely with just one line."

    "That and my skills really brought the movie down," Harper muttered, looking down at his paws. He was angry at himself for not being able to dodge Vullaby''s Feint Attack and showing off his Ice Punch. If only Liam had followed along with the script like everyone else then everyone wouldn''t have gone through with this embarrassment.

    "Hey kid, don''t blame yourself."

    "How do I not?! If I hadn''t been distracted by Liam''s antics, I could''ve ended the scene with a victory!"

    Beartic sighed. "Kid, the movie was over the moment Liam cried like a wussy. There was no saving it."

    "Well, if yo¡ª" Harper interrupted himself when he noticed a familiar-looking boy walk past him and Beartic. Just the boy''s unkempt hair and his red visor were enough to remind Harper who he was.

    ~That''s the player character.~

    Harper realized that he was staring long enough at the boy whom he noticed and stared back. Harper could sense that the trainer was feeling uneasy but he ran off before Harper could say anything.

    "Why''d you stop talking?" Beartic looked up at Harper. "That boy give you a funny look?"

    "I-It''s nothing," Harper waved a paw. "I was about to say I agreed with you. Guess there was no hope with that scene."

    "There never was, kid. There never was. Let''s just hope that Liam learns from his mistakes for the final shot."

    "Could we go outside now? I kinda want some fresh air, being in a movie set and a movie theater in quick succession is making me feel stuffy."

    Beartic walked over to the exit and pushed the door with his shoulder. Both pok¨¦mon were greeted by the same Pok¨¦mon Trainer, who was currently talking with Mr. Stu Deeoh.

    "Ah! Speaking of which, zey were ''ere after all! Beartic! Could you please come over ''ere? I ''ave some matters to speak of wiz Riolu and our Pok¨¦mon Trainer ''ere."

    Beartic walked over to the human duo, towering over them both. Harper was extremely curious about what Mr. Stu Deeoh was about to say, and Beartic shared the same feeling.

    "I ''ave a sudden request to ask for zee both of you, Nate and Riolu," Mr. Stu Deeoh inquired, pointing at both the trainer and Harper.

    "Could you act in our final shot for this movie? It''s a heavy role to fill, this movie''s reputation must be successful to save Pok¨¦star Studios."

    "Wait, Mr. Stu Deeoh, what do you mean ''save Pok¨¦star Studios?''"

    "I mean it, Nate. We only have enough budget to shoot one more short film before I ''ave to declare bankruptcy. It is a most dire situation that I would love to escape from. So what eez your decision, will you help me?"

    Nate looked in Beartic''s direction and looked up at Harper. Harper returned a stare. After a brief connection, they looked back at Mr. Stu Deeoh and spoke in unison.

    "We''ll do it."

    "We''ll do it."

    "Oh, wonderful! I''ll let zee both of you know each ozer a bit more. I ''eard from Sergio zat you ''ave ''ad some injuries recently so I won''t let you act right zis instant. Nate is going to need some time looking at zee script anyway. I''ll send someone over to you for zee script and anything else you might need, goodbye and thanks again!"

    Mr. Stu Deeoh fled the movie theater in a flash, leaving Nate, Riolu, and Beartic in the dust.

    "So..." Nate scratched the back of his head. "Mr. Stu Deeoh said to get to know each other better, right?"

    Harper nodded.

    "You know what the icebreaker game is?"

    ~Oh, goddamn it.~

 Scene 1 - Take 7: Charades and Deserved Praise

    Nate walked through the empty movie lot, laying in eerie silence. The only noise breaking through it was Beartic''s leading footsteps. He imagined Pok¨¦star Studio crew members moving from place to place to produce their assigned films. He saw them scurrying around like durants, moving lights, cameras, and large props. The hustle and bustle that would usually occupy the area was gone.

    ~The studio really has fallen into hard times... ~

    "Bear, Beartic."

    The freezing pok¨¦mon halted at an abandoned movie set. The place looked like a street from Castelia City. The towering props were painted to look like skyscrapers and makeshift lamp posts lined up on the sidewalk. Fake cars were parked on the road, some of them were rusted at the edges. Abandonment left the movie set in disarray. Nate spotted a pile of broken wooden planks on the floor. It looked out of place compared to the urban environment the trio was standing in.

    Beartic grabbed Riolu from his shoulder and placed him on the floor. After the two pok¨¦mon talked for a bit, Beartic faced Nate and made a gesture in the shape of a sphere, pointed at Riolu, and left.

    "Is he getting your pok¨¦ball?"

    Riolu was looking at Beartic walk away in the distance. After hearing Nate''s question he turned around and nodded.

    "I see, well I guess we should get started then," Nate sat down on the pavement, crossing his legs. "You never answered my question earlier, you know icebreakers?"

    Riolu shook his head.

    "Well, icebreakers are basically something people do to get to know each other better, like playing short games. You want to try it?"

    Riolu gave a hesitant nod.

    "Ri, riolu, ri," Riolu barked, pointing at his mouth.

    "Right, I can''t understand you. How about you charade it for me? Just act out the words you want to say and I''ll try guessing. That can be our game."

    Riolu nodded and began charading. He tapped the side of his head, later making an "x" shape with his arms.

    "You don''t know?" Nate was confused, this was a strange way to start charades. "Don''t know what?"

    Riolu spread his arms wide open.

    "Everything? What do you mean, everything?"

    Riolu slumped his shoulders, breathing out a sigh. He pointed at Nate and pretended to scribble on his paw. Nate realized that Riolu was asking for something to draw on.

    "You need something to draw?" Nate zipped open his sling backpack and took out his notepad and pen. "I guess it''ll help with charades."

    Nate looked at his notepad, the first couple of pages had notes that he had written during his journey.

    <ul>

    <li>Snivy - Makeshift Leaf Tornado with Magical Leaf successful,

    <ul>

    <li>Will help him transition to the real thing.</li>

    <li>When evolved, Servines gain better control of their vines</li>

    <li>Train wrap to be stronger.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    <li>Mareep - Continue to use Cotton Spore on enemy weak spots (i.e limbs, eyes)

    <ul>

    <li>At least until she evolves into Ampharos.</li>

    <li>Figure out movement-limiting moves to replace Cotton Spore till then.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    He flipped his notepad to a blank page and handed it over to Riolu. When Riolu grabbed it, he flipped to the first page, curious as to why he didn''t give the first page.

    "Those are my notes on my other pok¨¦mon," Nate explained. "It helps to write about improving their moves and stuff." Riolu gave a look of understanding and flipped back to the blank page, turning around and scratching something down.

    "What are you drawing?"

    Riolu didn''t respond, still busy with whatever he was scribbling. He irritatedly muttered at his paws as he drew. After some time, he shoved the notepad in front of Nate''s face.

    Riolu didn''t draw. Two words were ineptly written on the page.

    *No charades.*

    Nate stared at the notepad, then at Riolu, then back at the notepad again. The two words were completely understandable, but those words coming from a pok¨¦mon were nothing short of incredible. Few pok¨¦mon like some psychic types were truly literate. Alakazam was the most well-known example, but that was only because it had an average IQ of five thousand. A young pok¨¦mon like riolu, who wasn''t even a Psychic-type, knowing how to write? Nate was at a loss for words.

    *Are you ok?*

    Nate woke up from his trance, still shocked by Riolu''s literacy. "Y-Yeah, I''m fine. I''m just shocked that you can write Unovan, I thought you were going to draw something. How did you learn to write?"

    Riolu shrugged.

    "You don''t remember? What do you mean?"

    *Amnesia.*

    Nate realized what Riolu was trying to charade a couple minutes ago. Crossing his arms after pointing at his head was clear now, Nate should''ve realized sooner.

    "Amnesia? But you remember how to write," Nate held up a hand. "Wait, I think I know what that''s called. It started with an R. R... re... re-something... retrograde! You have retrograde amnesia?"

    Riolu tilted his head, unsure of what the term meant.

    "I remember watching a documentary on pok¨¦mon moves as a kid and one episode was about Amnesia," Nate explained. "People who get hit with Amnesia forget personal information but remember skills even though they don''t know why. I wonder who taught you to write?"

    Riolu shrugged again.

    "Sorry, I was just talking to myself at the end. Of course, you wouldn''t know."

    After an awkward silence, Nate picked up the conversation again.

    "How about this?" Nate proposed. "Since you can write, we can just ask each other questions about who we are? I ask first and then you ask, we''ll go back and forth. You want to try it?"

    *Yes*

    "I''ll start off by introducing myself since I never got to do so properly. My name''s Nate and I''m a Pok¨¦mon Trainer from Aspertia City. I''m on a journey to be Unova''s champion and be the best trainer ever!"

    Nate heard a stifled giggle from Riolu. He realized that he stood up, posing with his thumb pointing at his chest after finishing his introduction. Nate had a habit of being over-excited when talking about his dream. Blushing from embarrassment, he sat back down.

    "A-anyways," Nate coughed. "I''ll ask the first question, it''s been on my mind since I first saw you up close," Nate pointed at Riolu''s chest. "Why is your chest a little brighter than the rest of your fur?"

    *Burn injury. Fur dye fading out.* Riolu pointed at his chest and then at his head.

    "Did the injury cause your amnesia?"

    Riolu flipped back a couple pages and underlined the word *Yes*.

    *Why did you come here? To Pok¨¦star Studios?*

    "It was actually because of Mr. O''Connor." Nate noticed Riolu''s confused expression, and he continued explaining. "Mr. O''Connor is actually Roxie''s father, the gym leader of Virbank. I challenged Roxie and won but there was no way for me to go to Castelia City, where the next badge is. Roxie asked me to get her father to get back to work since the ports were in danger of a lack of leadership. Mr. O''Connor ran away from his duties as a sea captain and left the Virbank Ports in disarray to be a ''Pok¨¦star,''" Nate air quoted the last word. "I found Mr. O''Connor and he invited me to see the test screening. After seeing everyone''s reaction though, he decided to go back to Virbank. Mr. Stu Deeoh acknowledged his decision and wanted me to act in his place. After that, you showed up and now we''re here."

    "Sorry for that long answer but I think that''s everything. How about you though? How did you come to Pok¨¦star Studios?"

    The scratching sounds of Riolu''s penmanship filled the silence of the abandoned movie set. A few minutes passed by as Riolu flipped the notepad, the size of the notepad restricted long answers on a single page. When he finished the last word, he flipped back to the beginning of his answer and showed Nate.

    *I woke up a couple of days ago injured. Two herdiers found me and took me to a ranch.*

    A ranch? The closest ranch that Nate went to was Floccesy Ranch. The couple there couldn''t find one of their herdiers so he and his friend slash rival Hugh looked around the ranch. It turned out that someone who called themselves a member of Team Plasma stole one of the herdiers and dragged them back into the woods but got lost. Battling him was easy, the grunt''s only pok¨¦mon was a patrat that wasn''t in prime condition. He ran away before the couple called the cops but at least the herdiers were back together. Was Riolu a victim of the Team Plasma member as he ran away?

    "Riolu, wait," Nate interrupted, Riolu was halfway through flipping to the next page. "Did you see someone around you when you woke up?"

    Riolu shook his head.

    "Were there any signs of someone near you? Any markings like footprints?"

    He shook his head again.

    "That''s interesting, it''s just that you showed up near Floccesy Ranch after I dealt with a thief there and I thought he did something to you while he ran away into the woods."

    Riolu flipped to a new page and wrote a quick sentence.

    *Reed and Meadow think it was a Fire-type.*

    "That could be correct, the Team Plasma grunt didn''t have a Fire-type or anything that could make fire... Sorry for the sidetrack, go on."

    *The couple treated my injuries after I passed out from the pain. Mr. Stu Deeoh showed up soon after and saw me.*

    *He asked if I wanted to act and I said yes. Beartic taught me a few moves and we recorded the movie soon after.*

    "And then we watched the test screening and now we''re here," Nate finished Riolu''s story, the jackal pok¨¦mon giving a nod. "You''re one strange Riolu. I''ve learned that Riolus and Lucarios are hyper-focused in combat and martial arts but you want to work in moviemaking. This is the first time I''ve ever heard of a riolu actor."

    When Riolu flipped the notepad, ready to write a response, the both of them heard footsteps from the distance. Nate turned around to the source of the sound, already aware of who it was. Beartic arrived at the scene and conversed with Riolu.

    The two pok¨¦mon talked together, leaving Nate in the dust, unable to understand them. Beartic pointed at Riolu''s paw, Nate''s notepad and pen in his clutch. He could imagine Beartic asking why he had them. Riolu broke a sweat, speaking as if he was unsure himself. Beartic raised an eye but dismissed Riolu''s answer. He walked up to Nate and handed over a pok¨¦ball.

    Nate stood up and faced the Beatic. The pok¨¦mon towering over him was just as high as he was when Nate was sitting down.

    "This is Riolu''s?"

    Beartic gave a grunt. He looked back at Riolu and spoke a few more words before walking away, leaving the two alone again.

    "So..." Nate dragged the "o" sound. "What were you two talking about?"

    *Asked if I was alright. Person with script arriving soon*

    ~But the conversation was much longer than that,~ Nate pondered. ~Why did Beartic look skeptical for a moment?~

    He wanted to ask Riolu some more questions but it was going to have to wait. Nate saw a man jogging towards them at a hectic pace.

    "Phew," The man let out a short breath. "Never thought filmmaking would give me this much of a workout when I joined." He took out some papers from his binder and handed them to Nate.

    "My name''s Vincent, I''m the script supervisor here. I heard from Mr. Stu Deeoh that I needed to look for a boy named Nate with Riolu. If you have any questions regarding your part, I''m the man you look for."

    Nate thanked Vincent. He took his and Riolu''s scripts from the supervisor.

    "Wait," Vincent uttered. "Why did you take Riolu''s script? You already know?"

    "Know what?" Nate questioned. "That he''s literate? We''ve been talking together, or I should say he''s been writing and I was doing the talking."

    "You can write too?!" Vincent exclaimed, ruffling the top of Riolu''s head. "You''re surprising me every time I see you."

    Riolu waved Vincent''s hands away and fixed his fur back in place, his facial expression giving a slight pout.

    "Riolu shocked me and the lead of makeup a while ago when he demanded that he read the script himself." He pointed at Riolu. "I''ve already said this before but this little guy makes my job easier."

    "How so?" Nate asked.

    "Since pok¨¦mon actors can''t read, people like me usually have to read it to them and act out when they use their moves. That''s why I was confused when you took Riolu''s script, actors usually don''t take their partner pok¨¦mon''s script," Vincent looked at his watch. "Crap, I gotta go now. Brycen''s acting team needs the script to be read yet again," He turned the pages of his binder. "They have a pretty bad memory when it comes to acting that doesn''t involve moves. Do you have any questions before I leave?"

    "I kinda do," Nate replied. "It''s not really a question but more of a request. Do you have any extra pieces of paper?"

    "I sure do," He unclipped his binder and took out the last few pages, handing them to Nate.

    "Thank you, Vincent," Nate handed over the pieces of paper to Riolu, the pok¨¦mon handed the notepad in return. "Riolu''s been using my notepad to talk and I don''t want him to take up all the space."

    "No worries, Nate. Now if you don''t mind, I''ve got some scripts to read."

    Nate and Riolu waved goodbye as the Script Supervisor left. The both of them soon looked at the front of the script.

    "Riolu-Kid?"

    *Better than Riolu-Man.*

    "You''re right, ''Riolu-Man'' does have a midlife crisis vibe to it."

    The both of them chucked at Nate''s comment before they went back to silence. Nate soon finished reading his script.

    ~The lines for Riolu-Kid sound right this time, and the ending makes sense. Was this the intended ending for the movie?~ Nate wondered.

    Nate skimmed through his script again, looking at what lines and actions he needed to take. His lines were easy to memorize and the most motion he had to do was command Riolu in combat. The pok¨¦mon battle also looked fairly simple, Riolu had two moves with a type advantage over Brycen''s acting team. A scripted battle was loads easier than the real thing. A sense of unease filled Nate though, even if it was scripted, multiple cameras would be pointed at him. If he messed up once, Pok¨¦star Studio would fall apart. Nate decided to try practicing his part as much as he could.

    "Hey Riolu, you want to rehearse?"

    Riolu didn''t respond. It looked as though he were staring beyond the piece of paper in front of his face. He was stuck in some trance, deep in thought and eyes unblinking.

    "Uh, Riolu?"

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    Harper hated himself. Now that he had some time to think for himself, he realized just how many close encounters he faced. He already promised himself to be careful and yet again he was an inch close to revealing his identity. Do people in this world know the concept of human-turned-pok¨¦mon? The Pok¨¦mon franchise was familiar with people turning into pok¨¦mon, their spinoff "Pok¨¦mon Mystery Dungeon" was proof of that. The problem was that it was a spinoff. Harper knew he was in the mainline game. The story from Nate about the Herdiers sounded extremely similar to what he played through before his death.

    Would he be taken away if people found out? Be tested on? From the movies he''d seen in his past life, anything alien was immediately taken by the U.S. government to be experimented on. Since Unova was based on America, Harper assumed the same thing would occur. He didn''t want to be taken away when he was finally doing what he wanted to do his entire life. Harper almost slipped up several times in front of a few people. Beartic especially was an issue. He didn''t know whether Beartic was dense like packed ice or was aware but never said anything about it. Either way, Harper''s clumsiness needed to stop. His literacy was the only secret that he was ever going to reveal. He knew that his desire was to see his real name in the credits but if that were to happen, everyone would know who he was.

    ~Like what kind of name is ''Harper'' for a pok¨¦mon? If a riolu had a name it would be something like ''Anubis'' or ''Lulu''. Harper is such an odd, human-sounding name for a Pok¨¦mon. It''d be like giving Snivy a name like Bo-~

    A hand waved back and forth between Harper''s face and his script. He looked up and saw Nate.

    "You ok? I asked a question but you''ve been staring at your script for a while."

    Harper grabbed a blank paper from a stack given by Vincent and wrote an answer.

    *Sorry, just thinking. What was the question?*

    "I wanted to know if you''d like to rehearse with me. I don''t know how much time we have before we have to film the scene but I want to try this out at least once."

    Harper gave a thumbs up, standing up from his seated position. He still remembered his parts and when to use each move. Practicing the scene was more for Nate than it was for him, and that was fine. He knew that Nate would do a hell of a better job than Liam, he was the protagonist after all.

    Nate walked to the side of the set and placed his bag and pok¨¦balls down before walking back. "I''m not going to summon you back into your pok¨¦ball for now. I want you to see if I''m doing anything wrong, ok?"

    Harper nodded. He stood next to Nate as if he were already released from his pok¨¦ball.

    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    "Ok, how did it go..." Nate muttered to himself, remembering each sequence of the film. "The intro monologue plays out, A place of never-ending smiles, everyone''s ideal place to play, yada yada yada. Brycen starts to attack with his Pawniard and then I hop in..."

    Nate shifted into a heroic pose, hand on his hip and the other pointing at the nonexistent villain. His rapid movement surprised Harper but he regained his composure. He never thought that Nate would get into character so quickly.

    "Hold it right there!" Nate firmly shouted. As quickly as he shifted into character, he stopped his hero character to say Brycen''s part.

    "And then Brycen turns around and acts surprised, asking who it is, and then my line..."

    Nate got into a different heroic pose, his left hand splayed open in front of his face and his right arm hanging stiff behind his back. He leaned backward slightly and said his next line.

    "The Messenger of Truths and Ideals, The Riolu-Kid enters! Stop right there, Brycen-Man! I cannot allow your mischief!"

    "And after Brycen says his lines, I say my comeback and then I summon Riolu."

    Harper looked up as Nate finished his sentence, and the trainer looked down at the same time.

    "Riolu, go!" Nate yelled, pretending to throw a pok¨¦ball.

    Harper ran in front of Nate and assumed a battle posture.

    "Use Force Palm!"

    Harped lunged at the imaginary Pawniard and as he used Force Palm, he heard someone''s voice behind Nate.

    "Sorry to interrupt, but I need to tell the both of you something."

    Nate and Harper turned around to see who it was. A man wearing a hoodie and jeans was standing outside the abandoned movie set. He walked closer to the two actors, his walkie-talkie creating noise.

    "Hey Smith, what''s your 20?" A voice echoed from the device.

    "I''m over at the Castelia City set to tell our new actors to get to the makeup station," Smith responded, his walkie talking started beeping. "Shit, low battery already? Hey, I''m going to need a hot brick when I get back, copy?"

    "Copy," The walkie-talkie clicked, disconnecting the line between the two.

    "Welp, you overheard me," Smith sighed as he holstered his walkie-talkie to his waist. "Get to the makeup station, we''re gonna film soon."

    "Darn, ok then," Nate huffed. He was annoyed that his rehearsal was interrupted but he couldn''t argue back.

    "Now that my job''s done here, I''m gonna go take a 10-2."

    "10-2?"

    "It''s film lingo for a bathroom break, take a guess what the ''two'' means." Smith made his way to the bathroom, one situated a ways from the movie set.

    Nate''s face scrunched up, realizing what the film crew member meant. "Hey, Riolu. Do you know where makeup is?"

    Harper nodded. He gathered his papers and walked at a brisk pace, waving his paw to tell Nate to follow along.

    "Wait! Hold on!" Nate grabbed his bag and flung it over his head. He grabbed his pok¨¦balls and sprinted to Harper, trying to catch up.

    The both of them headed over to makeup. Harper never thought of it much, but didn''t makeup have their own dedicated room instead of a van? Layla should''ve also had some extra assistants with her. Makeup wasn''t a one-person job, he knew from his past job that everyone who was going to be in a scene needed makeup, even the extras. He should ask how she''s been handling everything.

    "So do we just knock?"

    Harper walked up the steps to the vanity van''s doors and gave two firm knocks, stepping back after.

    "I hope it''s those two. I''ve been waiting for them," Layla''s muffled voice came from behind the door. When it opened, it nearly hit Harper''s snout like last time.

    "And I was right!" She exclaimed. Layla observed Nate with gleaming eyes, eager to work on his makeup. "I''ve done everyone''s makeup already, I just need to do you and one special Riolu..." Layla looked down when she finished her sentence and smiled when she saw Harper.

    "There you are!" Layla ruffled his head. "Am I glad to see you again!"

    ~Why does everyone like petting my head? I know I look like a dog but still,~ Harper waved her hand away.

    "Sorry Riolu, I forgot you didn''t like that. I can fix your fur after I comb it," She leaned the door open. "Come in both of you, I want to work on our superhero first!"

    Nate stepped in first and Harper followed along. The inside of the van was much messier than the first time he was here. All of Layla''s equipment was disorganized and messily thrown all over the van. Opened spray cans and bottles were strewn out on the tables, emanating intoxicating smells too strong for Harper''s nose.

    "Sorry about the mess," Layla apologized as she kicked over a barber cape that was on the floor. "Having to redo everyone''s makeup and hair on such short notice barely gave me time to organize. Mr. Stu Deeoh said he found a new actor to replace Liam and he wanted a reshoot ASAP."

    "Sorry for the trouble, Miss uh..." Nate said, stepping over empty bottles and trash.

    "No need for honorifics, just call me Layla. What''s your name? Mr. Stu Deeoh came to everyone in a frenzy and never even mentioned it."

    "The name''s Nate," He extended his hand out for a handshake. Layla returned one before going back to reorganizing her equipment.

    "I''m going to do Nate''s makeup first since Riolu only needs a touchup, could you sit down here?" Layla swiveled the barber chair, waving her hand to the seat as if Nate was a king.

    "Arceus, don''t do that," Nate blushed. He put his gear on another chair and sat down on his "throne".

    "I enjoy teasing my clients, makes my job more fun," Layla took out a hair clipper and turned it on, testing its battery. "Let''s get started, shall we?"

    She started cutting Nate''s overgrown hair, the buzz of the clipper dominating over every other ambient sound. Harper wrote down his question for Layla as Nate underwent his haircut. He tugged on her shirt to grab her attention.

    "What do you need, Riolu?" Layla noticed the paper that Harper was holding.

    *Are you ok? Doing makeup for everyone alone must be hard.*

    Layla turned off the hair clipper and the buzzing noise stopped. She stared at Harper''s written question, then at Harper, and back at the paper again.

    "Did you write this?"

    "He shocked me and Vincent as well," Nate added. "I''ve never seen a riolu or even any pok¨¦mon this well-versed before."

    "Y''know, maybe I should''ve expected you could write Unovan if you could read it so well."

    Harper shook the paper, still waiting for an answer to his question.

    "Oh! Sorry, Riolu," Layla resumed Nate''s haircut while answering Harper''s question. "Yeah, I''m doing fine. I''ve had my fair share of sticky situations but this has been the most stressful one. Everyone''s jobs are on the line, the entire studio is."

    "I never heard why, but how come Pok¨¦star Studios is struggling right now?" Nate hopped into the conversation. "I remember when they were doing just fine a couple months ago."

    Harper was also curious about what happened. The most he heard was from Mr. Stu Deeoh when he ranted about the failure of the last movie about some romance with some pok¨¦mon he forgot.

    "You''re right, we were doing fine a while ago. It''s the last movie we made that was an utter failure. I heard that the idea was greenlit without Mr. Stu Deeoh''s permission since he was away at the time, family matters in Kalos or something."

    "What was the last movie? I haven''t been caught up in any new stuff recently."

    "A romance film with a Jynx. Why no one questioned the idea, I don''t know. I only did the makeup for it because it was my job. In other movies, I have fun doing makeup but that movie, it was just... it was rough."

    Nate and Harper tried to imagine a person and a Jynx in love but recoiled in disgust before it fully formed. Harper remembered the conversation Mr. Stu Deeoh had with the ranch couple about the financial troubles that Pok¨¦star had.

    "The director for that movie quit out of shame before Mr. Stu Deeoh could fire him for insubordination. He also blew the budget by a buttload so now we have to save money by cutting any unnecessary usage of electricity like my old makeup station."

    "So that''s why we''re in a vanity van?"

    "Precisely."

    *What was another "sticky situation" you had?*

    "I guess I should say that it wasn''t something I personally faced but the entire studio. Do the two of you know Team Plasma?"

    They both nodded. Nate''s experience was recent with the thievery he witnessed. Harper was well aware of who Team Plasma was. They were the one villain team he faced that made him think about the nature of the games. Their motives weren''t evil but their actions were. Harper was curious about how Team Plasma worked in a real-world setting.

    "Two years ago, Team Plasma was spreading their message about the liberation of pok¨¦mon all around Unova. Pok¨¦star Studio wasn''t safe either, mentioning that we were forcing pok¨¦mon to act in movies," She finished Nate''s hair and slammed her scissors on a table, scaring Nate and Harper. "It''s not even true at all! We ask for permission from both the pok¨¦mon and their trainer! We''ve never taken advantage of pok¨¦mon!"

    Layla breathed heavily, her rant finished. She saw Nate and Harper''s surprised looks and realized she scared them.

    "Sorry about that," Layla coughed out, balling her fist in front of her mouth. She grabbed some hair gel and rubbed it on Nate''s hair. "It was a hard time. The protests outside the gates could be heard from the other side of the studio. It was only thanks to our last champion that Team Plasma was stopped for good."

    "I hope this isn''t bad news or anything, but I stopped a member from stealing a pok¨¦mon over at Floccesy Ranch a couple days ago. It was just one member though, we told the cops that they might be back so I hope they stop them from coming back."

    "Well, you made the right move, taking action and alerting authorities. All we can do is hope the police stop them before they get any bigger," Layla wiped her hands on some paper towels and took out some facial makeup. "I''m going to need you to stop talking, not because I hate you, it''s just so I don''t accidentally apply anything the wrong way."

    When Layla finished, Nate''s face was much brighter than it was before entering the van. It was the face of a star.

    "Perfect, now it''s your turn Riolu," She said, nudging Nate to hop out of the seat and placing the same kiddie stool on it.

    "Right! I need to get your costume!" Layla ran to the closet in the back of the van and took out the Riolu-Kid costume from a garment bag. "Put this on while I work on Riolu, ok? There should be makeshift drapes that I made in the back."

    Nate grabbed the costume and pulled the curtain, changing into his superhero suit in private.

    "As for you, I already trimmed you up so all you need is a little more black dye. Seems your chest is already looking a bit brighter."

    Layla grabbed the hair/fur dye and applied it to Harper. When she finished, Nate pulled the drapes open, revealing himself in his superhero glory. Like Liam, the bright blue and yellow exposed Nate. The flashy suit made him pop out from any scene. Unlike Liam though, the costume looked much better on Nate. Instead of a middle-aged man pretending to be a cartoon hero, it looked as if a superhero came to life.

    "Wow, you look perfect in that!" Layla and Harper gave him a thumbs up.

    "Does the costume need to be this tacky-looking?" Nate pinched the ends of each cape and raised them up. "I stand out too much."

    "That''s the point, Nate. That''s what heroes do."

    Nate faced a full-length mirror and adjusted his mask. "Never thought it would look this strange in person. It looked fine in the test screening."

    *It''s because it fits in with the scene, you''re not in the right environment.*

    "I guess you''re right if you say it like that," Nate replied.

    "Since I''m done with the both of you," Layla stated as she opened the door. "Think it''s time you get to the set, right? I''ll be over in a bit for some final checkups with the others."

    "You''re right, we should hurry before the director gets mad," Nate grabbed his belongings. "We were the last ones that needed makeup, right?"

    "Yup, we''d normally have you put on the costume in a separate area but since we''re cutting corners with money..."

    "I get it, thanks Layla," Nate said. Harper hurriedly scribbled his words of gratitude and showed them to the lead makeup artist.

    "Why, of course! Now you two should get going!"

    They exited the vanity van and entered into the movie set around the corner. The place looked exactly like it did the first time Harper arrived, the only difference was the much more tense mental state of everyone on set. He was well aware of how busy a set could be but he didn''t know if Nate did. He felt Nate''s sense of insecurity rise the longer they stood still. Harper tugged Nate''s cape and gave him a grin, signaling that it was going to be fine.

    "Oh hey, you''re back," Smith stepped out of the merry-go-round. "You came sooner than I thou-woah! Watch out!" He tugged Nate away from the exit door, Harper instinctually dodged despite not knowing what was coming. Another crew member burst the exit door open with his foot, holding a C-stand with both hands.

    "Hey, dumbass! You''re supposed to call out hot points when you''re holding gear! You almost injured the actors!"

    "Sorry," The crew member apologized. "I''m still pretty new around here."

    "4 months isn''t new so stop making excuses and go," Smith pointed to where the other gear was situated.

    "Thanks, Chris," Nate fixed the collar of his cape. "What''s a hot point?"

    "First, you''re welcome. Second, a hot point is basically any kind of gear with points or edges like the feet of the C-stand he was holding. We shout out ''hot point'' whenever we''re passing through a door or moving around a corner so we don''t hit anyone by accident. Enough about film lingo, you need to get into position. We''re about to film soon, I''ll go tell Mr. Pok¨¦monski everyone''s here," Smith rushed off, looking for the movie''s director.

    "But where''s my position?" Nate mouthed. "You know where it is, Riolu?"

    *You jump out from behind that tree when it''s your cue.* Harper pointed at the juniper tree in the distance. Two of them stood side-by-side from a bench. Brycen was also near their spot, readjusting his costume as Layla corrected his makeup.

    "Hi Mr. Brycen," Nate waved.

    "Hello, Nate. Riolu as well. Did you two have time to memorize your script?"

    "We did, it''s just that we didn''t get to try rehearsing it."

    "You''ll be fine. Have faith in yourself."

    As Layla did some final touch ups to Brycen''s face, a voice shouted from the distance.

    "Layla! I accidentally rubbed off my foundation!"

    "Oh not again," Layla grumbled. "I''ll be going now, see you guys!" The makeup artist sauntered off to the extras.

    "Nate, you''ll be fine," Brycen placed a hand on his shoulder."I can tell you''re nervous but don''t worry, everyone is. We''re filming a fun superhero movie, enjoy the moment, ok?"

    "Ok, Mr. Brycen."

    "Just Brycen, you''re an actor like me. We''re in the same league, are we not?"

    Brycen patted Nate''s shoulder once more and nodded at Harper before walking to his spot.

    Nate knelt down and looked at Harper. "Before I put you in your pok¨¦ball, I forgot to ask since we never finished our rehearsal... was I good?"

    Harper wrote his answer down and showed Nate.

    *You''re right, we never finished but we didn''t need to. We only have one take left but with you, it''s the only one we need.*

    Harper was suddenly caught in an embrace. As Nate hugged him, Harper''s paper crumpled between their chests.

    "I can tell you don''t like being touched but is it ok just this once?" Nate asked.

    Nate was right, he never liked any action that required touch with someone else unless it was necessary. Beartic giving him a ride on his shoulders was one example. He also hated how everyone kept trying to pet him without asking, not that he would say yes anyway. Nate, however, was asking during what was probably the most nerve-wracking moment of his life. A prestigious movie studio and everyone who worked there depended on his talent. Harper decided he should let Nate''s impulsive decision slide. He leaned into the hug, giving Nate a pat on the back.

    "Thanks, I appreciate it," Nate smiled.

    A couple more seconds passed before Nate released Harper from his hug. Smith came back and offered to grab Nate''s gear and Harper''s writing utensils, saying he would place them somewhere safe. Nate took out Harper''s pok¨¦ball and held it in front of him.

    "You ready?"

    Harper nodded, he pressed the pok¨¦ball''s button and was sucked into the device. Nate latched it onto his waist and waited for further instructions from the director. Mr. Pok¨¦monski emerged from the back of the set and sat down on his director''s chair, megaphone in hand.

    "Everyone!" He shouted, alerting everyone in the movie set. "This is our last shot and we''re makin'' it count! Everyone applaud Nate, our new ''Riolu-Kid'' for takin'' the role on such short notice!"

    The set burst into applause. Claps echoed through the fake amusement park, words of positivity and encouragement reverberated towards Nate. Harper noticed that the loudest applause was from the villain of the movie, Brycen himself. Nate bowed his head and gave an awkward smile, thankful for everyone''s support.

    When the applause stopped, Mr. Pok¨¦monski tapped his megaphone and spoke again. "We''re startin'' now so everyone get to your positions!"

    "Lights!" The lamps gave a muffled thud, and bright lights shone on the scene. "Cameras!" The camera crew leaned their gear closer, prepared to film the actors and actresses.

    "ACTION!"

    The clapperboard snapped, Pok¨¦star''s last remaining film rolled. Vincent, who was on standby, took the director''s megaphone and read the monologue.

    "A place of never-ending smiles! Everyone''s ideal place to play! The amusement park!

    But a threatening shadow lurks over this happy place... The stage is set for trouble...

    However!

    It''s darkest just before the dawn!

    A hero has appeared on the scene! And that hero''s name is...

    Riolu-Kid!"

    "Mwahaha!" Brycen-Man laughed maniacally. "Go, my pok¨¦mon! Unleash your destructive power! Demolish everything in this amusement park till nothing remains!"

    Brycen threw his pok¨¦ball into the air. Pawniard jumped out of the metal ball, charging up his first attack. His arms shone brightly with Steel-type energy as he shot a Gyro Ball into the extras. Everyone dodged by a hair, the attack only hitting the side of the Ferris wheel.

    As Pawniard was preparing another Gyro Ball, Mr. Pok¨¦monski swiped his hands sideways in the opposite direction of Brycen, signaling Nate to move.

    Nate took a deep breath and jumped into the scene. He gave a heroic pose, the same posture as the one during rehearsal. He pointed at Brycen-Man and gave a big smile.

    "Hold it right there!"

    "Wh-who are you?" Brycen-Man stuttered.

    "The Messenger of Truths and Ideals, The Riolu-Kid enters! Stop right there, Brycen-Man! I cannot allow your mischief!"

    ~Perfect! Just like the script!~ Harper complimented.

    "An amusement park¡­ A place of idle dreams or, perhaps, ideal dreams... I have no use for either ideals or dreams!"

    "We''ll see about that! Go Riolu!"

    Harper jumped out of his pok¨¦ball after Nate tossed it in the air. He hit the ground in an Iron Man landing pose. Harper wanted to try a different pose that was more heroic than his last and Iron Man''s was the most iconic superhero landing. He couldn''t help but flash a grin, he always wanted to do that as a kid.

    "Riolu, Force Palm now!" Riolu-Kid commanded.

    Harper dashed towards Pawniard, Fighting-type energy gathering in his palm.

    "Pawniard! "Dodge and use Brick Break!" Brycen-Man snarled.

    Like last time, Pawniard was too slow to take Brycen-Man''s commands into action. Harper slammed his paw on Pawniard''s chest. Fighting-type energy burst out and shot Pawniard into the merry-go-round, the same spot Harper launched him last time.

    "Tch," Brycen-Man scoffed. He took Pawniard''s pok¨¦ball and summoned him back in. "Just a single hit to KO my pok¨¦mon... You''re pretty good, Riolu-Kid! Despite that, however..." Brycen-Man clutched his other pok¨¦ball. "You will be brought down to your knees before me when I end you with my dark, secret arts!" Prepare to be finished!"

    "Bring it on!" Riolu-Kid declared.

    ~Nice! The movie''s finally going as intended!~

    "Well said Riolu-Kid! My dark, secret arts enter! Take them and be gone!" Brycen-Man threw his second pok¨¦ball in the air, this time Vullaby entered the scene.

    "Use Feint Attack!" Brycen-Man yelled. Vullaby charged her attack up, and a muddy black color surrounded her wings. She ran up to Harper while drumming her wings up. Now aware of Feint Attack''s speed, Harper tensed the muscles on his body, prepared for the blow. When Vullaby''s attack connected, Harper was able to withstand the damage. He took her surprised expression as a chance to dash towards Vullaby.

    "Nice job, Riolu! Now use Ice Punch!"

    Ice gathered around Harper''s fist, Vullaby tried to dodge but the drop in temperature in the battlefield caused her to shiver. The impact of his Ice Punch froze Vullaby''s breast feathers and sent her rocketing to Brycen-Man''s feet.

    "Arrgh..." Brycen-Man growled. "Braving my secret arts to take out my pok¨¦mon with one hit..."

    "Don''t you get it, Brycen-Man?!" Riolu-Kid argued. "This is an amusement park filled with the ideals of people! Be on your best behavior and go home!"

    "Very well. I shall pull back today," Brycen-Man summoned Vullaby back. "You may be the Messenger of Truths and Ideals. But I am Brycen-Man, the Masked Man of Reality and Phantasm. Mark my words, Riolu-Kid."

    Brycen-Man fled the scene, and people emerged from the remains of the damaged amusement park. Seeing the fight between hero and villain and seeing justice triumph caused the crowd to cheer.

    "Thank you, Riolu-Kid!"

    "You''re so cool, Riolu-Kid!"

    "I love the Riolu-Kid!"

    "Brycen-Man, the Masked Man..." Riolu-Kid mused. "What is he planning to do?"

    The cheers continued as Vincent spoke the ending monologue. This time, reading the intended version.

    Teaching Brycen-Man, the Masked Man, a lesson, the Riolu Kid saved the amusement park.

    Having spoken in a daring tone, Brycen-Man disappeared into thin air...

    To protect the truths and ideals of Unova, go on, Riolu Kid!

    Fight on, Riolu Kid!

    "Aaaaaand... CUT!"

    The movie set ended in abrupt silence. The entire crew remained tense even after the tape stopped rolling. Everyone waited for the director''s words, unsure if this was the perfect shot.

    Mr. Pok¨¦monski snatched his megaphone back from Vincent.

    "That. Was. Perfect! All we need to do now is send the footage over to VFX and editing!"

    The director took a deep breath and shouted the last words of the day.

    "THAT''S A WRAP!"

    The cast and crew erupted into a cacophony of cheers and applause, the atmosphere thick with the sounds of celebration. Harper slumped to the ground as he grabbed his sides, legs giving out from lack of energy.

    "Woah, you ok Riolu?"

    Harper nodded, getting back up on his feet. So much happened in the last couple of hours. Being hired by Mr. Stu Deeoh, training like a pok¨¦mon with Beartic, and filming with an incompetent actor was enough action for the day. Meeting the game protagonist equivalent and immediately reshooting the film was more than enough to mentally drain Harper.

    "I''m really thankful to everyone I''ve met here. Mr. Stu Deeoh, Mr. Pok¨¦monski, Brycen, Layla, Vincent, Smith, and especially you. This was really fun even though it was extremely short," Nate looked at the crowd of people, everyone continued celebrating.

    "You know, I never originally intended to stay this long," Nate admitted. "If Mr. Stu Deeoh never asked me, I''d probably be in Castelia City right now."

    Harper gave a look of regret. Nate was right, he was supposed to be on his pok¨¦mon journey and beat Unova''s champion. Nate had no ulterior motive for supporting the studio, he simply acted out of goodwill.

    "You don''t need to look sorry Riolu," Nate noticed Harper''s expression. "It''s not like Castelia is going anywhere. Besides, becoming famous before I become Champion? Every trainer would kill for that!"

    Harper laughed at Nate''s response. He wasn''t expecting an answer like that but then again, Nate was just a kid.

    "What are you laughing at? It''s not funny!"

    As the two of them socialized, Brycen and Beartic walked up. The actor tapped Nate on the shoulder and Beartic grabbed Harper by surprise, picking him up.

    "Hey!" Harper snapped, he realized from the literal icy grip who picked him up and placed him on his shoulders.

    "Nice job, kid!" Beartic complimented, handing Harper an oran berry. "What did I tell you? It was gonna work out just fine!"

    Harper flicked Beartic''s ear. "I guess you were right," He said as he ate his berry, the spot where Feint Attack hit was beginning to numb.

    "Brycen!" Nate noticed Brycen and gave a brief bow. "You were right, being an actor really is fun! I didn''t need to be nervous."

    "And now you''ve learned how I acted my entire career," Brycen added. "Your performance in front of the camera was impressive for your first time."

    "Brycen, is Riolu your pok¨¦mon?" Nate wondered. "It was Beartic who brought his pok¨¦ball to me earlier today."

    "Indeed he is, Riolu agreed to be my pok¨¦mon to be an actor for Pok¨¦star Studios."

    "Since he''s your trainer, I wanted to ask for a favor."

    "Go ahead."

    "I''m going to be leaving for Castelia soon and I don''t know how long it''s going to be before I come back but can I hang out with Riolu a bit more?"

    "You can but as it is almost night," Brycen pointed at the wall clock. It was past six o''clock. "Maybe you can spend time with Riolu tomorrow. I heard from Mr. Pok¨¦monski that the premiere is going to be early in the morning. The both of you can hang out after then."

    "Then how about a sleepover? I need to go to Virbank City to get some supplies and the Pok¨¦mon Center is close by to sleep at."

    Brycen chuckled at Nate''s quick answer. "A sleepover? Sure, why not? You probably should''ve asked Riolu first."

    "So Riolu, you want a sleepover?" Nate looked up above Beartic, asking Harper.

    Harper couldn''t think of any reason not to accept. It was going to be a while before he would see Nate again. He also never got to see much of Virbank City, Mr. Stu Deeoh practically made a mad dash towards Pok¨¦star Studio as soon as it was in viewing range. He also didn''t know what a real-life Pok¨¦mon Center looked like. Harper nodded.

    "Alright! We''ll go to Virbank as soon as I get out of this costume!" He sprinted out, looking for Liam''s vanity van to change out of his hero suit.

    "Kids," Brycen chuckled. "I should remove my costume as well, it''s starting to get itchy. Beartic, you know where I''ll be."

    After Brycen left, Beartic grabbed Harper again and placed him on the floor. "I''ll be going as well, I usually help the film crew move heavy gear after filming. You have fun with Nate," Beartic grabbed a large backlight as he left.

    ~Guess I should go grab Nate''s stuff for him,~ Harper thought. He looked around the movie set and found his belongings sitting in the corner with some camera stands. When he grabbed Nate''s bag, he realized something.

    ~Wait, sleepover with a kid? I''m an adult though, am I?~

    This was going to be a confusing night.

 Scene 1 - Take 8: Virbank Provisions and Misty Decisions

    With nighttime fast approaching, Nate and Harper left Pok¨¦star Studios and were on their way to a place to stay. Darkness fell over the Virbank City, a thick veil of fog shrouded the city''s streets in an unearthly cloak. Streetlights, reduced to hazy orbs in the mist, fought to shine through the dense air, throwing a faint illumination across the lonely streets. The fog carried a faint smell of chemicals, The city, once a bustle of activity in the daytime, now had an unsettling silence beneath the nocturnal fog. The citizens of the metropolis trudged out of their workplace, their distant footsteps echoed through the silence. The pok¨¦mon and the Pok¨¦mon Trainer quickly made their way through the dense environment, eager to get away from the gloominess of the city.

    Nate came to a stop in front of a store, the neon lights of the entrance dimly flickered the words "Stationary." The sign on the door showed that it was open, at least for a couple more minutes.

    "I need to buy something real quick, is it ok if you can wait outside for a bit?" Nate asked.

    Harper hopped on a nearby bench and sat down as Nate entered the store, the doorbell giving a little jingle. Harper assumed he was getting another notepad since he used most of its pages. If it weren''t for his clumsy paws, he wouldn''t have written so badly. Harper took human hands for granted.

    He stared at his paws and clenched them. Enough time had passed where he was used to his body, and he realized he hadn''t been falling over like how he did when he first came to Unova. Was that a good sign though? He saw himself as a human but everyone around him obviously didn''t. Up until now, he never truly accepted that he was a pok¨¦mon, even though he looked, spoke, and used moves like one. Harper wanted to reveal his true identity but the fear of being taken away was too great. He never wanted to conform to his new life, but what other choice did he have? It wasn''t like Arceus was going to change him back.

    He looked up at the towering building, leaning his head on the back of the bench. The bright lights of the city skyscrapers and the fog in the air blurred the stars in the sky. Today was the longest day that he ever experienced. He recalled the days of filming in his old life, the monotony of rigging equipment every day grounded Harper''s dream to be an actor. Being a Key Grip was a compromise Harper begrudgingly accepted but his yearning for something greater, the treatment he received from leadership, and the insipidness of his life onward made him reconsider. Now that he was given a second chance, Harper realized his compromise was reversed. He got a position he longed for, everyone he met was compassionate and willing to help in any way possible, and his new life was nothing but action-packed.

    The downside?

    He wasn''t human.

    Having to hide his identity on top of everything else occurring was tiring enough. Despite that, his desire to continue his role as a pok¨¦mon actor overrode his fear of being caught, if only for a short period. The urge to tell someone was slowly festering in the back of Harper''s mind. Another minute passed until he heard a bell jingle. Nate walked out of the stationary store while putting a plastic bag into his bag.

    "Sorry for the wait, the staff was really annoyed that I came to the store right before they closed. Asking for assistance definitely didn''t help either."

    Harper hopped off the bench and the two made their way through the muted streets. A few turns around some corners later, they arrived at the Virbank City Pok¨¦mon Center. Unlike its video game counterpart, Harper was amazed by the sheer size of the building. Its length and width alone took up the same space as 4 skyscrapers, the height was the same as well. Blue stained glass decorated the outside of the building as red streaks lined the edges, its colors caused the Pok¨¦mon Center to pop out from the rest of the urban environment. A pok¨¦ball logo glared brightly through the fog, an alluring sight in a dreary-looking city.

    "First time seeing a Pok¨¦mon Center? C''mon, it''s way cooler inside."

    Nate and Harper stepped through the automatic sliding door and entered the center. Nate was right, the inside boasted much more style than the outside. The interior was much more spacious and decorated than the games could showcase. A public space with sofas and bookshelves lined with reading material was placed in one corner. Large televisions displayed the news, weather, and recorded gym battles. An entrance to a dining hall stood next to the Pok¨¦mon Center''s Pok¨¦mart, its employees currently closing up for the night. A woman with pink hair sat at the front desk, typing away at her computer. Other than the Pok¨¦mon Center''s staff, Nate and Harper were the only ones in the building.

    "Follow me," Nate instructed. "We need to get a room from the front desk."

    When they walked up to the front desk, Harper realized that he was too short to see above the desk. He cursed his size and jumped up onto the desk, sitting down on the edge. Now with a clear view, Harper saw the front desk lady''s name, the words "Nurse Joy," marked in black print.

    "Oh!" She gasped, noticing Nate standing beside Harper. "Welcome to the Pok¨¦mon Center! Sorry for not noticing you and your riolu earlier, it''s been a long day."

    "It''s alright," Nate replied. "We''ve had a long day as well."

    "How can I help you tonight? Do your pok¨¦mon need a checkup?"

    "No checkup, I want to get a room for the night."

    "Very well, just place your ID on the scanner and we''ll prepare a room."

    Nate took a wallet out of his pocket and swiped his card on the payment terminal. The device gave a beeping noise, confirming his purchase.

    "Ok," Nurse Joy began typing into her computer. "Since you have a Trainer ID, the room is free for the night," She slid a key card on the desk towards Nate. "This is the room card for your room, please return it when checking out."

    "Thank you," Nate said, grabbing the room card and pocketing it. "Have a good night Nurse Joy."

    "You too!" Nurse Joy thanked.

    One elevator ride and a walk through some hallways later, Nate and Harper found their room.

    Nate glanced at his card. "Room 427," He looked at the placard next to the door. "Room 427, yup this is our room."

    He tapped the room key card and the door lock was unlatched, revealing a neatly organized and clean room. The interior looked similar to the numerous hotel rooms Harper stayed in for out-of-state movie shoots. The bathroom was right next to the entrance of the room, with one sofa chair in the corner, an air conditioner underneath the rectangular window, a plasma TV sitting on a large horizontal cabinet, a nightstand with a lamp, and two double beds. If it weren''t for a pok¨¦ball logo on the bedsheets and the large pok¨¦ball carpet in the center, it was indistinguishable from Harper''s usual hotel room.

    "Before I go wash up, there''s something I want to give you," Nate placed his bag on the cabinet and took out the plastic bag from the stationary store.

    "I needed to get a new notepad since you used a lot of pages," Harper winced at Nate''s comment. "It''s alright! I wanted to get a bigger one, it was pretty small anyway. I also don''t want you to waste paper by asking for more every time you talk, so..." Nate pulled out a rectangle from the bag. "Ta-da! I got you a whiteboard! Here''s some markers as well, they''re the ones with erasers at the end."

    Nate handed his gift to Harper, who received it with a surprised expression. The whiteboard had a clasp at the side that allowed markers to be attached. Harper noticed a thick piece of string that acted as a shoulder strap. Nate noticed how Harper stared at it and began explaining.

    "That''s so you don''t have to hold it 24/7. You can sling it over your shoulder, the staff at the store gave me weird looks when I asked for a smaller strap to match your size."

    It was amazing to Harper how Nate read his situation when he never did. He realized just how much paper he was going to have to ask for in the future. One whiteboard eliminated that prospect, now he could write as much as he wanted on a larger space. Harper uncapped his marker and began writing.

    *Thanks, Nate. I never thought to get a whiteboard.*

    Nate grinned, happy that his gift worked out. "I''m gonna go wash now, you can talk with my pok¨¦mon in the meantime, no whiteboard necessary," Nate joked, unlatching his pok¨¦balls from his waist. He threw the two pok¨¦balls on a bed before grabbing his bag and entering the bathroom, locking the door shut.

    A Snivy and Mareep formed after leaving their pok¨¦ball, Mareep looked around for a bit and jumped on the sofa chair, settling down and began to snore soon after.

    "So sleepy all the time," Snivy commented. He turned to see Harper, still standing on the carpeted floor, whiteboard and marker in hand.

    "Hi, I''m Snivy! Nate''s first pok¨¦mon!" He spoke in a high-pitched voice. "That''s Mareep over there," He pointed at the sleeping electric sheep. "She''s always sleeping unless it''s time to eat or battle."

    ~A snivy? He''s the same starter I picked,~ Nate thought.

    "Uh, hey Snivy," Harper greeted, still taken back by Snivy''s youthful tone. "I''m Riolu. I''m just gonna be here for the night."

    "Really? I was hoping you''d join us, Nate was looking for a riolu before we fought Cheren."

    ~He was? Wait, that was the same strategy I did. I caught a riolu and was going to fight Cheren before... I... ~

    Snivy clapped his vines together in front of Harper''s face, pulling him back from his thoughts.

    "Are you ok?" Snivy looked at the spot on the floor where Harper was blankly staring. "Is there something on the carpet?"

    "I''m fine, it''s nothing," Harper brushed off the coincidence, he jumped on the bed and sat in front of Snivy. He latched his marker on the side of the whiteboard and placed it on the nightstand. "So how are gym battles? I heard you beat Roxie from Nate."

    "We did! Roxie had some Poison-type pok¨¦mon but that didn''t stop me! I was all like ''woosh'' with my leaves and I slammed that Koffing on the ground with my vines," Snivy thumped his vines on the bed sheets. "Mareep was also really cool! She used Cotton Spore and caught Roxie''s Whirlipede and shocked him unconscious! I wish I could show you the fight but Nate said that early badge battles aren''t recorded. Do you plan on battling, Riolu?"

    "Nope, don''t plan to," Harper waved his hands. "I''d like to be safe if I could."

    "You''re a weird Fighting-type."

    The blunt response caught Harper off guard. "W-what do you mean?"

    "I thought Fighting-types loved battles, it''s in the name, fighting type," Snivy emphasized.

    "I do like fighting," Harper answered, remembering the sensation from training with Beartic and fighting during the film''s recording. "I just don''t like it when a lot isn''t at stake like a gym battle or my life."

    "Was the studio not at stake? I heard they were about to shut down if it weren''t for you and Nate."

    That hit Harper right in the chest.

    "N-not like that," Harper gave up his losing argument. "Fine, I guess I do love battles after all. I assume you love them as well?"

    "I do! It''s awesome to fight others and be serperior to them!"

    "Don''t you mean superior?"

    The two pok¨¦mon laughed at the unintended pun. Mareep shifted her body, grumbling something about volume before snoring again. Harper heard a door unlock, Nate stepped out of the bathroom, wearing pajamas with small joltiks designed all over his shirt and pants.

    "You guys having fun? Glad you''re getting along," Nate looked at the occupied sofa chair. "Yup, sleeping as always. Since Mareep and Snivy washed up yesterday, that leaves you," Nate pointed at Harper. "when was the last time you washed?"

    If he didn''t account for his human body, never. The couple at Floccesy Ranch was much more concerned for his survivability than his cleanliness. Being hired at Pok¨¦star Studios also never gave him the time to clean up either. Harper shrugged.

    "Really? Well, let''s change that," Nate took out a grooming kit from his bag. "I usually use this for Mareep but I guess it''ll work out for you, c''mon, into the tub."

    Harper groaned but he followed Nate''s order regardless, his desire to be clean overriding his drowsiness. Nate turned the knob, hot water pouring from the bathtub faucet.

    "You''re lucky I showered a minute ago, it took forever for the water to get hot," Nate commented. He opened up his grooming kit and took out a bottle of shampoo with an oran berry logo.

    "Can''t I just wash myself in private?" Harper tried to communicate, pointing at the door. Sleeping in the same room with a kid was already awkward enough. A kid helping him wash up was even worse to think about.

    "You want to wash alone? Not on my watch, the last time I left Snivy alone in a bathroom he used all of my conditioner and hair gel to try and make his tail shinier. I enjoy washing pok¨¦mon myself anyways, I used to help my friend slash rival Hugh wash his sister''s Purrloin from time to time before... well..."

    Harper remembered what Nate was talking about. Hugh''s sister had her Purrloin kidnapped during the events of the first Black and White games. He recalled how serious Hugh became ingame when he heard someone stole one of the Herdiers and how Harper guided his player character, finding the Plasma grunt before he did.

    "Anyways," Nate continued. "I''m not letting you go. Besides, this is one of our last moments for a while, appreciate it, ok?"

    Harper rolled his eyes, reluctantly sitting on the tub''s porcelain floor.

    "That''s more like it," Nate praised. "I''m gonna rinse you off first and then scrub with shampoo."

    As Harper sprayed steaming water over his head with the showerhead, Nate pumped the oran-scented shampoo''s contents and lathered Harper''s body. The rest of Harper''s cleaning continued in silence, a satisfied look on his face the entire time. The scent of orans and the heat of the water lulled him to sleep. Harper forgot the awkwardness as he closed his eyes, almost falling down onto the porcelain floor. Nate laughed as he continued washing him, cracking up at how sleepy he looked. When Nate gave a final rinse, Harper stepped out of the bathtub and stood on a towel on the floor. An urge to shake off all the excess water grew too strong, his limbs were trembling.

    "Riolu," Nate slowly backed away. "Don''t you dare..."

    Harper dared.

    "Arceus!" Nate tried to cover himself with a spare towel but he was too late, the water splattered all over his pajamas. He wiped off the water off his face, shaking the excess off his hands.

    "Is this for not letting you wash alone?"

    Harper gave a sarcastic look and shrugged.

    "Consider us even then," Nate grabbed a hair dryer and turned it on, airing his pajamas dry. After Nate dried his pajamas, he dried Harper''s fur up. With only a few remaining traces of water to dry out, the task was a quick one. Harper had never felt any more clean in his entire life, or at least his new life. The both of them left the bathroom as Nate turned off its lights. They saw that Snivy had fallen asleep on one of the beds, it looked like he tucked himself in first.

    "Guess he was pretty tired as well," Nate said to himself. "I should let him sleep outside his pok¨¦ball, he usually likes sleeping in it though. Hey Riolu, you want a bed to yourself?"

    He never fancied the idea of sleeping with someone on the same bed, especially one much younger than him. His bed was his private haven, even when he had to sleep with a couple colleagues in the same hotel room to cut corners in the film budget. He would just take a spare blanket and sleep on a sofa or even the floor if he had to. Harper nodded, walking over to the vacant bed. Nate carefully slid into his bed so as not to disturb Snivy and flicked the nightlight off.

    "Goodnight everyone," Nate whispered in the dark.

    ~What a day,~ Harper thought, ~I hope it''s never this hectic going forward but knowing the film industry, I highly doubt that, especially since I''m a pok¨¦mon.~

    Harper drifted off into unconsciousness.

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    An alarm sound rang from Nate''s Xtransceiver, Nate lumbered out of the bedsheets and sat at the edge of the bed, smacking his lips.

    "Need to brush teeth," Nate grumbled, his mouth had a bad taste. He stood up and shook each of the three sleeping pok¨¦mon out of their slumber.

    "Wakey wakey, eggs and bakey," Nate joked. "We''re gonna go eat breakfast at the cafeteria after I brush my teeth and change out of my pajamas."

    Mareep''s ears twitched at the mention of food, and she rolled out of her sofa chair. She dashed towards her pok¨¦ball and pressed the button, summoning her back in.

    "Eager for food, huh?" Mareep''s pok¨¦ball shook twice. Snivy woke up and sat at the edge of the bed, smacking his mouth just like his trainer. He trudged to his pok¨¦ball and entered it like Mareep. Riolu rolled out of his bed and onto the floor, snapping out of his slumber.

    "Awake now?" Nate snickered. Riolu gave an annoyed stare, walking to the room''s exit and grabbing his new whiteboard on the way, ready to leave.

    "Just give me a few minutes, ok?"

    After some time, they left their room, making sure they didn''t forget anything. Nate returned the room key to the front desk and entered the Pok¨¦mon Center''s cafeteria.

    The aroma of diverse cuisines wafted through the air, luring trainers to partake in the morning ritual of shared meals. Expansive glass windows allowed natural light to shine into the cafeteria. Long rows of tables and chairs were filled with hungry patrons and their pok¨¦mon, a mosaic of the sounds of pok¨¦mon, conversations, and the clatter of plates and utensils created a lively atmosphere.

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    "Welcome to the Pok¨¦mon Center''s Cafeteria!" A staff member greeted Nate. "Just the two of you for the morning?"

    "I have two more pok¨¦mon with me," Nate summoned Snivy and Mareep out of their pok¨¦balls.

    Nate gave his Trainer ID to the staff member, paying for the four of them. Nate had more than enough to pay for an extra pok¨¦mon. His victory money from Roxie was transacted to his account recently; he had forgotten to grab it the day he won since Roxie asked him to find her father soon after the battle. Thankfully, Pok¨¦mon gyms were able to digitally send Pok¨¦dollars to Trainer IDs.

    "Thank you for your patronage, enjoy your meal!"

    The group made their way through the entrance and found an empty table in the corner.

    "We should go get our food now that we have a table to ourselves. Go get what you want, just don''t stuff yourselves silly."

    Nate dropped his bag on his seat, marking their spot. He and his pok¨¦mon split up to find what they wanted to eat. The cafeteria was divided into different sections, each one showcasing breakfast cuisines from different regions. The Kanto/Johto section had what looked like soup, curry, and jelly-filled donuts. The Unovan section was as Unovan as it could get, scrambled chansey eggs, sandwiches, and cereal with a moomoo milk dispenser at the side. The Kalosian section was packed with bread and pastries as the Alolan section displayed what was called "Slowpoke Loco Moco." There was even a section for all kinds of pok¨¦mon specific food. Common berries such as oran, rawst, leppa, and pecha were organized in different bowls. Poffins, Pok¨¦ puffs, and Pok¨¦blocks were stacked neatly on top of each other.

    Nate decided to go easy for the start of the day, he grabbed a croissant and some scrambled eggs. He was the first to sit back down at their table, Snivy and Mareep followed soon after. Since Mareep didn''t have hands, Snivy''s tray overflowed with their favorite berries and poffins, dry and sweet respectively. Riolu was the last to arrive and curiously, he didn''t pick anything from the pok¨¦mon section. His tray consisted of just toast and some cheri jam.

    "You like human food more than pok¨¦mon food?" Nate asked.

    Riolu nodded as he placed his tray down. The group ate their food in silence, the sounds of the cafeteria continued. When Riolu finished his first piece of toast he grabbed his whiteboard.

    *What''s your plan when you leave?*

    "Well, when I get to Castelia, I really want to challenge the next gym leader, Burgh. I should probably train my team though," Nate looked at his Snivy and Mareep, busy chowing down on their food, unaware of Nate''s conversation about them. "I also want to get another member on my team as well, I want to find a Sandile over in Route 4."

    Riolu nodded. He wiped the whiteboard and wrote another question.

    *You think the premier is going to go well?*

    "Going by the attitude of the director and the rest of the crew members, I think it will. Our performance was already a step above Liam''s."

    Nate continued to converse with Riolu, forgetting about his tray of food. He was going to miss talking with a pok¨¦mon who could respond that wasn''t a yes or no.

    The group left the Pok¨¦mon Center, stomachs full and feeling content. Nate summoned Snivy and Mareep back into their pok¨¦balls after Riolu wrote that they wanted to go back in.

    "Let''s go to the studios now, the premiere is gonna start soo¡ª"

    Nate was interrupted by an individual bumping into him as they ran. The person skidded to a halt and looked back, noticing who it was they ran into.

    It was Hugh.

    "Nate!" He shouted. "Thank Arceus you''re here, I found some Team Plasma members running to the ports! I think one of them was the grunt who tried to kidnap Herdier!"

    Nate and Riolu looked at each other and nodded, the both of them knew what to do. Nate and Riolu followed Hugh to the Virbank Ports, running through the streets and crossing corners. As they ran, Nate pulled up his Xtransceiver and alerted the police to their location. An authoritative figure was going to be needed, the threat of the last Team Plasma was serious and any attempt at their reformation had to be stomped down. When they arrived, they noticed Roxie blocking off the entrance to the harbor, stuck in a standoff against three Team Plasma members.

    "So you''re Team Plasma? What is it you want here?"

    "That''s right!" One grunt fumed. "We''re here to take a ship by force to Castelia! Two years ago, we were betrayed by our king and hero! Despite our failure to take over Unova, we persevered! We''re Team Neo Plasma and we''re taking you down!"

    "That''s gonna be tough for all of you," Roxie nagged, looking behind the Plasma members. Nate, Hugh, and Riolu made their presence clear, sandwiching the villains between the gym leader and Pok¨¦mon Trainers.

    "Perfect timing, now we''re even," She observed. "Each of us gets to take one of you down."

    Hugh glared at the villain group, clenching his fists in anger. "I''ll never forgive you and Team Plasma! You go on about ''saving'' pok¨¦mon by freeing them from trainers but that''s a complete lie! You''re nothing but pok¨¦mon thieves!"

    Hugh released his Tepig, one of the grunts summoned a Timburr and the two began fighting. Roxie followed soon after with her Whirlipede against another grunt''s Pidove. The last member looked at Nate and smirked after recognizing Nate.

    "I remember you and your friend back there, perfect time to take revenge for defeating me at the ranch."

    "You deserved to be defeated! The couple at the ranch did nothing wrong to justify their Herdier from being stolen! Riolu, you ready to battle?"

    Riolu nodded, taking his whiteboard off and tossing it to the side, raising up his paws in a battle stance.

    The Team Plasma grunt threw his pok¨¦ball at the ground, and a patrat materialized out of it.

    "Patrat! Use Crunch!"

    Patrat lunged towards Riolu, jaw wide open as its teeth glowed with Dark TE. The move connected with the jackal''s arm, catching him off guard. He gave a cry of pain and locked Patrat''s head to his chest with his injured arm and proceeded to punch it with his free paw as if he were dirty boxing. A few punches loosened Patrat''s grip and it jumped back, dodging Riolu''s remaining punches. Before Patrat could recover from the consecutive non-move head blows, Nate shouted a command.

    "Riolu, Ice Punch his torso and slow him down!"

    "Use Tackle!"

    Riolu charged up his paw with ice and dashed towards the rodent. Patrat ran at Riolu, covered in a white haze as it tackled. Riolu narrowly dodged by swerving downward and slammed a firm right hook on Patrat''s lateral, small icicles froze its fur where Riolu hit.

    "Why did you miss, you vermin!" The grunt badgered. "Use Sand Attack and Tackle after!"

    Patrat held the spot where Ice Punch hit in pain and forcefully kicked the ground. Sand particles flew into the air, hitting Riolu before he could block his eyes. Patrat followed up Sand Attack with Tackle, running and bashing its shoulder on Riolu''s chest. The jackal was launched a few feet to the ground. Riolu quickly got back up from the attack, growling in anger as he charged Normal TE, residuals from Patrat''s attack clung to him. Nate saw Riolu''s signal and commanded another attack.

    "Riolu! Dash in front of Patrat and use Force Palm!"

    Riolu''s Normal TE condensed to his legs and ran up to Patrat in the blink of an eye. He turned his paw upside down and slapped it onto Patrat''s chest, blasting Fighting TE soon after. Patrat was launched backward, past its trainer, and landed on the side of the harbor, inches away from falling into the water.

    "Fuck! Patrat wasn''t even in bad condition like last time!" The grunt aimed his pok¨¦ball at the fainted Patrat, bringing it back to its container. "How are you guys doing?" He asked his Neo Plasma members. His hope of a group victory was shattered when he witnessed Roxie''s Whirlipede used Rollout on Pidove. Hugh''s Tepig burned Timburr with Flame Charge, its wooden pillar blackened by the fiery attack. Both enemy pok¨¦mon fainted at the same time, the grunts looked at each other in confusion, angry at each other for losing.

    "Tch," One of the members scoffed. "I can''t believe we lost to a couple of kids."

    "I''m not a kid!" Roxie retaliated. "I''m just short!"

    "Bitch, do you think we care? Let''s make a run for it!"

    The three grunts ran off into the streets of Virbank, pushing Nate and Hugh on the ground as they passed by.

    "You''re not getting away from me this time!" Hugh snarled, leaving Nate and Roxie behind as he chased the villains. The moment Hugh turned a corner, a policewoman drove up on her motorcycle from a different street and walked up to Nate and Roxie.

    "We were notified by someone near the Virbank Ports, what''s the matter?" The officer asked.

    "Officer, three Team Plasma Members ran away from us after trying to steal a boat," Nate explained. "My friend is chasing them right now, he''s wearing a red and white jacket and has blue hair, they should be near him."

    "Team Plasma? I thought the League took them down."

    Roxie confirmed Nate''s words when the officer didn''t believe him.

    "Ma''am, I''m the gym leader of Virbank City and every word he said is true, call for more officers and find his friend. They''re probably trying to escape through Route 20 as we speak."

    The policewoman heard Roxie and nodded, listening to her command, and grabbed the circular walkie-talkie on her chest. As she requested backup, she ran back to her motorcycle and sped off to Route 20. Nate, Roxie, and Riolu gave a deep sigh, relieved that the battle for now was over.

    "After I saw my father come back from Pok¨¦star Studios yesterday, I wanted to come to the ports the next day to apologize for yelling at him. This was not where I imagined where I would thank you, especially because of this battle," Roxie held her hand in front of Nate. "Regardless, thank you, Nate, for bringing my father back and fighting these Plasma pushovers."

    "Of course," Nate returned the handshake. "You should thank my friend, Hugh, as well. He''s just as good as me in a battle."

    "I know that too well, he showed up after you left my gym without any reservation, demanding a fight. I humored him after my concert and I lost. Speaking of your friend, I should go help the police in catching those grunts. Bye-bye, Nate."

    Roxie ran off into the city, leaving Nate and Riolu behind. Nate knelt down to Riolu and took out a potion from his bag.

    "Sorry for not healing you sooner, hold up your arm so I can spray it."

    Riolu held his injured arm up, wincing as the bite mark throbbed in pain. As Nate sprayed the potion, the bite mark quickly sealed up, leaving no trace of open flesh behind.

    "Does it hurt anywhere else?"

    Riolu shook his head, walking over to the whiteboard that he had thrown aside.

    *I don''t. Thanks, Nate.*

    Nate looked back at the battle Riolu fought with Patrat. Now that he thought about it, Riolu''s use of what looked like Quick Attack into Force Palm was ingenious.

    "When you finished off Patrat, I told you to run up to him and use Force Palm and you did with Quick Attack. I didn''t even think of applying a move like that, how did you do that?"

    Riolu gave a look of confusion, he wrote his answer and showed it to Nate.

    *I used Quick Attack?*

    "You didn''t notice?" Nate was just as confused as Riolu. "You charged Normal TE on your legs and used Quick Attack to face the Patrat."

    *I was trying to summon Fighting TE.*

    *I don''t know Quick Attack.*

    "But you do now, did Patrat''s use of its Normal TE affect you somehow?"

    Riolu shrugged.

    "That''s probably the best answer we got," Nate glanced at his Xtransciever, his eyes grew wide open.

    "Shit!" Nate exclaimed. "We''re late for the premiere! Riolu, we need to go now!"

    Nate stood up and threw his potion back into his bag. Riolu flung his whiteboard over his neck. The trainer and pok¨¦mon made a mad dash through the city streets, dodging the city populace as they ran on the sidewalk.

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    "Damn it! Door''s locked!"

    Nate and Harper were stuck outside of the Pok¨¦star Studios'' theater, the doors were locked.

    "Hello? Is anyone there?" Nate called out to the front booth.

    No response.

    Harper tugged Nate''s shirt, pointing at his whiteboard.

    *Everyone''s inside already, they''re already showing the movie.*

    "You''re right, but I really want to see it..."

    Nate shuffled to the curb of the sidewalk and slumped on the edge. Harper sat next to Nate on the concrete curb.

    "If those Team Neo Plasma members didn''t show up," Nate stressed the word "Neo". "We would''ve been in the theater right now. I wanted to see ''Riolu-Kid'' for what it was supposed to be and not like that test screening yesterday. Guess all we can do is wait."

    It did suck. Harper wanted to see the movie as well. He got to see the behind-the-scenes but that was only a part of it. Harper only got to see the makings of the movie from filming the scenes, not in the other aspects like VFX and sound design. The test screening only showed the raw footage with some rough editing. How did a movie in the pok¨¦mon universe work when it was complete? Is it the same as Hollywood? Is there anything different?

    Harper and Nate sighed in defeat, hands on their chins and elbows on their knees, sulking in front of the theater. Time passed, and Harper heard feet shuffling from behind the theater doors. The doors burst open soon after, and a large crowd of people spewed forth.

    "What a fun short movie!"

    "I should bring my kids next time, they love superheroes."

    "Riolu-Kid was so charming!"

    "The combat was so fast and cool! His riolu was so strong!"

    Everyone continued to chatter as they left the theater, unaware that the stars of the movie sat on the curb. When the last group of people dispersed, Mr. Stu Deeoh emerged from the theater doors and noticed the two actors sitting on the ground.

    "Nate! Riolu!" Mr. Stu Deeoh beamed. "Where ''ave you been? Zee movie was a success!"

    "Sorry, Mr. Stu Deeoh," Nate apologized. "We got caught up with some Team Plasma members."

    Mr. Stu Deeoh stopped his usual bubbly expression at the mention of the terrorist group. He walked up closer to Nate and pointed a stern finger at his face. "And you ''ave dealt wiz dose good-for-nothing scoundrels, ''ave you?"

    The shift in the mood in the studio owner''s personality unsettled the two stars. Harper somehow felt a burst of unease emanate from the trainer.

    "Y-yes sir. Me, my friend, and Virbank''s gym leader defeated them all, the police should be rounding them all up now."

    The good news cheered Mr. Stu Deeoh up, his face returning to his usual smile as he clapped his hands twice. "Very good to ''ear! It''s good zat zee police are diligent in catching dose villains, zey caused my studio troubles unbound when zey brought their propaganda to our doors."

    Harper called back on Layla''s conversation about Team Plasma, and how they spread the news that Pok¨¦star Studios was forcing pok¨¦mon into their roles. Now that he thought about it, the Team Plasma in this world was far more ambitious than their game counterparts. The games only mentioned the liberation of pok¨¦mon from trainers and their human homes. It would make sense that Team Plasma would attack any organization other than the League that used pok¨¦mon in any fashion.

    "I heard about that from Layla," Nate recalled. "Every pok¨¦mon actor here is here out of their consent. It''s like Team Plasma didn''t even do their homework."

    "That''s precisely zee point, my boy. Zey use lies and stir zee emotions of zee masses, it was a dark time..." Mr. Stu Deeoh closed his eyes and shook his head. "But enough about zee past! I''m sure Team Plasma won''t return now zat zee last remaining members ''ave been caught! Zee two of you! Zee movie was a ''uge success wiz our first audience!"

    "How much so, sir?"

    "Enough to release it to every theater in Unova! If we make enough from zat, Pok¨¦star Studio is well on its way to making a full feature of ''Riolu-Kid!''"

    Harper noticed Nate''s face grimacing in pain at Mr. Stu Deeoh''s enthusiasm, he wasn''t eager to ruin the optimism with bad news. Regardless, Nate took in a deep breath and spoke up.

    "Mr. Stu Deeoh? There''s actually something I need to tell you, it''s about my role."

    "What eez eet, Nate?"

    "I know I accepted your offer to take the role of ''Riolu-Kid'' but I can''t delay collecting my badges any longer. Please forgive me for the inconvenience I''ll cause," Nate tilted his head down, his visor blocking his eyes.

    If there was something no one liked in the movie industry, it was anything that interrupted the ebb and flow of production. Studio crew not showing up, actors and actresses running late, props and film equipment going missing or broken. Before his first death, the numerous occasions Harper faced from his last director were enough to learn that quickly. Mr. Stu Deeoh was an easygoing old man but by his austere reaction to Team Plasma and what he would do for his Studio to stay afloat, he hoped the studio owner would stay nice.

    Mr. Stu Deeoh stood in silence. Nate remained in his apologetic stance, fearing that moving would elicit a negative reaction.

    "How old are you, Nate?" Mr. Stu Deeoh sighed.

    "16, sir."

    "I remember when we first met in zee theater zat you wanted to be Unova''s Champion."

    "Not want, sir. I will become Champion," Nate''s voice grew with confidence.

    Mr. Stu Deeoh chuckled. "If you''re set on zis decision, I will not stop you. You''re young and I shouldn''t stop you from your dream."

    "Thank you, sir. But without me, how will Pok¨¦star Studios continue?"

    "Don''t worry, my boy. Judging by zee profits from our first audience alone, we ''ave made a killer short movie," Mr. Stu Deeoh looked over Nate''s shoulder. "Speaking of zee audience, anozzer one is coming by."

    True to his words, a horde of people showed up, crowding the front booth. Nate and Harper narrowly dodged the mob as they pushed through. Shouts from the crowd echoed around the lot, demanding for tickets. Everyone pushed one another as they waved cash in their hands.

    "Word spreads fast, doesn''t it?" Mr. Stu Deeoh remarked, stepping away from the stampede. "I shall take my leave, I must get the paperwork to showcase zee film to ozzer theaters. Zis is goodbye for now, Nate. Just know zat if you return, zee studio and I will welcome you wiz open arms."

    "Thank you, Mr. Stu Deeoh. I won''t forget the opportunity you''ve given me."

    Mr. Stu Deeoh smiled. "Before I go, since you weren''t able to see zee film and I doubt zere''s going to be any seats open for a while, I''ll ''ave a copy of zee movie sent to you. Where are you ''eaded next?"

    "Castelia City, you can send it to the Pok¨¦mon Center there. Can you also send another copy to Aspertia City? I want my mom to see it as well."

    "Zat I shall do, and Riolu?" Mr. Stu Deeoh grabbed Harper''s attention.

    "Brycen should be at ''is vanity van, ''e''s taking a well-deserved break. You know where zee vans are?"

    Harper nodded.

    "Good to ''ear. Farewell to zee both of you."

    Nate waved goodbye as the studio owner left the lot. When he was out of sight, Nate turned to Harper, a melancholy look in his eyes.

    "So... I guess this is goodbye, Riolu."

    After an awkward silence, Nate spoke up again.

    "Y''know, when I first saw you, you had this strange stare on me. I only remembered it just now, why did you look at me like that? Was there something on my face?"

    How was he supposed to respond to that? He never expected Nate to bring it up, or hell, even remember at all. Harper never thought Nate would remember their first interaction in the theater that way. Should he lie again and pray he fell for it? Constantly having to hide his identity and narrowly escaping the reveal of it was getting to him. He was getting tired of making up lame excuses and fooling people who did nothing but help. Harper was also unsure of how everyone would react if they did believe him. Would they lose trust in him? Send him away like how he imagined? Locked up and sent to whatever the pok¨¦mon''s government equivalent is? Despite the fears he felt, the stress that silently accumulated burst open.

    Enough was enough.

    Harper grabbed Nate''s jacket and led him to a quieter section of the studio.

    "Woah! Where''re you taking me?"

    Harper didn''t respond, he continued to drag Nate through the movie lots until they arrived at a familiar scene. The same Castelia set from Harper''s training and his bonding session with Nate remained untouched.

    "The Castelia set? You want to say goodbye here? That makes sense."

    *I lied.*

    "Lied?" Nate asked. "Lied about what?"

    *Everything. I can''t hold it in anymore.*

    *Since you''re leaving and I don''t know when you''re coming back, I just need to tell someone.*

    Nate sat down on the ground, crossing his legs and matching eye level. "I don''t think you''re lying about anything bad. You did nothing but help me this entire time, you''re not a bad pok¨¦mon."

    *That''s the problem.*

    "What is?"

    *I''m not a pok¨¦mon.*

    "You''re not making sense, Riolu," Nate''s voice grew with denial. "Of course you are, you''re a riolu, my eyes aren''t lying to me."

    "I was a human."

    *I was a human.*

    Harper spoke the sentence he wrote down on his whiteboard, emphasizing each word, and pointing at them with his marker. He knew that all Nate heard was, "Ri, Rio, Ro, Lu," but he didn''t care.

    "I lied about having amnesia."

    *I lied about having amnesia.*

    "I lied about my injury."

    *I lied about my injury.*

    "I''m not who you think I am."

    *I''m not who you think I am.*

    Nate was overwhelmed by Harper''s written words, still unwilling to believe the jackal. "Then, who are you, Riolu?"

    *I have a name, it''s Harper.*

    "Harper?" Nate thought aloud.

    It was the first time Harper heard his name aloud in his new life. It was relieving to hear it with his ears, he continued writing.

    *My full name is Harper Moore, and I''m not from here.*

    "Like from Unova? Then what region? Your name sounds Unovan."

    *I''m not from this world.*

    *I died from an explosion and I showed up here, that''s why my chest is scarred.*

    "You died from an explosion, Rio¡ª er... Harper? How?"

    *There''s a reason why I wanted to be here at Pok¨¦star Studios*

    *I wanted to be an actor in my past life but I was stuck as a Key Grip.*

    "Key Grip?"

    *I was the person in charge who rigged all the cameras, lighting, and other equipment that needed lifting.*

    *Before I died, I was working in an action movie when the director set off the detonator for a bomb.*

    *I was in the range of the explosion. When I woke up, I was in the forest near Route 20.*

    Nate, who had been sitting straight the whole time, flopped to the ground, back flat on the concrete.

    "This is too much."

    Harper sat next to Nate''s head, holding the whiteboard parallel to his face.

    *Do you believe me?*

    "Ri- Harper, there''s a reason why everyone was shocked at your literacy. Only hyper-intelligent pok¨¦mon like some Psychic-types can understand language, and even then it''s basic language. It''s nothing like how humans communicate with each other."

    "This isn''t natural."

    *I wanted to tell someone this for a while and I trust you.*

    "I''m happy that you trust me but this is fucking crazy. To answer your question, I do believe you. No pok¨¦mon would ever be this skilled at reading and writing and lie with this level of detail. You mentioned that you weren''t from this world, what do you mean?"

    *I was from a world where Pok¨¦mon was a video game. Before I died, I was playing it.*

    "Now I don''t want to believe you. If you were playing the game before you died, does that mean you know everything about Unova?"

    Harper had played Pok¨¦mon Black as a child but never had the chance to try the sequel. His mother saw the box cover for the two games and never bought it for him, saying they were basically the same thing. The price inflation of the cartridge later prevented him from getting a physical copy when he grew up. He resorted to emulating, which was faster and far cheaper.

    *I only know what happened in the past games, I was playing this one for the first time.*

    "I see..."

    A moment passed.

    "Wait," Nate sat up. "How old are you?"

    *Mid-30s.*

    "Oh sweet-" Nate palmed his face with both hands. "You''re like double my age and I''ve been treating you like a kid. Holy shit, I even gave you a bath. Why didn''t you say anything!"

    *I did, I pointed out to tell you I wanted privacy.*

    "Me and my stubbornness," Nate muttered. "I can''t blame you for that. Oh Arceus, I even asked if I could hug you after I already did."

    *It''s fine.*

    Another moment passed.

    "So... what are you gonna do now, Harper? Or should I say, Mr. Moore?"

    *I''ll just stay here. I''m happy here even though I have to hide my true self.*

    *Also, never call me Mr. Moore again.*

    "Sure thing, Mr. Moore," Nate complied.

    The two chuckled, and the tension between the two eased up. Nate leaned back on his hands, looking up at the sky. Harper wrote a sentence down.

    *Thanks for believing me, I hope you keep this a secret.*

    "I will, if anyone heard that a completely literate pok¨¦mon existed, they would kidnap you immediately."

    ~Wow, my assumption was correct.~

    "Don''t worry, Harper. I won''t say a word about you, we both have dreams we want to achieve, don''t we?"

    Harper nodded.

    "I should go now, my next gym badge is probably collecting lint in Burgh''s pant pocket. I also want to get a new partner for my team."

    Nate rose to his feet, only to pause and extend his hand in front of Harper.

    "See you whenever Harper. It was only for a short while, but I had a lot of fun."

    Harper placed his paw on Nate''s hand and shook. "Goodbye, Nate."

    Nate walked off to the studio exit, likely on his way to meet Roxie''s father for a boat ride. Harper remained in his seated position, staring blankly into the sky. Whoever said that sharing a burden would help was definitely correct. Even though Nate was gone, Harper now had one person who he could be himself with.

    That was more than enough.

 Scene 2 - Take 1: Finished Products and Cinemaéˆ¥æªš Conducts

    Something was itching at the back of his mind, the kid was the strangest pok¨¦mon he''d ever met. Beartic''s total time spent with Riolu had been a total of a couple hours, all of them during the filming of ''Riolu-Kid.'' His first interaction was strange to say the very least, pok¨¦mon learn moves soon after they''re born so Riolu not knowing any was strange. Amnesia being the cause of his forgotten knowledge on using moves was understandable, but everything else about him made Beartic raise an eyebrow.

    That was another unusual aspect of the kid, his absence of memory. He loses his memory and accepts a role in a movie that quickly? If he were Riolu, he''d spend more time trying to remember. He was also thinking about how fast Riolu learned two new moves in such a short time frame. Force Palm was a simple move for Fighting-types, especially those in the riolu evolutionary line. It made sense that Riolu would master the move quickly but with Ice Punch?

    It was nothing short of incredible.

    For most pok¨¦mon, the shortcut to learning Ice Punch would be by using a TM. Since those disks were expensive, however, trainers who wanted the move resorted to training the move to their pok¨¦mon. It''s long and arduous but it definitely pays off. Beartic thought he was going to take an extreme amount of time to teach Riolu Ice Punch. Even if the kid learned it, he expected the move to be mediocre at best. The bruise on his paw proved wrong, the kid learned it into a battle-ready condition in no time. It was also the first time he tried an aspear to ease the pain, it was a berry he had never expected to eat his entire life. Beartic didn''t know whether the kid was a fighting genius or whether he was such a good teacher. He chucked, maybe it was both. Or maybe there was a third factor.

    The strangest thing about the kid was his proficiency with human affairs. That was a skill pok¨¦mon don''t learn on instinct. pok¨¦mon instinctually learned moves to survive in the wild, they had no need to write or act in their environment. Acting was brought up to pok¨¦mon in recent history. To most pok¨¦mon currently in Pok¨¦star Studio, they still needed training. Beartic quickly got the hang of acting thanks to Brycen and his experience, but he wasn''t as skillful as humans are. The fact that Riolu was capable of acting soon after being offered a role continued to impress Beartic.

    Seeing him writing only further cemented Riolu as strange. The realization popped up in his head after seeing him with the human, Nate, talking together. pok¨¦mon who bonded with trainers for a long time were able to communicate basic statements with each other, he and Brycen were proof of that. It was only when the kid turned around after Beartic showed up with Riolu''s pok¨¦ball did he realize how they had full conversations together. When Beartic asked how he learned to write, the kid''s response was suspicious. He mentioned his amnesia being retrograde, saying it meant he knew skills despite the memory loss. It was an oddly convenient answer but it didn''t ease Beartic''s curiosity in the slightest. Riolu''s amnesia didn''t brush off the fact he still knew how to write.

    The kid was hiding something, he was 90% sure.

    Despite his eagerness for the truth, he didn''t want to push the kid to spill it. He was a kid, after all, children have their secrets, and they have every right to keep it like adults do. pok¨¦mon have their secrets just as much as their trainers do, and not forcing them out is key in a human-pok¨¦mon bond. Beartic decided to wait on the kid, maybe Riolu would tell him when he wanted to. Or... Beartic was wrong about everything and the kid really had amnesia. With the evidence he had though, that was a 10% chance.

    Beartic looked around the lot, the area littered with parked vanity vans. The one he was leaning his back on was Brycen''s, its occupant was currently on break. The crunch time for the last couple of shoots of "Riolu-Kid" wore the veteran actor down. Beartic heard footsteps from a distance away, his ears flicked as he turned his head. He realized that it was Riolu, making his way towards him with a... whiteboard?

    "Hey, kid," Beartic waved his paw. "Did Nate give you that?" He pointed at the rectangle.

    "He did," Riolu adjusted his whiteboard strap to his other shoulder. "I used too much of his notepad and he got me this as a gift."

    "I still wonder who taught you to write so well..." Beartic mumbled.

    "Same..." Riolu remarked.

    ~91%~

    "Anyways," Beartic looked around the lot. "did Nate leave already?"

    "He quit, Nate told Mr. Stu Deeoh he was leaving for Castelia to continue earning his badges."

    "So I guess there''s going to be no ''Riolu-Kid'' full feature after all."

    "Yeah, but Mr. Stu Deeoh said it was ok. The profit from the first audience was enough to convince him that it was going to earn a lot in every one of Unova''s theaters."

    "And thanks to you, kid," Beartic patted Riolu''s head. "Pok¨¦star Studios is safe for another day."

    "I should thank you, Beartic," Riolu flattened his fur. "If you didn''t teach me Force Palm and Ice Punch, I wouldn''t have been able to act at all."

    "Heh, don''t mention it, so how was the movie?"

    "I didn''t see the movie."

    "How come?" Beartic tilted his head.

    "Nate and I were late because we had to deal with some Team Plasma Grunts on our way."

    "Team Plasma? I thought they were gone."

    "I heard about them from Nate and Layla, some of them mentioned that they returned. We beat them up thanks to Nate''s friend and the gym leader of Virbank."

    "You fought them?"

    "Yup, they ran away after they lost but Nate called the police in time to catch them so they should be behind bars now. I somehow learned Quick Attack as well."

    "Really?" He swore this kid kept surprising him every time they were together. "Pok¨¦mon do learn moves when they''re under pressure. Either way, congrats, you fought ''em off and won. Does Mr. Stu Deeoh know about the Plasma members?"

    "Nate told him about the situation, I think we''re fine," Riolu answered.

    "That''s good to hear. Oh yeah, you remember the promise we made after you finished training?"

    "Promise?" Riolu repeated. "Oh, right! That you''d tour the studios for me."

    "Exactly, now that things have cooled down, you want to look around the studio this time?"

    "Sure, I just want to talk with Brycen. I never really had a proper talk with him because we had to film the movie."

    "Of course, the door should be unlocked. Just knock and go in, I would go in as well but since I''m so tall, well, you get it."

    "I do. Thanks, Beartic."

    Riolu knocked twice on the van door and pulled the handle, entering the van.

    Beartic leaned on the vanity van again after the door closed as he crossed his arms.

    ~I''ll figure Riolu out, eventually.~

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    The inside of Brycen''s vanity van was far more decorated compared to other star vanity vans he''d seen in his past life. The interior had lavish furnishings like leather-upholstered seating and large mirrors with deactivated light bulbs adorned its edges. In the corner, there was a mini bar, stocked with an array of top-shelf drinks and refreshments. Bottles of alcohol and crystal decanters glinted from the sunlight slipping in through the curtains. Despite the allure the mini bar exuded with its beverages, it seemed that Brycen never touched the particular part of his living quarter. A thin layer of dust covered the surface of every drink, and a used tea set occupied the countertop. The scent of an herbal tea wafted in the air, it was calming to Harper''s nose, almost lulling him to sleep.

    As far as structural similarities were when Harper compared vanity vans, that was it. Everything else in the van matched Brycen''s tastes perfectly. All the decor in the van from the curtains to the bed sheets were in two shades of blue, representing Brycen''s favored pok¨¦mon type. His iconic kimono hung on a clothes rack in the corner of the van along with three identical kimonos.

    Actors and actresses usually had a picture frame or two of family and some personal belongings like pillows but Brycen looked as if he set up his own living quarters. Every part of the wall that had free space was taken up by pictures and photographs of Brycen and his pok¨¦mon. Some photos were of Brycen standing alongside people, most likely famous actors and actresses. The former gym leader was sitting on the side of his bed, scratching his head and stifling a yawn.

    "Ah, you''re back," Brycen walked over to the sofa and sat, patting the seat next to him. "I didn''t expect you to be back so soon, did Nate leave already?"

    Harper nodded, climbing up the sofa while holding onto his whiteboard.

    "Is that your whiteboard?" Brycen glanced at Harper''s whiteboard. "I saw you holding some papers before we filmed our martini shot as well, are you drawing with them?"

    ~Martini shot?~

    This wasn''t the only time he had heard film lingo in the Pok¨¦mon world. Brycen said to "break a leg" during his first recording, he had overheard Smith explaining what a 10-2 and a hot point was when Nate was around. Once was happenstance, twice was a coincidence, three times was fact, four times was... Harper didn''t know, but it definitely confirmed his confusion. It was strange how similar film vocabulary was between his old and new life. Not having to learn any pok¨¦mon-specific movie terms made things easier on Harper. He realized that he left Brycen waiting, he uncapped his marker and scribbled an answer on his whiteboard.

    *Nate bought this for me as a gift.*

    *Yes I can write, please don''t be surprised like the others*

    Brycen smirked. "I assume you''ve revealed this enough times for you to ask me. I am shocked, yes, but I won''t show it since you asked. Who else knows?"

    *Other than you and Nate, Layla, and Vincent.*

    "I see... and how was your sleepover?"

    *It was good. Nate gave me a bath before we slept and we had breakfast at the pok¨¦mon*

    Harper ran out of space and erased the sentence.

    *Center''s cafeteria.*

    "I''m glad to hear you enjoyed your time with Nate. How was the premiere?"

    *We didn''t make it in time.*

    "How come? Did you spend too much time eating breakfast?"

    *No, we left the Pok¨¦mon Center on time. We had to deal with Team Neo Plasma.*

    "Neo Plasma?" Brycen emphasized. "Are they back?"

    *Yeah, I told Beartic about it before I came in here. We won but we were too late for the premiere.*

    "Well, if you fought Team Neo Plasma then they shouldn''t come back to their prime any time soon."

    Harper knew Team Plasma was an evil organization, there had to be one in every mainline Pok¨¦mon game. The games either didn''t have time to explain every atrocity they committed or they never bothered to explain it. Harper wasn''t playing a run of Pok¨¦mon though, this was real life. Of course a team like Team Plasma would do something beyond what Black and White showed.

    *How bad was their protest in Pok¨¦star Studios?*

    "Protest? Who told you about that?"

    *Layla.*

    "Layla worded it nicely with the word ''protest''. Do you have any recollection of what Team Plasma did around two years ago?"

    Harper definitely knew. He shook his head, pretending he didn''t.

    "They began their coup by attacking the Unova League while Hubert was in the middle of his battles against the Elite Four, the most powerful trainers in the world before the Champion. As soon as they attacked the League, the rest of Team Plasma attacked every major city at the same time. They tried taking over each city hall and broadcasting station to force their message around the region. Pok¨¦star was no different, they wanted the studio to create videos and films about their goal once they took over. Team Plasma demanded that the studio be handed over to them while they asked peacefully."

    Brycen leaned back on the sofa and sighed. "I wasn''t here at the time since I was still a gym leader and I was fighting against Team Plasma at the League. It was only by luck that the leader of Team Plasma, Ghetsis, forced them to retreat before they used force."

    Brycen''s story unnerved Harper. The fact that they attacked every city along with the Unova League was frightening, why didn''t Layla talk about the attack? Was it because Nate was a kid and Harper looked like one?

    "I''m sorry, Riolu," Brycen apologized. "I didn''t want to explain something dark, I was hoping our conversation would be brighter."

    *I''m the one who should be sorry. I asked for it first.*

    "Then let''s stop talking about it," Brycen asserted. "So did Nate leave?"

    Harper nodded.

    "I see, I hope I can see him again one day. Well now that I know that you haven''t seen the finished movie yet, do you want to watch it now?"

    Brycen got up from his seat and grabbed a DVD case from the top of the TV stand. "I haven''t watched it yet either, I didn''t go to the premiere since I''m still tired from the other day. We recorded more shots than you think before Mr. Stu Deeoh brought you here. Beartic decided to stay with me while the rest of the crew left for the theater, I think he wants to watch it together.

    Harper looked at the DVD case that Brycen was holding and noticed the cover''s design. Nate doing one of the poses he made during the filming with Harper standing beside him. Brycen was also menacingly posing the same way he did before, his character was framed in the corner. The whole thing looked as if it were hastily photoshopped.

    *What''s with the cover?*

    "The studio would normally have a photograph session with actors for DVD cases like these," Brycen explained. "But with all the budget cuts and time restrictions we were in, they compromised with this.

    Brycen turned on the TV and opened the disk reader. "Could you open the window for me? Just slide the curtains so Beartic can look inside."

    Harper nodded and hopped off the sofa, he made his way to the bright blue curtains and slid them apart. He poked his head out the window after standing on a chair and looked to his left, Beartic looked to his right and noticed Harper.

    "Hey, Beartic," Harper greeted. "We''re gonna watch the movie right now."

    "Now? Thought you''d prefer to see it on the big screen."

    "Well, we''re all here right now. You wanted to see it with Brycen, right?"

    "You''re right, you''re right," Beartic repeated. He leaned his head into the window, Harper walked back to his seat and sat down with Brycen, who had just inserted the disk and pressed play.

    This was Harper''s 2nd time seeing the plot play out, a 3rd time if you counted Liam''s failed attempt. He knew how it was going to play out but the story wasn''t the reason he wanted to watch. Harper wanted to see how similarly Pok¨¦star Studios made films like how Hollywood studios do. How similar, or dissimilar, was their cinematography?

    The TV screen displayed the Pok¨¦star Studio logo, two glaring eyes between a film reel split a star and blinked twice. The screen faded to white and showed the title of the movie, "Brycen-Man, The Riolu-Kid vs. Brycen-Man." After the title card, the movie finally began, the beginning narration was read out as text scrolled down. An establishing shot looking down at the amusement park from the sky made the area look far more alive than it did during filming. What used to be green screens was now replaced by a starry night sky. The cameras framed the crowd enjoying the bright attractions in its grandeur, it panned across each guest of the park, focusing on the happiness they all exuded. Upbeat Dixieland jazz played through the park speakers, enhancing the ambiance of the fun everyone was having. The music reminded Harper of his time at Disneyland''s Main Street USA when he was a kid.

    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    The magic of the amusement park was cut short when Brycen-Man showed up, the framing changed to a Dutch angle on his face as he laughed maniacally. A close-up of Brycen-Man''s pok¨¦ball was maintained as it was thrown in the air, Brycen-Man''s reveal ended with a full shot as he commanded Pawniard to attack. Pawniard''s Gyro Ball shot into a large crowd, the Steel-type move missed every park guest, making contact with a tilt-a-whirl. The ride exploded in a CGI-fueled fiery chaos, screams of the crowd echoed through the amusement park. The ride burst into a cacophony of debris and scattered like metal rain, guests shielded their head with their hands as they ran away.

    Brycen paused the film.

    "Riolu, are you alright?"

    Harper looked down at his paws, he was violently shaking. He felt the heat on his skin, and the shrapnel in his chest, his vision began to tunnel. His breaths came in short, ragged gasps, each one feeling like a struggle against an invisible weight pressing down on his chest. The only thing in his mind was the incident, he felt trapped.

    "IdiedIdiedIdiedIdiedIdiedIdiedIdiedIdiedIdiedIdied..."

    He felt as if he were suffocating, memories of his final moment flooded his head. The rays of the desert sun, the sweat on his back, his rage against Gale, and visions of the back of the tank as it blew up.

    "Riolu!" Brycen jumped out of the sofa and knelt on the floor. He looked at Harper at eye level.

    "Look at me," He commanded. "Don''t look at anything else, focus on me and me alone."

    Harper tried to will himself out of his panic attack and did as he was told. He stared deep into Brycen''s navy blue eyes.

    "Beartic," Brycen called out, still maintaining eye contact with Harper. "Go get a water bottle where the amenities are, I ran out earlier today."

    Beartic ran off without any hesitation.

    "It''s ok, Riolu. I''m here. You''re safe."

    Harper''s breathing slowed down, his panic beginning to subside. Harper''s heart rate decelerated and the crushing weight on his chest began to lift.

    "Good, keep taking deep breaths, you''re almost there. Just look at me, nothing else."

    Like a tide receding from the shore, he eventually calmed down. Exhausted and drained, he slumped into the sofa, the echoes of the bomb rang quieter in his ears with each passing second. Harper''s conscience was finally clear, and Brycen sighed with relief.

    "Are you feeling better now?"

    Harper''s paws still gave a small tremble but it was a vast improvement, he nodded.

    "And are you able to write?" Brycen continued. "Or do you want some more time to breathe?"

    Harper grabbed his marker and wrote his answer, the words slightly more shaky than usual.

    *I can.*

    "Good, I just wanted to make sure you were finally calm," Brycen got up and sat back down on the sofa. "If you don''t want to watch the movie, that''s completely fine."

    *I want to keep watching.*

    "Are you sure?"

    Harper nodded.

    "Very well, since this film is short there''s not a lot left. Just know that if it happens again I''m taking the DVD out."

    He nodded again.

    "For now, let''s wait for Beartic to come back," Brycen grabbed the TV remote and tossed it in the air, catching it before throwing it again. "You''re probably thirsty right now."

    Harper smacked his mouth, his hyperventilation dried up the inside of his mouth. The two of them waited in the van in silence, the TV paused when Riolu-Kid hopped into the scene. Harper continued to take deep breaths and his trembles stopped. A minute passed before Brycen and Harper heard footsteps, Beartic peeked into the window, and his paw followed soon after with a bottle of water in his grasp.

    "Kid!" Beartic exclaimed. "You ok?"

    "I''m fine, thanks Beartic."

    Beartic huffed a short breath out his nose. "Here''s your water then, ice-cold."

    He threw the bottle of water at Harper, who caught it in mid-air. Beartic was right, the water was extremely cold, he must have chilled it with his paw as he ran over. Harper unscrewed the plastic cap and chugged it down. The water cooled him down and replenished his thirst. A few seconds later, he drank the whole bottle, and Harper tossed the trash into the nearby trash bin.

    "Did the water help?" Brycen asked.

    Harper nodded, pointing at the TV.

    "Let''s keep watching then," Brycen pressed the play button on the remote.

    "You sure you''re fine, kid?" Beartic repeated his question.

    "Yeah, I''m good."

    Beartic huffed out his nose and turned to the TV. The movie continued to play as Beartic and Brycen were hooked onto the screen, and Harper remained in his slumped position.

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    Storywise, the rest of the movie played out exactly like Harper expected. He was impressed how when Riolu-Kid and Brycen-Man argued with each other, their angles split the screen, it looked as if a comic strip came to life. Other than that though, the camera angles and editing skills were nothing new to Harper. After seeing the final product, Harper remembered his initial reaction to the script when Vincent handed it to him and he was proven right. The tackiness of the costumes and the cliche-ridden plot would''ve been turned down by any major Hollywood studio the moment they saw the title.

    ~I guess a new world means cliches don''t apply during filmmaking.~

    Brycen turned off the TV after the credits finished rolling and ejected the DVD from the disk reader.

    "So, what do you two think?" Brycen questioned as he inserted the DVD into its case. "I think they depicted Nimbasa''s amusement park perfectly. As for the acting, I wouldn''t consider it my best work but I had fun regardless and Pok¨¦star Studios is financially stable now."

    Beartic was the first to answer. "I think the trainer and the two of you did great, I would pat myself on the back for teaching Riolu so well but I won''t take credit from you, kid."

    "Real nice of you, Beartic," Harper scoffed as he wrote down his answer.

    *I liked the movie, I think I can do better though.*

    *Beartic said that the three of us in the movie did great. He said he liked how good his training was.*

    "Do you really?" Brycen smiled towards the polar bear. "Riolu, you can definitely do better. I''m not disparaging your skills as an actor, they are impressive for a pok¨¦mon, especially when it was your first time. It''s just a matter of refining."

    Harper felt a lesson was coming his way. Beartic must''ve thought the same as well since his head was long gone from the window.

    "A pok¨¦mon actor or actress''s major quality is different compared to other pok¨¦mon in other fields of work such as gym battles and contests," Brycen raised his left hand. "On one hand, pok¨¦mon in a battle relies on instincts and a sense of survival," He then raised his right hand. "On the other hand, pok¨¦mon in contests compete to be the most visually impressive on the stage. Pok¨¦mon acting is a combination of both," Brycen meshed his hands together, interlocking his fingers.

    "These two types of fields use strategy and organization between trainer and pok¨¦mon to achieve whatever they set their goal to be, whether it be a gym badge or a ribbon. For the art of cinema, the ability to take a script with a set battle structure and bring it to life is a feat in itself. A pok¨¦mon battle in an entirely fictitious scenario is a skill relatively new to Unova. To put the age into perspective, mind if I borrow this?" Brycen pointed at Harper''s whiteboard. Harper handed it over to him.

    "Thank you," Brycen grabbed the whiteboard and drew a horizontal arrow, and marked the left side. "Battles hosted by the Pok¨¦mon League have been going on for two centuries," Brycen drew a short line close to the right of the first mark. "Pok¨¦mon Contests emerged shortly after in Hoenn and spread to every other region. Filmmaking on the other hand..."

    Brycen stretched his hand to the other side of the board and marked a spot close to the end of the arrow. "...has been around for about 80 years, around the same age as Mr. Stu Deeoh himself, you could say he''s a master in the arts."

    The age of cinema wasn''t surprising to Harper, its similarity to the real world was. Other forms of art such as literature, music, and painting were as old as human civilization itself. But cinematography? Nearly a century old, that was an extremely vast age difference between art forms. Harper guessed the Pok¨¦mon world followed the same pattern.

    Brycen took a deep breath in and continued to talk. "With all of that, I want to repeat what I said earlier. You can do better," Brycen handed Harper''s whiteboard back after erasing his drawing. "Just know that your initial skill is exceptional, pok¨¦mon acting is similar, yet different to other forms of entertainment. Be sure to keep that in mind."

    Harper nodded.

    "Good, now is there anything you want to ask before I go back to sleep? I was actually sleeping before I heard you and Beartic talking earlier."

    *Sorry for waking you up*

    "Don''t be, I''m a light sleeper. Is there anything else you want from me?" Brycen repeated his question.

    *When are we making the next movie?*

    "Since the studio needs another movie pretty soon, I assume as soon as possible. We had a movie in the works before the studio''s budget tanked, maybe we can revive it."

    *What was the movie about?*

    "It was a criminal film with a cop starring me, do you remember the old set you trained at?"

    Of course he did, other than the makeup van and the Riolu-Kid set, it was the place he had visited the most.

    "We were supposed to film a scene there but that was when Pok¨¦star Studios''s financial stability began to crumble. We had all the finer details planned out, all we needed to do was act the scenes out and edit them together. Now though, we might have to recast some characters, I think casting calls are occurring in a couple days. Is that all you want to know, Riolu?"

    *Yes, I won''t take up any more of your time.*

    "Thank you, Riolu. What do you intend to do for now?"

    *Beartic said he wanted to give me a tour of the studios.*

    "That''s a good idea, the both of you have fun, ok?"

    Harper nodded, he flung his whiteboard over his neck and grabbed the door handle, unlatching it and opening the door. When he was outside he saw Beartic in the same pose as he was when Harper first arrived, leaning on the side of the vehicle with his arms crossed. He turned his head at Harper.

    "Brycen finished monologuing?"

    "Yeah," Harper replied. "It was a lot to take in."

    "Well now that it''s all over, let''s start the tour you should''ve gotten on day one. What have you seen so far?"

    "Other than all the vanity vans here, the Walk of Fame, the soundstage we recorded the film at, and the model bridge.

    "The Skyarrow one?"

    "Yup."

    "That makes it a bit easier for me then, everything else you need to know should be one straightforward path," Beartic suddenly grabbed and placed Harper on his shoulders.

    "Really, Beartic? Again?"

    "I''ll never get tired of it, kid. Just enjoy it before you evolve, eh?"

    Evolving, Harper never thought about that. His evolution would turn him into a Lucario, he knew they could use aura and that they could somehow talk with people with it.

    ~Fuck, how do Riolus evolve?~

    He tried to look back on his Pok¨¦mon knowledge that culminated from playing the past five mainline titles. Harper wasn''t the most knowledgeable in every little Pok¨¦mon fact and was struggling to remember his answer. The only other facts he could remember about Lucario were that they came from Pok¨¦mon Diamond and Pearl, Harper cursed his memory for not knowing in-game knowledge.

    ~What level did they evolve into? Do they even have a level requirement? God, I wish I played more as a kid.~

    "You''ve been silent for a while now, are you thinking about something?"

    Beartic raised his shoulders, lifting Harper higher into the air to grab his attention.

    "Yeah, I am," Harper answered. "Just thinking about my evolution."

    "That makes sense, do you want to evolve as soon as you can?"

    "Yes," Harper immediately replied.

    "Why?" Beartic was taken aback by Harper''s quick answer. "So you can stop getting shoulder rides?"

    "That''s my biggest reason now that you mention it."

    "Damn," Beartic laughed. "I shouldn''t have said anything."

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    "Our first destination is the Walk of Fame."

    "But I told you I already saw it."

    "I''m not deaf, can''t a veteran actor brag about how his paw is engraved on the floor and yours isn''t?"

    Harper rolled his eyes. Beartic kneeled and placed his gigantic paw into his indent that was next to Brycen''s handprint and fit perfectly.

    "We got this plaque after our movie, ''Enter the Beartic'', won multiple awards. We were the happiest actors in the world that day. Maybe you''ll get your pawprint here one day but not anytime soon since you only have one short film under your name," Beartic quickly said in the last part.

    "Gee, thanks, Beartic. That''s real inspirational."

    "Then prove me wrong, kid. You better act the hell out of your roles when you get them."

    "I will," Harper affirmed.

    Beartic hummed his acceptance and stood back up, walking to the next part of the tour. As he left the Walk of Fame, Harper began to read some nearby names on the ground.

    Director - Sydney Pok¨¦met

    Cinematographer - Melrose Lombard

    Lead Makeup - Layla Nguyen

    Producer - Beverly Mulholland

    Actress - Sabrina Seraphina

    ~Wait, Sabrina? Like the Kanto gym leader? That''s gotta be a coincidence.~

    Harper kept that fact in the back of his mind, hoping he wouldn''t forget to look it up at some point.

    At the next stop, the two ended up at Pok¨¦star''s main square. An immense circular fountain stood out from the other structures with its marble material. The inside was constantly cleaned by the clean water constantly flowing out from the top, trickling downward to the bottom. Natural decor like trees and bushes lined the walkways and edges of the main square. Crowds of tourists bustled around the area, taking selfies of the fountain and the surrounding environment. Street vendors sold cheap souvenirs like keychains and fridge magnets to gullible customers.

    "And here is the main square. This is where Pok¨¦star Studios keeps all the visitors like those tourists."

    "Is that a Riolu?" Harper''s ears flicked to the voice behind him. He turned to see a tourist, she wore a brimmed cap and held a disposable camera. "No way, are you the same Riolu from that movie?"

    Harper didn''t answer, he was already getting uncomfortable by the lady''s personality.

    "You are! Oh my Arceus, I need a selfie with you can I please take a selfie with you?"

    Beartic grabbed Harper and held him in his arms so that he was at face level with the tourist.

    "Thank you! Just look at the camera for me, one, two, three, cheese!"

    Harper tried to give a peace sign but his lack of fingers made it difficult. The camera flashed, briefly blinding him. The lady thanked the two of them and ran off to her fellow tourists.

    "I can''t believe it, kid."

    "Believe what?" Harper rubbed his eyes, trying to readjust them.

    "You already have a fan and she didn''t recognize me. You know how much that hurt my feelings?" Beartic lamented in a fake voice.

    "You''ll have fans one day, Beartic. One day," Harper joked, the two pok¨¦mon laughed.

    Harper''s stomach growled.

    "You hungry, kid?"

    "I guess I am," Harper rubbed his stomach.

    "Your belly must be a prophet since food was our next stop."

    "Really?" Harper perked up.

    "Yup, to the cafeteria we go."

    The cafeteria was a large building a couple blocks down from the Pok¨¦star version of the Dolby Theater. When Beartic opened the front doors, the aroma of fresh coffee and bread wafted in the air. People were enjoying their lunch, talking and discussing plans together. Harper was amazed that this studio had a permanent cafeteria, the studios where he used to work always rented a commissary to feed employees since it was much cheaper than building something equivalent to a food court. Unlike the Pok¨¦mon Center, the food was divided into types of food instead of by region. There was a deli for sandwiches, soups, salads, and drinks like coffee. At least there was a pok¨¦mon section in the corner, stocked with the same food as the Pok¨¦mon Center.

    "Stay here," Beartic lifted Harper and placed him back on the ground. "I''ll get something for the both of us, then we can continue our tour."

    Harper sat on a bench near the entrance, swinging his legs in the air out of boredom. The entrance door gave a jingle and Harper''s leg made contact with the incomer.

    "Ow!" The man snapped, later mumbling in pain.

    "Shit, I''m so sorry," Harper apologized as he hopped off the bench. "I didn''t mean to do that."

    "A Riolu?" The man stopped rubbing his shin and looked at the jackal. "Oh! You''re that Riolu, aren''t you?"

    Harper tilted his head, He had no idea who this man was.

    "You''re the Riolu everyone''s talking about! The one starring in ''Riolu-Kid!'' I really enjoyed your performance with the trainer, what was his name again?"

    *Nate*

    "And there''s that whiteboard!" He pointed out. "Mr. Pok¨¦monski told me you''d be interesting and he was right!"

    *Sorry, but do I know you?*

    "Oh, I forgot to introduce myself, pardon me. I''m Takashi Pok¨¦mi but people just call me Mr. Pok¨¦mi..."

    ~Pok¨¦mi? If Sergio had a last name like Pok¨¦monski and that director on the Walk of Fame, then is Takashi a...?~

    "...and I''m the director for the next movie we''re making here, ''Full Metal Cop''." Takashi waved his hands like a rainbow.

    ~There it i¡ª wait... ''Full Metal Cop?'' like RoboCop?~

    "Thanks to ''Riolu-Kid'', the studio finally has enough budget to reshoot my movie. We''re going to be recasting in a few days and Brycen is still my first pick. Since his partner pok¨¦mon for the movie and its trainer quit though, we have to find another partner pok¨¦mon. Luckily, Brycen has the perfect candidate!"

    ~Beartic?~

    "You!"

    ~What.~

    "I can already imagine you in costume already," Takashi closed his eyes and clasped his hands together. "Brycen the Full Metal Cop alongside his Half Metal sidekick. I can see the scenes already..."

    It wasn''t even a full day since his last acting session and now he was confirmed for another main role? Harper thought some higher being was handing him an opportunity on a golden platter.

    "Hey, Kid. I got us some poffins," Beartic adjusted the multitude of colored treats in his arms. "I forgot to ask what flavor you liked so I got one of each."

    Beartic saw Harper standing next to an Asian man, Mr. Pok¨¦mi was still in dreamland.

    "Is that Mr. Pokemi?"

    "Well he said he was," Harper answered, clapping his paws in front of Takashi''s face, snapping the director back. He cleared his throat in embarrassment.

    "Ehem. Anyways, I''m hoping that you and Brycen attend the casting call, not to be auditioned but to judge those being auditioned. The purpose of this casting call is to look for a person and a Sneasel to take the role of the villain. We''ll qualify people easier if both conditions apply to them."

    Harper... judging? He''d always been on the receiving end, not the giving end. Should he be helping to judge people? He''d only gotten the spot because of his status as Brycen''s pok¨¦mon, did he deserve another main role so soon?

    "Why the concerned look?" Mr. Pok¨¦mi questioned. "Sorry, I should rephrase my words. Brycen would still judge but I would prefer if you were there to translate the pok¨¦mon''s responses for us, this is revolutionary in the casting world."

    Now that he finished explaining, Harper felt much more relieved. He didn''t need to judge, he was just going to be translating. The interviewers did ask questions during a casting call, he guessed Pok¨¦star Studio didn''t ask pok¨¦mon because of the language barrier.

    "Do you want to help with the casting call?"

    Harper nodded.

    "Very well! I''ll see you in a couple days, now if you''ll excuse me, I''m craving something from the Kantonian section," Takashi briskly walked towards the cafeteria. "Oh, hello Beartic! Nice seeing you here with Riolu!"

    "I don''t know how he never noticed you, Beartic," Harper wondered. "You''re like 8ft tall."

    "Me neither, kid," Beartic agreed, still looking at the director walking away. "Let''s go finish the tour, we can eat these as we walk," he grabbed a pink poffin and handed it to Harper.

    Harper thanked him and took a bite, it was sweet, too sweet for his tastes. The bread''s texture was similar to those Japanese cakes, castellas if he remembered correctly. The two walked out of the cafeteria as Harper quickly finished his poffin so he wasn''t wasteful.

    "Is there a not-so-sweet one? I don''t like sweet food."

    "Really? I thought all kids loved sweets, human and pok¨¦mon. Try this one," Beartic gave Harper a blue poffin. "These have no sweetness at all."

    Harper took a big bite of his breaded treat, he now had a favorite flavor, the dryness of the poffin made its simple ingredients much more savory. He scarfed the whole thing down in no time, this time for its deliciousness.

    "Wow, you finished that fast. Try the other flavors while I continue the tour, the rest is pretty boring but you should know them regardless."

    After a brief walk across the movie lot, Beartic stopped at a multitude of buildings.

    "Here''s our next stop, welcome to the offices of Pok¨¦star Studios," Beartic announced as he waved a paw at the multistory structures, they had no uniqueness or any style, every building looked like a copypaste of each other.

    "This is the boring stuff so let''s get it out of the way. This is where the inner workings of the studios occur, it''s not important to you since you''re an actor but you should know anyway. This is where producers, directors, writers, and other humans plan and coordinate the production process¡­"

    ~So they''re just production offices?~

    "...they also edit, mix sound, add VFX, and other stuff needed to finalize the film after filming finishes."

    ~They''re also post-production facilities as well? Studios usually split the two, I guess Pok¨¦star doesn''t.~

    "Any questions?" Beartic finished off his explanation.

    "Nope," Harper took a bite of his next poffin, this time it was bitter. He didn''t like this flavor either but it was still miles better than the sweet one. "We can go to the next place now."

    "Alright then, the next one''s a couple steps away."

    True to his word, Beartic walked a short distance and turned a corner. Harper now saw a collection of warehouses, all evenly spaced from one another with large numbers on each shutter door.

    "This is where everything such as props, costumes, recording equipment, and set decorations are stored. I usually help the humans move larger props, some of them are also built in these warehouses."

    ~It''s just like how Hollywood does it, I shouldn''t be surprised at this point.~

    "And I think that''s everything," Beartic concluded. "I wish I could''ve shown you around more but you''ve seen the rest already."

    "It''s ok, Beartic. I still enjoyed the tour."

    "Then let''s call it a day," Beartic''s voice had a satisfied tone. "There''s nothing to do between now and your casting call with Brycen, is there anything you want to do?"

    Harper thought for a moment. "Can we get more dry poffins?"

    "Sure, kid," Beartic chuckled. "Let''s run them dry."

 Scene 2 - Take 2: Finicky Auditions and Expected Admissions

    The wait for the casting call for "Full Metal Cop" passed by quickly. Harper spent the majority of his free time learning more moves to increase his move pool. If he was going to be a pok¨¦mon, then he was going to need more than three moves under his name. Beartic not only helped Harper with learning new moves but also refined his existing moves. Prior to the audition, he practiced extensively to perfect Tackle and Vacuum Wave.

    Tackle was an easy move to learn, all he had to do was charge in at an opponent while covered in Normal TE. On the other hand, Vacuum Wave was much more difficult to figure out. Beartic faced the same challenge with this move as with Force Palm with finding the right words to teach it. All he could say was. "Shoot the move on your foe by punching real hard."

    Harper''s only conclusion was to figure it out himself, but what did Beartic mean by shooting the move? All he could recall about Vacuum Wave''s appearance was that it took the form of an air cylinder. But Vacuum Wave wasn''t a Flying-type move, so what was the move made up of? He first tried Beartic''s advice literally by only punching extremely hard but nothing happened. After some brainstorming, Harper wondered if he could try shooting pure Fighting TE out his fist, it''d be like a discount Aura Sphere. His first attempt was promising, he tried firing it like he did with Force Palm, the only difference being that he was punching instead of slamming his paw. Harper felt like he was getting somewhere, he just needed some more time.

    On the day of the casting call, Brycen and Harper were requested to be in a room next to the Casting Director''s office. The inside looked like the rooms Harper had entered in his past, the lack of windows made the interior completely enclosed and stifling just like his previous auditions and casting calls. A white foldable table with matching chairs was set up on one end of the room. The two movie lamps at the end of each table replaced the lighting that the ceiling fluorescent lights would''ve provided. The lamps were angled to a black backdrop, making it so the applicant would shine in the spotlight.

    Harper saw Takashi sitting with a woman who was busy reading her stack of papers. Out of the four chairs, there were two remaining for Brycen and Harper. One of the free seats had a stack of books on top.

    ~Please don''t tell me that''s mine¡­~

    "Ah! You''ve arrived!" Takashi beamed. "I should introduce the Casting Director who''ll be doing most of the judging. Brycen, Riolu, this is Juliet."

    "Pleasure meeting you, Mr. Pok¨¦mi already mentioned my name. I know who the two of you are," Juliet deadpanned, pointing her pen at Brycen and Harper. "I woke up too early for this and I''m hoping we can finish this ASAP."

    "It''s a pleasure to meet you too," Brycen replied, copying the casting director''s tone.

    "Please, take a seat," Takashi pulled Brycen''s chair back. "I''d like to explain what you''ll be doing before we start looking at our attendees."

    Harper sighed, tired of fighting a losing battle, he jumped onto the stack of books and sat. The seat was humiliating, the fact that it was the perfect height for him to place his paw on the table and write made it worse.

    "As for me," Takashi explained. "I''ll be asking the questions to our participants. Juliet will be focusing on writing all the important details, deciding on whether they pass or not. You, Brycen, will help by reading the script with the upcoming actor or actress. I want to see the chemistry between the hero and villain, I also want to hear your opinion as a veteran actor. As for you," Takashi leaned into the table, turning his head sideways to look at Harper who was sitting the furthest away. "I want you to translate the pok¨¦mon''s words for us. You can share your opinions on the pok¨¦mon or their trainer if any come up."

    Takashi gathered the disorganized pile of papers on the table and neatly stacked them together. He handed them to Brycen and Harper to examine.

    "These are the applications we received after we posted our advertisement on posters, TV, and the Unova Times newspaper. Take a moment to read them when the accompanying candidate enters."

    Harper could imagine flipping a Los Angeles Times newspaper and seeing a small ad in the corner for an acting gig. "Looking for an actor/actress for the new movie!"

    "Our Script Supervisor, Vincent, has revised the movie script to add pok¨¦mon dialogue," Takashi continued. "with the addition of a literate pok¨¦mon in Pok¨¦star Studios, we can guide pok¨¦mon to voice act now! Now movies can truly be for both people and pok¨¦mon!"

    Takashi was talking about him. Was his expectations as a pok¨¦mon actor only going to get more difficult now? Harper felt like he was going to take Vincent''s portion of his job with reading the script for pok¨¦mon. He waved it off, that was a problem for future Harper.

    He flipped through the script titled "Full Metal Cop" with a screenplay by Vincent Price. Like "Riolu-Kid", the plot was extremely basic. Harper didn''t want to be mean to the Script Supervisor but it felt like the dialogue would work better in a Saturday morning cartoon. Harper shrugged it off, if his first short film was a critical success, then this one had a fair shot.

    Brycen''s character, Mecha Cop, was far more lifelike than its counterpart. His dialogue and actions were more human-like than how Robocop spoke and acted. As Harper expected, his role was to be Mecha Cop''s partner pok¨¦mon. When Robocop wasn''t on the offensive, Harper was there to attack. It also felt refreshing to see him have dialogue despite the human audience never understanding him, at least the pok¨¦mon audience will.

    Takashi continued explaining as Harper read the script. "We''re looking for someone to take the role of the Sneasel Ninja, the villain of the movie. We have stated in the ad that we want someone with a Sneasel, anyone with or without experience is welcome. However, that doesn''t mean I want us to be lenient to the experienced and harsh to the inexperienced."

    Juliet was nodding off to sleep after her introduction and only woke up after losing her grip on her chin and nearly slamming her face on the table. Juliet glanced at the wall clock, the time was 7:40 AM.

    "It''s almost time," She sighed. "Riolu, can you go look outside? See how many arrived, Arceus I hope as few as possible," Juliet mumbled the last part.

    Harper hopped off his boosted seat and pushed the door, peeking out to the hallway. Boy, was Juliet going to be disappointed. He could see a large crowd entering from around the corner, trainers and sneasels strode down the hallway with varying amounts of excitement and anxiety. His dreadlocks tingled but he ignored the feeling as he went back into the audition room.

    *There''s a lot of people out there.*

    "I shouldn''t have said anything," Juliet slid her hands down her face. "Let''s wait till 8 and we''ll let the first group in."

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    "Occupation, Pok¨¦mon Trainer. Age, 19. So your name is Kenneth Carter?" Takashi asked, looking at his application.

    "Yes, Mr. Pok¨¦mi. This is Selenas," Kenneth''s sneasel waved.

    "Selenas, do you enjoy working alongside your trainer? Would you like to act alongside him?"

    "Me?" She pointed at herself. "Didn''t know I''d be asked a question. Well, Kenneth is a good trainer and we''ve been together since the very beginning. I''d like to be in a movie with him."

    Harper translated her answer after she finished speaking to the amazement of the participants.

    "Good, good, and why have you decided to try auditioning for this role, Kenneth?" Takashi continued.

    "O-oh, umm¡­" Kenneth stammered, still surprised by Harper''s writing. "Because I have a passion for acting, landing this role means I can do what I always dreamed of."

    "Wait, but I thought you said this was for the money?" Selenas said, perplexed.

    Harper kept note of her response.

    "That''s a nice cause, now here''s a side from the movie," Takashi passed Kenneth a piece of the script. "Take a minute to memorize it and perform it. Discuss it with Selenas as well."

    With no time to waste, he began reading the script. Harper noticed that Kenneth wasn''t telling Selenas what she had to do despite the direct request to do so, another bad sign. Harper wrote what he heard from the Sneasel and showed it to the other three judges.

    *He''s lying. Selenas spoke out about how she thought he was doing it for cash.*

    "That''s a shame," Brycen spoke softly so Kenneth didn''t hear. "He had the looks of a good villain but I guess he has the intentions of one as well."

    Kenneth finished reading and returned the side to Takashi.

    "Whenever you''re ready."

    Kenneth cleared his throat and took a deep breath, closing his eyes. When he opened them back up, he sprung into action.

    "It''s a human cop!" He exclaimed, overreacting by flailing his arms. "Is his entire body a machine?"

    "Code name, Mecha Cop!" Brycen declared. "Activation sequence... Action! Riolu! Go!" Brycen pointed, pretending to signal Harper out to the battlefield.

    "I''m not gonna be caught here! Sneasel, go!"

    Selenas hopped in front of Kenneth and raised her sharp claws, ready to fight.

    "Shit, what was the move again?" Kenneth mumbled. "Right, Sneasel, use Hone Claws!"

    Selenas did as commanded, sharpening her claws further. When Brycen was about to speak his next lines, Takashi raised his hand to stop him.

    "I think that''s more than enough. Kenneth, thanks for coming, we''ll notify you of the results with the number you gave us for your Xtransceiver once auditions are over."

    Kenneth summoned his Sneasel back into her ball and walked out the door in defeat, his shoulders slouched and his eyes locked to the floor. When the door closed, Takashi looked at everyone else in the room.

    "I hope you understand why I ended it right there."

    Harper, Brycen, and Juliet hummed in unison.

    "Let''s not let one bad audition weigh us down," Takashi insisted. "Riolu! Let the next group in!"

    Harper nodded, writing down the word "next" on his board, and opened the door. The next person walked into the door without thanking him for keeping it open. Harper shrugged it off and went back to his seat.

    "And your name is?" Takashi asked.

    "Burrow, Clide Burrow."

    "Ah, yes," Takashii rummaged through his pile of papers and took one out. "Clide Burrow. Occupation, Banker. Age, 24. So far so good, can you release your pok¨¦mon? We would like to ask it some questions."

    Roy released his pok¨¦mon but instead of a sneasel, a small red/orange fox was summoned instead. It looked around the room, a black outline surrounded its glaring yellow eyes. The fox sneered at the four judges as it swept the floor with its bushy tail. This was a new pok¨¦mon to Harper, he had never seen it before.

    Juliet gave a heavy sigh. "Mr. Burrow, did you not read the advertisement we sent out? We have requested trainers with a sneasel, not a nickit. You have clearly lied on your application that you own a female sneasel."

    "I know, and I want to give a rebuttal to that right now. I overheard a while back that this audition was for a villain who was a thief. Look at Bannie, isn''t she the perfect pok¨¦mon for the role?" Clide waved his hands around the fox pok¨¦mon. "It looks like she''s wearing a mask, and her tail is like a bag filled with stolen goods! Her paws are gloves that can sneak around in silence!"

    As much as Harper wanted to agree with what Juliet said, he couldn''t help but see that Roy made a point. The nickit did exude "thievery" but scripts like these couldn''t be altered on the fly based on that. Not only does it put a strain on scriptwriters but it can throw back time spent on the film''s production. Pok¨¦star chose a sneasel to play the role of the villain''s pok¨¦mon and it was going to stay that way.

    "Mr. Burrow," Juliet''s voice grew with frustration. "We''re here to hold an audition for a role that was clearly meant for a sneasel partner in mind. We''re not here to listen to an equivalent of a sales pitch, please leave while I''m asking nicely."

    Clide''s face grew more desperate but as no one else in the room was willing to listen to him, he summoned Bannie back to her pok¨¦mon and left the room, slamming the door behind him.

    "Geez," Juliet grumbled. "I don''t know how he has a nicket in the first place, they''re not even native in Unova."

    *Are sneasel native here?*

    "Most live near Giant Chasm," Brycen answered. "That''s where I captured Weavile to strengthen my team."

    Harper never thought about Brycen''s other pok¨¦mon. Other than Beartic, he never saw the rest of his team. Not all of them were actors, right?

    *Where''s the rest of your team?*

    "Our team, Riolu," Brycen corrected. "Remember, you''re in our team now. As for their current location, they''re back at Icirrus City, tending to our old gym. While it isn''t a gym anymore, the puzzles we have installed are still functional. It''s become quite a tourist attraction for the city now."

    "Now now," Juliet interrupted. "Enough unrelated talk. Let''s finish this audition, ok? Riolu, go call the next one in, let''s hope that the next person is better."

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    Untrue to her words, the rest of the day passed by without finding a good candidate for the role of Sneasel Ninja. Auditionees came and went, their performances subpar and their pok¨¦mon unable to comprehend acting. Almost every Sneasel asked Harper what they had to do between moves and he repeated the same simple response. "Say your lines, your trainer should''ve told you what they were". Even the Sneasels with the most potential so far had difficulty in acting.

    The only excuse Harper could see for the Sneasels was that their trainers weren''t collaborating together properly. It was getting clear how disconnected trainers and their pok¨¦mon were outside of a combat and training environment. The ad for the role failed to bring back actors that Pok¨¦star Studios lost during their financial crisis. Every single person that the group judged either had no combat experience or no acting experience. DIssapointingly, it was a combination of both almost every time.

    The opinions of Takashi, Juliet, and Brycen were the same every time, if they didn''t find the perfect duo soon they would have to compromise with the best of the bad lot.

    Harper could hear how dejected the trainers were through the door as they left, their disappointment lingered in their voices. Many of them mentioned how strict it was to include their pok¨¦mon''s ability to act. He didn''t understand why they were blaming their pok¨¦mon, it was specifically requested for this audition.

    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    This was a movie studio.

    A movie studio with pok¨¦mon.

    You''re gonna find competent actors with their pok¨¦mon who work together in harmony at a movie studio.

    Of course, it was strict, the only reason why this audition was different compared to other Pok¨¦star auditions was the inclusion of Harper. Having the auditionee''s pok¨¦mon being more involved in the process did help but it probably thinned the line for a potential hire a bit too much.

    "Riolu, can you go check how many we have left?" Juliet looked at the clock, now reading 10:47 AM. "I''m taking a break as soon as we''re done with the next one."

    Harper looked back outside for the umpteenth time. To his surprise, the last few groups in the hallway were leaving before they attempted their audition. The pessimistic behavior of the trainers must''ve dissuaded the others from trying their shot for the role. The hallway wasn''t empty though, one young woman was sitting on a bench and was reading a magazine. Her Sneasel was lying on her lap, clearly bored with nothing to do. Harper looked back into the room and wrote on his board.

    *There''s only one left.*

    "Oh, thank Arceus. Call them over."

    "Hey!" Harper yelled. "You''re the last ones now, come inside!"

    The sneasel''s small ears perked up from his shout. "You hear that, Audrey?" She beamed. "It''s our big moment!"

    "I know you''re excited but focus up, we''re the last ones and they''ve probably picked someone already. Pretend we''re doing a concert now."

    When everyone was in the room, Takashi looked through the last application for the day, all the others were piled behind him in one large stack.

    "Name, Audrey Cohen. Age, 18. Occupation, Pok¨¦mon Coordinator?" He read the last word with curiosity. "How interesting. Does your Sneasel have a name?"

    "Oh! Um, yes she does," Audrey flustered, taken aback by Takashi''s reaction to her job. "Her name is Ripley."

    "Ripley, do you enjoy being alongside a coordinator like Audrey?"

    "I do! It''s fun to show myself off in front of a huge crowd with my Ice and Dark moves!"

    *She enjoys showing off her moves in front of large crowds.*

    "That''s good to hear, now here''s the side," Takashi handed the script that every other participant used before Audrey. "Memorize the lines and when to use moves, discuss it with Ripley as well. We''ll start your audition when you''re ready."

    Audrey thanked the director and crouched down to Ripley''s level. As she read the script she told Ripley what part was hers and what she had to do. A short time later, Audrey handed the script back.

    "That was fast, are you sure you don''t need more time?"

    She shook her head.

    "Very well, whenever you''re ready."

    Like all the others, Audrey took a deep breath and immediately got into character.

    "It''s a human cop! Is his entire body reinforced by mechanics?"

    "Code name, Mecha Cop!" Brycen recited. "Activation sequence... Action! Riolu! Go!"

    Audrey took a step back, visualizing Mecha Cop''s partner pok¨¦mon entering the fray. She grabbed an imaginary pok¨¦ball and threw it.

    "I won''t let myself be caught here! Sneasel, go!"

    Ripley pretended to be released from her ball and took a pose, unlike the other Sneasels. While the others took a posture like they were ready for battle, Ripley stood strong with her left arm covering the bottom portion of her face as her right arm pointed towards the imaginary Riolu, claws pointed up.

    "Sneasel! Use Hone Claws!" Audrey commanded.

    "He he he," Ripley snickered. "I can''t wait to cut that copper''s armor!"

    Ripley simulated the Dark-type move, pretending to scrape her claws together.

    "You show resistance... I''ll regard it as hostile behavior! The handcuff launcher! Aim, Fire!" Brycen raised his arm and clenched his fist. "shooting" a handcuff at Audrey.

    Audrey recoiled her right arm and knelt on the ground, trying to lift it back up as if it were weighed down.

    "I don''t tolerate crimes. I''ll bring you under control by force!"

    "What?!" Audrey snapped in disbelief. "I only use pok¨¦mon for stealing, but you use weapons like this handcuff! It''s not fair!"

    Takashi clapped his hands together.

    "I think that''s more than enough. Audrey, thank you for your time, we''ll notify you of the results later today."

    Despite the puzzlement on Audrey''s face, she thanked the group for their time and left, Ripley followed suit after giving a short bow.

    As soon as the door shut, everyone slumped into their chairs. Even Brycen, who sat tall the entire session, couldn''t help but give his body a break.

    "Finally," Juliet crossed her arms on the table and placed her head on top. Now if you''ll excuse me, I''m taking a nap. Do any of you have opinions to tell me before I crash?"

    "Overall, I''d say we''ve seen some decent candidates for the roles with some interesting outliers," Brycen spoke up. "However, I''d say the duo with the most potential was the last one we just looked at."

    "What about you, Mr. Pok¨¦mi?" Juliet asked.

    "I do agree with Brycen, I liked Audrey and Ripley''s performance but we shouldn''t brush the others under the rug."

    "What about you, Riolu? Anything you want to say?"

    The three humans watched Harper as he wrote his answer down.

    *Most of the trainers disregarded their pok¨¦mon''s parts while they read their sides.*

    *Can you reevaluate their likelihood based on that?*

    "You''re right," Juliet rubbed the tiredness out of her eyes. "Even though the role is a villain who doesn''t care for their pok¨¦mon like a hero would, that doesn''t change the fact that they need a good partnership."

    "As for me," Takashi stood up from his seat. "I''ll be heading to the breakroom now, Brycen, Riolu, your job for today is done. Thanks again for helping with the audition."

    As the two left the audition room, Harper heard Takashi talk with Juliet some more.

    "Do you want some coffee from the breakroom?"

    "Mr. Pok¨¦mi, I said I was gonna take a nap. Get me decaf, black."

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    Brycen walked back to his vanity van mentioning how he wanted to take full advantage of his remaining free time. He asked if Harper wanted to come back to his pok¨¦ball, which he declined. While the inside was comfy, he didn''t enjoy the fact that he was stuck in a sphere that looked like it could shatter from one misstep. He knew the pok¨¦ball''s material was harder than steel but just the way it looked gave him second thoughts. Even if he did want to stay in the ball, Harper also wanted to be outside as much as possible, he was never going to be tired of the Pok¨¦mon world.

    Brycen acknowledged his choice and let Harper do his own thing for the rest of the day. Since he didn''t eat in the morning, brunch was the first thing on his mind. Harper had tried to eat human food like he should be since his human side craved it but those dry poffins were doing something to him. Why they were so much tastier than regular people dessert, he didn''t know but whenever he was hungry, those poffins were the only food stuck in his head.

    Harper walked through the studio, the place was gradually becoming easier to traverse around. Looking around during the last couple of days on top of Beartic''s tour helped a great deal with familiarizing himself. Navigating Pok¨¦star Studios was much easier than the Big Five studios in the San Fernando area. The size of one of those studios was twice as large as Pok¨¦star and three times as confusing.

    Harper passed by the main square, the area was as busy as it was the first time he had visited. Fearing that he would be forced to take another picture with a tourist, he increased his pace to the cafeteria.

    "Hey, Riolu!"

    ~Shit.~

    Harper turned around, expecting to see an aggressive person shove a camera in his face. Instead, he saw a sneasel run up to him.

    "You''re the same riolu from the audition, right?" She looked up and down on Harper''s body. "Yup, you''re the same one alright. Ya got the chest scar and that whiteboard."

    "Yes, I am that riolu," Harper looked at his chest, was the scar that easily noticeable? "But who are you? I''ve seen more than enough sneasels for one day."

    "I''m Ripley! The last one you looked at, is it that hard to tell the difference between pok¨¦mon?"

    "Ripley!" A voice shouted from a distance. "What did I say about running away without telling me?"

    Audrey ran up to the two pok¨¦mon, catching her breath after reaching Harper and Ripley.

    "I''m sorry about her, she always runs to the most interesting thing the moment I look away."

    *I''ll take that as a compliment.*

    Audrey laughed at Harper''s joke. "She ran up to you since you''re the same riolu from the audition, right?"

    "That''s me," Harper nodded. "There''s no other riolu here in the studio anyways."

    "I have to ask, did we get the role?" Audrey asked.

    "Did we? Did we?" Ripley repeated.

    "I don''t know," Harper shrugged, he wrote his next response on his whiteboard for Audrey.

    *I''m not the one who decides the actor, it''s the casting director who makes the final decision.*

    "It was worth a shot," Audrey scratched the back of her head. "Another question, do you know where the nearest place to eat in Virbank is? Ripley and I kinda skipped breakfast."

    *So did I. Do you want to go to the Pok¨¦star cafeteria instead? Nonstaff have to pay though.*

    "Sure, do you know where it is?"

    *I was actually on my way there.*

    "Oh, sweet! Can we eat together? I don''t know anyone around here and it''s cool to talk to a pok¨¦mon that can write."

    Harper nodded, leading the way to the cafeteria.

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    "You like dry poffins? You''re weird."

    "Yeah, I do. Is that such a problem?"

    "Of course! There''s no flavor in them at all! How about you eat one of mine?"

    "Nope," Harper shoved the pink poffin in front of his face back to Ripley. "And how do you like sweet poffins? It''s so sugary you can''t taste anything else."

    "The sugar is the flavor!" Ripley answered. "If you don''t like sweet food, then how do you eat berries? They heal and cure stuff."

    "I try not to taste it, I just chew and swallow as fast as I can."

    Dissatisfied by his answer, Ripley gave a "hmph" and gorged her poffins down. Harper rolled his eyes and chewed on his delicious dry dessert, sipping a cup of tea between bites. The cafeteria was almost empty since it was before lunch hour.

    "A pok¨¦mon drinking tea?" Audrey faked a posh accent. "How sophisticated, you''re even doing the pinky thing."

    Harper quickly set his cup down.

    "I''m just playing with you. You''re a pretty interesting pok¨¦mon, you''re quite mature for a riolu this young."

    *People keep telling me that.*

    "Really?" She chuckled. "I mean it''s true, where else are you gonna find a pok¨¦mon that writes and helps with auditions of all things?"

    Harper couldn''t help but agree.

    Audrey continued to eat her meal but not without smirking. She was eating a plate of curry rice, one side was chock full of potatoes and the other was wrapped in an egg layer like omurice. The smell of masala was familiar, it reminded him of the microwave meals he ate to get through the day.

    *Where''s the curry from?*

    "From the Galar region, it''s a pretty popular dish there."

    ~Galar region?~

    Harper swore he had heard that name before, but after some thinking, he realized it was the region of one of the newer games.

    ~What was it called again? Sword and Shield? I never really had the time to get the game, let alone a switch.~

    He brushed the knowledge off, it wasn''t going to help him when he lived in a completely different region.

    Harper continued to chow down on his poffins, savoring the flavor, or the absence of one. As he ate, he looked back at Audrey''s audition. Her application mentioned that she was a Pok¨¦mon Coordinator, a job that Brycen compared to a Pok¨¦mon Trainer when he explained acting. Harper had never really played with the Pok¨¦mon Contest mechanic as a kid and now that he was in the Pok¨¦mon world, the real-life version was definitely more complicated.

    *Your application said you were a coordinator, what do you do in a contest?*

    "You don''t know?" Audrey halted her spoonful of curry right before it reached her mouth. "I mean, it makes sense since Unova doesn''t have contests like other regions."

    Audrey placed her spoonful of curry back onto her plate and turned her entire body to face Harper.

    "So... Pok¨¦mon Contests are like Pok¨¦mon battles but instead of fighting your opponent with moves to knock them unconscious, you use moves to impress judges. The score you get from the judges depends on how cool, beautiful, cute, clever, or tough it looks. Contests test your ability to command your pok¨¦mon to make moves as interesting as possible without utilizing them in a fight. If you''re the best team in the contest you get the ribbon for that town, earn enough and you can compete for the right to become the next Top Coordinator."

    *How much have you competed?*

    "Quite a lot, while I did lose a fair number of times, I''ve also won a few. I lived in Sinnoh my entire life. Do you know Hearthome City? It''s where the biggest contests are held. Before I was able to earn my 5th ribbon, me and my family moved over to Nimbasa for my dad''s business, something about having to manage a new sports team."

    Audrey resumed explaining after taking the bite of curry she had left unattended. "Originally, I didn''t mind moving to a new region since I heard that Nimbasa had something similar to Pok¨¦mon Contests at their Musical Theater. As soon as we moved all our stuff into our new home I immediately looked for a spot in the next possible performance."

    She grabbed her cup of water and chugged it all down, slamming it down on the table. "Arceus... I was so mad at the Musical Theater when they said that only pok¨¦mon were allowed on stage, can you believe that?! Unova''s version of contests is nothing like Sinnoh''s! I shouldn''t even compare it to a contest at all!"

    Harper tapped her shoulder. Some of the diners in the cafeteria were throwing glances at them.

    "I-I''m sorry," Audrey sunk her shoulder. "I thought I could continue to compete in contests after I moved but now I can''t," She looked over at Ripley, still completely absorbed in consuming her food. "It was only thanks to Ripley that I found an opportunity here. When she found a newspaper flier drifting outside the Theater, she tried to catch it like it was a toy. Ripley brought it back and after one look at the flier, I ran as fast as I could to audition here."

    Nimbasa to Virbank in only a few days? Ran? That was extremely impressive, Harper once saw the real map of Unova and the distances from each major city were way farther than the games ever depicted. The distance from Nimbasa to Castelia alone was like the distance from the city of LA to the Las Vegas Strip; the Mojave Desert and Route 4 were similar in nature, how did she trudge through all that?

    "With everything that Ripley and I have gone through, I''m really hoping that we get the role. It''s the closest thing to a Pok¨¦mon Contest where I can be alongside her," Audrey patted the top of the Sneasel''s head. "If I don''t get the role, I think I''m just going to move back to Sinnoh. I love Unova but it''s just that it''s hard to pursue my dream if nothing here can accommodate it."

    Harper stood on the table''s seat and patted her back.

    "Sorry, Riolu, for making you my emotional trash can. I never really had someone to talk to about all this," Audrey shook her head and clapped her hands together. "Enough about me, what about you? We probably should''ve started with that."

    Unsure of how to start his introduction, he started simply by saying what he knew.

    *I''m Brycen''s pok¨¦mon and I''m an actor here.*

    "You''re his pok¨¦mon? I thought you were someone else''s pok¨¦mon. And you''re also an actor? What films were you in?"

    *Just one. "The Riolu Kid vs. Brycen-Man."*

    "Haven''t heard of it, is it a new film? I''m not caught up in any movies."

    Harper nodded.

    "What''s it about?"

    *Brycen-Man attacks Nimbasa''s theme park and Riolu-Kid comes to save the day*

    *If the movie wasn''t made then Pok¨¦star would''ve shut down.*

    "Really? What happened?"

    Harper spent the rest of the morning writing what he knew about the crisis that befell Pok¨¦star Studios and how Mr. Stu Deeoh brought him in. As Harper explained and Audrey listened, their food became stale from neglect. Ripley continued to get seconds, ignoring the conversation they were having.

    "Wow, yeah I don''t understand why someone thought a Jinx romance was ever a good idea. Good on you for saving the studio, Riolu. Do you have a copy of the movie? I kinda want to see it now."

    *I don''t, and I think theaters are still packed.*

    "Darn, I''ll just keep it on my watchlist then."

    The two returned to their cold meals. Ripley was finished with her third serving and was napping, using Audrey''s leg as a pillow.

    "Sleepyhead," Audrey murmured, petting the top of her head. "Not that I can''t blame you, Route 4 was hard, we really got lucky with finding someone to hitchhike with. Riolu, can you return our food trays for me? I would do it myself but¡­" She pointed at the sleeping sneasel.

    Harper gulped down the last piece of his dry poffin and took the three trays, depositing them at the designated spot. When he came back, he saw Audrey whispering to Ripley.

    "Do you want to go back to your pok¨¦ball? We need to go now."

    Ripley gave a faint hum as an answer. Audrey took out her pok¨¦ball and pressed the button, summoning her back in.

    "I hope the results come soon," Audrey stood up and stretched her arms in the air. "I don''t have anything planned for sleeping the night here. Guess I should go find a place while the sun is still up."

    Harper and Audrey left the cafeteria and walked down to the studio exit. Before she crossed the gate, she crouched to Harper''s height.

    "I guess this is goodbye, I don''t know if we''ll see each other again but," She patted the top of his head. "I enjoyed my time with you."

    Harper nodded, Audrey smiled and stood up. As he headed back into the studio, he heard a familiar ringtone. He turned his head to Audrey and saw that she was speaking into her wrist. With every word she spoke, Harper felt her happiness spike up.

    "Hello? Yes, that''s me. Already? Really?! Thank you! Thank you so much!"

    Her Xtransceiver beeped, Audrey flopped her arm down and blankly stared forward.

    "I got it... I got the role... I actually got it!"

    Audrey ran back to Harper and picked him up, spinning around multiple times and taking him for a ride.

    "I actually got the role!" She exulted. "Oh, this is a dream come true!"

    "Ttthhhaaatttsss gggrrrreeeeaaaattttt¡­" Harper couldn''t finish his compliments due to Audrey''s version of a merry-go-round.

    "Oh Arceus, I''m sorry," Audrey chuckled as she let Harper down, it took a second to regain his footing. "that was a pretty short farewell, but Ripley and I are actresses now!"

    Audrey looked back on her Xtransceiver, and a text message had arrived after ending her call.

    "The casting director said that a vanity van should be ready for me soon, what''s a vanity van?"

    *They''re like RVs for stars.*

    "Really? Now I don''t need to worry about finding a place to sleep! I guess I should thank you, you were one of the judges as well. And if you were already in a movie, doesn''t that make you my senior?"

    Senior? This was the first time Harper had ever been acknowledged as a superior in anything. Even though he used to hold a high position in the film industry as a Key Grip, no one under him like the Gaffer or the Best Boy respected him. Harper had been treated like an unpaid intern his entire career so it was hard to see someone looked up to him.

    That was the other problem, no one could look up to Harper in the literal sense. He was one of the shortest actors, hell, he was one of the shortest pok¨¦mon in the studio. Whenever people talked to him they either looked down or crouched to meet at eye level, it did not help with his already low self-esteem. The only person who looked up to him was Nate and that was because he knew the truth. But then again, the trainer did rely on him before he knew.

    He remembered the look in Nate''s eyes before filming.

    He remembered the hug he gave.

    He remembered his smile after filming.

    Audrey had the same expression.

    No one looked at him that way before. Was he still stuck in the past? Harper willed the miserable memories away.

    ~My old life''s over.~

    ~My old life is nothing like what I have now.~

    With a satisfied exhale, Harper wrote on his whiteboard and showed Audrey.

    *I guess it does.*

    Audrey clenched her hand into a fist, striking her open palm with it and bowing like a martial arts student.

    "I''ll be in your care," She declared in a deep voice.

    Harper started laughing, and Audrey promptly joined in.

    "I just realized something," Audrey pondered after she finished laughing. "I could''ve eaten for free if I had waited just a bit longer. Eh, not like I knew I was gonna get the role."

    *We all thought you did the best during the audition.*

    "Really?! Why didn''t you tell me? I was so freaking nervous the whole time!"

    Harper realized, why hadn''t he? It wasn''t like he was bound to an NDA or anything.

    *Slipped my mind, I was hungry.*

    "I''m torn between wanting to be agitated and feeling too happy about the news. It''s alright, what''s done is done. How about you owe me something as payback?"

    Harper tilted his head.

    "Give me a tour here!" Audrey decided. "Since I''m gonna be here for a while I should know where everything is!"

    Harper couldn''t believe it, now he was going to be like Beartic during his first days here. In such a short time he already had someone willing to be under his wing despite the experience in Pok¨¦star Studio under his belt and his child-like appearance.

    The student had become the teacher.

    *Sure, we can start with finding your van.*

 Scene 2 - Take 3: Insecure Preparations and Honest Obligations

    "Phew!" Reed rolled the last stuffed bale of wool up a ramp and onto a truck. "That should be all of them, right, Meadow?"

    "Did you get all the wool from the back of the barn as well?"

    "Sure did!"

    Reed closed the back of the truck shut and slapped the side twice, the driver looked out the window and gave a thumbs up. With a rev of the engine and the sputter of gas, the truck drove away from the ranch to be sent for processing.

    It''s been several days since Riolu left their ranch. Nothing much had changed since Mr. Stu Deeoh arrived and gave him a deal for a movie. Both he and Meadow were hard at work as always with their duties in Floccesy Ranch. Their herdiers, Winston and Willow, have also been working together by rounding up the mareep and flaaffy for shearing. Now that their last shipment for the month was complete, it was the perfect time for a break.

    As the truck drove away into the horizon, another rectangular vehicle approached the ranch''s entrance.

    "Dear, did you order something? I wasn''t expecting any mail."

    "No?" Meadow strolled to Reed''s side, staring at the post van alongside him. "If I ordered something, I would remember doing so."

    The mailman stepped out of the vehicle with a letter and a small box in hand.

    "Package for Mr. and Mrs. Tillmane?"

    "Yes, that''s us."

    The mailman handed the package and left as quickly as he arrived. The couple remained planted at their spot, unsure of what just occurred.

    "Look at the letter," Meadow pointed out. "Who''s it from?"

    Reed flipped the letter and read the other side. "It''s from Mr. Stu Deeoh! Let''s go inside, I''d like to read this sitting down, my legs are starting to ache."

    As the two walked home, Winston and Willow noticed their trainers heading in and followed behind. When everyone entered the living room, Reed and Meadow sat on the sofa as the Herdiers sat at their favorite spot near the fireplace, equally curious about the package. Reed opened the letter and read it aloud.

    "Dear Reed and Meadow, I hope this letter and my gift reaches you soon. Thanks to your care for Riolu, Pok¨¦star Studios has been able to recover financially and is now able to continue film production. None of this would have been possible if it weren''t for the two of you. As thanks, I have sent you a DVD copy of the movie that Riolu is in."

    The two herdiers'' ears perked up at the mention of the blue Fighting-type. They ran up to the couple''s side, eagerly waiting for them to open the package. Meadow ripped off the wrapping and took out a DVD case, the front design had a superhero kid and the retired Gym Leader-turned-actor, Brycen. A familiar face stood out next to the fictional defender, it was Riolu.

    "Pok¨¦star has produced enough copies to finally sell to the public and I wanted to make sure the two of you were one of the first to have it. Please enjoy his first movie! From, Mr. Stu Deeoh. P.S. Did I mention I was thankful? Because written words alone can''t describe how much I''m thankful!"

    "Oh, Stu," Reed chucked. "He''s too kind."

    "Herd! Herdier!" Winston pointed at the DVD and then at the TV.

    "I know, I know, I was just about to play it," Reed inserted the disk into the DVD player.

    "You think we should go get this signed?" Meadow asked.

    "We can ask for a signature when we go to the studio but wouldn''t Riolu''s just be his pawprint?"

    Meadow tuned out from his question, already engaged in the movie''s intro, the narrator was nearly done with his monologue. Reed decided to quiet down and watch.

    ~Well, it''s good to know he''s doing fine,~ Reed thought to himself as Riolu looked at the villain with a hearty grin.

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    Thanks to Ripley, Harper''s tour exceeded his expected duration from an hour to multiple hours. He expected Audrey to keep the tired sneasel at her vanity van after they found it conveniently located next to Brycen''s van. That assumption was far from the case when Ripley woke up with complete rejuvenation from her Pok¨¦ball soon after Harper started guiding Audrey around.

    From then on, what should''ve been a straightforward route from one place to the next became a labyrinthian task. Ripley''s neverending curiosity strayed the trio away from Harper''s simple tour. In the end, Harper had managed to show all the important locations to Audrey by writing the info of each place between detours. The three of them made it back to their vans completely wiped out from the journey around Pok¨¦star Studios. Audrey opened the van''s door and plopped herself onto the inner stairs, summoning Ripley back into her Pok¨¦ball.

    "She just had to wake up right then and there..." Audrey chuckled. "I''m sorry about everything, Ripley definitely delayed the tour."

    *It''s alright, at least she''s also familiar with the studio now.*

    Audrey looked up at the sky, the sun was nearing the horizon as the streetlights activated early, anticipating the moonlit darkness to come.

    "How long were we out here?" She looked at her Xtransceiver and her eyes widened. "6PM?! Oh no, I even missed a couple text messages," She began to read each one aloud, her face contorted with each text.

    "Someone will hand you the script at your van in approximately 10 minutes."

    "The crew member said that since you weren''t there, they slipped the script underneath the door."

    "Please text back once you find the script. Further instructions will be given to you tomorrow morning."

    "How did I not hear the notifications? I hope the casting director isn''t mad at me, day one and I''m already leaving a bad impres¡ª wait a second, underneath the door?"

    Audrey sat up and looked down, a dull yellow clasp envelope acted as a cushion between her and the metal stairs.

    "I have no words," Audrey picked up the envelope and took out a stack of papers. "Yup, this is the entire script." She slid the script back in and looked at Harper. "I''m gonna end the day right here, the fact that we took an entire odyssey around the studio is enough to explain why, right?"

    Harper nodded, he wanted to slump into his sofa and read himself to sleep.

    "I''ll try to memorize as much as I can tonight with Ripley before I sleep, she won''t like being woken up again though. Anyways, see you tomorrow, Riolu. Thanks again for the tour!"

    Harper waved goodbye, watching Audrey enter her van and closing the door. He sighed to himself, he planned his tour to be short and concise so that he could spend the remainder of the day to get Vacuum Wave working. But seeing as it was getting dark outside and he was tired from walking all day, he couldn''t bring himself to put out any more physical effort.

    Harper entered Brycen''s van and to his surprise, he noticed Brycen was already asleep in his bed, already changed into his ice-blue nightwear. Harper pulled Brycen''s kimono off the coat rack and hopped onto the sofa. As he threw the kimono over his body and layed down, he noticed the same colored folder on the coffee table. He sat back up and opened it up, it was the newly edited script.

    Vincent''s notes at the beginning explained that since production was abruptly canceled due to financial reasons, the original actors for the Sneasel Ninja and Mecha Cop''s partner pok¨¦mon quit. It seemed like they gave up on rehiring the original partner pok¨¦mon, Heracross. Vincent had to rewrite the entire script to match the current actress and Mecha Cop''s new pok¨¦mon.

    ~I need to compliment Vincent the next time I see him, writing is tough stuff.~

    Harper concluded that the new people were Audrey and himself. Vincent also changed the moves that would be used during the battles, but when did Brycen tell Vincent about his new moves? Did Beartic somehow communicate his new moveset to the ex-Gym Leader? Harper began skimming through the new script and his stomach sank, he read aloud a section to himself.

    "Mecha Cop commands Riolu to use Tackle and then to use Vacuum Wave... shit."

    If he had just a bit more time, he would''ve gotten the hang of it. He''d been training Vacuum Wave alone on his own time before the audition and after Beartic gave his advice. Since his training time was taken away by his extended tour though, all he could do now was pray that they weren''t filming that scene tomorrow.

    Harper spent the rest of his waking hours reading the script over and over, memorizing as much as he could before falling asleep, the script still in hand.

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    "Riolu, wake up."

    "Mmph, five more minutes."

    "Riolu, don''t make me ask again. We''re filming today, get ready," Brycen pulled his kimono off of Harper, the sudden chilliness woke him up.

    "I''m up, I''m up," Harper sat up, smoothing his bed hair... or did he have to call it bed fur now? He pushed the question out of his head, he was not willing to get super analytical about his human-turned-pok¨¦mon situation this early in the morning. When Harper and Brycen departed from their van, he noticed that Audrey left hers at the same time.

    "Good morning, Mr. Brycen! Hey, Riolu!" She gave a small wave.

    "Good morning, Audrey," Brycen crossed his arms. "You don''t need to say ''Mr.'', you can just call me Brycen."

    "Oh! O-ok!" Audrey sputtered. "Uh, Brycen? I was texted that we''d get instructions in the morning and umm... I haven''t gotten any yet."

    "No need to worry," Brycen pointed into the distance. "Someone''s on their way now."

    Like the actor said, a man was on his way to the group. Upon his arrival, he handed a piece of paper to Brycen and Audrey, saving Harper''s for last.

    "Here''s your call sheets, I don''t know why the riolu needs it but oh well, Takashi said to give you one anyways."

    "I see," Brycen read the call sheet and looked up at Audrey. "It says I need to put on my costume first since it''s going to take the longest to set up. Riolu, help her around whenever you can, ok?"

    Harper nodded, Brycen headed off to put his costume on, likely with the help of Layla. Right when he was about to read his copy of the call sheet, Audrey asked a question.

    "So, what''s a call sheet? Are they basically schedules for actors?" Audrey looked at her call sheet. "It says, ''General Crew Call, 11AM.'' I assume that''s when everyone meets up."

    *Yup. Take a look at everything else as well.*

    "Shooting time is 11:30 A.M., Lunch is at 1:15, Location is the Main Sound Stage," Audrey read off the call sheet. "Wow, this is really descriptive for a schedule, it even has today''s weather on it."

    *They also specify which actors and actresses need to show up and what scenes are being filmed for the day.*

    "One of the scenes is ''Int. Truthtech Laboratories'', says it takes place during the night. The other is ''Ext. Castelia City Main Street''. What does ''int.'' and ''ext.'' mean?"

    *Interior and Exterior. They explain whether a scene is inside or outside.*

    "Figured..." Audrey continued to read her call sheet, this time to herself. Harper looked at his call sheet and realized the first scene Audrey mentioned.

    ~Damn it. Guess we are shooting that scene, just my luck.~

    "Is something the matter?" Audrey asked. "I should be the nervous one right now instead of you."

    *It''s nothing. Just curious as to if the moveset Ripley knows fits the script.*

    "Luckily, they all did! People expect moves like Pursuit and Beat Up to be purely for battle but I trained Ripley to learn them anyways. Hone Claws also worked out perfectly since I would usually command Ripley to use it to make her claws shinier in the spotlight. All I need to do now is have her use the moves in a combat setting."

    Harper nodded at Audrey''s answer and looked back at his call sheet and looked at the cast section. The only four key members that were to be in filming today were Brycen, Harper, Audrey, and Ripley. The rest of the cast were extras and background actors.

    "It says to go to makeup and put on our own costumes after Brycen finishes," Audrey read. "We should go now so we don''t miss the General Crew Call."

    *Do you remember where the makeup room is?* Since Pok¨¦star wasn''t crosscutting the electricity bill anymore, Layla got her old makeup station back, replacing the cramped van she used before. He had added that in mind during his tour.

    "I do, you just go forward from here and take a left and a right... right?"

    *You lead the way.*

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    With the makeup station back in working order, Layla was able to prepare the stars of the film much faster than usual. Having an entire staff under her wing helped exponentially. When Audrey, Harper, and Ripley arrived, Brycen was on his way out with his new costume. Underneath his beige detective coat was what looked like metal armor coated in a gray and blue sheen. Brycen''s helmet had a large light bar on top like a police car, his blue visor made his eyes look pale.

    They greeted each other in passing and began putting on their makeup and costumes with the help of the makeup team. It didn''t take much longer for the staff to finish in time thanks to the increased work productivity now that Layla didn''t need to do everything all by herself. Despite the accelerated pace, Harper hoped they would take a bit longer so he could reread the script again. It wasn''t that he forgot his lines but that he wanted to delay the inevitable.

    Since Audrey and Harper''s makeup was completed first, they took advantage of their spare time to examine themselves in front of a mirror.

    "This feels kind of embarrassing." Audrey turned side-to-side in front of a mirror, fidgeting with her inner jumpsuit. Her costume was completely black with dark purple linings. On Audrey''s forehead was a silver headband with intricate patterns of a pok¨¦ball and two scratch marks on it. Her hair was tied up and kept together in a black net and long strips of cloth hung behind her back like thin tapestry.

    Harper''s costume wasn''t really much of a costume. Apart from some light trimming on his fur, one makeup artist spent the majority of their time covering his scar with some kind of green dye. They explained to Harper that it was to "Cover your scar and to make you match with Mecha Cop." Looking back on the script, it did explain that Mecha Cop''s Riolu was also part machine. It seemed like the VFX team did have to edit out his scar after all. Audrey continued to fuss over her costume as she mumbled incoherently.

    *Do you not wear costumes during contests?*

    "Sometimes, but only when there''s a theme to follow like using a specific type so for example, I''d wear a light blue dress at an Ice type event. I''m just self-conscious about this right now since I''m acting in front of the entire film crew."

    *How different is that compared to an entire audience behind judges?*

    "I¡ª" Audrey paused. "I don''t know, it just is. I guess it''s because I''m going to be behind a camera. I''ve never performed live, the concerts I competed in weren''t televised since they weren''t major, only concerts for six ribbons and above are."

    *What did you say to Ripley before you did your audition?*

    "You heard me?" Audrey blushed with embarrassment. "Well... pretend I''m doing a concert."

    *Exactly. Just pretend the camera is the audience and the director is the judge. Easy as.*

    "I don''t know why I forgot my own advice, thanks, Riolu," She began to speak to herself. "This is just a concert with extra steps, that''s it."

    Ripley hopped off her barber chair and walked up to the two, showing off her new look. Along with getting a trim like Harper, her ear and tail feathers were much shinier in the light. Her claws were manicured and much glossier than before.

    "Look, Audrey! I look so fresh now!"

    "You look so cute!" Audrey patted her head. "Since we''re all done now, let''s go!"

    When they entered the sound stage, the amount of bright green briefly blinded Harper. The entire sound stage was surrounded by a green screen except for where the film crew had their equipment. A few key props lay inactive in the middle of the area, ready to be activated by a press of a button. The director was talking with the camera crew, and when Harper entered, he turned to look at them.

    "Ah! You''re here!" Takashi burst out loud. "And just in time as well, we''re setting up the final adjustments for the scene."

    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    "I noticed that the sound stage is very green," Audrey pointed out. "It doesn''t look like a laboratory."

    "Since the scene only shows up once and the amount of practical effects needed to make it look futuristic will exceed the budget, we''re using green screens as an alternative. I hope that the emptiness doesn''t deter you from acting out your lines."

    "It won''t, I''ll just have to imagine what the scene looks like instead."

    "Spoken like a true actress. Now, I must leave to attend to other matters with the film crew. I''ll send someone soon to help you with the rigging for the part where you jump out the vent."

    Takashi walked back to the group of people he was previously speaking with. Audrey took out a pok¨¦ball and looked down to see that Ripley had disappeared.

    "Where did she go? I swear she was right next to me."

    Harper tugged her costume and pointed at the set. Ripley was already in the set, looking around at every angle and touching all the props with the backside of her claws with curiosity so as not to damage them.

    "This place doesn''t look futuristic like Audrey said."

    "Well, it''s because the VFX team is going to make it futuristic," Harper explained.

    "How?"

    "I''ll explain later."

    "Ripley," Audrey walked up to the Sneasel and held out her pok¨¦ball. "I need to call you back in since we''re filming soon."

    Ripley nodded as she was sent back into her pok¨¦ball. Audrey tucked the pok¨¦ball into a secret pocket near her waist.

    "Ms. Cohen?" A voice spoke behind the two. "We''re gonna need you here to wear your harness for the jump."

    "I''ll see you later, Riolu!"

    He waved her goodbye as the crew member guided Audrey to a portion of the set. The upper section of the set looked like a vent where the Sneasel Ninja was supposed to sneak through and jump to the floor.

    With nothing to do, Harper looked around for Brycen. It was an easy task with the blaring police lights turning on and off on top of the former gym leader''s head. A lighting technician was testing the signals if they were functioning.

    "Hello, Riolu," Brycen turned to Harper. "Have you helped Audrey around?"

    Harper nodded.

    "Good. And are you ready for the scene?" Brycen looked at the wall clock, it read 11:26 AM. "Seems like we''re starting soon."

    Harper paused for a moment before nodding again.

    "Alright then, I hope you remember your lines," Brycen took out his pok¨¦ball. "Riolu, return!"

    Harper was sucked back into his pok¨¦ball in a flash of red light, the comfort that the capsule provided didn''t help stave off his nervousness. He definitely didn''t want to ruin the shoot due to his inadequate self-training.

    "Everyone!" Takashi shouted through his megaphone. "Get to your places! We''re filming soon!"

    All the lights that weren''t angled into the green screens dimmed. Brycen walked to his spot and stood still, holding his coat together with both hands. Since Harper''s pok¨¦ball was pocketed in an inner pocket, he couldn''t see the outside, he''d have to mentally visualize what was going on.

    "Scene 1, Take 1," The Second Assistant Camera said, a clapperboard snapped soon after.

    "Action!" The director yelled.

    After a few seconds passed, metallic thumps echoed above him and Brycen. Harper heard the Sneasel Ninja speak her lines, albeit muffled since she was in a vent and he was in a coat. A clang of a vent cover reverbreated when it hit the ground.

    "Oof!"

    "Audrey!" Brycen shouted.

    "Cut!" Takashi''s footsteps thumped through the set. "Audrey! Are you alright?"

    "Y-yeah, I''m fine. The harness didn''t help to soften the landing, that''s why I slipped. Sorry about that."

    "Don''t be sorry, someone please check the ropes and check her harness! We''ll reshoot again!"

    |[Guilt]|

    |[Embarrassment]|

    ~What the hell was that?~

    Something was gnawing at the back of Harper''s mind. Was that a sense of humiliation? Why was he feeling this? He couldn''t even see what was going on. This sensation was much stronger than feeling second-hand embarrassment due to a failed scene, something Harper was extremely familiar with in his past life.

    Then it hit him, the dreads that hit his eyes everytime he turned his head weren''t there solely to annoy him. They were what made Riolus empaths. He was a riolu. Harper put two and two together. He had felt this way but it was never this strong before. The only other time he felt something remotely similar to this was when Nate was explaining the Team Neo Plasma situation to Mr. Stu Deeoh. Harper felt how tense Nate was but since he was also taken aback by the studio owner''s expression, their same emotions collided. But why was he feeling this now? Was he getting more attuned with his body?

    "Ok, everyone! We''re all good to go! Let''s go back to the beginning and continue from there!"

    The feeling lingered away as he heard the shuffling of feet around him. He heard Takashi tap his megaphone when the noise died down.

    "Scene 1, Take 2," The slate clapped again, filming began.

    "Action!"

    The beginning of the scene played out again, this time it wasn''t stunted by an improper utilization of her harness. Audrey now landed on the ground silently, sticking to the script perfectly.

    "And just on time too! How ideal! Now to steal the engine," The Sneasel Ninja snuck around the set, moving behind each prop.

    Harper''s pok¨¦ball lurched forward within Brycen''s coat as he walked forward, it seemed like it was time for the pok¨¦mon equivalent of Robo Cop to enter.

    "Found an intruder. Verifying its biometric," Mecha Cop announced.

    "Is that... a security robot?" The Sneasel Ninja questioned.

    "Verification complete. The identity is confirmed to be the serial robber, the Sneasel Ninja. Surrender immediately!"

    "It''s a human cop! Is his entire body reinforced by mechanics?"

    "Code name, Mecha Cop! Activation sequence... Action!" Mecha Cop swings open his trenchcoat from one side and grabs Harper''s pok¨¦ball.

    ~Let''s do this.~

    "Riolu! Go!"

    Mecha Cop threw Harper''s pok¨¦ball into the air, releasing him and landing in front of him. Harper held up his paws close to his chin, ready to throw hands.

    "Is his Riolu also reinforced with tech?" The Sneasel Ninja stared at Harper with curiosity and started shaking her head. "No! I can''t let myself be distracted right now! I won''t let myself be caught here!"

    "Sneasel, go!" The Sneasel Ninja took out her pok¨¦ball from her pocket and threw it.

    Ripley also stood in front of her trainer like Harper, crossing her arms with a smug grin as she looked down on him.

    "Sneasel, use Hone Claws!"

    "Hee he he, I can''t wait to cut that Riolu up!" She snickered in the same manner as she did during the audition, this time her claws were looking much more threatening than usual.

    "You show resistance, I''ll regard it as hostile behavior!" Mecha Cop raised his left arm and aimed it at the Sneasel Ninja. "The handcuff launcher! Aim, Fire!

    An imaginary handcuff flew at the thief and hit her arm. The Sneasel Ninja fell to the floor and pretended to lift it back up but failed.

    "What the?! What did you do?"

    "I don''t tolerate crimes. I''ll bring you under control by force!"

    "What?!" "I only use pok¨¦mon for stealing, but you use weapons like that! It''s not fair!

    "Hmm... I see," Mecha Cop lowered his arm. "My justice will be tainted if a villain criticizes me. In this situation, I should solely depend on my pok¨¦mon and arrest him.

    Ripley looked at Mecha Cop and back at her trainer, her superior look was now replaced with anger.

    "Now I''m really gonna rough you up!"

    "You can try," Harper threw a punch in the air. "I won''t allow it in the name of justice."

    "Sneasel!" The Sneasel Ninja yelled. "Use Pursuit!"

    Ripley made a mad dash and swung her arm at Harper''s side. Upon impact, all Harper felt was a dull pain, the type disadvantage of the move gave him confidence against the sneasel.

    "What?" Ripley looked at Harper with surprise. "How did my attack bounce off you like that?"

    "I won''t be beaten by a thief like you!"

    "Riolu! Use Tackle!" Mecha Cop commanded.

    Like he practiced, Harper tackled Ripley with his shoulder while covering himself with Normal TE. Upon impact, Ripley got knocked back and created distance between the two pok¨¦mon.

    "Now use Vacuum Wave!"

    ~It''s now or never.~

    Harper summoned Fighting TE into his fist, the muscles tensed and his arm shook. He punched the air as fast as he could, imagining the energy leaving his fist.

    Nothing.

    "Cut!"

    The silence of the movie set was suspended by the murmurs of the crew. The ambience of the sound stage grew but none of it was registering to Harper.

    ~Shit, now what? I still don''t understand the move at all.~

    "Riolu, what happened?" Brycen knelt down on one knee. "Why didn''t you use Vacuum Wave?"

    |[Curiosity]|

    ~Stop it!~ Harper slapped his feelers.

    "Riolu?"

    |[Unusual]|

    Ignoring the emotions, he pretended to write on his paw.

    "Right, can someone get him his whiteboard?" Brycen asked a nearby crew member.

    When someone handed him his whiteboard, Harper wrote his answer down.

    *I still don''t understand how Vacuum Wave works.*

    "And you didn''t tell me or anyone here?"

    Harper didn''t respond, Brycen breathed out a deep sigh.

    "I thought you had the moves for today''s filming ready, we all did. Did you believe that the move would''ve worked by pure chance?"

    |[Judgemental]|

    "Your silence tells the truth," Brycen stood up and walked over to Takashi. "Mr. Pok¨¦mi, can you call for a break? It seems that Riolu here was unprepared for today."

    "I see, I''ll give the two of you 20 minutes then," Takashi aimed his megaphone to his mouth. "Break time! Come back in 20 minutes!"

    "Hey," Ripley tapped Harper''s shoulder. "Are you ok? I hope I didn''t hit you too hard."

    "You didn''t," Harper brushed off where she hit him. "Dark Types are weak to Fighting Types."

    "What''s going on?" Audrey asked. "Why did Mr. Pok¨¦mi say cut?"

    *It''s my fault, I failed to use a move. I''m a lousy senior, aren''t I?*

    "W-what? No! Of course not! Don''t think that! Look at what happened to me earlier, I was so embarrassed when I slipped up. I knew we weren''t going to finish this in one take, did you?"

    |[Respect]|

    Harper gave a faint smile, he didn''t need to read her emotion to know how she felt.

    *It just feels like something I could''ve prevented from happening if I did better.*

    "Then we can do better right now," Brycen walked towards the exit. "Let''s figure out Vacuum Wave with the time Mr. Pok¨¦mi provided for us."

    Harper waved Audrey goodbye as he exited the sound stage with Brycen to an empty lot.

    "Now, tell me why you failed to use Vacuum Wave. I''m not mad, I just want to know the situation here."

    *I haven''t trained it enough.*

    "Alone?"

    Harper nodded.

    |[Perplexity]|

    "I thought Beartic was helping you?"

    *He helped with everything else but Vacuum Wave.*

    "Did it ever occur to you that you could''ve asked me for help?"

    It never did occur to him.

    "Riolu, you do know I used to be a Gym Leader, right? Do not be afraid to ask for training from me, I know Beartic is capable as a teacher but he shouldn''t be your only teacher. I know I said I wouldn''t use you in legitimate battles but despite being my seventh pok¨¦mon, I still have to set a level of standards like how I do on my other six."

    Harper stood in silence.

    "Don''t take this badly, at least you learned your lesson. Now, since the break is only for a short while, let''s make the most of it. Let''s start with how Vacuum Wave works."

    Brycen stood in a martial arts position, sliding a leg back and placing an arm forward.

    "Vacuum Wave is a fast attack that shoots a force of low pressure at an opponent. Many mistake it as a Flying-type move at first glance since it looks like a cyclone of wind but that isn''t the case. Fighting-type pok¨¦mon use Vacuum Wave either by spinning their entire body or a specific body part and shooting Fighting TE at their target. What I want you to do is spin your arms, condense your energy, and let it go at the right time like so."

    Brycen spun his arms in front of his chest and pushed his hands forward in open palms like a certain anime protagonist with yellow hair. Harper couldn''t remember his name, it''s been years since he''d seen it.

    *How do I know when it''s the right time?*

    "You''ll know."

    Harper threw his whiteboard aside and copied the posture that Brycen was in. He closed his eyes and spun his arms, imagining the sensation he felt when he used Force Palm. The urge to battle grew within him as his arms spun faster.

    "Good, now imagine attacking your opponent. Relieve the urge to attack your opponent that''s out of combat range!"

    He was now visualizing a target in front of him, the hunger for battle and not wanting to disappoint everyone grew stronger and stronger. Eventually, the desire reached a breaking point. His arms grew heavier as he spun harder, it was like pressure was increasing inside himself, if he continued any further he''d feel like he''d collapse from the weight.

    "Use Vacuum Wave!"

    Harper stopped spinning his arms and pushed his paws forward, the sensation left his body as energy shot out. The Vacuum Wave sped through the empty road of the lot until it dissipated out of their field of view.

    |[Contentment]|

    "Good job, Riolu. That was an effective Vacuum Wave, remember the sensation again the next time you use it."

    Harper nodded, he definitely should''ve asked Brycen for help before filming. He wasn''t trying to diss Beartic, but Brycen is a better teacher than him.

    "Since you learned the move so quickly, all you need to do now is reduce the time it takes to use it. We still have some time left before we get back to filming."

    Harper got back into his stance, already summoning Fighting TE in his spinning hands.

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    "So how did it go?" Takashi asked Brycen.

    "We''re ready for the next scene now, there won''t be any incidents like this ever again."

    "That''s good to hear, now don''t worry, Riolu," Takashi leaned down to Harper. "We''ll splice the footage together so we can continue the scene where we left off without rerecording everything over again, we''ll start at the part where you use Tackle."

    Takashi tapped his megaphone, the feedback echoed through the sound stage.

    "Ok, everyone!" Takashi announced through his megaphone. "Break''s over! Get back to your positions!"

    "Before we go back, Riolu," Brycen stopped walking to his spot. "Have you mastered the other moves needed in the future?"

    Harper shook his head.

    "Were you intending to learn them by yourself?"

    Harper gestured "kinda" with a paw.

    "We''re now going to be training daily whenever the two of us have free time, understood?"

    Before he gave his whiteboard to someone else he wanted to ask a question.

    *I''ve started feeling others'' emotions recently. How do I learn to do it on command?*

    "How recent?"

    *When Audrey fell.*

    "Really? I wonder if this means you''re starting to remember things, we''ll talk more about this later."

    Harper nodded, handing his whiteboard to a nearby crew member and heading back to his spot with Brycen.

    "Scene 1, Take 3."

    "Action!"

    "Riolu! Use Tackle!"

    Harper slammed his shoulder on Ripley and knocked her back a considerable distance away. Before she could get back up, Mecha Cop ordered another command.

    "Now use Vacuum Wave!"

    Remembering the training session, Harper spun his arms and compressed Fighting TE to his paws. At the peak of intensity, he aimed at Ripley and fired the energy vortex out of his palms, knocking her down on the ground again.

    "Such a violent cop," The Sneasel Ninja scowled. "He''s been modified into a cyborg... Is he a secret agent for the World Police?!"

    "I won''t allow a villain like you to have the Dynamatronic Engine!" Mecha Cop shouted.

    "Sneasel, get ready to flee after you hit his Riolu," She whispered.

    Ripley stumbles back up, almost losing her footing in the process. She raises her claws back up threateningly.

    "Sneasel Ninja! I''ll make sure to put you in jail and make you pay for your crimes!"

    "You can try! Hit Riolu with Beat Up, Sneasel!"

    Ripley began to throw consecutive dirty punches on Harper. He guarded himself by placing his arms over his face.

    "Use Force Palm while Sneasel is close!"

    Harper charged Force Palm during Ripley''s constant delivery of strikes. The pain was accumulating, but he ignored it to focus on the move.

    Ripley began to sweat as she continued punching Harper. "Why? Won''t? You? Go? DOWN?!"

    "Because I fight for justice!" Harper exclaimed.

    He slammed his palm on Ripley''s abdomen, the sneasel was launched into one of the green props, knocking it down as she flew across the set.

    "Eeek! Without thinking about the surroundings, what an attack!"

    Ripley tried to get back up after being hit by the super effective move but after kneeling up, she fell face flat on the floor. The Sneasel Ninja growled in defeat.

    "Mission accomplished," Mecha Cop summoned Harper back into his pok¨¦ball and put him in his coat pocket. "Sneasel Ninja, you didn''t lose to me. You were defeated by law and justice!"

    "Argh! I lost to such a scrap cop..."

    "And cut! That was great!"

    After Brycen released him back out, Harper''s first action was to get the berries from the craft service and rush to Ripley.

    "Ripley!" Harper sat next to the injured sneasel and held out an sitrus berry to her. "Are you alright?"

    "Yeah, I''m fine," Ripley grabbed the berry and took a big bite, talking between chews. "Why are we battling so seriously though? I thought moves would be weaker."

    "I was curious about this as well and from what Beartic told me, A rival studio called Pok¨¦ball Pictures, tried a movie with weaker-looking moves and used CGI to make them look strong."

    "CGI?"

    "Computer Generated Images. People immediately saw through it and gave the movie really low reviews. Real moves look way better on-screen and a fake-looking finishing blow would look way less dramatic anyways."

    "Yeah, you''re right," Ripley grimaced in pain, rubbing her stomach. "A fake Force Palm from you wouldn''t look nice, moves that are used with more intention always impress the judges at concerts."

    Harper handed Ripley another sitrus berry and a leppa berry, he saw Layla making her way to them with his whiteboard in hand.

    "Are you ok, Ripley?" Audrey knelt beside the two pok¨¦mon.

    "Never better," She nodded.

    *How about you, Audrey? Are you ok? I never got to ask when you fell.*

    "I''m fine, it turned out that the rope that was connected to my harness was too long. I still feel guilty for messing up my first ever scene though."

    *Don''t worry, you more than made up for it with your performance after it. Both of your performances were better than mine.* Harper spoke the last sentence aloud for Ripley.

    Audrey and Ripley beamed with pride.

    "In the third take, I was surprised at how similar acting was to pok¨¦mon contests. I''m just commanding Ripley to use her moves like how I do in concerts and I say some lines in between. For my first time acting, it''s really fun!"

    As they talked together, Takashi walked around in search of something. "Where are they?" Takashi asked a crew member. "Where are the background actors? We need to start the next scene."

    "They should be arriving any minute now, I''ll have everyone set up the scene right now," The crew member turned back to the others and explained the instructions. Soon enough, everyone was moving equipment around for the next scene. A fake doorway was pushed through the garage entrance, and a police car followed soon after.

    "What was the next part about again?" Ripley stared in amazement at all the commotion.

    "It''s a short scene, Mecha Cop leaves the lab and sends the Sneasel Ninja to jail," Harper explained. "We''re not going to be in it so we can just watch from the side. Speaking of which, we should move over now."

    *We''re gonna go now since we''re not in this next scene.*

    Audrey gave a thumbs up and walked to her next position. Harper pulled Ripley up from her seated position by her arm and led her behind the cameras. They weaved and zigzagged through the busy film crew as they moved around the movie set. After dodging a multitude of legs, Harper and Ripley sat on two spare seats behind the director''s chair.

    "Are we all ready for the next scene?" A collective sound of agreeance vertebrated across the set. "Perfect, Second Assistant Camera? Whenever you''re ready."

    "Scene 2, Take 1," The clapperboard snapped.

    "Action!"

    The set was lit up by the fake police car''s glaring red and blue lights. Officers surrounded the entrance with police tape while extras acting as reporters tried to get through to find answers for what occurred.

    "What are the details of this crime?"

    "What was the thief trying to steal?"

    "Could you please tell us everything that occurred?"

    "Please, please!" The police officer pushes a mic away from his face. "Stand back from the police tape! Questions will be answered shortly!"

    As the reporters continued to push through the barrier, Mecha Cop opened the entrance door wide open. The Sneasel Ninja, who oddly wasn''t saying a word and with a slight grin, was handcuffed and held beside Mecha Cop.

    "There he is!" One of the reporters shouted. "It''s the Mecha Cop!"

    "And the thief!" Another reporter yelled.

    "Please stand back" Mecha Cop raised a hand in a "stop" motion. "The Sneasel Ninja must be detained immediately."

    The reporters and police officers stepped back as Mecha Cop led the Sneasel Ninja to a police car. After closing the door and locking it, he turned around to the reporters.

    "Your questions may commence."

    "Mecha Cop! Could you explain the details of this crime!"

    "A sleazy thief known as the Sneasel Ninja attempted to steal Truthtech''s Dynamatronic Engine, a fuel-efficient power source that would help provide energy for Unova''s cities."

    "And what is the condition of the engine?"

    "The Dynamatronic Engine has been destroyed but my scanners dictated that it was a prototype. The Sneasel Ninja was after the wrong version." Mecha Cop began to walk through the reporters. "Questions are now over."

    "Speaking of question, Riolu," Ripley whispered. "I still don''t get why we''re acting in this green room" Audrey said the battle would be in some future-looking lab or something, why doesn''t it look like that? The director''s answer didn''t make sense."

    "Well, I''m not an expert in this stuff since it wasn''t in my field of work, but the green screens are basically where the people in VFX can change the look of a scene after recording is over. To us, it''s just a boring blank space but think of it like a canvas for them to make a fake area look real. When the movie''s finished, you''ll see how much better it looks."

    "So it''s like how when I compete, I would use Icy Wind to make the stage more beautiful!"

    "Is that one of your contest tricks?"

    Ripley nodded again.

    "Sure, it''s like that. We use our moves during filming and VFX artists have their own moves to make our battle look more entertaining."

    "And what did you mean by ''wasn''t in your field of work''?"

    "Uhh... wel¡ª"

    "And cut!" Takashi shouted.

    ~Phew.~

    The moment the director ended filming, a bell rang over everyone in the set. Harper looked at the clock next to it, it was time for lunch.

    "We should go to Audrey now." He waved to Ripley as he made his way to the fake police car. Audrey stepped out and was greeted by Takashi.

    "Audrey!" Takashi exulted. "I wanted to tell you before you go out for lunch but you absolutely nailed the devious nature of the Sneasel Ninja!"

    "T-thank you, Mr. Pok¨¦mi," Audrey blushed, placing her hand on her neck.

    "We''ll be recording the final scene after lunch but you probably knew that from your call sheet. Eat your lunch and be ready before lunch ends, ok?"

    "Yes, Mr. Pok¨¦mi," Audrey responded. She noticed Harper and Ripley walking towards her as the director left the set.

    "So we are filming the final scene later," She spoke to herself. "I thought it was a mistake on the call sheet," She turned to Harper. "Are movies not filmed chronologically?"

    *Never. Scenes are filmed out of order for convenience. Since the main cast is here right now, we''re doing the final scene.*

    "What about the battle scene on the beach? We''re all here right now."

    *We might film at an actual beach since this set is too small. We can ask Takashi when he comes back.*

    "Ooh, a beach? I''ll be so happy if we''re filming at Undella Town, I heard it''s a perfect place for a vacation."

    ~I could also kill for a beach trip, I never had the chance in my old life even though I lived like an hour away from it.~

    Harper started to drift off into a daydream, the idea of relaxing on a beach chair with the ambience of the ocean waves. He could almost hear the Undella Town theme that helped calm him down during his childhood.

    ~That''d be the dream. That''s the first thing I''m doing if we ever go to Undella after we finish filming there. I just wonder if it''s legal to give a pok¨¦mon like me a margarita...~

 Scene 2 - Take 4: Continued Shots and Emotional Knots

    Audrey spotted Brycen walking silently behind the daydreaming Riolu and proceeded to karate chop him on the head. Riolu winced at the pain, rubbing the top of his head.

    "Wake up. When I said this incident would never happen again, I meant it," Brycen pointed at the door. "Lunch is considered free time, we''re going back outside to continue training."

    Riolu scribbled on his whiteboard and faced it at Brycen, Audrey leaned sideways to take a glance.

    *So we''re skipping lunch?*

    "How prepared do you think you are for the scene we''re about to record?" Brycen quickly interjected.

    Riolu broke eye contact from Brycen''s and stared at the ground.

    "I think I know your answer. Come," Brycen held the exit door open. "Let us fix that."

    Realizing that Brycen was about to leave, Audrey followed alongside him to talk to him.

    "Brycen!" Audrey exclaimed as she followed them out. "Is it ok if we can come and watch? I don''t really know anyone else around here."

    "While you are free to observe, I advise that you get something to eat first. I''ll be in the backlot to train Riolu. When you arrive, don''t distract Riolu. This is discipline for not preparing in time and ensuring an unnecessary cut won''t happen."

    Audrey nodded, Brycen accepted her response and opened the exit door. Riolu waved goodbye as he left and she waved back. When they left, Audrey turned to Ripley.

    "Well, Ripley," she addressed her partner pok¨¦mon. "Let''s go get something quick, ok? Something we can eat while watching."

    "Sneasel, Snea!"

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    After a brief moment at the cafeteria, Audrey arrived at the spot Brycen mentioned with a plastic bag filled with wrapped sandwiches in her hand. She and Ripley sat on an empty bench and ate as they watched Brycen train Riolu. As Brycen was instructing the Fighting-type pok¨¦mon, Audrey took out her script and began to read it as she ate her egg salad sandwich.

    Since the next scene being filmed was one of the longer ones for today, it was a good time to refresh her memory on the script. While she skimmed through her parts, she looked up when Riolu''s moves were mentioned. He was copying his trainer''s posture, crouching and swinging his leg close to the floor. Unsure whether it was Low Kick or Low Sweep that Riolu was practicing, she re-read the battle scene and confirmed that it was the latter.

    As she read her script further, some intruding thoughts entered her head. When this movie was done, what was she supposed to do next? Acting alongside Ripley was extremely fun so far but in the end, this was just an alternative to Pok¨¦mon Contests. Audrey still remembered those front desk people and their corporate speak when they denied her request to be onstage with Ripley. The Musical Theater''s unnecessary stubbornness was enough to make her rescind her reservation soon after asking for a spot.

    Audrey looked back at the two actors training. Riolu was now crossing his arms in a t-shaped guard as Brycen was explaining something. Remembering how helpful they were to her cheered her up a bit. She threw away her bitterness after realizing that she was, in a way, grateful for her rejection at the theater. Ripley catching the flyer in the breeze after they left and Pok¨¦star Studios accepting her into the role of Sneasel Ninja was unbelievable. It was just that her original desire to be on the stage to compete was still as strong as it was when she passed through Pok¨¦star''s bright gates.

    Audrey decided to worry about the issue later, it was still much too soon to think about it. She popped the last bite of her sandwich into her mouth and continued to review the script alongside Ripley, who was intently listening to her words while watching Riolu train. Reading the final page of the script, the last move that he would use in the final battle was Focus Punch.

    She looked up from her script to continue watching Riolu work on his next moves alongside Ripley. Judging by his bent knees and his one paw covering his other that was tightly clenched, it looked like he was now practicing Focus Punch.

    "Keep building up energy!" Brycen commanded. "Don''t falter now!"

    Riolu looked like he was sweating underneath his fur coat, his arms were shaking from tensing his muscles to their absolute limit. As much as Audrey wanted to, she didn''t shout words of encouragement, Brycen''s stern words were still engrained in her head. Since his species senses emotions, she still tried to cheer Riolu on without verbal cues by pretending to throw her thoughts.

    ~You can do it, Riolu!~

    Riolu''s ears flicked in her direction and a few seconds later, he swung his arm forward, hitting the air. The blast of the condensed Fighting TE vertebrated through the backlot, causing Audrey to hold onto her script tightly.

    "Congratulations, Riolu," Brycen crossed his arms. "You learned Low Sweep and Focus Punch in record time. I don''t know if it''s because of your proficiency in combat or if it''s just desperation."

    Riolu didn''t respond.

    "For the next-to-last move in the final battle, Endure, it won''t be necessary to know it. Since your condition at that particular point will be fine while filming, all you need to know is the posture," Brycen took out his Xtransceiver from one of his many pockets and looked at the time.

    "Now, since lunch is almost over, I''ll be getting prepared for the next scene."

    "Brycen, wait!" Audrey hopped off the bench and revealed her plastic bag of sandwiches to the actors. "I actually brought something for the two of you! I didn''t skip lunch and you shouldn''t either!"

    "Thank you, Audrey," Brycen grabbed a sandwich and turned to Riolu. "We''ll talk more later, ok? I''ll meet you three at the Castelia set."

    Riolu gave a thumbs up as he fished for a sandwich with his other paw. After he unwrapped it and held it in his mouth, he began writing on his whiteboard.

    *When I used Focus Punch, did you cheer me on?*

    "Since Brycen told me to not interrupt your training I just mentally shouted instead. You noticed?"

    Riolu nodded.

    *I felt something positive behind me.*

    "But why the question in the first place?" Audrey asked Riolu as the martial artist entered the sound stage. "I thought all Riolus are good at aura sensing at your age."

    Riolu scribbled on his whiteboard again after stuffing another bite of his sliced potato salad sandwich.

    *Not for me, it finally started working.*

    "I heard that Riolus sense emotions soon after birth, maybe you''re just a late bloomer. Does that mean you can''t control it right now?"

    Riolu nodded.

    "I just want to know, what am I feeling?" She asked for fun.

    *Cheerful.*

    Riolu scribbled some more words.

    *Now it''s fascination.*

    "Well, that part is obvious, isn''t it?"

    The two laughed.

    "Should we head over to the next set now? "

    Riolu and Ripley nodded.

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    "Wow, this Castelia set looks just like the real thing..."

    Audrey and Ripley looked up at the fake towering skyscrapers. The front of the constructs were as realistic as the real thing but the backs of them were different. If she looked behind them, thick wooden planks and steel beams were the only support that the buildings had. It made sense, it wasn''t like the studio was going to film whatever was behind it. The rest of the set was realistic as well with its streetlights, cars, and fire hydrants placed around the area. While they continued to gaze around the set, Riolu waved them goodbye to meet with Brycen.

    "What do you think about this set?" Mr. Pok¨¦mi showed up beside Audrey, looking up at the buildings.

    "It looks so real, Mr. Pok¨¦mi. It looks just like some of the streets that I passed by on my way to the audition."

    "You probably went through the same street that this set is inspired by. This particular set has been used in Pok¨¦star Studios for an extremely long time. It was a shame that we were forced to desert it during our financial crisis but we''re finally back!"

    Mr. Pok¨¦mi realized the outburst he made and gave a small cough, taking out a clipboard and pen in hand.

    "Alright, now I just want to explain how we''re going to film the first part of scene 7. You know that your first spot is up on top of that building over there," Mr. Pok¨¦mi pointed upwards with his pen.

    "I do," Audrey nodded. "Is this about how I''m going to vanish and reappear in front of Mecha Cop?"

    "Precisely," Mr. Pok¨¦mi acknowledged. "I was also going to ask if you have a fear of heights."

    "I don''t, Mr. Pok¨¦mi."

    "Good, good. So we''re going to film you up there and when you throw your smoke pellet, we''ll cut and begin filming again once you''re at ground level, ok?"

    "Got it. Are there any other cuts I should be aware of, Mr. Pok¨¦mi?"

    "There is one more," Mr. Pok¨¦mi pointed at the warehouse door that the film crew were setting up. "Right before Ripley is sent through that door, we''ll do a cut and refilm inside the warehouse. To the audience, it''ll look like a smash cut."

    "Smash cut?"

    "It''s an editing trick in movies where a scene suddenly shifts to another for dramatic effect. My vision is that Riolu uses Force Palm on Ripley and launches her at the door. The camera angle changes to the inside of the warehouse, and then BAM!" Mr. Pok¨¦mi violently shook his hands, mimicking the action. "She''s sent flying through the door and the battle continues! What do you think?"

    "I can''t wait to see it when it''s complete."

    "That''s great to hear. As for the other cuts in this scene, there''s technically one more. It''s a scene where Mecha Cop is in his mindscape. I say technically since we''re going to add it in editing, just wait until Brycen finishes thinking and says his next lines, ok?

    Audrey nodded.

    "Someone will guide you up the building soon," Takashi patted Audrey''s shoulder and then Ripley''s head. "Put some passion into both your lines as you''ve done so far and it''ll be smooth sailing."

    "I-I will, Mr. Pok¨¦mi!" Audrey bowed her head, flabbergasted by the sudden compliment.

    Mr. Pok¨¦mi smiled and walked away to discuss with the rest of the film crew. A crew member showed up and helped Audrey up a flight of stairs that was located behind a building. After climbing to the top, she spotted a piece of paper taped to the floor with two footprints printed on it.

    "You''ll be standing there," The crew member explained, taking out a small black orb. "Here''s the smoke pellet you''ll be throwing. Obviously, it''s not real but we have smoke machines that make it look like it is. Your cue to enter is when Brycen puts his right arm down after scanning, ok?"

    Audrey thanked the man and stood on the edge of the building''s roof with her smoke pellet in hand. The distance between her and ground level was staggering, but she wasn''t feeling any fear. If anything, it was exhilarating. Looking around was a spectacle, she had a Staraptor-eye view of all of Pok¨¦star Studio. She could almost make out the coast of Virbank City where she got off her boat with the over energetic captain.

    "Audrey, are you ready?" Mr. Pok¨¦mi''s amplified voice echoed from the ground from his megaphone.

    "I am!" She gave a thumbs up.

    "Lights! Camera! Action!"

    Looking down at the street, she could spot Mecha Cop in the middle of the street with a hand on the side of his head like he was scanning for something. When he put his hand down, the Sneasel Ninja showed herself on the edge of the building.

    "Have you considered looking up?"

    Mecha Cop looked up in the direction of her voice, the distance between the two didn''t hide the scowl on his face. The Sneasel Ninja smirked and pointed at him with his finger palm side up.

    "For a renowned cop like you, I''d expect you to be better at looking at every perspective!"

    The Sneasel Ninja threw her smoke pellet at her feet and smoke suddenly emerged, fogging up the rooftop and obscuring her out of sight.

    "Cut! That was great!" Mr. Pok¨¦mi aimed his megaphone to the roof. "Now just come back down and we''ll continue the rest of the scene!"

    Audrey walked back down the flight of stairs and stood a distance away from Brycen. A billow of smoke formed around her to prepare for the next scene.

    "Scene 7, Take 2."

    "Action!"

    The smoke cleared as the Sneasel Ninja revealed herself to the Mecha Cop. He assumed a battle stance, hand close to his pok¨¦ball.

    "Sneasel Ninja! Surrender!"

    "Surrender? About that, Mecha Cop," The Sneasel Ninja began to walk idly around him. "There''s a reason why I wanted to meet you here. Will you grant my last request?"

    "What is it?" Mecha Cop looked with skepticism.

    "Battle me!"

    Mecha Cop stood deep in thought, contemplating the Sneasel Ninja''s odd method of surrendering. After a few seconds of deliberating, he opened his eyes and murmured to himself.

    "Real justice, that I can believe in¡­"

    Soon after, his radio emitted static and a voice rang through.

    "HQ to Mecha Cop. Arrest the criminal as soon as possible."

    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    The Sneasel Ninja looked away from Mecha Cop''s radio and back at his face, grinning.

    "So are you ready, Mecha Cop?" The Sneasel Ninja summoned Sneasel, and both the trainer and pok¨¦mon assumed their sneaky battle posture.

    "In recognition of you as my archenemy, challenge accepted!" Mecha Cop grasped his pok¨¦ball and faced it towards the thief. "Let''s finish this, Sneasel Ninja!"

    Mecha Cop threw his pok¨¦ball in the air, summoning Riolu. The two protectors of justice also enter battle postures. Both sides stand still, waiting for the other to start the battle. A few seconds pass by, and both hero and villain shout their commands at the same time.

    "Sneasel! Quick Attack!"

    "Use Force Palm, Riolu!"

    Sneasel snaked towards Riolu in a dark blue blur. The blue jackal tried to track the Dark type''s trajectory but her blinding speed was too much. In a flash, Sneasel punched Riolu''s sides with the blunt ends of her claws. Riolu grimaced at the pain, he scowled at her and began to charge up Force Palm. Sneasel instinctually backed away out of fear of the super-effective move but Riolu ran towards her and swung his arm forward to her che-

    "Cut!"

    Riolu halted, his Force Palm dissipated as he limped his arm down. Ripley sighed in relief, falling to the floor. With the arm he used for Force Palm, he held it towards the sneasel. Ripley grabbed his hand and stood back up.

    "Alright! We''re doing the warehouse scene next! Move all the equipment and we''ll proceed from there!"

    "Ripley, are you alright?" Audrey asked.

    "Snea, Sneasel," She nodded and pointed at Riolu, who was pretending to write on his paw.

    "Right! I''ll go get your whiteboard!"

    When she returned, Riolu scribbled his response.

    *She said her legs gave away after I stopped using Force Palm.*

    "Well, she''s right to be a little afraid. What you did to her during the first scene would''ve scarred me."

    "Riolu," Brycen addressed. "Now would be a good time to discuss your ability."

    "Should I go? This might be a bit private for you..."

    "Ri, Riolu," Riolu waved his paw, signaling not to.

    "Seems like he''s ok with you listening in. Let''s go sit down first, it looks like it''s going to take a while to set up the equipment inside the warehouse."

    Audrey could hear the film crew setting up the warehouse scene from where she was standing. Some of them were moving cameras, light stands, and other props through the doorway. Audrey looked back at Brycen and nodded, following him to a group of directors'' chairs.

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    ~I kinda wish this chair had "Harper" written on it instead of "Riolu", but I can''t really do anything about that...~

    |[Elation]|

    "Woah! They have our names on them!" Audrey gazed at the chair with her printed name on it. She sat down and turned backward to continue admiring her name.

    "Is that one mine?" Ripley pointed a claw at the chair next to Audrey''s.

    "Yup," Harper answered. "It''s got your name on it as well."

    Ripley hopped up onto her seat and sat down. After forcefully leaning on the chair''s back, it began to tilt backward. Audrey swiftly grabbed the top of the chair and broke Ripley''s fall, the Sneasel awkwardly smiled at her trainer.

    "You''re welcome," Audrey stood Ripley''s chair back up.

    "It''s standard for someone with a major position in the film''s production to have their own chair like this." Brycen sat down carefully so as not to crumple his trenchcoat. "Now, Riolu, tell me what''s been going on so far about your ability."

    *I started to intensely feel emotions when I heard Audrey falling in the first scene.*

    "Oh Arceus," Audrey blushed and put her hands on her face. "I''m still so sorry about that. I messed up my very first time acting, I don''t know what to say."

    "Don''t be sorry, Audrey. It was the harness that caused it, not you." Brycen emphasized. He turned to Riolu. "Continue."

    *Before all this, I felt emotions for brief moments around me but they were so weak I thought it was just how I felt.*

    *After Audrey''s fall though, I''ve been feeling the emotions of everyone close to me like you guys.*

    "Close to you in a literal sense, like a few feet in front of you?" Audrey spoke out.

    Harper shook his head.

    "Close to people like us?"

    Harper nodded.

    "That''s odd," Brycen closed his eyes as he rubbed his chin. "I''ve never heard of a riolu sense like that before..."

    Harper waited for Brycen to continue talking, anxiously looking at the others as the former gym leader sat in deep thought. Emotions from Brycen suddenly spiked, causing a brief tingle in Harper''s feelers.

    |[Unease]|

    |[Concern]|

    |[Worry]|

    This did not feel good.

    A few seconds passed, and Audrey gathered up the courage to slowly reach over Brycen''s shoulder. Right as she stretched her index finger to tap, he opened his eyes and turned to her, causing Audrey to freeze in place.

    Brycen looked at her, and then her finger. "What are you doing?"

    "N-nothing," Audrey blushed, quickly leaning back to her seat. Brycen adjusted his chair to face Harper and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

    "I may have a reason why your ability as a riolu to feel others'' emotions has finally occurred now, but I need an explanation from you first."

    Harper raised an eyebrow.

    "I feel like enough time has passed where I can safely ask," Brycen''s face shifted into a stern look. "If you know why, tell me the cause of your reaction back when we watched ''Riolu-Kid'' in the van."

    How was Harper supposed to answer that question? Whatever answer he could come up with would surely expose his true identity. He still couldn''t trust Brycen completely even if he had been helpful to him so far. Even though the ex-gym leader retired from his position, he still had influence in Unova''s Pok¨¦mon League. If he found out the truth, Harper would likely be sent away. On top of that, Harper couldn''t just tell Brycen that he was still traumatized from the movie set explosion. The way it cooked his flesh, the pieces of metal lodged in his body, the shockwave bursting his eardrums, how th-

    "Riolu, are you ok?"

    Harper looked up at Brycen, realizing his paws were trembling again. Audrey and Ripley were behind Brycen, looking confused and worried over his shoulder. He shook his paws awake and grabbed his marker, trying to ignore the burning sensation on his skin.

    *I don''t know.*

    "Hmm, this might be a bit tough to figure out then. Your curious lack of moves when I first met you made sense after Beartic charaded it to me," Brycen pointed at his head and then made an "x" shape with his index fingers. It was oddly similar to how Harper tried to communicate with Nate before he began writing. Brycen put his arms down and held his hands together, looking Harper deep in the eyes. "Riolu, do you have PTSD?"

    Harper pointed at his whiteboard again. *I don''t know why I do, but I do.*

    "I see, now I have a conclusive idea about your condition. Whatever injured you before our first meeting is likely the cause. Something is limiting your full potential as the emanation pok¨¦mon."

    *It''s supposed to be stronger?*

    "With effort, you should be able to be selective of who you want to read, not just those you are close to."

    *How do I train that?*

    "Patience, meditation, training. You will get better as time passes but you must be willing to commit to it."

    Harper nodded. He was more than eager to stop invading the privacy of how someone felt.

    "Seems like our conversation is coming to an end," Brycen said as a crew member approached them.

    "We''re ready for the next part," The man said.

    "Good," Brycen stood up from his seat. "Let''s finish this scene."

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    "Do you have to hit me with an actual Force Palm?" Ripley asked, looking at Harper and the warehouse door with dread. The entire film crew was waiting inside the warehouse as the stars of the movie stood outside, waiting for the director to start filming.

    "Takashi''s words," Harper charged his paw with Force Palm, shifting his posture. "He wants a real move to launch you through the door, sorry about this,"

    Ripley tensed up her muscles, preparing for the hit. "You owe me. How about you eat a sweet poffin with me? I still don''t believe you like them."

    "Like I said, I tried them before. I hate sweet food."

    "I need to see it to believe it."

    "Fine," Harper groaned. "Just one."

    "Two," Ripley raised her two claws.

    "No."

    "I''ll make it three then," She raised another claw on her other paw.

    "Fine, two."

    From within the warehouse, Harper and Ripley heard Takashi''s words muffled through the door.

    "Action!"

    "Now or never, Riolu."

    Harper rushed at the sneasel and angled his attack, launching her through the center of the door.

    "Don''t stop there!" Mecha Cop shouted. "Follow Sneasel and keep attacking!"

    Harper jumped through the sneasel-sized hole and closed the distance between the two.

    "Why are you surrendering in this manner?!" Harper shouted. "If the Sneasel Ninja wanted to turn herself in she would''ve done so already!"

    Ripley stood back up amongst the scattered splinters of wood. "Like the greats before us, you gotta end with a..." She formed multiple Icicle Spears and sent it flying in his direction. "...BANG!"

    Harper dodged the large icy needles one by one, each crystal piercing the ground where he was previously. As he dodged Ripley''s continuous stream of Icicle Spears, Mecha Cop and the Sneasel Ninja kicked open the warehouse doors at the same time. The hero stood on the left side and the villain on the right. They rushed to their pok¨¦mon''s side and shouted their command simultaneously.

    "Fall back!" Mecha Cop and the Sneasel Ninja shouted together.

    They stopped fighting and turned their heads to their trainers, jumping to their side, awaiting their next order.

    "Up until today, I was trapped in a mechanical framework of justice," Mecha Cop tapped the side of his head. "You''ve woken me up, Sneasel Ninja..."

    "What do you mean by that?"

    "The moment I labeled someone as a criminal, I didn''t see you as what you were, a human. I respect you and your request but you remain a thief. I cannot forgive your crimes... But if you pay for your crimes and redeem yourself, then..."

    "Say no more!" The Sneasel Ninja grinned. "Sneasel! Us¡ª"

    A cluster of footsteps rumbled in the distance and in an instant, a horde of riot police officers entered the warehouse and surrounded the two trainers and pok¨¦mon.

    "Mecha Cop!" An officer shouted through his helmet and behind a riot shield. "We''re here to catch the Sneasel Ninja at once!"

    "Stop!" Mecha Cop turned away from the Sneasel Ninja and waved his hands at the new visitants. "Even when facing a villain, it''s not fair to interrupt a one-on-one pok¨¦mon battle! For shame!"

    Every member of the Riot Police murmured to one another and then looked down to the floor in shame. The Sneasel Ninja looked around the circle of shields and smirked.

    "Everybody wants a free pass to get away with unfair things like that. After all, what you call justice is..." The Sneasel Ninja pauses. "Obsolete."

    "That''s not true! Whenever, wherever, and whoever makes the effort to do the right thing-he or she can be a champion of justice! You know what, Sneasel Ninja? You''re no exception yourself."

    "How old-fashioned of you to think that way."

    "Then let this mindset of mine defeat you, Sneasel Ninja!"

    "Cut! That was great!" Takashi jumped out of his chair and clapped his hands together, urging everyone to move. "Let''s get back outside now, quickly! I want the emotions of this scene to stay strong after we finish moving everything! Don''t let the flame die out!"

    As Takashi demanded, the film crew moved all their gear back to the city streets, this time much faster than when they moved everything in.

    "This is the part where we pretend to fight a bit more, right?" Ripley asked.

    "Yeah, Takashi said that the sound design team is going to add some sound effects during editing since he wants some of our battle to occur offscreen for the camera angle. After he says cut, we wait a moment and then you launch me back out to the street."

    "Now that is something I''m going to enjoy," Ripley grinned ear to ear, charging up Ice Punch.

    "Since you''re hitting me back, that counts as payback, right?"

    "Nope," Ripley turned her Ice Punch-charged fist forward and backward, admiring the glistening frost encasing it. "Ice energy isn''t that effective on you so it doesn''t count. Oh wait, I should add another two poffins for that final move you''re gonna use on me."

    "Wait that''s not fai¡ª"

    "Action!"

    Harper turned to the warehouse door where Takashi''s voice came from and slowly turned back to Ripley. His eyes met with a wicked glance. He could swear that he heard her snicker as she dashed in and punched him in the face.

    Harper flew out the warehouse door and fell onto the street asphalt. Ripley ran out shortly after with Mecha Cop and the Sneasel Ninja soon after.

    "Riolu! Get closer with Quick Attack and hit Sneasel''s legs with Low Sweep!"

    Harper sprinted with speed faster than the eye could catch, stopping next to Ripley and swinging his stretched leg into Ripley''s. She fell to the ground, almost faceplanting herself by interrupting her fall with her claws.

    "Sneasel! Take his Riolu down with Dark Pulse!"

    With her body oddly still, Ripley turned her head at Harper and opened her mouth. Dark Pulse charged up and was blasted from her maw, multiple black orbs of energy with a purple outline flew towards Harper. One orb connects and explodes in a haze of darkness, the rest follow soon after, colliding with every part of his body. Harper stood as the dark fog dispersed, standing strong with a body block protecting his face.

    "What?!" The Sneasel Ninja exclaimed. "He used Endure without your command?!"

    "This is it! Use Focus Punch!"

    Harper bent his knees and clenched his paw as his other paw grasped over it as he did during training. As he took a deep breath, the Sneasel Ninja''s face turned into desperation.

    "W-what are you doing?!" The Sneasel Ninja sputtered. "Use Triple Axel on Riolu before he charges up the move!"

    Ripley dashes and jumps forward with her leg, her foot frigid with Ice TE. Harper ignored the rapidly approaching Sneasel and continued to focus on his move.

    "You made a fatal mistake, Sneasel Ninja!" Mecha Cop declared. "This victory is mine!"

    "Thanks, Sneasel," Harper grinned. "Now I can attack without approaching you."

    "Oh n¡ª"

    Harper sidestepped, feeling the air chill as Ripley missed. He threw his fist over her leg and struck Ripley''s face, causing her to fall to the ground like a sack of bricks. Silence hung in the air, only broken by the Sneasel Ninja sighing and summoning her back into her pok¨¦ball. After pocketing the pok¨¦ball, she raised her hands in the air in defeat.

    "I guess that''s that," The Sneasel Ninja shrugged. "Maybe you were right, Mecha Cop. This justice of yours is what I should truly look for."

    After recalling Harper back into his pok¨¦ball, Mecha Cop opened an arm compartment and unhooked the handcuffs from his launcher, latching them on the Sneasel Ninja''s wrists.

    "Mission accomplished," Mecha Cop led the Sneasel Ninja to a police car. "Now, Sneasel Ninja, it''s time for you to pay for your crimes. Ready to turn over a new leaf?"

    "Thanks..." The Sneasel Ninja gave a genuine smile.

    "Now zoom the camera angle out... keep going... and... Cut!"

    Harper and Ripley were released back out after Takashi ended the scene. Audrey left and guided the set medic back to the sneasel with a potion and some berries in hand. As the medic applied medication on Ripley''s cheek, she grabbed some berries from Audrey and handed an oran to Harper.

    "Here," Ripley shook the berry in front of his face and smirked. "This is your favorite, right?"

    "Far from it, but thanks."

    Takashi walked up behind the group, clapping his hands. "You guys did great!"

    "Thank you, Mr. Pok¨¦mi," Brycen looked at Takashi''s face and raised an eyebrow. "I know that expression, Mr. Pok¨¦mi. Was there something wrong?"

    "No, no no," Takashi waved his hands in denial. "This film session was perfect but we can make it perfecter! Give it more pop!"

    "Are you implying we do a reshoot?"

    Takashi nodded.

    "Mr. Pok¨¦mi? Which part are we redoing?" Audrey pointed at the rooftop, the street, and the warehouse in succession. "Not the entire battle again, right?"

    "Oh, definitely not. The battle from beginning to end was amazing!" Harper noticed Ripley sighing with relief at the director''s words. "I just want to improve the delivery of some of the lines," Takashi said as he waved his hands, signaling them to follow him. "Watch the dailies and you''ll see what I mean."

    "Dailies?" Audrey looked at Harper.

    *It''s the raw footage of a shoot. They''re usually seen the day after filming but they''re sometimes watched soon after.*

    Takashi led the group over to the small television screen that was installed on the set''s largest camera. After some fiddling with the controls, he brought up the scene when the riot police charged in.

    "Everything up to here was great but take a look here," Takashi sped up the recording and paused, Audrey was within frame. "When you''re talking with Mecha Cop here, give a more smug attitude. Brycen, I know your character is part robot, but give your dialogue more humanity. This is the final scene and Mecha Cop has come to terms with his motives. And as for you two," Takashi pointed at Harper and Ripley. "Try to look more in character while your trainers talk to each other. Give dirty looks, react alongside your trainer, and stuff like that, ok?"

    Everyone nodded.

    "Great! Let''s continue filming!"

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    The remainder of the day was composed of reshoots of every scene where the main characters spoke to each other. When Harper thought it was over, Takashi subverted his expectations by demanding that they also reshoot the scenes earlier in the morning. As he was the director and the sun hadn''t set yet, no one denied his request. His method of filming was odd, first filming a rough outline and then refining it with more retakes.

    It was an exhausting day, similar to how Harper''s old work life was when he was still a Key Grip. Despite the similarity, the demanding nature of acting filled him with gratification.

    He was finally in front of the camera.

    He was the one being filmed, not the one doing the filming.

    Takashi tapped his megaphone and ended the day with four words. "That''s a wrap, everyone!"

    The entire film crew applauded, pleased with the success of their day''s work. Everyone eagerly began to pack up the movie set, ready to go home as soon as they were done. Harper tugged Audrey''s costume.

    Audrey looked down. "Hey, Riolu. What do you want?"

    *We should ask him about the beach scene before he leaves.* Harper pointed at Takashi.

    Audrey nodded and made her way to Takashi. "Mr. Pok¨¦mi? Riolu and I have a question to ask."

    Takashi turned around. "And what would that be?"

    "For the beach scene, are we going to a real beach?"

    "I''ve been meaning to tell you later during production, but yes! Pok¨¦star has been planning a filming session for that very scene at a real location."

    "Is it Undella Town?"

    "We''ll be recording at Undella Town and Humilau City," Harper felt a jolt of excitement from Audrey and Ripley. "Since it''s the most demanding scene in terms of preparation and equipment, we''ll be filming it last. In the meantime, we''ll be doing the other scenes like we''ve done so far over the coming days, we just need to wait for Amie to come back."

    "Amie?"

    "She was the one who had the role of Mecha Cop''s little sister, Pollyanna, before our financial crisis. Amie quit due to personal reasons at the time but was willing to come back if we contacted her agent when things were stable."

    *So is Amie here now?*

    "Right now, no. You remember Juliet, right? Well, she contacted Amie''s agent after the release of ''Riolu-Kid'' and they responded that they were on their way here. We haven''t heard from them since so we might have to wait a few days before we film the apartment scene."

    *So what''s the plan in the meantime?*

    "Other than the beach battle, I''m hoping to film the remaining scenes in succession assuming that Amie arrives in time. I''ll make sure that someone notifies all of you with call sheets the day before filming."

    "This seems like the perfect time to continue training, Riolu," Brycen joined the conversation. "Beartic and I will be training your moves further. I will also help focus your empath skills."

    Harper nodded.

    "Well, it seems like you''re all prepared for what''s to come now. I''ll be taking my leave now, thanks for all your hard work today!" Takashi waved goodbye as he left the set.

    "So we are going to Undella!" Audrey resounded. "And Humilau as well! I get to see two of Unova''s famous beaches!"

    *Humilau?* Harper wrote. He had never heard of that city before in the first version of Black and White. Was it a new location in the sequel? He''ll never know, he never played much of the second game.

    "Humilau City is far up in the northeastern part of Unova," Audrey broadly pointed in the direction where it was. "Both cities are vacation spots but people usually go to Undella to relax and Humilau to have fun, and we get to go to both!"

    "Audrey..." Brycen interrupted. "We''re going there to film, it''s not for a vacation."

    "Right..." she slumped her shoulder but quickly perked back up. "But at least I get to see it!"

    "You are right in that regard, I never had the time to visit Undella," Brycen commented. "In any case, as much as I would like to make small talk, I have a riolu to prepare for our battle on the beach. We''ll start training in 15 minutes, ok?"

    Harper raised a thumbs up. He didn''t want to make any more mistakes on set and his previous training session with Brycen didn''t fail him. He''ll never figure out a pok¨¦mon move by himself ever again. This was another step forward towards his goal as a true actor.

 Scene 2 - Take 5: Literate Reporting and Grateful Supporting

    "...and that," Cheren dotted the last period of the sentence on the blackboard. "Is the reason why Fairy-types are dominant over Dragon-types, any questions?"

    One student raised their hand. "How come we''re learning about this? My older brother never learned about Fairy-types when he was in school."

    "Well, that''s because the recognition of Fairy pok¨¦mon as their own type is a fairly recent phenomenon. Pok¨¦mon Researchers in the Kalos region have decided to add the Fairy-type to their respective League''s statute of pok¨¦mon types a couple years ago. While the Unova League is deciding themselves, it is paramount that you learn the strengths and weaknesses of Fairy-type pok¨¦mon regardless of our League''s conclusion on the matter to give you," Cheren pointed at the student with his chalk. "An advantage over trainers such as your brother when the time comes."

    The school bell rang, alerting everyone in the school building that class was momentarily over. "Seems like it''s lunchtime now," Cheren shut the textbook titled ''Pok¨¦mon Types and Its Determining Factors,'' With one hand. "We''ll continue this lesson after lunch and I''ll talk about everyone''s project on pok¨¦mon abilities, ok? I also have all your tests graded and there''s a few people I wish to talk with after school."

    The class collectively groaned in acknowledgment as they grabbed their lunches and shuffled out of the classroom. Cheren held the door open as he greeted his students goodbye, each one responding half-spirited.

    With Cheren as the last one in the room, he sighed, readjusting his loose tie. Even though it was lunchtime, he still had business to attend to. He sat back down at his desk and slid his computer closer to his desk to join a group call with all the gym leaders. Roxie, Virbank''s gym leader, requested a group call of all the gym leaders earlier in the morning. The Poison-type gym leader mentioned in her text that she wanted to talk about the rise in Team Plasma activity, or as she described it, Neo Team Plasma.

    It had been about two years since Team Plasma''s attack on all of Unova. They had attacked after he defeated the final Elite Four, Grimsley. To Cheren, the entire incident still felt like a fever dream. Team Plasma''s plan to take over all of Unova by attacking the League and all its major cities would have succeeded had it not been for Hilbert''s battle against N and Ghetsis. The villain organization fell quickly after their defeat but their recent resurgence has been concerning. Hopefully, the news that Roxie was about to discuss would quell his concern.

    Clicking the join link, his computer screen pulled up to a multitude of familiar faces, young and old. Many of them were trainers Cheren had battled against during his journey with his friends. Some of them were colleagues that he had never met in person before. From the surfer, Marlon, who was waxing his surfboard, to the rock star, Roxie, the reason for this group call.

    Even the retired gym leader, Brycen, who was sipping a cup of tea, joined the meeting. His reputation during his career and his contribution to the battle against Team Plasma in the Unova League was more than enough to request his presence in each call. Judging by how everyone else was already here, Cheren was the last to join.

    "Ah, Cheren''s finally here," Clay grinned, puffing billows of smoke from his cigar.

    "Sorry for being late, I can''t change when lunch starts for Trainer School," Cheren readjusted his chair to show his upper body in the camera.

    "Hmph," It looked like Clay shrugged but it was hard to see through the cigar''s fumes. "Can we finish this soon? I got a lot of work to do down in the mines."

    "Then let''s start posthaste. Roxie? You''re the reason why we''re all here." Drayden addressed.

    "I do," The Poison-type gym leader started. "It''s both good and bad news. Those Team Neo Plasma goons that Virbank police and I tried to catch got away. They fled deep into Route 20 but luckily, they ran into Alder."

    "What''s the bad news, then?" Skyla chimed in. "It sounds like it all ended well."

    "The bad news is that the Neo Plasma bastards contacted their friends by Xtransciever while running away. Their texts said to be more cautious around any League officials. Their activity hasn''t been slowing down. In fact, I''m concerned that they''re going to be conducting their attacks even more than before."

    Clay puffed another cloud of smoke from his mouth. "If they''re tryin'' to be more careful, then so should we when we try to catch ''em. Easy as, right? Great, I''ll be headin'' out. I have an entirely new cave system that the boys and I need to mine out."

    "Clay, take this seriously," Elisa chided.

    "I am serious and that''s my solution. I''ll tell the Driftveil police to be on a stricter lookout, see y''all next call," Clay left as soon as he uttered the last word, all of the gym leaders gave a collective sign, it was the norm for Clay to leave sooner than everyone else.

    "Clay''s right, we should try to be more discreet," Drayden declared. "Send the word out to all your gym trainers and the local police in each city. Team Neo Plasma is definitely not going to stop with their tomfoolery."

    "You know, I have something interesting to mention," Brycen raised his hand. "And it relates to Roxie''s incident with Team Neo Plasma."

    "How?" Roxie raised an eyebrow.

    "My riolu fought alongside you, did it not?"

    "Riolu?" Roxie repeated. "Wait, that riolu wasn''t Nate''s?"

    Nate? Cheren was familiar with that name, he had heard it a while back. After some quick thinking, he remembered it was the trainer who also lived in Aspertia City and who demanded a badge from him. The battle was a tough one, Nate''s Snivy and Mareep were on a level playing field with his No-Badge team. Unlike other trainers who battled him, Nate came with a team with no type advantage to Normal-type. He had seen trainers try to win by having a full Fighting-type team but their arrogance was their undoing. Strategy, not brute force, was the key to winning battles, and Nate proved it.

    "Indeed, it was my riolu," Brycen responded. "Nate and Riolu were spending their last day together when they helped you in your battle. Riolu is under my wing now and he''s much more interesting than I originally thought."

    "So he''s the same one from that movie you did!" Elisa shouted excitedly. "I remember watching it and he was absolutely radiant the entire time! Brycen, I''m always willing to have a pok¨¦mon actor on my catwalk, they already know how to handle the spotlight."

    Brycen shook his head. "He won''t be trying fashion, Elisa. I don''t want his potential wasted as a runway model."

    Elisa pouted, crossing her arms as she mumbled to herself. "I''ll ask again next time then, I''ll get a pok¨¦mon actor on my catwalk one day."

    Brycen ignored the dissatisfied fashion model and continued talking. "As for his skills, Riolu is faring well here in Pok¨¦star Studios. One detail that intrigued me about this pok¨¦mon was that he didn''t know any moves when I first met him."

    "Was he a newborn?" Skyla wondered. "He can''t be though, pok¨¦mon know basic moves soon after hatching."

    "Ahem, I wasn''t done yet," Brycen cleared his throat. "Riolu quickly got his moves back after some guidance but that was one curiosity. The biggest element here is that Riolu can read and write."

    Cheren''s eyes grew wide, still trying to comprehend the former gym leader''s words. The other gym leaders had the same expression on their faces. Brycen continued to talk through the deafening silence of the gym leaders frozen in their seats.

    "He''s an interesting pok¨¦mon. I would like to show him to all of you but he''s training with my Beartic at the moment," Brycen looked away from his camera and out his window. "Seems like they''re doing well so far. I intend to continue training him personally after this session ends."

    "Brycen, this is big news for understanding pok¨¦mon as we know it," Cheren leaned into his computer. "How proficient is this Riolu?"

    "If he could speak Unovan, it''d be as perfect as how we communicate. I recently learned from him that he has retrograde amnesia. His memory loss doesn''t explain the ''humanness'' he has though, and when I communicate with him it feels like I''m talking to an adult instead of a child¡­" Brycen trailed off the last sentence, pausing for a few seconds before looking back at his camera. "Pardon me for rambling. To summarize, Riolu is literate and he has helped quite a lot in our production for our next movie."

    This was groundbreaking, Cheren''s brain began to process the information like clockwork. It sounded ridiculous, a pok¨¦mon as intelligent as him using those skills in acting. Maybe Brycen understood something about the Fighting-type pok¨¦mon that he didn''t.

    "Brycen, I have a few more que¡ª"

    "Since this was bound to be known to the public eventually, I wanted to let my colleagues know first. I also want to request that I do not in any circumstances want Riolu to be distracted by anything outside of Pok¨¦star such as being used for research," Brycen coldly ended the sentence as he stared into the camera causing Cheren to flinch. Did he know that he wanted Riolu to be researched?

    "Sorry, everyone," Brycen stood up from his seat and looked out the window again. "it seems that my Beartic is demanding assistance. It looks like his paw is frozen... hmph, seems like Riolu is at fault. Since I also have some business to attend to with an apartment scene shortly, I''ll be taking my leave."

    Before Cheren could ask any more questions, the veteran actor disconnected, leaving the other gym leaders in silence.

    "You guys think he was joking?" Burgh quipped. "Because I would like to believe so."

    Drayden leaned back on his leather recliner, stroking his sharp beard. "I''ve known Brycen for all these years and he has never said anything this insane before..."

    "I always wondered why Riolu had that whiteboard before we fought those grunts," Roxie mumbled.

    "C-can we change the subject, please?" Skyla interrupted the group''s external thoughts. "All of this is overwhelming enough so we can ask Brycen another time. Is there anything else we can talk about?"

    "Uh, sure," Marlon finished waxing his surfboard, leaning it on a wall and sitting back down. "Things in Humilau are looking good. The Marine Tube connecting to Undella Town finished construction recently, so we can..."

    Cheren drowned out the voices speaking in the call, the information bombshell that Brycen dropped still clung to his psyche. Brycen had an extraordinary pok¨¦mon in his team and is using him for movies? An idea sprung up in Cheren''s head, there was a way to figure this riolu out without taking him away to study. It''d take some effort but his plan would work perfectly, it would be seamless with Pok¨¦star''s movie production and Brycen wouldn''t question a thing. Cheren waited for the Water-type gym leader to finish talking to cut in the conversation.

    "Sorry, everyone. There''s a teacher that wants to discuss their next lesson with me." Cheren quickly disconnected from the call and rummaged through his desk, pulling out desk drawers and searching through each compartment. "I swear I left it here earlier today... there it is."

    Cheren grabbed his Xtransceiver from behind a folder filled with his students'' graded tests that he planned to return after lunch. He dropped the folder on his desk and dialed his friend. Within seconds, a cheerful girl with blonde hair appeared on the screen, the background looked like the laboratory she usually resided in.

    "Hello? Professor Juniper''s assistant, Bianca here."

    "It''s me," Cheren deadpanned. He didn''t even know why Bianca started with that every time. She wasn''t calling from a telephone, she only needed to look at her screen to see who it was.

    "Hey Cheren!" Her cheery voice rang through his watch. "How are you? Why''d you suddenly call? Did you miss me?" Bianca continued to ask questions making Cheren unable to interject with the reason why he called in the first place.

    "I''m not calling to make small talk," Cheren stated when Bianca briefly stopped talking like catching her breath. "There''s something I want to ask."

    "You? Asking me a question?" She jested. "I thought you were the teacher?"

    "It''s not an academic question. I want to know if there''s any association made between Professor Juniper''s Research Team and Pok¨¦star Studios."

    "Wait, what?" Bianca paused in confusion, taking a moment to process the question. "What kind of question is that? Pok¨¦mon research and entertainment are two completely different things. Like, why send a professor to a movie set?"

    "Do I have a reason for you, Bianca."

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    "...cut!" Mr. Pok¨¦mi motioned. "That''s the one!"

    Audrey sighed with relief, she had spent the entire morning and early afternoon filming herself sneaking through a prison set over and over again. If she had to creep over the same brick walls one more time she would''ve lost her mind. It didn''t help that Mr. Pok¨¦mi kept halting recording since he wanted her to be sneakier. Despite finding the repeated advice annoying, Audrey followed it because he was the director, and she was there to make his vision come alive.

    "I''ve received word that Amie is doing her makeup!" A film crew member announced through the bustling set. "Let''s set up the next scene right now!"

    Earlier this week, Mr. Pok¨¦mi notified the entire staff that Amie would be coming later today, and production would be dependent on her arrival time. Seeing as Amie was doing her makeup right now, it seemed like this filming session was going to be much longer than Audrey had originally thought. She didn''t know how to feel about a female lead who was more skillful in acting than her. Thankfully, knowing that Brycen ¡ª a veteran actor with twice or thrice as much experience ¡ª welcomed her with open arms soothed Audrey''s nervousness.

    She headed towards her designated seat and allowed Ripley to come out of her ball. Ripley pulled her chair towards Audrey and sat down, wanting to be closer to her trainer. The Pok¨¦mon Coordinator smiled as she scratched the back of the sneasel''s red ear feather. This prison-break scene was definitely the most boring to act since she wasn''t with Ripley or battling against Riolu. Since the Fighting-type was spending the majority of his free time training with Brycen, the past couple of days have been pretty dull. Hopefully, the next scene would satisfy her need to show off because the scene she spent the last couple of hours on did not help in the slightest.

    "I''m here, everyone!" Audrey shifted her gaze to the entrance of the soundstage and witnessed a woman with blue hair, who seemed to be around her age, burst through the door. A sewaddle clung onto her shoulder, munching on a large leaf. The woman''s eyes wandered the set, looking for someone through the crowd of film crew members.

    "Amie!" Mr. Pok¨¦mi extended his hand forward to her. "It''s great to see you and your pok¨¦mon again!"

    Amie shook the director''s hand. "It''s great to see you too, Takashi. I spent a while in makeup, I''m not late, am I?"

    "Not at all! You came at the perfect time! We were just setting up the battle scene that you''ll be acting in with Audrey!"

    "Audrey? Is she the new Sneasel Ninja?"

    "Indeed, and she''s right over there!" Mr. Pok¨¦mi waved his hand towards the actress. Suddenly being in the conversation, Audrey gave a small wave to the two. "The two of you should acquaint yourselves! Now if you''ll excuse me, I must prepare the next scene with the others," Mr. Pok¨¦mi bid farewell and departed, leaving the two actresses to converse with other staff members. Amie approached Audrey and picked up a chair, sitting beside her. Sewaddle climbed off her shoulder and made its way towards Ripley.

    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    "So," She asserted. "You''re the new person they hired for the Sneasel Ninja."

    "Yeah, I am."

    "And how are things for you so far? A new actress like yourself must be having difficulty here."

    "I''m actually doing better than I thought I would thanks to Brycen and especially Riolu. He''s helped me a lot with how moviemaking works."

    "The same Riolu that replaced the Heracross partner for Mecha Cop? He guided you around?"

    Audrey nodded.

    "Odd... but at the same time it makes sense. He''s Brycen''s pok¨¦mon after all, and Brycen is a veteran here. Speaking of..." Amie turned her head from side to side. "Where are they right now?"

    "Brycen isn''t here for filming today since he and Riolu already acted in the prison break analysis scene yesterday. He also said that he needed to join some call in the afternoon so he''ll be here eventually."

    She looked over at Ripley, who was playing around with Sewaddle''s leaf hood as the Bug-Type was playing with her ear feather. The two pok¨¦mon seemed to have quickly become friends in such a short timeframe.

    "So that''s your sewaddle for the fight sequence?"

    "Yup, we''ve been together for a long time," Amie smiled at Sewaddle, the Bug-type looked over and beamed back. "We''ve been side characters for movies since the very beginning and the role of Pollyanna suited us perfectly because Takashi wanted a pok¨¦mon partner that seemed weak but was a powerhouse in disguise. I didn''t like the backhanded compliment at first but now it''s something funny to look back on."

    "Does your Sewaddle have a name?"

    "Never needed one, you don''t see a lot of Sewaddles where I live. The script never mentioned if your Sneasel had a name, did it?"

    Audrey shook her head. "Nope, and her name''s Ripley."

    "So you''re the kind of person who names their pok¨¦mon."

    "What''s that supposed to mean?"

    "Just making an observation."

    Audrey and Amie sat in silence as they looked at the film crew reorganizing equipment and changing the set. What used to be prison grounds was now an ordinary apartment living room complete with a sofa, coffee table, and a plasma TV. Audrey took out her script and reviewed it like she always did, observing the set with what happened in each line as she read.

    "Why''re you reading the script? You forget your lines?" Amie joked.

    "N-no! I like reading it when I have free time," Audrey hurriedly stuffed her script away in a folder.

    "I''m messing with you, Audrey. Actors are usually full of ego and think they have their lines memorized in one reading. Looking at you reading like that, it''s like you''re doing this for fun."

    Audrey sat still.

    "Wait, you''re really doing this for fun?"

    "Well, sorta. I was a Pok¨¦mon Coordinator before I left Sinnoh. Since Unova didn''t have contests like back home, getting a main role for this film was the next best thing."

    "So if there were contests in Unova, you''d prefer to do them instead?"

    "Definitely, but I won''t forget everyone here for the opportunity they gave me."

    "What are Pok¨¦mon Contests like to a competitor like you?

    "It''s the most exhilarating thing ever! I especially love it when the other competitors and their pok¨¦mon have their jaws wide open when I use my signature move to impress the judges. I have Ripley freeze the ground with... well... ice... and we both slide on it!" Audrey held an imaginary sneasel above her head. "While we''re on the ice, I hold her in the air and she uses a really weak version of Blizzard so it instead creates snowflakes in the entire contest hall. Letting everyone in the crowd enjoy the snow always impresses the judges."

    "You''re very passionate about this. Why''d you leave it all behind?"

    "It''s because of my dad, he''s the new manager for the Haxorus Hoopsters, do you know them?"

    "The Haxorus Hoopsters? I think I heard of them when I was in Nimbasa at the... what was it called again?"

    "The Nimbasa Small Court."

    "That''s the one," Amie snapped her fingers and pointed at Audrey. "So you had to move because of your parents? Why not tell them that you wanted to stay in Sinnoh?"

    "Because I found out about the Musical Theater''s rules after we finished settling down and now I can''t move back because my family''s staying here and they don''t want me to leave Unova and now I''m here acting for a movie and I don''t know if I''ll ever get to compete ever again an-"

    "Woah, easy now," Amie patted her back. "Seems like you''ve had a lot of stress."

    "Arceus, I''m so sorry," Audrey tilted her head down and hid her face in embarrassment, realizing that she spilled out her contained emotions in front of someone she just met recently... again. This was the second time she had done this, the first time being Riolu, but this somehow felt worse and she didn''t know why. Was it because he was a pok¨¦mon and Amie was a human? Did that make a difference? Now she was feeling worse for making the comparison at all. With her peripheral vision, she saw Amie awkwardly scratch her cheek, somewhat unsure how to comfort her. A few minutes of silence later, she spoke up again.

    "You know, I''ve never seen a Coordinator become an actor with their pok¨¦mon in Pok¨¦star Studios before."

    "Really?" Audrey uncovered her face and glanced up at Amie.

    "Yup, you''re already aware of how there''s no Pok¨¦mon Contests here in Unova so of course someone with talent like yours would be hired here," Before Amie could continue talking with the blushing Audrey, she looked over her shoulder to see the exit doors open wide. "Oh, hey look! They''re here!"

    Brycen and Riolu entered the soundstage, this time not in their costumes. Brycen was in his iconic half-worn blue kimono and Riolu''s fur looked ruffled, likely from the training he was undertaking. Ripley hopped off her seat and ran to Riolu, Sewaddle still hanging onto her head. As the three pok¨¦mon talked with each other, Brycen walked up to Audrey and Amie.

    "Amie, long time no see."

    "Same to you, Brycen."

    "And how has your moment away from acting been?"

    "Great, I needed the time to get away from it all, I found a job as a model in Nimbasa while I was away and I think I''m going to stick with that. This is going to be my last film here."

    "While it''s sad to hear that you will be ending your acting career, I am happy to hear that you have found a better calling," Brycen looked at Audrey and Amie''s chairs and how they were situated next to each other. "Have you both already gotten to know each other?"

    "Y-yeah," Audrey answered "She''s a bit judgy..." Amie gave an amused gasp, putting her hand on her chest in phony shock "...But she''s nice. I also didn''t know that this was going to be her last movie."

    "That''s because I didn''t tell anyone else until now," Amie replied. "I''m going to tell Mr. Pok¨¦mi and Pok¨¦star that I''m done for good."

    "Make the most of your last day in Pok¨¦star Studios and enjoy it to the fullest," Brycen imparted before turning to Riolu. "Let''s go, Riolu. We don''t want to distract them too much from their upcoming film session."

    Riolu''s ears perked up and swiveled in Brycen''s direction. He waved goodbye to Ripley and Sewaddle and walked alongside the actor to the other side of the sound stage.

    "That Riolu''s pretty cute with that whiteboard," Amie pointed at the little jackal. "Does he like drawing or something?"

    "Well, not really. He actually wr¡ª"

    "Everyone get to your places! We''re starting in three minutes!" Mr. Pok¨¦mi interrupted Audrey through his megaphone.

    "Seems like it''s time," Amie finger-gunned as she walked away. "Just have fun while we''re acting, ok? Because I sure will."

    Audrey nodded.

    The two actresses walked onto the set after they summoned their pok¨¦mon back to their pokeballs, Mr. Pok¨¦mi waved for them to come over to him. "So Audrey, we''ll be doing a separate filming session with a stunt double where the Sneasel Ninja acrobats up the building so you can focus on the battle at hand, ok?"

    Audrey nodded, she was worried that she would have to keep climbing up the same fire exit stairs continuously until the director was satisfied. Knowing that the physical activity wasn''t her responsibility eased her mentality.

    "We''ll start at the part where you''re looking through the apartment window, ok? Your spot''s right over there," Takashi pointed towards the fake window.

    Audrey walked over to her spot and gave a thumbs up, Amie did the same soon after.

    "Brycen! You''re ready with the phone?"

    Brycen held the phone in his right hand in the air, signaling that he was well-prepared. Mr. Pok¨¦mi nodded and pointed at the crew member holding the slate.

    "Scene 16, Take 1."

    "Action!"

    The Sneasel Ninja stopped at a window and looked inside. The interior of the apartment room was neatly decorated with the usual living room furniture. She looked at the clock hanging above the door, it read 5:00 AM. The inside looked so neat and tidy, what a shame that its inhabitant wouldn''t be here to keep it that way.

    "Time to capture Mecha Cop''s sister! Tee he he!" The Sneasel Ninja laughed.

    The Sneasel Ninja fiddled with the window''s lock, unsuccessful in unlocking it.

    "Alright, that''s it."

    The Sneasel Ninja broke the lock and threw it behind her back. She opened the window and snuck through. As soon as the window closed with a faint thud, the lights flashed on, causing the Sneasel Ninja to be temporarily blinded. She instinctively covered her eyes with her arm. After her eyes adjusted, she saw her target standing in the hallway alongside a sewaddle.

    "Tsk!" The Sneasel Ninja grabbed her pok¨¦ball and released her sneasel. "This girl also uses pok¨¦mon?!"

    "Oh, you''re the one my big brother was talking about," Pollyanna looked up and down at the hooded figure. "A petty thief, the Sneasel Ninja," She scoffed at the last words.

    "So what? Now I''ll capture you!"

    "I have to warn you, I''m pretty strong ''cause I''ve been training with my big brother," Her Sewaddle hopped off her shoulder and stood firmly, ready to battle the invaders.

    "Heh! Like that''ll change anything!"

    "I''ll beat you and show my big brother how cool I am!"

    "Well, you can''t be cool when you have such a cute pok¨¦mon here. It would be a shame if my sneasel were to... use Scratch on it!"

    Without a second thought, Sneasel lunged towards the Bug-type and swiped her claw. Sewaddle ducked underneath the attack but the tip of her leaf hood was sliced clean off. Pollyanna covered her mouth with her hands in shock.

    "How dare you!" Pollyanna fumed. "Use Flail on Sneasel now!"

    The Bug-type waddled towards Sneasel and moved erratically. She thrashed into Sneasel and knocked it backward.

    "S-sneas, Sne!"

    Sewaddle responded to Sneasel''s outcry by using Flail even harder. The two pok¨¦mon engage in close-quarters combat and roll around the living room, bumping into everything. Books fall out of bookshelves, plates clatter off the dining table, and miscellaneous items are thrown all over the room. Sneasel grabbed a TV remote and tried to whack Sewaddle but it slipped from her grip and was flung into the TV, breaking its screen.

    "... Sn... eas... el!"

    The Sneasel Ninja stared at the rampage at hand, trying to find the right time to call out a move. She was so focused that she failed to notice her main target sneaking from behind. Pollyanna suddenly grabbed the Sneasel Ninja''s arm with both her hands and triumphantly cried out.

    "I can stop you with the defense skills I learned from my big brother. Police judo! Hyah!"

    Pollyanna grappled the Sneasel Ninja into the air and slammed her on the laminated wooden floor. The petty thief yanked her arm away from her tight grip and crawled away as fast as she could.

    "Eeeek! You''re just like your brother," The Sneasel Ninja got back up after moving further away from Pollyanna. "You should battle with pok¨¦mon!"

    "Oops," She gave an awkward grin. "I forgot. I got upset, and without thinking, I used... Humph!" Pollyanna crossed her arms. "I''ve also learned strategies for pok¨¦mon battles from my brother!"

    "Then show me! They''ll only be ineffective against me!"

    "I''ll show you the results of my special training!"

    Sneasel grabbed Sewaddle with both arms and threw her across the room in a desperate bid to escape Flail. Sewaddle yelped as she hit the wall, the impact causing the hanging clock to fall and break.

    "Sewaddle! Just hang on! You''ll be fine!"

    Sewaddle slowly got back up and glared at Sneasel with murderous intent. The caterpillar was not going to let the damage to her leaf slide. Sneasel wore a mischievous grin as she licked a claw, eagerly anticipating to cause the bug more trouble.

    "Oh, really?" The Sneasel Ninja goaded. "You should check your ego at the door!"

    "You should check your own ego! My brother told me justice always prevails!"

    The Sneasel Ninja first chuckled at Pollyanna''s response, later turning into a maniacal laughter. "That''s incorrect! The winner is always right, even if it is the villain. That''s reality!"

    "That''s a lie!" Pollyanna protested.

    "Oh, you''ll see."

    "My brother is right! I''ll prove it to you! Sewaddle! Sticky Web at Sneasel''s feet!"

    Sewaddle gathered webbing in her mouth and shot it where Pollyanna commanded. Sneasel attempted to flee the incoming attack but the bug''s fibers latched onto her feet before she dodged in time.

    "Now use Struggle Bug!"

    With an enraged look on her face, she raised her damaged leaf and sliced Sneasel''s body. Sneasel cried out in pain as she whipped her arms around, trying to stop Sewaddle from attacking further.

    "Heh, you''re quite good... Sneasel! Hit Sewaddle with Metal Claw and cut through the webbing!"

    Sneasel stopped flailing and raised her arm up, her claws began to turn shiny and metallic as she focused Steel TE into them. She bashed Sewaddle''s body with a swing of her arm and launched her across the room. Smirking, Sneasel destroyed the sticky trap and casually discarded the webbing, the diced strings descended to the floor like leaves in the wind.

    "I''ll give you one last chance to give up, Pollyanna," The Sneasel Ninja motioned her hands towards her. "There''s no point in getting yourself and your pok¨¦mon hurt..."

    Pollyanna stood in thought, the Sneasel Ninja was unsure if she was considering the offer or was thinking of a plan to escape. A moment later, Pollyanna regained focus and pointed at the villain.

    "I''m Mecha Cop''s little sister! I have to be strong! Pol in Pollyanna is the same as Pol in Police! I won''t let myself be captured by the likes of you!"

    "Sew! Sewaddle!"

    "I''d like to break that belief! Sneasel! Use Icy Wind!"

    "Sewaddle! Shield yourself with your leaves and Skitter Smack through it!"

    With what remained of her leaf hood, she covered the front of her body the best she could and dashed towards Sneasel. She took in a deep breath and blew freezing air through her mouth, frost accumulated in their vicinity and Sewaddle was heading straight through it regardless of the damage. Ice shards rattled and cracked on Sewaddle''s body but the leaves protected her head. Sewaddle struck Sneasel right in the face and toppled her to the floor.

    "Blow Icy Wind again while Sewaddle''s close!"

    "Use Bug Bite!"

    Sewaddle opened her jaw wide open and clamped it down on Sneasel''s shoulder. Sneasel grunted in pain but ignored it and took a deep breath.

    "Finish it with Razor Leaf!"

    Sharp leaves materialized and floated around Sewaddle''s head before they began to spin slowly in place, gathering speed with each passing second. Sneasel took in another deep breath, taking advantage of Sewaddle''s delayed attack. A moment later, Icy Wind and Razor Leaf hurled towards each other at the same time. The leaves spread the air-bound frost all over the living room. Pollyanna and the Sneasel Ninja cover their eyes from the cold. When the haze dissipated, only one pok¨¦mon stood in the aftermath of the attack.

    Sewaddle stood victorious on Sneasel''s body, head up high as it smiled with pride. The Sneasel Ninja gave an exasperated look at her Sneasel, then at Pollyanna, then at her Sneasel again, finally sighing at the end.

    "I lost to such a starry-eyed girl..."

    "See?" Audrey beckoned Sewaddle to return to her side. "Justice always prevails! My brother was right!"

    "Hee he he!" The Sneasel Ninja chuckled. "It hasn''t prevailed just yet! Your scrap brother has failed to capture me for good and you won''t either!"

    The Sneasel Ninja summoned Sneasel back into her pok¨¦ball and dashed for the window. "Tell the Mecha Cop that I''ll be waiting for him in the heart of Castelia City! We''ll conclude this feud once and for all!"

    Before Pollyanna could make any resistance against the thief, the Sneasel Ninja hopped out of the window. The Sneasel Ninja''s footsteps clanged on the metal exit stairs as she fled from the scene.

    "That scoundrel! I should''ve held her down while I had the chance! I need to tell my brother the news right now!"

    Pollyanna walked over to the corner of the living room and picked up a landline phone off the ground, placing it back on the table. As she dialed up her brother''s secret phone number and held the phone to her ear, Sewaddle crawled down her arm and onto the table, looking up with concern in her eyes. A couple of seconds later, Mecha Cop picked up.

    "Deciphering caller. Identified as Pollyanna. My sister, is there a problem? This number should only be used in emergencies."

    "Big problem! The Sneasel Ninja broke into my house and tried to kidnap me as a hostage!"

    "What?!" Mecha Cop bellowed. "Where is that thief now?!"

    "I beat her in a pok¨¦mon battle but she escaped at the last minute. She said she wants to fight you for a final time in ''the heart of Castelia.'' "

    "I cannot believe that the Sneasel Ninja had the audacity to try and kidnap my sister! I shall capture her at once! I shall notify the World Police to send protection to you to prevent this from ever happening again!"

    "Brother, there''s no need, I was able to defend myself with ease thanks to your training!"

    "Is that so? Then we shall train even harder in the future to ensure an easier takedown next time in the name of justice!"

    "For justice!" Pollyanna beamed as she pumped her fist in the air

    "Keep zooming in on her... and... cut! Great work, everybody! We''ll take a short break before we go back and see if we need to rework anything! I''ll look at the dailies and see if we need to refilm some parts."

    "Phew," Audrey exhaled after standing back up from behind the fake window. She''d been sitting behind it the entire time after she jumped out of it during filming and her legs were about to feel pins and needles. Audrey leaned on the windowsill as she stretched her legs one after the other, straightening them as much as she could. She knew this wasn''t the last time she''d be acting today, so she''d better take advantage of this break as much as possible.

    Audrey released Ripley after she stretched her left leg so the set medic could heal her up. As the medic did their job, she felt a tap on her waist. Audrey turned to see the little Fighting-type that helped her around all the time with a plastic water bottle and an oran in his hand. Riolu tossed the berry to Sneasel and the bottle to Audrey then started writing on his whiteboard.

    *Hi, Audrey. It''s been a while.*

    "Hey, Riolu! I haven''t seen you in a few days!" Audrey bent her knees and patted his head. Despite his fur not being as well-maintained as Ripley''s, it was still incredibly soft to the touch. If she could keep petting, she would if it weren''t for Riolu''s paws waving her hands away.

    *It''s because of training. If I had the time I would''ve watched the film''s production as it continued.*

    Audrey cracked open the water bottle and drank a third of it, wiping her mouth with her arm when she finished. "Are you trying to say that you wanted to see me act?"

    Riolu broke eye contact with Audrey, looking sideways as he stood still. She didn''t even need a written response to know the truth, this must be how Brycen reads him.

    "You don''t need to worry since you didn''t miss much. I''m actually happy you didn''t see it, to be honest. Man, the scene we did before this one was boring, the battles and scenes with you are more fun."

    "More fun than what we did back there?" Amie suddenly appeared behind Audrey, leaning forward with her hands behind her back.

    Audrey quickly turned around and waved her hands in denial. "N-no! This battle was also really fun!"

    "I''m messing with you again," Amie chuckled while lowering her arm, allowing Sewaddle to crawl towards the set medic who had finished taking care of Sneasel. "I''m glad that you''re the actress for the Sneasel Ninja since the actor for the last one didn''t have that... what''s the word..."

    *Sleaziness?* Riolu held his whiteboard high with one paw.

    "Woah! You can write?" Amie leaned forward towards Riolu, observing his penmanship. "I thought you had that to draw."

    *I can if you want.* Riolu proceeded to draw a rudimentary imitation of a clapperboard, filling in the black sections of the slate with scribbles. Amie, Audrey, and their two pok¨¦mon burst into laughter at the finished product. Riolu turned the whiteboard back and forth, confused at their reaction. The drawing looked like two crude rectangles with rounded edges and scribbled Zebstrika stripes.

    "Stick to writing," Amie wiped a tear from her eye. "Looks like a three-year-old drew it."

    Riolu glared as he erased his drawing with his arm. *Fine.*

    "Darn, lost my train of thought thanks to Riolu''s bad drawing," Riolu looked at Amie with an offended expression. "Where was I... oh right! Audrey, you had the sleaziness that the Sneasel Ninja needed. The last guy had the role down but he missed that one factor. If this was the last time I acted, which I don''t think it is since I see Takashi walking towards us right now, then I''m glad you were the one I acted with."

    Blushing, Audrey and Amie were approached by the director, who proceeded to explain what they needed to prioritize for the reshoot. Amie''s complement lingered as she listened to Mr. Pok¨¦mi''s words, it made her feel bubbly inside. She was used to compliments when she accepted her awards in contests and the words of encouragement from the audience but this felt different, perhaps it was the context she received them.

    She was thankful for everyone in Pok¨¦star again.

 Scene 2 - Take 6: Unexpected Breaks and Beautiful Seascapes

    "The equipment was accidentally sent to Mistralton?"

    Everyone overheard the director''s surprised voice echo in the baggage claim area. It had been a long flight over to Undella and an arduous couple of days of acting, Harper was more than willing to accept a break but it arrived at a cost.

    "So all our cameras, all our stands, all our lights, and everything else is on the other side of Unova? Arceus above, how does that happen?"

    Harper could hear faint words of apologies from the other end of Takashi''s phone. He could make out phrases such as "We''re so sorry about this," and "This''ll never happen again." Harper peeked into Takashi''s emotions, a skill that he''d been practicing for the past few weeks and managed to get a hang of. He wanted to confirm if his guess of how the director was feeling was right. From the outside, Takashi was exuding a calm and composed mood, acting professionally in front of his entire film crew.

    |[Outrage]|

    If that''s what he was truly feeling, Takashi was remarkably talented at hiding it.

    "When all the equipment''s left Mistralton, contact me again so I can send people to pick it up," Takashi let out a tired sigh as he flipped his phone shut and forcefully slid it into his back pocket. "Everyone! Due to the airport''s mishandling of our gear, we''ll have to postpone the filming of "Full Metal Cop" for the next day or two!"

    "Wait," Audrey pondered. "So does that mean...?"

    "It would seem so, Audrey," Brycen confirmed with crossed arms.

    "We got time for a vacation!"

    The entire staff began to celebrate after hearing Audrey''s outburst. Trying not to hurt Takashi''s feelings, some resorted to silently cheering with slow fives and fist-pumping. Takashi observed the film crew''s enthusiastic vibe and gave them a disapproving gaze before sighing quietly.

    "I suppose we needed a break after all," Takashi placed his hands on his hip. "We have been constantly at work since the start of production."

    *What should we do while we wait for the equipment?*

    "Well, since they won''t be arriving anytime soon, we might as well settle down in the motel where we''ll be staying throughout the filming session. We need to head to the airport parking lot and get the rented vans so we can make our way there. I initially planned to start filming as soon as we finished unloading but it seems like we can''t now that we''re forced to wait."

    "Hey, Riolu!" Audrey made her way toward the airport exit, waving her arm vigorously back and forth. "We''re gonna find our van! Let''s go!"

    Ripley sat perched on top of her luggage, also waving her arm in excitement. "Don''t keep us waiting!"

    "Can she drive?" Takashi asked as he watched the two actresses rush out in a hurry.

    Harper mulled over the situation, he realized that Audrey had never talked about driving when she recounted her journey from Nimbasa to Pok¨¦star Studios. Despite this, her eagerness to leave overrode any cause for concern.

    "Takashi, please tell the original driver that he can take a break. You know how I prefer to drive myself," Brycen then signaled Harper to move. "Let''s go find Audrey, Riolu."

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    With the sun shining on the van, Harper and the others enjoyed a road trip along Undella''s long stretches of the coastal freeway. The cool breeze whipped through his fur as he looked out the window, the van driving down the highway''s winding curves.

    "Should we close the window?" Audrey turned her gaze towards the back of the passenger seat she occupied. "Seeing Riolu leaning out like that is making me nervous."

    "It''s hot in the car so I''d prefer to keep the windows open," Brycen explained, continuing to look forward to the road. "Riolu, lean back a little for Audrey, I don''t want her to feel stressed."

    Reluctantly, Harper agreed and repositioned himself with only his head protruding out the window. He hadn''t even realized that half of his body was sticking out of the car, the wind in his fur and the new sights were exhilarating. Harper was overwhelmed by the multitude of smells that rushed past his superior nose such as the fragrance of each flower and tree decorating the side of the road to the salty air drifting from the sea.

    ~If this is how dogs feel every time they ride a car, I finally get why they like it so much.~

    The group was on their way to their motel, the route bordered the edge of a cliff that overlooked one of Unova''s iconic beachscapes. The memories of his road trip along the Pacific Coast Highway came flooding back as they drove over an overpass that reminded him of the Bixby Bridge.

    His father had always wanted to show him the place where many Hollywood movies filmed their establishing shots. His mother complained about the amount of gas the trip would eat up but he somehow persuaded her that it was worth it. He also added that the family hadn''t had a proper vacation since he was hired as a stunt driver. Although the road trip was brief, his father''s storytelling about the filming techniques and camera tricks employed in an action film he once drove for more than made up for the little time they spent.

    Harper then reminisced about the songs his father played on the car''s cassette player to set the California vibe. He always had a cassette tape filled with his favorite beach-inspired songs and Hollywood hits, particularly the Beach Boys. Looking out the van''s window and into the clear sky, Harper began to softly sing the lyrics of his favorite song that his father replayed numerous times.

    God only knows what I''d be without you

    If you should ever leave me

    Well life would still go on believe me

    The world could show nothing to me

    So what good would living do me

    God only knows what I''d be without you

    God only knows what I''d be without you

    God only knows¡­

    His father''s terrible attempts at singing the lyrics, his mother''s humiliation from his off-key voice, and Harper''s laughter were one of the happiest moments he looked back on.

    Little did he know at the time that it was their last vacation before everything fell apart.

    Harper slouched down into his seat, feeling dispirited. Although his father wasn''t present in his life for long, he cherished the few memories he had. His father''s death did not diminish his dream to be an actor; instead, it fueled his ambition further.

    If only the reality in the old world had not been so cruel to Harper.

    ~Dad, if you can somehow hear me from another dimension, thanks for everything. I wish I could see you again.~

    His mother, on the other hand, was much more critical of how his life choices were focused on anything related to movies, especially after his father''s death. She wasn''t so judgemental before but the incident flipped a switch in her, causing her to have an extreme disdain for it. If she were here right now, she''d be nagging on and on about how "she was right about everything." Harper''s only defense against her words was that he wasn''t supposed to be near the bomb in the first place but she wouldn''t take that as an excuse.

    ~Either way, Mom, I guess you were right about filmmaking being dangerous. I still won''t let that stop me though, I''ve gotten a second chance and I''m not gonna waste it.~

    "Hey, Riolu," Ripley looked up from her sweet poffin snack Audrey purchased from a roadside store some time ago. "Why''d you stop singing? It sounded pretty good."

    "You heard me?" Harper turned red in embarrassment under his fur. "I thought I was quiet."

    "My ears aren''t that bad, I could hear you whispering," Ripley pointed at her ear feather as it twitched twice towards the nearest sound. "What were you singing?"

    "Something I heard a long time ago," Harper wasn''t lying, he did hear it a long time ago when he was a kid. He quickly changed the subject. "I guess I''m just bummed that our vacation is so short."

    "You are right about that, maybe a poffin or four would cheer you up!" Ripley fished through a plastic bag and took out four individually-wrapped pink poffins. "It sucks that they''re smaller than the ones from the cafeteria but here you go!" She tossed both of them to Harper.

    "Really? Four?" He winced.

    "Remember our deal?" Ripley tossed a piece of her snack in the air and caught it with her mouth. Harper sighed as he attempted to tear the plastic holding one of the poffins, the dexterity of his paws was making it difficult to open.

    "Stupid nubs," Harper grumbled at his paws. "How can I write but not open this damn thing up?" The little gripes in daily life made Harper miss his fine motor skills with his former hands. The most recent example he could remember was when Harper had some tea with Brycen after dinner. He couldn''t hold the tiny handle of his teacup with a paw without being shaky. His attempts ended up with him holding it like a soup bowl. The chuckle that slipped from the Ice-type master''s mouth echoed in the back of his head since then.

    "You need help?" Ripley snickered.

    Harper threw the treats back along with his pride, the sneasel silently laughed as she cut the plastic open with a claw and tossed them back. Harper quickly chewed the first poffin and swallowed just as fast to ignore the flavor.

    "Hey, no cheating! Eat the next one slowly!" Ripley ordered.

    Harper reluctantly muttered "fine," and chewed the next poffin while Ripley observed closely. Like the first time when Beartic gave him one, the flavor was disgustingly sweet. The cloying taste of sugars overloaded his taste buds. Harper balled his paw into a fist to his mouth and coughed, wanting to get this over with as fast as possible but Ripley wasn''t letting him. Harper forced down the poffin when he felt like the sneasel was satisfied with the time he spent savoring the flavor.

    "So... do you like it?"

    "Same opinion as last time, I still hate them," Harper held his arm out. "Now toss me the water bottle, gotta wash out my mouth."

    "Don''t struggle with the cap," Ripley laughed at the growling Harper.

    Harper unscrewed the cap with relative ease much to the sarcastic surprise of the sneasel and drank from the bottle. When he finished, he threw the bottle back and continued to eat the third poffin. As Harper chewed on the breaded snack, he looked over at Ripley, he had never talked much with her as much as he did with Audrey during the film''s production. The most they''ve ever talked about together was their tastes in poffins, he decided to change that now.

    "Hey, Ripley," The sneasel looked over at Harper. "Do you like being in Pok¨¦star Studios? Audrey still has a desire to be in a contest."

    "I am, but I''d also be lying if I said I didn''t miss being in a contest. Amazing everyone in the crowd, getting back at competitors with their inflated egos, flaunting our ribbons at said competitors, Audrey and I had tons of fun. Sure, we lost a few too but those were the best ones since we always did better in the next contest."

    Ripley then looked back outside with a smile on her face, clearly recalling her memories of competing alongside Audrey. The nostalgic memories emitted from Ripley caused another question to form inside of Harper.

    "So how did you and Audrey meet? It''s interesting to see that the both of you have the same dream."

    "Over in Sinnoh where the humans called the area, ''Acuity Lakefront,'' Audrey found me injured during a trip with her parents."

    "Why were you hurt?"

    "I was too young to remember much, but I do remember stumbling upon a berry bush before being attacked by some pok¨¦mon. Luckily, Audrey came to my rescue when her family was passing by. I didn''t trust her at first but with a poffin she had in her backpack, she convinced me to follow her."

    "Let me guess the poffin''s flavor, sweet?"

    "Ding ding ding," She answered as she grabbed another one from the plastic bag and pointed at it.

    Harper chuckled at Ripley''s response, realizing their conversation ended up with poffins. Despite that, he learned something new. There was a deeper reason for her fixation on sweets after all. He finished his last piece of the pink poffin as she continued her story. The sweetness was much more bearable to him now, hopefully, this wasn''t the start of a sugar addiction.

    "Audrey and her parents took me to the Pok¨¦mon Center and they helped me recover pretty quickly. I remember hearing from the hospital bed that her mom and dad wanted to leave me under the center''s responsibility so they could release me back to the wild. Audrey kept saying ''no'' over and over again saying she wanted to stay beside me until I was better."

    Ripley stopped talking when she saw Audrey turn around from her seat to face the back of the van. "You two are talking a lot, am I missing out?"

    "Don''t tell her what I was explaining, she gets embarrassed when you mention her temper when I was at the Pok¨¦mon Center."

    *We''re just talking about pok¨¦mon stuff.*

    Audrey hummed in response and returned to her seat, beginning to make conversation with Brycen.

    "Continue," Harper motioned to Ripley.

    "After my recovery, Audrey brought me back home to Hearthome City and showed me footage of her favorite pok¨¦mon contests. Since then, I wanted to help her become the best coordinator ever."

    As Harper observed Ripley''s gaze at Audrey, he felt a sense of admiration and trust from her. In the Pok¨¦mon games he played, bonds between trainers and their pok¨¦mon were never really shown beyond battles so witnessing it firsthand was incredible.

    "Anyways," Ripley looked back at Harper. "Why the question, Riolu? That felt kinda out of place."

    "Well, it''s because I don''t know much about you even though I know Audrey better. I wanted to even it out."

    "Maybe I should even it out as well then. I don''t know much about you either so I guess it''s my turn to ask. Since I didn''t like the answer you gave me about that song, I''ll ask again. What''s it called?"

    "I¡ª"

    "Hey, look!" Audrey exclaimed, pointing out the window.

    "Ooh! Let me see!" Ripley pushed Harper''s head sideways into the seat cushion.

    "Hey!" Pushing Ripley''s paw off his face, nearly cutting himself from her claws, Harper noticed a large sign that was rapidly approaching the van. The sign was decorated with printed flowers and native Water-type pok¨¦mon, similar to the state welcome signs in the U.S.

    "Welcome to Undella! The Town of Rippling Waves!"

    Harper had rarely ventured beyond Virbank and Pok¨¦star Studios since there was never much of a reason to do so. However, they were almost there, and in just a few more minutes, Harper would finally be able to see what lay beyond Pok¨¦star Studios.

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    "This tube is huge!" Audrey spun around in every direction, trying to get a view of the entire place at once. "How did they build this?"

    The nearby Marine Tube guide overheard Audrey and walked up to her. "I can explain the tube''s construction, would you like to know?"

    While Audrey was deeply listening to the guide member, Harper continued to look up into the tunnel''s ceiling, unable to believe the size of this massive walkway. During the filming of romantic movies he worked for, Harper had visited numerous aquariums that featured tubes resembling the one he was currently in. However, the ones he had previously encountered were way smaller, only able to fit a few dozen people at most. The Marine Tube on the other hand was much more spacious, capable of holding small vehicles and a significant number of people, many of whom looked like tourists by the amount of pictures they were taking.

    After they dropped all their belongings at the motel, the first place Audrey wanted to go to was the Marine Tube to get to Humilau City. Harper was expecting the typical freeway tunnel to just be that, a tunnel similar to the typical freeway tunnel that he was all too familiar with driving on, only this time to be underground.

    Boy, was he wrong.

    As if being in a large glass tunnel that was constructed underwater wasn''t enough, seeing a Wailord pass over the Marine Tube further disproved Harper''s initial thoughts. Seeing a small school of red and blue Basculin swimming by, a male and female Frillish waving to onlookers, and a Mantine cheerfully spinning caused him to question if the Water-type pok¨¦mon were observing them instead of the other way around.

    "...and the Marine Tube was created to unify the relationship between Undella Town and Humilau City. With 9.8 inches of solid glass, the Marine Tube can withstand damage from Water-type pok¨¦mon and the high pressure of the ocean. Despite Unova''s up-to-date technology, construction would still have been impossible if it weren''t for the help of pok¨¦mon."

    "How long is the tube?" Audrey asked. "We''re actually on our way to Humilau and we saw this was an attraction that leads to there."

    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    "From where we are, I''d say there''s about..." The guide squinted down the Marine Tube for a few seconds. "A mile left, the total length of the Marine Tube is a mile and a half."

    Harper rapidly turned around in surprise, not expecting the tube to be that long. It was way longer than the average aquarium tunnel that he walked through.

    The guide noticed Harper''s stunned reaction and continued talking. "We also have a free service available for those wanting a quick trip to the other side of the Marine Tube. I can call a vehicle over if one is to be requested."

    "That would be appreciated," Brycen thanked.

    A moment later, the Marine Tube guide called for a courtesy transport similar to the ones Harper saw in airports. They boarded the vehicle and drove down the tunnel as they continued to appreciate the oceanic beauty. Audrey and Ripley were utterly absorbed by all the underwater sights, pointing out fascinating things to each other and moving on to the next intriguing find. Lost in their own little world, they were completely oblivious to everything else around them.

    "Are you enjoying this little break we''ve received, Riolu?"

    Harper looked away from a smiling Alomomola to face Brycen and nodded. Seeing places that weren''t the backlots of Pok¨¦star Studios or the skyscrapers of Virbank more than satisfied him.

    "Good to hear, I hope that I can take you over to Icirrus City when we have another break. One day, I want you to meet the rest of my team. Beartic had left a few days before our departure with the help of a fellow colleague to meet them."

    ~So that''s what Beartic meant by seeing old friends when he left.~

    The remainder of their journey was quiet as they gazed at the various aquatic pok¨¦mon swimming about. Harper had never really been interested in aquariums before, as his previous visits had been work-related. Watching fish swim aimlessly on the other side of the glass didn''t appeal to him. However, now that he found himself in the world of Pok¨¦mon, his previous apathy had vanished.

    The Unova region was a spectacle enough in the main games but now that he was in it, it was a whole new experience.

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    "We''re finally here!" Audrey and Ripley shouted in unison, raising their arms in the air in excitement.

    The group ascended the exit stairs of the Marine Tube and emerged into a tropical paradise that reminded Harper of the Bahamas. The palm trees swayed from the salty breeze as the sun arched overhead, casting a warm glow on the white sandy beach. Harper observed both locals and tourists alike unwinding with their pok¨¦mon, many lounging under the colorful beach umbrellas that adorned the shore.

    "Now that we''re here, I intend to visit the gym leader of Humilau. I want him to know of Pok¨¦star''s incoming presence, I meant to tell him during my call with the gym leaders until I had to leave prematurely," Brycen glanced at Harper.

    Harper slightly winced, he wasn''t expecting his Ice Punch to freeze Beartic''s entire paw. How was he supposed to know that he was getting stronger? He didn''t know whether it was a good thing or a bad thing but Beartic told him not to worry about it, laughing it off.

    Harper found relief by thinking that the incident ultimately ended up with meeting a new gym leader. He was curious about the replacement of Brycen since Cheren and Roxie had replaced the first two gym leaders from the first Black and White games. Since they were now in the unfamiliar city of Humilau, it looked like this gym leader had taken the place of Brycen.

    "Now we just have to find him," Brycen turned his head side-to-side, observing both ends of the beach. "I heard that he''s usually never at the Humilau gym so he should be around here right now."

    "Is... is that him?" Audrey pointed over at the ocean''s horizon, a large wave was rapidly approaching the shore with a figure surfing in its tube. Squinting, Harper could make out a tanned man surfing on a surfboard with a large blue turtle pok¨¦mon swimming beside him.

    "It seems so, let''s get closer to the shoreline," Brycen slipped off his shoes, walking on the sand barefoot. Audrey followed suit, walking beside the former gym leader as they made their way towards the water. Harper and Ripley, who were already shoeless, trailed behind the pair. As they reached the shoreline, the waves splashed at Harper''s paws, making him jump back in surprise.

    "Nope," Recoiling from the cold water, he quickly stepped back and shook off his paws. "Never touching beach water again."

    "Why not? You scared?" Ripley kicked water into Harper''s face, causing him to sputter.

    "N-no, I''m not," He wiped his face and flicked water off his arms. "I just don''t want my fur getting wet."

    "Yeah, I''m sure that''s the reason," She mockingly acknowledged as she looked back to the approaching wave, the tide gradually shrinking as it got closer. The surfer eventually came to a halt and hopped off his surfboard, streaking his blue hair back with one hand. His Carracosta lumbered out of the water while leaving deep footprints behind on the sand, the waves washing them away with each step.

    "Phew! That was a pretty long surf, eh?" The surfer spoke to Carracosta, who nodded in agreement, rubbing one of his flippers. "Oh? Is that who I think it is?" He walked closer to the group before his face broke into a smile. "It is! Hey, Brycen! Didn''t expect to see you here!"

    "I, on the other hand, expected to see you here, Marlon," Brycen extended his hand for a handshake, and Marlon returned the gesture. "Seems like the accounts about you never being at the Humilau gym are true."

    "You can''t blame me for that, Brycen," Marlon speared his surfboard into the sand, the longboard standing much taller than himself. "The only challengers who show up are those who need their last badge or two and with how little trainers there are during the season that fit that criteria, there isn''t much for me to do all day."

    "You should still be maintaining a sense of duty even when activity is low, Marlon," Brycen instructed. "You''re a Gym Leader, act like it."

    "Alright, alright, I get it," Marlon looked over at Audrey, who was standing behind Brycen. "So who''s she? An acquaintance of yours?"

    As Brycen introduced Marlon to Audrey, Carracosta approached Ripley and Harper. The turtle gave off similar vibes to Beartic with his lumbering posture and seasoned nature. His shell was old and weathered due to the years Harper assumed that he spent swimming under the harsh waves.

    "You two are new to beaches, aren''t ya?" Carracosta suddenly inquired.

    "How''d you know?" Ripley asked.

    Carracosta pointed at his eye. "I got an eye for seeing newbies of the waters, and you two look very out of place."

    "Yeah, there aren''t a lot of beaches in Sinnoh," She replied.

    "I''m familiar with beaches," Harper answered. "I just never liked swimming in the ocean."

    "You can change that by swimming again, Humilau''s the best place to surf, y''know?"

    "But I can''t learn Surf."

    "Oh, we got a jokester here, eh?" Carracosta rubbed his curled flipper on top of Harper''s head. "You know exactly what I mean!"

    "And who''s this, Carracosta?" Marlon placed his hands on his knees and faced Harper, causing him to stop readjusting his fur. Observing Harper''s face and then his whiteboard, the surfer couldn''t help but chuckle briefly.

    "So you''re the riolu that interested our dear Brycen so much. So you can really write?"

    *Do you want proof?*

    Marlon burst into laughter after staring at Harper and his whiteboard. "This is incredible! He''s something special!"

    "I know," Brycen nodded.

    "So, what brings you all here to Humilau City? I thought you were making your movie so I don''t think you''re here for a vacation."

    "You''re half-correct," Audrey said. "We did come to Humilau for a short vacation but we''re going to be filming here soon."

    "How soon?"

    "Tomorrow at the very least, maybe later. Our director, Mr. Pok¨¦mi, hasn''t given the exact date yet since all the film equipment was accidentally sent over to Mistralton."

    "Heh, Skyla''s definitely having a field day for that mistake," Marlon muttered to himself. "So you''re filming a scene here? What an honor to have Humilau''s famous beach in a Pok¨¦star movie! Do you need recommendations for good spots to film? I know this place like the back of my hand!"

    "No need, Marlon," Brycen raised a hand in a "stop" gesture. "Our location scout found a good spot during the film''s planning phase. Regardless, we appreciate the help."

    "Of course, of course," Marlon looked back to the ocean, noticing a wave beginning to form out on the horizon. "You see that, Carracosta? Another one''s coming in!"

    Pulling his surfboard from the sand, Marlon dashed towards the sea before halting himself, skidding his feet on the sand. "I forgot to ask! Since you arrived from Undella Town, how was the Marine Tube? We opened it a few days ago and I''d love to hear your thoughts."

    "I enjoyed the underwater aesthetic," Brycen answered.

    "It was the coolest thing ever!" Audrey followed soon after. "Sinnoh doesn''t have anything compared to it!"

    "She''s right!" Ripley nodded.

    "And what about you?" Marlon asked Harper.

    *It was an absolute spectacle.*

    "Hah! That''s great to hear!" Marlon resumed his sprint towards the waiting Carracosta bobbing up and down in the water. "I hope you enjoy Humilau!" He waved back to the group before throwing himself into the water with his surfboard and swimming off into the distance.

    "And there he goes," Brycen sighed. "You can never talk with him long enough before he gets distracted by something."

    "Kinda like you," Audrey poked Ripley''s cheek.

    "Although I would like to take Marlon''s advice, I would prefer to head back to the motel to freshen up my memory for our next scene. You two enjoy Humilau without me," Brycen said as he put on his shoes and walked out onto the sidewalk, disappearing around the corner.

    Audrey stared at where Brycen was last seen before turning back to the two pok¨¦mon. "So... what should we do now?"

    "I wanna play with the water!" Ripley exclaimed, pointing towards the ocean.

    *I''ll sit underneath that umbrella, I don''t want my fur to get wet.* Harper pointed at one of the multiple umbrellas that were scattered on the sand.

    "Alright then, c''mon, Ripley! Let''s go!"

    The coordinator and her partner pok¨¦mon dashed towards the shoreline, stopping where the water met their ankles. They started kicking the water at each other in a playful manner, laughing and giggling the whole time. Harper quietly chuckled as he watched the scene unfold before his eyes. Despite being a grown-up, Audrey was acting like a child, playing with Ripley like there was no tomorrow.

    Harper then looked up into the clear sky, a parasailor and their pok¨¦mon flew by through his field of vision. When was the last time he went parasailing? Wasn''t the last time the only time he ever did it? He only went parasailing because his father forced him into it when they made a short stop at the beach on their road trip back home. He picked Harper up and headed straight to the man selling parasailing rides when his mother wasn''t looking, saying that he wanted Harper to experience the thrill he had when stunt-driving.

    ...

    "You ready, Harper?" His father jostled the rope, trying to rile him up.

    "Never!" He yelped, Harper wanted to cover his eyes with his hands but the desire to clutch onto his harness was far stronger. He knew his father wasn''t going to take no for an answer but it was worth a shot to stop him anyways.

    "That''s the cue!" His father laughed out loud. "Go go go!"

    "You got it, Mr. Moore!" The boat driver confirmed.

    The powerful ski boat roared as it revved up its engine, propelling the father-son duo forward, their bodies tightly harnessed to the vessel. The wind made it difficult for them to talk to each other as they skimmed across the water''s surface. The gusts whipped through the air, creating a deafening volume that drowned out their words.

    "I wanna get off!" Harper cried out.

    "Not yet! We''re almost there!"

    Soon enough, the glider behind them started to lift the two upwards, their legs dangling as the glider slowly elevated them higher and higher into the sky. Eventually, they arrived at the highest point, though Harper maintained closed eyes due to mounting fear.

    "Open your eyes! It''s alright!" His father shouted through the howling wind.

    Harper slowly lifted one eyelid, and then the other, and soon enough, both were as wide as his smile. The breathtaking view he had of the beach was incredible, he had his sights on everything like a bird did. He spotted the beach umbrella where his mom was sitting underneath and hollered out in excitement. His cry caught her attention, causing her to look up in the sky as her mouth dropped.

    His father laughed at his mother''s reaction and Harper''s sudden mood swing. "You see, Harper? You''re fine as long as I''m here, alright?"

    "Ok!"

    ...

    ~God, I can''t believe it''s been that long,~ Harper gazed at the parasailor in the sky as their Braviary flew next to them, both wearing a large smile similar to his and his father''s in his memory.

    Looking back down, he realized he lost track of where Audrey and Ripley went. A sense of panic immediately set in as Harper quickly stood up, scanning the entire stretch of beach in search of the two. The sun was bright, its yellow glow over the sand made it difficult to spot them in the crowd of beach-goers. How did he lose them so easily? What the hell was he going to tell Brycen? That he already lost them?

    "Hey, Riolu! We''re back!"

    Harper turned his head to see Audrey and Ripley making their way towards him with drinks in hand, they somehow left his line of sight earlier and were most likely coming back from a nearby vendor. From what it looked like, the drinks were held in Shuckle-shaped containers with colored silly straws poking out of them.

    "We got some berry juice!" Audrey said.

    "I made sure yours wasn''t entirely made with sweet berries!" Ripley added.

    "Oh, um, thanks," Harper grabbed his drink from the sneasel. "Hey, can you say something next time so I know you''re going somewhere? Please?"

    "But I told you we were gonna grab some berry juice as we passed by. Did you zone out or something? You had that same vacant look as that pok¨¦mon I competed against a long time ago. What pok¨¦mon was she again...?" Ripley took a satisfying sip of her drink. "Oh, right! You look like Espurr, just gazing into the void with those oversized eyes, ugh," She cringed at the memory.

    "Gee, thanks," Harper drank his berry juice, individually tasting the multitude of berries used in the drink. The mild sweetness of the leppa, the tartness of cheri, and the tanginess of sitrus balanced the juice''s flavor together.

    "I wish Amie was here, she definitely would''ve loved this berry juice," Audrey idly commented.

    Amie had left Pok¨¦star Studios the day after the apartment battle scene was finished due to a call from her boss, who was apparently Elisa, the gym leader of Nimbasa. Amie explained that Elisa was frustrated since she had left the city on short notice with no explanation which the former actress blamed on her agent, who was supposed to notify the gym leader. Her annoyance was immediately washed away when Pok¨¦star Studios was brought into the conversation. Elisa quickly forgave her and instead wanted to know everything about the pok¨¦mon actors she saw. After her call, Amie said her goodbyes to her fellow colleagues and left the studio on a positive note.

    "Elisa wanted to know about a certain Riolu and I think she was talking about you," Amie pointed at Harper. "I don''t know why, but I''ll say some good stuff about you."

    Did Brycen say something about him to the gym leaders during their call? It would explain why Marlon was familiar with him and why Elisa wanted Amie to describe him. Not wanting to think too deeply about his involvement with all the gym leaders, Harper took a big sip from his drink.

    ~This berry juice is probably better than any margarita I''ve drunk, but why a Shuckle shell?~

    Harper poked Audrey''s shoulder, causing her to turn around. "What is it?"

    *Why are these shaped like Shuckles?*

    "You don''t know?" Audrey sat in silence for a moment before her face cracked into a smile. "Finish drinking it first, then I''ll explain."

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    "Here we are, Beartic!" Grant released Beartic from his pok¨¦ball in front of the Icirrus Gym. When Beartic was fully formed, Grant tossed the pok¨¦ball to him. "Come to the Pok¨¦mon Center when you need a ride back to Pok¨¦star, ok? Just show your pok¨¦ball to the nurse and they''ll know to call me over."

    The former Icirrus Gym trainer drove away, leaving Beartic alone at the front door. Despite the gym''s retirement as a League gym, Grant was always willing to lend a hand to Brycen whenever he needed it. Beartic felt grateful for his assistance, as the journey to Icirrus would have been much longer without him.

    Beartic breathed in deeply and shut his eyes, relishing the chilly climate of Icirrus, a refreshing change from the warmth over in Pok¨¦star Studios. The cold suited a pokemon like him, making him wish that the backlots were always like this. Excited to reunite with his teammates, he entered the gym-turned-puzzle attraction, eager to surprise them all. He knew that Weavile would be thrilled to see him, as she always had a playful attitude towards him, even after evolving. Cryogonal, with their expressionless face and ice chains protruding from their mouth, would likely have the smallest reaction to his homecoming. The two heads of Vanniluxe might start fighting with each other, while Dewgong would surely be happy to see him. However, Walrein was sure to remain his usual stern self, solid as blue ice.

    Upon setting foot inside the gym, he noticed how nothing had changed since he left with Brycen all those years ago. The air conditioning was set to a much colder temperature than the outside, to preserve the shape of all the ice puzzles that were scattered around the gym. As he made his way toward the front desk, he noticed the receptionist was warmly wrapped in thick clothing and seemed to be completely engrossed in her computer, completely unaware of the towering figure that loomed over her.

    "Hello, and welcome to Icirrus City''s famed Ice Puzzle Challenge," the receptionist droned on with her explanation, continuing to stare at the screen. "Adult admission for the Ice Puzzle Challenge is twenty pok¨¦dollars and children are... for..." She slowly looked up from her seat with a gaped mouth.

    "Holy shit, Beartic?" She quickly stood up and walked out of the front desk to stand in front of him. "How come you''re here right now? Did Brycen send you over or something?"

    Beartic huffed out of his nose in response, he caught sight of his teammates in an advertisement for the Ice Puzzle on Brycen''s TV. Fortunately, the timing was just right as the film crew for "Full Metal Cop" was about to take off to Undella Town, and Beartic could make a quick visit. The coastal town''s hot weather was another reason he wanted to stay behind. His thick fur coat would only heat him up the moment he stepped foot outside of the airport.

    "I''ll tell the rest of Brycen''s team that you''re here right now, you can take the shortcut to Brycen''s favorite spot in the meantime," The receptionist walked back to their front desk and pressed a button, opening the puzzle exit door open. "I should''ve said this earlier, but it''s great to see you again, Beartic."

    "Great to see you too," Beartic waved goodbye before walking through the door, making his way to where Brycen used to always stand, waiting for his next gym challenger after beating the puzzle. As he made his way down the hallway, the intercom buzzed twice before the receptionist''s voice rang through the former gym.

    "Attention, all of Brycen''s pok¨¦mon, there is a surprise waiting for you near the end of the puzzle. I repeat, a surprise near the end of the puzzle."

    Beartic burst the doors open, startling the group of pok¨¦mon gathered inside, the five quickly turning around to see who it was. Weavile was the first one to react, moving with lightning-fast speed towards him. With a nimble leap, Weavile jumped onto Beartic''s belly, straining her neck to look up at his face.

    "Beartic! I can''t believe you''re here! None of us were expecting you!"

    "I was hoping for that to be the case, I wanted it to be a surprise," Beartic picked Weavile up and placed her on his shoulders. It was a custom for him to carry her even if she outgrew her former height as a sneasel. It didn''t bother Beartic one bit, it was nice to have someone willing to ride on his shoulder for once unlike a certain Riolu. He knew that Riolu liked it, he just didn''t want to admit it.

    "Why make it a surprise?" Cryogonal chimed in. "I see no purpose in making your presence unknown until it''s too late."

    "Oh, be quiet, you snowflake!" Vanniluxe''s right head snapped, the ice cream pok¨¦mon floated next to his fellow symmetrical Ice-type. "You should be happy that he showed up!"

    "That''s right, you ice speck!" The left head added.

    "You said it wrong!" The right head glared at his other head. "It''s "snowflake!''"

    "You''re the one who''s wrong!" His right head glared back. "It''s "ice speck!''"

    "Nuh-uh!"

    "Yuh-huh!"

    "Nuh-uh!"

    "Yuh-huh!"

    Walrein slapped Vanniluxe''s two heads simultaneously with his flippers, snarling at them both. "Stop this incessant feud before you summon a snowstorm here, this is not how we should welcome a colleague."

    "Dear," Dewgong rubbed Vanniluxe''s heads, soothing their pain. "Don''t punish them so harshly, a verbal warning would''ve been more than enough."

    After Walrein let out a grumpy "harrumph", he jumped back onto the large block of ice that sat in the corner of the room. Dewgong quickly fixed Vanniluxe''s snow where Walrein had hit him. Her action caused Beartic to chuckle to himself, if anyone could get through that grumpy seal''s thick skin, it was Dewgong.

    Cryogonal slowly glided towards Beartic, their ice chains curling upward. "Apart from the unnecessary surprise you brought for us, I am indeed happy to know that you have arrived."

    "So... why are you back?" Walrein asked. "And how come Brycen isn''t with you?"

    "I found the time to visit since Brycen was heading over to Undella to continue working on "Full Metal Cop.''"

    ""Full Metal Cop?'' Weavile leaned her head forward, causing her face to be upside-down in front of his face. "What''s that? Some kinda crime movie? Who''s the villain?"

    "It''s a crime film, alright, and the villain uses a sneasel. Her full name is "The Sneasel Ninja.''"

    "Seriously?" She scoffed. "Why a sneasel? Why couldn''t it be "The Weavile Ninja?''" Weavile spoke to herself as she waved her paw in the air, imagining the title in front of her.

    "How are your conditions at Pok¨¦star Studios?" Cryogonal asked as he ignored the daydreaming Weavile.

    "Things are going great though I wish I would get a new role someday. I''m not complaining though since I''m still involved in the business, relatively speaking. The kid''s finally trained up thanks to my help and the next movie''s production should be continuing smoothly as we speak."

    "Wait wait wait," Walrein interrupted, looking up from sharpening his tusk. "The kid? Since when did you have a child?"

    "Riolu," Beartic clarified. "The seventh pok¨¦mon that''s on our team. I swear Brycen told Grant to tell all of you about it a long time ago."

    "Oh, him?" Weavile replied. "Yeah, we heard about Riolu. What''s so special about him that Brycen noticed him anyways?"

    "Want the long version or the short version?"

    "Short version," She answered. "I wanna know if he''s gonna replace one of us."

    "Before I explain, no, he''s not replacing any of us," Beartic dragged a nearby ice cube and sat down on it like a chair. "He''s exclusively for film production at Pok¨¦star so he won''t be in the kind of battles we fight in."

    Dewgong tilted her head. "I''ve never heard of something like that before."

    "Brycen''s words, not mine."

    "Then that technically means that he''s not a teammate!" Vanilluxe''s left head interjected.

    "Yeah! That''s not a teammate!" His right head added.

    "Let him continue, you dolts," Walrein growled, shutting the two up immediately.

    "Thanks, Walrein," Beartic said. "There''s something that''s been digging at my mind for a while now. The kid mentioned that he has retrograde amnesia and knows the human language."

    "Well, duh, Beartic," Weavile lightly tapped his head. "We all know what humans say, it''s how we listen to them."

    "Not like that, you sneak," Beartic poked back. "It''s that he can write and communicate directly with humans. I think he''s hiding something underneath the "amnesia'' excuse."

    "So you are keeping a close eye on Riolu, our seventh teammate of our team, due to a growing suspicion?"

    "You''re putting it negatively, Cryogonal. I believe his passion to be an actor is real, his skills on the movie set aren''t something to joke about. I just don''t see why a pok¨¦mon with forgotten memories would be willing to accept the role so quickly."

    "This is an interesting dilemma, maybe you should just ask him? Settle your suspicions once and for all."

    "If the kid is indeed hiding something, I don''t want to force it out of him. The last thing he needs is a pok¨¦mon nearly three times as tall as him demanding for some answers. If I''m right, I''m sure he''ll explain everything one day."

    "So Riolu can write and you think he''s hiding something, that''s great to know," Walrein shrugged off. "Anything else that you want to talk about?"

    "Ooh! Ooh!" Weavile swayed side-to-side, shaking Beartic''s head. "Tell us about that Full Metal Cop movie that Brycen''s in, the one with the sneasel!"

    "Alright, alright, stop jostling up there so I can explain," Weavile soon sat still, leaning her elbows on top of Beartic''s head, ready to listen. "I guess I should start with what Riolu told me about what happened during the auditions..."

    Beartic spent the rest of the day exchanging his stories in the movie studio as his teammates talked about the happenings around Icirrus City. Though the visit was warm and welcoming, the thought of Riolu lingered. Beartic then made the decision, if he wasn''t going to ask up-front, he''d have to ask non discreetly.

 Scene 2 - Take 7: Palm-fringed Coasts and Post-credit Toasts

    Bianca couldn''t see it, she didn''t want to believe it but the riolu on the lab''s flat-screen TV matched exactly what Cheren described. Although she had heard of the movie''s explosive popularity when it was released, she was too busy with work to watch it. However, this time, she and Professor Juniper were determined to make room in their schedule as soon as Cheren gave them the information about Riolu. Earlier, Bianca rushed to the video store and demanded a copy of the "Riolu-Kid" movie. Luckily, they had one copy remaining. If they didn''t, Bianca would''ve run off to the next closest store.

    The two sat in silence as the movie ended and the credits began to roll, the names of those who worked on it scrolled down the black screen. Among all the names, one stood out to both Bianca and the Professor.

    Bianca pointed at the name next to the main character. "Professor, the Riolu-Kid really was him after all."

    "I''m not surprised that Nate''s involved in this mess," Juniper pressed a button on the TV remote, pausing the movie on the names of the cast. "Attention comes to him and being in a movie seems to be no exception."

    Bianca rolled up her sleeve and turned her Xtransceiver on. "Should we call Nate, Professor? He''s the most affiliated to Riolu after Brycen."

    "As much as I believe Cheren''s words, I''d prefer to hear it from the trainer himself. Call Nate, but don''t let him know what we''re trying to find. The last thing I want is our lab sponsor worrying about their friend being researched."

    Bianca nodded, dialing up Nate and slightly adjusting her hair, trying to look professional for the video call. A moment later, the Pok¨¦mon Trainer popped up with a smile and a wave.

    "Hey, Bianca! What''s up?" Judging by the background noise of noisy crowds and the large Ferris wheel spinning behind Nate, it looked like he was at Nimbasa''s amusement park.

    "Hi, Nate!" She cheerfully replied. "How are you and your pok¨¦mon?"

    "We''re doing great!" Nate shuffled through his bag and took out his badge case, releasing the clasp and revealing a total of three badges. "Look! We beat Burgh a while ago and now we''re in Nimbasa for the next badge!" Nate then turned the camera to his team of pok¨¦mon with his face still in the frame. "Say hi to Bianca, guys!"

    The last time she talked with Nate, he only had Snivy and Mareep. Yet now, his team had become much stronger, now that they had evolved into a servine and flaaffy. As his two initial pok¨¦mon waved to the camera, Bianca returned the gesture with a smile. However, she quickly noticed one more addition to the team, a krokorok trying to distance himself from the others.

    "C''mon, Krokorok! Don''t be so shy, she''s a friend of mine!"

    Krokorok stood with his arms crossed and turned his head away, reluctant to greet Bianca. Noticing his behavior, Flaaffy walked up to him and slapped the back of his head as if to say, "Don''t be like that." Krokorok obliged and slightly bowed his head to the camera much to his annoyance.

    "Sorry about that, Bianca. He''s not good with strangers unlike Servine and Flaaffy here, isn''t that right?" The two pok¨¦mon nodded in agreement, causing the krokorok to roll his eyes. "Aside from his attitude, Krokorok''s been a great addition to the team and he''s only going to get better since he has a type advantage against Elesa! I heard that her zebstrika''s tough as hell."

    "Don''t get too excited, Nate. Just because you have a type advantage doesn''t mean that it''s an instant win."

    "I know, I know. If there''s anything I''m familiar with, they''re type disadvantages, Roxie''s poison and Burgh''s bugs were especially nightmarish against Servine but we won through it all thanks to their skills," Servine flexed his vine whip and Flaaffy gave off static shocks from her wool coat at the mention of their past victory. "If only I had another teammate like Har¡ª er, Riolu, the fights would''ve been smoother."

    "Riolu?" This was the perfect moment to change the topic of conversation. "The same one from ''Riolu-Kid of Justice vs. Brycen-Man?''"

    Nate''s eyes beamed at the mention of the movie''s title. "You watched it? How was it? Wasn''t I amazing? It was so fun to act in it!"

    "I have, and so did the professor. How come you didn''t tell us that you starred in a movie?"

    "I... err... I kinda forgot, sorry," Nate gave an awkward grin. "I was distracted from our training for the third gym battle."

    "It''s alright," Bianca waved off. She then took in a deep breath to question Nate as casually as she could, trying not to reveal any deeper intention. "I do want to ask, what was Riolu like when you spent time with him?"

    "Why do you want to know about him?"

    "Well, your bond with him in the movie was charming. It was like you were really partners and not just for the movie''s sake," while her reasoning was genuine, it was still a front. Bianca and Professor Juniper awaited Nate''s response, slightly leaning closer toward her Xtransceiver.

    "Yeah, it''s probably because that''s the one time I wasn''t acting. I wanted a riolu before we battled Cheren but I couldn''t find one even though I heard some could be found around Floccesy Ranch. Har¡ª Riolu helped me around Pok¨¦star Studios and described movie stuff for me. I never knew that moviemaking was so complicated until I saw it for myself."

    The scope of a Pok¨¦mon''s communication skills was limited compared to humans, especially when it came to explaining complex ideas like cinematography. The only way for a Pok¨¦mon to describe cinematography would be through writing, which was precisely what Cheren''s explanation entailed. It was clear that Riolu''s insights were becoming more intriguing by the second.

    "End the call," Professor Juniper whispered, "this information is more than enough and I want to talk with you privately."

    "Sorry, Nate, but I have to go now," Bianca lied, "I can''t shirk work but I''ll talk back when I have the time, ok?"

    "Sure! Bye, Bianca!" Nate cheerfully concluded before ending the call.

    Bianca closed her Xtransciever and looked over at the professor. "Now that we''ve heard it from Nate himself, what should we do now?"

    Professor Juniper sat up from her seat and walked over to her computer to jot some notes down. "Since our laboratory has no connection with Pok¨¦star Studios, I say that''s the first step that we take."

    "So we''re really following Cheren''s plan to collaborate with them?"

    "We are, and what an amazing plan it is," the professor gradually began to type faster. "It''s amazing how Cheren came up with it so quickly"

    "But Professor, a kid''s show based on a picture book? How is that going to work?"

    "Imagine a show where pok¨¦mon moves, abilities, and anything else could be taught through the medium of a pok¨¦mon-only world. Isn''t that intriguing to you?"

    "But how do we involve ourselves directly though?"

    "Do you remember the twins who wanted a pok¨¦dex?" She asked as she continued to type, eyes glued to the computer screen. "The children who came to the laboratory with their pok¨¦mon after I sent you off with Nate''s?"

    "I do, and I also remember how I gave the extra pok¨¦dex to his friend, Hugh," Bianca hesitated at first but later gave in to ask. "Professor, was it really fine for me to hand it to him based on a whim?"

    "Bianca," Professor Juniper halted and looked up, causing Bianca to silently gulp, "I''m glad that you gave the pok¨¦dex to him. You''re my assistant and I know you have a good eye for these sorts of situations, it''s a major reason why I accepted you to my lab in the first place. Besides, I heard he''s been speeding through the gyms as fast as Nate is," Professor Juniper patted Bianca''s hand that leaned on the table. "Your decision didn''t go to waste, ok?"

    The professor''s reasoning left Bianca flustered. Before becoming the professor''s assistant, she was never confident in herself. Her strength in pok¨¦mon battles wasn''t as impressive as Hilbert and Cheren, leaving her feeling like the odd one out in the group. Thankfully, Professor Juniper opened a new path for her as a Pok¨¦mon Researcher, allowing her to contribute to pok¨¦mon in a new way. To this day, it was strange to receive compliments but she was thankful for them nonetheless. Bianca nodded, causing the professor to smile before she continued to explain.

    "As I was saying, I''ve decided to give the kids an opportunity that''ll increase their chances at becoming Pok¨¦mon Trainers by expanding how they interact with their pok¨¦mon. We will sponsor Pok¨¦star Studios and nominate them and their pok¨¦mon to be a focal part of the show. I''ll have someone from our laboratory to guide the children through."

    "Who?"

    Professor Juniper didn''t answer her. She only stared deeply at Bianca.

    "M-me?"

    "You."

    Bianca was now realizing the potential of the plan. "I''m starting to understand, professor. Not only will our sponsorship with Pok¨¦star Studios allow us to spread the name of our research, but we can also look into Riolu without disturbing the workflow of the movie studio!"

    "Exactly so, Bianca. While those are the biggest reasons, don''t ignore the smaller reasons too."

    "There''s more to benefit from this?"

    "We''re benefiting enough as it is with this plan," Professor Juniper chuckled. "Think, Bianca, who would also benefit from our sponsorship?"

    A few seconds later something clicked in her head. "The viewers?"

    "The viewers indeed," Professor Juniper repeated. "We''ll be helping both young children and their pok¨¦mon with this show, can you list any educational programs that do both?"

    "I can''t, I don''t think there''s ever been anything like that."

    "And that''s another reason why this plan must come to fruition," Professor Juniper turned her attention back to the computer screen. She surfed through the Pok¨¦net and arrived at Pok¨¦star Studio''s website. Shortly after, she found what she was looking for. "Here it is, the phone number for Pok¨¦star''s front desk," she said as she jotted down the number on a scrap of paper. With the number in hand, she rose from her seat and walked over to the landline phone. "Let''s see if we can convince the front desk to direct us to the CEO, Mr. Stu Deeoh. Hopefully, he''ll be receptive to the idea."

    As the professor called Pok¨¦star''s front desk, Bianca opened her Xtranseiver again and texted her mother to confirm a lingering thought that brewed in her head.

    *Mom?*

    *Hi, dear! Is something the matter?*

    *No, I just wanted to ask something.*

    *What is it?*

    *Do you still have "Pok¨¦mon Mystery Dungeon: In Search of Secrets?"*

    *We do, but aren''t you too grown up to read something like that?*

    *It''s for research.*

    *What kind?*

    *That''s private information.*

    *You can''t even tell your mom the stuff you work with over at the lab?*

    *Can''t, sorry.*

    *Fine, all your childhood belongings should be in the attic. I''ll have them out when you come home later tonight, ok?*

    *Thanks, Mom. Love you.*

    *Love you too, sweetie. I''ll tell your father that you''ll be home tonight.*

    Bianca quietly groaned at the thought of her overprotective father, she had hoped that her mom wouldn''t tell him. Despite living in the same town, her father still wanted her to live at home when she much preferred the laboratory. He was definitely going to use everything in his power to keep her at home for the night when all she wanted was a brief visit. Bianca didn''t hate her dad, she just wished that he knew that she had her own life.

    About two years ago when she was on her pok¨¦mon journey, her dad followed her to Nimbasa to drag her back to Nuvema. If it weren''t for Elesa''s words and Hilbert''s support, she would never have convinced him to let her go. Since then, her dad was far more lenient on what she could do but his restrictive nature leaked out from time to time and her arrival back home was going to be another case.

    Bianca looked back at the professor and judging by her smile as she responded to a faint voice with a Kalosian accent on the other side of the call, it felt like it was going to be a long day.

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    "I''m not interested in the Rainbow Pearl at all!" Audrey revealed. "The tip that I gave you, the one where I said that I would steal the pearl, was a trap to lure yo¡ª do I sound bland there?"

    Harper shook his head. *You could be a bit louder.*

    "I thought of that as well, but I don''t want to disturb the motel with my yelling," Audrey pointed at the surrounding rooms.

    *Every room surrounding us is Pok¨¦star staff, they''ll know why they can hear you.*

    "Ok then, I''ll try it again."

    A day had passed since their trip to Humilau City much to the group''s disappointment. Since there was no response from Takashi, it looked like the equipment was still on its way. Audrey wanted to continue with her vacation but seeing Brycen commit to practicing his role must''ve left a mark on her. It was a bright and beautiful day outside, the perfect conditions to have fun outside and the three were inside Audrey''s motel room, rehearsing their lines.

    "Hey, Riolu," Ripley tapped his shoulder, "can you remind me what moves we''re going to use again? I''d ask Audrey but she looks pretty absorbed in her acting."

    "Yeah, it''s best to not distract her now," Audrey was completely preoccupied with her lines, she was now rehearsing them without looking at the script. Her body movement matched the dialogue she spoke aloud, moving in tandem with the tone of the lines.

    "Do you need a full refresh like the usual or just list them out?" Harper asked.

    "The usual," Ripley answered. "I want to make sure that I''m not missing anything."

    Harper flipped his script to the beginning of the fight. "So the battle starts with you scratching me. You''ll see me act like I''m malfunctioning from the sea air throughout our fight."

    "And then there''s some dialogue between Audrey and Brycen, right?"

    "There is. After their dialogue, they''ll issue Metal Claw to the both of us and we attack at the same time. Are you left or right-handed?"

    "Right," Ripley charged Metal Claw up on her right claw. "Does it matter though?" She then charged it on her other claw. "I could do both if it''s cooler."

    "It''s better for us to do a specific side since there''s parallelism at play. If we both cross our attacks with Metal Claw, it''ll look great on film."

    "I wanna see what it looks like," Ripley raised her Steel TE-infused claw, the tip extended by a glassy silver color. "Just hold your Metal Claw up."

    Harper charged up Metal Claw on his right paw and three long translucent silver blades began to protrude out. The look of them reminded him of Wolverine whenever he used his adamantium-covered claws in a battle. He must''ve summoned it wrong since Ripley was giving him a strange look.

    "Why does yours look like that?" Ripley touched the side of his Metal Claw with her own, causing sparks to fly out. "I''ve never seen something like this before."

    "Is... is it wrong?" Harper turned his paw back and forth, trying to see if he made any mistakes. Brycen didn''t mention anything whenever he summoned Metal Claw like this so why did Ripley?

    "No, it''s pretty cool that yours looks like that. When pok¨¦mon use Metal Claw, it usually covers their claws. Other times, the move extends their claws further with Steel energy. I assumed the latter would happen for you but yours looks like a completely different shape."

    "Should I try to change the look? For some reason, it''s easy for me to summon Metal Claw in this shape," Harper tried to morph his Metal Claw to make it look more natural, causing the Steel TE to flop slightly.

    "No no no," Ripley waved her paw, "don''t change it, it looks cool! It''s like a riolu''s sleek and heroic one is clashing against a sneasel''s evil-looking Metal Claw!" Ripley suddenly scraped her Metal Claw against Harper''s, creating a loud screeching noise. The three in the room recoiled, immediately trying to block the noise.

    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    "Ripley," Audrey turned around after uncovering her ears, "please don''t do that, ok?"

    "Whoops," Ripley shook the Steel TE off her claws. "Sorry, Audrey."

    Audrey quietly chuckled to herself and continued to rehearse her lines, leaving the two pok¨¦mon back to their conversation.

    "Let''s not use our moves inside anymore," Harper stated.

    "Agreed," Ripley nodded, "so what''s the next part?"

    "I use Close Combat and you use Beat Up. After that, Mecha Cop and I malfunction and that''s the cue for you to use Fury Swipes, do you remember your line after the Sneasel Ninja talks?"

    "I do. It''s: ''You don''t need to say that twice,'' right?"

    "Yup, and after some more lines between Brycen and Audrey, I hit you with Vacuum Wave."

    "Far or close-range?"

    "Far," Harper answered, "and you follow up with Take Down."

    "Alright, I think I got it now. I remember the ending anyway."

    "Are you sure that you don''t need another run-through?" Harper rustled the script in his paw.

    Just as the sneasel was about to reply, there was a knock at the door. Audrey stopped rehearsing her lines and walked up to the door to peek through the hole. One glance later, she opened the door to an emboldened Takashi.

    "Audrey, we have great news!" The director exclaimed. "The equipment is arriving soon! The people I sent over called to say that there''s no traffic so they''re on their way much faster than expected! I was about to send out the notice to everyone but I wanted to let you know and Brycen know first!"

    "Am I the first to know or is Brycen?"

    "I was," Brycen revealed himself behind Takashi, "he knocked on my door a little earlier to tell the news. We should leave as soon as we can, today''s the perfect condition for a film session and we shouldn''t let this go to waste."

    "Then, let''s go to Humilau! The drivers have explained that they''ll meet us at the filming spot so we should be the first to be there!" Without a moment to hesitate, the director left the group standing at Audrey''s front door.

    Brycen turned to Audrey and looked at her and the two pok¨¦mon. "Are you all ready to leave?"

    "As ready as I''ll ever be!" Audrey confirmed.

    ~Let''s go film our last battle for the movie,~ Harper clenched his fist.

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    "Hey, Ripley," Harper called out to the sneasel. "Isn''t it hot for you?"

    "You know I''m an Ice-type, right? I don''t like the heat but this much I can handle easily," she then proceeded to conjure a small block of ice and tossed it to him. "Here you go, if this helps then you''re welcome."

    "It does, thanks," the beach heat was getting to him and his fur wasn''t helping either. The ice was managing to ward off the day''s heat spell when he held it in his paws, if only barely. At least he didn''t have a costume and only a thick, green plaster on his chest. It was a bit uncomfortable but wearing it multiple times allowed him to get used to it. It also wasn''t as stifling as Brycen''s metal-plated armor or Audrey''s completely black ninja costume. How the both weren''t complaining, Harper didn''t know.

    "That''s a lot of people in the back, isn''t there?" Audrey peered behind the movie crew.

    As she described, there was a large crowd of people gathering around behind all the cameras. Some of them had cameras ready to take pictures of the people on set. The unwanted attention was becoming a distraction, and it seemed that Takashi was beginning to agree.

    "Son of a... I thought our location scouts found a more private part of the beaches to film on."

    ~If only Marlon had been involved with production earlier, he would''ve likely found a quieter spot,~ Harper remembered the Gym Leader''s helping hand.

    "Where''s my megapho¡ª there it is," Takashi tapped his megaphone and pointed it towards the group of tourists and locals. "Everyone! We are currently in the middle of producing a film and we would greatly appreciate it if we were left undisturbed! If you decide to stay, then we implore you that you remain silent, any unnecessary noise will cause a reshoot, and the film crew and I will not be happy in the slightest if that ever occurs!"

    At the words of the director, many decided to leave the crew to their business as they headed back to the more public parts of the beach. The more insistent ones, however, decided it was best to keep quiet by putting away their devices and stop chattering with the people around them.

    Takashi sighed with relief. "Good, now we can continue filming. Everyone! Back to your places! We''ll be going back to the beginning of the scene again for reassurance!"

    "Scene 10, Take 2."

    "Action!"

    The Full Metal Cop and his partner pok¨¦mon paced along the ebb and flow of the water, the soothing noise blended in with the cries of wingulls and the swaying of the palm trees. The calming scenery did not defer their objective, however. Their eyes darted around warily, scanning the surroundings for any sign of the Sneasel Ninja. They were on high alert, ready to take action in a moment''s presence of the villain to come.

    Mecha Cop placed two fingers on the side of his scanner and surveyed the area. "Scanning area, attempt to find Sneasel Ninja has failed. Where could she be?"

    A chilling presence suddenly shivered up Harper''s spine as the Sneasel Ninja appeared. "Right behind you."

    Mecha Cop and Harper pivot on their heels and stride backward, creating distance between themselves and their enemy. The air around them seems to shimmer and thicken as a cloud of dark smoke materializes out of nowhere. From the fog, the Sneasel Ninja emerges. Her face twisted into a sly, predatory grin.

    Upon seeing the Sneasel Ninja, Mecha Cop immediately assumed battle position, and Harper followed along soon after. "The serial robber, the Sneasel Ninja! Surrender!"

    "Mecha Cop!" She posed dramatically as she pointed at the heroes. "You''ve completely fallen for my trap!"

    "How so?!"

    "I''m not interested in the Rainbow Pearl at all!" The Sneasel Ninja revealed as she pretended to hold a sphere in her hands with her fingers splayed out. "The tip that I gave you, the one where I said that I would steal the pearl, was a trap to lure you to come here!"

    "I expected this from you, you lousy criminal!"

    "Tee he he... And you still showed up! The sand of this beach is magnetized and makes mechanics malfunction! On top of that, a salty breeze is blowing! I look forward to your cyborg body getting rusty!"

    Mecha Cop stared into the horizon before facing the Sneasel Ninja again. "In that case... I just have to arrest you again before this body gets rusty!"

    "This setback will do nothing to stop us!" Harper shouted as he tensed his muscles, prepared for battle.

    "Try it!" The Sneasel Ninja scoffed. "Sneasel, use Scratch!"

    Sneasel pointed a claw at the duo. "Let''s see how you fare against us this time!"

    Sneasel''s sharp claws glinted in the sunlight as she darted towards Harper. She swiped at him with lightning-fast movements, aiming to land a critical strike. Harper managed to dodge her attack just in time. Despite his agility, Sneasel''s claws grazed his shoulder, leaving behind a shallow wound. Though he winced in pain, Harper stood strong, determined to take down his opponent.

    "He he he! I''m impressed that your Riolu is withstanding the effects of the beach!"

    "Riolu! You! I won''t forgive you!" Mecha Cop raised his left arm, a compartment opening up from within and revealing a gadget. "Alloy Net!"

    The Sneasel Ninja dodged the rapidly approaching trap, narrowly landing on her. "H-hey! What happened to your belief in fighting fair in the name of justice?!"

    "Argh... I''m disappointed in myself. I got upset, and without thinking, I used¡­"

    "Tee he he. You''re panicking! Are you having a hard time?" The Sneasel Ninja''s chuckle turned into maniacal laughter before she wiped a tear from her face. "Mecha Cop! Give up before it''s too late. Surrender!... Right? Te he he¡­"

    "My justice is unshakable, no matter what the circumstances. Prepare yourself!"

    "Stop bluffing!"

    "That''s such a model answer for villains. It''s worth defeating you!"

    "You can certainly try!"

    "If you have an impulse to admire justice, surrender without resistance!" Mecha Cop pointed at Sneasel. "Riolu! Jump in with Metal Claw!"

    "Use the same attack, Sneasel!"

    Harper and Sneasel dashed towards each other with fierce determination, their eyes locked in a stare-down. Both of them began to charge up Metal Claw as they drew nearer. Their collision created an overwhelming flash of light, sending a deafening clang echoing across the beach and reverberating off the towering cliffs in the distance.

    "Use Beat Up!" The Sneasel Ninja shouted.

    "Return the attack with Close Combat!" Mecha Cop commanded.

    The two pok¨¦mon proceeded to engage in a heated battle, paying little attention to their defenses. However, as the fight continued, Mecha Cop''s systems began to malfunction, causing it to falter.

    "Uh... What...? I can''t move¡­" The Sneasel Ninja''s cunning trap was gradually taking hold, the salty breeze was slowly corroding the cop''s sturdy metal armor.

    Harper noticed Mecha Cop''s impairment and looked away from the fight. "Are you alright?!"

    "He''s looking away!" The Sneasel Ninja cackled. "Use Fury Swipes!"

    "You don''t need to say that twice!" Sneasel charged the move on both her claws and swiftly struck Harper''s chest implement.

    "Riolu!" Mecha Cop walked towards his partner pok¨¦mon only to falter, his legs giving out from the pain the environment was causing him. He almost fell on the sand only to catch himself, glaring at his foe. "That was a cheap shot, Sneasel Ninja!"

    "Hey," the Sneasel Ninja''s voice suddenly dropped to a serious tone. "If it works, it works... right?"

    Mecha Cop scowled at the laughing ninja and her partner pok¨¦mon. The only thing he could do was command his partner pok¨¦mon and overcome the situation they were under. "My body is creaking... This is not good... I have to do something fast... Riolu! Strike back!"

    Taking the distance into consideration, Harper charged up Vacuum Wave and struck Sneasel with full force, causing her to stagger backward.

    Shocked at his continued effort to battle, the Sneasel Ninja issued a command to her pok¨¦mon. "Run in with Take Down!"

    With lightning-fast speed, Sneasel charged toward Harper, her eyes fixed on his. As she got closer, she threw her body forward and slammed into him with tremendous force, sending him flying through the air before landing heavily in the sand.

    "Low Sweep and follow up with Force Palm!"

    As Sneasel got closer to Harper, he swung his feet at hers, causing her to trip and fall. Her attempts to stand back up were halted by his foot firmly placed on her arm.

    "This is the end of the line, you thief!" Harper tensed his right arm as he charged up his final move.

    "We''ll see about that, copper," Sneasel smirked.

    With a swift and powerful motion, Harper slammed his paw on Sneasel''s chest. The brutal impact caused her to crumple.

    High on her ego with her head held up high, the Sneasel Ninja attempted to shout another attack for the unconscious Sneasel to follow. "Use Dark Pul¡ª Eh?"

    "Eeeek! I thought the strategy this time was perfect... Arghh! This... scrap!"

    Mecha Cop stood back up after some difficulty. "Sneasel Ninja! You''re underestimating justice!"

    The Sneasel Ninja tutted in disapproval and huffed her chest, unwilling to listen to his words.

    "To protect law and justice, I could be infinitely cruel! That''s the real World Police! Mission accomplished!"

    "Don''t be so confident just yet!" The Mecha Cop halted his attempt at calling more officials. "I know that the World Police is hiding nearby and that they''re oh so ready to put me behind bars again. I''m making my escape to steal my next big thing!"

    "What are you planning at this time, you thief?!"

    "Tee he he! I''ll be taking my leave now!" The Sneasel Ninja recalled Sneasel back into her pok¨¦ball and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

    "Where did she go?!" Mecha Cop hectically turned his head. "C''mon! Let''s go find her, she can''t be far from here!"

    Mecha Cop and Harper hastened towards the remote end of the sun-drenched beach, the magnetization of the sand and the breeze continuing to slow them down. The towering cliffs rose high above them, casting a long shadow over the duo.

    "She''s up there!" Harper pointed up to the peak of the cliffs. "Look!"

    "...and cut!" Takashi exclaimed. The crowd of people who had watched the entire battle unfold burst into applause. The uncharacteristic glare from the director stopped them all from continuing their praise.

    "We''re still not done yet!" Takashi turned back to the film crew. "Now we need to film the aftermath of the Sneasel Ninja fleeing from the cliffs and the reactions of the heroes!"

    "Scene 12, Take 1."

    "Action!"

    "Sneasel Ninja!" Mecha Cop cursed out loud to the cliffs.

    Harper fell to his knees and began to punch the sand. "If it weren''t for the conditions of this beach, we would''ve caught her by now!"

    "Don''t worry, Riolu. In the name of justice, we shall apprehend this thief."

    "...and cut! Now we need to go over to the cliffs of Undella for the top-down view from Audrey''s perspective. Pack everything up, our filming in Humilau is complete! To the viewers in the back, please get out of the way for our film crew!"

    Without a moment of hesitation, the film crew hurriedly packed everything up and rolled the equipment off the beach, the onlookers quickly left the scene now that filming was over.

    "This is a pretty mundane way to end our filming for this movie, isn''t it?" Audrey showed up behind Harper. "The last scene we''re filming occurs in the middle of the movie. I know how you explained before that scenes aren''t done in chronological order but I still wish it wasn''t the case."

    A crew member handed Harper his whiteboard after giving first aid to him and Ripley. *You wanted a satisfying conclusion for the production and the story at the same time?*

    "I did, but I won''t complain about it. At least we got to spend time here in Humilau and Undella!"

    *You''re right about that.*

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    The entire film crew moved all their equipment and made their way to the cliffside of Undella, an area that was much quieter and more private than the crowd-driven beaches of Humilau. The peacefulness was bittersweet in a way to Harper, it was like the environment prepared the scene knowing it was the last one they needed.

    "This''ll be a quick final scene, Audrey," Takashi explained. "Other than the narrator''s lines that we''ll be recording in post-production, this is it. Just give it your all, ok?"

    Audrey nodded with a prideful smile on her face but her emotional state was saying otherwise.

    |[Downhearted]|

    Was she feeling sad now that "Full Metal Cop" was nearing the end of production? Audrey and Ripley had both expressed their desire for the stage and now that their time on the project was coming to an end, Harper couldn''t help but wonder if that was the reason for their change in mood.

    "Scene 11, Take 1."

    "Action!"

    "You found me!" The Sneasel Ninja laughed out. "I guess I should give you a little hint for my next big heist since we''re such great enemies!" She then proceeded to hug herself mockingly. "The hint is that it''s something personal to you!" The Sneasel Ninja jumped away from the cliff and fled into the surrounding trees.

    "Cut! Great job, Audrey! I didn''t expect anything less from you!"

    "Thank you, Mr. Pok¨¦mi," Audrey gave a slight bow.

    "Since there''s no need to do a second take, I guess it''s time to end the filming of ''Full Metal Cop!" Takashi turned to the anticipating film crew, and every member stood still with bated breath, eager to end the production of the movie.

    "That''s a wrap!"

    With the final three words, a wave of exhilaration swept through the film crew as they burst into celebration. The sound of the cameras stopped abruptly and the previously silent set was now filled with an overwhelming sense of accomplishment. The crew members couldn''t contain their excitement and erupted into unrestrained celebrations with hugs, high-fives, and cheers. Harper noticed that Audrey and Ripley were oddly quiet, and the trainer began to crouch to meet Sneasel''s height.

    "This was fun, wasn''t it?" Audrey spoke softly.

    "Time of my life," Ripley followed up with a hug, standing on her toes to properly wrap her arms around Audrey.

    Not wanting to interrupt their moment of comfort, Harper looked over at Takashi, who had just received a phone call soon after ending today''s filming.

    "Sir... no you didn''t!" The director gushed out. "I can''t believe you did all that for us, thank you so much! We''ll head over there as soon as we''ve finished packing up!" With a click of his phone, Takashi picked up his megaphone and began to announce to the film crew for the last time.

    "Everyone! We''re not done for today!" Everyone turned to the director in disbelief. "Not like that! As it turns out, Mr. Stu Deeoh has prepared a small celebration party for us over at the Undella Hotel that''s near our motel!"

    The excitement that occurred after hearing the news paled in comparison to the celebration of the completion of the film. The cheers were louder than before with a collective round of applause ringing around the set.

    "Once we have finished putting our gear away, I want everyone to meet up at the hotel as soon as you can!"

    Until today, Harper had never witnessed such a swift and organized film crew in his entire life.

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    The word "small" didn''t cut it to describe the setup that Mr. Stu Deeoh somehow prepared under everyone''s noses. He had rented out a ballroom and stocked it with a buffet with enough food to satisfy someone three times over. There was even a DJ at the end of the ballroom, playing some electronic songs with his partner pok¨¦mon. The pok¨¦mon looked like a bipedal purple lizard with a spiked yellow mohawk. Harper assumed it was from the later games since he didn''t recognize it.

    Parties such as this never occurred when he worked in Hollywood as they were reserved for actors only and even then they were private parties. The end of a production ended like how an average 9-5 job did with no flashy conclusions or any acknowledgment of their accomplishment. It was just a simple "good job, everyone" and that was all. No executive of a movie studio would ever put the time, effort, and especially the money to arrange something like this.

    Then again, this was the Pok¨¦mon world after all.

    Despite the respect he held for Mr. Stu Deeoh for the generosity he was displaying with this surprise party, Harper didn''t want to stay much longer. Even if there were parties in his old world, he''d likely not have attended them anyway. The treatment from his colleagues led him to rightfully assume that they''d rather not have him around in any social setting that wasn''t a work environment.

    Not wanting to bum himself out any further, Harper instead concluded that he wanted to stay outside since the music was too loud for his sensitive ears. Weaving through the dancing crowd, he made his way to the exit of the ballroom and left the hotel. Like the motel that everyone stayed at, the hotel also overlooked the beach and the ocean''s horizon. Wanting to find a moment of peace, Harper crossed the street and sat on the short concrete wall that divided the sidewalk and the beach sand.

    The movie was a lot of work. Obviously, it was much larger in scale than the previous film. The arduous task of acting and re-acting for this movie and his training to learn a bunch of new moves was now nothing more than a memory. It was difficult at the time, but since he was finally done, Harper looked back on it with fondness.

    ~Here''s to another great production,~ Harper jokingly raised an imaginary glass of wine into the air before sipping.

    Harper continued to sit on the concrete wall in tranquility. It was only until the sky was approaching twilight that he realized just how long he was outside. He then heard footsteps behind him, his ear twitching backward to the sound first before he turned his head around.

    "Why are you here?" Ripley asked.

    "Why are you here?" Harper asked back.

    "I was wondering where you were."

    "And I left since the music was too loud."

    "And not because you''re scared to dance?" Ripley hopped onto the concrete wall and sat beside Harper.

    "Definitely not."

    The two chuckled before staring at the falling sun, the rays of light beginning to grow dimmer with each passing minute.

    "This was fun," Ripley suddenly stated.

    "What was?"

    "Everything."

    "Did you have any favorite moments?"

    "Our first battle together," Ripley answered immediately, "it took everything in me to keep acting when you used Tackle on me. I thought you''d use moves as weak as when I used Pursuit on you."

    "That was a mistake on my end, I should''ve told you that pok¨¦mon use real moves in films beforehand. Audrey calls me her teacher but even I need to learn new things."

    "Like when Brycen took you outside that same day?"

    "Can we go back to my original question?"

    "Heh, fine. I guess another thing I liked was my battle with Sewaddle. She didn''t look all that much at first but I was proven wrong instantly. That bug is a powerhouse, I never knew a pok¨¦mon like her could use Flail so effectively."

    "It sucks that I wasn''t there at the time to see you guys act, I guess I''ll see it at the test screening."

    "Test screening? What''s that?"

    "It''s when a movie studio does a preview of a film to gauge feedback and see how the audience reacts. I don''t think we need to worry though considering how positive Takashi was and how well we acted."

    "I hope you''re right, Riolu. I don''t want my first movie to be a flop."

    "It won''t. You and Audrey will get the recognition you deserve."

    "Thanks," Ripley looked over her shoulder. "Speaking of Audrey, there she is right now.."

    The coordinator walked up to the two sitting pok¨¦mon and sat down next to Ripley. "I''ve been wondering where you two were, you were out here the whole time?"

    Harper and Ripley nodded.

    "I was looking for the two of you earlier but if I knew you were here sooner, I''d have left much sooner. The inside of the ballroom was getting pretty stuffy with everyone dancing. I think I saw Layla dancing in a formed circle before I walked out."

    *Did you want to dance in the circle?*

    "No, nononono. I''m a coordinator and an actor, not a dancer. I''d much rather put on a show with Ripley beside me than be alone, isn''t that right?" Audrey patted the top of the sneasel''s head.

    "Yup!" She responded.

    Audrey picked Ripley up and placed her on her lap, continuing to pet her head. "Everything that happened from the day of the audition to this moment, I enjoyed every bit of it. I originally started this to give myself a feeling similar to being in a Pok¨¦mon Contest, but now? I have a new perspective to coordinate now that I have experience as an actress." Audrey placed her hand on top of Harper''s head. "Thanks, Riolu. I''ll never forget all your help. Arceus knows how screwed I''d be if I didn''t have you."

    |[Unwavering Trust]|

    The feeling lingered inside Harper as his feelers tingled. He always knew that Audrey and Ripley had trusted him since the very beginning, but what made this one so different? The sense of trust was indistinguishable from Nate''s during their final conversation. Back then, his ability wasn''t as fine-tuned as it was now but Harper could tell the similarity. Despite his instincts telling him that the two could be trusted back, he didn''t want to scare them with his true identity so he decided to reveal one detail.

    *Harper*

    "Harper?" Audrey repeated.

    Harper added a few more words after his name. *Harper. That''s my name.*

    "Your name is Harper?" Audrey asked.

    "Harper''s your name?" Ripley repeated the question after hearing Audrey.

    He nodded.

    "Odd name for a riolu, but how come you never mentioned this before?"

    *I don''t feel prepared to answer why just yet, could you give me some time?*

    Audrey took a second to think before petting his head again. "Sure, you can tell us whenever you''re ready."

    "Can I ask why you can''t tell us why now?" Ripley asked.

    "It''s... it''s a personal matter. It took a while for me to realize that I wanted you guys to know my name."

    "I guess I''ll wait with Audrey then," Ripley briefly paused. "Harper."

    As the sun gradually disappeared behind the horizon, the trio sat together in silence. Ripley, who was nestled on Audrey''s lap, was beginning to doze off, her eyelids drooping heavily. It took Harper a moment to realize that Audrey had been gently petting him for the last minute.

    Harper wanted to deny it, but he couldn''t.

    Maybe head pats weren''t bad after all.

 Scene 2 - Take 8: First-Rate Receptions and Mistaken Perceptions

    ~Why¡­ is¡­ this¡­ so¡­ hard¡­ to¡­ use?~ Harper fiddled with the adjuster of the back of his seat, trying to find the perfect balance between sitting and lying down.

    Brycen softly karate-chopped his head. "Stop fooling around with your seat and stay still."

    "But I was trying t¡ª dammit...fine," Harper stopped midway through his counter-argument. There was no point in fighting back when he looked like a child playing with the adjuster. Giving up on trying to get comfy, Harper made a final correction to his seat to sit up and slumped, at least the complimentary pillow made his plane seat bearable.

    Planes in this world were different compared to Harper''s old world as they weren''t large like a standard commercial airline plane was. The flight that the film crew was taking back to Pok¨¦star was a smaller plane that just barely fit everyone together. Harper initially complained to himself about the size and quality of their ride until he realized that due to the numerous methods of transportation provided by pok¨¦mon, conventional methods of travel such as cars and planes would be used less frequently.

    Then again, if someone had the choice of flying on top of a Flying-type pok¨¦mon or sitting for hours on end in an unstable piece of metal, they''d pick the former. The benefits of flying alone far outweighed the benefits of flying in a plane.

    Having a long flight to Pok¨¦star wasn''t a good combo with the long night of partying that occurred the other day. Harper, Audrey, and Ripley sat outside the entire time as the sun set and the light was replaced with the beams of the moon. They would have remained outside much longer if it weren''t for Brycen, who was heading to the motel early to get some sleep. It was a good idea to sleep earlier than the rest of the film crew since they were the least tired when everyone got on the plane.

    "Riolu," Harper looked back up at his trainer. "I want to ask you something about Audrey now that filming for the movie is complete."

    Harper glanced to his right and noticed that both Audrey and Ripley were sound asleep, despite the slight turbulence that the plane was experiencing. The two of them were resting in identical positions, with their heads tilted slightly upwards towards the ceiling and their hands resting peacefully on their laps. It seemed as though nothing could interrupt their slumber since they had been in the same position since the beginning of the flight.

    "I wanted her in this conversation but it seems that she''s asleep," Brycen looked over at the actress. "I want to know from you, has Audrey explained her plans for post-production?"

    Harper shrugged as he wasn''t sure enough. The way Audrey talked about her time in Pok¨¦star was a bit vague when it came to the topic of contests. She became an actress with the sole purpose of feeling like a coordinator again and that desire remained the entire time. Whether she stuck around or left after the movie''s completion, Harper would only know when the time came.

    "I see," Brycen rubbed his chin. "That''s all that I will ask. Any more discussion about her will look like gossip, we''ll all talk together at the right time."

    As their plane ride continued, the two sat together in quiet reflection. Brycen''s gaze was fixed on the ever-changing shapes of the clouds drifting outside the window. Harper sat alongside him, also observing the covered sky. Despite the peacefulness, intrusive thoughts began to fester in his head as the silence in the plane continued. It seemed to amplify the sound of his thoughts, making it difficult to ignore them, causing an internal argument with himself to form.

    ~I told Audrey and Ripley my name, why didn''t I tell Brycen yet? Am I going to tell Beartic as well?~

    ~I don''t know. Should I tell Brycen now?~

    ~I should, but what''s the excuse for remembering through my "amnesia?"~

    ~Didn''t I say I was tired of making excuses?~

    ~God, I''m contradicting myself, remember when I told Nate everything?~

    ~That time was different, this is the last time I''m revealing something, I swear it. I love my new life, I just don''t want to be a nameless riolu.~

    ~Why go through all this unnecessary stress about hiding my real identity when I can just forget my past life and stop trying to act so human? I don''t need to be scared of being taken away if I don''t "human" like a human. I mean just look at me, my body isn''t even a person to begin with.~

    ~This trip made me remember the good in my past life. Forgetting that means I''m casting Mom and Dad away.~

    ~Mom never cared for my career, she always argued with me about my life choices.~

    ~But she wasn''t doing it out of selfishness. She wanted to stop me from acting because...she...~

    Something snapped inside of Harper, his eyes widening, he should''ve realized it sooner. He hated himself for not realizing it sooner. His previous disdain towards his mother clouded his judgment, he never looked at the other side of the arguments the two frequently had. She lost her husband once to the movie industry, she couldn''t lose her only son.

    Now Harper was gone as well.

    Harper wanted to punch himself in the face for his stupid mentality about his mother during that car ride to Undella. She would never have nagged about how she was "right." His mother was mourning the loss of her only remaining family member, who died in the same industry as her husband and here he was, enjoying the time of his life. The weight of his thoughts was suffocating him, and he felt as though he was being pulled into a bottomless pit of self-loathing and shame.

    "Riolu," Brycen''s voice woke Harper up. "Are you crying?"

    Harper wasn''t expecting to feel something wet when he placed his paw underneath his eye, taken aback by the damp sensation on his fur. Upon closer inspection, he realized that tears had been streaming down his face for the past minute, leaving a dark stain on his lap. Feeling self-conscious, Harper hastily brushed the tears away and composed himself.

    ~I''m going to continue living for Mom and Dad? And not just for me?~

    ~Yes.~

    ~Cross my heart and hope to die?~

    "Stick a needle in my eye," Harper muttered. He grabbed his whiteboard and scribbled a quick sentence to show Brycen.

    *There''s something I haven''t told you yet.*

    "And what is that, Riolu?" His voice sounded softer, now aware of Harper''s mental state.

    *I remember my name. It''s "Harper."*

    "Harper...is there anything else you remember? It seems you''re recovering from your amnesia."

    *I told Audrey to give me some time before I told her, can I ask the same from you?*

    "So she knows your name as well?"

    Harper nodded.

    "Very well, I''ll let you tell me when you''re ready. If you ever need someone to talk to, I''m sure that Beartic and I will assist you the best we can," Brycen took a pouch of tissues from the seat compartment and gave them to Harper. "Now wipe your tears with these, your arms shouldn''t be used to dry your face."

    Brycen was right, now the fur on his arm was beginning to look matted.

    Layla would freak out if she saw this.

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    "Mission accomplished. Now, Sneasel Ninja, it''s time for you to pay for your crimes," Mecha Cop stopped in front of the police car door. "Ready to turn over a new leaf?"

    "Thanks..." The Sneasel Ninja smiled towards the camera. As the camera panned away from the hero and changed villain and into the city skyline, the disembodied voice signified the conclusion of the story with a final narration.

    "Thus, the Sneasel Ninja, who escaped prison so many times before, went to prison at the hands of Mecha Cop. And the Sneasel Ninja never again attempted escape...so they say...Then, several years later...the secret detective, Mecha Cop, who protects citizens from crime, has a new partner at his side. A partner by the name of...the Sneasel! Listen to your human side, Mecha Cop! Condemn the crime, not the criminal!"

    As soon as the movie screen faded to black, a round of applause from the test audience reverberated around the theater. It relieved Harper that the test screening went better than expected.

    The darkness of the screen was eventually replaced with the credits panning down on the screen. As a multitude of names scrolled down, it eventually caught up to the names of the cast. Then he saw it, his name.

    Cast

    Mecha Cop - Brycen

    Riolu - Harper

    The Sneasel Ninja - Audrey Cohen

    Sneasel - Ripley

    ...

    ...

    ...

    ~It''s finally there, my name.~

    Further thoughts to himself were interrupted by a hand placed on his head. He looked to the side to see a proud Audrey with her other hand on top of Ripley''s head.

    "I can''t believe how good your attacks looked!" Audrey complemented the two pok¨¦mon. "Like when you hit her with that Force Palm in that final battle, Mr. Pok¨¦mi was right about that hit being heavy! I felt that in my bones when that happened!"

    Harper and Ripley nodded in agreement, their scripted battle was a tough one but thanks to Takashi''s skills in directing, it looked better than ever.

    "Should we head out now? The theater''s getting a bit stuffy to me," As Audrey rose from her seat, she gestured towards the exit. As the trio began walking towards the door, numerous conversations from the test audience members and their pok¨¦mon overlapped with each other. Harper managed to overhear two women and a pok¨¦mon, unaware that the stars of the movie were right beside them.

    "What a movie! I have got to find the director and complement him!" One woman praised.

    "I was just thinking the same!" Her friend agreed. "I also want to ask if what the pokemon were saying matched the subtitles, they were probably speaking gibberish though."

    "They weren''t saying random stuff!" A Minccino sat on her trainer''s shoulder as she pointed at the screen. "Those words that showed up on the screen every time that Riolu and Sneasel spoke probably matched! If only I could read..."

    "Did you enjoy it as well?" The woman scratched Minccino''s chin. "Let''s go see if the director is nearby!"

    All the other conversations around Harper followed similarly, praising the battles, story, scenes, and dialogue. He hadn''t heard any negative critiques so far but since this was a small audience, he expected to hear it when the movie went out publicly. As he left the theater, the sudden shift in brightness was too much for his eyes, causing him to flinch and raise his arm towards his head.

    Guess some things will never change.

    Audrey took a deep breath in as she stood in place, stretching her arms. "I guess I was worrying too much about what people would think about the test screening," She exhaled. "Do you know how much longer until the movie actually comes out?"

    *The editing and VFX are done way faster than I originally thought.*

    *With that in mind, the film should be out in a week or so.*

    "So what do we do in the meantime?" Audrey asked.

    "Do we just sit on our butts and wait?" Ripley added.

    "We''re not going to be doing nothing the whole time," Harper replied to Ripley. "The next part should be marketing so I''m expecting that we might do a photo shoot before the movie''s out," he wrote the same explanation on his whiteboard for Audrey.

    "Well, since the test screening was today, I don''t think we''re going to be taking some photos and stuff so I guess the rest of the day is free for us!" Audrey placed her hands on her knees and leaned towards Harper and Ripley. "What should we do?"

    "I''m getting kinda hungry," Ripley rubbed her stomach. "Can we go get food?"

    "You''re hungry? Then let''s go to the cafeteria, lunch is on me!"

    *But lunch is free for all employees.*

    "I know," Audrey chuckled.

    While the three walked to the cafeteria, Harper began to think about the scenes he watched during the test screening.

    ~Man, I really wish I was there to see that in real-time,~ he thought as he looked back on the apartment battle Ripley had with Amie''s Sewaddle. The games never showed how Sticky Web was used on a pok¨¦mon. It only looked like a pixelated animation of string wrapping its target so seeing Sewaddle shooting it where Pollyanna commanded was interesting. When the webbing stuck on Sneasel''s feet, Pollyanna didn''t waste a single second to issue another move.

    The other scene that stood out was the prison escape that he was too busy to see being filmed. The way that Audrey handled that scene solo was incredible, her acting when she snuck around each hallway and bypassed the guards and their pok¨¦mon was lifelike. Without any context, his compliment to Audrey about being a great thief would sound criminal. The more he thought about it, the more frustrated he got with himself. If only he got the handle of his moves sooner so he didn''t have to train while Audrey was filming her sce-

    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    Harper mentally slapped himself in the face to wake himself up. The past was in the past, and the film was complete. There was no need to get angry anymore, he was more prepared than ever compared to his status when production first began.

    The cafeteria was within eyesight now, and the three made their way to the entrance before Audrey stopped abruptly in front of it. Her hands were frozen on the door handle as she turned over to Harper.

    "I really hope that everyone enjoys the film, Harper"

    "I hope so as well," he nodded.

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    The movie was an instant hit, it made an instant impact at every theater it was showcased in and brought in huge amounts of pok¨¦dollars. Day by day, the praise and positive reception for the film only grew, leaving Audrey overwhelmed. While she had experience handling popularity from competing in local contests around the cities of Sinnoh, the extent of recognition the movie brought was far beyond what she was accustomed to.

    Audrey and Ripley were currently sitting on a bench that was near the sound stage where they filmed the green screen scenes for "Full Metal Cop." She originally intended to relax in her vanity van when she made the mistake of passing by the main square on the same day that tourists were allowed in.

    What worse timing to have when all she wanted then was a nice nap.

    The two of them had lost the group of tourists and paparazzi that were hounding her thanks to the labyrinth-esque structure of the backlots. If she never got that tour from Harper, she''d be just as lost as the people who followed her.

    "Harper..." Audrey said out loud. "Isn''t that such a strange name for a riolu?"

    "Snea?" Ripley looked up at her.

    "I''m not making fun of his name, it''s just that the other riolus that I''ve seen back in Sinnoh had more fitting names. You remember Rio from that one competition?"

    Ripley gave a nod and then stood up on the bench, striking a martial arts pose while balancing on one leg. However, she soon lost her balance and tumbled onto Audrey''s lap.

    "Yup, that riolu," She chuckled. "It''s just something that''s been in my mind for a while like it''s a name that I''d expect from...I dunno...like someone from business."

    "Sneasel..." it sounded like Ripley also agreed with her.

    "I shouldn''t talk about him behind his back," Audrey shook her head. "Especially since he''s helped so much, I can''t thank him enough. In fact, I can''t thank everyone here enough."

    She looked up to the sky as she leaned into the back of the bench. "Vincent didn''t have to give me the original script when I wanted to see the difference between that and the current one but he did," Audrey then readjusted her hair. "And Layla was so quick with her makeup and she always finished before sitting in that barber chair felt uncomfortable."

    Ripley held her arms forward and made a clapping motion similar to a clapperboard.

    "Of course I didn''t forget about Mr. Pok¨¦mi, he¡ª"

    As Audrey and Ripley noticed a man walking towards them. He seemed to be unsure of his direction since he kept turning his head in every direction with each step. After a few seconds, he caught sight of the two and approached them to strike up a conversation.

    "Excuse me, but you''re Ms. Cohen, correct?" The well-dressed man cautiously asked. "The same Audrey Cohen from ''Full Metal Cop?''"

    "Y-yes, that''s me," Audrey answered in a similar tone.

    "That''s good to hear," He slumped on the bench beside her. "I''ve walked all over the backlots looking for you and those tourists were no help at all. This place is like a maze."

    ~So they''re still lost?~ Audrey silently laughed to herself.

    "Ms. Cohen," The man continued. "I wanted to talk with you about the Musical Theater in Nimbasa."

    Audrey''s face changed from careful curiosity to a frown at the mention of the theater. She didn''t want anything to do with the place that gave her so much trouble and disappointment. She''d rather face the tourists and the paparazzi than this man who was reminding her of the employees'' rejection of dual participation.

    "No, I''m not interested," Audrey stood up with Ripley in her arms. "Don''t try to contact me again, I don''t want to have any affiliation with the Musical Theater."

    "Wait wait wait!" The man jumped out of the bench and held his hands up, stopping her from moving forward. "Please listen to what I have to say!"

    "What do you want from me," Audrey furrowed her eyebrows. "You talk like you represent the theater."

    "I talk that way because it''s true, let me properly introduce myself," He gave a slight bow, removing his fedora and placing it on his chest. "My name is Thea Tres, but you can just call me Mr. Tres. I am the owner and the head of the Musical Theater in Nimbasa. It''s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Cohen."

    "Pleasure to meet you as we¡ª wait, no it isn''t," Audrey was ready to leave the man behind. "Why are you here?"

    "To apologize for the Musical Theater''s behavior towards you and your request."

    "What?" Audrey was taken aback.

    "It started when I overheard my employees talking about a stubborn client wanting to perform with their pok¨¦mon. I kept it in the back of my mind because it was the first time I had ever heard such a complaint before. When I heard that it was the Audrey Cohen, the same actress who played the Sneasel Ninja, who was denied entry alongside her pok¨¦mon in my Musical Theater, I realized the terrible mistake my rule has caused for you."

    "So you''re here just to apologize?" Audrey asked, her mood was beginning to worsen.

    "I knew you wouldn''t be satisfied with an apology so I have planned something for this reason. In simple terms, I want you to be by my side as I oversee the creation of Pok¨¦mon Contests in Unova."

    "Wait a second," Audrey put her hands forward, pausing the theater owner "You''re already going too fast, Mr...Tres, right?" The theater owner affirmed Audrey''s memory. "Mr. Tres, Pok¨¦mon Contests in Unova, how is that possible?"

    Mr. Tres pointed at the "Full Metal Cop" posters hanging on the walls of the soundstage, one was of the protagonist and his riolu walking away from a large explosion. Another poster was of the Sneasel Ninja about to grab her hands on a large device with her Sneasel rubbing her claws together with mischievous glee.

    It reminded her of the photo session they had a few days before the movie''s release. It took much longer than originally planned since Ripley couldn''t stay still, all the props that the photographer had laid out were far more interesting to her than standing still for the camera. Mr. Tres began to explain, waking Audrey up from her memories.

    "This absolute marvel of a movie that I have seen starred the very client we denied. As soon as I saw who it was that was acting as the Sneasel Ninja, I came to the conclusion that you were right all along. People and pok¨¦mon should indeed be together at all times, we shouldn''t be so restrictive on how performances work in my theater."

    Mr. Tres made a phone sign with his hand and put it to his ear. "With a few calls and multiple complicated stacks of paperwork later, I have managed to get the ''ok'' from the other regions. We''ll start short with having a few contests in Nimbasa while maintaining the schedules for musicals. As it grows, I hope to create more musical theaters and contest halls all over Unova! Just imagine, Pok¨¦mon contests in the daytime and my popular musicals such as ''Exciting Nimbasa'' and ''A Sweet Soir¨¦e'' being showcased in the evening!"

    "But Mr. Tres, why me? You could''ve had a more capable and experienced coordinator for the job instead of me. I only earned five ribbons before I left Sinnoh."

    "Yes, I could have looked for a more capable and experienced coordinator, but I didn''t. I wanted to pick you," He pointed directly at her. "Five ribbons is an achievement in itself and with your experience and popularity as a movie star, you''re overqualified for who I want to oversee my project!"

    Mr. Tres took another bow, this time much deeper than when he introduced himself, ignoring the bewildered Audrey. "This is how I want to make amends, Ms. Cohen. Will you accept my proposal?"

    "Please, don''t bow like that, Mr. Tres," Audrey tried to move him back up without much luck.

    "I am being sincere right now, Ms. Cohen," He refused to budge. "The idea works on paper but I want someone experienced to make it work in practice. Your popularity is the key to making Unovan contests stand out from the rest of the competition!"

    Audrey stopped her attempt to push the theater owner back up and stepped back, now realizing the sincerity of his request. The offer that Mr. Tres proposed was everything she had wanted the moment she stepped foot on Unovan soil. A chance to return to Pok¨¦mon contests arrived at her front door, but she couldn''t let it in. If she accepted, that meant that she would have to leave Pok¨¦star. She would be leaving everyone who had helped her through her journey in film production.

    She still hadn''t paid everyone back and if she left, she would never be able to.

    "You''ve been silent for a while, Ms. Cohen," Mr. Tres patiently stood, waiting for Audrey to answer. "Have you made your decision?"

    "Can...can I wait a little bit before I answer?"

    "I don''t understand why you''re not taking his offer, Audrey," She heard a familiar deep voice some distance away. When she turned her head, she realized that the voice was coming from Brycen. Harper was also alongside him, giving a small wave in greeting, Ripley waved back in response.

    "It seems like Mr. Tres has offered you something that matches your interests perfectly. Harper and I have wanted to talk with you about this for a while so why the hesitation?"

    "B-Brycen!" Audrey stammered, not expecting to see them so suddenly. "W-well, it''s because I..." Audrey looked at Harper, expecting to get an answer when she stared at him.

    *I wanted to ask the same thing, why?*

    "It''s because I just can''t leave without repaying everyone for their help!" Audrey blurted out. Realizing that she said it much louder than intended, she quickly covered her mouth.

    "So it''s because of a debt you feel like you have to pay back?" Brycen rephrased her answer.

    With her eyes cast down towards the ground, she failed to muster the courage to meet Brycen''s gaze. A moment of silence passed before she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder, prompting her to raise her head and meet his eyes once more.

    "Audrey, can you look at Harper? It seems that he has a say in this."

    *Do you remember the day you got accepted for the role of the Sneasel Ninja?*

    "I do," Audrey nodded. "I remember how I was about to leave before I got the call."

    *From that moment to right now, I never felt like you owed me a thing.*

    "Harper is right," Brycen added. "We have never expected anything in return."

    "Bu¡ª"

    Brycen held his hand up. "If we did want something in return, you have already paid it off with the reception of the movie. It wouldn''t have succeeded as well as it did without you."

    "Is it alright for me to leave?" Audrey finally spoke up.

    *Accept Mr. Tres'' offer if you really want to pay us back.*

    *We''ll be happy knowing that you''re leaving to finally be able to compete in contests.*

    With the overwhelming support coming from so few people and Audrey''s inability to argue back, she turned to Ripley, the last factor in her decision. The sneasel gave a resounding "Snea!" and hugged her leg, looking up at Audrey. Ripley''s look of resolve was the final confirmation she needed.

    "I''ll do it, when do we start?"

    "You''ll really help me? Why, that''s great to hear! Thank you for hearing me out!" Mr. Tres violently shook Audrey''s hand with gratitude. "Now that we have a coordinator to help with my plans, we must start as soon as possible, ASAP!"

    "N-now?"

    "Yes! Immediately! I have a car on standby just outside the studio to take us to the Virbank Ports and we''ll be right on our way to Nimbasa!"

    "Can I at least say some final goodbyes before we leave?"

    "Why, definitely! Sorry if I sounded urgent back there, I''m just so excited to get my plans rolling. You can take your time with your farewells, I''ll have the car out and wait in the meantime."

    "Now I just need to find everyone who was in the production..." Audrey wondered to herself.

    "No need to worry," Brycen stated, raising a sleeve and revealing an Xtransceiver. "Everyone will show up in no time."

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    Harper stood on the side of the road along with the rest of the film crew as Audrey threw her bag into the back of Mr. Tres'' car. Brycen had called Takashi to gather everyone who wanted to see Audrey off. Her presence in the studio was profound as the entire film crew had shown up, not a single crew member was absent.

    Audrey shut the backseat door and proceeded to speak with each person in the large group. As time passed, the number of people she spoke with gradually decreased until only a handful were left.

    "Mr. Price, I never got to say thanks for how you changed the script to fit me into the story. Harper told me how hard it is to change scripts on such short notice."

    "Brycen''s Riolu told you that? You don''t need to say thanks, it''s part of my job." Vincent looked over at Harper before rubbing his nose with his finger and looking up. The script supervisor wasn''t prepared for the compliment.

    "Layla, thanks for doing all my makeup and fixing it whenever I smudged it up. I was so embarrassed every time I asked for a fix."

    "Oh, don''t worry about it! With my skills, I could have fixed them with my eyes closed!" Even though the lead makeup artist was joking, Harper wouldn''t be surprised if it were the truth.

    Audrey then turned to Juliet, the casting director. "Thank you for picking me during the audition, you''re the reason why I got accepted into the role."

    "You were clearly the best pick from the bunch. Don''t need to make a big fuss out of it," she shrugged off her compliment. Juliet looked apathetic to Audrey''s departure but her being here contradicted her mood.

    "Mr. Pok¨¦mi, thank you for guiding me with your vision for the movie. I have never seen someone so passionate with their work before as much as you."

    "And thank you for starring in my film! What I would do to direct another starring you!" The director laughed heartily.

    "Brycen," Audrey spoke quieter after addressing him. "I don''t know why I was a little bit scared of you when I first met you but after we spoke, I became more comfortable in the studio."

    "It''s because you never gave me a reason to scare you," Brycen deadpanned.

    "W-what?"

    "That was a joke. Thank you for being uplifting in each and every scene we acted together in."

    As Audrey and Brycen chuckled together, Ripley looked at Harper with melancholy. The silence between the two of them was only mediated by the slight scraping her claws were making in anxiousness. It was unusual for the two to not talk like this for so long, and it was making Harper feel awkward. Wanting to end the quietness between each other, Harper spoke up.

    "So...I guess this is goodby- woah!" Out of nowhere, Ripley''s arms encircled him as she pulled him close and embraced him.

    "Thanks, Harper," Ripley whispered. "For making my time, our time here, the most fun ever."

    Slightly blushing, Harper returned the hug back. "I should say the same," He slowly patted the sneasel''s back. "It''s going to be real boring around here without you."

    "This isn''t the last time we''ll see each other again, right?" Ripley unlatched herself from Harper.

    "It won''t, I know it," Harper''s answer caused Ripley to immediately go back to hugging him, somehow even tighter than before.

    "R-Ripley, any tighter and my ribs..." Harper strained out.

    "Hey, don''t leave me out of your hug!" Audrey concluded her conversation with Brycen and scooped the two pok¨¦mon up. "There''s a reason why you''re the last one I wanted to talk to, Harper."

    "And that is?" He asked.

    "Are you still not ready to talk about your situation with your name?" She whispered softly to not let others overhear her. "It''s totally fine if you aren''t."

    Harper shook his head, he didn''t want to ruin this moment with his truth bomb. He decided to tell her the next time they ever met each other again.

    "That''s alright, you can explain whenever you''re ready. I gave my contacts to Brycen so you can give me a call whenever you like and I''ll call back as well. He also told me that Mr. Stu Deeoh knows about me leaving and only asked if I ''mention Pok¨¦star Studios when I become famous as Unova''s coordinator.''"

    Audrey placed the two pok¨¦mon back on the floor and abruptly stood straight, punching the palm of her left hand with her right and bowing deeply in Harper''s direction. Ripley followed her trainer, curling her claws and bowing in the same manner.

    "Teacher Harper! Thank you for teaching me everything there is to do with cinema! I will never forget my time here!" Shortly after bursting out loud, Audrey''s face began to flush. Remembering Audrey''s act on their first day, Harper began to laugh, and the actress and her Sneasel followed soon after.

    "All jokes aside, I meant every word," Audrey knelt down on one knee and spread her arms open. "Can I ask for one more?"

    "Fine," Harper hugged Audrey again.

    "I hope I can see you again soon."

    "I''ll be waiting right here."

    Audrey let go of Harper and stood back up, taking a pok¨¦ball and showing it to Ripley, who shook her head. She pocketed the ball back and headed towards Mr. Tres'' car. Stopping in the middle of entering the passenger seat, she turned around to face the entire film crew.

    "Everyone!" Audrey shouted. "Thank you for everything you have done for me! I''ll be sure to pay it back someday!"

    What occurred after was a cacophony of positive shouts and affirmations echoing throughout the entrance of Pok¨¦star Studios, each and everyone denying the nonexistent debt she owed. Smiling, the pok¨¦mon coordinator and her partner pok¨¦mon entered the car, shutting the door before the car drove off into the distance. As the car got smaller and smaller, Harper faintly made out Audrey and Ripley''s arms waving outside the car window, he responded back with his own wave.

    ~I''m never going to have ''students'' like Audrey and Ripley again.~

    Just before Harper turned around to return to the inside of Pok¨¦star Studios, he heard another vehicle rumbling towards the entrance. He didn''t expect to see Audrey and Ripley back this soon and when he looked at the approaching car, he realized that his initial thought was wrong.

    Now that the vehicle was closer, he realized that it was a black van. It was the kind of van with tinted black windows that celebrities rode back in Hollywood to hide their presence. What was one doing here right now?

    The van parked in the same spot where Mr. Tres'' car was a couple minutes ago and opened one of its sliding doors. A moment later, two children stepped out, the boy and girl were immediately enamored by the brightness of the studio.

    "Woah! This place is huge!" The boy exclaimed.

    "So we''re gonna be staying here? This is awesome!" The girl held onto her hat as she stepped out of the van.

    ~Why are there kids here? We aren''t supposed to be having guests today anyway.~

    A third figure stepped out of the van as soon as he finished his thought. The newcomer was a young woman who stood at a similar height to Audrey, but her fashion choices were quite different. She had donned a bright orange coat and matching shoes and on top of her head sat a mint green beret with a bow, her blonde hair flowing out of it.

    "This should be the spot," The woman pondered at the paper map she took out from her matching green purse, adjusting her half-rimmed glasses twice. "I mean, there''s no other movie studio in the southwestern part of Unova, right?"

    Harper couldn''t shake off the feeling of familiarity when he saw the woman. There was something in her appearance that was tugging at his memory, but he couldn''t quite put his finger-or whatever you call the nubs on his paw-on it. A moment later, it all came flooding back to him, and he stood there with his mouth agape.

    ~Holy shit, no way.~

    ~Is that Bianca?~

 Script: Full Metal Cop

    Full Metal Cop

    Written by

    Vincent Price

    <hr>

    CAST:

    Mecha Cop - Brycen

    Mecha Cop''s Partner - Riolu

    Sneasel Ninja - Audrey Cohen

    The Thief''s Pokemon - Ripley

    Pollyanna - Amie Bell

    Misc. Casting (Ex. Reporters, Riot Police) - The Lewis Troupe

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    CUT TO:

    SCENE 1

    INT. TRUTHTECH LABORATORIES - NIGHT

    The laboratory is completely dark, the walls and floor are covered in a durable blue metal. The entrances and exits are securely locked, with the large screen controlled by keypads that only authorized personnel are capable of using. The digital clock on the wall displays "11:59 PM". The voice of a NARRATOR begins to speak about the story that is to unravel.

    NARRATOR (V.O.)

    In a quiet laboratory, a solitary ninja aims to steal an unbelievably amazing invention-the Dynamatronic Engine! But little does she know someone is waiting for her inside: a living, breathing justice machine!

    Thumps can be heard from a vent cover on the ceiling as faint snickers echo through the metal duct. The noise steadily becomes louder as it moves closer to the vent cover at the end of the ventilation.

    SNEASEL NINJA (O.S.)

    (Softly)

    Tee he he, I finally infiltrated Truthtech and no one knows a thing!

    A few squeaks can be heard as the SNEASEL NINJA unscrews the vent bolts. The vent cover is lifted into the vent and a shadowy face peeks out before she falls to the floor.

    The SNEASEL NINJA is seen to be a young woman, her entire body is covered in a black attire, hiding anything that would reveal her true identity. A headband is wrapped around her forehead to assist in keeping with her alter ego.

    When she lands, her body is low to the floor. One hand is in the air as another touches the floor by the tips of her fingers. The SNEASEL NINJA''S masked face turns to the digital clock, the time hits "12:00 AM" midnight.

    SNEASEL NINJA (CONT''D)

    And just on time too! How ideal! Now to steal the engine...

    The SNEASEL NINJA moves stealthily through the shadows, silently dashing from contraption to contraption. Midway through her journey to the large machine in the center of the lab, the SNEASEL NINJA hears footsteps with accompanying whirring sounds of hardware.

    MECHA COP

    Found an intruder. Verifying its biometrics¡­

    MECHA COP reveals himself in the laboratory, all the lights shine with maximum brightness. The SNEASEL NINJA covers her eyes. MECHA COP has both hands in his pockets, hiding his body in a large brown trench coat. The SNEASEL NINJA freezes, realizing she''s been detected. Her facial expression changes from shock to curiosity.

    SNEASEL NINJA

    (Pointing)

    Is that...a security robot?

    MECHA COP (CONT''D)

    Verification complete. The identity is confirmed to be the serial robber, the Sneasel Ninja. Surrender immediately!

    SNEASEL NINJA

    It''s a human cop! Is his entire body reinforced by mechanics?

    MECHA COP

    Code name, Mecha Cop! Activation sequence...Action! Riolu! Go!

    With precision, MECHA COP springs into action, opening his trench coat on one side. His metallic limbs gleam under the laboratory lights as he grabs his pok¨¦ball and tosses it. RIOLU pops out and stands in front of MECHA COP, combat ready. SNEASEL NINJA grabs her Pok¨¦ball and holds it in front of them.

    SNEASEL NINJA

    Is his Riolu also reinforced with tech?

    SNEASEL NINJA shakes her head, getting herself to focus on the task at hand.

    SNEASEL NINJA

    No! I can''t let myself be distracted right now!I won''t let myself be caught here! Sneasel, go!

    The SNEASEL NINJA throws their pok¨¦ball and SNEASEL is summoned, carrying a haughty expression.

    SNEASEL NINJA (CONT''D)

    Sneasel, use Hone Claws!

    SNEASEL

    Hee he he, I can''t wait to cut that copper up!

    SNEASEL scrapes her claws in a threatening manner, smiling viciously as the tips become sharper and sharper.

    MECHA COP

    You show resistance...I''ll regard it as hostile behavior! The handcuff launcher! Aim, Fire!

    MECHA COP raises his left arm, a socket on his forearm opens up and his handcuff launcher rises from its compartment. The launcher fires a dense handcuff and latches onto the SNEASEL NINJA, weighing her right arm down and knocking her to the floor. SNEASEL looks back in surprise.

    SNEASEL NINJA

    (Strained voice)

    Whoa! What did you do?

    MECHA COP

    I don''t tolerate crimes. I''ll bring you under control by force!

    SNEASEL NINJA

    What?! I only use pok¨¦mon for stealing, but you use weapons like that! It''s not fair!

    MECHA COP

    Hmm...I see. (Closes his cuff launcher) My justice will be tainted if a villain criticizes me. In this situation, I should solely depend on my pok¨¦mon and arrest him.

    SNEASEL

    Now I''m really gonna rough you up!

    RIOLU

    You can try. I won''t allow it in the name of justice.

    SNEASEL NINJA

    Sneasel! Use Pursuit!

    SNEASEL uses Pursuit, making a mad dash and punches RIOLU''s side. RIOLU brushes the attack off due to its low effectiveness.

    SNEASEL

    What? How did my attack bounce off you like that?

    RIOLU

    I won''t be beaten by a thief like you!

    MECHA COP

    Riolu! Use Tackle!

    RIOLU Tackles into SNEASEL with his shoulder, SNEASEL is launched far away, creating distance between the two pok¨¦mon.

    MECHA COP (CONT''D)

    Now use Vacuum Wave!

    RIOLU forcefully punches the air, the move flies into SNEASEL before she can regain her footing, knocking her down on the ground again. The SNEASEL NINJA scowls in the intensity of the battle.

    SNEASEL NINJA

    Such a...violent cop...he has been modified into a cyborg...Is he a secret agent for the World Police?!

    MECHA COP

    I won''t allow a villain like you to have the Dynamatronic Engine!

    SNEASEL NINJA''s THOUGHTS

    Hmph! I''m not such a fool to go head-to-head with you...I''ll wait for an opportunity and escape...

    SNEASEL NINJA

    (Whispering)

    Sneasel, get ready to flee after you hit his Riolu

    SNEASEL gets back up, almost slipping once. Soon enough, SNEASEL is once again ready for battle.

    MECHA COP

    SNEASEL NINJA! I''ll make sure to put you in jail and make you pay for your crimes!

    SNEASEL NINJA

    You can try! Hit Riolu with Beat Up, Sneasel!

    SNEASEL rushes in and uses Beat Up, throwing consecutive dirty punches all over RIOLU''s body. Injuries start forming but RIOLU doesn''t falter.

    MECHA COP

    Use Force Palm while Sneasel is close!

    RIOLU charges Force Palm while still getting attacked with Beat Up, ignoring the beating he''s receiving.

    SNEASEL

    Why? Won''t? You? Go? DOWN?

    RIOLU

    Because I fight for justice!

    Force Palm hits SNEASEL, launching her through the Dynamatronic Engine, breaking it into thousands of pieces. Alarms blare all over the lab as every one of its devices radiate in a red hue.

    SNEASEL NINJA

    (Surprise in her voice)

    Eeek! Without thinking about the surroundings...What an attack!

    SNEASEL attempts to get back on her legs but fails, kneeling before falling face flat on the metallic floor and fainting. The SNEASEL NINJA grumbles with agitation and distress.

    MECHA COP

    Mission accomplished. (Summons RIOLU back into pok¨¦ball) Sneasel Ninja, you didn''t lose to me. You were defeated by law and justice!

    SNEASEL NINJA

    Argh! I lost to such a scrap cop...

    CUT TO:

    SCENE 2

    EXT. TRUTHTECH LABORATORIES PARKING LOT - NIGHT

    The scientific laboratory parking lot is bustling with activity under the glare of flashing police lights after the aftermath of the foiled heist. Officers surround the building, their uniforms illuminated by alternating red and blue colors. Reporters are seen bordering the police tape, sticking out their microphones, trying to get an interview for their next scoop.

    REPORTER 1

    What are the details of this crime?

    REPORTER 2

    What was the thief trying to steal?

    REPORTER 3

    Could you please tell us everything that occurred?

    POLICE OFFICER 1

    Please, please! Stand back from the police tape! Questions will be answered shortly.

    MECHA COP, appears from the laboratory entrance as he securely holds the SNEASEL NINJA''s hands behind her back. Police officers run up to MECHA COP and take the criminal and lead them to the back of a police car. One officer remains by MECHA COP''s side and initiates conversation.

    REPORTER 2

    There he is! It''s the Mecha Cop!

    REPORTER 3

    And the thief!

    MECHA COP

    Please stand back. The Sneasel Ninja must be detained immediately.

    The reporters and police officers do as they are told, MECHA COP leads the oddly silent Sneasel Ninja to the police car. The police car drives away into the distance.

    MECHA COP (CONT''D)

    Your questions may commence.

    REPORTER 1

    Mecha Cop! Could you explain the details of this crime!

    MECHA COP

    A sleazy thief known as the Sneasel Ninja attempted to steal Truthtech''s Dynamatronic Engine, a fuel-efficient power source that would help provide energy for Unova''s cities.

    REPORTER 2

    And what is the condition of the engine?

    MECHA COP

    The Dynamatronic Engine has been destroyed but my scanners dictated that it was a prototype. The Sneasel Ninja was after the wrong version. Questions are now over.

    The reporters continue to ask questions for MECHA COP as he walks away to a POLICE OFFICER.

    POLICE OFFICER

    Once again MECHA COP, you save the day, or I guess I should say night.

    MECHA COP

    Indeed. It is night time, but it is not me who has saved the night. It is justice that has triumphed over evil!

    As the Sneasel Ninja is driven away to prison, Mecha Cop stands tall, ensuring that justice prevails.

    CUT TO:

    SCENE 3

    EXT. PRISON - NIGHT

    TITLE: "ONE WEEK LATER"

    The moon casts a pale glow into the windows of the prison, the light enters a hall that stands silent and foreboding. The guards shuffle repetitively from one end of the hallway to the other, their guard pok¨¦mon, Growlithe, following alongside them. Beldums hover near each corner of the ceiling, observing the hallways and large inner expansions to ensure maximum surveillance as they turn from one side to the other.

    CUT TO:

    SCENE 4

    INT. PRISON CELL - NIGHT

    NARRATOR (V.O.)

    As night falls over the prison, the Sneasel Ninja immediately makes her next move against the Mecha Cop by escaping soon after being thrown into her cell. She intends to break out without leaving a trace, save for a little message..

    The cell is dimly lit, small beams of moonlight filtered through barred windows, casting fractured patterns across the concrete floor. The SNEASEL NINJA huddles in a corner, obscured by darkness. After she slips a small note in between the cracks of the bricks, the SNEASEL NINJA emerges from the shadows and carefully examines the lock on her cell door, her nimble fingers working swiftly. With a quiet click, the lock disengages.

    SNEASEL NINJA

    (Whispering)

    Tee he he, they haven''t even bothered to change the locks since my last visit here! They never learn¡­

    CUT TO:

    SCENE 5

    INT. PRISON CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS

    The SNEASEL NINJA moves like a Ghost-type, blending into the shadows as she navigates through the labyrinthine corridors of the prison. She is careful to not alert the guards'' pok¨¦mon, as their senses are much more acute than the average person. Luckily, she''s the Sneasel Ninja, so she isn''t afraid of being caught outside her cell.

    SNEASEL NINJA

    (Thinking)

    They''re gonna have to be better than this to catch me of all criminals.

    She ducks into alcoves and behind pillars, staying out of sight and away from the multitude of guard pok¨¦mon. Houndooms and Herdiers obediently sit with their guards who are equally awake and alert. As both the guard and pok¨¦mon look away from the SNEASEL NINJA''s position, she takes the chance and rushes into a room with its door left wide open.

    CUT TO:

    SCENE 6

    INT. GUARD ROOM - CONTINUOUS

    The SNEASEL NINJA hides behind a large office desk in the guard room, where two guards are currently engaged in a game of cards on a circular foldable table. With a mischievous grin, she slips her arm into the drawer marked with the word "POK¨¦MON." She retrieves SNEASEL''s pok¨¦ball, careful not to make a sound. Just as she slips the pok¨¦ball into her pocket, one of the guards'' pok¨¦mon, MAGNEMITE looks in the SNEASEL NINJA''s direction, their eye furrows.

    MAGNEMITE

    (Suspicious)

    Zzt! What was that?

    The SNEASEL NINJA freezes, she is not expecting to be caught this soon. GUARD 2 looks up from the cards in his hand and at GUARD 1''s MAGNEMITE.

    GUARD 2

    (To GUARD 1)

    Hey, I think your Magnemite spotted something.

    GUARD 1 looks up from his cards and looks over his shoulder, leaning his arm on the back of the chair. Not wasting another second, he turns back to GUARD 2 with a grin.

    GUARD 1

    (Taunting)

    The both of you are just hearing things, how about you focus on my winning hand?

    GUARD 1 spreads their cards on the table revealing a straight flush. GUARD 2 throws their cards in the air with frustration, the cards that scatter to the floor reveal that it was a three of a kind. One of the flying cards lands on MAGNEMITE''s eye, causing it to look around in confusion. Sighing with relief, the SNEASEL NINJA takes the advantage of the situation and sneaks off into the darkness.

    CUT TO:

    SCENE 7

    EXT. PRISON YARD - NIGHT

    The SNEASEL NINJA emerges into the open air of the prison yard, the moonlight casting eerie shadows across the ground. She moves with Sneasel-like grace, darting around to each advantageous hiding spot. Pawniards are stationed around the field as a Bisharp marches around, keeping them in check.

    A large watch tower stands high in the corner of the prison yard, shining a lamp over the field. The light makes escaping easier for the SNEASEL NINJA, as the light overlooks the places she shouldn''t pass by. With relative ease, she dodges the lights and reaches the brick walls at the end of the prison yard. The SNEASEL NINJA releases SNEASEL from her pok¨¦ball.

    SNEASEL NINJA

    You know what to do.

    SNEASEL nods, covering her claws in Ground TE and digs into the ground, creating a hole just big enough for the SNEASEL NINJA to crawl through. A couple seconds later, SNEASEL pops back out and motions to follow her.

    CUT TO:

    SCENE 8

    EXT. WOODS - CONTINUOUS

    The SNEASEL NINJA pops out of SNEASEL''s hole on the other side of the prison wall, the adjacent forest enveloping them in darkness. She takes a moment to catch her breath, a triumphant smile playing on her lips.

    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    SNEASEL NINJA

    We''ve finally escaped and those blind guards won''t suspect a thing until the morning comes!

    SNEASEL

    How stupid can they be? They can''t keep the likes of us inside for long, he he he!

    SNEASEL NINJA

    Like a shadow in the night, I shall take my revenge against that scrap cop!

    The SNEASEL NINJA and SNEASEL disappear into the depths of the forest, leaving behind nothing but a whisper of her presence.

    CUT TO:

    SCENE 9

    INT. PRISON CELL - DAY

    TITLE: MORNING

    The POLICE OFFICER, GUARD 2, and MECHA COP stand in the prison cell, they are in a discussion together as RIOLU is sniffing around, looking for clues.

    POLICE OFFICER

    (Glaring at GUARD 2)

    I don''t know how, but the Sneasel Ninja escaped from her cell and took her pok¨¦mon while she was at it. The boys have been looking in and out of the prison with the guards and nothing was spotted other than the broken lock and that hole her Sneasel dug up.

    GUARD 2

    (Anxious)

    W-we swear we were dutifully watching! We don''t know how she got away!

    POLICE OFFICER

    Then how do you explain the lock? The hole? We better find a clue fast or the Sneasel Ninja will be out of our sights for good!

    RIOLU

    I''m sure that we don''t need to worry.

    MECHA COP

    Have you detected a clue?

    RIOLU sniffs deeper into a crevice in the corner of the cell, stopping his nose and pulling out a strip of paper, holding it high for MECHA COP to grab.

    MECHA COP

    Thank you, I''ll read it for the both of you.

    MECHA COP unravels the piece of paper and tauts it straight.

    MECHA COP (CONT''D)

    "If you''re reading this, I have escaped from a joke you call a prison cell. I''ll be stealing a secret treasure called the ''Rainbow Pearl''. I will be at the beach for this heist, only someone with true justice can capture me. That means you, Mecha Cop!"

    The paper was signed off with a subtle signature, the initials "S.N" were written in the corner

    MECHA COP (CONT''D)

    A foolish thief, revealing her whereabouts. (Turns to police officer) I shall apprehend the Sneasel Ninja immediately.

    POLICE OFFICER

    Don''t you think this is a trap? You know how tricky this ninja can be.

    MECHA COP

    Whether she uses a trap or not, I intend to capture her until the very end.

    RIOLU

    (Punches fists together) And that Sneasel still needs to be taught a lesson in manners.

    POLICE OFFICER

    Very well, the World Police will be on standby. We wish you luck!

    MECHA COP and RIOLU leave the prison cell as the POLICE OFFICER salutes them. GUARD 2 copies him with haste, flustering and messing up his saluting posture.

    CUT TO:

    SCENE 10

    EXT. BEACH - DAY

    The beach is seen in bright weather, villas are aligned alongside the coast. The waves ebb and flow on the sandy beaches. MECHA COP and RIOLU walk on the edge of the water, warily looking around for the SNEASEL NINJA.

    MECHA COP

    Scanning area, attempt to find Sneasel Ninja has failed. Where could she be?

    SNEASEL NINJA (O.S.)

    Right behind you.

    MECHA COP and RIOLU turn around and jump back, creating distance between hero and villain. The Sneasel Ninja suddenly appears in a puff of black smoke, a sly grin playing on her lips.

    MECHA COP

    (Voice echoing)

    The serial robber, the Sneasel Ninja! Surrender!

    SNEASEL NINJA

    (Chuckling darkly)

    Mecha Cop! You''ve completely fallen for my trap!

    MECHA COP

    How so?!

    SNEASEL NINJA

    I''m not interested in the Rainbow Pearl at all! The tip that I gave you, the one where I said that I would steal the pearl, was a trap to lure you to come here!

    MECHA COP

    I expected this from you, you lousy criminal!

    SNEASEL NINJA

    (Taunting)

    Tee he he...And you still showed up! The sand of this beach is magnetized and makes mechanics malfunction! On top of that, a salty breeze is blowing! I look forward to your cyborg body getting rusty!

    MECHA COP

    In that case...I just have to arrest you again before this body gets rusty!

    RIOLU

    This setback will do nothing to stop us!

    The tension crackles in the air as Mecha Cop and the Sneasel Ninja prepare for their showdown.

    SNEASEL NINJA

    Hmph! Try it! Sneasel, use Scratch!

    SNEASEL

    (Raises claw)

    Let''s see how you fare against us this time!

    SNEASEL swipes her claws at RIOLU. RIOLU barely dodges, the claw nicks his shoulder but he stands strong.

    SNEASEL NINJA

    He he he! I''m impressed that your Riolu is withstanding the effects of the beach!

    MECHA COP

    (Raising left arm)

    Riolu! You! I won''t forgive you! Alloy Net!

    MECHA COP opens the compartment in his left arm and shoots a net at SNEASEL NINJA

    SNEASEL

    (Appalled)

    Hey! What happened to your belief on fighting fair in the name of justice?!

    MECHA COP

    Argh...I''m disappointed in myself. I got upset, and without thinking, I used...

    SNEASEL NINJA

    (Taunting with faded breath)

    Tee he he. You''re panicking! Are you having a hard time? Mecha Cop! Give up before it''s too late. Surrender!...Right? Te he he...

    MECHA COP

    My justice is unshakable, no matter what the circumstances. Prepare yourself!

    SNEASEL NINJA

    Stop bluffing!

    MECHA COP

    That''s such a model answer for villains. It''s worth defeating you!

    SNEASEL NINJA

    You can certainly try!

    MECHA COP

    If you have an impulse to admire justice, surrender without resistance! Riolu! Jump in with Metal Claw!

    SNEASEL NINJA

    Use the same attack, Sneasel!

    RIOLU and SNEASEL rush up to each other as they charge their attack. Their Steel-type moves collide with each other in unison, causing a large clanging noise to echo across the beach and beyond the cliffs.

    SNEASEL NINJA

    Use Beat Up!

    MECHA COP

    Return the attack with Close Combat!

    The two pok¨¦mon continue to throw blows at each other, fully focusing on landing their attacks. As the pok¨¦mon continue to attack each other, ignoring their defenses, MECHA COP''s systems begin to malfunction. The Sneasel Ninja''s trap begins to take effect, the salty breeze breaking the full metal cop down.

    MECHA COP

    Uh...What...? I can''t move...

    RIOLU looks away and shouts to MECHA COP.

    RIOLU (To MECHA COP)

    Are you alright?!

    SNEASEL NINJA

    He''s looking away! Use Fury Swipes!

    SNEASEL

    You don''t need to say that twice!

    SNEASEL takes advantage of the brief moment of distraction and uses Fury Swipes, scratching RIOLU''s chest implement. The machinery begins to spark.

    MECHA COP (To RIOLU)

    Riolu!

    MECHA COP walks towards his partner pok¨¦mon only to falter, almost falling down on the sand. He catches himself and glares at the SNEASEL NINJA.

    MECHA COP

    (Pained)

    That was a cheap shot, Sneasel Ninja!

    SNEASEL NINJA

    (Serious, then scornful)

    Hey. If it works, it works...right?"

    The SNEASEL NINJA begins to laugh at the pained MECHA COP and RIOLU. Unable to do anything else, MECHA COP issues another command to RIOLU knowing that they must overcome this adversity.

    MECHA COP

    My body is creaking...This is not good...I have to do something fast...Riolu! Strike back!

    RIOLU charges up Vacuum Wave and strikes SNEASEL with full force, causing her to stagger backwards.

    SNEASEL NINJA

    Run in with Take Down!

    SNEASEL rams her body into RIOLU, knocking him flying and landing in the sand.

    MECHA COP

    Low Sweep and follow up with Force Palm!

    As SNEASEL gets closer to RIOLU, he swings his feet at hers, causing her to trip and fall.

    RIOLU

    This is the end of the line, you thief!

    SNEASEL

    (Smirking)

    We''ll see about that, copper

    RIOLU gets back up and quickly slams his paw down on SNEASEL''s chest, causing her to faint from the accumulated damage.

    SNEASEL NINJA

    Use Dark Pul- Eh?

    The SNEASEL NINJA realizes that her SNEASEL has fainted on the sand.

    SNEASEL NINJA

    Eeeek! I thought the strategy this time was perfect...Arghh! This...scrap!

    MECHA COP

    Sneasel Ninja! You''re underestimating justice!

    SNEASEL NINJA

    Tsk!

    MECHA COP

    To protect law and justice, I could be infinitely cruel! That''s the real World Police! Mission accomplished!

    SNEASEL NINJA

    Don''t be so confident just yet! I know that the World Police is hiding nearby and that they''re oh so ready to put me behind bars again. I''m making my escape to steal my next big thing!

    MECHA COP

    What are you planning at this time, you thief?!

    SNEASEL NINJA

    Tee he he! I''ll be taking my leave now!

    SNEASEL NINJA summons SNEASEL back into its pok¨¦ball and disappears in a puff of smoke.

    MECHA COP

    Where did she go?! C''mon! Let''s go find her, she can''t be far from here!

    MECHA COP and RIOLU rush off to the farthest part of the beach, the high cliffs tower over the duo.

    RIOLU

    (Pointing upward)

    She''s up there! Look!

    MECHA COP looks at where RIOLU is pointing and spots the SNEASEL NINJA leaning on a large rock by her shoulder at the top of the cliff.

    CUT TO:

    SCENE 11

    EXT. BEACH CLIFFS HEIGHTS- CONTINUOUS

    SNEASEL NINJA

    You found me! I guess I should give you a little hint for my next big heist since we''re such great enemies! The hint is that it''s something personal to you!"

    With her hint given out, the SNEASEL NINJA flees the scene much to the frustration of MECHA COP and RIOLU.

    CUT TO:

    SCENE 12

    EXT. BEACH - CONTINUOUS

    MECHA COP

    (Shouting to the cliffs)

    Sneasel Ninja!

    RIOLU

    (Punching the beach sand)

    If it weren''t for the conditions of this beach, we would''ve caught her by now!

    MECHA COP

    Don''t worry, Riolu. In the name of justice, we shall apprehend this thief.

    NARRATOR (V.O.)

    With the Sneasel Ninja''s second escape, Mecha Cop alerts the World Police of the events that took place on the beaches. What could the Sneasel Ninja be stealing next? Let us find out¡­

    CUT TO:

    SCENE 13

    EXT. CASTELIA CITY - LATE NIGHT

    TITLE: "A FEW DAYS LATER"

    The skyline''s towering heights stand tall over its citizens, the city is spread out like a glittering tapestry. The air hums with the sound of life, a symphony of car horns, laughter, and music drifting from open windows and doorways.

    CUT TO:

    SCENE 14

    EXT. CASTELIA CITY APARTMENTS - CONTINUOUS

    Within the glow of the city lights, a certain apartment building stands tall against the night sky. Rows of windows are devoid of light, its residents sleep alongside the apartment itself in the city that never sleeps.

    CUT TO:

    SCENE 15

    EXT. CASTELIA CITY ALLEYWAY - CONTINUOUS

    The alleyway is a narrow path flanked on both sides by buildings that appear to lean forward, casting shadows that are devoid of light. The scent of damp concrete and stale waste permeates the air. The SNEASEL NINJA snoops into the alleyway and looks up at the sky-high apartment, grinning in the process.

    SNEASEL NINJA

    (Snickering)

    Finding where she lives was the easy part, now to hold her hostage!

    The SNEASEL NINJA leaps off a garbage dumpster and grabs onto the metal fire exit stairs installed to the side of the apartment. She swings onto the platform and sneaks her way all the way to the 19th floor.

    CUT TO:

    SCENE 16

    EXT. CASTELIA CITY APARTMENTS FIRE EXIT STAIRS - CONTINUOUS

    The SNEASEL NINJA stops at a window and looks inside. The interior of the apartment room is neatly decorated with the usual living room furniture. A plasma screen TV is shut off on its TV stand, a coffee table sits between it and a large couch. The SNEASEL NINJA looks at the clock hanging above the door, it reads 5:00 AM.

    SNEASEL NINJA

    Time to capture Mecha Cop''s sister! Tee he he!

    The Sneasel Ninja fails to unlock the window after jiggling the lock.

    SNEASEL NINJA

    (Deadpanned)

    Alright, that''s it.

    The Sneasel Ninja breaks the window''s locks and creeps into the apartment, closing the window back up.

    CUT TO:

    SCENE 17

    INT. POLLYANNA''S STUDIO APARTMENT - CONTINUOUS

    As soon as the window closes with a faint thud, the lights flash on. The SNEASEL NINJA is temporarily blinded, instinctively covering her eyes with her arm. After her eyes adjust, she sees her target standing in the hallway alongside a SEWADDLE.

    SNEASEL NINJA

    Tsk! This girl also uses pok¨¦mon?!

    The SNEASEL NINJA summons SNEASEL after seeing Mecha Cop''s sister with her pok¨¦mon.

    POLLYANNA

    (Condescending)

    Oh, you''re the one my big brother was talking about-a petty thief, the Sneasel Ninja.

    SNEASEL NINJA

    So what? Now I''ll capture you!

    POLLYANNA

    I have to warn you-I''m pretty strong. ''Cause I''ve been training with my big brother.

    SNEASEL NINJA

    Heh! Like that''ll change anything!

    POLLYANNA

    I''ll beat you and show my big brother how cool I am!

    SNEASEL NINJA glances at POLLYANNA''s SEWADDLE and scoffs in amusement.

    SNEASEL NINJA

    Well, you can''t be cool when you have such a cute pok¨¦mon here. It would be a shame if my Sneasel were to¡­use Scratch on it!

    SNEASEL hears the command and swipes at SEWADDLE. The tip of the sewing pok¨¦mon''s leaf hood is cut off, POLLYANNA gasps in shock.

    POLLYANNA

    How dare you! Use Flail on Sneasel now!

    SEWADDLE begins to move erratically, thrashing into SNEASEL and knocking it backwards.

    SNEASEL

    Hey! G-get off me!

    The two pok¨¦mon engage in a chaotic battle, causing havoc in the living room.

    SNEASEL

    ¡­Get! Off! Me!

    POLLYANNA runs towards SNEASEL NINJA while the pok¨¦mon are distracted.

    POLLYANNA

    I can stop you with the defense skills I learned from my big brother. Police judo! Hyah!

    POLLYANNA grabs SNEASEL NINJA by her arm and grapples her into the air and slams her down. SNEASEL NINJA grunts in pain after landing on the laminated floor.

    SNEASEL NINJA

    Eeeek! You''re just like your brother...You should battle with pok¨¦mon!

    POLLYANNA

    Oops...I forgot. I got upset, and without thinking, I used...Humph! I''ve also learned strategies for pok¨¦mon battles from my brother!

    SNEASEL NINJA

    Then show me! They''ll only be ineffective against me!

    POLLYANNA

    I''ll show you the results of my special training!

    SNEASEL manages to grab SEWADDLE and throws her across the room. SEWADDLE yelps as she hits the wall and slides down to the floor. The impact causes the hanging clock to fall and break.

    POLLYANNA

    Sewaddle! Just hang on! You''ll be fine!

    SNEASEL NINJA

    Oh, really? You should check your ego at the door!

    POLLYANNA

    Check your own ego! My brother told me justice always prevails!

    SNEASEL NINJA

    That''s incorrect...The winner is always right, even if it is the villain. That''s reality!

    POLLYANNA

    That''s a lie!

    SNEASEL NINJA

    You''ll see.

    POLLYANNA

    My brother is right! I''ll prove it to you!

    POLLYANNA looks at SEWADDLE, who gets back up and is ready for the next command.

    POLLYANNA

    Sewaddle! Sticky Web at Sneasel''s feet!

    SEWADDLE gathers webbing in her mouth and shoots it where POLLYANNA commands. The bug''s fibers latch onto SNEASEL''s feet before she is able to dodge.

    POLLYANNA

    Now use Struggle Bug!

    SEWADDLE slices and cuts SNEASEL''s skin with the sharp leaves on her head. SNEASEL cries out in pain.

    SNEASEL NINJA

    You''re quite good¡­Sneasel! Hit Sewaddle with Metal Claw and cut through the webbing!

    SNEASEL charges up Metal Claw and bashes SEWADDLE''s body with her claw. As SEWADDLE recoils from the pain, SNEASEL tears up the sticky trap.

    SNEASEL NINJA

    I''ll give you one last chance to give up. There''s no point in getting yourself and your pok¨¦mon hurt¡­

    POLLYANNA''S THOUGHTS

    ...I can''t give up right now...not when I owe my kind brother so much...He and his Riolu were brutally injured while protecting me and Sewaddle...saved me from being hit by a truck...Despite it all, to keep working as a cop, he and Riolu allowed themselves to be surgically reinforced with cyborg components...

    POLLYANNA

    I''m Mecha Cop''s little sister! I have to be strong! Pol in Pollyanna is the same as Pol in Police! I won''t let myself be captured by the likes of you!

    SEWADDLE

    I won''t let you kidnap Pollyanna!

    SNEASEL NINJA

    I''d like to break that belief! Sneasel! Use Icy Wind!

    POLLYANNA

    Sewaddle! Shield yourself with your leaves and Skitter Smack through it!

    SNEASEL blows freezing air through her mouth as SEWADDLE dashes into the attack. The Ice move slowly accumulates ice on SEWADDLE''s body but the leaves on her head cover the ice particles. SEWADDLE strikes SNEASEL right in the face and SNEASEL falls to the floor.

    SNEASEL NINJA

    Blow Icy Wind again while Sewaddle''s close!

    POLLYANNA

    Use Bug Bite!

    SEWADDLE opens her jaw wide open and clamps it down on SNEASEL''s shoulder. SNEASEL grunts in pain but ignores it and takes in a deep breath.

    POLLYANNA

    Finish it with Razor Leaf!

    SEWADDLE gathers sharp leaves and floats them around her head. When SNEASEL breathes out Icy Wind, SEWADDLE launches Razor Leaf. The two attacks hurl towards each other at the same time but SEWADDLE stands victorious, SNEASEL faints from the damage.

    SNEASEL NINJA

    (Humiliated)

    I lost to such a starry-eyed girl...

    POLLYANNA

    (Proud)

    See? Justice always prevails! My brother was right!

    SNEASEL NINJA

    Hee he he! It hasn''t prevailed just yet! Your scrap brother has failed to capture me for good and you won''t either!

    SNEASEL NINJA summons SNEASEL back into her pok¨¦ball and dashes for the window.

    SNEASEL NINJA

    Tell the Mecha Cop that I''ll be waiting for him in the heart of Castelia City! We''ll conclude this feud once and for all!

    Before POLLYANNA can make any resistance against the thief, the SNEASEL NINJA hops out of the window. The clangs of the SNEASEL NINJA''s footsteps on the metal exit stairs are audible in the distance.

    POLLYANNA

    That scoundrel! I should''ve held her down while I had the chance! I need to tell my brother the news right now!

    POLLYANNA summons SEWADDLE back and picks up a landline phone off the ground, placing it back on the table. She dials up her brother''s secret phone number and holds the phone to her ear. A couple seconds later, MECHA COP picks up.

    MECHA COP (O.S.)

    Deciphering caller. Identified as Pollyanna. My sister, is there a problem? This number should only be used in emergencies.

    POLLYANNA

    Big problem! The Sneasel Ninja broke into my house and tried to kidnap me as a hostage!

    MECHA COP (O.S.)

    (Anger)

    What?! Where is that thief now?!

    POLLYANNA

    I beat her in a pok¨¦mon battle but she escaped at the last minute. She said she wants to fight you for a final time in "the heart of Castelia"

    MECHA COP (O.S.)

    I cannot believe that the Sneasel Ninja has the audacity to try and kidnap my sister! I shall capture her at once! I shall notify the World Police to send protection to you to prevent this from ever happening again!

    POLLYANNA

    Brother, there''s no need, I was able to defend myself with ease thanks to your training!

    MECHA COP (O.S.)

    Is that so? Then we shall train even harder in the future to ensure an easier takedown next time in the name of justice!

    POLLYANNA

    (Raises fist in the air)

    For justice!

    CUT TO:

    SCENE 18

    EXT. CASTELIA CITY - EARLY MORNING

    TITLE: "EARLY MORNING"

    As the first rays of dawn hit Castelia''s towering skyscrapers, its bright lights shut off. The cityscape, a complex of glass and steel, begins to shimmer in the soft morning light, casting elongating shadows that loom over the already bustling streets below.

    NARRATOR (V.O.)

    Unable to tolerate the Sneasel Ninja''s constant escapes any longer, the World Police finally put a plan to capture her into motion. Then, Mecha Cop''s exploits drove the Sneasel Ninja into the heart of Castelia City!

    CUT TO:

    SCENE 19

    EXT. CASTELIA CITY MAIN STREET - CONTINUOUS

    MECHA COP

    Scanning environment. Sneasel Ninja unable to be found. Where is she? That thief said she''d be in the heart of Castelia City.

    SNEASEL NINJA (O.S.)

    (Shouting)

    Have you considered looking up?

    MECHA COP looks up and sees SNEASEL NINJA standing on the roof of one of Castelia''s shorter buildings.

    CUT TO:

    SCENE 20

    EXT. CASTELIA CITY BUILDING ROOF - CONTINUOUS

    SNEASEL NINJA

    For a renowned cop like you, I''d expect you to be better at looking at every perspective!

    The SNEASEL NINJA throws a pellet at her feet and disappears in a puff of smoke. In another puff of smoke, the SNEASEL NINJA appears at ground level near MECHA COP.

    CUT TO:

    SCENE 21

    EXT. CASTELIA CITY MAIN STREET - CONTINUOUS

    MECHA COP

    Sneasel Ninja! Surrender!

    SNEASEL NINJA

    (Honestly)

    Surrender? About that, Mecha Cop...there''s a reason why I wanted to meet you here. Will you grant my last request?

    MECHA COP

    (Skeptical)

    What is it?

    SNEASEL NINJA

    Battle me!

    MECHA COP stands in contemplation at SNEASEL NINJA''s request and her odd method of surrendering.

    CUT TO:

    SCENE 22

    INT. MECHA COP''S MINDSCAPE - INNER THOUGHTS

    MECHA COP recalls past encounters with criminals, contemplating his role as a dispenser of justice.

    MECHA COP

    I labeled every criminal a villain. Once someone had a label slapped on them, that label became a signpost of how to treat them. Once I labeled you a villain, I no longer treated you like a fellow human being. But criminals are still human beings. Their crimes may be unforgivable, but their human dignity must still be respected, or there would be no way to tell the difference between justice and injustice.

    CUT TO:

    SCENE 23

    INT. CITY STREETS - CONTINUOUS

    MECHA COP

    (Murmuring)

    Real justice, that I can believe in...

    Suddenly, a radio transmission interrupts the moment.

    RADIO

    HQ to Mecha Cop. Arrest the criminal as soon as possible.

    The SNEASEL NINJA overhears MECHA COP''s radio and grins.

    SNEASEL NINJA

    So are you ready, Mecha Cop?

    The SNEASEL NINJA summons SNEASEL, both trainer and pok¨¦mon are in battle postures

    MECHA COP

    In recognition of you as my archenemy, challenge accepted! Let''s finish this, Sneasel Ninja!

    MECHA COP releases RIOLU, both entering battle postures in response. After a few seconds of silence, both hero and villain shout their commands at the same time.

    SNEASEL NINJA

    Sneasel! Quick Attack!

    MECHA COP

    Use Force Palm, Riolu!

    SNEASEL dashes in and slams into RIOLU, RIOLU tenses his muscles and withstands the pain. RIOLU responds to SNEASEL''s attack by striking SNEASEL''s chest, launching her in the warehouse door''s direction.

    CUT TO:

    SCENE 24

    INT. ABANDONED WAREHOUSE - CONTINUOUS

    SNEASEL propels through the large wooden doors and lands in the middle of the abandoned warehouse, wood chips scatter around the wreckage.

    MECHA COP (O.S)

    Don''t stop there! Follow Sneasel and keep attacking!

    RIOLU jumps through the Sneasel-shaped hole.

    RIOLU

    Why are you surrendering in this manner?! If the Sneasel Ninja wanted to turn herself in she would''ve done so already!

    SNEASEL

    Like the greats before us, you gotta end with a...BANG!

    SNEASEL forms a barrage of Icicle Spears and throws them at RIOLU after shouting the last word. RIOLU dodges each one and rushes in to continue the fight. MECHA COP and the SNEASEL NINJA kick open the warehouse doors in unison and witness the two pok¨¦mon fight synchronously.

    MECHA COP and the SNEASEL NINJA

    (Simultaneously)

    Fall back!

    The two pok¨¦mon stop fighting at their trainer''s command and head to their side.

    MECHA COP

    Up until today, I was trapped in a mechanical framework of justice. You''ve woken me up, Sneasel Ninja...

    THE SNEASEL NINJA

    What do you mean by that?

    MECHA COP

    The moment I labeled someone as a criminal, I didn''t see them as what they were, a human. I respect you and your request but you remain a thief. I cannot forgive your crimes...But if you pay for your crimes and redeem yourself, then...

    THE SNEASEL NINJA

    (Grinning)

    Say no more! Sneasel! Us-

    Outside, riot police converge into the warehouse, ready to capture The Sneasel Ninja.

    RIOT POLICE OFFICER 1

    Mecha Cop! We''re here to catch the Sneasel Ninja at once!

    MECHA COP

    Stop! Even when facing a villain, it''s not fair to interrupt a one-on-one pok¨¦mon battle! For shame!

    Every member of the riot police looks at each other in humiliation.

    THE SNEASEL NINJA

    Everybody wants a free pass to get away with unfair things like that. After all, what you call justice is...

    The Sneasel Ninja pauses, smirking.

    THE SNEASEL NINJA

    Obsolete.

    MECHA COP

    That''s not true! Whenever, wherever, and whoever makes the effort to do the right thing-he or she can be a champion of justice! You know what, Sneasel Ninja? You''re no exception yourself.

    THE SNEASEL NINJA

    How old fashioned of you to think that way.

    MECHA COP

    Then let this mindset of mine defeat you, Sneasel Ninja!

    CUT TO:

    SCENE 25

    INT. CITY STREETS - LATER

    Sounds of pok¨¦mon moves and crashing debris can be heard in the distance. Soon after, RIOLU is flung out of the warehouse and back to the main street. The SNEASEL NINJA, SNEASEL, and MECHA COP run outside to continue the battle. The riot police follow soon after, forming a circle around the trainers and pok¨¦mon with their riot shields.

    MECHA COP

    "Riolu! Get closer with Quick Attack and hit Sneasel''s legs with Low Sweep!"

    With blinding speed, RIOLU dashes towards SNEASEL and sweeps his leg into SNEASEL''s. SNEASEL falls to the ground, catching herself by her paws.

    SNEASEL NINJA

    Sneasel! Take his Riolu down with Dark Pulse!

    From her sitting position, SNEASEL charges up Dark Pulse and blasts it through her mouth, multiple black orbs of energy with a purple outline fly towards RIOLU. The move connects and hits. RIOLU Endures, refusing to fall to the ground.

    SNEASEL NINJA

    What?! He used Endure without your command?!

    MECHA COP

    This is it! Use Focus Punch!

    RIOLU bends his knees and clenches his paw, his other paw grasps over it. As RIOLU takes a deep breath, the SNEASEL NINJA realizes what''s happening.

    SNEASEL NINJA

    (Distressed)

    W-what are you doing?! Use Triple Axel on Riolu before he charges up the move!

    SNEASEL stands up and lunges towards RIOLU with a leading kick as he focuses on the move.

    MECHA COP

    You made a fatal mistake, Sneasel Ninja! This victory is mine!

    RIOLU

    (grinning)

    Thanks, Sneasel. Now I can attack without approaching you.

    SNEASEL

    Oh n-

    RIOLU narrowly dodges the first kick and throws his fist at SNEASEL''s face. SNEASEL falls to the ground, fainting. The battle is over, MECHA COP and the SNEASEL NINJA summon their pok¨¦mon back.

    SNEASEL NINJA

    (Complacent)

    I guess that''s that. Maybe you were right, Mecha Cop. This justice of yours is what I should truly look for.

    The SNEASEL NINJA is apprehended by MECHA COP and is guided to the back of a police car.

    MECHA COP

    Mission accomplished. Now, Sneasel Ninja, it''s time for you to pay for your crimes. Ready to turn over a new leaf...?

    THE SNEASEL NINJA

    Thanks...

    NARRATOR (V.O.)

    Thus, the Sneasel Ninja, who escaped prison so many times before, went to prison at the hands of Mecha Cop. And the Sneasel Ninja never again attempted escape...so they say...Then, several years later...the secret detective, Mecha Cop, who protects citizens from crime, has a new partner at his side. A partner by the name of...the Sneasel! Listen to your human side, Mecha Cop! Condemn the crime, not the criminal!

    THE END:

 Sidestory: Vivid Dreams and Ambivalent Themes

    There is only darkness.

    Pitch black surrounds you in every direction, your eyes can''t even comprehend an inch in front of you. There is no way to tell up from down, left to right, forward and backward. There is no surface to stand on, nowhere to ground yourself. Moving your extremities feels like they''re weightless, yet something is pulling them back with every action. It''s like you''re trying to swim in some substance both lighter and denser than water at the same time. It''s not water though, as you don''t feel like you''ve been drowning for the past who knows how long in this domain. Then you realize that you still haven''t been breathing the entire time. Before you can panic, a disembodied voice echoes.

    "Ah, it seems that another has strayed between the realm of the conscious and unconscious."

    You try to turn around as fast as you can, the sluggishness delaying your rotation. When you finally face the other direction, you only face absolute nothingness. You feel like whatever is watching you is always just out of sight, disappearing when you turn around. There is no telling which direction the Voice came from, it sounds as if it both verberates in your head and all over you. You curse your current situation, the paradoxical heaviness of your body is making movement difficult. You try to talk to the Voice but you realize that you don''t even have your own voice. In fact, no noise ever escapes your mouth. The Voice gives an audible, yet soft chuckle.

    "There is no point in speaking, as the voice of your thoughts is louder than spoken words. I understand that you want an explanation about all this, yes?"

    You try to convey "yes," and it seems that they somehow heard it.

    "I will start off by introducing myself. I am a being that helps to mediate those who are unable to transition into the realm of dreams."

    You ask what they mean by the last part of their explanation.

    "As I have mentioned before, this is the realm of the subconscious," You could somehow feel the Voice motioning to the inky black void. "I believe there is a term for a phase in sleeping called ''REM sleep,'' am I correct?"

    You answer "Yes."

    "From what I have seen from my numerous encounters with both humans and pok¨¦mon, many who enter this realm quickly begin to dream when they enter REM sleep. A great number of said individuals forget about this aspect of existence before dreaming but in a few interesting cases, there are a few who remain here. They are unable to conjure an imaginative world from the qualms of reality."

    You look around yourself again, beginning to understand just what the voice was explaining.

    "You are one of the special few, which is why I am here. I am willing to help you by sharing experiences that I have seen from other dreams to the lost such as you. In a way, I help to dream for the dreamless."

    You ask if you will wake up naturally as you don''t want to be late for the start of your day. If there was anything you didn''t want, it was a broken sleep schedule.

    "No need to worry, the passage of time in the subconscious is much slower than the conscious. The end of a dream usually marks the beginning of your rise from slumber. I do not intend to keep anyone here for longer than necessary, I only wish to act as a storyteller for the dwellers of the dreamless space."

    As you haven''t begun to dream yet, you decide to listen to the Voice and accept their offer.

    "Thank you, now let us do a little setup, shall we?"

    As soon as the Voice finishes speaking, the once pitch-black darkness that enveloped your surroundings is now illuminated with an array of stars, nebulae, and ultra wormholes. Each celestial body appears to be positioned deliberately as if it were part of a cosmic dance.

    "After seeing a particular riolu''s dream, I wanted to accurately recreate this scenario similar to how his dream started."

    You wonder what they mean by ''accurate'' but you brush it off. Since this was a dream, it''d be anything but accurate to reality.

    "His dream was an interesting one," The voice continued to speak. "It was much more vivid and detailed than any other. Thanks to him, however, I have found a new and more pleasant method to share dreams with others. You will be the first to see what I mean¡­I hope Gira won''t be angry if they hear this¡­"

    You swear that you could hear the Voice clearing their throat. The oddity is put to the side since a moment later, they begin to speak in a mysterious yet alluring tone.

    "Prepare to embark on a journey beyond the ordinary, where creatures of extraordinary abilities roam and mysteries lurk in every shadow. Welcome to a realm where the bonds between trainers and Pok¨¦mon are tested beyond the unimaginable."

    In the depths of space, you notice a single wooden door inching closer and closer. The voice''s introduction continues on as the door becomes clearer into view.

    "Step into a realm where the line between reality and fantasy blurs, where creatures of extraordinary abilities lurk in every shadow and mysteries roam. Welcome to... the Distortion Zone."

    The door opens and reveals a flash of white. The brightness is overwhelming, brightening up all of the space before being sucked through the door.

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    Something was off in Pinwheel Forest.

    What used to be filled with the usual chorus of chirping bird pok¨¦mon and skittering Bug-types was now gone. Not even the wind provided any source of noise as the air hung stagnant. His empath senses weren''t detecting any signs of life other than the plants surrounding him. The lack of noise was overbearing on Riolu, causing him to talk to himself as he rustled through the bushes, trying to drown out the deafening silence.

    "No pok¨¦mon at all in the forest," He whacked a low-hanging tree branch obstructing his path. "Something scare them all off or something?"

    After a short trek through the foliage, Riolu made his way to the outskirts of Pinwheel Forest. One look off into the distance confirmed his suspicions, the roads that the people created to lead them to the colossal bridge were empty. Not a single car drove on the vacant road that split the land between forest and grasslands. At the front of the bridge, he spotted the gate that linked the edge of Pinwheel Forest and the adjacent metropolis.

    "I need to know why I''m out here in front of Pinwheel Forest, at least someone''s gotta be in there to help, right?" Riolu pretended to ask as he looked to the side. No one was there to answer his question. Sighing, he began his walk to the gate. As he walked down the empty road, Riolu would pause every now and then to look around, hoping to sense someone... anyone out there.

    He was met with absolute silence.

    Still feeling undefeated, Riolu trudged along the road until he had arrived at the gate. As he stepped inside, he couldn''t help but notice how immaculate everything was. The tiled floors were polished to a shine, the walls were spotless, and every detail had clearly been carefully attended to. The inviting atmosphere would have made Riolu calmer if there were people to liven it up. Riolu hopped up onto the empty front desk to get a better view of the gate. There was no sign of anyone passing by, yet the lights were still on, and their large TV screen was continuing to display the time of day and the weather.

    "Not a single person or pok¨¦mon here... where is everyone?"

    Not wasting any more time, Riolu decided to sprint to Castelia City to find any contact as soon as possible. The run across Skyarrow Bridge was a quick one, no thanks in part to the lack of foot traffic. There wasn''t any vehicle traffic either, the roads just as barren as the one Riolu followed. The only ambiance that he could hear was the shuffling of his paws as he ran on the bridge and the slight ripples of water hitting against the supporting beams underneath. The little noise eased Riolu, but he wished that there was at least someone to talk to.

    He''d even take a flock of wingulls annoyingly squawking overhead over the silence.

    Passing by the next gate that was equally empty as the one before, Riolu eventually made it to Castelia City. He had heard that this city was the largest in Unova and one of the largest in the world. The city looked alive, the lights in every building were still on and traffic lights signaled to each intersection.

    So where was everyone?

    Just like everywhere before, there wasn''t a sign of life everywhere he looked. The traffic lights signaled cars that were parked in the middle of the street but no one was inside, it was as if the driver had suddenly vanished. He then looked over at the local businesses with their lights still on, their "open" neon sign flashing red and blue. Their doors hung ajar, waiting for a potential customer that would never enter.

    The bakery with a fidough logo held the scent of fresh bread baking in the ovens, but no baker would ever take them out. Shelves of pastries and cakes remained untouched, their colorfulness displaying a stark contrast to the somber surroundings. Gazing into the windows of a nearby coffee shop called "Spinda''s Cafe," Riolu could see empty chairs arranged neatly around every table. Each table had a cup of coffee on top, still piping hot and waiting to be drunk. The espresso machine sat idle behind the counter, its steam wand remained motionless.

    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    Beginning to panic, Riolu looked from one building to the next, his eyes scanned more and more frantically with each empty establishment. It was only until he reached a furniture store where he spotted the back of a chandelure floating in the middle. Eager to finally meet someone, Riolu entered the store and began to talk.

    "Oh, God am I finally glad to see someone around here," Riolu walked closer to the chandelure. "Sorry if I scared you, but I just can''t find anyone in this damn city. I was wondering if you could answer why everyone''s gone. You see, I suddenly found myself out outside of Pinwheel Forest and I don''t know how I got ther-"

    When Riolu saw the front of the chandelure, he realized that he had been talking to a fake the entire time. It was a chandelure-shaped chandelier, its flames lit by small electric bulbs, each one realistically flickering shades of purple. Feeling embarrassed, Riolu walked out of the store, at least no one was around to witness the interaction.

    As he continued to walk down Castelia''s main street, he noticed the ice cream stand that was famous for their "Casteliacones" shaped like vannilite. Peering into the abandoned stand, multiple cones were left exposed to the heat of the city. Out of courtesy, Riolu slid the lid closed, but not before taking one out himself. He wasn''t in the mood for dessert, but he needed something to distract himself from the indifferent silence of the city.

    "I must be a very imaginative pok¨¦mon," He said as he added sprinkles. "No one could have a dream like this as complete as mine, right down to the last detail."

    He then heard a scratchy voice from an intercom at the Pok¨¦mon Center across the road. Eager to find someone, Riolu placed his ice cream aside and briskly walked through the center''s revolving doors. When he was inside the Pok¨¦mon Center, Riolu was greeted by no one. The intercom continued to speak in a female voice as he looked around, expecting someone to finally show up.

    "Welcome to Castelia City''s Pok¨¦mon Center, please be prepared to state your reason for visiting. Welcome to Castelia City''s Pok¨¦mon Center, plea... "

    It was a recorded message, and it only turned on when Riolu was nearby. He swore that there was someone, something, watching him. He was either going crazy and his senses were messing up or they were skilled at hiding. Heading behind the front desk, Riolu grabbed the mic and tapped it twice, the feedback played back loudly on the speakers dotted all over the center.

    "Testing, testing, one two. If anyone''s out there, I am currently at the front desk of this Pok¨¦mon Center. Again, I am currently at the front desk," Riolu waited for a response.

    A minute passed.

    And another.

    And another.

    But nobody came.

    Taking in the futility of the situation, Riolu dropped the mic and left the Pok¨¦mon Center. If no one was in here of all places, then everyone, human or pok¨¦mon, truly vanished into thin air.

    Just as he placed his paw to push the Pok¨¦mon Center''s doors, he heard a resounding beeping noise from the end of one of the hallways. Riolu dashed to the source of the noise, hoping for someone to be there. What he found in the barren hospital ward was an ECG machine connected to nothing. Upon Riolu''s arrival, the machine abruptly changed into a continuous noise, a flatline. He stood still, unsure of what to do as the flatline rang in his ear, declaring the nonexistent patient to be dead. The change unnerved Riolu even more, there was no way that a coincidence like this happened twice in such a short period of time. Ready to leave the creepy Pok¨¦mon Center, Riolu walked back to the main street.

    After walking out the exit door, he noticed a newspaper stand, still stocked with papers and magazines. Wanting to distract himself again, Riolu grabbed one copy of the news and read the headline. His face quickly shifted as he began to feel more troubled by the words displayed on the paper.

    "The Last Pok¨¦mon Alive... watch now... " Riolu read in a shaky voice. He ran off deeper into the streets of Castelia to find the nearest theater, his breaths were ragged, sweat dripped down his face, and his feet hurt from the constant running. Riolu''s uneven footsteps caused him to trip multiple times, falling on his face and the side of his body, his physical and mental pain was at its peak.

    Desperate for an answer, he found his way to Castelia City''s movie theater, every movie poster frame hanging on the outside walls showcased the same film. A silhouette of a riolu in front of a crossed-off picture of Earth with the words identical to the newspaper. The parallels between him and his current situation posted all over the wall were digging into Riolu''s psyche. Unable to control himself, he slammed the theater door open and made a mad dash to the nearest room.

    The film projector was playing empty film onto the screen, there was no sign of any interaction that would have turned it on at the point of Riolu''s arrival.

    "Where are you!" He growled to the empty audience. "I know someone''s around here!"

    He then heard a click, the flickering of film tape hummed in the theater as the screen showed a descending counter.

    5...

    4...

    3...

    2...

    1...

    The projector beeped, and the screen shone brightly. The theater was displaying an identical version of the room that Riolu stood in, him included. The screen within the screen seemed to unfold before his very eyes¡ªa recursive loop, each one containing a smaller version of itself ad infinitum. In each and every one, it showed one thing.

    Riolu''s face.

    Frozen in fear.

    Riolu couldn''t take it anymore, running out of the theater''s exit and to the middle of the road. He screamed into the sky as if pleading for an answer from above. "Please! Somebody help me! Someone''s watching me, please! Help me! Help me, please! Somebody help me...

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    "...what are you doing!" The Lead Researcher shouted at the Intern. "Let him out already! The readings on his health are all over the place!"

    "S-sorry!" The Intern rushed to the computer and after inputting some lines of code and pressing enter, the pixelated image of a riolu shifted into a pok¨¦ball before flying up into the upper border of the screen. A few seconds later, the pok¨¦ball connected to the computer beeped, notifying that Riolu''s transfer was completed. The Intern quickly grabbed the pok¨¦ball and pressed the button, releasing him into the real world in a flash of red. When Riolu fully formed, the group of researchers didn''t expect him to be unconscious, as he crumpled to the floor.

    "Get him some medicinal pok¨¦mon, stat! Make sure he''s alright!"

    A small group of audino and chansey were on standby, immediately prepared to tend to the unconscious riolu lying on the ground.

    "S-sir, I only joined the team recently," The Intern hesitated before finding the courage to speak. "I... I actually still don''t know the details of this research as well as the veterans here¡­ w-what was this experiment for again?"

    The Lead Researcher sighed as he looked over at the computer, the screen displaying a background designed like a city, the background before showcasing a forest. "We wanted to see the effects of isolation in the Pok¨¦mon Storage System. Riolu has been inside for 484 hours and it seems that he snapped near the end of it."

    "S-snapped, sir?"

    "Lost control, freaked out, cracked, became insane, what have you," The Lead Researcher stared at the health team as they picked Riolu up and placed him on a stretcher.

    "How did we keep such a detailed watch of Riolu in the Storage System?" The Intern asked. "I didn''t think there was a method like what we did now."

    "Porygons, with a lead Porygon2 to guide them all. With them, we tracked Riolu''s heart rate, his respiration, blood pressure, and anything we needed for a physical examination. All that data and it seems we still don''t know about his mentality during it all."

    One of the Audino waved at him, asking for his attention. "It seems that he''s awake now, let''s go ask some questions."

    The two walked up to the conscious riolu with clipboards in hand, the other researchers following behind in anticipation. The Fighting-type''s eyes were open halfway, slightly shaking from the experiment he underwent. When the Lead Researcher approached him, Riolu weakly turned his head and looked up.

    "Do you know where you are?"

    Riolu nodded, summoning the energy to sit up from his stretcher.

    "What was it like in there?" He handed him his clipboard with a pencil clipped on the top.

    *Somewhere that I never want to be again.*

    "Explain."

    *It was a world with no one anywhere. No pok¨¦mon, no people. It was as if life had come to a standstill.*

    *Am I going crazy?*

    "No," He denied. "It seems that living in a virtual environment for an extended duration has caused you to believe it as reality. There''s also the case of having no other living creature in the Storage System, which must have amplified that belief. The Storage System can create virtual worlds nearly identical to reality. It can keep a multitude of pok¨¦mon in one place without taking up real space. It can even stall basic living requirements such as food and water. Despite all that, there''s one thing it can''t help simulate, companionship. Pok¨¦mon have a hunger for the attention of others, and we have yet to overcome the barrier of loneliness."

    *I don''t ever want to live in a world without pok¨¦mon ever again.*

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    "Dreams within dreams are rather intriguing, are they not?"

    You witness the final scene of the dream fizzle out as you are transported back to the expanses of space. As you float around in zero gravity, you begin to wonder about the uniqueness of the riolu. They were right about how vivid everything was, your dreams were usually muddied and off-putting. It was the most unique dream that you ever witnessed, as the first thought that comes to mind is how a riolu knows how to write. You don''t know why that''s the first thing you think of, as everything else in the dream was more concerning. It seems that the Voice isn''t questioning your concern as they begin to contemplate to themself.

    "It is a strange dream, it captures resentment of being alone while showing a fear of being contained in a large world. What looks and feels like a nightmare to me is a normal dream for him. I should find the riolu and give him a feather of mine now that I have seen his dream again¡­" The Voice muttered the last part.

    You ask what they mean by a feather.

    "You will see what I mean, visitor," The stars and nebulae in the background begin to fade away, leaving you back into the black empty void. "Thank you for being a great listener, but it is now time to wake up."

    You want to stay a little bit longer to know exactly who it is you''re speaking to but it seemed that they wanted to remain unknown. When they finish their sentence, a sensation of gravity hits you, causing you to descend into nothingness. Any attempt to fight back against the downward pull is useless as your body falls faster and faster, the gravity feeling exponentially heavier until-

    -Your eyes open wide as your body jumps out of bed, a hypnic jerk wasn''t your favorite way to wake up. You take deep breaths, relieved that your lungs are working like they should. Moving your arms is much lighter than it was while you were sleeping. Looking to your side, your pok¨¦mon is sound asleep in their own bed, slightly snoring. You then realize that it''s a bit chilly in the room, your body shivers from the drop in temperature compared to last night. You soon realize that your bedroom window was left open, allowing the cold wind to infiltrate your home. You get out of bed to lock the window but not before noticing something shiny on the windowsill.

    You lay your eyes on a feather, and you can''t help but be awestruck. It''s unlike any feather you''ve seen before. You see that it''s glowing in the shade, shining as bright as the moon. The tip of the feather is a dark green hue, which gets lighter as you move towards the base. The middle part of the feather has a streak of white that looks the brightest. At the bottom of the feather, you find a tuft of white that feels soft to the touch.

    Looking out the window, you see the sun rising from the horizon, and flickers of light begin to spill over the environment. In the corner of your eye, you spot something zooming by in the morning sky. It''s hard to make out as it flies away but it looks like a crescent moon before it vanishes.

    You smile as you hold the feather, it''s not every day that you would have an experience like this.

 Scene 3 - Take 1: Unexpected Introductions and Constructive Deductions

    He sat in silence as the two continued to pet him. If there was one thing he wasn''t good with, it was children.

    "He''s so soft!" The girl rubbed her face onto Harper''s.

    "Do these actually work?" The boy pinched one of Harper''s feelers and raised it upwards before letting it drop.

    The most experience Harper had with kids was during his time as a Key Grip. He was occasionally required to work with child actors who would appear on set but his interactions with them were as minimal as they could be. All he did was to make sure that they were properly lit at the right camera angle. Beyond that, he never had much of a reason to interact with them, nor did he ever want to do more than what was required.

    Audrey and Ripley had departed from Pok¨¦star Studios, something that Harper still couldn''t believe occurred. His time with them felt so short, yet so much had happened during that time. Despite that, he knew that their departure was for a good reason. They had left to assist the peculiarly named Mr. Thea Tres with the expansion of Pok¨¦mon Contest in the Unova region. It was an opportunity that perfectly fit the Coordinator''s dream since her departure from Sinnoh.

    Although Harper already missed their company, he couldn''t help but feel happy for them. They were finally going to be competing again soon. The Coordinator and her partner pok¨¦mon left for greater ambitions. He knew for a fact that they were going to make it big someda¡ª

    "What are these for?" The boy poked the rounded bump on the back of Harper''s forepaw. He shifted his arm away from the boy''s grasp.

    "Are you enjoying the attention?" Brycen ever so slightly smirked.

    Harper shot a dirty glare at the actor. If anyone could properly entertain these kids, it was Beartic, and he was still away at Icirrus City. His arrival back to Pok¨¦star was scheduled to be at some time tomorrow, but Harper wished Beartic were here right now.

    Bianca placed her hands on the kids'' shoulders and pulled them away from Harper. "I think you should give the riolu some space," She then looked over to him. "I''m so sorry about them, I told them to be on their best behavior and everything."

    Seeing Bianca here was strange, since she was one of the least likely that Harper expected to see in Pok¨¦star. Maybe N was just as unlikely to show up, or any Elite Four members, or the Champion, or Ghetsis. Thinking again, everyone Harper knew from the games would feel extremely out of place in a movie studio.

    As far as he knew, Bianca only showed up once to give the main character their starter. Was he breaking the course of events with her arrival here? Harper would never know. He never even got past the beginning of the game.

    Harper noticed that Bianca was waiting for Brycen to answer. Knowing that the former Gym Leader wasn''t going to spoil the surprise, he began to write on his whiteboard, showing off his literacy.

    *It''s alright, I''ve gotten used to it.*

    "Woah!" The boy looked shocked at Harper''s writing. "He can write? Awesome!"

    "What else can you write?" The girl asked.

    Harper felt a burst of emotions from the two children, both of whom were experiencing similar moods of childlike amazement. They most likely didn''t read what he wrote, as they were surprised that he could write at all. However, that wasn''t what piqued Harper''s interest. It was what Bianca felt the moment he turned his whiteboard over.

    |[Assurance]|

    Before Harper could think about it any deeper, he heard footsteps approaching from behind the conference room''s doors. A second later, they were flung wide open by the eccentric Mr. Stu Deeoh.

    "I apologize for being late," Mr. Stu Deeoh made his way to the leather chair at the end of the pok¨¦ball-shaped table and sat down, diverting his attention to Bianca. "I understood from Professor Juniper''s call zat you were to arrive here today, but I never expected to see you so soon, Ms. Neri!"

    "J-Just Bianca is fine, Mr. Stu Deeoh."

    "And you can just call me Stu!" He joyously replied before pulling a manilla folder from the inside of his suit. "Now, let''s get down to business. Before you start your pitch, I do want to ask again as Brycen and his riolu don''t know zee details, but could you explain zee reason for zee children''s presence?"

    "Well, Mr.¡ª erm¡­ Stu," Bianca hesitated. "They''re the two new apprentice lab trainers under the Unovan Research Team. We hope that, with the acceptance of our pitch, they will be given the opportunity to learn about pok¨¦mon here in Pok¨¦star Studios. You two introduce yourselves," She told the kids.

    "I''m Caleb, and I wanna be a Pok¨¦mon Trainer!" He announced, pointing his thumb at his chest. "And this is my twin sister, Claire!"

    "You''re not going to let me introduce myself?" Claire sighed before facing everyone else. "I''m Claire, Caleb''s my twin brother and I want to be a traveling nurse."

    By the looks of it, the two of them looked to be past the age of ten and looked as far from being twins as can be. Caleb was a slightly tanned boy with brown, untidy hair. His clothes were just like what the youngsters from the games wore, with their T-shirts and comfy-looking shorts. Claire, on the other hand, was rather pale. She wore a small sunhat despite being indoors, making it look as if she didn''t like being in the sun. Their contrasting appearances and behaviors made it look like they were friends but Harper didn''t know how sibling relations worked.

    "Thank you, Caleb and Claire. Now, Professor Juniper ''as said zat she wanted to pitch an idea for Pok¨¦star but she wanted you to explain it in its entirety in ''er stead," Mr. Stu Deeoh angled his hand towards Bianca. "You have zee spotlight."

    "O-oh! Umm¡­" she nervously fumbled through her bag before taking out what looked like a thin and square-shaped book. Clearing her throat, Bianca began to speak. "As the representative of the Unovan Research Team, I''m here to present our idea for a TV show that will educate younger audiences on the basics of pok¨¦mon and their capabilities."

    "Do we have to listen to this again?" Caleb complained, interrupting her pitch. "We already heard this on our ride here."

    "I think that it''s best for the children to not sit here all day," Brycen spoke up, noticing Bianca''s face, flushed red in embarrassment. He looked over at Harper. "Can you lead them outside?"

    Waking up from his thoughts, he looked at Brycen with confusion. Was he asking him to leave because he looked like a child? Harper knew that by appearance, he wasn''t the most adult-looking member of Pok¨¦star, but didn''t he have a say in the matter?

    *But I want to hear Bianca''s pitch.*

    "I can explain it again to you after this meeting if you''d like¡­ well, assuming that it gets accepted..." Bianca suggested as she shook the book in her hand. "Either way, I''ll let you borrow this when I''m done."

    As she turned her attention towards Harper, he couldn''t help but notice the book she was clutching in her hands was a picture book. He couldn''t read the title or see the cover, as her hand was blocking the way.

    "I highly recommend that you spend time with those two," Brycen whispered as he looked over at the impatient-looking twins. "I have a strong feeling that Mr. Stu Deeoh is going to accept her pitch no matter what due to Professor Juniper''s status."

    Under the pressure of his Trainer, Harper reluctantly agreed. If he was going to be a true actor, then he was going to jump over the hurdle that was dealing with children right now. He walked over to the double door and opened it as he waved his paw, telling Caleb and Claire to follow him.

    "Don''t cause any trouble, ok?" Bianca told the two.

    Caleb defiantly ignored Bianca''s instructions and dashed out of the room, eager to escape its dull atmosphere. Claire quickly followed, clutching her hat to keep it from flying away as she hurried to catch up with Caleb. Meanwhile, Harper closed the door and caught snippets of Bianca''s conversation with Brycen as he left the room.

    "They''ll be fine with Riolu, right?"

    "Harper is more than capable, the kids might learn a thing or two from him while you present your pitch."

    "Is that his name?"

    "It is indeed, but enough about him. You shouldn''t keep Mr. Stu Deeoh waiting."

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    Unsure of where to take the kids in Pok¨¦star Studios, Harper ended up going to the familiar Castelia City set. The place had become a sense of self for him, it was where he trained as a pok¨¦mon for the first time, where he told the truth to Nate, and it was the location of the final scene for "Full Metal Cop." The cityscape also helped Harper feel grounded, as the fake metropolis was a nice break away from green screens and props.

    "It''s just like Castelia!" Caleb craned his head towards the sky, looking at the fake buildings.

    "But you never went there before," Claire commented.

    "Sure didn''t!"

    "Then why did you say that?"

    "Can I not?" Caleb turned to Harper. "Hey, why''d you take us here?" His eyes locked onto Harper''s whiteboard.

    *It''s a quiet spot that I know.*

    "Wow! You really are answering them by yourself!"

    Caleb was still unable to comprehend Harper''s intellect, causing him to wonder. How did people see pok¨¦mon in terms of intelligence? As far as he knew, every pok¨¦mon he talked with was completely coherent, especially since pok¨¦mon communication sounded different. It took a while for him to realize but up to now, he could faintly hear the pok¨¦mon he was talking with say their name in different variations. That aspect of conversing was overshadowed to sound like English and yet it sounded more clear to him.

    The Pok¨¦mon world most likely defined intelligence by how close it was to the level of people, since everyone treated him differently the moment he was able to write. Every pok¨¦mon he met was sapient and could hold a meaningful conversation, so why was this disconnect with people still there? Could pok¨¦mon be taught to read and write? There was no way that the only pok¨¦mon that could learn to be literate were those with a ridiculously high IQ.

    ~You''d think they''d do some research on this or something instead of assuming that nearly every pok¨¦mon can''t learn right off the ba¡ª~

    "Hey!" Caleb woke Harper up from his thoughts. He whipped out a pok¨¦ball from his pocket. "I wanna battle you! I wanna see how smart you actually are!"

    "Didn''t you hear what Miss Neri said not to do?" Claire pointed out.

    "I know what she said! She said not to cause trouble and I''m asking him nicely for a battle. Isn''t that what Trainers do?" He looked at Harper again. "If you can write, you can fight!"

    By the tone of his voice, it sounded like Caleb wasn''t going to take no for an answer. As much as Harper didn''t like battles that were outside a scripted scenario, this was something different. There wasn''t anything major at stake, like when he fought those Neo Plasma grunts way back when all he had to do here was destroy this kid''s inflated ego.

    Nothing too big, right?

    Harper accepted Caleb''s request by throwing his whiteboard off to the side and placing his fists up. Caleb was sounding a bit too overconfident in his skills with asking for Harper to square up. He was willing to oblige, but since this wasn''t a real battle, Harper decided to take it easy.

    "See, Claire?" Caleb grinned, raising his arms parallel to the ground and pointing his pok¨¦ball forward at Harper. "We''re not causing trouble if we both agree to a battle."

    "I give up, I''m not the one that''s gonna be in trouble anyways. I''m just gonna watch with Eve," Claire shrugged before walking over to the sidewalk curb and sitting down. She took out her pok¨¦mon and let her out. An eevee sprung out of the pok¨¦ball and landed on the ground, noticing Harper from afar. The fox-cat pok¨¦mon wouldn''t break her gaze off of him, and he didn''t know if it was because there was something on his fur. He swore that he could feel some sense of¡­ fondness?

    "You ready, Riolu? It''s my pok¨¦mon against you! Go, Zorro!" Caleb threw his pok¨¦ball in the air. A click and a bright flash of red later, a poochyena formed in front of him. The moment Harper''s eyes locked onto Zorro, something felt off. He was familiar with what a poochyena looked like, but didn''t poochyenas have red eyes, not blue?

    "What the?" The poochyena turned his head in every direction. "Woah! Are we in the city now?"

    "We''re in Pok¨¦star Studios, a movie set in the backlot, to be specific," Harper explained.

    A light bulb flashed in Zorro''s head after hearing Harper''s response. "Oh, right! Caleb said we''d be able to be better partners here! Are you helping us right now?"

    Harper channeled Fighting TE into his paws, punching them together. "In a way."

    "Wait, where''s your Trainer?" Zorro looked behind Harper. "Who''s gonna tell you what to do?"

    "He''s busy with Bianca at the moment, so I''ll be fighting solo in the meantime."

    "But don''t you need to know what moves to use?"

    "I always fight knowing what I need to do, so don''t worry about me."

    "Don''t get hurt!" Claire''s eevee, Eve, shouted from the sidelines.

    "Thanks!" Zorro shouted back.

    "Not you! I was talking to Riolu! Beat Zorro up!" Eve beamed.

    Harper was confused why she was rooting for her friend''s opponent, but he assumed that they had some rivalry going on. It seemed like he wasn''t the only one wanting Caleb to be taught a lesson.

    "Hey, stop wasting time!" Caleb badgered, eager to fight. "Let''s start!"

    "No hard feelings, Zorro," Harper assumed a right-handed stance, facing towards Zorro as he slid his left foot back. "It''s just that your Trainer is practically begging to be humbled."

    "Humbled? What does that mea¡ª"

    Following Caleb''s demand to start the battle, Harper took the opportunity to attack first. Since Fighting type moves were super effective on Dark types, he held back his Force Palm. The impact of the move was still strong enough to move Zorro back a couple feet, his paws skidding on the concrete.

    "Zorro! Use Snarl!" Caleb blurted out, shocked by Harper''s uncalled first move.

    Regaining his footing, Zorro bared his teeth and growled from the bottom of his throat, firing a surge of Dark TE towards Harper. The trajectory of the poochyena''s attack was predictable and much slower than Ripley''s scripted attacks. Harper sidestepped away from the approaching move and dodged it with ease. The move was as slow as Harper expected, its ineffectiveness unnerved Caleb and he broke into a sweat.

    "Tch! Fall back!"

    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    Zorro jumped back and was now much closer to Caleb. Not willing to give him any time to think, Harper rushed in with a Quick Attack, punching Zorro by the side. The poochyena yelped in pain from the sudden approach. Caleb began to grumble to himself, as the beginning of the battle wasn''t going as planned. It looked as if he was waiting for Harper to give some sort of clue as to what move he was going to use. Caleb''s eyes nervously focused on every little movement he was making. Unable to wait any longer, he scoffed and shouted to his pok¨¦mon.

    "I have to win this! U-Use Howl!"

    Zorro tilted his head and let out a deep cry into the sky. As the howl echoed off into the distance, the poochyena smiled, ready to face his opponent more seriously than before. Harper responded by sticking an arm straight out, palm-side up, urging Zorro and Caleb to hurry and make a move.

    "You''ll regret doing that!" Caleb scowled, pointing a finger at Harper. "Zorro! Bite him!"

    Zorro rushed towards Harper with his jaw wide open and covered in Dark TE, a dingy color covering his teeth. Not wanting to be on the receiving end of the attack, Harper swiftly dodged to the side. As the poochyena briefly slid on the asphalt, Harper ran in and used Low Sweep, kicking Zorro''s forelegs before stepping back a few feet away.

    "Get back up! Hurry!"

    Harper stepped back and let the poochyena stand back up. Seeing him be patient must be annoying to Caleb, as his frustration was only growing. The apprentice Trainer mumbled to himself, struggling to decide on what move to call out next. Zorro looked behind his back in anticipation of his next command.

    There were no waiting games in a real pok¨¦mon battle, something Harper knew full well from personal experience. Wanting to test Caleb''s alertness. Harper began to charge a Focus Punch, his final move. Zorro nervously looked at him, at Caleb and back at him again, unsure of what to do in the heat of the moment. The poochyena''s anxiety only grew as Harper continued to charge his attack.

    "Z-Zorro! Use Bite again!"

    Right when Zorro charged Dark TE into his mouth for a second time, Harper dashed in with his paw clenched. Before the poochyena could sink his teeth into his flesh, Harper charged a quick Focus Punch and swung his arm, deliberately missing the Dark type''s head. The impact against the air created a small gust of wind blowing in the punch''s direction.

    "I think we should end it here, Zorro," Harper shook off the remaining Fighting TE off his fist.

    "Yeah, I think I do as well¡­" the poochyena stuttered, his legs giving out.

    Harper looked over at Caleb, the word "defeat" was written all over his face. He saw Claire walk up to him with a teasing grin.

    "Are you ok?" Eve asked in a muffled voice. She walked up to the two with an oran berry in her mouth, most likely from Claire''s bag.

    "I think I am," Zorro replied, rubbing his paw. "That battle was harder than I thought."

    "Not you, I was asking Riolu," She scoffed as she turned to Harper, dropping the oran in front of him. She pushed the berry with her nose and looked up at him with glittery eyes. "He didn''t hurt you too much, did he?"

    "N-No, I''m fine, thanks," He picked up the berry and ripped it in half, passing one half to Zorro. Eve huffed at the sight of him sharing and sat down next to Harper, swishing her tail side to side. She was sitting a bit too close to comfort for Harper, but he couldn''t just push her away. He didn''t want to leave a bad impression on the two pok¨¦mon and their Trainers, even though he did just battle one of them.

    "Anyways," Harper tried to scooch sideways, only for Eve to nudge herself closer. "Are you ok, Zorro? I may have gone a bit overboard in the beginning."

    "No," Zorro chewed the last bit of his berry. "I can still feel bruises all over my body."

    Shit, did he go too far? He tried to hold back but was it still not enou¡ª

    "Just kidding," Zorro snickered. "That battle was awesome! You think Caleb thinks so as well?"

    "Nope, but Claire does." Eve looked over at the twins, Claire was talking to Caleb. It sounded more like she was verbally chewing him out, Harper could hear words of how he should take better care of Zorro and such. The apprentice Trainer looked angry, but his defeat wasn''t helping with refuting against her.

    "I guess it is," Harper chuckled at Zorro''s joke. "How many times have you battled?"

    "Multiple times, but most of them were against Eve."

    "And I won every time," She proudly huffed.

    "You know I got you that one time when I hit you with my Scary Face," Zorro twisted his face into an evil grin, imitating the move.

    "Exactly, it was one time, Zorro. What about every other battle we had?" Eve smirked.

    Zorro didn''t reply, only scowling at the eevee in response.

    "Hey, don''t be so mean to him," Harper jumped into the conversation. "He did his best."

    "Hmph! I can''t believe you''re defending this doofus," Eve pouted as she turned her head away.

    Harper turned to Zorro. "Does she treat you like this all the time?"

    "It''s fine, it''s her way of showing how much she likes me."

    "That''s a big, fat lie!"

    Eve pounced on Zorro and the two began to playfully fight each other, rolling around on the concrete, ignoring the amount of dust and debris accruing in their fur. Harper stood on the sideline, unsure if he should break them apart or let them be. He knew that children fighting each other was always bad, but by the looks of it, the two of them weren''t using any moves or fighting with the intent to injure.

    Thankfully, he didn''t have to wait long as he saw Caleb and Claire making their way over. The two each picked up their respective partner pok¨¦mon, breaking them apart from each other.

    "Zorro just fought Riolu and now he''s begging for a fight with Eve!" Claire tenderly petted the top of the eevee''s head. "I''d let her, but your battle a moment ago was just sad!"

    Caleb picked up Zorro and glared at Claire. "As if you could do better!"

    "I could because I wouldn''t underestimate Riolu as much as you did!"

    Harper picked up his whiteboard that he had thrown aside a few minutes ago and raised it up between the two, wanting to end their feud.

    *Do you two always talk together like this?*

    "Yeah, but she''s always starting it!" Caleb pointed at Claire.

    "No, he does!" She pointed back before the two locked eyes, eyebrows furrowed.

    Tired of hearing them bicker since their arrival to the Castelia set, Harper slammed his foot to the ground. The impact broke the asphalt, causing a cracking noise to echo through the Castelia City set, cutting Caleb and Claire off mid-argument. The two kids looked at Harper with alarm, their pok¨¦mon with identical reactions. He immediately regretted doing that but since it worked, he took the opportunity from the silence.

    *You two need to stop fighting and calm down, I want to talk about something,* Harper pointed downward, telling them to sit down. He then looked over at Zorro and Eve. "The both of you, I want to talk to you as well."

    The four slowly sat down, still taken aback by Harper''s shift in tone. When they were all situated in front of Harper, he addressed Caleb and Claire first.

    *First thing I want to ask, do you think Bianca''s pitch is going to be accepted?*

    "Yeah," Claire answered first. "She was practicing it over and over again."

    *If you think the pitch will work, then you should know that you have to work together. The film industry demands proper partnership with other actors.*

    The sentence caused Caleb and Claire to point at each other while staring at Harper in disbelief.

    "I have to work with him?"

    "I have to work with her?"

    Harper nodded. *You''re going to be together much more often from now on, so make up now. Don''t disappoint Bianca.*

    Claire and Caleb looked at each other in hesitation, unsure of who should talk first. A moment later, the first to speak up was Claire.

    "I¡­ uh, I''m sorry for making fun of you earlier," She spoke softly.

    "And I''m sorry that I blamed you like that," Caleb responded in the same tone.

    |[Regret]|

    |[Apologetic]|

    Their apologies were genuine. Harper was concerned that they''d just say "sorry" and call it a day but he was glad that it worked out. Was there a better method he could''ve used to get them to stop fighting? Probably, but he wasn''t going to know anytime soon. He just hoped that he didn''t have to break the ground like that ever again.

    "What do you think he wrote?" Zorro whispered to Eve.

    "I dunno, but Caleb and Claire apologized to each other for some reason." she quietly replied.

    "I just wanted to fix some issues they have with each other," Harper said to the two not-so-quiet pok¨¦mon. "The two of you are just like your Trainers."

    "How much?" The two pok¨¦mon asked in unison.

    "More than you think," Harper answered as he turned to the two Trainers. Feeling a bit remorseful for the one-sided battle against a child, he felt like he should try and emotionally lift him up.

    *I have some things I want to tell you. Our battle showed me a lot about you as a Trainer.*

    Caleb silently leaned in as if he were willing to know more. Glad about that being the case, Harper continued writing.

    *Have you ever fought in a battle against pok¨¦mon without a Trainer?*

    "Uh¡­"

    Harper raised an eyebrow.

    "No, I didn''t¡­"

    *Do you know why I brought this up?*

    "I mean, kinda¡­" Caleb shrugged his shoulders. "I lost to you, a pok¨¦mon without their Trainer."

    *You''re too dependent on hearing what your opponent is commanding.*

    It was blunt, but Harper didn''t know how to frame it in a better light. How was he supposed to give criticism to a kid of all people? He hoped that whatever he was going to say from this point wasn''t going to sound demoralizing, but Caleb and Zorro needed to know.

    *You were hesitating whenever I attacked,* he elaborated before he continued to write. *You were throwing commands out without thinking.*

    "I-I know, but how do I fix that?"

    *Do you want to battle me again another time?*

    "Can I?" Caleb sounded hopeful by the tone of his voice. Glad that his plan to make him happy worked, Harper smiled before he turned over to Zorro.

    "I''ve told your Trainer that he''s too dependent on hearing his opponent and that we''ll do another battle in the future. What I''ve noticed is that you''re too dependent on hearing your commands as well."

    "I am?"

    "What were you doing while you waited for Caleb to say a move?"

    "I¡­ um¡­"

    "You stood still," Harper answered. "That''s one of the worst things you can do in a battle."

    "I''m sorry¡­" Zorro tilted his head down in shame.

    "N-No, don''t say that. I shouldn''t have said it like that," Harper quickly replied, not expecting the poochyena to respond the way he did. "Our fight was great."

    "Really?" His blue eyes gleamed with surprise.

    "It was, I''m telling you all this so you know not to do it again, I''m not trying to sound mean¡­ do I?

    "Kinda, but I get it. Thanks, Riolu."

    "Harper, my name''s Harper."

    "Harper¡­" Eve said in a dreamy voice, catching him off guard. He hadn''t realized that she had somehow moved to be next to him again.

    "As for you, Eve," He nudged himself to the side. "I told Caleb and Claire to be nice to each other since they''re going to be together a lot more and I can''t say the same for you and Zorro. Be nicer to him, ok? He''ll do the same when you do."

    "Fine, but only because you told me to," Eve walked back to Claire and sat on her lap.

    How Harper had the energy to talk to four children, two humans and two pok¨¦mon, and get them to reconcile, he didn''t know, but he was glad that it all worked out. Overall, the group looked more positive in spirit than before now that they weren''t nagging at each other every other second.

    "Brycen said that Harper would lead them here¡­"

    Harper heard Bianca''s voice further into the Castelia set, later appearing and looking around the fake street before spotting them sitting on the ground.

    "There you guys are, I got great news! The pitch was accepte¡ª" Bianca noticed the aftermath of the battle that had occurred. The crack on the asphalt stood out the most in the movie set. Her eyebrows furrowed as she sternly looked at Caleb and Claire. "Did you battle without any supervision? And after I said not to cause trouble?"

    "It was me, Ms. Neri," Caleb raised his hand. "I wanted to battle Riolu really badly."

    Bianca looked at Harper, who proceeded to nod.

    *I''m also at fault, I was the one who accepted his request.*

    "I''m disappointed that you battled here, but at least you told the truth, Caleb. Did you learn anything from your battle?"

    "That I still have a lot to know before becoming a Trainer."

    Slightly taken aback by Caleb''s answer, Bianca looked over to Harper. "What happened while I was gone, Harper?"

    "That''s your name?" Caleb and Claire asked at the same time. Harper answered with a single nod, realizing that he never told them his name even though he told their pok¨¦mon.

    *Just a battle and a short lesson.* Harper wrote for Bianca.

    "Interesting¡­" She muttered to herself, just quietly enough that the kids couldn''t hear, but Harper could. "Well, before I lost my train of thought, I was going to say that Mr. Stu Deeoh accepted our pitch!"

    Harper still had no clue what the pitch was about. The only thing he knew was what Bianca said before Brycen sent him away was how it was some kind of educational show. Curious about the premise, he wrote his question on his whiteboard and showed it to Bianca.

    "Remember that picture book I had earlier? The TV show is going to be loosely based on this," She took the storybook out of her bag and gave it to Harper. "Our hope is that we can teach children and pok¨¦mon the basics on battles and such with your¡ªI mean, Pok¨¦star Studios'' help."

    The cover of the book featured two pok¨¦mon, a piplup and a chimchar, standing together and holding a treasure chest between them. The chest was brimming with gold coins and gems, glinting brightly under the sunlight. The title of the picture book read, "Pok¨¦mon Mystery Dungeon: In Search of Secrets." The first part of the title struck a memory in Harper''s head. He hadn''t played it but seeing a spinoff of the mainline games be in this universe in the form of a picture book of all things was absurd, but it was right in his hands. Intending to skim through it, he flipped to the first page.

    "Ooh! Are you gonna read it for us?" Zorro quickly sat in front of Harper.

    "I love this story!" Eve added as she sat beside Zorro, ears perked up.

    Harper wasn''t expecting to do the equivalent of a "story time" like what school teachers did¡­ basically ever. But there were two young pok¨¦mon in front of him with gleaming eyes and tails wagging.

    "It seems like they''re waiting for you," Bianca laughed softly. "Could you entertain them?"

    Sighing, Harper gave in to her request. He cleared his throat and began to read the picture book the best he could.

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    In a peaceful village in a world where only pok¨¦mon live, there was an adventurer''s guild. Among the guild members were two best friends, Chimchar and Piplup. Chimchar was always full of energy and excitement, able to get through anything that came his way. Piplup was smart and brave, and his quick thinking helped on many occasions. Together, they loved exploring and having fun.

    One day, the guild leader, Arcanine, gathered everyone in the guildhall. "Chimchar and Piplup, I have a special mission for you," She said. She handed them an old, crumpled piece of paper. "This map leads to a hidden treasure in the nearby Mystery Dungeon. It''s your task to find it and bring it back to the guild."

    "We must prepare for our adventure," said Piplup. They packed their bags with berries, a map, and their favorite items. Chimchar brought a perfect apple in case of hunger, while Piplup packed a luminous orb to light the way. Arcanine gave them some advice and wished them luck. They were ready to face any challenge that they were to face.

    Chimchar and Piplup stood at the entrance of the dungeon, the gate stood tall and formidable. They felt a mix of excitement and nervousness for what was to come. "Let''s stick together and be brave," said Piplup. Chimchar nodded, and they stepped inside, ready for the adventure ahead.

    The dungeon was dark and full of twists and turns. Many mean pok¨¦mon stopped them in their path, but Piplup and Chimchar faced them off with ease. After a great amount of battles later, they entered a room and found a puzzle with strange symbols. Using their wits and teamwork, they solved it together and unlocked the path to the treasure.

    When they reached the final room, a treasure chest awaited, set atop a stone base. They opened it eagerly and found it filled to the brim with gold and jewels that sparkled in the dim light. "This is amazing!" exclaimed Piplup. "Look at all this treasure!" Chimchar added with excitement. "Arcanine will be so proud!"

    With the treasure chest in hand, Chimchar and Piplup returned to the guild. They shared their adventure with Arcanine and the other guild members, feeling proud and happy. Arcanine smiled and said, "You''ve shown great courage and teamwork! This treasure is a testament to your incredible journey." Their bond was strengthened by their journey into the Mystery Dungeon, and they knew that as long as they were together, anything was possible.

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    As he turned the last page and to the back cover of the book, Harper looked up to see not only Zorro and Eve somehow sitting closer than before, but their Trainers as well. Even Bianca was listening in as well with a notepad in her hand for some reason. He didn''t know why they were listening since all they would have heard was pok¨¦speech. Finished with the book, he handed it over to Bianca, who put it back into her bag.

    "Do you see why this picture book is going to help with making our show?" She questioned.

    He now understood why Bianca brought along Caleb, Claire, and their pok¨¦mon to pitch the idea. Zorro and Eve were going to take the place of the two pok¨¦mon in the story, but how was this going to be filmed? The last movie that Harper did had people, so subtitles only showed up when pok¨¦mon were speaking. A show set in the Pok¨¦mon Mystery Dungeon setting definitely wouldn''t work if viewers had to read the text at the bottom of the screen the entire time¡­ unless they did what he was thinking. Harper wrote down his suspicions and showed Bianca.

    *Are Caleb and Claire going to be voice-acting?*

    "They are! Professor Juniper and I believe that it''s a unique way of how a Trainer and pok¨¦mon bond together by lending their voice! We wanted to make sure that the target audience was as wide as it could be with both young children and pok¨¦mon. People can watch a dubbed version and pok¨¦mon can watch the show as is, what do you think about that?"

    The idea of catering to two audiences was interesting. "Full Metal Cop" accommodated pok¨¦mon to say their lines thanks to Harper''s efforts with rehearsing their dialogue. Though the pok¨¦mon had fewer lines compared to the human cast, it made a huge difference. People praised the film for having pok¨¦mon involved in ways that weren''t just primarily for battles. A live-action kids show was bound to be something.

    Another question began to fester in his head. If Zorro and Eve were going to take the place of the chimchar and piplup from the book, then who was going to take the role of the Guildmaster? Harper asked Bianca through his whiteboard what the other roles were going to be.

    "I haven''t forgotten about that when I talked with Mr. Stu Deeoh," She stated. "He was the one that recommended Brycen''s pok¨¦mon to have a role."

    There wasn''t a role that Harper would be able to take following the story. Since he was out of the picture, the only other pok¨¦mon of Brycen''s that would be able to fill that spot was¡­

    "It was a perfect match for Beartic to be able to take the spot," Bianca answered. "I had hoped to see him today but Brycen explained earlier that he''ll be arriving back from Icirrus City tomorrow."

    Harper remembered back during his tour with Beartic about how he was somewhat jealous that a fan recognized a riolu instead of him. He knew for a fact that the polar bear was going to be glad to hear the news when he came back.

    "Don''t worry, Harper. I asked Mr. Stu Deeoh if we could get an additional role for you and I came up with something pretty good!" Bianca pointed at him. "What do you think about being the Guildmaster''s assistant?"

    Harper never thought that he would get a role in this show, but Bianca''s insistence got him one in the end. He was expecting to have some kind of gap between "Full Metal Cop" and whatever his next role was going to be. It had only been a couple of days since the completion of his last film and now he had another role in such a short period. He wasn''t complaining, but he wished that the news was more proper than this. Willing to accept Bianca''s offer, he nodded.

    "That''s great to hear!" She exclaimed before her eyes widened in remembrance of something. "Oh! I forgot to tell you! Brycen said to tell you that he''s waiting in the conference room! I should''ve told you earlier, but I was just so excited about the pitch being accepted!"

    *It''s alright, I''ll head over right now. What are you going to do in the meantime?*

    "Mr. Stu Deeoh said that we''re free to do anything while he got the business side of the deal worked with," Bianca looked over to the twins, "let''s go look around the studio, we can talk with Harper again later."

    Caleb and Claire took out their pok¨¦balls and pointed them at Zorro and Eve, who waved goodbye as they were summoned back in. As the kids walked away with Bianca, they also waved back just like their pok¨¦mon.

    "Bye, Mr. Harper!" Claire shouted.

    "Thanks, Harper! I''m definitely going to win next time!" Caleb proclaimed.

    Waving back to the group, another thought emerged in his head. That picture book he just read was based off of Pok¨¦mon Mystery Dungeon, a game that had human-turned-pok¨¦mon with amnesia. That thought didn''t occur earlier, since there was no mention of an amnesiac pok¨¦mon in the story. Weren''t they a focal part of the Mystery Dungeon games? If this TV show was going to be based on this picture book, then he guessed that it wasn''t going to be one after all.

    Harper chuckled to himself at the thought of what could''ve been. If he ever got the role of a human-turned-pok¨¦mon, he''d nail it down to a tee, whether intentionally or not.

 Scene 3 - Take 2: Peculiar Implications and Classified Communications

    Brycen sat in thought while Stu made calls to staff members on his phone to finalize plans for the new show. It had been a few minutes since Bianca left the conference room in search of the twins. Her task was to locate Harper and ask him to return for further discussion before the studio founder had to leave for another meeting.

    After listening to it in its entirety, Bianca''s pitch was a good idea on paper. It was a kids show that went out of the norm to teach both young people and pok¨¦mon basic lessons early on. Using a fictional world only inhabited by pok¨¦mon, it certainly had what it needed to stand out from other forms of education.

    Her later description to not make it a broadcasted show sounded strange at first but as Bianca continued explaining, it was clear why that was the path she wanted it to go. With the medium of a digital video disk, the show would be able to be distributed and sold in the educational market so both parents and teachers could show their children and pok¨¦mon. That level of distribution would be able to be spread at a worldwide level, allowing all with access to a video store to watch the show.

    This entire plan for a "Pok¨¦mon Mystery Dungeon" TV show would have slipped past Brycen''s skills of deduction if it weren''t for one glaring issue. If it was going to help a wider audience, was this planned knowing that Harper was going to help? Without a pok¨¦mon to help mediate the inability to communicate with each other, this show wouldn''t get past pre-production.

    Knowing there was something at play, Brycen asked. "Stu, did you accept her pitch because of the idea or because of the Professor herself?"

    The eccentric man smiled at his question. "I would ''ave accepted it even if it wasn''t Professor Juniper backing it up but fate ''as brought us just zat! With zee Unovan Research Team themselves wanting to collaborate with us, we have struck gold! Imagine zee public image! A sponsorship like zis doesn''t occur every now and zen!"

    Brycen found it impossible to sway Stu once he had made up his mind. His determination was as solid as a conkeldurr''s pillars. Brycen sensed that there was some significance to the timing of this meeting, especially considering his previous group video call with the Gym Leaders. Despite Cheren''s belief in his stoicism, his emotions were obvious to see. Brycen was certain that the Gym Teacher had informed Bianca about Harper after he left the call.

    He would let Professor Juniper play her game for now, but if she intended to do anything to Harper or disrupt this production¡­

    ¡­He will do something about it.

    "With zis collaboration, I will make sure that everything is in tip-top shape," Stu continued on. "I''ll ''andle all zee boring stuff but I just have a small request for you and Riolu."

    "Harper."

    "Yes, yes. You and ''arper," He corrected himself. "It is great to ''ear that ''is recovery is going smoothly!"

    Brycen was also relieved to see Harper slowly recover from his amnesia. When he first learned about Riolu''s condition, it was distressing, but since their initial meeting, time had passed. The once insecure and inexperienced riolu had transformed into a confident and skilled one. His growth was remarkable, yet Brycen couldn''t shake off his underlying concerns.

    Before he could continue his thoughts, the conference doors opened, revealing the very pok¨¦mon he was thinking about. As Harper walked in, Brycen realized that the riolu''s fur looked more rugged than it did before he left with the twins. Brycen was beginning to grow curious about how he had spent his time outside with Caleb and Claire.

    "Ah, ''arper! You''ve arrived!" Stu beamed. "Now that you''re ''ere, I ''ave a small request I would like to make."

    Brycen pulled a chair that was next to him back, allowing Harper to hop on. When he had done so, the studio owner began with his explanation.

    "As I ''elp to create a plan for zee show, I ''ave a job for you two that no ozzer will be able to ''elp with. Would you be able to guide zee kids and their pok¨¦mon as production continues?"

    "How would you like us to assist them?"

    "For you, Brycen, I want you to ''elp Caleb and Claire on ''ow to voice-act," Stu then looked over to Harper. "And for you, ''elp their pok¨¦mon on learning ''ow to act. If Bianca wants zem in front of a camera, zey must be as perfect as can be!"

    *But what about Beartic? He could do it better than me.*

    "While Beartic is much more experienced zan you in acting and I do expect ''im to ''elp the children''s pok¨¦mon when ''e comes back, your efforts in the past few movies cannot be ignored. Your charm could be just what this show needs to make it even more special!"

    The gleam in Harper''s eyes didn''t go unnoticed by Brycen.

    "I also want you to ''elp zem with zee script when it''s complete, ok? We ''ave a lot of time before we begin filming but I don''t want to waste any time with preparation!"

    Stu rose from his seat and walked to the exit, stopping before closing them behind him. "Thank you to zee both of you for accepting my request. I''ll be sure to send any updates shortly, au revoir!"

    The heavy conference room doors closed with a distinct click, leaving Brycen and Harper alone at the expansive table. With the business matters settled, Brycen shifted his attention to the small, attentive riolu sitting beside him.

    "It seems like you were in a battle, judging by the condition of your fur. Did you battle one of the twins?"

    Harper looked at his body and hastily patted down the unruly parts of his fur before writing down on his whiteboard.

    *I battled Caleb''s poochyena, Zorro.*

    "And how did you do?"

    *I did my best to not hurt him too much.*

    "It sounds like you won."

    Harper nodded slowly, acknowledging his answer. Brycen was aware of the riolu''s impressive combat skills, but pitting them against another Pok¨¦mon owned by an inexperienced trainer seemed excessive.

    "I hope you understand that you battled with an overwhelming advantage," Brycen emphasized. "I don''t think a pok¨¦mon like you would accept a battle against a child without knowing that."

    *He kept begging me for a battle and he wasn''t going to take "no" for an answer.*

    "I see¡­ so how did Caleb react to his defeat?"

    *He took it well, especially after I made him and Claire stop fighting each other.*

    Brycen was well aware of Harper''s exceptional maturity compared to other Pok¨¦mon of his age. Harper''s natural talent in the field of cinema became evident when he effectively assisted Nate and Audrey. This talent led Brycen to entrust Harper with the responsibility of guiding the twins out of the conference room. It appears that Brycen''s decision has proven to be successful, especially upon hearing about Harper''s positive impact on the twins.

    *I also had to tell Caleb that he was inexperienced with fighting against pok¨¦mon without their trainers.*

    *I promised that I would battle him so he could get better.*

    And now Harper has taken it upon himself to help train them in combat.

    "So, has Caleb taken your advice to heart?"

    The riolu nodded in agreement before his eyes widened with a sudden realization. He quickly jotted down another question on the whiteboard and then eagerly turned it around to share his new thoughts.

    *Do poochyenas normally have blue eyes?*

    The sudden topic change was odd, but it must have been in Harper''s head for some time now.

    "Is this about Zorro?"

    He nodded.

    "While some pok¨¦mon have variations from one another such as Beartic''s beard being larger than other beartics, eye color is always identical with their respective species. For example, like all other riolus, your eyes are a bright shade of red."

    Harper''s gaze shifted toward the ornate mirror hanging at the far end of the conference room. His reflection stared back at him as he took a moment to study the color of his eyes. Finally, he turned his attention back to Brycen.

    "Don''t worry about Zorro, I''m sure that his trainer knows about it. If he hasn''t mentioned anything, then it isn''t an issue."

    Harper nodded.

    "Back to the topic at hand, I know you were with the children a moment ago but with pre-planning for the show on the way, we need to start teaching them. I know Stu told Bianca that they could spend their free time around the studio but it''s best that they start learning early on."

    *Do you want me to go back then?*

    "Yes, tell the twins to meet me at the recording booths," Brycen grabbed a nearby map of the studio from the table. It was the same as the guest copies for tourists. "Give this to Bianca, she can help lead the way."

    The riolu grabbed the map and made his way to the exit, waving goodbye with his free paw on the way out.

    Brycen pondered Harper''s words about helping the children in unexpected ways, and it made him consider whether he was displaying a maturity beyond his years. He reflected on how children living in challenging circumstances often have to grow up quickly to cope with their environment. This resilience was also evident in Pok¨¦mon, where they, too, needed to rapidly mature to survive. The incident with Harper''s amnesia and the panic attack induced by PTSD in his vanity van hinted at a past event that had a significant impact on him.

    That incident is still a mystery today as it was when it happened. He wanted to know what horrible incident had to have happened to mentally and physically scar a young pok¨¦mon like him. Burns on a pok¨¦mon don''t leave permanent scars that bad. Brycen knew that the farm couple did their best, but there was something more at play.

    "Wait. Before you leave, I want to ask you something."

    Harper''s ears swiveled towards his voice as he stopped opening the door. His head then turned, ready to hear his question.

    "That day we watched the movie in the van, do you still not remember why it happened?"

    Looking down and to the side, Harper was unable to maintain eye contact with him as if he were unsure of how to respond. After a moment of contemplation, the riolu responded with a shake of his head.

    "I see," Brycen replied. "but you will tell me when you remember, right?"

    He nodded.

    "Very well, you can go now."

    With Harper now gone, Brycen was now alone in the conference room. He grabbed the riolu''s pok¨¦ball and unlatched it from his waist. Peering down onto the device, he began to realize that the only time that he had ever used it was for filming. Harper was always compliant with entering the pok¨¦ball when the scene needed him to be released for dramatic entrances. It was normal for some pok¨¦mon to prefer staying outside and only enter their pok¨¦ball when they were tired and needed to rest. While Harper never complained about being inside a pok¨¦ball, it was as if he wanted to be outside at any given opportunity.

    Harper had a habit of relinquishing the comfort of his pok¨¦ball in favor of sleeping outside at night. Unlike Beartic, who sought comfort within the spherical device, Harper found contentment using Brycen''s kimonos as a makeshift blanket. Brycen looked down and examined the kimono he wore and noticed a few strands of delicate blue fur near the bottom linings. As he carefully plucked each hair off his robe, he couldn''t help but chuckle, realizing that Harper must have found solace in the softness and comfort that his clothes provided.

    Picking the last strand off of his kimono, his Xtransciever began to ring on his wrist, the screen showing the face of Grant, the former gym trainer of the Icirrus City Gym. The environment behind the gym trainer was an airport, and he looked like he was about to board a plane.

    "Hello Grant," Brycen greeted. "Is there something you need to tell me?"

    "Hey Brycen. Beartic told me that he really wanted to return to Pok¨¦star Studios and since we found an early flight," Grant showed the small jet that was in front of him. "We''ll be there around the evening."

    "That is good news, I wish you and Beartic safe travels."

    "Thanks, I''ll contact you again when we''re close to the studios," Grant disconnected from the call.

    Harper was going to be thrilled to receive the news that his pok¨¦mon mentor would soon return. Beartic played a significant role in helping Riolu adapt to the unfamiliar environment of Pok¨¦star Studios, especially considering Riolu''s amateur status in the field of cinematography. Beartic''s guidance had greatly contributed to the riolu''s enjoyment of his time at the studios.

    Brycen wasn''t sure if his happiness would last for long though, as his rate of recovery in terms of his memory was steadily getting better.

    If Harper did remember his entire past, would he be happier if he chose to be away from Pok¨¦star Studios? He gave the young Fighting-type a choice when he offered a pok¨¦ball and a spot on his team. Since he gave him a choice then, Brycen decided to give him another choice when the time came.

    Harper looked happier now than he had ever been since his arrival, the difference between then and now was as clear as night and day.

    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    Maybe it was for the best to stay silent.

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    Bianca, now reunited with Caleb and Claire, led them to the bustling main square of Pok¨¦star Studios. They settled by the fountain at the center of the square, where the twins eagerly engaged with their partner pok¨¦mon. Peering into the clear waters of the fountain, they occupied themselves by counting the multitude of gleaming coins scattered along the bottom.

    If it weren''t for the circumstances she was in right now, she''d love to spend her time engaging with the twins as if this were only a sponsored trip, but it wasn''t.

    She needed to figure that riolu out.

    Seeing a pok¨¦mon read a picture book to other pok¨¦mon around his age was something Bianca never thought she would see. Then again, the very notion of a pok¨¦mon as young as Harper reading at all never came to her mind. She didn''t know if she sounded too insistent to have the riolu read or if he noticed her taking notes as he read but judging by his lack of reaction, she was safe for now.

    The strong urge to call Professor Juniper surged within her, but she knew she needed to understand precisely what had occurred before reaching out to her. She questioned Caleb about the events leading up to her arrival at the Castelia set.

    "I asked Harper for a fight and I was close to winning before he missed his finishing move on Zorro."

    "You know he missed on purpose," Claire corrected. "He knew how much better he was in a battle against you."

    "So was the attack on the ground Harper''s missed move?" The only physical proof of the battle that she was able to see was the paw-shaped indent in the concrete.

    "It wasn''t¡­" Caleb was suddenly soft-spoken.

    "What was it then?"

    The two children looked at each other in embarrassment. A moment later, Claire spoke up with a look of shame. "He got mad at us."

    "Why?"

    "Because¡­ because we argue a lot¡­"

    "What did he do to you two?"

    "Nothing, he only said that we needed to apologize to each other."

    "And did the two of you do as he asked?"

    The twins anxiously nodded as if she was going to punish them for doing the right thing.

    "Hey, cheer up, there''s no reason to feel guilty. I''m glad to see that the two of you made up," Bianca gave the twins a thumbs up. "keep it up, ok?"

    Caleb and Claire nodded, their faces brightening up.

    "Good. Now, could the two of you stay by the fountain? I need to give Professor Juniper a quick call."

    Bianca turned on her Xtransciever and began to dial her number as the twins began to play together where she pointed. A moment later, she picked up, and the face of Professor Juniper popped up.

    "Bianca!" The Professor beamed. "How was the pitch?"

    "Mr. Stu Deeoh loved it! He accepted it the moment I finished!"

    "That''s great to hear, now the next step of our plan is in motion! And how is the riolu now that you have seen him in person?"

    "He''s way more interesting than how Cheren described. He never mentioned that Harper had such a large scar on his chest."

    "Harper? He has a name?"

    "Yeah, and somehow, Brycen said that he never named him. Something about retrograde amnesia caused Harper to forget his name."

    "How intriguing," Professor Juniper looked away from the camera in contemplation. "Was there anything else that stood out to you? Anything at all?"

    "Well, his reading comprehension looks far more advanced than we initially believed it to be."

    "More advanced? Was Cheren''s description not accurate enough?"

    "It''s not that Cheren didn''t explain it well enough, it was more like he didn''t know himself. Apparently, Harper was able to read the entire picture book I brought over to Caleb and Claire''s pok¨¦mon. Even though there''s no way to tell if he was actually reading it, Zorro and Eve looked just as engaged as when I would read it. Harper even licked a nub of his left paw and flipped a page like people do. I''ve never seen a pok¨¦mon do that before."

    "So his skills go further than just written communication¡­ and how does he write to other people?"

    "He has this whiteboard he hangs around his neck and shoulder all the time and he always has a few markers magnetized on the edges of it," Bianca lifted her shoulder to show her bag''s strap as an example. "His writing speed is faster than most peoples'', I think it''s on par with my texting speed."

    "His skill with a marker is most likely due to how much he needs to talk with people via whiteboard. It looks like he''s only going to get better from here."

    "I wish you could see him, Professor, he looks really cute with his whiteboard when he''s writing. He always looks so focused."

    "One day, Bianca. I''ll see Harper in person one day," Professor Juniper promised. "By the way, how are the twins and their pok¨¦mon?"

    "They''re doing great! They''re fitting into Pok¨¦star Studio with their pok¨¦mon," She angled the camera of her Xtransciever towards the twins, who were now playfully splashing the water at each other.

    "Don''t soak yourselves!" Bianca called out, placing a hand on the side of her mouth. "Yeah, everything''s fine, especially since Harper is helping them out."

    "That''s great to hear, the children should be enjoying themselves during all of this. I know I said this before but keep this a secret from everyone else, any public knowledge will definitely skew the data of the riolu."

    "I will, Professor," Bianca nodded.

    "Good, now before I leave for a meeting with Professor Cedric, I need to ask something. You did get Harper a role, right?"

    "No need to worry, I managed to make up a role for him as a ''Guildmaster''s Assistant'' ahead of time," She air-quoted. "I thought it up on the car ride here."

    The role of "Guildmaster''s Assistant" wasn''t mentioned anywhere in the picture book and it didn''t outline any other suitable role for the riolu either. Without the Fighting-type''s cooperation in front of the camera, the plan to observe him wouldn''t work. Luckily, Bianca had devised a fictional role that would enable Harper to be the focal point of the Laboratory''s research. While he played a supporting role, Zorro and Eve would take center stage. There was no apparent suspicion about what was happening behind the scenes.

    "Great idea, Bianca, there''s a reason why you''re my assistant after all. Give me another call at the next discovery!" With a click from the Xtransciever, the Professor disconnected from the call.

    As Bianca glanced over, she noticed that the twins had shifted their focus to tending to their pok¨¦mon. Claire was carefully grooming her eevee with a brush, giving Caleb some pointers on how to groom his poochyena. It seemed like he was having a tough time as Zorro''s fur appeared resistant to being brushed, almost as if it didn''t want to be groomed.

    "Sorry for the wait," She walked up to the children. "The Professor sends her regards. She was glad to hear that the two of you are enjoying your time here."

    Caleb held up his index finger and thumbs, pretending to frame something for a camera shot. "So when do we start doing the voice acting and all that film stuff?"

    "Mr. Stu Deeoh said that we''ll be starting soon. Just wait a bit longer, ok?"

    "Ei! Evuee!" Eve''s ears perked up as she hopped off of Claire''s lap and dashed away from the fountain.

    "Eve!" She yelped. "Where are you going?!"

    Bianca saw Harper in the direction that Eve excitedly ran off into. She didn''t expect to see the riolu back so soon, did his meeting with Brycen end already? She wasn''t complaining though, if anything, the more she got to interact with him, the better. It meant more material to make notes of.

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    "Look! It''s Mr. Harper!"

    Harper was startled by a voice coming from the vicinity of the fountain. Before he could react, a streak of brown fur leaped at him, sending him crashing to the ground. When he opened his eyes, he found himself staring at the overly playful Eve.

    "Hi, Mr. Harper! Did you come back to see me?"

    "Y-yeah, sure," He muttered the last word as he stood back up. "I also need to tell Bianca something."

    "Eve!" Claire picked the eevee up with both arms, giving Harper some personal space. "Don''t run away like that, you scared me!"

    "Are we doing another battle already?" Caleb stretched his arms sideways. "I''m ready whenever you are!"

    "Yeah! What he said!" Zorro added, standing alongside his trainer.

    "Harper?" Bianca walked up to the tripped jackal. "You''re back so soon, did you need something?"

    He opened the guest map and pointed to where the recording booths were before handing it to the assistant professor.

    *Brycen wants you to take Caleb and Claire there for some voice practice.*

    "What about their pok¨¦mon?"

    *I''m going to help them learn how to act.*

    "Wish I could see you do that," Bianca softly muttered as she trailed her finger on the map, finding where they were to find an optimal route. After examining the paper, she turned to the twins. "Brycen wants to meet us somewhere so you two can learn how to voice act. Leave your pok¨¦mon here, Harper is going to help them in the meantime."

    "Ok, bye again, Harper!" The two children waved goodbye to him as they walked away with their chaperone.

    Harper let out a resigned sigh as he mentally steeled himself for the upcoming conversation with Zorro and Eve. Setting aside the recent battle with the poochyena, this was going to be his first time delivering a comprehensive lesson on cinematography to them.

    "How much do you know about movies?" He needed to know what he was working with to teach. "Have you ever watched any?"

    "I don''t think I ever did," Zorro pondered as his face began to sink. "Back home, I always played outside before¡­ he¡­"

    "I see Claire and Caleb watch TV all the time but I don''t like it," Eve interrupted. "They always turn up the volume too high for me."

    So they had absolutely no familiarity with movies or shows. This was going to be tough to teach child actors from scratch. Throwing his advanced knowledge in a metaphorical trash bin, he decided to start from the very beginning.

    "Have you two ever played ''pretend?''"

    "Pretend?" Zorro and Eve looked at each other. "Like the game that Caleb and Claire used to play?"

    Great, they knew what it was. This was going to make his analogy way easier.

    "Yup. The reason why I''m bringing it up is because acting is a lot like ''pretend.'' What kind of characters did Caleb and Claire pretend to be when they played?"

    "Caleb always pretended to battle like that one Unova Champion, I only remember that he had a lot of red hair."

    "Claire liked playing with her nurse playset, does that count?"

    "It definitely does. What your trainers did there was ''acting.'' They had a role in their own world and they acted to fit that role. When filming begins, we''re going to be doing something like that."

    "So we''re just playing pretend?" Zorro''s tail began to wag.

    "Think of it as ''advanced pretend,''" Harper responded. "Since we don''t have a script yet, I''ll say what to act out and you two will try it out."

    "I''m great at ''pretend!''" Zorro exclaimed. "What do I pretend to be?"

    "Let''s say you are a poochyena about to enter a spooky dungeon with their friend and partner, eevee."

    "Oh, that kind of pretend," Zorro said disheartenedly before brightening back up. "Ok!"

    "You two ready then?" Harper asked the two pok¨¦mon who soon nodded. "Alright then, pretend the cameras are rolling¡­ and¡­ action!"

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    After a few takes in different scenarios with Zorro and Eve giving acting a shot, Harper mentally noted a few patterns in their behavior. While many of their key points were positive qualities that every actor and actress needed, he still needed to address the problems that were occurring.

    Zorro was a natural at acting. After the first time he tried to act, each consecutive attempt was better than the last. His ability to figure out dialogue on the fly was top notch and his spatial awareness of imaginary set pieces was exceptional. The only drawback was that he was too imaginative, taking scenes beyond what Harper asked for, throwing Eve off of a loop in each scene. Despite that, he was a natural at acting, something that was a bit odd for a pok¨¦mon who never did something remotely similar to it.

    Eve, on the other hand, was struggling with keeping up in the spots Zorro excelled in. The speed of her dialogue wasn''t as fast or as effective as the poochyena but Harper gave it a pass as real scenes won''t demand an actor to improv everything. Improv came from pure talent, and it was too much to ask for a pok¨¦mon acting for the first time. While she had trouble in that area, she more than made up for it with how grounded she was in each of Harper''s scenarios, often reminding Zorro where he needed to be.

    For most of the session, a sense of frustration emanated from her. It felt like either Eve was working to keep up with Zorro''s skills or not trying to disappoint Harper. He should''ve told her sooner, this wasn''t a test or anything, he just wanted to know their skills before any formal training.

    Overall, the two were proficient in acting in their own way. Their strengths and weaknesses worked together each time they acted. They were a good duo, whether they liked to believe it or not.

    Harper spent the rest of the time explaining their strong and weak points, the two closely listening with each word, clearly intent on bettering themselves. He had never worked with children to this degree before, but it felt nice that they were being well-behaved and engaged.

    "Do you want us to try it again?" Zorro stood up from his sitting position after Harper finished his last sentence. "I wanna do that part again, the one where I pretend to beat a bad guy!"

    Eve stood up alongside Zorro. "I can keep going as well, Mr. Harper. I wanna learn how to be like you!"

    "We can do it for later, let''s take a break in the meantime," Harper replied. "We can grab something to eat at the cafeteria, what do you two think?"

    "Is there anything spicy?" Zorro smiled in anticipation of a meal. "The spicier the better!"

    "They have curry that I think you''ll enjoy. What about you, Eve?"

    "What do you like, Mr. Harper?"

    He answered. "Dry poffins, they''re my favorite pok¨¦mon food here."

    "...dry poffins?" She repeated. "Like the ones that adults eat?"

    "I do, is it strange if I like them?"

    "Sorta? I thought that riolu and lucario liked chocolate more."

    Harper never really ate dessert in his past life since they were always so sweet. The most tolerable treat he had would be dark chocolate, and even then, the texture wasn''t his favorite. He never heard how his species liked chocolate, aren''t they poisonous to canines?

    "I guess you could say I''m not like most riolus then," Harper said, secretly joking about the truth behind his identity. Putting the oddly specific fact about chocolate aside, he began to walk away, beckoning the two pok¨¦mon to follow. "Anyways, we should start going now. We can take the scenic route so I can show you what the studio usually looks like on a busy day."

    As they made their way to the cafeteria, Eve and Zorro were struck by the bustling activity in the backlots. Club cars zipped up and down the road, ferrying actors and staff to various locations. Meanwhile, large props were being transported between stages, with crew members shouting out warnings and instructions. Additionally, numerous costumed pok¨¦mon characters were seen on the sidelines, preparing for their battle scenes by practicing their moves in duels with each other.

    "Is it always busy like this?" Zorro asked as he walked past a peculiarly orange meowth with black stripes. "There''s so much stuff happening everywhere!"

    "It''s best to get used to it now rather than later. We''re passing through during peak hours, don''t get lost while you''re following me."

    They continued walking through the hustle and bustle of the backlots until they made it to the cafeteria. The front door swung open as a film crew member exited the building, and finished with their meal. Noticing Brycen''s riolu with two other pok¨¦mon behind him, the crew member went back to courteously hold the door back open, unlatching the door handle that was too high for Harper to reach.

    Harper was used to his height by now, but the constant reminder did leave him a bit irritated.

    Knowing that there was no way the crew member knew of his previous height, he thanked them with a nod as he led Zorro and Eve in.

    With Zorro and Eve both being quadrupedal pok¨¦mon, Harper told them to find a good spot to sit as he carried their food over. With his status as both Brycen''s pok¨¦mon and an actor in multiple films, the staff knew not to charge the three of them. Harper returned to their seats with trays of food in each paw, but not before grabbing a piece of chocolate from a bowl near the desserts. His distaste for sweet foods had slowly decreased in recent years, but he was curious if his new biology as a riolu changed his tastes for chocolate specifically.

    Setting a tray of spicy curry for Zorro and a bowl of assorted berries for Eve, Harper finally sat down and rested his legs. Half of the day hadn''t even passed by and he was starting to feel somewhat tired, handling children took a lot of mental energy out of him. The tiredness felt like a good tired though, especially since it felt nice to treat those that were younger than him. Maybe this was how Beartic felt every time he helped him.

    "Is that chocolate the only thing you''re eating?" Zorro asked with his mouth still full with specks of curry sauce around his maw.

    "Yeah, I''m not feeling that hungry right now. I just need some sugar in my system," Harper grabbed his mini chocolate bar, biting into the brown square.

    Whatever they used to make this chocolate was certainly different from the chocolate in his past life.

    "Woah, your pupils got bigger, Mr. Harper!" Eve pointed her paw at his eyes.

    Harper rapidly blinked to refocus himself before muttering to himself. "I guess I do like chocolate after all."

    As he continued eating his piece, he asked the two pok¨¦mon. "Is there a reason why you want to help your trainers?"

    "Why?" They tilted their heads.

    "I don''t know much about you two and it''d be best to learn about each other if we''re going to be working together more."

    "Well, the reason why I want to help Caleb is because I want to become strong enough so I can go anywhere I want without being scared! If Caleb becomes Unova''s Champion, then everyone will know how strong I am!"

    So Zorro wanted to become strong so that no one would mess with him. The poochyena worded it a bit funny but Harper got the message.

    "I want to help Claire to be a nurse because of how much she''s done for me. If I evolve, I could do so much for her."

    "Which eeveelution did you pick?" Harper asked Eve.

    "I¡­ I don''t know yet. There''s so many to pick from and I could help in so many ways. Like, I could be a flareon and help heat up medicine or a glaceon to chill them. Vaporeons can help with water supplies and leafeons can find the right herbs in the wild."

    "Would a sylveon work?" Harper talked to himself.

    Though he never had a sylveon in the Pok¨¦mon games before since they were added after Black 2 and White 2, he knew that their ribbons had some sort of positive effect on people, something that would benefit the occupation that Claire was working hard for. Another thing he barely remembered from reading random tidbits on pok¨¦mon in his past life was that they evolved through love, whereas eeveelutions such as umbreon and espeon evolved through friendship.

    "What''s a sylveon?" Eve tilted her head.

    Did he slip up? Did people still not know about sylveons yet?

    "Oh, uh¡­ it''s nothing," Harper hastily brushed off. "So, how much do you like Claire?"

    "Lots and lots! She had me right when I hatched and I''ve been her partner since. I remember this one time when I¡­" Eve began to ramble about every moment that she deemed memorable with her trainer, causing Zorro to sarcastically roll his eyes before continuing his meal.

    Children were hard to handle, but they were fun to be with.

 Scene 3 - Take 3: Educational Sessions and Conflicted Expressions

    "We''re back at Pok¨¦star Studios!" Grant pressed the pok¨¦ball''s button with a flash of red, Beartic materialized at the front gates. He briefly stretched his arms, a habit he began to follow after the transition from being made of data to a physical form.

    As much as he wanted to stay with Weavile and the rest of his team back in Icirrus, he felt he was missing out on what was happening in Pok¨¦star Studios. He hadn''t heard of any news from Brycen, which caused him to believe that something big was going on there.

    "Here''s your pok¨¦ball," the former Gym Trainer handed over the spherical device to him. "I called Brycen so he knows you''re here now."

    Beartic nodded curtly, signaling his permission for Grant to enter his car. As he closed the door behind him, he lowered the window and leaned outward.

    "Oh shoot, almost forgot. Before I go, Brycen said he''ll meet you when he''s done with some sort of training with some children. He said that you should meet with Harper by the vanity vans, he''ll tell you what''s been happening while you were gone."

    Harper? That was a name he wasn''t familiar with. No one had that name, or at least anyone he knew in Pok¨¦star''s staff. Beartic wondered if there was a new hire, his time away from the studio did cause him to be behind with the happenings of Pok¨¦star. Some time had passed since he was here, the last time being during the production of "Full Metal Cop."

    And Brycen¡­ training children? For what, acting? There was no other answer in Beartic''s head, but he''ll get the real answer from this "Harper."

    "Thanks, Grant. Drive safe," Beartic stood tall, waving goodbye.

    "See you again, Beartic!" His car drove down the road and disappeared after turning a corner.

    As the sun began its descent down into the horizon, the time signaled the studio for its closure for the day. Only a handful of crew members bustled about, and the atmosphere was peaceful and serene. The relative quiet twilight was always special to him; it mirrored the gentle winding down of the day itself. Beartic quickened his step as he made his way toward Brycen''s vanity van, both because he didn''t want to keep Harper waiting and due to his eagerness to meet up with everyone.

    Approaching the van''s parking lot, he caught sight of Riolu perched on the steps of the vehicle alongside two younger Pok¨¦mon, an eevee and a poochyena. Because of his imposing size, Riolu quickly spotted him and enthusiastically waved his paw in the air.

    "Beartic!" He hopped off his seat and eagerly approached him. "You''re back! How was Icirrus City?"

    "Chilly, just the way I like it. Being able to see the team again was great, you can thank Weavile for extending my stay there. I wish I could introduce you to them, they''d definitely like you."

    "They would?"

    "You''re nothing short of interesting, kid. Anyone would want to know who you were," Beartic gave weight to each word.

    Glancing behind Riolu, he noticed that they were visibly shaking at the sight of the enormous creature in front of them. It was a nostalgic moment for Beartic, as he could never forget the expression on the kid''s face from their first encounter. He did wish that he didn''t appear as menacing to a younger audience. Maybe it was his ice beard that scared them, or his size, or his oversized paws, maybe it was all three combined. Regardless, he slowly bent his knees and crouched to get to level with the children.

    "I''m not gonna eat you two," he chuckled to the scared duo, remembering that he used the same joke from back then. "So what''s your names? I''m Beartic, and you could say I''m this little actor''s teacher."

    "It''s fine, you two. He''s nicer than he looks," Riolu took a few steps backward and pushed the children forward, letting the two take the front stage.

    "H-Hi, Mr. Beartic," the poochyena stammered. "I-I''m Zorro, and s-she''s Eve."

    "Y-Yeah," the eevee confirmed shakily before hiding behind Riolu, Zorro following her soon after.

    "They''ll warm up to you soon," Riolu reassured. "Just like how I did."

    Was he feeling jealous? That they were more comfortable around the kid than him? Eh, maybe a little. Riolu was right though, all they needed was some time to get to know him.

    With one final glance around the lot, Beartic concluded that he had waited long enough for "Harper" to show up. Facing Riolu again, he said. "I was told that I needed to meet someone here so they could catch me up on what''s been going on here. Someone by the name of ''Harper,'' you know of him, kid?"

    "But¡­ but he''s right here?" Eve spoke up, catching Beartic''s attention. "You mean Mr. Harper, right?" Zorro pointed a paw at Riolu.

    "Wait," Beartic''s voice dropped. "You''re Harper? You remembered your name?"

    "I¡­ I did, yeah," the riolu failed to maintain eye contact with him. "It was while you were gone, I remembered it after we finished filming ''Full Metal Cop'' at Humilau. Did Brycen not tell you about it?"

    "Grant doesn''t know who you are, so I''m sure he thought Harper was a human when Brycen gave his request," Beartic responded. "So what made you remember? Did something happen?"

    "There was nothing huge that made me remember, my name just came back to me. I was with Audrey and Ripley when we were watching the sunset together."

    ~92%~

    The kid''s voice carried a subtle hint of insecurity. His words seemed genuine, but Beartic''s thoughts swirled around in his mind, suggesting otherwise. If Harper remembered his name after witnessing a sunset of all things, then what else could he remember?

    It was still weird to think of the kid as "Harper," it was a mature-sounding name, but he''d have to get used to it eventually.

    "It''s good to hear that you remember your name now," Beartic temporarily pushed his suspicions aside. "You know that I''m still gonna call you ''kid,'' right?"

    A deep, heavy sigh escapes the kid''s mouth. "That''s as much as I expected."

    "So¡­ since you''re the one I was supposed to meet, why don''t you tell me what I''ve missed?"

    "Well, we''ve started preproduction for a new TV show that''s going to help educate kids. Zorro and Eve are going to be the main stars and their trainers are their voice actors."

    "And you''re here to help them?" He asked the riolu.

    "Yup, I''m helping them learn how to act before we do the real thing."

    "Taking my job now, are we?" Beartic ruffled the top of Harper''s head.

    "I''m not," Harper replied as he fixed his fur. "Mr. Stu Deeoh asked for the both of us to help Zorro and Eve."

    "Did he now?" Beartic was glad that he was going to have a more direct role with Pok¨¦star''s next big project. "Guess you''ll be like my assistant when we guide them," he chuckled.

    Harper stifled a laugh. "That''s actually my role in the show."

    "What?" Beartic held his breath. If the kid was going to say what he was thinking¡­

    "The TV show takes place in a world with only pok¨¦mon and there''s a guild that Zorro and Eve are a team in," Harper waved towards the actors-in-training before pointing at himself. "I''m the Guildmaster''s Assistant, guess who you are."

    "A ''Guildmaster?''"

    Harper, Zorro, and Eve nodded in unison.

    "Wow, how long has it been since I acted in anything? This is amazing!" He guffawed, accidentally startling Zorro and Eve. He playfully slapped Harper''s back. "Thanks for the news, kid! This was more than I ever expected!"

    "Tha¡ª grea¡ª t¡ª hea¡ª" Harper''s voice cut off with each strike.

    Beartic couldn''t recall his last role in a project. Months? Years? It didn''t matter that his new role was going to be a far contrast to his other prominent roles in action films with Brycen. A role to entertain a younger audience sounded fun to him, maybe this was the perfect opportunity to brighten his public image as a pok¨¦mon for all ages. Another bonus from all this was the kid being his assistant in the show. He was never going to let him forget that.

    "Is that Beartic I hear?" A voice appeared in the distance.

    The group pivoted to find Brycen standing with two nearly identical children trailing behind him, reminiscent of a mirrored image of Harper and the two younger Pok¨¦mon. With gleaming eyes, Zorro and Eve dashed towards their trainers and lept into their arms, awaiting head pats which they soon received.

    "It seems I was correct," Brycen smiled at his partner pok¨¦mon after witnessing the childrens'' reunions. "Welcome back, Beartic. Grant notified me of your arrival earlier. Judging from your excitement, Harper has told you of your part in this show?"

    "Sure did," Beartic smiled back, getting up from his seated position. "I''m glad to be back."

    Brycen motioned his arms to the children beside him. "I''d like to introduce you to Caleb and Claire. They are apprentice lab trainers for Professor Juniper and are currently under the guidance of her assistant, Bianca. I''m sure that Harper showed you their partner pok¨¦mon."

    "Sure did," he replied, flashing a grin at Zorro and Eve. The two pok¨¦mon, unsure of how to respond, gingerly waved a paw.

    "Hi, Beartic!" Caleb observed Beartic''s physique with a gaped mouth. "Wow, you''re huge!"

    Claire''s expression was filled with amazement, just like the boy''s. "Beartics are way taller than I thought."

    "Now that we have introduced ourselves and their pok¨¦mon are reunited, I''ll be leading the twins back to Bianca. I heard that Pok¨¦star has prepared a place for them to stay during production."

    "Bye, Harper! Bye, Beartic!" The trainers and their pok¨¦mon bid farewell as they walked away with Brycen, leaving Harper and Beartic together.

    "Brycen said that Bianca''s here, why''s that?" Beartic asked the riolu. The last time he saw her was when Brycen was still a Gym Leader. Her team was formidable at the time, he still wondered why she had decided to stop being a trainer and change to an assistant professor.

    "She''s the main reason why this show is happening in the first place. She was the one to present the idea in place of the Unovan Research Team."

    "Did she say why they''re doing all of this in the first place? Seems like they don''t get a lot in return."

    "I don''t think they''re getting a lot in return compared to Pok¨¦star Studios. Apart from teaching kids who watch the show, Bianca said how Caleb and Claire would bond uniquely by voice-acting for their pok¨¦mon and helping them around during production."

    "Going through all this effort to teach two children how to be trainers, I''d say it''s commendable."

    "Maybe that''s why Bianca''s always taking notes," Harper wondered aloud. "She''s probably looking at how Caleb and Claire are growing."

    The sun had completely set, now fully enveloping the studio with the night sky in view. One by one, the numerous lampposts slowly flickered on, illuminating the sidewalks it bordered.

    "...this reminds me of the Griffith Observatory¡­" Harper murmured.

    "What?" Beartic barely made out the riolu''s words.

    "N-Nothing¡­ I just said that I like observing the place."

    Another one of his infinite curiosities. While he''d let this one slide, another arose.

    "Hey, kid," Beartic blurted out, stopping the riolu. "There''s something I need to ask you."

    "Yeah?" He faced him again. "What is it?"

    "Do you like sleeping outside your pok¨¦ball?"

    "Why the random question?"

    "Just a small thought, and also since it''s nighttime now."

    "I guess I just feel more comfortable sleeping underneath a blanket than being inside a pok¨¦ball. Being inside one feels relaxing and all, but it also feels a little weird."

    "Weird? Why?"

    "I¡­ I don''t know how to explain it? I mean, I''ll stay in it when I need to for filming, but I guess I just don''t like being inside something the size of my fist," Harper balled up one of his paws.

    "You remind me of a young pok¨¦mon I once fought two years ago."

    "Who?"

    "A victim of Team Plasma''s propaganda. She had a similar viewpoint on pok¨¦balls, though she took it to an extreme."

    "Was this when you fought at the Unova League? Against Team Plasma''s invasion?"

    "Yes, and that''s a story I''ll tell you another time," Beartic stood up and opened the van doors, pushing the riolu in. "It''s late now, and kids like you need good sleep."

    "Damn, you''ll tell me someday, right?"

    "Sure, and didn''t I say no cussing from you?" He spoke sternly.

    "Sorry, sorry," Harper raised his paws in the air. "Goodnight, Beartic."

    "Goodnight, kid."

    As the door thudded shut with a solid click, the riolu stepped into the van. Beartic settled back onto the ground, leaning against the side of the van to avoid any jostling. Gazing up at the starry sky, he found himself reminiscing about what happened back then.

    "Why do you like your human so much if all you do is stay in their pok¨¦balls?! I used to be like you but thanks to Team Plasma, I''ll fix it! I''ll fix everything!"

    Beartic rubbed his left bicep where he felt a dull sting, the spot where she landed a Night Slash.

    ~I don''t know where she is now, but I hope she''s still not with the new Neo Plasma group that''s out there¡­~

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    When morning arrived, Harper found it much easier to educate Zorro and Eve with Beartic by his side. While spending one day with them had been enjoyable, he knew he couldn''t handle it alone for much longer. As they all sat down for breakfast at the cafeteria, Mr. Stu Deeoh showed up at the scene, interrupting Beartic''s retelling of one of his old films to Zorro and Eve. The studio owner asked them to give the two young pok¨¦mon a tour of the movie set to familiarize them with the equipment before filming began, wanting to ensure they wouldn''t feel overwhelmed.

    "We need zem to not be afraid of all zee cameras! Zey are large, but zey are ''armless! I shall ''ave a soundstage for Caleb and Claire''s pok¨¦mon to explore!"

    The original plan was to continue familiarizing Zorro and Eve with how it feels to act, but Beartic and Harper couldn''t turn down the man''s offer. He had given them a golden opportunity to teach them in a suitable environment, after all.

    "How did Mr. Stu Deeoh prepare all this so quickly?" Harper looked up at the soundstage, one of a multitude in Pok¨¦star Studios. The one they were in front of in particular was specially reserved. "We left the cafeteria like a few minutes ago."

    "He probably had it ready before he asked us, classic Stu," the ice bear chuckled.

    "Do you know what''s inside, Mr. Harper?" Eve asked.

    "Apart from the usual tech inside, no I don''t. Every set looks different and since Mr. Stu Deeoh gave us permission to go inside, we''re all curious."

    Beartic pushed the button beside the soundstage door and listened to the groan of metal as it slid open. The sunlight barely illuminated the interior as they stepped inside. As they entered, the door automatically closed with a resounding thud, plunging the room back into darkness.

    "Wow! It''s dark in here!" Zorro shouted, his voice echoing down the soundstage.

    "Hey, kid. Could you find the key lights around here? I''ll try to see if there''s something around here," he vaguely pointed around a corner.

    After telling Zorro and Eve to stay where they were, Harper approached the center of the soundstage, making out the numerous cameras and lights. Normally, he wouldn''t have been able to navigate in the dark, but that was when he had human eyes. Now, it was easier to see with the eyes of a riolu, but he didn''t want to stand in an unlit place the size of a warehouse.

    He organized the tangled mess of wires scattered across the floor, finally laying his hands on the specific one he had been seeking. Opting to illuminate the key lights first, Harper traced the wire''s path to an outlet, revealing that it had been carelessly left unplugged.

    "Striking!" Harper habitually cried out before plugging in the key light''s wires. Beartic covered Zorro and Eve''s eyes in time as the set turned bright.

    "Maybe give a clearer warning to the little actors before turning those on, they don''t know what ''striking'' means," Beartic advised with mild amusement etched on his face. "You shouted that like how the electricians do all the time, you pretending to be like them or something?"

    "Sorry, I''ll give a better warning next time," Harper silently cursed himself for shouting that out of habit. At least Beartic handed him an excuse on a platter, though he didn''t know if opportunities like that would happen again.

    With just enough lighting to illuminate the set, he got a good look at the surroundings. The backdrop consisted of green screens, with various types of trees scattered throughout. The ground was covered in a thick layer of synthetic moss and grass, speckled with clusters of ferns and undergrowth.

    Overall, it all looked fake with closer inspection, but it reminded Harper of when he first appeared. He knocked on one of the trees with his paw where his knuckles should be, the rough texture obvious at the touch. How long was he here in the Pok¨¦mon world since he woke up near Route 20? He lost count after his first movie, but it was likely for the better that he did.

    "Mr. Beartic?" Eve slowly approached the polar bear. "Why make a fake forest when there''s a real one outside?"

    "Great question, Eve," Beartic cleared his throat before continuing. "it all has to do with the conditions of the environment. Nine times out of ten, filming in the wild is plenty dangerous, there''s a lot of stuff that''s out of our control. There could be dangerous pok¨¦mon nearby, or it could be too windy, cold, hot¡­"

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    As Beartic listed common nature hazards, Harper realized that Zorro wasn''t beside Eve like he usually was. It was only when he turned to his side that he saw the poochyena, oddly silent with a paw on the fake tree, eyes closed.

    |[Anamnesis]|

    Before Harper could question Zorro''s emotions any further, the poochyena''s emotions suddenly reversed to his usual excitement and wonder.

    Zorro strolled up beside Eve and sat down. "If this is a fake forest, then what was being filmed here?"

    "I think there was an advertisement filmed here for a new brand of repels," Beartic answered. "You''ve probably seen it if you watch TV with your trainers."

    "Beartic, I think we should start teaching them now," Harper reminded him. "What do you think we should start with?"

    "Right, right, we should start with showing them the camera then. Let''s use the camera dolly, it''s at the end of the set, just follow the rails."

    Another task that Harper was all too well acquainted with, but for the first time in a while, he felt enthusiastic to do it. Doing as Beartic instructed, he grabbed the handlebars and rolled the camera dolly closer to the rest of the group. The dolly shot was a technique Harper frequently used, but it was always a bit of a hassle due to its weight and the amount of equipment it had to support. However, this time, thanks to Harper''s new Pok¨¦mon body, the cart was noticeably lighter.

    ~Man, if only I had this much strength back in Hollywood.~

    "Thanks, kid," Beartic expressed his kindness to Harper as he finished rolling the camera over. "Zorro, Eve, this nifty device here is the most important tech for a film studio. It''s the reason why movies can be made in the first place. Without it, Pok¨¦star wouldn''t exist."

    "We know what cameras are, why are you making it a big deal, Mr. Beartic?" Zorro tilted his head in confusion.

    "Because you''re the star actors, all your acting is for this camera," he gently patted the top. "When the cameras are rolling, your attention always has to be set on the cameras."

    "Do we look at them, then?"

    "No, but that doesn''t mean you should never. Sometimes, whatever the movie or TV show is, it could ask that you look in. For this lesson''s sake, don''t look in ''em."

    Zorro and Eve nodded together, taking in Beartic''s words. Harper was amazed at how quickly they warmed up to him. They were engaged with every word the veteran actor gave to them. All it took for them to bond was a small breakfast and sharing some words together to kick things off. Beartic had a constant, genuine smile since they entered the soundstage, the same expression he had when he trained Harper in their first lesson.

    "Hey, Beartic," Harper interrupted his lesson on spatial awareness with cameras. "Do you mind if I go turn on the fill and backlights? I can tell that the key lights are heating up."

    "I-I don''t mind. It''ll help with what I want to do next anyways," he answered with mild bewilderment before redirecting his attention to the younger pok¨¦mon.

    Grabbing a few nearby scrims, Harper hopped on some stands and inserted them in front of the key lights, dimming their intensity. Fiddling with the buttons and switches, he gradually turned on the fill and back lights so as not to blind everyone. Before, only the fronts of Beartic, Zorro, and Eve were lit up but now they were perfectly illuminated on all sides for filming.

    "Is it just me or did it get much brighter?" Zorro wondered aloud with squinted eyes.

    Harper jumped back down to floor level and approached the rest. "Better get used to it now, Zorro. It''s not the actors who control how bright it is, that role goes to the film crew like the Gaffers and Grips."

    "Gaffers? Grips? What are those?"

    "They handle all the lighting and rigging of the film equipment respectively," Harper then waved his paw in a "shooing" motion. "You don''t need to worry about them, though, they handle the stuff that makes your acting better to film."

    "You know, kid. You really know your way around the equipment here," Beartic said. "I was surprised you knew how to turn on the lights."

    "Then why did you ask me?"

    "I knew how to turn on the key lights, I just wanted to see if you knew how. You surprised me more when you asked if you could turn on the rest. Heck, you even knew how to put that fabric stuff in front of the lights."

    ~The scrims? Does Beartic not know what they''re called?~

    "You''re quick to learn all that stuff, aren''t ya?"

    "I-I like observing what the Key Grip and their assistants do while we film," Harper lied. "I guess it just came easy to me?"

    |[93%]|

    What the hell was that?

    "If it comes that easily to you, you must be a prodigy!" Beartic laughed as he patted Harper''s head. "Look at you, you could join the film crew and fit right in!"

    The feeling he had from Beartic clung to his head. It was the first time Harper felt something from someone that wasn''t an emotion. Whatever he read, it wasn''t clear enough to mentally form, but it felt like a section of something? It felt impartial, but he couldn''t tell why.

    "Mr. Harper?" Eve touched his paw, waking him up from his thoughts. "Are you ok?"

    "Y-Yeah, I''m fine, Eve," Harper reassured her before turning to Beartic. "We should continue their lesson, Beartic."

    "Alright then, the next thing you should learn is how the camera moves and how to position yourse¡­" Harper drowned Beartic''s voice out as he began to think critically of himself.

    ~I keep telling myself that I would try to not reveal my past by accident but it keeps happening. Do I tell Beartic? I can''t though, he''s been thinking of me like a student and I can''t break that. What would he think of me if he knew I was some thirty-something-year-old guy and not a young riolu?~

    It was hard to lie before, and it was only getting worse.

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    The nurse laid out a tray of Nate''s pok¨¦mon on the counter. "Here are all your pok¨¦mon all fully healed. I saw your victory at the Nimbasa Gym on the TV, the fight against Elesa''s Emolga was amazing!"

    "Thank you," Nate latched each of his pok¨¦balls on his belt. "It wasn''t an easy fight but I''m glad I won in the end."

    The "Anti-Elesa Training" that he specially assigned for his newest pok¨¦mon, Krokorok, worked out in the end. Her Zebstrika was like the final boss of her team, but Emolga was the trickiest fighter bar none. The Electric and Flying-type was the fastest pok¨¦mon he had ever seen, much faster than Roxie''s Whirlipede at its max speed. Since Emolga was immune to Krokorok''s advantageous Ground-type moves, Nate needed another plan to knock the pok¨¦mon down from the air. His trained combo of the newly-learned Smack Down and Bulldoze was the opportunity he needed to gain the advantage in the gym battle.

    "Elesa has a reputation to uphold as a Gym Leader after all," the nurse continued. "It''s the only thing keeping Nimbasa safe from those Neo Plasma members."

    "I''ll stomp them down when I see them," Nate declared. "They''ve done nothing but try to ruin my journey to be the Unovan Champion."

    Team Neo Plasma''s schemes only increased since that day in Virbank with Mr. Moore, or as he preferred to be called, Harper. The amount of pok¨¦mon stolen and the number of crimes committed in not only the major cities but also the routes between them were concerning. Nate''s encounters soured his already negative impression of them. From his encounter with them in Floccesy Ranch to Virbank to the Castelia Sewers, they snuck around like patrat whenever he saw them.

    "I only hope that you stay safe. The last thing any Pok¨¦mon Center wants is a trainer''s pok¨¦mon injured without reason."

    "Don''t worry, I fight only when I know I can win," Nate waved goodbye to the nurse as he stepped out the front door.

    Now outside on the sidewalk of Nimbasa, Nate grabbed one of his pok¨¦balls and released Krokorok. A moment later, the Ground and Dark-type reptile appeared in front of him, confused about why he was summoned.

    "Krok? Kororok?"

    "You''re asking why I let only you out, right?"

    Krokorok nodded.

    "Servine and Flaaffy probably agree with me, but I haven''t really spent much time with you other than for training and I want to change that," his other two pok¨¦balls shook in response, signaling their consensus. "We can walk and talk, are you ok with that?"

    After a few seconds of thought, Krokorok reluctantly agreed. He was usually disinterested in socializing with his other team members, Nate included, but something changed after his battle with Elesa. Maybe seeing his training giving positive results made him agree to Nate''s request.

    "Thanks, Krokorok. Let''s head over to the gate for Route 5 and we''ll be on our way to the next badge!" The path to his next Gym Battle was straightforward, all Nate needed to do was go through the upcoming route and walk over the famous Driftveil Drawbridge. With the sun still high in the sky, Nate estimated that he would make it to Driftveil City by nighttime.

    After looking through his map for an optimal route to the gate, the two walked through the streets of Nimbasa, the sidewalks as crowded as their first arrival. Passing by the city''s iconic Gear Station, a recent memory budded in Nate''s head.

    "Hey, you remember when we fought against the Subway Masters over there with Rosa?"

    Krokorok nodded with a concerned glare as if asking why he would forget.

    "Man, her dewott was really strong against their pok¨¦mon, I still can''t believe they held back against us and they were still that tough! Did you like that battle? It was your first time doing a double battle, after all."

    Krokorok had relative experience in battling single pok¨¦mon in the wild but since double battles were more oriented for trainer battles, it was a learning experience for him. It took some getting used to coordinating with another trainer''s pok¨¦mon with no time for hesitation, yet in the end, he pulled through. Krokorok landed the final blow against Emmet''s Boldore with two successive Mud Shots to the face after taking advantage of Dewott''s encore, forcing the Rock-type to haphazardly use Harden at the wrong time.

    "We''ll train with double battles in mind in the future, your first time was really cool though! You timed your Mud Shots perfectly! Keep that up and every battle onward will be a breeze."

    Krokorok clearly wasn''t used to the compliments Nate always gave to his pok¨¦mon, him idly sharpening his claws was always a sign of embarrassment.

    "Hey, are you¡­? I think I recognize you!" A young woman with a look of amazement showed up in front of him. "I watched your battle with Elesa at her gym and I swore I saw you somewhere else before, were you in a movie by any chance?"

    "Just one," Nate held up a finger.

    "I knew it!" She pointed at him squarely. "You were the ''Riolu-Kid,'' right?"

    "Yeah, I was! How''d you recognize me?"

    "It''s because of your hair, b-but in a good way!" She stammered at the end. "It stands out from everyone else."

    "My hair refuses to be combed down," Nate patted the top of his head. "I''m glad people like it this way."

    "Is it ok if I can get a selfie?" The woman pulled a phone out of her purse. "My friends are gonna be so jealous of me when they see it!"

    Humoring her, Nate made a "v" shape with his fingers and smiled at the camera beside the woman, and with a snap from her phone, she took the picture.

    "Thank you!" She beamed at the photo on the screen. "Hey, where''s your riolu by the way? I thought he was your partner."

    "I''m friends with him, but he''s not my pok¨¦mon. Ha- Riolu is an actor for Pok¨¦star Studios, you probably saw him in another movie. Did you watch ''Full Metal Cop?''"

    "I don''t think I have, is it out?"

    "It should still be in theaters, I watched it a few days ago and it was really fun."

    Nate knew the importance of training to have the best pok¨¦mon team, but he knew that doing it constantly wasn''t healthy, he needed to give himself and his pok¨¦mon a break every once in a while. Following his belief, they spent a few days enjoying everything that Nimbasa had to offer like the roller coasters from the previous Nimbasa Gym and the Rondez-View Ferris Wheel.

    It was when they passed by a theater and saw the movie poster for "Full Metal Cop," that Nate made a full stop in his tracks. The image of Brycen the Hero and Harper the Riolu Partner walking in front of an explosion immediately caught his eyes, making him pay for tickets soon after to watch with his team.

    "I''ll have to watch it then, especially since it''s coming from you! I do have to ask though, is there gonna be another ''Riolu-Kid'' movie?"

    Nate shrugged his shoulders. "If there''s going to be one, it''s gotta be after I become the Unovan Champion."

    "Good luck, then! I wanna see the movie continue, it''s way too short for something good!" The woman waved goodbye, Nate returning in response.

    "Kror, kroko?" Krokorok tugged Nate''s jacket.

    Nate looked at Krokorok. "You''re also curious about the next ''Riolu-Kid'' movie?"

    "Korro," he nodded. During their first night at the Nimbasa Pok¨¦mon Center, Nate showed Krokorok the DVD copy he received from Mr. Stu Deeoh''s mail at Castelia City. Servine and Flaaffy had watched it earlier, but that didn''t stop them from rewatching it on the provided TV, all of them hooked onto the screen and its flashing effects.

    He didn''t tell Krokorok about the true identity of the riolu on screen though, and he didn''t think his other pok¨¦mon did either. It was a matter of privacy and the promise he made to him. If Harper wanted to tell someone his origins, he would, just like how he chose Nate to be the first to know.

    "I mean, Krokorok, there''s nothing much to say other than what I told the lady just now. They might make another without me, but I kinda wish they didn''t. Acting with Riolu was fun, and I wanna introduce you to him as well. We''ll go to Pok¨¦star Studios one day, ok? The owner of Pok¨¦star, Mr. Stu Deeoh, said we''re more than welcome to come back."

    Krokorok gave a short, deep rumble in his chest, then pointed at one of Nate''s bag pockets where he kept his badge case.

    "Hmm? You wanna look at it? Here you go," he took the case out and unlatched its hook, revealing the four badges he earned, each one shining brightly under the sunlight. Nate always made sure to keep them in pristine condition every night, he would only ever earn one of each in his entire career as a trainer after all.

    Krokorok pointed at the Bolt Badge, their most recent victory. "Koror, krokork."

    "That''s the badge we earned from Elesa, did you want to talk about her?"

    Krokorok nodded and then pointed in the direction where the woman Nate talked with left.

    "That lady and Elesa? What about them?"

    "Krok, krork," He threw two air punches before looking back at Nate.

    "Are¡­ are you asking about Riolu?" Nate''s understanding of his pok¨¦mon through charades was getting better.

    Krokorok nodded, curious to know about his relation with the Fighting-type.

    "I don''t know why Elesa wanted Riolu to be a runway model for her," Nate clasped his badge case together and inserted it in his bag. "That was a weird thing to ask almost immediately after we won her badge."

    "That''s a shame," Elesa pouted. "Brycen said ''no'' to me as well. It was worth a shot though, I really wanted a pok¨¦mon actor on my catwalk. Imagine if you and Riolu showcased my male fashion here!"

    ~If she personally asked Brycen for Harper, does she know about him? Wait, does that mean all the Gym Leaders know about him? I hope the next Gym Leader, Clay, doesn''t ask for anything.~

    "What the hell are you up to here, huh?! Answer me!" Breaking Nate''s focus, he heard a familiar voice around the corner, close to the route gate.

    "Let''s move, Krokorok. I think I know who it was that said that," Nate began running at a brisk pace with Krokorok keeping up to his speed. With a turn around the corner, they saw his rival, Hugh, yelling at a group of¡­ damn it, Team Neo Plasma members. There were four of them standing near the gate, disturbing the public with their presence alone. One of the grunts noticed Nate around the corner. He could practically see a bulged vein on his forehead for some reason.

    "There you are!" He angrily pointed at Nate. "I''ve been wondering when you''d show up after this brat started yelling at us!"

    "Nate!" Hugh smiled from his presence. "Help me with these thieves, they''re blocking my way to the drawbridge!"

    "Who are you?" Nate stood beside his friend. "All you grunts look the same with your weird uniforms and face covers."

    "You fucking with me?! I''m the one from that damn ranch and the Virbank Port!"

    "The¡­ the one with the patrat?" Nate recalled his previous encounters with Team Neo Plasma.

    "Yeah! And it''s fully evolved and ready to take you down!" The grunt grabbed his pok¨¦ball and threw it to the floor, releasing the patrat''s next evolution, Watchog.

    "You ready for a battle, Krokorok?" Nate smirked at the croc, who flashed a toothy grin and angled his claws forward, ready to strike.

    "You!" The Watchog grunt swiveled his head to the grunt behind him, somehow noticing her reaching for her pok¨¦ball. "Don''t help me, I want to beat him alone."

    "Your loss," she sighed, taking a step back. "When you lose, I''m beating this kid up."

    "You handle those two, Nate! I''ll deal with the other two myself!" Hugh released Pignite, the fire pig snorted small flames from his nostrils, intimidating his opponents. "Get ready to feel my rage, you Plasma thieves!"

    "So, you''re not gonna use your riolu?" The grunt smirked at Nate. "Where is he by the way? I''ve dreamed of stealing him since our last match."

    "Away from crooks like you! Use Bite!" Nate commanded as Krokorok''s mouth darkened with Dark TE. With bared and powered teeth, he lunged at Watchog, rushing directly forwards at the Normal-type.

    "Get out of the way!" The grunt threw his arms sideways as Watchog hesitated for a moment before sidestepping to the right, narrowly missing Krokorok''s Bite. With a loud snap, the bite force of the attack rang in everyone''s ears, making it known that he missed. Nate swore that he saw Watchog break a nervous sweat.

    "Why the hell are you scared? Hit Krokorok with a Tackle, now!" The grunt commanded Watchog to override its fear and rush in, striking his body against Krokorok. The blunt force wasn''t strong enough to knock him over, but the damage could be seen where the impact occurred. A faint bruise formed on Krokorok''s side, it was wide but it didn''t look too concerning. He was fine, and Nate couldn''t waste time to ask if he was alright anyways.

    "Use Sand Attack!" Krokorok stomped on the ground and created sand particles around him. He swiped his tail at Watchog''s leering eyes and the opponent growled in pain.

    "W-Wipe the sand off your eyes already, dammit!" Watchog rubbed its paws on its face, getting each speck off.

    "Hit him with a Low Sweep!" Nate shouted as the grunt stood flustered.

    "Crap, use Hyper Fang on his tail!" The grunt leered at Nate like his pok¨¦mon.

    Krokorok lashed his tail by spinning his entire body around as Watchog''s mouth opened wide, its buck teeth growing larger. The two moves collided, but Watchog''s Hyper Fang landed harder, and the pok¨¦mon made its intent clear on never letting go. Nate couldn''t hesitate at his pok¨¦mon cry in pain, not at a serious battle like this. If he did then the enemy would strike again, they weren''t the type to fight fairly, and so shouldn''t he. Not giving the opponent more time to follow up, he shouted another command.

    "Mud-Slap! While Watchog''s close!" With the essence of wet earth forming at Krokorok''s claws, he whacked Watchog''s face, smearing mud over its eyes. The Normal-type growled in frustration as it knelt on the floor, trying to wipe the after-effects of the move off its face.

    "Get back up! NOW! I''m not losing to this kid a third time!"

    "Smack Watchog down with a Take Down! Don''t waste this opportunity!"

    Without a second thought, Krokorok grabbed Watchog''s back and hugged tightly before lifting him in the air. Watchog flailed around, unable to hit Krokorok with its short arms and legs. A moment later, Krokorok slammed it down to the ground in a suplex, damaging them both as they fell to the floor. The collision of Watchog''s head on the concrete ground rendered the pok¨¦mon unconscious. With stumbled legs, Krokorok got back up, grinning over its victory well-earned.

    "I-I¡­ wha¡­ what the fuck!" The grunt stammered at the sight of his unmoving pok¨¦mon. "You have got to be kidding me! I lost that quickly?!"

    "Yeah, you dumbass, now shut up," the Plasma member who was waiting behind him pushed him away. "Get your pok¨¦mon away from here, it''s my turn now."

    "T-this isn''t over, alright?!" The grunt recalled Watchog and stepped away from the battle. "Just wait till you-"

    "Didn''t I say to shut up?!" His lips sealed tight instantly as the other grunt faced Nate. "Hope you still have the energy to fight me, this Trubbish I stole is pretty strong."

    "You did great, Krokorok. Let''s have another teammate handle this now," Nate pulled out his pok¨¦ball and summoned him back in. Grabbing another pok¨¦ball, he threw it in the air and released Flaaffy. The Electric-type ruffled the wool on her head and neck, releasing the electrical and muscle tension on her body. She shot a nasty glare at the new Neo Plasma member in front of her, ready for battle.

    "Seems like you''re eager to lose. Let me help you then, Trubbish, go!" With a toss of her pok¨¦ball, a Trubbish materialized in front of her. Its stench was made known to everyone in its vicinity, even the other battle that Hugh was occupied in halted for a moment at the scent. Nate plugged his nose and waved his hands back and forth. Flaaffy brought her paws to her face in a similar fashion.

    "Unbearable, isn''t it? With the amount of Black Sludge I''ve been feeding it, it''s the smelliest Trubbish in all of Unova, even smellier than garbodor!"

    "Your tricks won''t work against us! Flaaffy, use Cotton Spore to block your nose!"

    Eager to not smell anything, Flaaffy''s wool expanded and flew off of her body with pieces scattering around the area. The Electric-type grabbed two small pieces at foot''s length and stuffed them in her nose like tissues.

    "Tch, how convenient of you, but I''ll just melt them away with poison! Trubbish, use Acid Spray!" The trash pok¨¦mon closed its usually gaping mouth, and its cheeks slowly bulged outward before spritzing purple muck in Flaaffy''s direction.

    "Run!" Nate pointed away from the Trubbish''s attack. "Keep running until it runs out in its mouth!"

    Flaaffy dashed around Trubbish in a circle, gradually moving away to gauge the distance it could shoot. Only flecks of poison nicked her legs, but it was too little to cause considerable damage. No matter how quick Trubbish was turning around like a sprinkler, Flaaffy was much faster. With the amount of wool off of her body since her evolution, her speed got better, and it was only going to get better with her next evolution when it came.

    "Shoot Thunder Shocks while you''re running!" Charging electricity in her hands, she threw bolts at the Trubbish spinning in place. Due to moving around at top speed while shooting Thunder Shock, some miss and hit the opponent''s general area, but not the pok¨¦mon itself.

    "Nice try, but you''re gonna have to aim better! Use Toxic Spikes!" The grunt yelled. Nate knew she was trying to hinder Flaaffy''s path with more poison, and he wasn''t going to let that happen.

    "Use Thunder Wave! Stun that Trubbish!" Ripples of electricity pulsed towards the Poison-type. Distracted from charging its own move, it couldn''t dodge in time and the move successfully hit Trubbish, causing it to jolt and twitch its arms and face.

    "Shit! Use something, anything!" With her plans ruined, the first one incapacitating everyone through smell and the other by stopping them with toxic spikes, the grunt looked like she was at the end of the rope.

    "The hell do you mean by ''use anything?!''" The watchog grunt badgered. "Beat him up already!"

    "Did you already forget what I said earlier? SHUT UP!" She fumed, turning to the weaker grunt in a fury. With his opponent distracted from the battle, Nate gave his final command.

    "Flaaffy! Finish this with an Electro Ball!" Cupping her front paws together, what started with a single spark soon grew into a large sphere of pure electrical energy. With a loud bang, the move accelerated towards Trubbish, the Electro Ball exploded in a flurry of sparks and flickers, knocking it down.

    "Wha¡­ T-Trubbish! How did it get knocked down?"

    "You just had to look away from our fight. I saw an opportunity and I took it, can you blame me?" Nate asked smugly.

    "You¡­ you nasty fu-"

    "Tell me where Purrloin is, NOW!" Hugh demanded one of the defeated grunts, Pignite punched his fist into a closed palm, intimidating them.

    "W-We don''t know, man!" One of them trembled in fear. "How are we supposed to know every pok¨¦mon we liberated?"

    "Liberated?! DON''T USE THAT WORD! YOU MEAN ''STOLEN!''"

    "We need to get out of here!" The Trubbish grunt ordered the others. An entire crowd had gathered around their battle, and some onlookers spoke into their phones, alerting the authorities. "Let''s go before the cops show up!"

    With hastened footwork, all the Team Neo Plasma hurriedly ran away in the opposite direction of the gate and into the back alleys of Nimbasa City.

    "DON''T YOU RUN AWAY!" Hugh was about to rush towards them before Nate placed a hand on his shoulder.

    "Hugh, don''t. They''ll get caught in no time, they''re dumb enough to run into Nimbasa and not the other way out," Nate pointed towards the gate.

    Hugh slumped his shoulders. "Y-You''re right. I''ll let them go, but just this once," He said through gnashed teeth. "I¡­ I''m just getting tired of what they''re doing. Every time I feel like I''m getting closer to an answer by beating them, it''s just another step backward when they answer."

    "You''ll find Purrloin, you''re not the only one who misses her."

    "Sorry, I didn''t even think about how you thought about her kidnapping. I really want her back for my sister."

    "I know, but I don''t think you''ll get your answer from the grunts alone. How about we find one of the higher-ups? They gotta have some log where they track all their stolen pok¨¦mon, right?"

    "Yeah, yeah! You''re right!" Hugh brightened up in a flash. "Let''s go to Driftveil City then! Maybe the Gym Leader, Clay, will know something!"

    "Before we go, can we go back to the Pok¨¦mon Center?" Nate pointed a thumb behind his head. "Krokorok''s pretty hurt and I wanna clean the all the poison off of Flaaffy. We should also alert Elesa if the authorities didn''t already."

    "Sure, and then we''ll get the answers we''ve been looking for!" Hugh dashed in the center''s direction. "C''mon, the last one there is a loser!"

    Nate recalled Flaaffy back in her pok¨¦ball and followed his friend slash rival to the Pok¨¦mon Center. As they raced, a thought about Neo Plasma lingered in his head. He couldn''t help but recall what the Lead Makeup Artist from Pok¨¦star, Layla, said about what happened two years ago.

    "Two years ago, Team Plasma was spreading their message about the liberation of pok¨¦mon all around Unova. Pok¨¦star Studio wasn''t safe either, mentioning that we were forcing pok¨¦mon to act in movies."

    Under the guise of protecting pokemons'' rights, they fought against Pok¨¦star Studios, who were in the moral right. They asked permission from trainers and their pok¨¦mon before filming, there was nothing wrong with asking for consent. Now, with the more aggressive Neo Plasma, going so far as to admit their wrongdoings, what was stopping them from going against the studios again? Their actions were further reaching then just hindering his goal to be a Unovan Champion, people and pokemon who didn''t even battle would be affected.

    Similar to Hugh, he wouldn''t let this slide.

 Scene 3 - Take 4: Former Glories and Concerning Stories

    ¡°So where are Harper and Beartic right now?¡± Bianca asked as they walked down the production office hallway.

    Brycen was currently guiding the Assistant Professor and the twins to Vincent after getting an update on the script. With the free time they had this morning, they were able to fulfill the Script Supervisor''s request to visit. As for his pok¨¦mon¡­

    "They''re enjoying some morning time off together with breakfast," He replied. "You understand how much time and effort they have put towards Caleb and Claire''s pok¨¦mon."

    Brycen originally expected that after finishing the production of ¡°Full Metal Cop,¡± he and his Pok¨¦mon would focus on self-improvement. He believed this was particularly important for the small Fighting-type pok¨¦mon, who was progressing rapidly as both an actor and competent pokemon. It was almost surprising how quickly Harper was developing. Despite suffering from amnesia, he displayed a remarkable innate talent for cinematography. Even though Harper and Beartic were providing their assistance to the twins¡¯ Pok¨¦mon, taking occasional breaks before production started was certainly a good idea.

    "I do, they deserve a break. Children are hard to look over all the time," She whispers as she looks at the twins and their pok¨¦mon in their pok¨¦balls, making sure they don''t overhear. The two were engaged in their own talk and by what Brycen could overhear, they were curious about what Vincent would be like.

    Brycen approached a door adorned with a plaque inscribed with the words "Vincent Price, Script Supervisor," etched into the golden-plated wood. After delivering two firm knocks, he took a step back as the door swung open widely without delay.

    "Brycen! Bianca! Thanks for coming so quickly, I know I sent that message abruptly but I have to show you the script now that it''s done," Vincent greeted the two before looking at the twins standing nervously behind the Assistant Professor. "You two must be the voice actors, Caleb and Claire, correct?"

    After a silent nod from both children, he crouched to their level with a smile. "You probably know at this point given the sign on the wall, but my name''s Vincent, and I handle everything script-related here in Pok¨¦star. Whether it''s writing, editing, or helping pok¨¦mon know their parts, I''m the guy," Vincent stood back up and held the door open for the group. "Come in, I shouldn''t keep all of you standing."

    As he stepped into his office, Brycen''s eyes were immediately drawn to the sheer volume of papers scattered all around. They covered his desk, the coffee table, and even the walls, leaving no available space untouched. Meanwhile, the constant whirring of a printer behind the desk filled the air, as sheets of paper were steadily spit out by the machine.

    ¡°I expected my printer to finish printing the script out earlier but it''s pretty slow, I need to get a new one soon. All of you should take a seat while we wait, I¡¯ll get all of you something to drink. Is coffee fine for you adults? And juice for the kids?¡±

    ¡°I would prefer tea if it is available,¡± Brycen requested.

    ¡°I have a few packets of herbal tea, is that fine?¡±

    ¡°That would be great.¡±

    ¡°I¡ªI¡¯ll have some tea as well,¡± Bianca jumped into the conversation. ¡°If it won''t be any trouble, of course.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s no big deal, lemme go turn on the electric water boiler and get the kids their own drinks.¡±

    As they sat and waited for their complimentary drinks, Brycen noticed Caleb''s interest in a particular wall. Pencil sketches on rectangular papers were arranged in rows and columns, depicting a scene in chronological order.

    ¡°Mr. Price?¡± Caleb pointed with a finger. ¡°Are these comics done? They need some color.¡±

    "They aren''t comic strips," Vincent laughed as he grabbed two bottles of juice from the fridge and gave them to the twins. "This entire wall is a storyboard, and I''ve been wanting to show this to you two. A storyboard helps movie makers plan out scenes."

    Vincent unpinned one of the rough sketches depicting Zorro and Eve each with a smile facing forward and handed it over to them. ¡°That¡¯s both of your pok¨¦mon in a scene for the show. A storyboard for us screenwriters. Storyboards help with creating what we want the audience to see. For voice actors that specialize in animations, they usually look at storyboards or rough animation for visualization but for the both of you, you''ll be looking at the raw footage of the pok¨¦mon acting because you¡¯ll be dubbing when they finish filming the scenes needed.¡±

    ¡°And is that Mr. Harper and Beartic over there?¡± Claire pointed at another sketch of a beartic sitting behind a desk with a riolu beside him.

    "They sure are!" Vincent removed the drawing from the wall and gave the twins a closer look. "Soon, we''ll be able to see the storyboard play out once we begin filming. In the meantime, this will have to do with planning."

    ¡°Is this storyboard only for the first episode?¡± Bianca asked.

    Vincent pointed over to the bottom of a filing cabinet behind his desk. "I''ve got folders full of storyboards for the rest of the show there. The one on the wall I kept up so I could show the twins. They don''t necessarily need to look at them but thank Arceus I showed them because they''ve taken a liking to it!"

    True to Vincent¡¯s words, the twins were fully entranced by all the storyboards and the little descriptors written underneath. They clearly had an interest in the show and wanted to know everything about it as soon as they could.

    A moment later, a ringing noise emitted from the electric water boiler on Vincent¡¯s desk.

    ¡°Looks like the water¡¯s done! Let me get both of you your tea!¡±

    As Vincent prepared their tea and the twins were preoccupied in their own world, Brycen seized the chance to inquire with Bianca about Harper''s concerns.

    ¡°Bianca, there is something I wish to discuss with you.¡±

    ¡°Y¡ªYes?¡± She replied, slightly taken aback by his sudden tone of secrecy.

    Brycen hushed his voice, prompting Bianca to lean in to catch his words. ¡°Harper has talked with me about Zorro¡¯s unique eye color but I have told him not to worry since I assumed Caleb knows of it. However, I also cannot feel but be a little curious about why his poochyena stands out from his species.¡±

    ¡°We¡­ don¡¯t exactly know the cause,¡± She answered with an undertone. ¡°We only know what happened before and after Zorro got lost.¡±

    ¡°Lost?¡± Brycen frowned.

    Bianca glanced over at Caleb, who was still absorbed with Vincent¡¯s storyboard alongside his sister, before turning back to Brycen. ¡°It¡¯s not a pleasant memory for the twins, especially for Caleb. Is it ok if we can talk about this outside?¡± She pointed a thumb to the door.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Brycen looked over to the Script Supervisor who had finished placing tea bags into hot cups of water. ¡°Vincent, would you mind continuing to entertain the children? Bianca has some matters to discuss in private.¡±

    ¡°Sure, just don¡¯t take too long or your tea will get cold!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll be back shortly,¡± Brycen held the door open for the Assistant Professor as they stepped out of the room and into the deserted, lengthy corridor. With no one in sight, they had no reason to leave any further. Waving his hand to Bianca, he motioned for her to start explaining.

    "Ok," She took a deep breath in. "I heard all of this from the twins'' mother and from what I''ve been told, Zorro loved to play out in the forest behind their house. He was a former wild pok¨¦mon before their father caught him during a trip to Hoenn for Caleb. Zorro quickly adjusted to civilized life but he still loved spending time outside, it was a normal occurrence for him to leave their house for hours at a time but he''d always return before dinner."

    ~I see where this is going,~ He almost spoke aloud but he held his words back, not wanting to disrupt Bianca.

    "One day, he just didn''t come back. Their family called the local rangers and put up lost posters, they did everything but he wouldn''t show up for days. Their mother said Caleb would spend all day looking for him, and Claire and Eve would help. The three were desperate to find Zorro."

    ¡°But he eventually returned, how did he return?¡±

    ¡°It was early in the morning when Caleb was about to prepare for his search in the forest when he spotted him. He said that Zorro was standing by their backyard exit, crying.¡±

    ¡°And his eyes were now blue instead of red?¡±

    ¡°Yes, and something troubling happened to him in that forest but we don¡¯t know what,¡± Bianca crossed her arms. ¡°Since then, Zorro never wanted to leave Caleb¡¯s side, though recently he¡¯s been more confident in being farther apart for longer.¡±

    ¡°Are you talking about the twins¡¯ pok¨¦mon being with Beartic and Harper?¡±

    ¡°Zorro staying beside Eve helps with his emotions of being away from Caleb, though I haven¡¯t seen him this well-managed since then. I was surprised to see Zorro willing to split with his trainer to train with Harper on our first day, your riolu has some charm around the twins¡¯ pok¨¦mon.¡±

    ¡°He does indeed,¡± Brycen chuckled.

    The story brought more questions than answers such as why Zorro''s status quo was broken and why something happened in that forest to disrupt his daily routine. Another question arose, but at least this one had an answer.

    ¡°So¡­ when did Zorro¡¯s disappearance happen?¡±

    ¡°About two years ago, why?¡±

    Brycen could only come to the conclusion that Team Plasma had something to do with Zorro''s disappearance, but then¡ª

    ¡°Team Plasma wasn''t involved,¡± Bianca interrupted, figuring out this train of thought. ¡°They wouldn''t have returned Zorro back if they believed in their ¡®liberation.¡¯ They wanted pok¨¦mon as far away from their owners as possible.¡±

    With his only theory debunked, Brycen decided not to think deeper into this. What was in the past stays in the past. ¡°Let¡¯s drop this, all that matters is that Zorro is now safe and happy with his family. I¡¯m sorry for making you bring a troubling past for the twins.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, I understand why you and Harper would be curious about Zorro¡¯s ¡®uniqueness.¡¯ I felt like I had to explain it at some point anyway.¡±

    Brycen nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll tell Harper and Beartic about this so they don¡¯t accidentally bring up unpleasant memories for the twins and their pok¨¦mon.¡±

    ¡°Can¡­ Can I ask you a question, Brycen?¡± She asked a few seconds later.

    ¡°You may.¡±

    ¡°Why did you retire as a Gym Leader and come back to acting? Everyone was surprised to see you go back to Pok¨¦star Studios.¡±

    "Yes, my departure was a shock to many of my colleagues, but they understood my reasoning after I told them. After the attack that Team Plasma committed against the Unova League two years ago, their actions stirred the emotions of people about our relationship with pok¨¦mon."

    Brycen grabbed Harper¡¯s empty pok¨¦ball and held it upward. ¡°Relations with pok¨¦mon have always been difficult, and they will stay that way if we don¡¯t do anything about it. Due to Team Plasma¡¯s activities in the past, I felt a sense of duty to show that our bonds with pok¨¦mon are stronger than the propaganda they spewed out. If people could see how strong the bonds between my pok¨¦mon are in films, I could ease any viewer¡¯s worries.¡±

    Bianca stood in silent awe at his justification. ¡°Wow¡­ I didn''t know your reasoning to return to acting was that¡ª¡±

    ¡°Passionate?¡± He grinned. ¡°Alder and Marshal liked my reason to retire as well.¡±

    ¡°You told the former Champion and an Elite Four member as well?¡±

    ¡°They were the first to know, and my words were enough to also convince Alder to retire and let Iris become Champion after she won their battle.¡±

    As soon as he finished his sentence, Caleb opened the door wide and looked at Bianca. ¡°Ms. Neri! The script¡¯s finally printed out! He wants you to see if the lab would like it!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll look at it in a bit, you and Claire can start reading without me,¡± Bianca urged the boy back into the room.

    At the sight of how calm and collected she looked, an old memory resurfaced in Brycen''s head, one showcasing her as the complete opposite.

    ¡­

    ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m here to challenge you for the Freeze Badge!¡± Bianca scrambled for her pok¨¦ball in her satchel, struggling before finally pulling it out with some effort. ¡°I¡­ I won¡¯t go easy!¡±

    Her deep breaths were visible in the chilling atmosphere of the Icirrus City Gym, and the energy was just as tense. She made her way through the gym¡¯s obstacles and arrived at Brycen''s arena in search of the truth of her journey. Her friend and future Gym Leader, Cheren, sought for the ideal pok¨¦mon team in terms of strength.

    He enlarged Beartic¡¯s pok¨¦ball and boldly pointed it at the Pok¨¦mon Trainer, ¡°I accept your challenge. Like all your previous gym battles, I will be going all out!¡±

    ¡°T-That¡¯s exactly what I want!¡± Bianca summoned her pok¨¦mon onto the battlefield, a mienshao stood with raised arms, her long flowing fur waving with grace. ¡°Mienshao, go! Use Low Kick!¡±

    Brycen threw his pok¨¦ball soon after and Beartic appeared in a red flash, already adopting a solid defensive stance. ¡°Beartic! Use your Counter!¡±

    ¡­

    A small grin formed on his lips. ¡°You¡¯ve changed, Bianca.¡±

    ¡°H¡ªHuh? What do you mean?¡± Any professionality left in her voice vanished at his words.

    ¡°I no longer see the timid and misguided girl who arrived at my gym two years ago. Instead, I see someone much more confident in their skills to help others.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ wasn¡¯t expecting that,¡± She fidgeted her fingers before bowing slightly, ¡°Thank you, Brycen.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Brycen placed his hand on her shoulder, telling her to stand back up straight. ¡°I believe we should head back inside, Caleb and Claire are waiting for you to read that script for them. We also have some tea that we¡¯ve left unattended for some time and I¡¯d like to change that.¡±

    With another nod from Bianca, the two entered back into the production office. Caleb and Claire were both looking at the cover of the script from Vincent. At the sight of their guardian, they scurried over to Bianca with impatience, brandishing the sheets of paper at her.

    ¡°Ms. Neri, can you read it for us? I want all of us to read it at the same time!¡± Claire beamed before giving a stink eye at her brother. ¡°Caleb was about to read it without you!¡±

    ¡°Was not!¡± He retaliated, before sulking a little. ¡°Well¡­ maybe just the first page.¡±

    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    Bianca grabbed the script from Claire and straightened it out. ¡°¡®Sonamu¡¯s Sunrise, written by Vincent Price and¡­ G. Fild? Who are they?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s a fellow screenwriter here in Pok¨¦star who''s been a huge help with the ¡®Mystery Dungeon¡¯ aspects of this script. It''s a shame that he only works remotely since I haven''t seen him in person in a hot minute. I won''t complain though, he''s the real deal with this kind of stuff.¡±

    Bianca shifted her gaze downward, her eyes squinting with confusion. ¡°Wait a second, why does it say, ¡®edited by The Unovan Research Team?¡¯ When did you contact all the researchers to help edit this script?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t!¡± He cheerfully replied. ¡°Professor Juniper told Mr. Stu Deeoh to have you as the editor instead. I¡¯m hoping that you can start looking at it right now!¡±

    ¡°Wha¡ªWhat?! When?!¡± Bianca repeatedly looked at the script and at Vincent with a flustered look.

    ¡°So that''s why Mr. Stu Deeoh said to leave the research team out,¡± Vincent wondered to himself, answering Bianca¡¯s question at the same time. ¡°Did Professor Juniper not tell you?¡±

    ¡°Professor Juniper never mentioned anything about this to me! Since when did she plan this out?¡±

    ¡°Seems like you have another responsibility to uphold here, Bianca,¡± Brycen cheekily commented.

    ¡°But what about the storyboard?¡± Bianca looked over at Vincent. ¡°Doesn''t that mean you have to change it if I edit anything related to the story?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a reason why these papers are so easy to take off the wall, it''s so scenes can be changed in a pinch,¡± Vincent grabbed a paper from Caleb and placed it back in its original spot. ¡°You don''t have to worry about something as trivial as that.¡±

    ¡°But¡ªBut I can¡¯t¡ª¡±

    The Script Supervisor raised a hand up, stopping Bianca¡¯s stammers. ¡°All you need to do is see if it follows educational standards. I did my best to follow them but it''s up to you if I did it right. I won¡¯t complain if you have any other suggestions to make, this is nothing compared to when I had to change the ¡®Full Metal Cop¡¯ script to accommodate Brycen''s new partner pok¨¦mon. In fact, I¡¯d be relieved if you found anything you wanted to change, making improvements in pre-production is the whole point!¡±

    Bianca closed her eyes, tilting her head slowly. Her face shifted through the phases of contemplation, frustration, and eventually realization. Opening her eyes back open, she steeled herself after making her decision.

    ¡°...I¡¯ll do it,¡± She answered, flipping to the first page with a pen in hand from her bag. ¡°This feels like a test from Professor Juniper, I just have to do my best!¡±

    Summoning confidence from deep within her, she began to read through the script, both as a storyteller for the twins and as an editor for the excited writer in the same room. She underlined sections and wrote in additional notes, pausing her narration every few seconds, keeping the impatient Caleb and Claire waiting each time.

    Brycen sipped on his herbal tea, thankful that the drink was still warm. It was a sight to see the Assistant Professor willing to take on such a daunting task as being the sole editor on such short notice. Bianca may be here on suspicious matters under Professor Juniper''s word, but Brycen couldn''t deny that the show being made with their help is bringing benefits for everyone involved.

    With the show¡¯s creation, Harper will continue to grow as an actor and as a pok¨¦mon with Zorro and Eve under his belt. By Beartic''s constant grin, he''s never felt better to be back in the spotlight after so long. Caleb and Claire are learning about filmmaking and the bonding opportunities it provides with their partner pok¨¦mon. For Brycen, he was yet again taking part in the growth of a passion he dedicated to for all these years.

    And not to mention the audience who would watch and learn from the finished product.

    His eyes on Bianca were as keen as they were before, but maybe he should consider her some leniency. Their motives weren''t driven by malice or immoral greed. They weren¡¯t trying to take malicious advantage of him, it was only observation in an unsullied environment.

    If their intentions were negative though¡­

    But they weren''t for now, and for that, Brycen was content with the way things were.

    <hr>

    ¡°Do you usually read while you eat?¡± Beartic asked as he sat beside Harper on the cafeteria seat, placing his tray of food down.

    Harper unrolled the newspaper titled ''Aspertia Articles'' before laying it wide open on the table. ¡°No, but I saw this on the rack by the entrance and I figured I should be caught up on the news.¡±

    "Now that''s an interesting front-page story to start with, did you not see that when you grabbed it?" Beartic''s finger pointed at the photo on the front page. The photo was of Nate and his rival, Hugh, talking with the police force as three dark-clothed individuals were being led away into a police car.

    Realizing the story he glanced over when he took the newspaper, Harper wasted no effort in looking at what the news had to say for the protagonist. "Neo Plasma Members Defeated By Pok¨¦mon Trainers In Nimbasa City," He quoted the headlines before looking at the subtext below. "Pok¨¦mon Trainers Nate Cinereu and Hugh Venger battled the members of Team Neo Plasma, a terrorist group growing in activity. Three members were soon arrested after they attempted to disturb the peace, but a fourth has been stated to have escaped."

    ¡°Nimbasa must be on high alert after all that,¡± Beartic rubbed his icy beard. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t blame them though, things are looking more hectic out there.¡±

    Harper continued to stare at the front page and at the photo of Nate. Is the canon playing out as intended? He had no clue, but seeing the protagonist win against them was a good sign.

    ~I mean, he¡¯s the main character. He¡¯ll definitely beat them when something huge happens¡­ right?~

    ¡°Hey, something the matter?¡± Beartic patted his back.

    Harper sighed as he looked at the front page again. ¡°I¡¯m worried about Nate, I don¡¯t think Team Neo Plasma is gonna stop from stuff like this.¡±

    ¡°You''re worried about him?¡± Beartic exasperated before tapping his nail on the grunts in the photo. ¡°You said that Nate helped with their arrest and I don¡¯t doubt his strength for a moment. He''s dealt with them before and he¡¯ll deal with them again in the future, easy peasy.¡±

    From hearing his reassuring words, Harper softly smiled. ¡°Thanks Beartic.¡±

    ¡°No problem, kid. Now what else is on the news?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s see, ¡®Driftveil City Opens A New Port For Contests With Construction Of A New Musical Theater,¡¯¡± Harper quoted from the next page on entertainment.

    ¡°Heh, looks like a few friends of ours are breaking ground, literally,¡± Beartic gestured toward the image featured in the article. Audrey and Ripley sported construction helmets, the sneasel wearing a smaller hat to fit her size. The Pok¨¦mon Coordinator and Mr. Thea Tres were pictured wielding shovels, breaking ground at the construction site for the first time, all smiles for the camera.

    ¡°Mr. Thea Tres, owner of the Musical Theater, states that he wishes to open more in the hopes to showcase musicals and to jumpstart Pok¨¦mon Contests all around Unova with the help of Actress and Coordinator, Audrey Cohen.¡±

    A week had passed since the duo left, and they now already had a spot for a Musical Theater locked in a large city like Driftveil. Not only was Nate progressing through his journey around Unova, but Audrey and Ripley were also making progress toward their dream of Unovan Coordination.

    ¡°She¡¯s working hard, good for the two of them,¡± Beartic looked at the Coordinator¡¯s wide smile alongside her pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°I hope I can see her in a competition one day,¡± Harper wished to himself.

    ¡°You definitely will once these theaters are all around Unova. It¡¯ll be hard to miss her once she becomes famous.¡±

    ¡°But people already know her for being the Sneasel Ninja.¡±

    ¡°Famous for being a Coordinator¡ªoh you know what I meant.¡±

    Harper chuckled. ¡°Yeah, I did.¡±

    ¡°You bastard,¡± Beartic ruffled his head. ¡°Anything else on the news?¡±

    After tidying up his fur, Harper casually flipped through the rest of the newspaper, briefly scanning the headlines on each page. Whether it was the mundane articles on economics or the latest sports triumphs, there wasn''t much that captured his interest. Harper did pause to peruse the comics page, recognizing a few at first glance.

    ¡°You like comics? Well¡­ you are a kid, and kids like drawings.¡±

    Harper looked up from a strip with a short blond child and a tall raikou stuffed pok¨¦mon. ¡°I¡¯m not that childish.¡±

    ¡°You can try to convince me again when you¡¯re done reading your comics,¡± The polar bear smirked.

    Harper rolled up the newspaper and placed it aside in his food tray. "I sure will, but after I start eating, I haven''t even taken my first bite yet."

    As he was about to dig into his BLT, Harper caught sight of a familiar young woman in an orange coat and green hat heading toward him and Beartic out of the corner of his eye.

    ¡°Looks like you''re not gonna eat just yet,¡± Beartic jokingly commented. ¡°Seems like Bianca¡¯s got something for us.¡±

    "Hey, Harper and Beartic!" She cheerfully greeted with a wave. ¡°Brycen said that the two of you should be here so I came by to give the scri¡ª¡±

    Bianca hesitated for a moment when she saw the rolled-up newspaper next to Harper. He caught her subtle hand twitching towards the inside of her bag.

    ¡°I didn''t know you read the newspaper. Are you the kind of pok¨¦mon that likes being caught up with the times?¡± She questioned, almost like a survey.

    He didn''t seem to care. In his previous life, Harper was never the type of person who bothered about things outside of his own life. His world was already gloomy enough, and following the news only made it worse. With the mundane status quo he was under, there was no room for him to spare any concern.

    Wake up, film, sleep.

    Wake up, film, sleep.

    Wake up, film, sleep.

    He had no energy to care for local, national, or even news at a world level. Only enough to care for himself.

    ¡°News on your ¡®smartphones.¡¯ Hah, is the newspaper not good enough?¡± A female voice he hadn¡¯t heard in years echoed in his head.

    His mother¡¯s.

    She loved reading newspapers. Unwilling to change with modern society, she bitterly stuck with the LA Times her entire life. Harper wondered if she still read the paper, the answer was most likely still a ¡°yes.¡±

    A memory of him and his mother resurfaced, a day when they had breakfast together. It wasn''t a special memory, it was a time when she explained why she liked reading from printed ink instead of a bunch of ones and zeros.

    ¡°I think the news in a newspaper is much more accurate than whatever is posted online. With how quick you can change things after you post, I don''t trust news sites to keep the information the same after they publish. Now, here¡¯s an interesting headline, Harper. ¡®Incompetent movie director explodes prop bomb, Key Grip murdered,¡¯¡± His mother¡¯s voice read aloud, frantic with each word. ¡°In an act of ineptness, Director Gale Reagan ignored his VFX Supervisor and prematurely set off a prop explosive, killing the nearby Key Grip, H¡ªHarp¡­ Harper M¡ªMoor¡­ Harper! HARPER! NO! HARPER, WHY!¡±

    ~No!~

    Harper''s hands trembled with anxiety, his breaths were uncontrollable. Nevertheless, he managed to slap himself in the face twice in quick succession, hoping to prevent his imagination from distorting his memory any further.

    ~NO!~

    ¡°Kid! The hell are you doing?!¡± Beartic grabbed Harper¡¯s arms and turned him face-to-face. ¡°Hey! Look at me!¡±

    He watched Bianca stepping back, clearly shocked by the unfolding situation. Just like everyone else in the caf¨¦, she stood frozen in confusion, unable to utter a word as Beartic''s yelling filled the room.

    ¡°Harper, don''t look at her,¡± His cold yet caring eyes pierced his own. ¡°Look at me and take a few deep breaths.¡±

    Harper felt a deep sense of belonging and security, akin to the comfort he experienced when Brycen had come to his aid before. He found that he was increasingly able to manage his emotions just by meeting the gaze of the Ice-type Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°You''re fine¡­ you''re safe¡­ you''re not alone...¡± Beartic¡¯s voice grew softer with each phrase.

    Harper''s panic attack gradually eased as he focused on each deep breath, feeling his heartbeat slowing down with each exhale.

    Beartic sighed with relief. ¡°You back, kid?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ yeah, I think I''m good.¡±

    ¡°Harper¡­ are you ok?¡± Bianca slowly approached the two, almost afraid of causing another panic attack. ¡°Wh¡ªWhat happened?¡±

    Just as Harper reached for his whiteboard, Beartic placed his paw on Harper''s, shaking his head.

    ¡°Don''t force yourself to explain, you can tell her later,¡± He then turned to Bianca, nudging his head sideways.

    ¡°...Do you want me to go?¡± Bianca pointed towards the exit with a single finger. She got her answer when Beartic gave a nod back. ¡°Ok, I¡¯ll come back at a better time. I¡¯ll leave this here in the meantime,¡± She grabbed a stack of papers from her bag and placed them on the table beside the newspaper.

    ¡°Vincent finished the entire script and after I checked it, I wanted to come by to give it to you two. Give it a read when you''re feeling better, ok?¡± She ended warmly.

    Before Harper could thank her, she rushed outside. With the jingle of the cafeteria doors, all the other patrons returned to their meals and conversations, ignoring the events that had just transpired.

    As he awkwardly sat in silence with Beartic, a feeling stirred inside the Ice-type. Similar to what he felt that one night.

    |[94-]|

    Beartic shook his head and looked at Harper again, another emotion overriding the previous.

    |[Solicitude]|

    "Kid, I¡ª" Beartic opened his mouth again, hanging on a word, before sighing and speaking softly. "I know Brycen and I said this multiple times, but we''re here for you. Even if you don''t have all your memories yet, if there''s anything you can talk about, say it."

    Even with all the kindness he and his trainer provided, Harper couldn¡¯t bring it in himself to tell the true reason behind his panic attacks. Telling them would be like betraying their trust. Lying about being a young pok¨¦mon with a talent for acting and instead being a failed veteran in the art was too much to tell them. Telling Nate was more of an impulse if anything, and Harper got extremely lucky with the outcome.

    Harper needed to stop lying, but he couldn¡¯t tell the truth just yet. He needed to compromise, so he might as well tell a portion of the truth, a segment that was explainable without context from his past. Taking a deep breath in and out, he began his risk.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been remembering what it felt like, the attack,¡± Harper touched his chest, the tight skin slightly tugging with contact. ¡°And it hurts every time. I can still feel the fire and the heat all over me and all the shrapnel in my body and all th¡ª¡±

    Beartic placed a chilling paw on Harper¡¯s head. He was almost prone to hyperventilating again and the Ice-type thankfully stopped him.

    ¡°While that explains your reactions to explosions, you never mentioned anything about shrapnel before. Kid, just what did you run into?¡±

    Shit, he talked about the shrapnel. While there was none on his riolu body when he appeared here, he certainly felt it on his human body before he died. Even in telling a segmented truth he already failed to hide something.

    ¡°I¡ªI don¡ª¡±

    "You don''t need to answer. Of course, you wouldn''t know, I couldn''t help but ask anyway."

    Beartic patted Harper¡¯s head twice more.

    ~I wish I could tell you, I really do¡­ but what would you think of me then?~

    ¡°It''s only a little bit, but we''re making progress. I don''t want you to ever be alone when these attacks happen again, ok?¡±

    ¡°Ok¡­ and thanks Beartic¡­ for helping with everything.¡±

    ¡°Of course, now can you also promise me that you won''t try to slap yourself to stop a panic attack? It¡¯ll only make things worse.¡±

    Harper nodded.

    ¡°Now, how about we start looking at this?¡± Beartic picked up the script that Bianca left behind. ¡°You can start by telling me the title. It¡¯s the second thing I''m most curious about.¡±

    Now fully calmed down, Harper grabbed the script from Beartic and straightened out the thick stack. It was much larger in size compared to the last script he read.

    ¡°Pok¨¦mon Mystery Dungeon: Sonamu¡¯s Sunrise,¡± He read the title on the front aloud before looking at Beartic. ¡°Wait, second? Then what are you most curious about then?¡±

    ¡°My character¡¯s name! Aren''t you curious about yours as well?¡±

    Harper¡¯s first two roles never had a name, he only played as a partner pok¨¦mon with a more involved role. Now that Beartic mentioned it, Harper grew curious about the name of his role as well. Flipping to the first few pages, he found their names in one of the scenes.

    ¡°Guildmaster Tundra and Assistant Guildmaster¡­ Luca,¡± Harper groaned at the mention of his role¡¯s name.

    ¡°Tundra¡­¡± Beartic rubbed his icy beard in contemplation. ¡°Yeah, I think I like that. Fits me quite well, don''t you think?¡±

    ¡°As much as ¡®Luca¡¯ fits me,¡± Harper deadpanned.

    ¡°What''s wrong? You don''t like your name?¡±

    Harper cocked his head from side to side. ¡°Ehh¡­ I mean I¡¯m fine with it, but don''t you think it''s a bit unoriginal?¡±

    ¡°Kid, the easy names are for the children. Take a look at Zorro and Eve¡¯s characters, I¡¯m sure their names are just like ours.¡±

    Flipping a few more pages, Harper found their characters in a scene where they introduced themselves to the audience.

    ¡°Pepper and Hazel,¡± Harper read off the duo¡¯s names in tandem.

    ¡°¡®Pepper¡¯ for Zorro and ¡®Hazel¡¯ for Eve. Yeah, I can see that working.¡±

    ¡°I guess so too. Should I start reading now?¡±

    After a nod from Beartic, Harper flipped all the way back to the first page and after clearing his throat, he began to read through the script.

    The first thing Harper noted was how involved the viewers were to be as they watched this show. They clearly wanted younger audiences to feel as if they were along for the ride with the protagonists. It reminded him of kids'' edutainment shows in his old world where they would ask questions to the viewer and respond after a few seconds to give them time to answer.

    Harper had no clue how accurate the ¡°Sonamu¡¯s Sunrise¡± version of Pok¨¦mon Mystery Dungeon was to the spinoff games, but it didn¡¯t feel like it would be hard to screw up the formula. The script had a guild, leadership positions like guildmaster and their assistant, guild members to complete requests and missions, a city they resided in, and everyone was a pok¨¦mon.

    Beartic suddenly tapped his shoulder, causing Harper to look up at the polar bear. ¡°Hey kid, you¡¯ve been silent for a while. You¡¯re reading ahead without me,¡± He added with a laugh.

    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m still not used to reading for other people.¡±

    "Really? I don''t believe that because I heard from Brycen that you read a picture book for Zorro and Eve."

    ¡°Tha¡ªThat¡¯s a different story.¡±

    ¡°Was that pun intended?¡± Beartic smirked.

    ¡°No,¡± Harper glared intensely. ¡°No it wasn¡¯t.¡±

    As he continued reading the script aloud for Beartic, underlying thoughts about his mother continued to stir. His previous attempt to make amends with his parents back on the plane failed, proof being his recent panic attack.

    If that wasn¡¯t enough¡­

    ¡­Then what would be enough?

 Scene 3 - Take 5: Beginning Scenes and Secretive Routines

    A day after the initial script reading with Beartic, Bianca brought back an updated version of the script. In the Assistant Professor''s own words, she was now in charge of editing thanks partly to Professor Juniper''s not-so-secret-anymore request. As the token pok¨¦mon script reader, Harper described every detail to other pok¨¦mon actors, both the stars and side characters. Since then, most of his time went towards making sure the twins'' pok¨¦mon knew their lines.

    Apart from a few instances in the past where Harper helped to answer Ripley''s questions with the script, most of her memorization and key actions were accomplished by Audrey. Their skills as a coordinator/pok¨¦mon partnership translated perfectly into acting. Brycen and Beartic were also a veteran duo in the film industry, so the polar bear had no issue with learning his lines from his trainer. Caleb and Claire, on the other hand, didn''t have an advantage like they did.

    Harper expected this outcome somewhat, and helping the twins'' pok¨¦mon learn their lines for the past couple of days went smoothly. Zorro and Eve were great listeners and even better learners. A young pok¨¦mon''s desire to learn was just as strong as a person''s, another similarity they held with their trainers.

    "I can''t wait to see Eve act for the first time!" Claire hugged the eevee tight in her arms as they walked to the sound stage.

    Caleb held Zorro high in the air, his hind paws dangling below. "I bet Zorro''s gonna be better than Eve!"

    Bianca looked up from the twins'' call sheets and placed a hand on both of their heads. "The two of them will do great."

    Zorro and Eve wriggled out of their trainers'' grasp to walk beside Harper and Beartic, who trailed behind Bianca and Brycen.

    "Do you think we''re gonna do great like what Ms. Neri said?" Eve''s eyes glittered at Harper.

    The hours spent reading and rehearsing their lines did not go to waste. Harper knew for a fact that Zorro and Eve were more than ready for today.

    "After all the time I spent preparing the two of you for this first episode, definitely," Harper reassured them.

    "Are you trying to give yourself an ego boost?" Beartic asked a moment later, smirking.

    "More like a confidence boost, if anything," Harper replied as he flipped open his script, skimming over the post-it tabs and notes he made. "This is different compared to the last two movies I was in¡­"

    ~Or seen, since I never saw anything like this back in Hollywood¡­~ Harper mentally finished to himself.

    "Kid, this is new to me as well. You don''t see a pok¨¦mon-only cast in a production like this every day. The only thing remotely similar that I can recall is the silent black-and-white film shorts that were made when Mr. Stu Deeoh founded Pok¨¦star, and those were more akin to test footage if anything. Besides, I''ve been an actor far far longer than you were ever born, we''re all in the same boat here."

    Apart from Beartic''s unknowing mistake of Harper''s age, he had a point. Everyone involved in this show was diving into uncharted territory. The language barrier alone would make a modern production like this extremely difficult. Realizing the massive scale of Harper''s involvement in making everything work, he cleared his cluttered thoughts, leaving one question to echo in his head.

    Was it a good idea or a mistake when he took that notepad from Nate?

    Beartic softly chopped Harper''s head. "You good, kid? You''re spacing out again."

    Harper blinked twice before looking up at the Ice-type. "Yeah, I was just thinking that you''re right."

    Beartic hummed in response before his face slowly shifted into a serious expression. "I want to ask again, are you good?"

    Harper only gave a single nod, knowing why Beartic was asking again. The incident of the cafeteria panic attack was still fresh in both of their minds, especially since he explained how the memory of his injury resurfaced to Brycen the other night. If Beartic was the first to know, the former Gym Leader had to know next. Like his first time explaining, he only told bits of information and lies by omission. It wasn''t much, but it was enough to convince Brycen that Harper was "recovering."

    Beartic accepted his answer and continued walking, this time moving faster to match the pace of the two humans in front of them.

    "You said you had a plan earlier for Caleb and Claire while they watched the filming, right?" Bianca asked Brycen, breaking the silence in the group. "What is it?"

    "I did, because this is a special opportunity to get voice acting experience." He replied. "For dubbing, voice actors are outsourced to different regions so the dialogue can be voiced in their respective languages. Outsourcing like that only occurs once filming and postproduction are complete. However, this show that Pok¨¦star Studios is producing isn''t dubbing a human language, but pok¨¦speech."

    Bianca stayed silent, unsure of what point Brycen was trying to make.

    "It means that I want Caleb and Claire to try voice acting in real-time as soon as the cameras begin rolling."

    "Like, we say our lines at the same time our pok¨¦mon are?" Claire jumped into the conversation.

    "Indeed. This will help you figure out how you want to express your dialogue like your pok¨¦mon do before recording begins, an opportunity many voice actors wish they could have."

    Brycen''s words excite the twins even further as they smile as wide as their mouths possibly can. Claire begins tugging at Bianca''s jacket.

    "Let''s hurry, Ms. Neri! I wanna see the show being filmed!"

    "Yeah!" Caleb exclaimed. "I wanna see the sets as well!"

    As the two children dragged the Assistant Professor faster to their destination, Harper, Beartic, and even Brycen couldn''t help but chuckle at the sight.

    "It looks like they''re all ready to go, shall we quicken our pace?" Brycen insisted.

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    "That''s quite a lot of small sets," Beartic commented.

    The veteran actor was right. Multiple set pieces were arranged beside each other for quick transitions between scenes. From the guild lobby to the room of Zorro and Eve''s characters, everything was prepared for maximum efficiency. Connected sets were nothing unusual, especially for shows where you knew that you were going to use a scene multiple times.

    "I imagine this filming session today will be a smooth one thanks to the crew''s efforts beforehand," Brycen added. "Since we''re starting on the fifth scene for the first episode, things should be fairly fast."

    "Wait, so we don''t get to see the first four scenes?" Eve turned to Harper.

    "Because we''re not in it, duh," Zorro rolled his eyes.

    "You could have put it nicer, Zorro, but you''re right. Things have to be prepared on different days. With the four of us here right now, it''s efficient for Pok¨¦star to start filming what we did today first. Also, with how large the beginning is in scale, I think the director would need more time for that."

    "And I think we''re going to do scene nine and the other episodic intermissions on a separate day," Beartic added. "It''d be weird to film them all on different days, though I wish we could film them sooner."

    "Why?"

    "Because I get to mess with Harper," The polar bear smirked. "The intermissions only have the two of us, and our character interactions are pretty funny. You remember reading that one with the berries?"

    "All too well," Harper recalled reading the second episode, with its intermission having some creative ideas to reteach the uses of berries.

    "So where are our star pok¨¦mon?!" A woman suddenly shouted. "We can''t start without our stars!"

    "They just arrived, Director Pok¨¦lsky!" A far-off voice of a crew member answered back. "They''re by the entrance!"

    Having "Pok¨¦" in a director''s name once with "Pok¨¦monski" sort of made sense with this Pok¨¦mon world. Twice with "Pok¨¦mi" was just a coincidence, a lucky guess when Harper first met him.

    But Pok¨¦lsky?

    He shouldn''t be surprised at this point.

    "Ah! Brycen!" The thrilled woman greeted everyone with open arms. "It''s a pleasure to meet you. I''m Celine Pok¨¦lsky, and Mr. Stu Deeoh called for me to direct this whole thing!"

    Brycen stepped forward and raised a hand forward. "Hello, Ms. Pok¨¦lsky, it''s a pleasure to see you as well."

    Celine returned his handshake before looking at the pok¨¦mon behind Brycen, Bianca, and the twins. "It''s great to finally see the stars of the show! I''ve heard a lot about how you all have been busy rehearsing."

    "You can say that again," Beartic nodded.

    "We spent a lot of time preparing," Zorro added.

    "I can''t wait to start!" Eve beamed.

    Celine smiled at the three pok¨¦mon who replied, understanding their anticipation before bending her knees to get a closer look at Harper. Her silent stare was a complete contrast to her outgoing personality from before, and it slightly threw him off.

    "I''ve heard a thing or two about you from Sergio and Takeshi," She then pointed at his chest, and then his whiteboard hung on his shoulder. "The former said you were interesting at most and the latter loved working with you in ''Full Metal Cop.''"

    *The first two movies were great under their leadership. I hope to work well with you as well.*

    "My, how well spoken of you! I''ll be a great director for this show, just watch!" Celine stood back up and gave a single, loud clap. "Alright! We need all our pok¨¦mon stars to be ready for the camera!"

    "Layla?" Harper asked Beartic.

    "Layla," He repeated.

    "Who''s Layla?" Zorro asked.

    "You''ll find out real soon," Harper answered as he waved over at the rapidly approaching Lead Makeup Artist.

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    Unlike the costume work with Harper''s mecha body in his last film, all he needed was a simple trim and the dye to hide his burn scar.

    "We don''t want to scare your young audience with such a large scar, now do we?" Layla chuckled as she applied the black paste to his chest. "This must feel like routine for you now."

    "It sure does," Harper looked at himself in the mirror, looking like an ordinary riolu again.

    "And now I''m all done with the finishing touches!" Layla wiped her hands on a nearby wet towel. "Head over to the others, they must be waiting for you now."

    "Thanks, Layla," He hopped off the barber''s seat and left the makeup room. On his way, he briefly looked down at his body again. The recovery of his scar improved since the last time he checked it, but it was far from completely healed, and it would never be. The slight pain he felt on his chest when stretching his body dulled considerably as time passed, but it still reminded him of his¡ª

    Harper violently shook his head, forcing himself to take a deep breath to push the train of thought away.

    He was NOT dragging himself down there again.

    To find a distraction from his thoughts, he looked around the sound stage for Beartic and the twins'' pok¨¦mon. It didn''t take long to find the towering Ice-type now that his fur looked shinier than usual, especially when he stood under the hanging lights.

    "Harper! You''re finally done with everything?"

    "Yup, it didn''t take long after you were done. I still wish I went first though, Layla was too excited to work with Zorro and Eve."

    "Well that''s because she loves working with new pok¨¦mon," Beartic motioned a paw to the two. "Check ''em out."

    Eve and Zorro wore gradient green scarves around their necks. The only difference between them was how they were positioned. Eve''s scarf was tied behind her neck, whereas Zorro''s was tied in front. Eve''s fur was neatly trimmed like Harper''s, but he couldn''t say the same for Zorro''s fur. The poochyena''s fur oddly looked the same as it did when they entered the sound stage. The peculiarity soon left his mind when Eve interrupted his train of thought by coming a bit too close to his personal space.

    "Mr. Harper! How do I look?" The eevee twirled around in place.

    "Well, I can say that the scarf matches the both of you."

    Harper then heard an echoing tap come from the sets. Celine held a megaphone to her mouth and called out to the film crew. "Ahem, attention everyone! We''ll begin filming soon, so make sure everything is ready! For the main pok¨¦mon actors, please meet me in the Guildmaster''s office set."

    The first thing Harper noticed was how organic the office felt. The place looked like the inside of a tree, with the walls made to imitate the roots of red pine. Fake icicles stuck on the walls to match Beartic''s typing and character. A large wooden desk fit for a pok¨¦mon his size stood in the corner with a smaller one beside it for the assistant.

    "Thanks for coming, you four. Since we''re going to start soon, I was hoping to speak with Harper here for a moment to clarify some things."

    *How can I help?*

    "You with that whiteboard will forever amaze me¡­ Sorry, back on topic. While I am the director of this show, you''re the one that''s going to call out any mistakes or anything similar of nature with the dialogue. I''ll handle the rest with the pacing, facial expressions, movements, camera angles, and all that jazz. The moment you do this to me or the camera¡ª" Celine made a T-shape with her hands. "¡ªI''ll say cut, ok?"

    Harper''s thumbs-up pleased the director as she gave one back to him. "Great, spend this free time looking through the script one more time in this set since the crew is still preparing the set for Pepper and Hazel''s room. I''ll call for Zorro and Eve when we''re ready."

    As she left to attend to other tasks that demanded her attention, Caleb, Claire, and Bianca arrived to offer their words of encouragement to the group of pok¨¦mon.

    "We''ll be standing behind the cameras, and I''ll make sure the twins get their lines right," Bianca assured Harper and Beartic.

    "Good luck, Zorro!" Caleb cheered.

    "We''ll be watching close by, ok?" Claire patted the top of Eve''s head.

    The three left as fast as they came, likely due to not wanting to get in the way of the crew members shuffling around the entire sound stage.

    With the time given to him, Harper opened his script. "I know we''re all prepared, but there''s nothing wrong with looking over this again."

    "Yeah!" Eve cheerfully answered. "I love it when you read for us anyway!"

    He coughed once to open his throat and begin guiding Zorro, Eve, and Beartic through the key events like he had done multiple times. As he read along the plot points, Eve inched slowly towards him with a stare full of fascination, a glance he respectfully ignored to stay professional. Beartic rubbed his icicle beard with interest as Zorro sat beside him, more stiff than usual. Harper could tell that something was stirring in the poochyena''s head.

    Harper was new to guiding actors through a storyline, but he was already adept at guiding them through sets to achieve the best lighting. Although his last few years as a Key Grip in Hollywood felt like a waste, he was thankful for the experience now that it benefited his other skills in Pok¨¦star.

    "...And most of all, treat the main camera like a friend. This is a show where the viewer is as much a character as you two are," Harper flipped the last page of the first episode. "Any questions?"

    "I have one," Eve raised a paw. "When we finish one scene, how do we move to the next one?"

    "If Celine likes the first recording, then we move to the next set and continue filming. We sometimes do a scene multiple times if there''s something that can be improved. Any more questions?"

    "What''s that chunk of ice on the desk?" She pointed over at one of the props in the Guildmaster''s office.

    "That I can answer for you," Beartic picked up the item to give Eve a closer look. "This is Never-Melt Ice... or a prop of one, I guess. The real one powers up Ice-type moves and¡­"

    As the two were preoccupied with the cold item, Harper noticed that Zorro still had a somewhat dazed expression.

    "Hey, Zorro. Is something the matter?"

    "I-I''m fine¡­ it''s just that we''re finally acting. I was excited before, but it''s finally happening. Do you know what I mean, Mr. Harper?"

    Traces of uneasiness emanated from the poochyena, the same kind Harper felt for himself when he and Beartic talked with Brycen a few nights ago. He explained the poochyena''s backstory as Bianca told him with more seriousness to his words than how he usually spoke.

    "Don''t ever bring this up in front of him," The veteran actor added in the end. "The last thing I want to see is a young pok¨¦mon remembering past trauma."

    Harper was relieved that he had chosen not to confront Caleb or Zorro directly. Although the mystery of Zorro''s eye color change would never be resolved, Brycen was correct in suggesting that it was best to move forward.

    "Hey Zorro, remember the first day we met? When we played ''pretend?''"

    "Yeah?" Zorro tilted his head, not understanding where Harper was going.

    "We''re just playing ''pretend'' here again, only this time the imaginary cameras I told you to focus on are real. Not a huge difference between then and now, right?"

    "Right¡­"

    Zorro still looked troubled, but Harper knew that his words loosened the young pok¨¦mon''s tension. What was another way to get his spirits up? After spending a moment to think, an idea popped into his head.

    Since their first battle, Harper found it challenging to keep his promise to himself and Zorro about training as their workload increased. He was determined to make time to uphold his promise, but he knew he would have to once there was time to spare. In addition to educating Zorro and Eve about filmmaking, the young trainer and his twin sister were also learning about their roles as voice actors. Adding a battle training session on top of everything happening so far would be a lot to handle. Harper held hope that their free time would be more lenient soon.

    "How about this? Once we''re done filming today, why don''t we have a battle?"

    Zorro''s eyes widened and his ears perked up immediately. "Can we?"

    "The moment we have the free time to do so, we sure can."

    The tension remaining in the poochyena was now completely nonexistent. The timing was perfect since Celine was back and now sitting in her director''s chair.

    "Alright, everyone! Get to your places, we''re gonna start in a minute!"

    Beartic placed the Never-Melt Ice back on the desk before placing his paw on top of Harper''s head. "Zorro and Eve are first, let''s go to the back."

    "The set''s ready!" Celine loudly announced. "Come over, Zorro and Eve!"

    "Welp, that''s your cue. Me and Beartic will join you in the next scene shortly."

    The two gave an affirming nod before they headed over to the set. Like the office set, Pepper and Hazel''s room was covered with wood. On one side was a collection of books and scrolls neatly arranged on bookshelves. The other side was strewn with a multitude of items from orbs, and scattered pieces of currency, to empty knocked-over chests. The contrast between the two sides perfectly mirrored the main characters in the show.

    *So you''re the narrator again?* Harper showed his whiteboard to Vincent, who was fiddling with his own megaphone.

    "Only during filming because other than Caleb and Claire, the other voice actors are going to arrive much later in production."

    *Do you like narrating?*

    "I do, and I have to admit that it''s fun to talk through this megaphone in a deep voice!"

    "Is everyone in their place?" Celine asked the crew around her. Once she heard multiple voices answer back, she nodded at the camera assistant with a clapperboard in their hand.

    "Scene five, take one! Lights! Camera! ACTION!"

    A loud clack rang in the sound stage and the cameras began rolling.

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    Pepper bounced around the room with impatience as Hazel carefully packed her bags with items strewn all around her.

    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    "Come on!" Pepper whined. "We shouldn''t keep the Guildmaster waiting!"

    "I know that, but we need to be ready for our first mission," She acknowledged as she shoved a blue orb in her satchel. "We can''t do what the Guildmaster says without the right supplies."

    "You always over-prepare! Adventure waits for no one!"

    "I''m not overpreparing, I''m still trying to find the essentials in this mess you''ve made on your side of the room!"

    "We only need to grab the basics, what more do we even need?"

    Suddenly, three successive taps knocked on their door, causing them to turn their heads over.

    "Am I intruding at a bad time?" Vincent the Narrator''s voice echoed through the door.

    Hazel greeted the Narrator and viewer with a smile, the bickering with Pepper long forgotten. "Oh, hello! Do you need something?"

    "I''m here because you two are the best for helping our guest here around Sonamu."

    "Is that a new friend?" Pepper hopped beside Hazel and flashed a smile to the viewer.

    "Hi! My name''s Pepper and I''m a poochyena!"

    Hazel flicked her tail with grace. "I''m Hazel the eevee and as a duo, we''re ''Team Horizon!''"

    "Those are our names, new friend!" Pepper moves closer to the viewer. "What''s yours?"

    After waiting for a few seconds for the viewer to respond, Hazel smiled with her eyes closed. "That''s a nice name, I hope we can be great friends!"

    "Now that you have all met each other, I will be taking my leave," Vincent slowly turned his megaphone quieter over time. "Have fun with Pepper and Hazel, my dear friend!"

    After a brief silence, Hazel''s eyes widened, remembering the task she was undergoing before meeting the viewer. "Pepper, we need to go now! Grab your bag and let''s go see Guildmaster Tundra!"

    As the two rushed out of their room, Pepper looked over to the viewer one more time. "We''re off to the Guildmaster''s office, you won''t be lost as long as you follow us, friend!"

    "And cut!" Celine shouted. "Harper! How was their dialogue?"

    The first thought in Harper''s mind was that the long days spent teaching Zorro and Eve worked like a charm. He''d seen novice actors and actresses stumble over their lines or actions due to anxiety and the like. With Zorro and Eve in that one quick scene¡­

    There was none of that at all.

    Their afflictions, their tone, secondary actions, everything fit exactly with how he described the script to them. Beartic liked to call Harper a prodigy in acting, but that was because of his years of experience in his past life. He would have complemented his teaching skills like the polar bear always did, but this was more than that. Zorro and Eve were true prodigies for their age.

    *Their dialogue was perfect.*

    "Great, I didn''t see anything wrong with anything else so far, though I''ll recheck the raw footage later. Regardless, let''s move to the next scene now!"

    "It''s our turn now," Beartic patted Harper''s back. "You ready, Luca?"

    "Sure am, Guildmaster Tundra."

    The two split off in different directions due to how their starting positions were placed. Harper took off his whiteboard and placed it somewhere safe, replacing it with his clipboard prop, an item he''ll be holding a lot for the rest of this show. Standing in front of the office doors, he looked over where Bianca and the twins were. The Assistant Professor was scribbling away in her notepad as Caleb and Claire were looking at each other''s copies of the script, critiquing their delivery of the dialogue. Harper then noticed Eve and Zorro walking up to him with excitement.

    "Ok! We''re doing scene six now! Get to your places!" Celine clapped her hands together, urging everyone to pick up the pace.

    "Let''s do this, Mr. Harper!" Eve rooted as they stood in their positions.

    Harper gave a thumbs up to Eve and Zorro, glad that they were having fun, Zorro especially. The nervousness in him was now completely gone.

    "Lights! Camera! Action!"

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    Pepper and Hazel rushed over to the Guildmaster''s office as fast as they could. Luca, the Guildmaster''s assistant, stood behind the door as a fine, icy haze leaked out the bottom cracks of the doors. Noticing that Team Horizon was approaching, he looked up from his clipboard with furrowed eyes.

    "You two are late¡­" Luca tsked.

    "See, I told you we were taking too long!" Pepper whispered to Hazel.

    "We''re sorry, Assistant Guildmaster Luca," She waved over to the viewer. "We actually got a request as we were getting ready to help our new friend around. Is it ok if they can be a new member of our team?"

    Luca flipped through a few pages on his clipboard before pointing at the door behind him. "You''re going to have to take that to the Guildmaster himself as your team is still new. Knowing him though, he''ll let your friend around as you do your tasks."

    "Is Team Horizon outside?" Tundra''s voice muffled through the door. "You can let them in!"

    Luca opened the office doors, still facing Pepper and Hazel. "Best not to keep the Guildmaster himself waiting, let''s head inside."

    "Oh boy, I can''t wait to get our first-ever mission!" Pepper looked over to the viewer. "What about you, new friend?"

    After waiting a few seconds, Pepper gave a nod as his tail rapidly wagged from side-to-side. "Great! I feel just the same!"

    As soon as Luca leads Pepper and Hazel inside, a wave of cold rushes through them. Condensed air hovered slowly along the floor, caused by the icicles jutting out of the walls and roots of the room.

    "Brrr, it''s chilly here!" Pepper uttered through chattering teeth.

    "You can say that again," Hazel uttered back.

    On the other side of the room sat Guildmaster Tundra, the beartic, behind his desk. On his desk is a Never-Melt Ice acting as a desk piece and stacks of important-looking paper. Once the doors shut, Tundra raises a curious glance at the viewer.

    "Hello, Pepper and Hazel," Tundra greeted the two warmly before looking at the camera. "Who is this new companion of yours?"

    "They''re our new friend," Hazel replied. "Someone wanted us to show them around Sonamu Town as we helped around with the Guild."

    "Your first request already? I''m impressed by the both of you. They''re allowed to accompany your team, just don''t leave them behind, ok?"

    Pepper and Hazel eagerly nodded in response. With a smile, Guildmaster Tundra cleared his throat to debrief Team Horizon''s first mission.

    "We have recently received a report of an incident occurring in the town square that''s disturbing the peace. Pansage, Panpour, and Pansear are arguing about whose type is superior. I want your team to settle their debate once and for all."

    Pepper tilted their head in confusion. "But I thought we were going to be exploring the nearby Mystery Dungeon?"

    "While that is a major purpose for the Tundra Guild, it''s also in our best interest to maintain peace in the very town we reside in," Luca smartly replied, as if reciting a motto.

    "I couldn''t have said it better myself!" Tundra laughed aloud. "Don''t worry, Team Horizon, that Mystery Dungeon isn''t going anywhere!"

    "We won''t let you down, Guildmaster Tundra and Assistant Guildmaster Luca!" Pepper exclaimed.

    Hazel nodded in agreement to Pepper''s confidence. "We''ll make sure to bring back peace."

    Tundra briefly chuckled before waving his paw to the door. "I know you will... Now go!"

    "And cut!" Celine chopped the air with her left hand. "That was a great session, but I want to go check for myself if that plaza set is prepared now. As soon as I''m back, I want to talk with Harper about redoing this office scene."

    Harper gave a thumbs up as the director swiftly left her seat to talk with other head staff members. Zorro and Eve immediately approached him the moment the word "break" was uttered from Celine''s mouth.

    "Mr. Harper, the director said that we have to do the scene again. Did¡­ Did we do a bad job?" Eve faltered near the end.

    "No, no no no, it''s nothing like that at all," Harper quickly stopped the dispirited eevee from beginning a slippery slope. "Redoing scenes is completely normal. It could be because the lighting isn''t how the director wants it or the audio doesn''t sound right. There''s a lot of factors and I know your acting isn''t one of them."

    "That''s good, I really didn''t want to mess this up for you!" Eve brightly beamed at Harper.

    "Mr. Harper. You were so weird in that scene!" Zorro exclaimed.

    Harper was taken aback by the sudden criticism. "W-What? How?"

    "You were so serious-looking!" The poochyena laughed out. "You never looked like that, even when we first battled!"

    "I think that ''serious Harper'' looks cool!" Eve blurted.

    "That''s acting for you," Harper sighed with relief, thankful that the twins'' pok¨¦mon didn''t feel like his acting was wrong.

    "Hey!" Beartic appeared behind the three of them with a fake frown. "You''re all leaving me out of the conversation?! C''mere!"

    Beartic picked up Zorro and Eve and placed them on their shoulders before spinning them around multiple times. The two young pok¨¦mon laughed as the polar bear continued to entertain them. Harper chuckled as he watched them, their fooling around mildly amusing the film crew around them.

    His concentration was only broken when he looked over behind the cameras, where Bianca and the twins were, wondering why they didn''t greet them yet. All three of them were completely focused on their own matters. The Assistant Professor relentlessly wrote in her notes as the twins talked together with Brycen, pointing at different parts in their scripts.

    "Hey, Mr. Harper," Zorro called out after Beartic finished spinning around, still on his shoulder. "Do you know what Ms. Neri always writes in that?"

    "I don''t know¡­ Want me to go ask?"

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    "So what did you think about that?" Brycen asked as soon as Ms. Pok¨¦lsky ended the scene.

    "What do you mean?" Bianca turned her head to him. She didn''t expect him to ask a question so soon, and she had no clue how to answer yet.

    "Pok¨¦mon in the filming industry, what do you think about it?" He clarified.

    "It''s¡­ It''s amazing," Bianca answered a few seconds later. Now that she saw a scene filmed before her eyes, especially with pok¨¦mon, she finally witnessed the skills of Harper she had heard so much about from not only Nate but Brycen and the film crew familiar with him. Not only that, Zorro and Eve looked like they were having tons of fun as the cameras rolled, and the twins were already talking with each other about how they could do better. She never knew that making films could be as fun as watching them.

    "I knew that pok¨¦mon were capable in other occupations, but I never really thought much about them being in movies before coming here," She continued her answer.

    "But you have seen movies, yes?"

    "Of course I have! As a kid, I always went to the theater with Cheren and Hilber¡ª"

    A sharp tinge struck her heart as soon as she uttered his name, with Brycen slightly frowning. The twins briefly paused their conversation together at the sight of saddened expression.

    "Right¡­ I used to watch movies with them."

    With how long ago it was, all she could remember was the buttery smell that hung in the air from Cheren''s box of popcorn. Whenever he wasn''t looking, Hilbert always stole a few handfuls for him and Bianca to secretly enjoy, taking more than was meant to be shared. With the context of the movies she watched forgotten in the passage of time, it made her want to cling onto anything she could remember about Hilbert.

    Because who knew when he''d ever return.

    Two years had passed since his disappearance, and the only people to last seen him were the former Champion Alder and Cheren. The only words Hilbert spoke to them were, "I''m finding N," before flying away on Zekrom. She never even got to say goodbye to her friend, where did he go?

    Brycen placed a hand on her shoulder. "Don''t worry about Hilbert, Bianca. He has his team and Zekrom by his side, he is more than prepared for anything."

    "...Pok¨¦mon are amazing, aren''t they?" Brycen broke the silence a moment later, looking over at Beartic joyfully spinning Zorro and Eve, with Harper chuckling by their side.

    "They truly are," Bianca chuckled as well at the sight of them playing around. "Pok¨¦star Studios is an amazing place."

    "Ms. Neri?" Claire tugged Bianca''s jacket, interrupting their conversation. "How did we do?"

    Before she could reply, Caleb rapidly tapped Claire''s script. "You messed up here! You were stuttering right there!"

    "I didn''t! And you completely forgot to say that line!"

    "Caleb, Claire," Brycen stepped in between the two. "What did we say about giving advice?"

    "Be constructive, not critical," The two muttered together.

    "Exactly, now let''s try this again."

    Even though the twins made up thanks to Harper, siblings would always be siblings. They still argued from time to time, but compared to when Bianca first met them, it was now much lighter in scale. She remembered when Caleb and Claire ¡ª with Caleb doing most of the talking ¡ª demanded for pok¨¦dexs soon after she gave the last few to Nate and Hugh. Their insistence on being trainers together was a smart idea, especially since going alone on a Journey was a huge risk. With Caleb being a Pok¨¦mon Trainer and Claire as a traveling nurse, they had the potential to be a formidable duo, but it wouldn''t work if they were always fighting with one another.

    With Brycen, Caleb, and Claire now talking together, Bianca took out her notepad to finally write down everything she''d been wanting to write since filming started. Underneath the notes about Harper''s skills in teaching Zorro and Eve, she began writing as fast as she could.

    The first note she made was how natural Harper looked in a movie set. Harper was extremely talented with anything related to cinematography, and his retrograde amnesia made it extremely astounding. Did he have a past history with another film studio? Was that why he was so fluent in Unovan?

    ¡­Was that why he had that panic attack?

    Bianca had no right to create a conclusion based on assumptions, and Beartic was right in stopping the riolu from telling her then. For now, learning about Harper as he is now was the best course of action. When she first started her notes, she fell into the same habit she always did when compiling data for pok¨¦mon. Not wanting to erase what she had so far, she continued her notes with bullet points.

    <u>Harper</u>

    Species: Riolu

    Sex: M

    Age: N/A (Estimated: Early age)

    Height: 2''5" (Calculated by comparing height to Zorro''s [1''11"])

    Weight: 45lb (Estimated: Average for species)

    Original Trainer: Brycen (No evidence of trainer before him)

    Additional Features: Large burn scar on chest

    <ul>

    <li>Peculiar name

    <ul>

    <li>Why "Harper?"</li>

    <li>Retrograde amnesia</li>

    <li>Remembers skills, but not why

    <ul>

    <li>Has human-like habits</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    <li>Ex: Licking finger to flip pages easier, post-its on his script</li>

    <li>Lived in civilized life before injury?</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    <li>Exceptional fluency in Unovan

    <ul>

    <li>Can read and write perfectly</li>

    <li>Vocab is also advanced</li>

    <li>Who taught him? And how?</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    <li>Burn scar

    <ul>

    <li><s>Caused by external forc</s>

    <ul>

    <li>No human invention is strong enough to cause such damage to a pok¨¦mon</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    <li>Only conclusion I can make is a strong Fire-type move like Overheat, Flare Blitz, Inferno, etc.</li>

    <li>But why is the scar still there?

    <ul>

    <li>Permanent injuries on pok¨¦mon are extremely rare</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    <li>Unknown past

    <ul>

    <li>Not even Brycen knows</li>

    <li>Mr. Stu Deeoh''s story

    <ul>

    <li>Met Harper at Floccesy Ranch after being injured

    <ul>

    <li>Nate also met the ranch owners there

    <ul>

    <li>Coincidence?</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    <li>Mature for young age

    <ul>

    <li>Troubled past?</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    <li>Skilled actor

    <ul>

    <li>Films to watch:

    <ul>

    <li><s>Film short: Riolu-Man of Justice vs. Brycen-Man</s></li>

    <li>Feature length film: Full Metal Cop</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    <li>Brycen said Harper doesn''t like combat but will fight in movies

    <ul>

    <li>But it contradicts the nature of Fighting-types?</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    <li>Panic attack?

    <ul>

    <li><s>Cause of panic attack is unkno</s>

    <ul>

    <li>Panic attack related to burn scar?</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    <li>Beartic calmed him down as if it happened before

    <ul>

    <li>Common occurrence?</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    <li>My fault?</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    Her notes didn''t help with answering any of her lingering questions and the main topic Professor Juniper wanted her to look into, which was how Harper learned Unovan. Pok¨¦mon speech is fundamentally different from how humans speak, and not just by the usual call system of sounds and gestures in response to environmental stimuli. From the languages that Bianca researched for their historical origins from Unovan, Kalosian, to Sinnohan, they all followed the essential structure. Every language has symbols, written and spoken, to refer to real and imaginary things in the world, and this was undeniable from what she looked into.

    Pok¨¦mon speech, on the other hand, couldn''t be considered a language. There were no symbols for either form of communication that followed human languages. With the wide abundance of pok¨¦mon species and all their unique speech patterns, it would be impossible for one pok¨¦mon to give meaning to a certain sound they emitted that another different species could understand. Bianca made an attempt once to translate her Mienshao once when they had a one-on-one conversation together. The experiment ended as quickly as it began, with Bianca unable to get a single sentence correct. Talking with pok¨¦mon was completely one-sided, and it would be impossible to understand what they said.

    But somehow, pok¨¦mon still talked with each other perfectly.

    The communication between pok¨¦mon species was completely fluent, no matter what species talked with another. They also comprehended whatever humans said, even if different languages were used. To further show why Harper was a big deal, Professor Juniper showed her a video before leaving Nuvema Town. The video recorded a famous experiment done by Professor Oak and Rowan when he visited Kanto to test the interconnectedness of language. They assigned a multilingual person to give simple commands in different languages to a recently captured Bidoof from Sinnoh. Each test concluded with the Bidoof comprehending all the commands with pinpoint accuracy.

    Since then, the scientific community largely accepted that an unknown link existed between pok¨¦mon that allows them to understand each other. With humans lacking that connection, they were unable to talk with pokemon. That was the reason why pok¨¦mon couldn''t write, their habitual interpretation of one another didn''t translate to human-made languages.

    And that''s what Bianca firmly believed in until she heard of Harper. His existence shattered her beliefs in pok¨¦mon linguistics like glass.

    Unable to reach a conclusion for now, she ended her notes with a single word in the corner of the page.

    ~Why?~

    Bianca then noticed the very pok¨¦mon she was researching approaching her, grabbing his trademark whiteboard along the way.

    "Hey, Harper!" She quickly closed her notepad and greeted the riolu with a wave. "You were great out there!"

    *Thanks, but you should tell them that.* Harper pointed to the twins'' pok¨¦mon.

    "I will, but do you have something to ask me?" Bianca responded with a question, wondering why he wanted to talk with her in the first place.

    *Zorro was curious about what you always write down in your notes.* Harper looked over at the poochyena enthusiastically talking with Beartic.

    Out of all the questions that the riolu could have asked her, she never wanted to hear that one.

    Luckily, she had a failsafe, if she could even call it one.

    "I''m just taking notes on pok¨¦mon behaviors during filming. I only ever saw pok¨¦mon in either battles or in their natural habitats, so seeing them act in something like this is pretty neat," She shrugged off, playing it cool.

    Harper''s eyes looked up and down from the notepad in her hand to her eyes. A moment later, he gave a single nod before writing on his whiteboard again and showing Bianca.

    *I hear Celine coming back, but thanks for answering.*

    True to his word, the Director arrived back from the plaza set behind the set of Pepper and Hazel''s room. Harper waved Bianca goodbye as he left to join the other pok¨¦mon stars of the show. She unknowingly relaxed her muscles, not realizing her body felt tense ever since Harper asked her his question.

    Bianca looked over at Harper again, where he and the director were now conversing with one another, reading the script and pointing at different parts of the set. The riolu held two of his paws up, making his best attempt at a square shape, as if telling Ms. Pok¨¦lsky where the camera could better work.

    "Everyone! Break''s over!" She sat back in her director''s seat. "Let''s redo this scene again, starting at the office entrance for a better camera angle! As soon as we''re done with redoing scenes six and seven, we''re doing the eleventh scene since the plaza set needs a little more time!" Celine continued announcing. "We''re doing that scene as soon as we''re done with this one!"

    "S''cuse me, miss," A crew member rolled a film camera beside her. "Just gotta move this here."

    "Oh, sorry," Bianca stepped back, not realizing she moved closer to the set earlier when she talked to Harper.

    "Alright, let''s start! Lights! Camera! Action!"

    As soon as the clapperboard made its iconic sound, the pok¨¦mon in front of the camera got into character.

    "Rio, orir ro" Harper''s character, Luca, spoke in a disapproving tone.

    Zorro''s character, Pepper, growled his lines softly at Eve''s character, Hazel.

    "Vee! Euvui, ei!" Hazel waved her paws at the main camera beside her. "Eevee, vee!"

    As the scene continued, Bianca overheard the camera crew member whisper to his colleague.

    "You can''t tell me that this is pretty strange, right? Filming actors that we can''t even understand."

    "I mean, we technically understand one of them," The crew member beside him joked, tapping the screen of his camera that had Harper in the frame. "But you''re right, I spent years filming for Pok¨¦star and I never filmed something like this. Thank the Twin Dragons that I''m not in the audio department, it''s gonna be a nightmare to balance pok¨¦speech."

    "I agree with ya there."

    Was¡­ Was it just her or did all of Pok¨¦star Studios take Harper''s literacy this lightly? This was a pokemon that broke common sense, and yet, this news never got out of the studio''s gates. It was most likely because of Brycen due to his stern approach to wanting privacy, especially after he retired from being a Gym Leader. Wanting Harper to have a sense of privacy was most likely why every newspaper''s headline had no mention of a pok¨¦mon understanding Unovan.

    Bianca felt like giving the Professor another status update was soon approaching. Now that she witnessed Harper in front of a camera, she had so much she needed to explain.

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    "Well done, both of you," Tundra flipped through their completed report. "I''ve heard that you have brought peace back to the town."

    Pepper held his head up high, full of accomplishment. "We did! The trio are friends again!"

    "Keep up the good work," Luca smiled. "You''ve certainly proven yourselves to be a fine team for the Tundra Guild."

    "Especially you, dear friend of Team Horizon. The Panpour, Pansear, and Pansage would still be arguing with each other right now if it weren''t for your help. Will you continue to help them?

    Tundra looked at the camera and smiled a few seconds later.

    "Thank you, Team Horizon will surely succeed with you around."

    "With time still remaining, the two of you may now go to the Mystery Dungeon just outside of Sonamu Town," Luca announced. "I wish the best of luck for your team!"

    "Yeah!" Pepper and Hazel high-fived each other as Vincent held his megaphone up.

    "And so, our two new explorers have taken their first steps in learning about their duties with the Tundra Guild. What else will await them as they continue to work under the guidance of Guildmaster Tundra and his assistant, Luca? Find out next time on ''Pok¨¦mon Mystery Dungeon, Sonamu''s Sunrise!''"

    "Cut!"

    "This scene is done!" A crew member announced. "Someone go get the three elemental monkeys and the extras!"

    "Extras?" Zorro repeated. "What were they again?"

    "They''re the people, or pok¨¦mon in this case, that fill up a scene so it doesn''t feel empty. The next set we''re going to is a town square, so having you, Eve, and the other three would feel empty."

    "Do we talk with the extras?"

    "Are you forgetting what you need to do in the beginning already?"

    "Right! We need to push through them to get to Wave, Blaze, and Twig!"

    "Should I give you another breakdown of the script?" Harper asked, making sure Zorro didn''t forget some parts.

    "No, I got it now! It''s all in my head!"

    "Then I guess you should prove that," Harper began walking off the set. "You and Eve did well so far, but we got this last scene to do."

    "We''ll do our best!" Eve butted in, running into Zorro. "We''ll act as good as you!"

    Harper smiled, he knew they weren''t going to mess up. Everyone was on a roll today, and he hoped that this continued throughout the whole production.

    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">

    In the center of the town square with various vendors and shops lined around, Twig the pansage, Wave the panpour, and Blaze the pansear continued their heated argument, drawing the attention of surrounding pok¨¦mon. Pepper and Hazel pushed through the crowd as the three continued their squabble.

    Twig raised his arms and posed. "Grass-types are the best! Water doesn''t hurt us one bit, it''s like a refreshing shower!"

    Wave crossed his arms in defiance. "Water-types are superior! We can put out any fire, no matter how large!"

    Blaze ferociously stomped on the pavement. "Fire-types are the strongest! We can burn anything down that''s in our way!"

    With one final push through the crowd, Pepper and Hazel finally reach the center of the attention.

    Hazel stepped between the three elemental monkeys. "Hey, what''s going on here? Why are you all arguing?"

    Twig eagerly turned to Hazel. "You! Eevee! You''re a Normal-type! You''re neutral! Tell us which type is superior now!"

    "I can''t decide an answer that quickly!"

    "What about you, poochyena?" The pansage looked at Pepper. "Which is better? Grass, Water, or Fire-types?"

    "I''m with Hazel on this," He shrugged. "I can''t pick that fast."

    Unable to accept either of their answers, the three monkeys began snapping at each other, growing angrier with each passing.

    "Grass-types are the best! If you choose the others, you''re just barking up the wrong tree!"

    "Water-types always make a splash in every battle! We are better than every other type!"

    "Fire-types blaze through any competition! I''m just warming up here, I have so many reasons to tell!"

    Hazel nervously whispered to Pepper. "Their argument is getting worse, what do we do?"

    Pepper faced the camera. "Do you have an idea, friend?"

    A moment after looking at the camera, Pepper''s eyes widened at a revelation.

    "A game?" He replied. "Like ''Rock, paper, scissors?'' That''s a great idea!"

    After overhearing Pepper''s conversation and idea, she turned back to Twig, Wave, and Blaze as she cleared her throat. "Your argument is going nowhere, how about the three of you play a game to find out who is the strongest?"

    "A game?" Twug repeated. "Really?"

    "Rock, Paper, Scissors, to be exact. Only this time I''m going to assign each hand to each one of you."

    Hazel whispered to each of the elemental monkeys. Their faces shifted into a mischievous smile after hearing their answer. When she finished, she stepped to the side and gave Pepper the spotlight.

    "Now that the three of you are ready, let''s start on Pepper''s count!"

    Raising a paw, Pepper readied his voice as they all circled in. Some passerby pok¨¦mon paused their daily commute to observe the game they were currently playing.

    "On my go¡­"

    Twig, Wave, and Blaze moved their hands toward the center of their circle, angling their eager hands at each other.

    "Three¡­ Two¡­ One¡­ GO!"

    With blinding speeds, the three swung their arms down, shifting their hands to their assigned form. Pepper and Hazel smirked as they looked at the surprised faces of the elemental monkeys. Twig''s hands were in "paper," Wave''s were in "scissors," and Blaze''s were in "rock."

    "Huh?"

    "Wha?"

    "How?"

    "Do you still not get it?" Hazel walked up to Wave. "Let''s try again, I''ll whisper what hand to use for this next round to change it up."

    "After secretly telling the three what hand to use, Pepper began the next game of Rock, Paper, Scissors."

    "Three¡­ Two¡­ One¡­ GO!"

    Like their first game, it ended identically to no watching pok¨¦mon''s surprise. Twig''s hands were in "rock," Wave''s were in "paper," and Blaze''s were in "scissors." With another tie in their belt, they all began to realize the purpose of the game.

    Relieved by the surprised reactions, Eve sighed. "Do you see it now? The three of you are strong and weak against each other, just like how rock, paper, and scissors are."

    "Don''t argue like this again," Pepper glanced over at the crowd. "It''s disturbing the peace in Sonamu Town."

    Nearby pok¨¦mon muttered together in agreement as the three looked at each other with pained expressions.

    "I guess we all have our own strengths," Twig spoke up, shyly.

    "Yeah, we''re better together," Wave said, unable to maintain eye contact

    "Agreed," Blaze put one hand forward. "Friends?"

    Twig and Wave place their hands on top of Blaze''s as they all nod in unison.

    "Friends!"

    "Aaaaaaaaand cut! That''s a wrap for today! Great work, everyone!

    With the last scene finally completed, the three elemental monkeys gave quick farewells to Zorro and Eve before hopping back to their trainers. This scene had to be reshot continuously because with the addition of other pok¨¦mon that Harper spent less attention with prior, getting them to nail their lines was a much more complicated affair.

    ~At least we''re finally done,~ Harper thought to himself as he slumped on top of a nearby crate, laying down on the wooden cover. With one episode finally done, he could cross it off the list and¡­

    ~Seven more to go. Hope it''s always as fast as this,~ Turning his head to the side, he saw Bianca and the twins approach their pok¨¦mon.

    "Zorro! You were so cool!" Caleb scooped his poochyena up. "Saying your lines was really fun!"

    "I didn''t know acting like this could be so fun!" Zorro said before licking his trainer''s face, causing him to laugh at how it tickled.

    Claire then picked up Eve, petting her backside as she asked her eevee. "Did you have fun?"

    Eve nuzzled Claire''s cheek before looking at her trainer eye-to-eye. "Mr. Harper was right! This is way more fun than ''pretend!''"

    Smiling, Harper sat back up and hopped off the crate, walking to Brycen, who was complimenting his ace pok¨¦mon.

    "Perfect as always, Beartic," Brycen patted Ice-type''s arm. "I expected nothing else."

    Brycen then looked at Harper and gave a warm smile, a rarity from the cold-looking man. "Especially you, Harper. This show would be impossible without you guiding the twins'' pok¨¦mon. This show is going to be a success, I know it."

    Despite all the guilt Harper felt for feeling like he was duping everyone for his "skills," he couldn''t deny the fact that it had a positive effect on everyone around him.

    "Thanks, Brycen," He reluctantly accepted the praise. "I couldn''t have done any of this without your help."

    "Why are you talking like this is the last thing you''re ever gonna be in?" Beartic joked before grabbing Harper and placing him on his shoulders. "This is just the beginning!"

    ~And I hope it never ends¡­~

 Scene 3 - Take 6: Tense Investigations and Combat Foundations

    ¡°Where in the world did he come from?¡± Juniper let out a heavy sigh as she leaned back in her chair, using her feet to roll herself to the center of the room. She gently rubbed her tired eyes, yearning for a break after spending the entire day glued to her computer screen. The document she had opened up only contained a handful of notes about Harper: His reading ability, memory loss, and the scar that marked him.

    She slowly opened her eyes and took in her surroundings. The laboratory was shrouded in darkness, illuminated only by the soft glow of her computer screen. All the other researchers had left hours ago, leaving Juniper alone in the vast laboratory. Usually, Bianca would be around, taking care of any unexpected issues in different research projects and helping the others, but given that she was now at Pokestar Studios with the twins...

    Juniper took Bianca¡¯s presence for granted especially now that the laboratory was unusually quiet every day.

    Bianca hadn''t called back for several days following the successful pitch to Mr. Stu Deeoh. However, she sent a morning text assuring Juniper that she would reach out as soon as the right opportunity arose. Given the lateness of the hour, Juniper anticipated that she would hear from Bianca the following day instead.

    Deciding to call it a day, Juniper got up from her seat and gathered her things into her suitcase, stuffing papers into folders and tasking her future self to sort them later. After packing everything up, she headed towards the exit, she suddenly felt a buzzing sensation in her pocket and heard a faint ringing sound.

    Reaching her hand in and taking her Xtransciever out, the device¡¯s screen read ¡®Bianca Neri.¡¯ As much as Juniper wanted to get some shuteye for tonight, finally getting to hear about progress was more important. Seating herself in a nearby office chair, she cleared her throat and answered the call. Shortly after, Bianca appeared on the screen, seemingly outdoors to avoid waking the sleeping twins.

    ¡°Sorry, Professor!¡± Bianca apologized through the Xtransceiver. ¡°I really tried to find the time to call but things were really busy and I¡ª¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to apologize, I¡¯m used to calls late at night,¡± Juniper waved off. ¡°So, how is everything at Pok¨¦star?¡±

    ¡°Everything¡¯s good so far! After the pitch, we got to see how everything worked in Pok¨¦star Studios. The first episode was filmed today and everyone had tons of fun during filming.¡±

    ¡°It sounds like Caleb and Claire are doing fine with show business then,¡± Juniper smiled, leaning back on her seat. ¡°And are their pok¨¦mon adjusting to acting?¡±

    ¡°Yup, they¡¯re doing great! I have to thank Brycen again for his help with the twins since I¡¯ve never seen them so focused on rehearsing their lines before. As for their pok¨¦mon, Zorro and Eve also looked like they were doing great since Harper and Brycen¡¯s Beartic were helping them out.¡±

    ¡°I see, so what was Harper¡¯s involvement during production?¡± Juniper segwayed, now ready for the details of their secret research.

    ¡°Not only did Harper help with guiding the other pok¨¦mon actors and extras through the script, but he was also the one in charge of telling the director when to cut filming. Ms. Pok¨¦lsky told him to do this when there was an issue with dialogue,¡± Bianca angled her right hand back and forth, bending her wrists and trying to form a t-shape. ¡°He did it with both his paws but I can¡¯t do it with both hands right now because of the Xtransciever.¡±

    Juniper chuckled at her assistant¡¯s example before continuing on. ¡°How interesting, that¡¯s one way to break the language barrier.¡±

    Bianca nodded in agreement. ¡°I was amazed by how smooth their entire operation was. I can¡¯t imagine what it would look like without Harper helping to guide the pok¨¦mon there.¡±

    ¡°Yet another reason why we need to figure this riolu out,¡± Juniper added. ¡°So are there any other updates that you¡¯re able to make?¡±

    With one hand, Bianca took out her notepad and shuffled through the pages before landing on the right one. ¡°I made some notes in private, but the more I looked into Harper, the more questions I kept asking myself. The biggest one was¡­ Why did he have that panic attack?¡±

    ¡°A panic attack?¡± Juniper repeated, taken aback by the shift in tone. ¡°What happened?¡±

    "I¡­ I don''t know what caused it," Bianca hesitated, her face growing more guilty. "Everything was fine before it happened. I was about to give Harper and Brycen''s Beartic a rough draft of the script before he started shaking and slapped himself twice in the face."

    There was a reason why panic attacks were named the way they were, but for a pok¨¦mon to slap themselves¡­ twice?

    ¡°Is Harper ok now?¡± She quickly asked. ¡°And have you told Brycen about it?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s fine, but I didn¡¯t tell Brycen yet because¡­ I don¡¯t know how to¡­¡± Bianca paused for a brief moment, deep in thought. ¡°I don¡¯t know if he knows about Harper¡¯s condition, but after I saw Beartic immediately taking action to help Harper when he started breathing uncontrollably, it was like he knew exactly what to do.¡±

    ¡°You will tell him soon, Bianca,¡± Juniper said sternly. ¡°Brycen is Harper¡¯s trainer, and he has the right to know.¡±

    ¡°I-I know¡­ I¡¯ll do it as soon as I can¡­¡±

    Juniper glanced over at her computer from across the laboratory that she turned off earlier before looking back at Bianca, who was still quietly waiting for her to respond. Deciding not to make any definitive conclusions yet, she continued questioning her assistant.

    ¡°Do you know what caused the panic attack? Triggers can be caused by more than just explicitly remembering memories. Were there any sights? Smells? Did you and Harper hear anything before it happened?¡±

    Bianca took a few seconds to think to herself before shaking her head. ¡°The only thing I did before his panic attack started was if he liked reading the newspaper since he had one at the time.¡±

    ¡°Which newspaper was it?¡± Juniper internally cursed herself for throwing out the old newspapers she had the other day.

    ¡°I think it was the ¡®Aspertia Articles.¡¯ The front page was about Nate and Hugh defeating the Neo Plasma members like all the other newspapers. I don¡¯t think that caused the panic attack though since by the time I showed up, he finished reading it.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ Maybe it was a delayed reaction?¡± Juniper wondered aloud. ¡°With Harper¡¯s amnesia, it might be the best guess we have¡­¡±

    Juniper remained silent, trying to figure out the best hypothesis to work off of based on what she now knew. Looking back at the screen, she could tell that Bianca still had something to say.

    ¡°Professor?¡± Bianca¡¯s eyes darted away from the camera. ¡°Do¡­ Do you think I caused it? If I wasn¡¯t there, would it never have happened?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you caused it,¡± Juniper pressed the answer deeply. ¡°Think about it, how did Harper react to you after the panic attack? Does he see you any differently than before?¡±

    Bianca took a moment to think before answering. ¡°He¡­ He was back to normal like it never happened, and we still talk with each other.¡±

    Juniper smiled. ¡°Then everything¡¯s fine. Harper doesn¡¯t see you as a cause for him to panic. All I can say is if it happens again, and I hope it never does, help him the best you can, ok?¡±

    Bianca gave a single nod.

    ¡°Good. Now, since it¡¯s getting pretty late, we should continue this call tomorrow morning, ok? You can give me the rest of your data tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°O-Of course!¡± Bianca swiftly bowed, causing her Xtransciever¡¯s camera to blur with her rapid movement. ¡°Sorry again for calling you so late at night!¡±

    ¡°No worries,¡± Juniper waved goodbye. ¡°Good night, Bianca.¡±

    ¡°Good night, Professor,¡± Bianca pressed a button and ended the call.

    After tucking her Xtransceiver back into her pocket, Juniper glanced at her computer once more. Not ready to call it a night just yet, she decided to add the details Bianca had just given her. Sitting back into her chair and booting up her PC again, she recalled what her assistant told her about Harper. Juniper opened up the document again and skipped a few lines underneath the notes on Harper¡¯s literacy.

    ¡°Proficiency with teaching despite young age¡­ Affluent with social skills¡­ Prone to panic attacks¡­¡± Juniper typed the words she muttered to herself.

    Still, not a lot to go off of yet, but she and Bianca were making progress. The other researchers in her lab found their endeavors both intriguing and as one of them put it nicely, "mildly amusing." Coming up with the idea of a kids'' show to research a single pok¨¦mon felt like overkill to them, but after she explained just what the results could bring, their doubts ended on the spot.

    Whatever the results, it was bound to change the understanding of pok¨¦mon as they knew it. If Harper the riolu could learn Unovan, then given enough time and effort, every pok¨¦mon could do just the same. Juniper considered sharing the data she would eventually have with the other national professors like Oak and Rowan. Due to their research on pok¨¦mon speech, they''d be delighted to hear of Harper and his whiteboard once Juniper and Bianca figured the riolu out.

    She was thinking too far again, she needed to focus on the present.

    Juniper saved the contents of the document and turned off her computer, now finally done for the night¡­ At least until her Xtransciever emitted another ring, signaling an incoming call from Bianca again. She reached for the device and opened it, accepting the call. This time, her assistant left her camera off, causing Juniper to do the same.

    ¡°Hi again, Bianca,¡± Juniper raised the Xtransciever to her ear. ¡°Did you forget to say something?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for calling again, Professor, but I wanted to get this out of my chest right now.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, what did you want to tell me?¡±

    ¡°I.. Don¡¯t think I¡¯m ever going to forget Harper¡¯s expression when he looked at me during his panic attack¡­¡± Bianca¡¯s voice faltered. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen eyes like his before¡­¡±

    ¡°And what emotion was in his eyes?¡± Juniper asked calmly before Bianca quietly replied with a single word.

    ¡°Dread.¡±

    ¡°Dread?¡± Juniper repeated.

    ¡°I think I know why though¡­ I think it was the newspaper that he was reading. Do you think he has a history with Neo Plasma or the one before them?¡±

    ¡°Another pin on our investigation board,¡± Juniper muttered. ¡°It¡¯s a good guess, let¡¯s keep it in our mind.¡±

    ¡°Ok, and sorry again, Professor, for calling so late.¡±

    ¡°No worries, call me tomorrow, ok?¡±

    ¡°Ok, good night,¡± Bianca greeted goodbye and disconnected from the call, leaving Juniper alone in the laboratory again.

    She placed both her hands behind her head and leaned back on her chair, sighing to herself.

    This mystery was only getting more convoluted.

    <hr>

    Tundra rose from his desk and approached Pepper and Hazel, crouching and patting their shoulders once.

    ¡°The two of you have only been in the Tundra Guild for a short time but you have been so helpful for us and Sonamu City,¡± Tundra complimented. ¡°Will the two of you try to explore the Mystery Dungeon now?¡±

    ¡°Not yet,¡± Pepper and Hazel answered in unison before the two looked at each other and laughed, amused by their identical response.

    ¡°No?¡± Luca slightly tilted his head with curiosity.  ¡°Why not? I imagine that you¡¯re now more knowledgeable than ever to try again.¡±

    Hazel shook her head. ¡°Knowing about berries will definitely help us in our next expedition, but it¡¯s also made us realize just how much more there is to know about being a member of the Tundra Guild.¡±

    ¡°Yeah!¡± Pepper excitedly exclaimed. ¡°And because you said that the Mystery Dungeon isn¡¯t going anywhere, we should take on a lot of missions so we become as smart as you!¡±

    ¡°Good, good!¡± Tundra laughed. ¡°That¡¯s the kind of answer I love hearing from our guild members!¡±

    Pepper¡¯s stomach suddenly growled loudly, causing everyone in the room to laugh in unison.

    ¡°Looks like you¡¯re also just as hungry as our guild members as well, why not go get some lunch?¡± Tundra offered.

    The two eagerly nodded and exited Tundra¡¯s office after bidding farewell. As Pepper and Hazel walked down the hallway, passing by fellow guild members along the way. At the end of the hallway, they stopped in front of the cafeteria¡¯s entrance and faced the viewer.

    ¡°It was really fun today,¡± Hazel grinned. ¡°Even though we were surprised by Pilf in the forest, we learned a lot about berries.¡±

    ¡°Yeah! I¡¯m glad that everything worked out in the end!¡± Pepper added.

    ¡°Now that we¡¯re done for the rest of the day, we¡¯ll see you on our next mission!¡±

    ¡°Team Horizon shines another day!¡±

    Vincent the Narrator''s voice echoed through his megaphone as Pepper and Hazel waved goodbye and walked through the door. ¡°With Team Horizon¡¯s mission from the Audino Medical Center complete, their knowledge on the Pok¨¦mon world has increased yet again. Now that you learned about berries alongside them, what will their next lesson be? Tune in to the next episode of ¡®Sonamu¡¯s Sunrise!¡¯¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°And cut!¡± Celine shouted before facing Harper. ¡°Harper, how were they?¡±

    He gave a thumbs up to the director, noticing no dialogue issues with Zorro and Eve this time. It took a few reshoots for Celine to be happy with their facial expressions in the final scene, but it all worked out in the end.

    ¡°Perfect,¡± Celine smiled. ¡°We¡¯ll end things for today, we spent a lot of time on this berry episode and we¡¯ll continue filming the rest of it once the forest scene is prepared tomorrow!¡±

    The film crew gave a collective shout of agreement as they packed their equipment away. With everything now being over, Harper saw Zorro and Eve come back through the prop door and approach him.

    ¡°Mr. Harper!¡± Zorro happily barked. ¡°We¡¯re done for today! You know what that means!¡±

    Eve turned to the poochyena. ¡°Are you gonna do another battle?¡±

    ¡°Yup!¡± Zorro nodded. ¡°He promised to do one when we had the time, and we have the rest of the day to ourselves!¡±

    ¡°Since when did you promise something like that?¡± Beartic jumped into the conversation, leaning above them.

    ¡°Back when you were still at Icirrus City,¡± Harper answered, deciding not to mention his and Zorro¡¯s conversation before the first episode began filming. He turned to Zorro with a smile. ¡°Let¡¯s go tell Caleb and we¡¯ll find a spot outside.¡±

    Walking over to the twins behind all the cameras and equipment, Harper saw that they were deep in discussion with one another, pointing to their copy of the script every now and then. Brycen and Bianca were talking together a distance away from the twins, with the veteran actor looking somewhat displeased by the assistant professor¡¯s words. With a single wave from Harper, they all noticed that he and their pok¨¦mon were in front of them.

    ¡°Hi, Harper!¡± Caleb greeted as he placed his script aside and knelt down, petting Zorro on the head. ¡°You were so good, Zorro!¡±

    *There¡¯s something I want to ask.*

    ¡°What?¡± Caleb said after reading Harper¡¯s sentence.

    *Want to battle me? It¡¯s been a while since our last fight.*

    ¡°Yeah!¡± Caleb immediately beamed as he stood up, clutching Zorro¡¯s pok¨¦ball in his hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go right now! Same spot as last time!¡±

    ¡°You will not battle there again,¡± Brycen coldly stepped in, causing the young trainer to flinch. ¡°I have heard complaints from the repair team that they¡¯ve had to fix unnecessary damage in the Castelia City set.¡±

    ~Oh¡­ Right¡­~ Harper guiltily glanced at his paw, remembering himself using Force Palm on the asphalt and cracking the ground.

    ¡°Where should they battle then?¡± Bianca asked as she inserted the twins¡¯ scripts into her bag for them. ¡°The closest place would be somewhere with a public battleground like in Virbank.¡±

    ¡°What about that set they made to look like a Gym?¡± Beartic recommended before tapping Harper on the head. ¡°They used it a long time ago for a commercial on battle items. Relay that to Brycen, kid.¡±

    Harper scribbled down the polar bear¡¯s words and showed them to the human group.

    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    Brycen nodded towards Harper and Beartic. ¡°That may work. The set was designed to be resilient for battles, I think that¡¯s a good idea. I can guide everyone over to the soundstage it¡¯s in, the set isn¡¯t too far from here.¡±

    Before he could begin walking towards the exit, everyone heard the director''s words shout in their direction.

    ¡°Brycen and Beartic!¡± Celine walked up to the group with a laptop in her hand. ¡°There''s something I want you two to help me with.¡±

    ¡°How so?¡± Brycen turned to the director with Beartic following soon after.

    Celine opened up her laptop, showing a multitude of audio files in a folder, each one categorized with a voice actor''s name and the word ''audition'' afterward.

    ¡°The recordings for our potential voice cast arrived, and I hoped that you two could help decide which sounds the best for our actors.¡±

    The veteran actor nodded, obliging to her offer. ¡°We¡¯ll help.¡±

    Celine grinned as she closed her laptop. ¡°Great! I¡¯ll meet you two at my office then!¡± She turned and left the set, greeting other staff goodbye on the way.

    ¡°Seems I can¡¯t watch you battle,¡± Bearic patted Harper on the head. ¡°Maybe next time.¡±

    Brycen turned to Harper and knelt on one knee. ¡°You guide them over in my stead. It¡¯s the soundstage with ¡®A-113¡¯ on it.¡±

    Harper nodded.

    Brycen stood back up, taking a few steps away before stopping and turning back. ¡°Don¡¯t go too hard on them.¡±

    Beartic placed a paw beside his mouth in a whispering fashion, smiling. ¡°Don¡¯t go too easy either.¡±

    The veteran actor and his ace left the soundstage, following the director¡¯s path out of the exit, leaving Harper to guide everyone else left along with him.

    <hr>

    With some quick navigation, Harper led the way to the Gym set Beartic recommended. Thankfully, the lights were already turned on, as the cleaning crew was about to leave after their work was done for the day. Harper wanted to give an apology in advance for the mess they were about to create, but he didn''t want to irritate them by basically telling them; "Hey, we know you guys just finished cleaning and we wanted to battle immediately after. Sorry."

    He¡¯ll just help them clean up when they come back, it was the least he could do.

    On the floor was an outlined rectangular battlefield with a classic pok¨¦ball design in the center. The arena was surrounded by a border of LED lights that began to glow softly, slowly changing in a variety of colors. The walls were lined with panels of polished wood, separated by pillars of steel to hold the setup. A small set of bleachers were arranged in a semicircle to offer a clear view of the arena for the extras to observe.

    ¡°This looks like the place in that commercial for battle items,¡± Bianca said to herself.

    ¡°I can¡¯t really tell how accurate this is to a Pok¨¦mon Gym since I''ve never been in one before,¡± Harper gazed around the set.

    Zorro gasped upon hearing Harper''s words. ¡°You never saw a Gym battle before, Mr. Harper?¡±

    In a technical sense, yes, he did see a Gym battle before if the ones in the games were counted. If not, then the most he''d seen of a Gym battle would be the old anime episodes he watched as a kid, but the memory of that felt hazy at best. His real answer wasn''t what Zorro was looking for anyway, so given the context of what Zorro was asking, Harper just shook his head.

    ¡°I guess I should ask Brycen if he has some clips of when he was a Gym Leader.¡±

    ¡°You should watch Ms. Neri¡¯s battles!¡± Eve popped up beside Harper with a smile. ¡°She used to be a pro trainer!¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Harper faked his curiosity, already knowing what she was in the first games. ¡°I¡¯ll ask her as well when I have the time then.¡±

    Caleb led Zorro to one end of the battlefield as Harper stood on the other side. It took Eve some convincing to sit a bit further away but the eevee eventually complied after listening to Harper and sat in the stands with Claire instead of sitting in the front.

    With her closed notepad in hand, Bianca pointed it at each side of the battlefield, acting as the match''s referee, and began announcing the combatants and rules.

    "This will be a one-on-one battle between Brycen''s pok¨¦mon, Harper, and Caleb''s pok¨¦mon, Zorro! The battle ends when either side forfeits or is deemed unfit to continue the battle!"

    Zorro braced himself, lowering his body closer to the ground, ready to pounce. Harper raised his paws into fists, ready to take on the poochyena. Bianca raised her arm up and chopped down.

    ¡°Begin!¡±

    Zorro dashed in immediately, prepared to strike with bared fangs. Harper hopped backward, creating distance between him and the poochyena.

    ¡°Zorro! Use Tackle!¡± Caleb shouted, confidently pointing at Harper.

    A white haze covered Zorro as he dashed towards Harper, who continued to stand still, anticipating the attack.

    ~It¡¯s been a while since I used this move¡­~ Harper clasped his paws together, spinning them together like a cyclone and adding in Fighting TE as he increased the momentum.

    As Zorro lunged for Harper¡¯s arm, he shot Vacuum Wave squarely into the poochyena¡¯s chest, launching him away.

    ¡°What the?!¡± Caleb¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°You have a ranged move?!¡±

    ¡°Expect the unexpected,¡± Harper advised before dashing towards Zorro with Quick Attack.

    Caleb turned to Zorro, who was still on the ground. ¡°Zorro, get up! Use Bite when he gets close!¡±

    Soon after Zorro stood up, viscous energy covered the poochyena''s extended canines as he opened his maw, dashing in to add power to the move with rapid speeds.

    Harper charged a Force Palm in his right paw, this time making sure to make it weaker than the one in their last battle.

    Caleb noticed him winding up the move and shouted. ¡°Watch out for his Force Palm! Strike him when you can!¡±

    Out of precaution, Zorro ran towards Harper with twisting patterns, stepping from side to side in irregular intervals. Harper tried to track the poochyena the best he could, but it was too late, as Zorro sunk his teeth into his left arm, the Dark TE stinging where it penetrated. Harper struck Zorro''s side and knocked him off his arm.

    ¡°You¡¯re doing far better than before!¡± Harper shouted, grasping tightly where it hurt. ¡°You want to keep going?¡±

    Zorro painfully nodded, his breathing somewhat staggered from the Force Palm¡¯s damage. Harper noticed a crimson and mauve aura slowly covering Zorro¡¯s front two paws as he stood back up. A moment later, Zorro¡¯s eyes shot open wide as he shook the energy off of them. Harper had no idea what the poochyena used, but he couldn¡¯t lower his guard. After the advice he gave to Zorro on taking his own initiative, he must¡¯ve given himself a buff.

    ¡°Zorro! Hit him with Dark Pulse!¡±

    Zorro opened his mouth and a dark purple ball formed inside. Immediately after, the ball shot out a multitude of identically colored rings in Harper''s direction. The projectiles lacked the same force as Harper had seen from Ripley when she used it on him, but they still looked to pack some punch. He swiftly dodged each one that closely approached him, tanking a few that were unavoidable.

    ¡°Bite him again while he¡¯s distracted!¡±

    Zorro bared his fangs once more as he ran at Harper¡¯s other, uninjured arm. In response, Harper charged his left fist with Ice TE, the air around it beginning to condense. At the right moment, he blocked Zorro¡¯s Bite with the ice crystalizing around his paw. The ice slowly cracked as Zorro continued to add more pressure to his move.

    But something looked off, the teeth marks on Harper¡¯s Ice Punch didn¡¯t align with Zorro¡¯s own teeth. Harper shook the uncertainty aside, he was in the middle of a battle.

    ¡°You¡¯re wide open, Zorro,¡± Harper charged his right paw up with another move.

    ¡°Hrgn?¡± Zorro said, his voice muffled due to his mouth still on Harper¡¯s Ice Punch.

    ¡°Zorro! Get off of him!¡± Caleb frantically cried out.

    Harper swung his paw at Zorro again with a Focus Punch, stopping himself right before the impact would happen.

    ¡°That¡¯s my win again,¡± He smirked. ¡°This battle went far longer than before so I¡¯d say that¡¯s a massive improvement.¡±

    Zorro slumped to the ground and sat with a tired, but satisfied expression. ¡°I¡¯ll beat you one day, Mr. Harper.¡±

    Bianca cleared her throat, ready to signal the end of the battle in a professional manner. ¡°Zorro is unable to continue the battle! Harper is the victor!¡±

    Harper sat beside the poochyena as he grasped his injured arm again. This wasn¡¯t the worst type of pain he felt, and thanks to his pok¨¦mon physiology, he was much more durable than in his past life. This was nothing compared to when he was at the desert set, in front of the bomb when it expl¡­

    His breathing quickened as he clutched his arm tighter, the memory of the explosion overriding the pain from the battle a moment ago. God, he could feel the heat on his chest, his scar stung as he continued to breathe harder, the taut skin stretching constantly reminding him of what he left behind and what he brought with him. He felt the hot pieces of metal lodged in his skin, the flames burning him alive, the¡ª

    ¡°Does it hurt, Mr. Harper?¡± Zorro guiltily whined. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have used Bite so hard, I got too excited.¡±

    Harper jolted out of his mental fog before looking at the poochyena leaning beside him. His breath soothed as he reminded himself of where he was and where he wasn¡¯t. He sighed, thankful that he was mentally stable again.

    ¡°¡­No, it¡¯s alright, this is nothing,¡± He patted Zorro¡¯s back. ¡°Thanks¡­¡±

    The pain in his arm felt more bearable now.

    ¡°Mr. Harper!¡± Eve approached the two with the twins and Bianca behind her. ¡°Are you ok? Your arm looks really bad! Here!¡± The eevee took a potion out from Claire¡¯s bag with her mouth. ¡°Uth thith!¡±

    "I got this, Eve," Claire reassured the eevee as she took the potion in her mouth and sprayed the healing solution on Harper''s arm, causing him to hiss inward as he flinched. Eve kept a roll of gauze on standby for her trainer to use next.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you gonna heal Zorro as well?¡± Caleb asked his sister, holding his pok¨¦mon in his arms.

    ¡°There¡¯s more potions in my bag, Caleb. You should learn to heal Zorro on your own.¡±

    As Caleb reached for Claire¡¯s bag and grabbed a potion to heal Zorro, he gave him words of encouragement.

    ¡°Zorro, you were so strong! We¡¯ll beat Harper with your strongest move, Dark Pulse, next time!¡±

    |[Reticent]|

    Before Harper could comprehend what he felt from Zorro, he saw Bianca crouching down and giving him his whiteboard.

    ¡°That was great!¡± She complimented them. ¡°I wish I could¡¯ve seen your first battle!¡±

    When Claire finished wrapping his arm with gauze, he uncapped his marker and began writing down on his whiteboard.

    *There¡¯s still some stuff to fix, but Caleb and Zorro are improving.*

    Harper took the time to explain to both Caleb and Zorro by speaking to the poochyena first and then writing his advice next.

    ¡°The first and biggest thing to fix is to use buffs or debuffs at the beginning of a match. Use a move like your Howl in our first battle in the beginning to give yourself an advantage. Just stay aware of where your opponent is, since you don¡¯t want them striking you as you¡¯re using status moves.¡±

    "Another thing to fix is to not take so long to give another command. You gave me the time to use Focus Punch as Zorro bit my Ice Punch. Make your opponent hesitate and keep your cool, not the other way around."

    ¡°The two of you did great on taking what I said last time, keep it up, ok?¡±

    Zorro and Caleb nodded with a gleam in their eyes that Harper had never seen before. He also noticed Bianca feverishly writing down on her notepad, finishing up the last few sentences.

    It looked like Bianca was documenting Caleb¡¯s progress as a trainer in addition to what she told him the other day. Her emotional state felt shaky when she mentioned looking into pok¨¦mon behaviors during filming, but he could tell that she wasn¡¯t lying. What made her feel uneasy, then? Most likely, she was just uncomfortable as a bystander in a film set, most newcomers Harper saw in Hollywood were like that.

    Still, it felt like something was missing¡­

    ¡°Mr. Harper!¡± Eve pouted. ¡°I wanna get some training from you as well! Zorro¡¯s getting your attention more than me!¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t battle right now,¡± Harper shook his bandaged arm. ¡°We can battle next time, is that alright?¡±

    Eve shook her head. ¡°Not like that! I wanna learn how to act better!¡±

    ¡°You want more lessons?¡± He asked, perplexed.

    She happily nodded. ¡°Ms. Neri showed all of us in your last movie and you looked so cool! I wanna look like that as well!¡±

    Harper was momentarily taken aback by the compliment. ¡°W-Well, we¡¯ll find some time for that when it comes, ok?¡±

    ¡°Yay!¡± Eve hopped around, excited for her acting lessons.

    "Now that your battle is over, why don''t we all get something to eat?" Bianca recommended that she put her notepad away. "I''m starting to get hungry!"

    ¡°I want a burger!¡± Caleb exclaimed. ¡°And some fries as well!¡±

    ¡°And I want sandwiches!¡± Claire soon followed. ¡°The cafeteria has the ones I love!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m getting more hungry now that you¡¯re shouting up some food,¡± Bianca laughed. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the cafeteria!¡±

    Claire picked Eve up and made a dash for the exit. ¡°C¡¯mon, Eve! Let¡¯s take all the fries before Caleb can get them!¡±

    ¡°Hey! No fair!¡± Caleb chased after his sister. ¡°I¡¯m gonna eat them before you can!¡±

    ¡°Caleb! Claire!¡± Bianca rushed towards the twins. ¡°Don¡¯t run off without me!¡±

    The three humans ran out of the exit, each one chasing the one before as Harper chuckled at the sight. He was amused at how Bianca had a lot to deal with when she was on her own with the twins.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go follow them,¡± Harper turned to Zorro, who was also left behind. ¡°No running though since we¡¯re still hurt.¡±

    Zorro nodded as he sat up, exiting the set with Harper as they stepped outside to the backlots.

    During their walk, Harper contemplated on how he could improve himself during a battle. He knew he was going to battle as long as he was an actor for Pok¨¦star Studios, but there were going to be moments when he needed to battle in a real situation. This battle with Zorro was controlled, but he would have to learn how to fight legitimately because who knew when the canon events of Black and White 2 would happen? He¡¯d likely be affected by it, but without any foreknowledge, he couldn¡¯t do a thing.

    For now, the best thing he could do was let things play out, hope for the best, and be prepared for when something does happen.

    He recalled his first real battle with Nate back in Virbank when they ran into some Neo Plasma grunt with Hugh and Roxie. At the time, Harper felt assured that they would win since he was with Nate, the literal protagonist of Unova. Losing under his command would be like if the sky fell. However, that was only a one-time occurrence, because Harper was now unsure when a real battle would be necessary.

    Harper briefly rubbed where Zorro bit his arm. He needed a quicker way to attack back after an enemy hit him with a move. He¡¯d have to ask Beartic for advice, getting some more moves under his belt would help a lot.

    |[Inhibition]|

    Harper turned to the Zorro beside him, noticing the tension in the poochyena. ¡°Hey, is something wrong?¡±

    ¡°N-No, not really,¡± Zorro shook his head. ¡°Can I ask you something though?¡±

    ¡°Sure, what is it?¡±

    ¡°How are you so strong?¡± Zorro looked at him, his blue eyes standing out.

    Harper should¡¯ve realized sooner. Of course a young pok¨¦mon would feel insecure about their strength after fighting someone like him. Harper had no idea how young his body was, but he had a pretty good guess. From how everyone outside his direct group of friends treated him, the pitch of his voice, and the fact that he was classified as a baby pok¨¦mon, Harper wasn¡¯t that much older than Zorro and Eve.

    But that was only taking into account their physical age, Harper lived far longer than them and had double to triple the life experience. Including the little foreknowledge he brought with him and the opportunity to train with a retired gym leader and his ace, of course he was going to get ahead of everyone else his age.

    That wasn''t the answer that Zorro was looking for, nor did Harper want to share it yet, so he decided to give the next best answer.

    ¡°Training, and tons of it,¡± Harper recalled the sessions with Brycen and Beartic. ¡°Experience is also a huge factor.¡±

    ¡°What kind of experience?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve fought in scripted battles for the movies I was in, but they¡¯re nothing compared to real battles. I fought some Team Neo Plasma grunts one time and it taught me that real battles compared to those in a competitive setting are completely different.¡±

    Harper briefly noticed Zorro¡¯s eyes widening at the mention of Neo Plasma. ¡°You¡­ You fought them?¡±

    ¡°I did with Nate, the trainer I was hanging out with at the time,¡± At Harper¡¯s mention of his victory, Zorro looked away, unable to maintain eye contact.

    |[Ignominy]|

    ¡°Do you think I could be as strong as you one day?¡± He spoke quietly.

    Zorro was still a young pok¨¦mon, a young kid. He had way more potential as a strong league competitor than Harper ever would. He almost felt guilty that Zorro and Eve looked up to him for his strength when he never wanted to battle seriously like they wanted to. In their own way, they were braver than him. Still, he knew just what to say to the little poochyena.

    ¡°You''re a trainer¡¯s pok¨¦mon, so of course you will. Once you start your journey with Caleb, you''ll be stronger than me in no time. That Dark Pulse of yours was scary, I can see why it''s your strongest move.¡±

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s not¡­¡± Zorro spoke under his own breath.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I-I mean¡­ Thank you, Mr. Harper,¡± Zorro thanked, gently brushing his head beside Harper¡¯s injured arm.

    ¡°You''re welcome,¡± Harper replied. ¡°Now, let¡¯s pick up the pace a little bit, I¡¯m sure that your trainer is wondering where you are.¡±

    ¡°How about a race? The poochyena perked up, leaning down in a playful motion like a dog before making a mad dash down the backlot. ¡°Last one at the cafeteria is a rotten egg!¡±

    ¡°H-Hey! You shouldn''t be running just yet!¡± Harper shouted as he ran to keep up with Zorro. As he chased the young pok¨¦mon, Harper couldn''t help but laugh to himself.

    Dealing with kids in a film studio was never this much fun.

    <hr>

    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, I wasn¡¯t trying to hide it from you,¡± Bianca fidgeted her hands together. ¡°I really didn¡¯t know how to tell you¡­¡±

    Brycen sighed after hearing her entire story. ¡°I am thankful that you have told me, but please tell me sooner if this happens again. Beartic and I are doing everything we can to help Harper recover.¡±

    ¡°Do¡­ Do you know what causes his panic attacks?¡± She hesitantly questioned.

    ¡°His first panic attack was when he saw an explosion in a movie we were watching together,¡± Brycen frowned.

    ¡°An explosion?¡± Bianca repeated. ¡°Do you think Harper has trauma with a Fire-type move?¡±

    ¡°It would explain his scar, but after hearing that he had another panic attack in the cafeteria, a Fire-type move isn¡¯t the only cause.¡±

    ¡°If there¡¯s anything I can do to help him, please tell me,¡± Bianca requested. ¡°I-I don¡¯t want to see Harper look like that again¡­¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no way to tell when Harper will have a panic attack again, so don¡¯t observe him as if he¡¯s going to at any moment,¡± Brycen took a jab at Bianca¡¯s secret research. ¡°Create a positive environment around him. That is all I ask.¡±

    ¡­

    Brycen knew that Bianca was trying to get some answers out of him on Harper for her and Juniper¡¯s research. He had to stop himself from furrowing his eyebrows in front of the assistant researcher when she asked that question. Even with his reluctance to give an answer, Brycen understood that Bianca felt guilty for holding back her explanation.

    Bianca was currently chaperoning in his place for Caleb¡¯s battle against Harper. As novice as their battle was going to be, Caleb and Harper were in good hands since Bianca was a trainer who made it to the 8th badge in the Unova League.

    As Brycen and Beartic approached the door to Celine''s office, Brycen held out his hand, motioning for Beartic to stop before he could reach for the door handle.

    ¡°Brear?¡± The polar bear rumbled with confusion.

    ¡°There is something I wish to discuss before we go in,¡± Brycen explained as he lowered his arm. ¡°It¡¯s about Harper.¡±

    Beartic¡¯s expression turned serious at the mention of the riolu¡¯s name.

    Brycen took a deep breath before continuing, his expression grave. "Bianca explained to me that he had another panic attack a few days ago. I was glad to hear that you have done as I instructed you if he ever had another panic attack, though I don''t like how you had to put it into practice so soon¡­"

    Beartic gave a rumble from his chest in agreement.

    ¡°This is the second time that this has happened and I know this is not going to be the last. We need to take action,¡± Brycen stated the harsh truth. ¡°Do you have an idea, Beartic?¡±

    Beartic placed his paw on his chin, staring beyond the ceiling before his eyes lit up in a way Brycen knew all too well. As he expected, the Ice-type began to form some ice around his paws, the frost collecting together into an indistinct form, but gradually became more prominent.

    Brycen chuckled as he observed Beartic passionately craft his sculpture. Memories of when the polar bear was just a Cubchoo resurfaced as he recalled the figures he created of the pok¨¦mon they battled during their run of the Unova League Circuit. Though they had melted years ago, Brycen could still remember the amateurish details of the miniature sculptures, each one becoming more advanced as time passed by. Despite Beartic¡¯s skills reaching the levels of an expert, his habit was still only known between the two. He wished to keep it a secret out of embarrassment, but Brycen was considering whether he should tell Harper about Beartic¡¯s secret or not.

    He believed that the riolu would find it amusing.

    The ice shifted into the shape of a cloud before Beartic added four stumps underneath, a head with two horns on each side, and a sphere at the end of its tail. Adding the finishing touch on its head, the Ice-type proudly presented the final product in front of Brycen.

    ¡°A mareep?¡± Brycen held the cold pok¨¦mon model in his hand as the air condensed around it. ¡°Are you referring to the owners of Floccesy Ranch?¡±

    Beartic nodded.

    ¡°It would be a good opportunity to ask for anything Mr. Stu Deeoh didn¡¯t find out that day,¡± Brycen handed back the mareep to Beartic, his hands beginning to feel numb. ¡°I should also thank them for treating Harper.¡±

    It was then that the both of them heard some rattling from the other side of the door and a moment later, Celine popped out from the opening.

    ¡°I swear I heard some voices outside,¡± She thought out loud, removing one side of her headphones. ¡°Come in, the both of you! The door was already unlocked!¡± Celine reentered her office, leaving the door open for Brycen and Beartic.

    ¡°I¡¯ll see when I can arrange some time to talk with the ranch owners. I might have to give Caleb and Claire some extra training before I leave to make up for upcoming lost time.¡±

    Brycen noticed Beartic quietly chuckling, amused by the prospect of the twins having more work to do.

 Scene 3 - Take 7: Unscripted Recoveries and New Discoveries

    Sonamu Square bustled with life on a sunny day, its cobblestone paths occupied by the pok¨¦mon strolling between wooden stalls and quaint shops. Near the square¡¯s fountain, Pepper and Hazel were engaged in a conversation alongside the Viewer.

    ¡°After the success of their previous mission, Team Horizon is on a break at the order of Guildmaster Tundra, advising Pepper and Hazel to explore the town,¡± The Narrator unfolded the day¡¯s story. ¡°Let¡¯s see what their plans are for today, shall we?¡±

    ¡°Hey, friend!¡± Pepper smiled at the Viewer. ¡°Guildmaster Tundra told us to go around the town!¡±

    Hazel nodded. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of places to check out, like the Kecleon Market, Liepard Bank, and the Unfezant Theater. I can¡¯t decide where we should go first.¡±

    ¡°Where do you want to go, friend?¡± Pepper leaned closer to the Viewer.

    Before a decision could be reached, a raindrop landed squarely on Pepper¡¯s nose. He blinked in surprise and looked up, his expression mirroring the growing confusion on Hazel''s face. Dark clouds rolled across the once-clear sky, releasing a steady drizzle that quickly escalated.

    ¡°Rain? How?¡± Pepper breathed out.

    ¡°We need to find shelter!¡± Hazel urged, pointing at the closest cover from the downpour.

    The duo hurried to the nearest building, a produce store, as the rain intensified into a full-blown storm.

    Once they entered the store and secured the door shut, Pepper and Hazel peered out the window, watching sheets of rain obscure the lively square. Pepper turned toward the Viewer, disappointment in his voice.

    ¡°Sorry, friend. Looks like our plans are on hold for now,¡± He said glumly. ¡°We can always try another day, but why did it rain so suddenly?¡±

    From the back of the store, the owner¡ªa Maractus¡ªappeared, brushing their hands on their apron as they joined Pepper and Hazel by the window. The store owner sighed at the sight of the unrelenting rain. ¡°You can say that again, this wasn¡¯t in the weather forecast according to the morning newspaper.¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t supposed to rain?¡± Hazel asked, perplexed.

    The store owner crossed her arms. ¡°It was supposed to be sunny all week with clear skies. Either the weather forecast in the newspaper was wrong, or this is all being caused by something unnatural.¡±

    The words barely left the maractus¡¯s mouth when the rain abruptly stopped. In its place, snowflakes began to drift down, blanketing the ground in an instant.

    Pepper stared at the unnatural sight, his jaw dropping. ¡°W-What the¡­?¡±

    Hazel¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°Snow?¡±

    The store¡¯s door rattled as a gust of icy wind pushed snowflakes through the crack beneath it. The sudden chill made the trio shiver.

    ¡°First rain, now snow?¡± The store owner chattered. ¡°What¡¯s next, a sandstorm?¡±

    The snowstorm subsided, replaced by a whirling sandstorm. Sand swept through the square in violent swirls, battering the store¡¯s windows. The Maractus stared at the chaos in silent awe of her words coming true.

    ¡°I¡­ stand corrected,¡± She muttered to herself.

    Moments later, the sandstorm vanished, giving way to harsh sunlight. The intense glare filled the store with an almost blinding light.

    ¡°What is going on?!¡± The store owner exasperated.

    The cycle continued¡ªrain, snow, sandstorms, and finally a blazing sun¡ªall in rapid succession. Pepper stared at the shifting elements outside.

    ¡°It just keeps changing!¡± His voice rose over the cacophony of weather changes. ¡°There¡¯s no end!¡±

    ¡°We need to go talk to Guildmaster Tundra about this,¡± Hazel directed her attention to Pepper.

    ¡°Right!¡± He nodded. ¡°He''ll know what to do!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re with the Tundra Guild?¡± The store owner¡¯s voice sounded relieved as she quickly grabbed leaf ponchos from a shelf and approached Pepper and Hazel. ¡°Here, take these ponchos, they will help you get back to the guild.¡±

    The store owner equipped the two with leaf ponchos, fastening them onto Pepper and Hazel with thin straw ropes.

    ¡°I hope the guild can find a way to end this soon. The longer this happens, the more it hurts everyone else, including my business!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Pepper said confidently, donning the poncho¡¯s hood. ¡°We¡¯ll fix this weird weather! Thanks for the help!¡±

    The two exit the store and make their way through the chaotic street to the Tundra Guild. Each section of the road seemed dominated by a different element, leaving the normally picturesque town in disarray. The once-sturdy red pine trees that lined the streets swayed violently under the erratic changes in the weather, their needles shaking free and scattering across the cobblestones. The sun fought to break free through dark clouds, creating sudden flashes of light that clashed with the stormy skies.

    ¡°This is the fastest way to the guild!¡± Pepper shouted, his voice barely audible over the roaring winds.

    Running down the street, Pepper and Hazel passed a Simisear and a Growlithe trudging through the rain, their drenched fur clinging to their sides.

    Hazel winced. ¡°The rain¡¯s putting out the Fire-types¡­ They look exhausted.¡±

    A little further on, the rain abruptly changed to blazing sunlight. A Tympole, who had been happily splashing moments ago, now panting under the oppressive heat.

    ¡°It was raining just a second ago!¡± the Tympole wheezed. ¡°Now it¡¯s way too hot!¡±

    Pepper¡¯s fur bristled in frustration. ¡°First, it was raining, and now the sun is too bright? This is too weird!¡±

    As they pressed on, a sudden sandstorm engulfed them. Blinded by the swirling grains, a Timburr stumbled into a mailbox with a frustrated cry.

    ¡°Ugh! I can¡¯t see a thing in this sand!¡±

    Pepper and Hazel pushed forward, shielding their faces with their ponchos.

    ¡°This storm is throwing everyone off balance!¡± Hazel struggled to keep her footing.

    Pepper gritted his teeth. ¡°Hang in there! We''re almost at the guild!¡±

    Finally, the sandstorm ended, only to be replaced by thick, heavy snow. Pok¨¦mon stumbled through the streets, baffled by the unrelenting changes. A Leavanny shivered as snow piled on her leafy cloak.

    ¡°S-Snow? B-But w-what happened t-to all of th-that sand?¡± She stammered from the cold.

    ¡°This weather is completely out of control!¡± Pepper exclaimed. ¡°We need to hurry before the whole town''s buried under all this mess!¡±

    Pepper and Hazel continued their way through the main street and reached closer for the tall Tundra Guild that loomed ahead, standing tall and strong through the storms. Once they were inside, they saw that the Guild¡¯s lobby was more packed than usual, with citizens of Sonamu Town taking shelter from the storm.

    ¡°There¡¯s so many pok¨¦mon here¡­¡± Pepper remarked, looking around in surprise.

    Hazel pointed across the room. ¡°And there¡¯s Guildmaster Tundra!¡±

    Tundra¡¯s ears perked up at the sound of Hazel¡¯s voice. He turned toward Team Horizon and greeted them with a serious expression.

    ¡°Team Horizon,¡± He began, ¡°I wish we could have met under better circumstances. It¡¯s a shame that your day off was interrupted by the storms outside, but we¡¯ll need all the help we can get right now.¡±

    Hazel straightened up, her tone equally serious. ¡°We came back to the guild because we want to end this storm!¡±

    Pepper nodded energetically. ¡°Yeah! We were going to have fun with our friend before it showed up! We want to end it now!¡±

    Luca, who had just finished setting up a mattress for another Pok¨¦mon, walked up beside Tundra.

    ¡°Finding a solution is going to be difficult, especially because we have no leads on where this started,¡± Luca stated, his voice steady.

    From across the room, a voice interrupted.

    ¡°I may have a solution.¡±

    Tundra, Luca, Pepper, and Hazel all turned toward the guild¡¯s entrance, where Ranni the Gothitelle stood. She dematerialized a psychic umbrella as she approached the group.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for interrupting your conversation,¡± Ranni¡¯s tone was calm yet commanding. ¡°But I have some resources that can help your guild end this storm.¡±

    Pepper leaned over to Luca and whispered. ¡°Who is she?¡±

    Luca replied just as quietly. ¡°Ranni is the one in charge of weather forecasting. If she¡¯s here, it means the storm outside isn¡¯t natural after all.¡±

    ¡°You are correct, Luca,¡± Ranni confirmed. ¡°I have come to assist the Tundra Guild the best that I can.¡±

    Tundra gave her an appreciative nod. ¡°We are thankful for your assistance. Team Horizon here is more than willing to help you out!¡±

    Ranni turned her attention to Hazel. ¡°Assistant Guildmaster Luca has already introduced me. What are your names?¡±

    Hazel smiled and gestured to her team. ¡°He¡¯s Pepper, I¡¯m Hazel, and with our friend over here, we¡¯re Team Horizon of the Tundra Guild!¡±

    Ranni gave a slight bow. ¡°I am pleased to meet you all. Let me guide you to my Weather Observatory. I have some resources that may help us find where this torrent of weather began.¡±

    ¡­

    Pepper, Hazel, and Ranni finished their trek up the stairs to the highest point of Sonamu Town. At that moment, the weather in front of the observatory was blisteringly sunny.

    Pepper panted, his tongue lolling out. ¡°It just had to be this hot when we started going up the stairs.¡±

    Hazel rolled her eyes. ¡°Like snow would¡¯ve been any better?¡±

    ¡°We have arrived,¡± Ranni announced, her voice calm as ever.

    Ranni¡¯s observatory stood at the peak. Its hexagonal base was made of sturdy bricks, while a glass dome glinted atop the structure. Large windows lined the walls, tightly shut to keep the storm¡¯s effects outside.

    Ranni''s observatory has a hexagonal base and is made of bricks with a glass dome structure on the top. Large windows line the walls, tightly shut to keep the storm''s effects outside.

    ¡°Wow! What is this building?¡± Pepper gazed upwards at the unfamiliar building before his face contorted with confusion. ¡°I¡¯ve never¡­ I¡­ sorry, I can¡¯t remember the rest¡­¡±

    <hr>

    Harper held his paws in a ¡®T¡¯ shape as Eve placed a paw on her forehead in embarrassment. Celine noticed his signal and shouted ¡°Cut¡± to the crew to halt filming.

    ¡°I was sensing that something was off¡­¡± Celine turned to Harper. ¡°Zorro looked unsure when he was talking, was the dialogue not right?¡±

    *Zorro forgot his lines, can we go back to scene six?*

    ¡°Ah, got it,¡± The director nodded as she turned her megaphone back on. ¡°Alright, everyone! Back to scene six!¡±

    The film crew began resetting the scene, adjusting the weather simulation machines, and returning the cameras and lighting to their original positions. The gothitelle playing as Ranni approached her trainer, who was engaged in a discussion with Vincent. Normally, when a cut occurred, the Pok¨¦mon portraying the side characters would turn to Harper for advice or instructions. However, at this moment, Zorro required more attention. He saw the Dark-type making his way to him, albeit at a slower pace than usual with his head sunken low.

    ¡°How did I forget that line?¡± Zorro muttered to himself. ¡°I messed this entire scene up¡­¡±

    ¡°You were supposed to say ¡®I¡¯ve never seen something like this in Sonamu Town before,¡¯¡± Eve recalled the dialogue. ¡°We practiced this yesterday, how¡¯d you forget?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know,¡± Zorro defended back as they walked towards Harper. ¡°Sorry for messing that up, Mr. Harper¡­¡±

    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t worry,¡± Harper tried to ease Zorro. ¡°It¡¯s just a small mistake, it¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡±

    ¡°But I still made a mistake¡­¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve done reshoots like this before, what makes this any different?¡±

    ¡°But I forgot my lines! I never forgot them before an¡ª¡±

    Harper held his paw up, interrupting the poochyena¡¯s self-depreciation. ¡°Zorro, mistakes happen all the time and they can come from anyone on the set. No one¡¯s going to judge you for forgetting one line.¡±

    ¡°I get that, but I shouldn¡¯t have forgotten at all!¡±

    Harper took a moment to recollect himself, to find the right thing to say to Zorro. If the poochyena wasn¡¯t forgiving himself for a small mistake, Harper needed to give him some consolation.

    ¡°¡­Do you want to know the biggest mistake I made?¡±

    ¡°You made a mistake before?¡±

    ¡°Of course I did, no one¡¯s perfect,¡± Harper responded. ¡°In this case, it was entirely my fault for not relying on others.¡±

    Zorro remained silent, eager to hear Harper¡¯s advice. Eve sat beside him, also curious about what he was about to say.

    ¡°In ¡®Full Metal Cop,¡¯ there¡¯s a part where I use Vacuum Wave in a battle and I was given some time before that scene to train for it. Even after training the move by myself, I could never figure out the move.¡±

    ¡°But you used it so well on me when we battled!¡± Zorro exclaimed, surprised. ¡°How¡¯d you learn it then?¡±

    ¡°I ran out of time to learn Vacuum Wave and I failed to use it when we filmed the battle. Brycen took me outside and taught it to me in an instant. It was something I had trouble with for days and he helped me in just a few minutes.¡±

    ¡°So what¡¯s the lesson you¡¯re trying to teach Zorro, kid?¡± Beartic joined the conversation.

    ¡°That it¡¯s ok to make mistakes,¡± Harper answered. ¡°My first attempt to learn a move solo failed miserably and I learned from it. Now I always train a new move with someone like Beartic or Brycen.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s really ok to make mistakes?¡± Zorro spoke softly.

    Eve playfully poked Zorro on the shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s like when you got lost and found your way back. You said to me that you never wanted to be alone ever again.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I did, yeah¡­¡±

    ¡°It looks like you get it then,¡± Harper smiled, flipping through the script. ¡°So do you want me to show you the dialogue again?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t, I remember the rest!¡± Zorro perked up. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Harper!¡±

    As Zorro and Eve began talking with one another, Beartic gave Harper a single pat on the head as he gave an amused expression. ¡°If Brycen were here, he¡¯d be proud of what you said.¡±

    Harper pushed Beartic¡¯s paw off with a chuckle. ¡°You know, speaking of Brycen, did he tell you why he had to leave in the morning? It wasn¡¯t like he was in a rush, but I¡¯ve never seen him so intent on leaving for somewhere before.¡±

    ¡°He didn¡¯t tell you?¡± Beartic tilted his head. ¡°Well, he¡¯s visiting Floccesy Ranch right now and he said that he¡¯d be back by the end of the day.¡±

    ¡°The ranch?¡± Harper recalled his brief stay. ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because he never got the chance to thank them for helping with your recovery after¡­ whatever injured you.¡±

    ¡°Right¡­¡± Harper kept his face still as he looked down on his chest, lightly placing his paw on top.

    It wasn¡¯t that Harper knew what injured him, he knew what killed him.

    He felt his breathing rise, taking in sharp inhales and staggered exhales. His arms briefly shuddered from adrenaline, subconsciously remembering the pain from the blast. Harper felt the hunks of metal piercing his flesh, the flames washing over his bo¡ª

    ¡°¡­Kid?¡±

    Beartic''s voice snapped Harper back to reality as he caught himself from having another panic attack. His eyes darted around the set as he mentally observed everything around him to calm himself down. He took in the detail of the set, the cameras surrounding them, the lighting from the lamps high above. Eventually, Harper returned to normal, relieved that he didn''t end up having another episode like the one in the cafeteria.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°Damn it¡­ I shouldn¡¯t have brought your injury up, I need to watch what I say¡­¡± The polar bear muttered before giving a single pat on his head. ¡°You feeling better?¡±

    Harper nodded, taking one final deep breath in and out. ¡°Yeah, I am. ¡±

    He regained his focus, not wanting to delay today¡¯s production, but Harper realized that Zorro and Eve witnessed everything. He thought they went back on set, but they were still here the entire time.

    ¡°Mr. Harper, are you ok?¡± Eve stared at him with worry all over her face, identical to Zorro¡¯s. ¡°You looked really scared¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, really,¡± Harper tried to comfort the eevee and poochyena, but to no avail, they still looked concerned despite his efforts.

    He turned to Beartic. ¡°Should I tell them about my¡­ my condition?¡±

    ¡°Well, since you¡¯ve said it out loud, they know something¡¯s going on now,¡± Beartic answered, looking at the two young pok¨¦mon, their ears perked up.

    ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll tell you two about it at some point,¡± Harper told Zorro and Eve before noticing Celine in the distance giving the thumbs up from her director¡¯s chair. ¡°It looks like they¡¯re ready for a reshoot.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t forget my lines ever again, Mr. Harper!¡± Zorro exclaimed, catching Harper off guard. ¡°I don¡¯t like seeing anyone sad!¡±

    ¡°Y-Yeah!¡± Eve followed along, wanting to join in the encouragement. ¡°We¡¯ll do even better!¡±

    Before Harper could thank the two, they dashed back to the set, eager to continue filming. He and Beartic couldn¡¯t help but be amused at the sight.

    Not wanting to simmer any longer about his condition, Harper decided to change the subject to lighten up the mood. He remembered the meeting Beartic and Brycen had with the director to pick the remaining voice actors, and he was curious about how they were.

    ¡°I wanted to ask, how do the voice actors who¡¯re playing us sound like? You listened to recordings of them, right?¡±

    Beartic nodded. "The guy voicing me sounds more gruff, but he knew how to deliver his lines cheerfully. Your voice actor''s voice is slightly lower pitched than yours. I guess Celine wanted a more mature-sounding Assistant Guildmaster."

    Was his voice not deep enough? Enough time had passed since his change into a riolu where he adjusted to his new voice, but now that Beartic brought it up, he was self-conscious of his pitch again.

    Harper cleared his throat. ¡°Does my voice really sound that high?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re still young, kid,¡± Beartic lowered his voice as if he were teasing him. ¡°You¡¯ll eventually grow out of it.¡±

    Harper playfully elbowed Beartic¡¯s leg before looking back at the set. The sixth scene was playing out well so far, and Zorro looked more confident than ever.

    ¡°Wow! What is this building?¡± His character marveled at the observatory¡¯s design. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen something like this in Sonamu Town before!¡±

    Harper gave a thumbs up to Celine, who returned one back and waved a continuous circle to the camera crew, signaling them to continue rolling the film. As their characters transitioned into the next continuous scene, Harper began to reminisce about an observatory similar in design to the one he used to visit all the time.

    In Los Angeles, there was no observatory like the Griffith Observatory when it came to how much it provided towards the history of filmography. With just one film from the 1950s, it turned the place into a cultural landmark for the city. Harper loved visiting the place not only for its relevance to his passion but that it also had one, if not the, best sights of LA ever. Looking over the city of stars, away from the infamous traffic and the less-than-favorable people, felt calming after a long day of filming.

    He missed that feeling, he missed the view of the city he called home despite its failings.

    Harper wished he could see it again one last time.

    <hr>

    Brycen had alerted both the director and Mr. Stu Deeoh that he¡¯d be spending the day outside, and the two of them were fine with his sudden decision. When asked why, he told them that he wanted to give his thanks to the Floccesy Ranch owners in person.

    But that was only the first reason for leaving.

    After his talk with Beartic, Brycen took the initiative to figure out why Harper''s mental state was as unstable as it was. The riolu would be perfectly fine for a few days before his panic attack suddenly struck. His staggered breathing, trembling limbs, the fear in his eyes¡­

    He wished to never witness it again.

    The distance between Virbank City and the ranch was walkable, but because of his desire to find answers fast, he headed to a nearby Ranger Base by the Route 20 gate. He knew of their service to provide local transport for people traveling across routes if they didn¡¯t have a pok¨¦mon for protection.

    Brycen stepped through the sliding glass doors and into the base. The flooring was covered in artificial grass that was an overly bright green, clashing sharply with the metallic decor. Several staff members were busy at their computers behind the front desk, while the receptionist momentarily looked up from his screen to acknowledge Brycen''s presence.

    ¡°Hello!¡± The receptionist greeted him with a smile. ¡°How can I help you today?¡±

    ¡°I would like an escort to Floccesy Ranch by pok¨¦mon transportation,¡± Brycen requested. ¡°Is there a Ranger available?¡±

    ¡°There is,¡± The man nodded as he spun himself around on his seat to the staff behind him before shouting. ¡°We¡¯ve got a request for a¡ª¡±

    ¡°I heard!¡± A male voice echoed back. ¡°I¡¯ll be there right away!¡±

    A moment later, a Paldean man outfitted in Ranger equipment showed up at the front. As soon as the Ranger realized who the request came from, he stood in awe.

    ¡°W-Wow, Brycen! It''s really you!¡± The Ranger¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°How come you¡¯re here?¡±

    ¡°To make a request for a ride via a Ranger¡¯s pok¨¦mon,¡± Brycen repeated. ¡°I assume that you¡¯re the Ranger who will be assisting me today.¡±

    ¡°I¡ª Yeah! I¡¯m more than willing to help!¡±

    At that moment, several heads popped up from their desks, curious about the sudden noise. Gasps and excited whispers spread among the staff as they recognized who Brycen was.

    ¡°¡®Brycen?¡¯¡± The receptionist said his name in confusion as he turned to the Ranger. ¡°Is he a big deal?¡±

    ¡°¡®Is he a big deal?!¡¯ Are you living under a crustle or something, Henry?! He''s one of the biggest movie stars like¡­ ever!¡± The Ranger waved his hands towards Brycen as if he were on display. ¡°You¡¯ve lived in Unova for years, how''d you not know that?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not a movie guy¡­¡± Henry mumbled in his defense.

    ¡°He was also the Ice-type Gym Leader who fought against Team Plasma when they invaded the League! I mean c¡¯mon, man!¡±

    Brycen gave an audible cough with a balled-up fist, intentionally interrupting their feud. ¡°So will we be heading out?¡±

    The Ranger nodded. ¡°Y-Yes, of course, I¡¯m sorry about that. I do have to ask though, why don¡¯t you have your pok¨¦mon?¡± He peeked over at Brycen¡¯s kimono, noticing the lack of pok¨¦balls on his person.

    ¡°My team is over in Icirrus City and my ace pok¨¦mon is currently busy in Pok¨¦star Studios.¡±

    ¡°I see, well, I can take you there myself!¡± The Ranger pointed a thumb to his chest before making his way around the front desk and splitting the crowd of people that surrounded them like the Arceun Sea to the front door. ¡°Make way, everyone! I don¡¯t think Brycen¡¯s in the mood for selfies and autographs!¡±

    Sounds of disappointment rang in the air as Brycen and the Ranger left the station. As they stepped onto the dirt path, the Ranger unclasped his pok¨¦ball and tossed it in the air, releasing a sawsbuck in front of them. The seasonal deer¡¯s antlers were covered with evergreen leaves that emitted a smooth, fresh scent as the wind blew by.

    ¡°Out of all the pok¨¦mon we have in this station, she¡¯s the fastest one of all¡ª¡± The Ranger approached the sawsbuck and rubbed her cheek as she closed her eyes with contentment. ¡°¡ªAnd I¡¯m proud to have her as my partner pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°I can see why,¡± Brycen gave a small smile at the bond he was witnessing in front of him. ¡°She seems to be in great health, you''ve done a great job with taking care of her.¡±

    "It''s an honor to hear that from someone like yourself," The Ranger beamed with pride before hopping on the sawsbuck and patting the free spot behind him. "Hop on! We''ll be at the ranch in no time!"

    The Ranger wasn''t boasting about the sawsbuck''s speed; in just a few seconds, they reached speeds fast enough for the passing trees to become a blur.

    ¡°Are you used to riding around this fast?¡± Brycen spoke through the blowing winds.

    ¡°We can go faster if you''d like!¡± He shouted back before figuring out what Brycen was insinuating. ¡°Do you want to go slower?¡±

    ¡°A more manageable pace would be appreciated.¡±

    The sawsbuck decelerated to a brisk walk, much slower than before but much faster than Brycen''s running speed.

    ¡°Sorry about that,¡± The Ranger apologized. ¡°The clients I help usually want to get to their destination ASAP.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not in a rush to get to Floccesy Ranch, but I would still like to get there quickly,¡± Brycen replied.

    ¡°Of course,¡± The Ranger nodded as he patted the side of the sawsbuck, maintaining their pace.

    ¡°I don''t think I''ve gotten your name earlier,¡± Brycen remarked. ¡°The same goes for your sawsbuck as well.¡±

    ¡°My name¡¯s Anton and her name is Viva,¡± He answered as Viva turned her head to Brycen with a small nod. ¡°We¡¯ve been stationed around the Southwestern area of Unova for a few years now.¡±

    ¡°You must know this part of the region well then.¡±

    ¡°I sure do, especially around Floccesy Ranch. Do you mind if I ask why you''re visiting there?¡± Anton asked. ¡°It¡¯s a bit strange to see a former Gym Leader visit such a place.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because the couple there helped a pok¨¦mon of mine recover from an injury and I wanted to give my thanks despite the delay,¡± Brycen answered.

    ¡°There¡¯s only one pok¨¦mon that I know they¡¯ve helped before¡­¡± Anton murmured to himself before his eyes widened a moment later. ¡°Wait, was that riolu ¡®Harper?¡¯¡±

    ¡°Yes, it was,¡± Brycen hid his surprise. ¡°How did you know?¡±

    ¡°I was actually the Ranger that Reed and Meadow called to find the supposed wild Fire-type that injured him,¡± Anton took his stylus out and scrolled down the screen filled with requests and landed on one of them, showing it to Brycen. ¡°Since there were no traces of fire damage on the flora and fauna anywhere around Route 20, I had to call the case cold.¡±

    The Ranger¡¯s answer disappointed Brycen slightly. He coincidentally bumped into someone directly involved with solving the mystery behind Harper and even Anton failed to find a clue. Yet, despite all that, it didn¡¯t deter him from wanting to figure this out for himself.

    ¡°I still intend to visit the couple to thank them, but I also want to look around for myself. If it truly is a dead end, I would like to see for myself.¡±

    ¡°Then¡­ Is it ok if I come with? Maybe we¡¯ll find something if we¡¯re together.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I would appreciate the assistance.¡±

    As Anton reached out to the Ranger Base to inform them of his delayed return via stylus communication, Brycen took in the scenery surrounding them. The towering trees, green grass, and vibrant flowers created a pleasing backdrop, a refreshing change from the back lots of Pok¨¦star Studios. He began to wonder how everyone was faring back home while he was outside. Brycen felt at ease, knowing that Beartic would keep the twins and their pok¨¦mon on track alongside Harper in his absence.

    Hearing a click in front, Anton closed his stylus and holstered it on his hip. ¡°You know, my daughter is a fan of ¡®Full Metal Cop.¡¯ She forces Viva and I to watch it with her almost every night,¡± Anton said, with Viva huffing along with a smirk. ¡°She''s especially a huge fan of the Sneasel Ninja, so much so that she wants a sneasel herself. I¡¯d surprise her with one if I knew where to catch one¡­¡±

    ¡°They are abundant in numbers in the Giant Chasm,¡± Brycen recalled when he caught Weavile when she was just a sneasel. ¡°Be careful if you decide to go, sneasels are usually wary of strangers.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Anton smiled, intrigued. ¡°Thanks, I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±

    Amidst the throngs of media and paparazzi that Brycen often encountered, it was refreshing to see children and their parents enjoying movies for the stories and the connections with pok¨¦mon that they showed, rather than solely for the actors and actresses who starred in them. Brycen had never been keen on handing out autographs since many recipients would quickly sell them online soon after. This time was different, as he wanted to give one to a young fan, and not the usual sleazy autograph trader.

    ¡°What''s your daughter¡¯s name?¡±

    ¡°Amelia. The name came from her mother since I have no naming sense. She''s also the one who named Viva for me,¡± Anton turned his body around to face Brycen. ¡°Wait, why do you ask?¡±

    ¡°Do you have a pen and paper?¡±

    ¡°I do¡ª¡± Anton reached into his pockets and took out a pen and a notepad before handing it over. ¡°¡ªBut why do you need it?¡±

    Brycen flipped the notepad to an empty page and scribbled his signature and a small quip in character to Mecha Cop.

    ¡°Give this to Amelia when you return home,¡± He handed the notepad and pen back.

    ¡°¡®Hello, Amelia, there is no other hero like the Sneasel Ninja to the World Police, We continue to fight for justice!¡¯¡± Anton read the writing aloud with a grin. ¡°Thanks, Brycen, she¡¯s gonna love this.¡±

    Brycen simply hummed in response, glad that he made someone¡¯s day.

    Anton carefully pocketed his notepad, not wanting to ruin the gift. ¡°You know, speaking of movies, I couldn''t help but notice how you said that your ace was busy at Pok¨¦star Studios, what are they cooking up now?¡±

    ¡° ¡­That is confidential.¡±

    ¡°So¡­ The rumors are true then?¡±

    ¡°What rumors?¡±

    ¡°My coworkers¡ªnot including Henry¡ªwere talking about how they saw photos of Professor Juniper¡¯s assistant in Pok¨¦star Studios. The rumors that have been spreading around online are talking as if the Unovan Research Team is making something.¡±

    Brycen remained silent, hiding his frustration that paparazzi had yet again managed to spread rumors. It was a vicious cycle that he¡¯d never be able to end, but that was how it was in the entertainment industry.

    "I''ll take your silence as a yes," Anton acknowledged. "Don''t worry, I won''t tell anyone, not even my coworkers who love gossiping about this kind of thing."

    ¡°Thank you, Anton.¡±

    Brycen made out the entrance to Floccesy Ranch in the distance. As they entered through the gate, he heard resounding barks from far away that gradually grew louder as he saw two herdiers eagerly run towards them.

    ¡°Hey Winston! Hi Willow!¡± Anton pet the top of their heads as they leaned up on their front paws on Viva as support. ¡°Do the two of you mind if you can tell Reed that we¡¯re here?¡±

    The two barked again in unison as one dashed to the ranch¡¯s farmhouse and the other into the barn. A few seconds later, a man in green overalls and a red bandanna emerged from the front porch.

    ¡°Oh! Hello, Anton!¡± Reed called out with a wave as Winston led him to the actor and Ranger. ¡°It¡¯s great to see you again!¡±

    Anton stuck his hand out and firmly shook the farmer¡¯s hand ¡°It¡¯s great to see you as well, but I¡¯m here to look at your request again.¡±

    ¡°The one for the dangerous Fire-type? There hasn¡¯t been anything new about it ever since my wife and I made that request. Did you figure something out?¡±

    ¡°No, but there¡¯s someone that made me want to look again,¡± Anton waved over at Brycen.

    ¡°Brycen?¡± Reed gasped in disbelief. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s really you!¡±

    ¡°Thank you for treating Harper back when he was injured,¡± Brycen shook Reed¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for not giving my gratitude earlier, I have been meaning to do so for some time.¡±

    ¡°All we did was help a pok¨¦mon in need,¡± Reed humbly replied as he loosened his grip. ¡°Imagine our surprise when we saw the little riolu with our herdiers, all covered in injuries.¡±

    ¡°Harper wished to send his greetings and well wishes to you and Meadow.¡±

    Reed hummed and nodded. ¡°So Harper is his name¡­ Did you come up with that? Can¡¯t help but say it''s unique for a pok¨¦mon.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t, he remembered his name.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like he¡¯s recovering his memories like how his body did.¡±

    ¡°Sadly, I can¡¯t say the same for his mental state.¡±

    By the barn, Meadow walked out of its doors alongside Willow, now aware of the group that congregated outside.

    ¡°Anton! It¡¯s nice to see you!¡± Meadow greeted the Ranger, later seeing the actor next to him. ¡°And Brycen as well? It''s an honor to see you here on our ranch!¡±

    ¡°He wanted to thank us for helping with the riolu¡¯s injuries,¡± Reed explained to his wife before turning back to Brycen, his expression now serious. ¡°You mentioned something about his mental state¡­ Is something the matter?¡±

    ¡°Ever since his recovery, Harper had been experiencing panic attacks of worrying quality. He hasn''t shown signs of recovering his memories and has only remembered his name. I intend to find whatever caused his injury and mental trauma.¡±

    ¡°Mental trauma?¡± Meadow repeated. ¡°Oh dear¡­¡±

    ¡°After Brycen explained everything to me, I wanted to help in his search,¡± Anton continued. ¡°Do you mind if Winston and Willow could take us to where they found Harper again?¡±

    ¡°They''ll be more than willing to help,¡± Reed answered as the herdiers barked in agreement, already making their way to the fence bordering the forest.

    ¡°Shall we?¡± Anton hopped on Viva and lent a hand to Brycen.

    <hr>

    The foliage around them became more abundant as they traveled deeper into the forest by Route 20. Without the guidance of Winston and Willow, navigating around here would have been a much more debilitating task.

    Though a far contrast to the Pinwheel Forest when comparing the density of Bug-types in the vicinity, it still reminded Brycen of his time as a trainer. He fondly remembered his journey from the end of Castelia¡¯s Skyarrow Bridge to Nacrene City for his sixth badge. While his pok¨¦mon team was more than capable enough to sweep the native pok¨¦mon and the nearby trainers that got in their way, the time spent inside the forest nearly drained their resources.

    Despite the reasoning as to why he was outside, Brycen still enjoyed his brief time away from Pok¨¦star Studios. Beartic was right in that a break was a favorable thing to do.

    ¡°The herdiers stopped moving,¡± Anton alerted as Viva halted. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡±

    After hopping off of the sawsbuck¡¯s back, Brycen took the time to observe the scenery. The area acted like a safe haven from the labyrinthian amount of trees surrounding them. There was a small, clear pond and a small clearing around the place.

    ¡°Was this where you two found Harper?¡± Brycen asked Winston and Willow, who nodded soon after.

    "This is the same spot they led me to when I was tasked with finishing their request," Anton confirmed, pointing to a nearby tree. "That''s the exact spot where they found your riolu."

    Brycen knelt down where Anton pointed, touching the ground in search of clues.

    ¡°Viva and I looked around the vicinity the last time I was here and we didn''t find a single clue. The herdiers couldn''t trace any scent around either.¡±

    ¡°And that''s when you called the case to be cold,¡± Brycen concluded, with Anton nodding in confirmation.

    ¡°I was wondering if we circled around the area again, maybe Viva and I would find something with you around.¡±

    Anton''s words slipped through Brycen''s head as he stared deeply into the waters nearby. Inside the pond, he made out a dull, blackened square at the bottom. With a quick glance, it blended with the rocks and dirt underwater, but a close inspection revealed it to be an unnatural addition.

    ¡°¡­Have you searched the pond?¡±

    ¡°No, we haven¡¯t. Do you see something inside?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to grab it,¡± Brycen began taking off his kimono and outer apparel, throwing it to Anton for him to catch.

    ¡°He¡ª Ooph!¡± Anton¡¯s grunt was muffled by Brycen¡¯s clothing. ¡°You''re really gonna dive in there? You might get a cold!¡±

    ¡°Anton, are you forgetting who I am?¡± Brycen remarked before taking a deep breath and diving headfirst into the water, much to the initial shock of the Ranger, his pok¨¦mon, and the two herdiers.

    The water was indeed cold like Anton predicted, but to Brycen, he could tolerate it much more than what he used to train with. Long-term exposure to Ice TE gave him a much higher tolerance for low temperatures than the average person. It wasn''t enough to call it invulnerability, as he was still affected by the frigidity of Beartic''s ice, but Brycen knew he still had it in him to climb Twist Mountain with minimal warmth.

    As Brycen descended into the cold water, he spotted a peculiar shape resting at the bottom. He reached for the odd object, its rough surface intriguing against his fingertips. He kicked hard and propelled himself upward, breaking the surface with a gasp before stepping out of the water, soaking wet.

    ¡°That was quick!¡± Anton draped Brycen¡¯s kimono around him like a beach towel. ¡°I saw you grab something, what is it?¡±

    Brycen''s hand emerged from the opening of his kimono, fingers wrapped around the charred, soaked remnants of what once appeared to be leather. Initially a rich brown, the material had been devastated by a Fire-type move and then left submerged for a lengthy period, changing its color into a dark green and gray, reminiscent of mold.

    ¡°A¡­ piece of leather?¡± Anton picked it up with pinched fingers, shaking off the excess moisture. ¡°Definitely not something you naturally find in a forest. It being underwater must be why Winston and Willow couldn''t find it, they''d have found it by scent in an instant.¡±

    ¡°It seems to be the remains of a wallet. There¡¯s a pocket on the side,¡± Brycen pointed out.

    The Ranger pulled out a single plastic card from the pocket, its text and photo melted beyond recognition. The figure in the photo lacked any defining features to clue anything in due to the scorch marks. The only detail Brycen could make out was one word, and even then it was almost unpronounceable.

    ¡°Ca¡­ f¡­ nia?¡± Anton read aloud, straining his eyes on the misshapen piece of plastic. ¡°Do you have any idea what that is, Brycen?¡±

    ¡°Not a clue,¡± He frowned. ¡°Is there anything else inside?¡±

    Anton flipped the wallet upside down with a hand underneath, ready to catch whatever fell. After some shaking, nothing fell out.

    ¡°Nope, that''s it.¡±

    ¡°So this is the only clue we have¡­¡±

    ¡°At least we''re off to a good start though,¡± Anton tried to cheer him up. ¡°I didn''t find a lead like this when I was here.¡±

    ¡°While this does give an answer, it only raises more questions.¡±

    ¡°Like what?¡±

    ¡°A wild Fire-type pok¨¦mon didn¡¯t injure Harper, but a trained one. I believe that he was targeted by someone with ill intent, something man-made like this wallet wouldn''t be around if he was attacked by a wild pok¨¦mon.¡±

    ¡°So who¡¯s wallet is this then?¡± Anton pointed at the piece of leather with his hand, perplexed. ¡°Is it Harper¡¯s trainer?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what raises the questions,¡± Brycen responded. ¡°This might be a missing persons case.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll look around the missing persons database back at Ranger Base, but I think we should head back to Floccesy Ranch, you''re still soaking wet.¡±

    ¡°I hope that I won''t intrude when I ask for a small shower.¡±

    ¡°Herd! Herire!¡± Winston rapidly shook his head.

    ¡°Seems like they know that Reed and Meadow will be fine with it,¡± Anton chuckled.

    ¡°Then let us hurry,¡± Brycen accepted. ¡°And thank you for the help today.¡±

    ¡°Just doing my job as a local Ranger. If you ever need me again, you know where to go!¡±

    As the herdiers led them all back to the ranch, Brycen took another look at the damaged wallet. Whatever connection it had to Harper, it would surely cause a reaction once shown to him. Hopefully, this brought some answers to the table.

    It needed to.

 Scene 3 - Take 8: Lamented Affairs and Personal Nightmares

    The advice Harper offered clearly inspired Zorro and Eve, as the day unfolded smoothly without any significant hiccups. They also made great strides in completing the third episode, with just the epilogue remaining to wrap up, just as they had done with their previous episodes.

    Right now, Harper and Beartic were in the observatory set, waiting for the camera crew to finish their rearrangement of the cameras. Zorro and Eve were with their trainers in the back alongside Bianca to watch the final section of the day be filmed.

    As Harper went over the dialogue one final time, he saw Beartic idly play around with a prop of a telescope, revolving it around in circles on its tripod.

    ¡°Have I told you how fun acting in these epilogues are?¡± The polar bear grinned, placing a paw on the top, stopping it spinning in place. ¡°I look forward to acting in these more than acting in the episode itself.¡±

    ¡°I think this is the billionth time you told me,¡± Harper replied dryly, his eyes flicking upward at the boom pole dangling from high above. ¡°Maybe the billionth-and-oneth time.¡±

    Beartic chuckled. ¡°Right, I did, didn¡¯t I? Well, I can''t wait to see the final product when they finish those animated segments.¡±

    ¡°Like the one in the berry episode?¡± Harper asked, shifting his weight as he leaned against the set railing.

    For the berry episode¡¯s epilogue, they spoke their lines as they looked at the frame of a blackboard with a green screen inside. From the script Harper read, the animation was planned to depict a cartoon riolu dealing with different status conditions and getting healed by various kinds of berries to remind its uses to the viewer. For the epilogue they were going to act, it was now to reteach the effects weather had on pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°Yup, and this episode as well,¡± Beartic nodded before continuing. ¡°Celine said that they don''t have them animated yet, but we¡¯ll see them by the time filming is over.¡±

    At the mention of the director, Celine clapped her hands twice, drawing the attention of the cast and crew. ¡°Are we all ready now?¡± she called out, her voice sharp and commanding. ¡°If we are, this is the last scene we¡¯ll be shooting tonight! If we get this in one take, we can all end early!¡±

    With the film crew remotivated, all the lights flashed brightly onto the set. The cameras angled themselves to the center, facing Harper and Beartic.

    ¡°Time to have fun,¡± Beartic said with a smirk, rolling his shoulders and shaking off any lingering tension.

    Harper returned a smile, ready to begin acting alongside the polar bear again.

    Celine raised a megaphone to her mouth, her voice amplified as she called out, ¡°Let¡¯s do this, everyone. Action!¡±

    <hr>

    The observatory was quiet, its walls adorned with notes, sketches, and diagrams meticulously pinned to various surfaces. Tundra and Luca wandered around the center of the room, their eyes scanning the array of drawings and writings.

    ¡°It sure is nice that Ranni let the two of us into her observatory for the night,¡± Tundra remarked, his gaze drifting across the charts and star maps. ¡°We couldn¡¯t find the time during the day for our own tour here.¡±

    Luca nodded, trailing a paw along a line of annotated sketches. ¡°Since she lives closer to the town square, we won¡¯t be disturbing her past bedtime.¡±

    As they explored, Tundra¡¯s gaze landed on a table at the far end of the room. He approached it and picked up a drawing of a constellation.

    ¡°It seems that Ranni has an interest in observing the stars as much as the weather,¡± He mused, holding up the sketch.

    Tundra then turned his attention to a large telescope nearby. Peering through the lens, he observed the night sky before looking back at Luca.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we look at them ourselves?¡± He suggested. ¡°The sky is clear tonight thanks to Team Horizon. There are a few constellations I¡¯d like to see.¡±

    Luca gave a small sigh, failing to suppress a smile. ¡°I guess I should help to entertain you, Guildmaster.¡±

    The sky was a vast, dark expanse, glittering with countless stars. Through the telescope¡¯s spherical lens, Tundra adjusted the angle every few seconds, taking in the celestial sights.

    ¡°Do you see that constellation over there?¡± Tundra directed his attention to the stars, his voice carrying a note of wonder. ¡°It looks like a raincloud.¡±

    A cluster of stars twinkled brighter, forming the shape of a cloud with tiny raindrops beneath it.

    ¡°Don¡¯t these stars remind you of what Pepper and Hazel fixed today?¡± Tundra continued.

    ¡°If you mean the weather we all experienced, then yes,¡± Luca replied, his voice carrying a note of dry humor.

    The raincloud constellation began to shift, its animated droplets falling onto a constellation of Pok¨¦mon. Some of the celestial creatures smiled while others frowned.

    ¡°The weather affects pok¨¦mon in different ways,¡± Tundra explained, his voice calm and instructive. ¡°Rain strengthens the moves of Water-types and weakens Fire-types.¡±

    The stars shifted again, forming a radiant sun that cast its glow onto the Pok¨¦mon constellations. The once-smiling Pok¨¦mon now frowned, while those that had frowned earlier were now smiling.

    ¡°It looks like the sad Pok¨¦mon from before are smiling now,¡± Luca observed.

    Tundra nodded. ¡°Under harsh sunlight, Fire-type pok¨¦mon grow stronger while Water-type pok¨¦mon become weaker.¡±

    The stars rearranged themselves into a swirling depiction of a sandstorm. Tiny grains of celestial sand seemed to blow through the scene, causing the Pok¨¦mon constellations to cover their eyes.

    ¡°Sandstorms hurt pok¨¦mon and cause them to lose accuracy due to the sand affecting their vision,¡± Tundra continued his explanation. ¡°But not Rock, Ground, or Steel-types¡ªthey can power through them.¡±

    ¡°My eyes were stinging when that sandstorm blew into the guild¡¯s entrance,¡± Luca muttered, recalling the discomfort.

    ¡°That¡¯s because you haven¡¯t evolved into a Lucario yet,¡± Tundra replied with a slight smirk. ¡°They¡¯re part Steel-type, which you aren¡¯t yet.¡±

    The sandstorm settled, and the stars shifted again, forming a serene depiction of falling snow. The snow accumulated atop the shivering Pok¨¦mon constellations.

    ¡°Snow is unique as it also hurts pok¨¦mon,¡± Tundra noted. ¡°But it also increases the defenses of Ice-types because of their affinity for cold temperatures.¡±

    ¡°Hail does something similar,¡± Luca added. ¡°Though it¡¯s a far rarer occurrence here in Sonamu Town.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right, Luca,¡± Tundra agreed. ¡°And we should be thankful it didn¡¯t occur during that storm. I can¡¯t even imagine the extra damage it might have caused.¡±

    Tundra leaned back from the telescope, stretching as he rose to his full height.

    ¡°Well,¡± he said with a satisfied sigh, ¡°I can see why Ranni enjoys stargazing so much.¡±

    Luca glanced at him, a touch of curiosity in his voice. ¡°Are stars usually that¡­ lively?¡±

    Tundra only shrugged in response. The two Pok¨¦mon turned their attention back to the sky, now gazing through the glass dome above them as the stars shimmered brightly down onto them.

    <hr>

    ¡°Cut!¡±

    Harper loosened his shoulders, finally letting go of the stoic position he had been holding. He didn''t see himself as someone who could be bureaucratic or stern, but that¡¯s what acting was all about, being someone you weren''t.

    ¡°Nice work, kid,¡± Beartic gave a single pat on Harper¡¯s head. ¡°You''re a natural at this.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Harper gave a small grin, still not used to receiving such direct praise. ¡°Now we¡¯ve gotta do five more of these ¡®epilogues.¡¯ The last two episodes feel like a blur¡­¡±

    ¡°It sounds as if you want more. So do I, kid. So do I¡­¡±

    As Harper elbowed Beartic¡¯s leg with amusement, he noticed Eve making her way towards him without Zorro at her side. He briefly glanced over at the twins, where the poochyena was still with them. It was an odd sight to see, as they were usually together, even with their sibling-like relationship.

    ¡°Hey Eve, what¡¯s up?¡± Harper approached the eevee. ¡°Something you need from me?¡±

    ¡°Can¡­ Can we have that training tonight?¡± The eevee asked with optimism. ¡°The Director said we¡¯re done now and it¡¯s not night time yet, so¡­¡±

    Harper remembered the promise he made to her after his spar with Zorro and nodded.

    ¡°Sure, let¡¯s go tell them about it. I¡¯m sure they won''t mind.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell Brycen that you''ll be with Eve when he gets back,¡± Beartic then began rubbing his icy beard with concern. ¡°He should''ve been back some time ago¡­¡±

    ¡°Maybe Brycen''s taking his time coming back?¡± Harper wondered. ¡°He doesn''t get time away like this every now and then.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d think that to be the case if it weren¡¯t for the other matter he attended to¡­¡± Beartic muttered, his concern deepening.

    ¡°What are you talking abou¡ª¡± Harper began, but he was interrupted as the exit door of the soundstage suddenly slammed open.

    Brycen stood in the doorway, his expression unreadable but heavy with purpose. Harper was glad to see the veteran actor back from his trip, but that joy was short-lived the moment he saw the man¡¯s face.

    Harper viewed Brycen to be a stoic, yet compassionate person. Someone willing to help despite how strict it can be. Despite being cold like ice, there were times that the former Gym Leader expressed moments of warmth.

    Harper couldn¡¯t see that now.

    |[Disquietude]|

    And Harper certainly didn''t feel it either.

    ¡°Beartic, Harper, come with me now,¡± Brycen ordered, his voice clipped and serious. ¡°I want to talk in private.¡±

    ¡°I guess that training with Eve is going to have to wait till tomorrow,¡± Beartic turned to Harper, a foreboding sense grew as he spoke. ¡°Sounds like we might need the rest of the night to ourselves.¡±

    ¡°Beartic, what¡¯s going on?¡± Harper asked, his confusion growing.

    ¡°Brycen will explain it, but we need to go now,¡± Beartic replied firmly.

    While Harper couldn¡¯t understand what was going on right now, he felt a bit disappointed that he couldn¡¯t help Eve now. Still, it wasn¡¯t that he outright canceled it, but rather only delayed it.

    ¡°We¡¯ll have to do what Beartic said, ok?¡± Harper reassured the eevee, trying to apologize at the same time. ¡°If I remember correctly, we have tons of time tomorrow according to our call sheets.¡±

    ¡°Ok¡­¡± Eve¡¯s ears drooped as she walked to her trainer. Claire and everyone else stared in silence at Brycen¡¯s sudden arrival.

    Feeling guilty, Harper quickly caught up with Beartic and left the soundstage with Brycen, the two remaining silent through their walk to their van. Harper and Brycen entered the vehicle as Beartic lingered outside, peering in through the open window. The two sat down together on the sofa, the atmosphere since leaving the soundstage had remained unchanged, and he doubted it was going to get better any time soon.

    With a deep breath in and out, Brycen began to talk.

    ¡°I would first like to apologize for leaving without warning. I told Beartic about my plan to leave for the ranch for the day and I assume he told you long after my departure.¡±

    ¡°I¡ª yeah, it¡¯s ok,¡± Harper answered with uncertainty. ¡°I still don''t get what''s going on¡­¡±This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    ¡°My reasoning about visiting the ranch owners to thank them for helping you recover was only half of the truth,¡± Brycen admitted, reaching into his pocket and keeping his hand in. ¡°After giving my thanks, I requested their help in finding where you first appeared in order to find any clues about your amnesia.¡±

    Brycen withdrew his hand slowly and placed the item in front of them on the table.

    ¡°Harper, I have found an item that may be of significance to you, but I want you to be aware that it might cause you to have a panic attack. Do you feel ready to see it?¡± he asked gently.

    Harper froze in place, only realizing what Brycen had done all day just now. He went all the way to the ranch and to the forest where he first appeared in Unova. From the hysteria and disbelief that Harper was under at the time, he wasn¡¯t aware of the fact that he brought anything with him when he died¡­

    When he died¡­

    He DiEd¡­

    HE DI¡ª

    Harper suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder, and he turned to Brycen.

    ¡°Take a deep breath,¡± Brycen soothed him. ¡°If you would like to see this later, you may.¡±

    Harper followed his advice, taking one deep breath at a time to steady his nerves. After a few moments, he felt ready to move forward.

    ¡°I¡­ I want to see it.¡±

    Understanding Harper¡¯s newfound resolve, Brycen slowly slid his hand out and placed the item in front of them on the table.

    Although it was damaged and discolored, Harper immediately recognized his own wallet.

    ¡°H-How¡­?¡± Harper whispered, his voice barely audible.

    ¡°With the aid of a local Ranger, I found this near where the ranch owner¡¯s herdiers first found you in a pond¡ª¡± Brycen explained, taking out a misshapen card from his pocket soon after. ¡°¡ªInside was a single card, but with how deformed it has become, reading it is a difficult task.¡±

    Shakily, Harper took the card and held it closer to himself. Even though it was disfigured, he recognized every part of it. After using it for years, it was hard not to recall each aspect; the golden bear with a star at the top-right corner, the state he lived in written in a large, barely-illegitimate font, and the burnt photo of a tired man staring back.

    This was his California ID.

    His thoughts raced, how did this get here? There was nothing that the explosion brought with him when he woke up in that forest. If his wallet was brought over, then was there anything else that came over? If that were true, then how did that explosion bring him here in the first place? Was his body transformed into a riolu? It must¡¯ve been because his scar still existed, but how in the world did that transfer over?

    Why wasn¡¯t anything making sense?

    Why couldn¡¯t he get any answers?

    Why can¡¯t this be any MORE simple?

    WHY CAN¡¯T¡ª

    ¡°¡ªey kid?¡± Beartic¡¯s voice cut through Harper¡¯s spiraling thoughts. ¡°You ok? You were sitting real still there.¡±

    Harper blinked twice, suddenly aware of his surroundings. ¡°I¡ª Sorry, I don¡¯t know¡­¡±

    Things had been going so well for him, but a cruel reminder of his past had to show up. It also didn¡¯t help that he had to lie about his identity up to this point. With how long he¡¯d kept up with his excuse about having retrograde amnesia, it was much too late to make things right. Harper was still nervous to an extreme about revealing himself, because if he did, what consequences would happen?

    He lied to the entirety of Pok¨¦star Studios, to the foundation of filmography of Unova.

    He lied to Audrey and Ripley, the Coordination Duo that dreamed big despite regional setbacks, and achieved them regardless.

    He lied to Zorro and Eve, two young pok¨¦mon with true, genuine talent that looked up to a fraud.

    He lied to Brycen, the man who accepted him into his team unconditionally with the intent for the both of them to become better together.

    He lied to Beartic, a pok¨¦mon who Harper couldn¡¯t tell him in the face that he now saw him as a father figure. He was a pok¨¦mon who had done nothing but help, and Harper did nothing in return.

    Harper looked up from his ID card and met his eyes with Brycen and Beartic¡¯s, who had been waiting patiently for his response. He placed the card down as another thought entered his mind.

    ~What¡­ What if things ended better after I told the truth?~

    If Nate accepted the truth from him after some explaining, wouldn¡¯t Beartic and Brycen understand as well? Harper never intended to hurt anyone with his lies, but he knew the worry that hung on their psyche because he could feel it every time Harper had his¡­ episodes.

    They went out of their way so many times to help him¡­ even going so far as to find his ID and wallet. If Harper continued to hide himself away, it would only make him feel worse that their search to recover his memories were being wasted.

    Up till now, Harper had never felt ready to explain everything, but would he ever? They had the right to know from the moment they brought him into the studio with welcome arms. Harper only had tunnel vision of the aftereffects that negatively brewed in his head, and he was now seeing this situation in a new perspective.

    While he grew more confident to explain his story, now wasn''t a good time. Harper willed himself to tell them everything once the show was over. He was certain to do so.

    *Can I wait to explain? I don¡¯t think I¡¯m ready yet,* Harper showed his whiteboard and read it aloud for Beartic, his voice wavering.

    ¡°Does that mean that you recovered your memories?¡± Brycen raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°If so, how much have you recovered?¡± Beartic followed up, leaning forward with concern.

    Harper glanced down to the floor. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ complicated. I just need time to prepare myself,¡± He admitted softly. After a moment, he met their gazes again, his expression earnest. ¡°Can you wait just a bit longer? At least until the show ends¡­¡± He asked, a hint of vulnerability in his voice as he showed his whiteboard to Brycen.

    The two actors exchanged a glance with one another, an unspoken understanding passing between them. Their expressions shifted subtly before they turned back to Harper, the weight of their silent communication still hanging in the air.

    ¡°Take your time, Harper,¡± Brycen affirmed with calm and reassurance. ¡°I¡¯m sure that you will tell us. The both of us are glad to see that you have recovered.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s right, it¡¯s been a long time coming,¡± Beartic added with a warm smile. ¡°We¡¯re here for you, ok?¡±

    |[Reassurance]|

    The emotion flowed out from the two, and for the first time in a while, Harper felt the same down to his core. The underlying stress he¡¯d been holding inside had finally eased enough to allow him to take a full, unencumbered breath, as though the weight on his shoulders had momentarily lifted.

    ~I¡­ I should¡¯ve done this sooner¡­~

    <hr>

    The faint rumble of the nearby highway filled Harper''s ears as he drove down the streets of Los Angeles, his car¡¯s headlights shone on the faded billboards and walls laden with graffiti. His fingers gripped the steering wheel tighter than necessary, the sting of failure sharp and familiar.

    Another audition, another rejection.

    Some time later, Harper finally pulled into the driveway of his house. He slumped into his seat after cutting the engine off. With a long sigh, he opened the compartment in the front of the passenger seat and grabbed his spiral planner. He flipped the pages to today¡¯s date. ¡°Audition ¨C 8 PM¡± was neatly written in black ink, and without hesitation, he drew a sharp line through it. The pen scratch joined the numerous other scratched out auditions he attended in the past weeks and months. They were all crossed out with the same ink, and the same dream became harder to reach each time.

    Dragging himself out of the car, Harper stepped into the house. The living room lights were on and a faint yellow glow shone into the hall. He didn¡¯t need to guess who was waiting for him.

    ¡°Another one, huh?¡± His mother huffed, sitting on the couch with a newspaper folded neatly in her lap. ¡°I found a few job listings. Local, stable work. You should take a look.¡± She held the paper out to him, not even waiting for a response from him.

    Harper ran a hand through his hair, ruffling it in frustration from her attempt yet again. ¡°I don¡¯t need this tonight, Mom.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need it any night, Harper,¡± She countered, her voice rising. ¡°But you can¡¯t keep pretending this is going to work out. You¡¯ve given way too much of your life into this¡ªlook where it¡¯s gotten you!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need you controlling every part of my life!¡± He snapped, a groan slipping out soon after.

    Her jaw tightened, setting the newspaper down with deliberate calm. ¡°You think I¡¯m controlling? I¡¯m trying to save you. Your father¡ªhe died in that business. That parasitic industry chews people up and spits them out. He gave everything for it, and look where it left him¡ªwhere it left us.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not fair,¡± Harper growled, stepping closer. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare describe it like that.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the truth,¡± She pressed on with anger and grief rising in her voice. ¡°Your father died with nothing to his name. He was barely rewarded for his work beyond his name in some stupid movie end credits. That¡¯s how they treat people like him¡ªlike you! And you¡¯re going to end up the same way.¡±

    Harper clenched his fists. ¡°You think Dad would want me to give up? He believed in me, Mom. He would want me to make something of myself, to make him proud.¡±

    Her face twisted with frustration, tears threatening to spill. ¡°He¡¯d want you alive, Harper! Not chasing a dream that¡¯s already broken this family!¡±

    The resounding silence in the room rang between the two for what seemed like hours, both spoken and unspoken words between them stuck like glue.

    Finally, Harper broke the silence.

    He had enough of this.

    The constant arguments, the harsh disdain of his dream, the mother he knew as a child was long gone.

    ¡°You know what? I¡¯m done. I¡¯m done fighting with you, trying to make you understand. I¡¯ll leave. And I¡¯m not coming back until I¡¯ve proven you wrong.¡±

    With a voice cold as steel, she gave her final opinion. ¡°Fine, don¡¯t come running back when you realize how wrong you are. If you walk out that door, you¡¯re on your own.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Harper spat back. He grabbed his keys from the counter and stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

    With forceful steps to release the stress, he threw himself into his car and tightened his grip on the steering wheel, his knuckles turning into a shade of white. He gave one last look at the house he once called home. What used to be foreign and unwelcoming since his father¡¯s death, now became a completely different and alien world.

    Harper thought about the logistics¡ªwhere he¡¯d live now, how he¡¯d move his things, whether he¡¯d need to sleep in his car.

    Likely. At least for tonight.

    The drive around Los Angeles felt like a blur in Harper''s mind. The city¡¯s lights melded and meshed with the constant hum of traffic. Wailing sirens sliced through the noises of car horns while the clatter of construction echoed on the clustered roads and buildings.

    Despite the mental static, he had driven himself to the Griffith Observatory like he did every other night. Harper stepped out of the car, his body heavy with exhaustion and frustration. The wind blowing up the hillside brushed against his face. For a moment, he just stood there, leaning against the car door, his eyes tracing the patterns of the city lights.

    Each one of those dots represented a life¡ªmillions of people in a cluttered space, chasing for their dream that grew meaningless the longer he stared. He wandered up the path to the observatory¡¯s overlook and rested his forearms against the railing, staring out at the city below.

    The view was breathtaking everytime. It was the kind of view that usually brought a sense of relief after a long day. Tonight though, Harper felt nothing but the weight of his failures. The auditions he¡¯d scratched out in his planner, the hollow arguments with his mother, the growing realization that he had nowhere to go¡ªit all pressed down on him like an anchor.

    He let out a bitter laugh, only to mutter at himself soon after. ¡°All of this¡­ and I¡¯m still no closer to making it.¡±

    ~What would dad say if he were here?~

    The thought surfaced and the guilt struck hard soon after. Harper could almost hear his father¡¯s voice, telling him to keep going and to push through the setbacks. But then came his mother¡¯s voice, sharp and cutting, echoing in his mind and arguing back.

    He opened his eyes, but the city below blurred as tears welled up. He blinked them away quickly and glanced around to make sure no one had noticed. The observatory wasn¡¯t crowded this late, but the few people around didn¡¯t pay him any attention.

    Harper tilted his head back to look at the stars. Despite the light pollution of the city making them shine faintly, they were still visible. He let his gaze drift until his eyes settled on one particularly bright star, childishly wishing upon it like it would do anything to help.

    ¡°I just need one chance to make it,¡± He whispered. ¡°Just one.¡±

    He closed his eyes again, letting himself wallow in the silence.

    Without warning, Everything changed. The cool air of the night had vanished, replaced by a suffocating heat. Harper lost his balance from the railing suddenly disappearing underneath his arms and fell face first into softer ground.

    Regaining his footing and opening his eyes, what used to be concrete now appeared to be changed into sand.

    Harper got back onto two feet and stared far into the horizon.

    He was in a desert.

    The sand crunched beneath his shoes as he turned in place, his heart racing. The air felt suffocating, almost like the oxygen was being sucked out of the open space by something all consuming. Panic instinctively rose up in his chest, the hairs on the back of his neck rising.

    When he made a full rotation in place, he came face-to-face with a massive military tank. Familiar rectangular devices stuck all around the metal vehicle, emitting a distant repetitive beep.

    ¡°No, no no no,¡± Harper whispered, taking a step back, but no new distance was made between the tank and himself. He didn¡¯t know how he¡¯d gotten here, but everything here was unmistakable. It was that day.

    ¡°SIR NO DON''T PUSH THE BUTTON!¡±

    The explosion came before he could react. The tank exploded and the blast tore through him, sending flames and debris hurtling at his body. Harper instinctively raised his arms, but it was too late. The force of the explosion hit him with full force, and Har¡ª

    <hr>

    ¡ªper jolted awake, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he propped himself up on the sofa bed. His eyes scanned the room, desperately trying to ground himself back to reality. Eventually, he managed to calm himself down without waking Brycen and Beartic up, his heart gradually stopped racing with each breath.

    A sense of frustration filled Harper in that the memory of his last conversation with his mother resurfaced in his dreams. The memories before he became a Key Grip weren''t pleasant to remember, but so was every other memory after.

    Maybe his regrets for his mother wouldn¡¯t go away for now, but he¡¯d be able to finally move on once he explained everything to Beartic and Brycen. Once they hopefully understood and accepted him, he wouldn¡¯t emotionally feel alone.

    His eyes now quickly adjusted to the darkness, Harper glanced over at the veteran actor who lay stationery in his bed, his chest slowly rising and falling underneath the blanket. On the table beside him, the clock read to be past midnight. A few hours had passed since Harper fell asleep, and now he was too wide awake to go back.

    ~Great,~ He silently groaned as he dragged his paws down his face. ~How do I sleep now¡­~

    That''s when he realized that Beartic''s pok¨¦ball, resting comfortably beside the door, was wide open. Harper stood on his sofa bed and peeked outside the window, unable to find the polar bear in sight.

    ¡°Where did he go?¡± Harper whispered to himself, sitting back down. ¡°Is he outside?¡±

    With no other plan to follow, he decided to go find the Ice-type. Harper needed some fresh air and was also curious as to where Beartic went, might as well kill two birds with one stone.

    ~Or as I heard people say it here; Two pidgeys with Rock Thro¡ª That doesn¡¯t even sound right¡­ God, Pok¨¦mon World idioms are weird¡­~

    Pushing aside his blanket slash Brycen''s kimono, Harper quietly slipped off the sofa bed and crept toward the door. He carefully turned the handle, making sure it wouldn¡¯t click, before stepping outside into the parking lot, sitting down for a moment on the van¡¯s steps.

    He gazed upon the stars like he did in the show¡¯s epilogue and when he was at the Griffith Observatory in his past life. He still wished to be there to see the cityscape one last time, but that feeling was beginning to waver now.

    If he were ever to travel around Unova, he¡¯d be sure to find something better.

 Side Story: Holiday Nights and Christmas Lights

    The Tundra Guild lobby glowed warmly with lanterns, and the area was decorated with garlands of holly and colorful berries. A pine tree in the corner sparkled with Oran Berries, ribbons, and twinkling fairy lights. The guild members gathered around and exchanged wrapped gifts with one another. Guildmaster Tundra and Assistant Guildmaster Luca watched the event from a distance.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ where are those two?¡± Tundra looked around, arms crossed. ¡°It¡¯s not like them to miss a celebration.

    ¡°I heard they¡¯re still hard at work organizing the job boards,¡± Luca smiled knowingly. ¡°They wanted to finish before joining the party.¡±

    Tundra tapped his icy beard, an idea ruminating in his head before a grin formed. ¡°Well, they¡¯ve worked hard this year. I think it¡¯s time the Guildmaster did something special for them.¡±

    "How so?" Luca asked as Tundra eagerly walked down in the direction of his office.

    "You''ll see soon enough," Tundra smirked, waving a paw, and inviting Luca to follow along.

    The two made their way to Tundra¡¯s office, the room dimly lit with a few candles on the desk. In the corner, Tundra opened a large chest, rummaging through its contents. A few seconds later, he pulled out a bright red Santa hat and a matching crimson jacket lined with fluffy white fur.

    ¡°Oh, this old thing," Tundra pawed off the layer of dust still clinging to the costume. "This is perfect for the job."

    ¡°How have I never seen this before, sir?¡± Luca asked, glancing at the chest and back at Tundra.

    ¡°I wore this for the holidays before you became my assistant,¡± Tundra donned the Santa outfit and slung a sack full of presents beside him over his back.

    ¡°Oh! I almost forgot!¡±

    With one paw, Tundra rummaged through the chest and took out an identical Santa hat, handing it to Luca.

    ¡°You need to wear something festive, Luca,¡± He urged the Santa hat closer to the riolu. ¡°Get into the spirit! I think there¡¯s also a white beard if you want to wear i¡ª¡±

    ¡°No thanks, Guildmaster Tundra, I appreciate the hat,¡± Luca quickly placed the hat on his head, adjusting it to fit around his ears. ¡°Shall we surprise Pepper and Hazel, sir?¡±

    Beartic gave a firm nod. ¡°Let¡¯s make this Christmas one they¡¯ll never forget.¡±

    Meanwhile, in the Job Board room, Pepper and Hazel busily sorted through job requests. The only sound in the room was the shuffling of papers and the sighs of the two members.

    ¡°We¡¯ve been at this for hours,¡± Pepper slumped to the floor, rolling to his side. ¡°How much more is there?¡±

    ¡°Just a few more,¡± Hazel counted with her paw. ¡°We¡¯ll finish in time for the party, don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Suddenly, the door creaked open, surprising the two. They looked up to see Tundra dressed as Santa Claus and Luca in a Santa hat behind him, palming his face from the upcoming embarrassment.

    ¡°Ho, ho, ho!¡± Tundra stepped into the room with a jolly laugh, hoisting his bag of presents. ¡°Merry Christmas, Team Horizon!¡±

    ¡°G-Guildmaster?¡± Pepper breathed out with a smile. ¡°Is that¡­ you?"

    ¡°What are you wearing?!¡± Hazel laughed out loud.

    ¡°Just spreading a little holiday cheer!¡± Tundra set his bag down to the ground. ¡°You two have been working so hard, I thought it was time for a special delivery.

    Tundra pulled out two neatly wrapped presents from his sack and handed them to the poochyena and eevee.

    Pepper gently held the gift between his paws. ¡°For us?¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t have to, Guildmaster!¡± Hazel¡¯s voice filled with gratitude.

    The two eagerly tore the wrapping on their gifts off, as Pepper revealed a red and black scarf and Hazel shone a sparkling pin.

    ¡°A Power Scarf!¡± Pepper rushed to wrap it around his neck. ¡°This will make my moves so much stronger!¡±

    ¡°A Defense Pin!¡± Hazel fastened it on her chest. ¡°I can stay in battle for longer now!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve both done so much for the guild this year,¡± Tundra beamed. ¡°You¡¯ve earned it.¡±

    ¡°But did Assistant Guildmaster Luca get a present as well?¡± Pepper asked, turning to the riolu. ¡°He¡¯s helped you a lot as well!¡±

    Luca readjusted his Santa hat with a grin. ¡°I don¡¯t need a present, this is more than enough.¡±

    ¡°Nonsense! I¡¯ll find something for you here!¡± Tundra poked his head into his bag and took out a similarly wrapped present and handed it to Luca. ¡°Here¡¯s my present to you!¡±

    Luca neatly unwrapped the present to unveil a glass jar filled to the brim with an assorted color of gummis.

    ¡°Gummis¡­ my favorite snack¡­!¡± Luca turned the jar in his paw, admiring the inside.

    ¡°I knew my collection of presents would never fail to make someone happy! Now, why don¡¯t we head back to the lobby? I¡¯m sure that the rest of the guild is waiting for us!¡±

    Tundra and Luca led Pepper and Hazel back to the party. As they came out of the hallway, the guild members all cheered with joy.

    ¡°The Guildmaster really knows how to make Christmas special,¡± Pepper commented, watching Tundra hand presents to the other guild members with the help of Luca.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Hazel grinned, placing a paw on her pin. ¡°This has been the best one yet.¡±

    As the guild celebrated, snow began to fall outside, blanketing the town in white. Outside, the warmth of the guild''s light spilled out into the snowy night. The large tree of Sonamu Town stood tall over the beautifully decorated homes from below, blanketing them with a cool embrace.

    <hr>

    The words ¡°Happy holidays from the Tundra Guild!¡± lit up the theater screen, the background fading to black in a circular shape reminiscent of the classic Christmas movies Harper loved as a child.

    ¡°So how was the editing for that?¡± Celine diverted her attention to Harper, Beartic, and Brycen who sat behind her as the theater room¡¯s lights slowly lit up. ¡°I think that ending with pulling the camera back from the town looked great.¡±

    ¡°The camerawork was excellent as always,¡± Brycen complemented with a single nod. ¡°I have no criticisms to share.¡±

    ¡°I think my Santa outfit stood out really well,¡± Beartic grinned, rubbing his beard like he did in the recording. ¡°It¡¯s a shame I can''t keep it¡­¡±

    *All the pok¨¦mon worked together really well with the larger scenes. Everything looked great.*

    Celine jumped out of her seat, making her way to the exit. ¡°Great! I¡¯ll get this sent back over to post-production before I head home for the evening. Thank you guys for being the last people to check the footage out, Merry Christmas!¡± And with a click from the double doors, she had left for the holiday break.

    Unlike film studios from Harper¡¯s past, Mr. Stu Deeoh had introduced a new policy at Pok¨¦star Studios that allowed everyone to take a break during the last couple of weeks of the year, starting with Christmas week. As Christmas Eve arrived, the studio was nearly deserted, with only Harper, Beartic, and Brycen remaining. Caleb and Claire, Zorro and Eve, and Bianca had left much earlier to return to Nuvema Town. It was only natural that they would want to spend the holidays with their families as soon as they could.

    ¡°So¡­ What do we do now?¡± Harper turned to Beartic after hopping off his seat. ¡°We have the rest of the day to ourselves.¡±

    ¡°I dunno,¡± Beartic shrugged, getting up from his seat at the same time as Brycen. ¡°We¡¯ll figure something out together, but let''s go back to the van for now, shall we?¡±

    Giving no prior warning, Beartic grabbed Harper by the waist and hoisted him up, placing him behind his neck. At this point, Harper grew used to the sudden shoulder rides. Since Beartic had wider strides than him, it beat walking longer distances.

    As they left the theater and headed down the lots, Harper took in the sights around the studio, which had been transformed into a festive wonderland at the insistence of Mr. Stu Deeoh. Strings of multicolored lights crisscrossed above as their light shone onto the fine layer of frost clinging to the leftover set props outside. Massive, shimmering models of cryogonals hung from the streetlamps, swaying gently in the brisk breeze.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think Mr. Stu Deeoh went a bit too far with the decorations?¡± Harper asked, glancing around at the festive displays. The film studios he frequented back in his past life never bothered to decorate their backlot beyond where guests were allowed to tour.

    ¡°Personally, I don¡¯t think he went far enough,¡± Beartic grinned as they passed by the decorated Christmas tree at the heart of the lot that sparkled with tinsel and bore a large star on top. ¡°You¡¯d think that he would add a few more ornaments on the tree.¡±

    ¡°A few more?¡± Harper waved a paw at the tree that was absolutely engulfed in ornaments from top to bottom. ¡°Any more and it¡¯ll fall under the weight.¡±

    ¡°Have you no confidence in your Christmas spirit?¡± Beartic questioned with a hint of elegance. ¡°With that kind of pessimism, you¡¯ll be getting a lump of coal from Santa.¡±

    Harper groaned and rubbed the top of Beartic¡¯s head, who chuckled at his playfulness. This was the first Christmas in a while where he¡¯d be spending it with someone other than being by himself. He had no idea how he would spend Christmas Eve in a nearly empty movie studio, but it beat laying down in bed at home doing nothing.

    As they arrived at their vanity van, Harper spotted something wedged in the door frame. Taking a closer look, he found an enclosed envelope sealed with a wax emblem shaped like a flame.

    Beartic tapped Brycen¡¯s shoulder, pointing at the message. ¡°Hey Brycen, looks like there''s a letter.¡±

    ¡°I think I know who it¡¯s from,¡± Brycen grabbed the envelope and flipped to the other side, nodding at the writer¡¯s name. ¡°Seems I was right.¡±

    *Who was it?*

    ¡°Alder,¡± Brycen answered, gliding a finger through the envelope and taking a letter out. ¡°He never used his Xtransceiver much ever since he stepped down as the Champion, but we still maintained contact this way.¡±

    *With letters?*

    Brycen nodded as he unfolded the paper. "Now, let''s see what he has written for us."

    After clearing his throat, Brycen began reading the letter out loud. ¡°Dear Brycen, I hope you¡¯re having a pleasant Christmas season so far. I want to invite you to Floccesy Town for the lighting of the famous Clock Tower. The event will take place after dark, and I assume this letter will arrive to you before the sun has set. I hope to see you there!¡±

    Brycen looked at the end of the paper, reading the final message under Alder¡¯s signature. ¡°P.S: I hope to see Beartic and your new riolu partner as well, he had such a stellar performance in ¡®Full Metal Cop!¡¯¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that Alder knew me,¡± Harper breathed out, stunned. He heard some time ago that Alder had retired as the Champion, but it didn¡¯t change the fact that a person as famous as him knew Harper.

    "Of course, he would," Beartic responded. "It''s not like a theater is stopping the former Champion from watching anything."

    After Brycen placed the letter in the inner pocket of his kimono, he looked up at Beartic and Harper. "We''ll head to Floccesy Town immediately before the sun sets completely, we''ll take a quicker way there."

    "A quicker way?"

    ¡°I heard what Brycen rode when he went to Floccesy Ranch,¡± Beartic grinned. ¡°I think you¡¯ll have fun with it.¡±

    <hr>

    Harper hadn''t anticipated that Brycen''s "quicker way" would involve riding a Ranger''s sawsbuck to their destination, but he wasn''t about to complain. It felt like a breath of fresh air, literally and figuratively, to be out of Pok¨¦star Studios and in a natural setting. With Route 20 covered in fresh snow, undisturbed by any foot traffic other than the path they traveled on, this unfamiliar sight beat the lack of snow back in California, where it was the same climate year-round.

    The Pok¨¦mon Ranger, Anton, and his partner, Viva, were pleasant to be with. With Beartic towering over eight feet, he remained in his pok¨¦ball, leaving Harper awkwardly riding on Anton''s shoulders instead of riding Viva like how Brycen and the Ranger were. Despite Harper''s repeated refusals, Anton cheerfully picked him up and placed him high on top. Sitting on someone else''s shoulders brought back a rush of embarrassment for Harper. There was something about getting a shoulder ride from an adult who was roughly his age that felt more awkward than being hoisted up by a polar bear.

    ¡°Is it comfortable up there, Harper?¡± Anton the Ranger turned his head up. ¡°Brycen said you got shoulder rides all the time from his beartic.¡±

    ~I¡¯m not a child¡­ but I can¡¯t lie that this is¡­ pretty fun¡­~

    ¡°Is that a smile? Because that looked like one to me!¡± Anton grinned.

    ¡°Anton plays a lot like this with his daughter,¡± Viva explained. ¡°Don¡¯t mind him when he¡¯s like this.¡±

    As they continued through the snow-laden path, the crunching sound of Viva¡¯s hooves mixed with the occasional flurry of wind, Anton glanced up at Harper again.

    ¡°Say, Harper, do you mind if I can ask for a little autograph?¡± He took a notepad out of his pocket and held it high for Harper to grab. ¡°Brycen gave me his first but I¡¯d love to show my daughter both Full Metal Cop¡¯s and his partner¡¯s autographs together!¡±

    Harper blinked, momentarily startled. ¡°Oh, um¡­ sure,¡± He grabbed the notepad but froze when he flipped to a blank page. How was he supposed to give his signature without revealing his literacy? He left his whiteboard back at Pok¨¦star Studios no one knew about it outside the property. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°Trace your paw on the paper,¡± Brycen suggested, also understanding that Harper shouldn¡¯t reveal his literacy.

    With a nod, Harper balanced the notepad on Anton¡¯s head, much to the amusement of the Ranger. Viva also temporarily stopped to prevent any mistakes as Harper traced his paw on the paper, slowly drawing until he connected the last line. After filling a space where he placed his paw pad with an oval, he returned the notepad.

    ¡°Thanks, Harper,¡± Anton smiled at the drawing. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see the look on my daughter¡¯s face when she sees this. She was mad that I had to work on Christmas Eve, but we¡¯re going home as soon as we can, isn¡¯t that right, Viva?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Viva answered with a nod.

    As the group approached the end of Route 20, the trees began to thin, revealing glimpses of a single cabin through the snow-dusted branches. Harper slid off Anton¡¯s shoulders with a soft thud onto the snow, feeling a mix of relief and lingering awkwardness. Brycen shook hands with the ranger on the back, exchanging a few final words of gratitude before they went their separate ways.

    With Beartic now out of his pok¨¦ball, they made their way to the secluded cabin. The building was only a short distance from Floccesy Town, which Harper could just glimpse on the horizon. On the porch, a man with long, fiery red hair sat polishing one of the pok¨¦balls that hung around his neck. When Alder noticed them approaching, his face broke into a warm smile, and he stood up to greet them.

    ¡°Brycen! It¡¯s great to see you again after so long!¡± Alder greeted the veteran actor with a firm, one-armed hug. ¡°I assume the letter arrived as intended?¡±

    ¡°By ¡®intended,¡¯ you mean lodged in my doorframe?¡± Brycen asked dryly, raising an eyebrow.

    ¡°That¡¯s how it was delivered? I hoped that it would¡¯ve been treated better¡­¡± Alder replied with a sheepish chuckle. ¡°Regardless, I¡¯m glad that you arrived on time with your Pok¨¦mon as well!¡±

    Alder turned his direction to Beartic, who towered over the two men. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen you, did your beard get bigger?¡±

    ¡°Maybe a little,¡± Beartic rubbed his icy chin, a playful glint in his frosty eyes.

    Alder then faced Harper, who stood beside Beartic¡¯s leg. He crouched to Harper¡¯s ¡°And you¡¯re the riolu that¡¯s been grabbing everyone¡¯s attention with those movies you¡¯re in. Seymour and Cassie have been telling how much they loved ¡®Full Metal Cop¡¯ and I had to watch it for myself.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ Thank you,¡± Harper tilted his head down in a slight bow.

    ¡°A shy one, isn¡¯t he?¡± Alder chuckled, crossing his arms. ¡°Pretty paradoxical for a famous actor.¡±

    ¡°Where is Benga?¡± Brycen asked, looking around the vicinity. ¡°I expected to see him with you for the holidays.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s busy fighting trainers at the Black Tower to be its Boss Trainer,¡± Alder explained, his tone warm but tinged with a hint of longing. ¡°This is the first Christmas that he¡¯s not here with me, but I don¡¯t mind. He¡¯s sent his season¡¯s greetings to me.¡±

    Alder pulled out a photo card and turned it around to reveal a child with the same flamboyant hair as the former Champion, wearing a necklace of Pok¨¦ Balls. In the selfie, the child flashed a ¡°V¡± sign with his fingers alongside his Garchomp. Scrawled in black Sharpie were the words, ¡°Merry Christmas from the Black Tower, Gramps!¡±

    "Alder has a son?" Harper asked Beartic with his voice low to not intrude.

    ¡°Grandson,¡± the Ice-type corrected, nodding toward the photo with a proud gleam in his eye. ¡°And it looks like he¡¯s dominating the Black Tower so far. I¡¯ve heard that Garchomp is a monster on the battlefield.¡±

    ¡°Anyways, enough about me and my grandson,¡± Alder pocketed the photo back and waved down the path. ¡°Let¡¯s head over to Floccesy Town for the event, shall we?¡±

    The distance to the town was quite short, with the dirt path quickly giving way to a cobblestone road. Along the side of the road were street lamps parallel to each other, emitting a mellow, orange glow as night came. The buildings around them featured beige brick walls, red-tiled roofs punctuated by small chimneys, and arched windows set above plain blue doors. The various Christmas lights draping the roofs ranged from pristine white to the classic red and green hues that shone brightly.

    The architecture closely resembled Floccesy Town from Harper¡¯s short playthrough of Pok¨¦mon Black 2. However, being here in person made the structures feel more vibrant and alive. It was a strange experience to find himself in a place he had only seen in a game, now transformed into reality.

    After quietly enjoying the festive Christmas decorations scattered throughout the town, they finally reached the iconic Clock Tower, the same one Harper recalled from the games. From every direction, townspeople were coming together to drape the spire in lights and tinsel.

    ¡°Everyone, it¡¯s Champion Alder! He¡¯s here!¡± A man atop a ladder called out, his voice ringing with excitement much to the delight of everyone around.

    Immediately, the group halted their work and approached them, noticing Brycen, Beartic, and Harper behind the renowned man.

    ¡°Who did Champion Alder bring?¡± Someone in the crowd murmured curiously.

    ¡°Wait, they look familiar!¡± Another voice exclaimed, leaning closer for a better look.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that Brycen?¡± A man near the front gasped.

    ¡°And his Beartic?¡± A woman beside him added, pointing at the large Pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°Did Champion Alder invite them?¡± A young boy wondered aloud.

    ¡°That¡¯s Brycen¡¯s Riolu! The one from that movie!¡± A teenage girl shouted in astonishment.

    ¡°What? Really?!¡± An older man craned his neck to see Harper better.

    Before the crowd could rush closer towards Harper, Alder stood forth, raising a hand to stop everyone. ¡°Yes, this is the famous Brycen and his two acting pok¨¦mon, but please allow them to view the event tonight without any intrusion to their privacy. They would like to enjoy this Christmas Eve in peace.¡±

    Soft murmurs of agreement spread through the crowd as everyone quickly nodded in support of Alder¡¯s request.

    ~Wow, he stopped that crowd so fast¡­~ Harper looked at everyone working in amazement. ~Guess he isn¡¯t the former Champion for nothing.~

    ¡°Now, let¡¯s continue with decorating, shall we? That Clock Tower isn¡¯t going to finish itself!¡± Alder readjusted his woolen mittens as he climbed up a spare ladder. ¡°Someone toss me that end of the lights!¡±

    As Harper saw the crowd swiftly work together with the aid of the former Champion, he noticed a nearby spare box of ornaments left deserted. A thin layer of snow covered the top, and Harper began to feel bad for how it was neglected.

    ¡°Can we help with decorating?¡± Harper pulled Brycen¡¯s kimono to get his attention, pointing at the box.

    ¡°Do you want to help?¡± Brycen asked, and Harper nodded in response.

    Beartic picked Harper up and placed him on one shoulder and the box on the other. ¡°If you wanna help, then let¡¯s get to it!¡± He cheerfully beamed. ¡°There¡¯s no way you can reach up high without me!¡±

    As Harper helped hang up the ornaments where he could reach, he realized that he hadn''t done any decorating since he was a child back when he helped set up the Christmas tree at home. He vividly remembered when his father brought a tree home and his family all got together to decorate it. He never forgot the laughter from his parents when he accidentally got himself coiled up in the lights and his father playfully spun him around like a spinning top, leaving Harper dizzy.

    Harper was glad that he spotted that box earlier; he realized he hadn''t had this much fun decorating anything in a long time, nor had he taken the time to decorate anything since then.

    ¡°Hey kid, you ok?¡± Beartic asked, tapping a digit on Harper¡¯s leg. ¡°You spaced out there for a moment.¡±

    ¡°Y-Yeah, I¡¯m fine,¡± Harper quickly wiped a tear he felt under his eye away, away from Beartic¡¯s line of sight. ¡°I just wanted to admire what we helped with.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t blame ya, I think we did a fine job,¡± Beartic placed the now-empty box down and took a step back, gazing from the bottom of the Clock Tower to the top with a grin. ¡°This wouldn¡¯t have looked half as good without us.¡±

    After checking out their work some more, Harper turned to Beartic with curiosity. ¡°Is there a bigger reason why Floccesy Town decorates their Clock Tower or do they do it just because?¡±

    "From what I know, the Clock Tower acts as a landmark so Santa can spot the town when he travels around delivering presents," Beartic replied with a playful chuckle. "It makes it easier for the red man himself to make sure he stops by."

    ~That¡¯s¡­ actually pretty wholesome,~ Harper thought to himself before mentally pausing. ~Wait, Beartic explained that as if Santa was real¡­ Eh, he thinks I¡¯m a kid so¡­~

    ¡°We finished the decorations from this side, Champion Alder!¡± A voice shouted from behind the Clock Tower, a thumbs up sticking out from the side. ¡°Everything¡¯s good to go now!¡±

    ¡°Alright! And just ¡®Alder¡¯ is fine!¡± The former Champion added with an amused huff, talking to himself. ¡°Everyone knows that Iris is the Champion now, I don¡¯t deserve the title.¡±

    Brycen placed a hand on Alder¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s their sign of respect, Alder. It is best to let them.¡±

    ¡°Very well,¡± Alder sighed before looking up at the unlit Clock Tower. ¡°I guess it¡¯s time to turn this thing on for Santa Claus, shall we?¡± He announced to everyone, receiving a collective response from everyone.

    ¡°I have the switch, Champion Alder,¡± A man held a device up to him. ¡°Would you like the honor, sir?¡±

    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t, I did it last year,¡± Alder shook his head, soon waving his hand to Harper. ¡°Why don¡¯t we have one of our guests pull the lever this year?¡±

    Harper pointed at himself. ¡°Me?¡±

    Brycen nodded. ¡°The opportunity fits you well.¡±

    ¡°A young pok¨¦mon like you should have the fun, right?¡± Beartic added, walking up to the man with the device.

    Harper grabbed the switch and nervously held onto it, one paw on the handle and the other on the side. The pressure was on him to not mess this up, and this somehow felt more jarring than being in front of the camera.

    ¡°You nervous, kid?¡± Beartic asked, eyeing Harper with a raised eyebrow, his voice carrying a hint of amusement.

    ¡°Of course I am, I don¡¯t wanna mess up the timing,¡± Harper admitted, his voice tight with anxiety.

    Beartic gave a reassuring smile. ¡°You¡¯re not going to. Just have fun, ok?¡±

    Harper took a deep breath in and out. ¡°Ok¡­ I¡¯m ready.¡±

    Taking notice of Harper¡¯s readiness, Alder turned to all the people with two hands cupped around his mouth. ¡°Everyone! On the count of three!¡±

    ¡°1!¡±

    ¡°2!¡±

    ¡°3!¡±

    Harper flipped the switch, and in an instant, the Clock Tower''s lights burst to life, illuminating the town square with a dazzling array of colors. The reflections from the glass ornaments danced on the pavement, making it seem as if the ground itself was aglow. The crowd erupted in applause and cheers at the sight as family members and lovers treated each other with hugs and kisses.

    ¡°Merry Christmas, Harper,¡± Brycen said, giving him a firm but kindly pat on the back.

    ¡°Merry Christmas, kid,¡± Beartic rumbled, gently nudging Harper with his head, careful not to shake him too much. ¡°You did good.¡±

    ¡°Merry Christmas, and thanks for everything¡± Harper replied, sincere with every word.

    The three stood close together and continued to gaze upon the Clock Tower with the rest, appreciating the moment. It was a few minutes of silence until a voice interrupted the silence, alerting everyone of the blurred visage in the sky.

    ¡°Look!¡± The boy exclaimed with excitement. ¡°It¡¯s Santa¡¯s sleigh!¡±

    The others turned to follow his gaze, spotting the gleaming silhouette of the sleigh as it slowly descended from the stars. A murmur of awe rippled through the crowd, everyone craning their necks to catch a glimpse as it grew closer, its lights twinkling against the night sky.

    ¡°What the¡­?¡± Harper squinted hard at the sky, blinking multiple times to make sure he was looking correctly. ¡°He¡¯s¡­ real?¡±

    ¡°Of course he is!¡± Beartic answered before tilting his head. ¡°Were you thinking he wasn¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°I thought this entire event was a symbolic tradition and not an actual thing!¡±

    ¡°Then how do you think presents are delivered to all the children around the world?¡±

    ¡°Bu¡ª Isn¡¯t he¡ª I¡ª Wha¡ª¡± Harper stuttered in confusion as the sound of jingle bells grew louder and Santa¡¯s sleigh spiraled down gracefully from above. He already experienced reincarnation into a pok¨¦mon¡¯s body in a completely different universe, so seeing Santa shouldn¡¯t have been a surprise, but it still was.

    In a final, gentle swoop, the sleigh landed softly in the center of the square, the numerous stantlers coming to a quiet stop.

    ¡°Ho ho ho! Hello, Floccesy Town!¡± Santa joyfully exclaimed. ¡°I appreciate you lighting up your Clock Tower! Tonight, I have gifts for all the good little boys, girls, and pok¨¦mon!¡±

    With his jaw dropped, Harper stared in bewilderment as Santa took presents out of his big red sack and handed them to the children and young pok¨¦mon who waited in a single file line. Beside the bearded man was a delibird, assisting in the distribution of the presents with their own tail acting as a bag.

    When the last child and their ducklett received their wrapped gifts, Santa turned his attention to Harper, locking eyes and freezing him in place.

    ¡°There¡¯s one more Pok¨¦mon left that hasn¡¯t received their gift,¡± Santa said with a twinkle in his eye, taking one final gift and holding it forward. ¡°And I think I know exactly who it¡¯s for.¡±

    Beartic walked towards Santa Claus and leaned forward, allowing Harper to take the present.

    ¡°I¡ª Thank you, I didn¡¯t expect to get any gifts this year¡­¡± Harper held the long and thin box in his arms.

    ¡°Nonsense!¡± He laughed out loud. ¡°You brought so much joy and happiness to all the people who watched the movies you were in, especially for everyone back at the North Pole!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ That¡¯s an honor to hear¡ª¡± Harper¡¯s eyes suddenly opened wide, realizing what he just heard. ¡°Wait, did you just understand m¡ª¡±

    ¡°I must head on my way to deliver the rest of my presents tonight!¡± Santa greeted everyone goodbye as he grasped the reins of his sleigh. ¡°Have a Merry Christmas everyone!¡±

    As people shouted their well wishes, Santa''s sleigh floated off the ground. The herd of stantlers began to pace their hooves in midair, accelerating the sleigh forward before it shot forward and up to the sky. The sound of jingle bells grew fainter as Santa Claus became smaller in the night sky.

    ¡°Let us head back to Pok¨¦star Studios, it¡¯s far past Harper¡¯s bedtime,¡± Brycen told Beartic as the families around them returned to their homes.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t I help you?¡± Alder offered as he jumped into the conversation, holding one of the pok¨¦balls around his neck in his hand. ¡°Braviary can fly you there, it¡¯ll be safer than walking back at night.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Alder, we¡¯ll accept your offer,¡± Brycen nodded as he summoned Beartic back into his pok¨¦ball, who waved goodbye before disappearing in a flash of red. He then unlatched Harper¡¯s pok¨¦ball and held it forward. ¡°I assume that you want to stay outside?¡±

    Harper nodded, he wasn¡¯t going to miss the opportunity to fly on a pok¨¦mon and feel the wind on his fur.

    <hr>

    ¡°Kid, wake up,¡± Harper felt something gently shaking him awake. ¡°C¡¯mon, it¡¯s Christmas morning!¡±

    ¡°Hrgn¡­ Beartic? That you?¡± Harper grudgingly sat up from his sofa bed, rubbing his eyes open. He could barely remember what happened after riding Alder¡¯s braviary back to Pok¨¦star Studios, did he fall asleep on the way? If he did, it certainly explained why he was in his bed without any memory of entering it.

    ¡°Yup, now wake up, sleepyhead,¡± Beartic called from the van¡¯s window, pointing his arm from outside to the end of the van¡¯s inside. ¡°It¡¯s time to open your gifts.¡±

    ¡°Gifts?¡± Harper emphasized the ¡®s,¡¯ turning to where Beartic pointed. ¡°Don¡¯t you mean one gif¡ª¡±

    To his surprise, instead of the one gift he received from Santa, there were two more that sat beside them underneath a tiny Christmas tree. Both were small boxes, one more square-shaped and the other like a thin rectangle. Harper had no clue when they prepared the gift or when Brycen had set up the tree, but they clearly planned this out much earlier.

    ¡°The presents are for you,¡± Brycen spoke up, waving to the small, decorated tree. ¡°Feel free to pick the first one you would like to open.¡±

    Instead, Harper reached for his whiteboard and began scribbling his response.

    *I never got you or Beartic a present though.*

    ¡°Your presence is the greatest gift we could ask for,¡± Brycen responded. ¡°I have never seen Pok¨¦star Studios so lively when you arrived, and I must thank you for that.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon kid, go open them already!¡± Beartic urged Harper. ¡°I¡¯m bursting with anticipation already!¡±

    With a chuckle, Harper first grabbed Santa¡¯s present, leaving the best gifts for last. He eagerly tore through the wrapping and opened the box, revealing a long scarf expertly knitted with black and white wool to mimic the pattern on a clapperboard.

    ¡°This is really high quality,¡± Harper held the scarf up for Beartic and Brycen to see. He wrapped it around his neck, letting the ends hang down from his shoulders. ¡°And it fits perfectly!¡±

    ¡°Santa¡¯s got good taste,¡± Beartic joked before pointing to the other gifts. ¡°Now open the other ones!¡±

    Doing as Beartic instructed, Harper picked the square-shaped gift and opened it, holding a cold figurine in his paw. The figure was shaped like a riolu holding a marker and whiteboard.

    ¡°Is that¡­ me?¡± Harper held the figure closer to his face, taking in the intricate details at every angle.

    ¡°Sure is, and it was made with Never-Melt Ice!¡± Beartic explained, taking note of the fine mist descending from the figure. ¡°I carved it myself after Brycen purchased it for me.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t imagine how long it took to make this¡­¡± Harper wondered, feeling bad for the time Beartic had to spend to finish this piece of art.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, kid! It¡¯s a hobby of mine to make figures out of ice. It just helps that I used Never-Melt Ice so that it, you know¡­ never melts!¡±

    Harper rolled his eyes at the terrible pun as he reached for the last gift from Brycen. Once he tore off the wrapping, he found a case in his paw, resembling those typically used for rings or earrings. When he flipped it open, a single badge nestled in soft velvet caught his eye. The badge, shaped like three white icicles, stood out with a striking azure blue base on the top.

    ¡°That Freeze Badge is the last one of its kind before I retired as a Gym Leader. I believe that you more than earned it for your work here,¡± Brycen explained, his voice filled with pride as he watched Harper''s surprised expression. ¡°You''ve earned this, more than you know.¡±

    Harper found himself at a loss for words, struggling to express his gratitude for the heartfelt gifts he had just received. Although he usually viewed himself as an adult, today he decided to set that self-image aside. With a burst of emotion, he leaped onto Brycen''s bed and wrapped his arms around the veteran actor in a warm hug. Brycen returned the embrace with a single arm, and Harper dashed out to the van and hugged Beartic, who scooped him up in an even tighter embrace.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say,¡± Harper stated as he looked up between Beartic and Brycen. ¡°I can¡¯t find the right words¡­ I¡ª¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to,¡± Beartic replied softly. ¡°We can see how much you appreciate the gifts.¡±

    ¡°Merry Christmas, Beartic.¡±

    ¡°Merry Christmas, Harper.¡±

 Scene 3 - Take 9: Climactic Recollections and Remorseful Affections

    Beartic gazed up into the night sky, admiring its natural beauty during his aimless walk around the studio. The stars were dimmer here compared to Icirrus City due to the nearby city, its lights somehow penetrating through the infamous fog. There were rare occasions when the fog cleared up, mostly when strong winds blew by.

    Tonight was not one of those nights.

    Observing the viewable clusters of silver in the sky, he recognized a few famous ones Brycen taught him a long time ago during their Journey.

    ~Ursaluna Major¡­ Teddi Minor¡­ Lycan Major¡­ Sagittauros¡­ Vulpicula¡­ Heh, I still got it.~

    Immediately, Beartic sighed to himself, tilting his head to the ground. He knew that this was just an attempt at a distraction from what was on his mind all night; Harper¡¯s eventual explanation.

    From the moment Brycen pulled out the wallet and showed that ID card, the kid fell silent. Was it fear? Distress? Anxiety? Whatever the reason, Harper had found the courage from it to speak up on what he was hiding¡­ assuming he really did hide something up till now. Maybe he gained some sort of memory but felt it wasn''t the right moment to explain it.

    If the kid needed some more time until he wanted to explain, that was alright. Beartic made the right move in not forcing any information out, and with a confirmation that he would eventually get answers, he could wait a bit longer.

    Yet, even long after that conversation ended, Beartic found himself unable to sleep. Instead, he decided to stay up a little longer. All the way until now, he had been outside all night so far, spending time by himself. It reminded him of the nights spent outside with Brycen on the routes between cities in their tent, planning out strategies and tactics with the rest of the team for their next Gym battle. Brycen''s stoicism had changed little since their days as League contenders, but it didn''t need to. Even though his Trainer didn''t show it on the outside, Beartic clearly knew the Ice-type Trainer¡¯s passion burned brightly.

    Beartic snorted to himself at the irony.

    After walking around the lots some more, Beartic eventually found his way back to Brycen''s vanity van. To his surprise, he saw Harper sitting on the doorstep, leaning his head on the side as he looked up.

    ¡°Hey kid, how come you¡¯re awake?¡± Beartic approached the riolu, momentarily surprising him in place with an abrupt turn of his head. ¡°I thought you were sleeping.¡±

    ¡°I was¡­ but I had a nightmare¡­¡± Harper rubbed one of the iron plates on his paw.

    Beartic sat down on the asphalt beside Harper, bringing a knee close to him ¡°Do you want to tell me about it?¡±

    ¡°It¡­ It has to do with my memories,¡± Harper reluctantly shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ explain it when I¡¯m ready. I just needed some fresh air right now.¡±

    ¡°Guess the both of us needed it,¡± Beartic chuckled as he looked back up at the night sky, observing the stars again. ¡°I never expected to see you here after my night walk.¡±

    ¡°Do you walk every night before sleeping?¡± Harper broke his gaze away from the stars to face Beartic.

    ¡°Not every night, but every now and then when I feel I need it. Walking at night reminds me of the old days when Brycen and I were getting badges of our own in the Unova Circuit.¡±

    ¡°Brycen was a League Trainer?¡± Harper leaned forward.

    ¡°Of course! Everyone¡¯s gotta start somewhere, right?¡± Beartic placed his paw forward face-up, summoning a miniature colorless haze on top. ¡°Brycen wanted to prove that Ice-types were powerful despite how many weaknesses we have, and he did just that when we were the finalists in the Unova League.¡±

    ¡°Who¡­ Who did you lose against?¡± Harper asked carefully.

    "Alder, the former champion. His Volcarona alone ground us into shaved ice," Beartic turned his paw, watching the snow piled on top slowly fall and melt in the air. "I can still remember Volca''s Overheat like it was yesterday, and it always makes me want a rematch with Volca¡­"

    ¡°Why can¡¯t you?¡± Harper replied. ¡°Is it hard to find the right time for a battle?¡±

    ¡°Because Volca¡¯s no longer here,¡± Beartic solemnly explained, noticing Harper slightly flinch. ¡°He was afflicted with a horrible illness, but knowing Alder, Volca lived the best life he could till the end. He passed on knowing he was the strongest Bug-type in Unova¡¯s history, and I can vouch for that myself,¡± He grinned, pointing at himself to lighten the mood.

    Harper shrunk into his seat, clearly guilty for bringing up the topic. Beartic lightly slapped him on the back, easing him. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t feel bad, we¡¯ve all come to terms with it. Alder and Brycen are still good friends, and so are our teams, though it¡¯s been a while since I last saw them.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ good to hear,¡± Harper sighed, both somewhat relieved and yet still uneased.

    With the conversation point reaching an end, the two fell silent, but Beartic held no desire to keep it that way. The kid had gone through a lot just to speak up when Brycen brought that mangled wallet back. If Harper felt pressed to reveal something, then maybe Beartic needed to share something in return. He never forgot that promise he made to Harper about his regret he held about the Unova League Siege.

    ¡°...Hey, kid,¡± He spoke up through the silence with a heavy tone. Harper¡¯s ears swiveled first before his head followed. ¡°Remember when I said that I¡¯d tell you about what happened two years ago?¡±

    ¡°The story with Team Plasma¡¯s siege?¡± He asked carefully.

    Beartic nodded. ¡°I think it¡¯s time that I tell you about it, at least from my perspective.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Harper took note of Beartic¡¯s serious attitude. ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re still finding the time to explain your story, but I feel ready to tell mine now,¡± Beartic bluntly told the riolu. ¡°So, how much do you already know about the event?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ don''t know a lot,¡± He rubbed his steel plate again. ¡°I only know that Team Plasma attacked the League and someone stopped their leader.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re correct, but there''s something else I want to tell you that happened in between,¡± Beartic placed a paw on his left arm. ¡°There was a pok¨¦mon I battled that day, and I failed to help her.¡±

    Harper frowned at the end of his statement. ¡°Is she¡­?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s not dead,¡± Beartic quickly answered, debunking the kid¡¯s thought. ¡°I failed in that I couldn''t persuade her to leave Team Plasma.¡±

    He shifted his paw to his bicep, moving the white fur out of the way and revealing a thin, blackened scar grazed horizontally on his skin.

    ¡°A¡­ scar?¡± Harper breathed out with widened eyes.

    ¡°One caused by a Night Slash,¡± He rubbed his fur back in place, hiding the faint cut away. ¡°Dark-type moves are powered by raw, unfettered emotions and since this one never healed up all the way, it shows how genuine her hatred was.¡±

    ¡°Do¡­ you want to tell me this? You don¡¯t have to¡­¡± Harper rubbed the back of his neck with unease.

    ¡°No, I want to,¡± Beartic insisted, a sigh escaping out soon after. ¡°I promised I would, and now is the time.¡±

    When Harper gave no sign to deny listening, Beartic began his story. ¡°I¡¯ll start at the beginning and then how I came across her for the first time and¡­ and how I never saw her again.¡±

    <hr>

    Beartic jumped out of his pok¨¦ball and faced one of the Seven Sages that stood in a row in front of all the Gym Leaders. A guttural sound rumbled deep in his chest as he raised a paw up, ready to strike. The other Gym Leaders¡¯ aces all stood together, equally ready to fiercely strike without hesitation.

    ¡°Hilbert, Holder of the Light Stone!¡± Drayden shouted, keeping his unattended stare at the enemy. ¡°Proceed through the castle and stop Team Plasma once and for all!¡±

    Without another word, the fated Trainer rushed down the opulent castle hallway with his Samurott. When he turned around a corner, one of the Sages scoffed at Drayden.

    ¡°You seriously believe that one boy is going to stop our King from ruling Unova?¡± The sage scowled as they all released their pok¨¦mon, all of them ready to attack at command. ¡°N will take him down in an instant!¡±

    ¡°Hilbert has been chosen by one of the Twin Dragons!¡± Drayden shouted back, startling a few of the Sages. ¡°As the Gym Leaders of Unova, we must do what we can to save it against terrorists like you!¡±

    ¡°We are not terrorists!¡± Another Sage snapped back. ¡°We are only taking what N rightfully deserves as our King so don''t get in our way!¡±

    ¡°There''s no convincin¡¯ ¡®em, Dray,¡± Clay frowned as he tipped his hat up. ¡°Let¡¯s bury ¡®em down to the ground!¡±

    The atmosphere in the castle room grew thick with tension, reminiscent of a classic Unovan Western standoff. Every Gym Leader, Sage, and Pok¨¦mon present stood frozen in place, their eyes locked in a tense gaze. Each figure stood poised with breaths held as they anticipated the moment when one would make a move, ready to react at a heartbeat¡¯s notice.

    The silence grew heavier, with the only sound being the distant echo of heartbeats and the rustle of feathers and fur, as all waited for the first spark of action to ignite the standoff. Beartic clenched his paws tighter as ice chilled around them, the tension grew unbearable not only for him but for everyone here.

    ¡°Haxorus! Dragon Tail!¡±

    ¡°Icicle Crash!¡±

    ¡°Use Aerial Ace, Swanna!¡±

    ¡°Bulldoze ¡®em flat!¡±

    ¡°Knock them over with Wild Charge!¡±

    ¡°Leavanny! String Shot!¡±

    ¡°Quick Attack them into a Crunch!¡±

    The commands to attack the Seven Sages rang out together and all the Gym Leaders¡¯ aces used their moves first before the enemies¡¯ pok¨¦mon. By the command of his Trainer, Beartic slammed both of his paws to the floor, erupting a massive ice pillar that crashed into the ceiling. The struck surface froze in an instant and formed clusters of icicles that soon rained down on his enemies.

    As the enemy bouffalant in front of him shook their massive afro in a futile attempt to dislodge the icicles, Beartic seized the moment. He lunged forward and grasped the bouffalant''s horns, anchoring them firmly in place. The bouffalant thrashed violently, trying to break free from Beartic''s iron grip, but he tightened his hold in response.

    ¡°Blind it with Frost Breath!¡± Brycen commanded, dodging a stray Air Slash from a mandibuzz battling Skyla¡¯s Swanna.

    Opening his maw, Beartic charged Ice TE deep within himself as he wrestled the bouffalant in place. To ensure the bouffalant remained in place, Beartic encased the horns in a thick layer of shimmering ice from his paws, securing his opponent down.

    ¡°What are you doing?!¡± The Sage exploded with fury. ¡°Use Head Charge!¡±

    With a powerful snort reverberating from their flared nostrils, the bouffalant dug their sturdy hooves into the ground, surging forward with imposing strength. Just as they began to gather enough momentum for a full charge, Beartic swiftly countered, unleashing a chilling blast of Frost Breath aimed squarely at the bouffalant''s face. The frigid air instantly enveloped their eyes in a thin layer of ice, sealing them shut.

    ¡°Brycen! Go after Hilbert!¡± Drayden shouted through the collision of his Haxorus¡¯s Dragon Pulse and their enemy¡¯s Energy Ball. ¡°I just saw their Shadow Triad heading after him, I fear that they might go for an ambush! All of us will cover for you!¡±

    Beartic swiftly knocked the bouffalant aside with a flurry of blows from Icicle Crash, casting a quick nod toward Brycen, who mirrored the gesture. Without hesitation, they charged down the castle hallway, leaving the Gym Leaders to fend off the Seven Sages in their stead.

    When they turned the corner, Brycen stuck his arm out, halting Beartic. He saw his Trainer scowl at the sight of a masked figure with flowing white hair, staring deeply into one of the castle¡¯s rooms.

    ¡°You! Stop right there!¡± Brycen shouted at the Shadow Triad member, grabbing their attention away from whatever was in the room.

    ¡°If you were looking for the holder of the Light Stone, he has already passed by,¡± The Shadow Triad member clarified. ¡°By now, he should have met with our Lord N in the Throne Room. The other Shadow Triad members have allowed him in and are guarding the front now.¡±

    Two visceral roars rang from above, shaking everything from the ground to the walls. Beartic and Brycen stood firm against the rumbling, focusing on the enemy in front of them.

    ¡°That was the Twin Dragons¡­¡± Brycen muttered after the dragons¡¯ cries died down. ¡°We need to get to Hilbert before it gets worse.¡±

    ¡°The fateful battle between our Lord¡¯s Zekrom and Hilbert¡¯s Reshiram has begun,¡± The Shadow Triad member slid their foot back and raised an arm back with the other holding a pok¨¦ball. ¡°And for that, I will not allow you to interfere.¡±

    "And I won''t allow you to get in our way," Brycen firmly stated as he shifted into an open-palmed stance. "Stand down if you want to stay intact."

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid that I cannot, and I will use any means to keep you away,¡± The Shadow Triad Member tossed their pok¨¦ball on the floor, summoning a purple and yellow pok¨¦mon in front of them.

    ¡°Liepard, you know what to do,¡± The Shadow Triad member dashed forward at Brycen, throwing the first punch that the Gym Leader narrowly avoided.

    Without warning, the enemy Pok¨¦mon''s body glimmered with Normal-type energy and struck Beartic, sending him crashing into the room where the Shadow Triad member had just stared into. Beartic found himself slammed against the wall of a skateboard ramp that sat beside a half-basketball court. The space belonged to a child and was filled with toys like train tracks, building blocks, and colorful balls scattered about. Once Beartic regained his footing, he pushed back off the ramp as he heard the sound of fists flying and connecting from the other side of the entrance.

    ¡°Beartic! Keep their pok¨¦mon at bay!¡± He heard Brycen shout through his fight as Liepard rapidly approached Beartic.

    ¡°You!¡± Liepard shot at him with pure bloodlust, her claws exuding with Ghost TE. ¡°I won¡¯t let anyone stop Team Plasma!¡±

    Just as Liepard aimed to catch Beartic by surprise, he swiftly slammed both paws onto the ground, creating a wall of ice in front of him. This frosty barrier effortlessly absorbed the Shadow Claw attack, leaving three distinct slashes etched into its surface.

    ¡°Coward! You¡¯re a traitor to all pok¨¦mon!¡± Liepard lashed out with consecutive Fury Swipes, digging deeper into the ice wall.

    Liepard¡¯s swipes came in a blur, but Beartic timed his move perfectly. With a powerful backhand Brick Break, he smashed his paw through the wall and struck her squarely in the chest, propelling her away from him. Beartic pushed the rest of the wall down, shattering it on the floor into a million pieces as he approached the cat pok¨¦mon.

    ¡°You¡¯re fighting for the wrong side! He fiercely pointed out. ¡°Pok¨¦mon choose to stay with humans to learn and grow together!¡±

    ¡°You expect me to believe that?!¡± She rasped out a Snarl, shooting Dark TE at Beartic, who defended it with an ice-covered cross block. ¡°Team Plasma saved me from some dumb children from being treated like a damn pet!¡± She forcefully spat the last word out.

    The ice on Beartic¡¯s arms crept over and onto his paws, beginning to form two clear balls. Beartic clapped his paws together, smashing it into a fine powder and sending it forward in Liepard¡¯s vicinity. As she struggled to see through the haze, Beartic opened his mouth and a light blue orb of energy formed in front of it. In a split second, he fired multiple light blue beams of energy from the orb at Liepard. Forming stars above her, Liepard shot Swift at the multitude of Ice Beams at their starting point, creating massive freezing explosions between her and Beartic.

    "No child ever sees their pok¨¦mon as a pet! They see pok¨¦mon as friends! As allies to accomplish goals together!" Beartic argued back, remembering his first encounter with Brycen all those years ago.

    ¡°That¡¯s a lie! Why do you like your human so much if all you do is stay in pok¨¦balls?!¡± Liepard growled back from the snowy mist. ¡°I used to be like you but thanks to Team Plasma, I¡¯ll fix it! I¡¯ll fix everything!¡±

    She snuck away from Beartic¡¯s line of sight and Sucker Punched him in the face, staggering him off balance. He whipped his arm back, hitting her away from him.

    ¡°We don¡¯t stay in pok¨¦balls! We stand beside them against any obstacle!¡± Beartic rubbed his face where Liepard struck him.

    ¡°Well, so do I! Team Plasma helped me to understand that they only want to help pok¨¦mon to be free like they should be!¡±Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

    ¡°Do you not see the irony in that?!¡± Beartic retorted. ¡°Team Plasma is just using you!¡±

    ¡°What about your Trainer?! Are you helping your Trainer because he ordered you to? I¡¯m helping Team Plasma out of my own free will! Can you say the same for pok¨¦mon enslaved by Trainers?!¡±

    Beartic slammed a foot on the floor, summoning an Icicle Crash from below and shooting two icicles upwards at Liepard, who sidestepped the attack at the last moment. He then grasped onto the two upper tips and pushed, snapping them clean off. Beartic launched them at Liepard with full force after she had dodged, hitting her twice with the blunt sides.

    ¡°Pok¨¦mon are not slaves!¡± Beartic retaliated. ¡°We choose who we want to stay with and who to leave! You still have that choice!¡±

    ¡°Hah! Choice!¡± Liepard spat out blood onto the floor before scoffing at him. ¡°There¡¯s no reason to give me a choice! The completion of our goal is inevitable because our King N is unstoppable! He told me himself that I am one with his ambition! For that reason, I¡¯m sticking with Team Plasma until we achieve the complete liberation of all pok¨¦mon!¡±

    The final exchange was nigh, and despite having the advantage over her, Beartic still couldn¡¯t convince her out of Team Plasma¡¯s propaganda. If the terrorist group¡¯s leader himself had directly spoken to her, then her corrupted beliefs had rooted themselves deep into her psyche.

    There was little that Beartic could do to help her, but that didn''t mean he would stop.

    Before he could muster up the remaining strength he had to battle Liepard, Beartic heard a dull thud as a body hit the ground from across the room. He and Liepard glanced toward the entrance, where Brycen had launched a spinning kick into the side of a Shadow Triad member, successfully securing victory in their one-on-one duel.

    ¡°You¡­ have fought well, Gym Leader Brycen,¡± The member grunted, holding where they were kicked in pain. ¡°I admit defeat.¡±

    ¡°Let us go to Hilbert, we have wasted enough time here already,¡± Brycen turned to Beartic, ignoring his opponent.

    ¡°Are you kidding me?!¡± Liepard hissed at Beartic after running to the Shadow Triad member¡¯s side. ¡°You¡¯re just going to leave?!¡±

    ¡°It looks like their pok¨¦mon has not realized their defeat,¡± Brycen pointed at Liepard. ¡°Beartic, finish this.¡±

    Beartic turned to Liepard, charging Ice Punch as he took one begrudging step at a time.

    ¡°Go ahead!¡± She snapped, her teeth barred at him. ¡°Do exactly as your Trainer forces you to! Finish me off! Just know it¡¯s not gonna be easy!¡±

    Beartic took one deep breath in and out, frost accumulating around his mouth as he did so. He released his Ice Punch, confusing not only Liepard, but Brycen and the Shadow Triad member as well.

    His Trainer¡¯s eyebrows furrowed, but he seemed to understand why Beartic refused to attack. Brycen remained silent, his attention now at Liepard, who growled again as Beartic steadily approached her.

    ¡°I''m giving you one last chance, Liepard,¡± Beartic asserted, trying to not make any sudden movements. ¡°You can walk away from this. I can find your original Trainer.¡±

    "I. Don''t. Need. Them!" She hissed each word. "I never did! How stubborn are you?!"

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to stop until you see the truth,¡± He answered calmly, taking another step forward. ¡°Team Plasma isn¡¯t what you think it is¡­¡±

    ¡°Who cares what you think it is? You¡¯re never going to stop u¡ª¡±

    Liepard was cut off by a distorted voice that echoed from the Shadow Triad member''s belt. Everyone¡¯s heads turned to the communicator as they strained to make sense of the words.

    ¡°¡­krrt¡­ Ghetsis has been captured, retreat immediately¡­ I repeat¡­ Ghetsis has been captured, retreat immediately¡­ krrt¡­¡±

    ¡°N-No¡­¡± Liepard stepped back from the voice in quiet disbelief. ¡°No, no no, this can¡¯t be happening¡­¡±

    ¡°I must take my leave immediately,¡± The Shadow Triad Member slowly stood up, hiding the physical pain from their defeat. ¡°We are leaving, Liepard.¡±

    ¡°W-What?!¡± Liepard sputtered, glancing at Beartic before flaring with Dark TE. ¡°Wait! We¡¯re just gonna leave them here?!¡±

    ¡°I said we are leaving now,¡± The Shadow Triad member unlatched their pok¨¦ball and aimed it at her.

    "It''s all because of you and your stupid Trainer!" Liepard cursed at Beartic, spiraling down into insanity. "If you and your Trainer weren''t here, we could''ve helped Lord Ghetsis defeat that kid! We could''ve stopped everyone who attacked us! WE COULD''VE WON!" The Dark TE that burned around Liepard condensed into her claws and she sprung forward, blasting a razor-sharp Night Slash at Brycen.

    "Brycen!" Beartic subconsciously dashed in front of his Trainer and received the attack full force, cutting a deep gash on his arm. Beartic knelt on the floor, holding his wound shut, blood seeping out between his digits.

    Before Liepard could shoot another ranged attack at them, the Shadow Triad member recalled her back into her pok¨¦ball. The device continued to violently shake even as they hooked it onto their person.

    ¡°Goodbye, Gym Leader Brycen and his ace, Beartic. Until we meet again¡­¡± The Shadow Triad member shifted a hand up to their chest, forming an unknown jutsu and vanishing without a trace, a small circle of dust blowing where they stood prior.

    Brycen grabbed Beartic¡¯s pok¨¦ball and held it forward. ¡°I need to summon you back to stop the bleeding.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ No, the bleeding¡¯s not that bad,¡± He muttered, tightening his grip on his injury. He still felt the Dark TE festering on his skin¡¯s surface like fire fueled by hatred. Going back into his pok¨¦ball right after his confrontation with Liepard felt¡­ wrong.

    ¡°¡­Very well then, I assume you had a reason why you didn¡¯t follow my command to finish the liepard off at the end, but you were injured regardless,¡± Brycen ambled underneath his arm and pushed him up. ¡°We need to find the others and get you medical attention.¡±

    Stumbling out of the demolished kids'' room, Beartic spotted a figure at the far end of the hallway slowly coming into view. By the gray overalls and white beard, he deduced the person to be Drayden. Beside him was a Haxorus, the sharp plates on his head now blunt and chipped on both sides.

    ¡°Brycen! What happened to you?¡± Drayden ran to Brycen, catching his breath. ¡°We heard Ghetsis was defeated and the other Gym Leaders succeeded in arresting the Sages!¡±

    ¡°We were stopped by one of Ghetsis¡¯s underlings before he ran away,¡± He answered before looking at Beartic. ¡°Beartic needs medical attention for his injury.¡±

    ¡°This doesn¡¯t look good¡­¡± Drayden observed Beartic¡¯s cut. ¡°How strong was the move he took?¡±

    ¡°The liepard he battled was no ordinary one,¡± Brycen ¡°The Dark-type energy from her Night Slash was the strongest I had seen.¡±

    Drayden took a max potion out of his pocket and gave it to Brycen. "Take this for now, it should stop the bleeding until the paramedics can apply stitches."

    ¡°Is Team Plasma¡¯s siege finally over?¡± Beartic asked Drayden¡¯s Haxorus before wincing from the stinging sensation of the max potion.

    ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard, yes,¡± Haxorus nodded before looking down the hallway. ¡°Champion Alder and Hilbert¡¯s friend, Cheren, have made their way to the throne room. We don¡¯t know much more than that right now.¡±

    Beartic sighed to himself, unsure if it was out of relief or shame. Everyone had finally triumphed over a terrorist attack, especially one in the Unova League. If Team Plasma had won, the damage would¡¯ve been indescribable. Their victory eased Beartic somewhat, but it wasn¡¯t a complete win.

    The Shadow Triad member got away and so did their Liepard. The pok¨¦mon that needed saving the most had slipped away from him. With how elusive those ninjas were, there was no guarantee that Beartic would ever see her again, and she would never have the chance to escape Team Plasma¡¯s grasp.

    ~I¡­ I just hope she finds some kind of redemption herself¡­~

    <hr>

    ¡°...And that¡¯s everything,¡± Beartic concluded, letting his arm fall to his leg. ¡°The victory against Team Plasma wouldn¡¯t have happened without the help of the Gym Leaders and Hilbert acting as the sole factor, but I could¡¯ve done better to¡ª¡±

    He looked over at Harper to see that he was already fast asleep. At some point during his account of Plasma¡¯s attack, the riolu rested his head deeply into Beartic¡¯s side, quietly breathing the entire time.

    ¡°C¡¯mon, kid. Couldn¡¯t you have slept after I finished?¡± Beartic chuckled with a warm smile as he gently patted Harper¡¯s head.

    Even if the kid dozed off in the middle of Beartic¡¯s story, it felt good to finally share his thoughts on the ordeal that had been bubbling inside him for years. He was more than willing to tell Harper the tale once again if he wanted to hear it. Beartic couldn¡¯t pinpoint when Harper fell asleep without him noticing, but he hoped he caught enough of the story to grasp the main idea. If not, Beartic felt confident he could explain it all over again.

    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Harper groaned as he began to incoherently mumble, the first time Beartic ever heard him do so. Beartic could only make out two words, albeit cut off.

    ¡°...I¡ª Sorr¡­¡±

    With that, Harper stopped mumbling as he unconsciously leaned closer into Beartic and onto his leg as a pillow. A few seconds later, Beartic felt something wet on his thigh.

    A single tear.

    Beartic gently moved his paw underneath the kid¡¯s eyes, wiping the tear away. It was way past bedtime for the both of them now, and Beartic slowly picked Harper up in his arms. Carefully placed him on the sofa bed through the window, tucking him in with Brycen¡¯s spare kimono the best he could.

    Before he reached for his pok¨¦ball on the window shelf, Beartic looked back at Harper, now peacefully sleeping tears-free. Despite his suspicions about the kid¡¯s amnesia, he couldn''t ignore the fact that his trauma was real. By the signs Beartic picked up as time passed and from what he had heard just now¡­

    Harper held regrets for someone, but Beartic couldn¡¯t tell who.

    Beartic silently cursed himself for not being able to help the riolu as much as he wanted to, but that didn¡¯t mean he would stop.

    Once he had his answers from Harper, he¡¯d finally be able to do more.

    <hr>

    Pure embarrassment and shame washed over Harper as he woke up in his bed the next morning. He felt like a child who had dozed off during a bedtime story, having fallen asleep to Beartic''s soothing voice. Unwanted images of the Ice-type Pok¨¦mon tucking him in began to swirl in his mind, prompting a groan at each thought.

    When Harper finally met up with Beartic in the cafeteria at the studio, he couldn''t stop apologizing for falling asleep before the story ended. To Harper''s surprise, the polar bear found his apologies amusing and was more than happy to recount the entire tale once more. Finally, Harper was able to hear the whole story.

    Listening to the events from the first game Harper experienced as a kid felt almost surreal. He remembered the Gym Leaders rushing in to assist the player, the dramatic moment when he confronted N and captured one of the Twin Dragons, and the final showdown against Ghetsis. The games never really delved into what happened beyond the player''s perspective, so it was striking to see the Pok¨¦mon world portrayed as a tangible reality.

    Beartic¡¯s story raised another troubling question: the fate of Liepard. Harper found himself wondering if this was the same Pok¨¦mon that Hugh¡¯s sister lost during his journey in Black and White 2. At that moment, he had no way to confirm it and could only wait. However, considering it was a significant plot point for the game¡¯s rival, Harper couldn¡¯t help but question whether Beartic¡¯s narrative was merely a coincidence. Since Game Freak often crafted their storylines in a formulaic fashion to cater to a younger audience, that seemed like a likely explanation¡­

    ¡°Mr. Harper?¡± Eve waved a paw at Harper¡¯s face. ¡°You stopped talking for a moment¡­¡±

    ¡°Wha?¡± Harper blinked twice before focusing on Eve. ¡°Sorry about that, I got lost in my thoughts for a moment.¡±

    Harper turned back into the present moment, finding himself in the familiar pok¨¦mon gym set they had visited before the start of production. It was just him and Eve now, as she had surprisingly requested some time alone with him. Convincing Zorro to allow them this time together took quite a bit of effort, but with Bianca''s assistance¡ªdespite her own curiosity¡ªthey finally secured the privacy Eve desired.

    Eve sat back down in front of Harper, tilting her head. ¡°Was it about yesterday when you left early?¡±

    Harper did his best to maintain a cheerful demeanor for Eve after the events of the previous night. While he felt a sense of relief, the weight of needing to find the right moment for his pivotal revelation with Beartic and Brycen, along with the haunting dream of his mother, pressed heavily on his mind. Just a minute or two had passed, and he struggled to keep his spirits up in front of the little Eevee.

    ¡°It¡­ Yeah, it is¡­¡± Harper answered as he sat down, legs crossed. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t want to disrupt your training like this¡­¡±

    Eve uncomfortably shifted where she sat, her mouth opening for a moment before closing again.

    ¡°Did you want to say something?¡± Harper asked, noticing her changed behavior. ¡°It¡¯s ok, you can tell me.¡±

    After glancing around in uncertainty, she began to rub her paw on the floor. ¡°There¡­ There was a reason why I wanted to be alone with you this time. I wanted to ask you something without anyone else around¡­¡±

    Harper blinked, slightly taken aback. ¡°What¡­ What did you want to ask?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Harper, are¡­ are you lost?¡± She looked back up, her ears twitching nervously.

    ¡°Lost?¡± Harper repeated, puzzled. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±

    Eve pointed at his eyes. "You looked different when you came to our van like you were trying to hide how you felt."

    ¡°How¡­ How did you know?¡± Harper asked softly, surprised.

    ¡°Because¡­ I saw it before with Zorro when¡­ when he got lost,¡± Eve murmured sadly. ¡°He had the same face as you when he returned that morning. Something¡­ changed him when he was outside.¡±

    ¡°And not just his eye color?¡±

    Eve nodded. ¡°We only noticed that his eyes were blue until after everything settled. When we found him in the backyard, we didn¡¯t care that they changed because he was finally back home.¡±

    ¡°What happened to him out there?¡± Harper leaned forward.

    Eve hesitated, her ears drooping slightly as she recalled the memory. ¡°We¡­ We don''t know for sure. He¡¯s never told us, no matter how much we asked. For a while, he wasn¡¯t himself, and he never spoke a word to anyone¡­ not even to me¡­ I tried talking with him whenever I could, but he always stayed quiet. We didn¡¯t want to force it out of him, but we really wanted to know¡­¡±

    ¡°But he¡¯s not like that anymore, how did you help him?¡±

    She glanced down at her paws, fidgeting nervously. "It took time, but he started to talk again one day. He only said a few simple words at first, but he spoke more and more like he was trying to adjust himself."

    ¡°And¡­ I looked lost¡­ like him?¡± Harper pointed at himself, his voice barely audible.

    Eve¡¯s gaze met Harper¡¯s with quiet determination. ¡°I don¡¯t like seeing that face on anyone, and if I wanna be Claire¡¯s partner as a traveling nurse, I have to help you like I did Zorro!¡±

    Harper briefly looked back to where the exit was before facing Eve again. ¡°Is that why you wanted us to be alone?¡±

    Eve nodded, her tail flicking nervously behind her. ¡°Zorro doesn¡¯t like to remember what happened back then, and I didn¡¯t want to talk about him while he was here.¡±

    So her plan to get them alone together was an effort to make him feel better? For a moment, he did forget about the stress of how he wanted to reveal himself to Beartic and Brycen. Just talking together did ease his emotions, even if it were only a little. Still, he appreciated the process Eve went through to help him by remembering what she went through as well.

    ¡°Sorry, and thanks, Eve,¡± Harper grinned, patting the top of her head once. ¡°I¡¯m feeling much better now.¡±

    Eve gave a smile with closed eyes, almost leaning into Harper¡¯s paw. A warm feeling embraced him as he continued to pet, it was refreshing for once to be the one giving the pets instead of receiving them.

    A few moments later, Harper mentally shook himself awake, not wanting to be stuck in petting Eve.

    ¡°Ehem, anyways, where was I?¡± Harper awkwardly got back up, trying to recount what he talked about with Eve before their conversation. A moment later, he gave a single clap with his paws. ¡°Right, how you wanted to train your acting further.¡±

    ¡°Yup!¡± Eve beamed brightly. ¡°I wanted to get better at making faces!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re doing a fine job so far in that regard, so I¡¯m not sure how to help you further¡­¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t there some way, Mr. Harper?¡± She asked with pleading eyes. ¡°Zorro¡¯s so much better at it than me, and I wanna beat him!¡±

    So there was some competition between the two fueling her desire to get better? That amused Harper plenty and her insistent gaze was like a barrage of Swifts, forcing him to comply.

    ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ll try to think of something,¡± Harper grinned, blocking Eve¡¯s eyes as she giggled. ¡°I¡¯m trying to remember any particular emotions you¡¯ll have to act out in the upcoming episodes¡­¡±

    The filming date was still a ways off, but the last episode featured a heavy moment between Zorro and Eve''s character. Perhaps this was a good opportunity to start preparing Eve for that day, especially since she hadn''t really tackled a sad scene effectively until now.

    That thought brought a frown to Harper¡¯s face. One of the most effective ways to evoke genuine emotion in a scene is to draw from personal experiences related to that emotion. Just as actors recalled a joyful memory to portray happiness¡­ they needed to tap into a sorrowful memory to effectively deliver sad scenes.

    They had just talked about what was likely one of the most distressing moments in Eve and her family¡¯s life, and he didn¡¯t like the implication of what he had to do.

    ¡°Mr. Harper? Are you ok?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, I¡­ I just don¡¯t feel right to ask you this¡­¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Eve tilted her head.

    ¡°There¡¯s¡­ a scene in a future episode we¡¯re going to film where you need to be¡­ sad when Zorro¡¯s character isn¡¯t with you. The best way to act sad is by remembering a sad memory,¡± Harper told her, choosing his words carefully. ¡°Are¡­ you ok with that?¡±

    Eve took a few seconds to take in what Harper said before giving a firm nod, her front paws clenching slightly.

    ¡°I¡¯m ok with it, I¡­ It¡¯s been a while since it happened anyway¡­ We all moved on from it,¡± She affirmed, lifting her chin as if bolstering her resolve. ¡°How do I act sad?¡±

    Accepting what Eve said, Harper began to explain what to do. ¡°We¡¯ll start by looking at the context of the scene. Pepper and Hazel have argued with one another over what mission to take and have temporarily split to do each one alone,¡± He explained, gesturing slightly with his hands to emphasize his point.

    Eve nodded as she took in the imagery, closing her eyes as Harper spoke.

    ¡°Soon, they begin to miss each other when they complete their missions and how they made up for their weaknesses. The scene is them bumping into each other from a split path,¡± Harper continued. ¡°Now, remember how you felt when you saw Zorro again when he came back¡­ channel that emotion into this scene¡­ How does Hazel feel when she sees Pepper again?¡±

    Eve''s ears gradually drooped, and her posture relaxed as if she were releasing the tension within. With a twisted expression, she opened her eyes wide, her gaze seemed to shimmer and grow larger by the second. They slowly became watery, and the longer she held the expression, the guiltier Harper felt, even his body felt a bit like jelly from faux shame. Eve had already proved her talent in the first moment she started.

    ¡°G-Great! That was great!¡± Harper quickly clapped as Eve stopped her acting with a shake of her head, her ears whipping around. ¡°I¡ª Wow, you¡¯re a natural at this¡­¡±

    ¡°Really, Mr. Harper?¡± She spun around in a circle, chest high. ¡°I did it! I can¡¯t wait to show Zorro!¡±

    ¡°I think you have a handle on sadness,¡± Harper ran a paw through his head, still taken aback by how potent her memory was at influencing her acting. ¡°We¡¯ll¡­ We¡¯ll do some other emotions that you¡¯ll have to do in the future episodes, how does that sound?¡±

    ¡°Sounds good!¡± Eve grinned. ¡°What¡¯s the next one I can do?¡±

    <hr>

    A few hours had passed since Eve showed another level of acting potential, and Harper worked with the other emotions she had less experience with. He showed how to act scared when something spooky happens for the Ghost-type episode in the future to frustration when a move wasn''t working right for an upcoming training episode. It was clear that Eve had much less experience with these emotions compared to her initial performance with Harper, making the learning process a unique challenge for her.

    ¡°Man, I wish I had brought the script with me,¡± Harper sighed to himself. ¡°I¡¯d probably find more to help you since I¡¯m only going off by memory right now.¡±

    ¡°But you helped me so much though!¡± Eve exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with gratitude. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Harper! I had a ton of fun!¡±

    ¡°I-I¡¯m glad that¡¯s the case,¡± He grinned, happy that she wasn¡¯t disappointed by his efforts.

    Harper still believed that he had no skill with teaching in any capacity, it was just the people and pok¨¦mon he had helped that had the talent to understand what he said each time. Either way, he was grateful that they didn¡¯t see him in a bad light.

    Eve raised a paw, catching his attention. ¡°Mr. Harper, I have one question though.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Harper replied.

    ¡°How do you act in movies with love?¡± She asked, her tone oddly serious.

    Harper sputtered in shock. ¡°I¡ª Wha¡ª¡±

    ¡°Eve! Harper! We¡¯re here!¡± A voice shouted from the other side of the sound stage.

    Harper turned to where the voice came from, where Bianca arrived with the twins. Zorro stood in front of them all, and he rushed to Eve¡¯s side with intent.

    ¡°I¡¯m here now!¡± Zorro exclaimed, skidding his paws on the floor to halt his momentum. ¡°It¡¯s my turn to train with Mr. Harper!¡±

    ¡°I was just asking him something super secret!¡± She pouted, huffing out of her nose. ¡°Lemme have one more minute!¡±

    ¡°But you already spent so much time with him already!¡± Zorro complained.

    The young pok¨¦mon continued to bicker with one another even as their Trainers picked them up into their arms. Bianca approached Harper, who had now slung his whiteboard over his neck.

    ¡°How was it with Eve alone?¡± She glanced over at the twins, who held their pok¨¦mons¡¯ paws in their hands and touched them together, as if making up. ¡°I hope she wasn¡¯t as troublesome as Zorro.¡±

    Harper scribbled on his whiteboard and turned it over for Bianca. *There was no trouble at all. She¡¯s more prepared than ever for upcoming production.*

    ¡°That sounds great! What did you do to help her out?¡± She questioned as she readjusted the bag crossing from her shoulder.

    Before he could begin writing the first word, his stomach growled, momentarily silencing everyone. Caleb and Claire laughed as their pok¨¦mon followed along soon after, much to Harper¡¯s embarrassment.

    ¡°Maybe we can talk about it over some lunch, how does that sound?¡± Bianca asked with a chuckle, hiding her mouth with a rolled hand.

    Harper could only give a reluctant nod as the sound of children laughing echoed in the sound stage.

 Scene 3 - Take 10: Unprepared Cues and Hesitant Interviews

    ~I don¡¯t know if I should write that¡­~ Bianca repeatedly flicked the end of her pen on her head as she stared at her notepad, her lips pressed in frustration. ~I hope Professor Juniper won¡¯t be disappointed if I do¡­~

    Since Eve''s training session with Harper, four more episodes have been filmed, and up to a total of six were now completed. While Caleb and Claire have improved both as voice actors alongside their pok¨¦mon, Bianca made little progress in figuring out what made Harper so unique. Professor Juniper insisted that she was fine for not making any significant progress, it frustrated Bianca somewhat that they were this close to understanding at least one clue about pok¨¦mon linguistics.

    At least their research had opened doors, she reminded herself. Collaborating with Pok¨¦star Studios to create an educational show was an unprecedented opportunity. Still, she couldn¡¯t help but feel ashamed of her own ambition¡ªwanting just a little more out of their efforts.

    Bianca sighed, setting her notebook aside as if physically discarding her doubt. She leaned back in her chair, closing her eyes for a moment of reprieve. Her lap was suddenly claimed in a lighthearted tussle between Zorro and Eve, the two vying for space.

    ¡°Hey, now,¡± Bianca said with a small laugh, scooping them both up. ¡°There¡¯s plenty of room for both of you.¡±

    At this point in production with the second-to-last episode now done, it was routine for Bianca to sit with Zorro and Eve as they watched the twins voice over what their pok¨¦mon acted out. She always sat behind the sound production crew in the control room, watching them work their magic with the tabs and dials while understanding little about its nuances. It amazed her every time she saw it being used, as it really showed how specific people¡¯s talents were in this movie studio, something that she wouldn¡¯t see much elsewhere in Unova.

    After a final push of a slider, a sound engineer turned to the Director. ¡°Everything looks good, Ms. Pok¨¦lsky.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s get started, then,¡± Ms. Pok¨¦lsky replied, pressing a button. The red light blinked to life, signaling the recording session. ¡°Caleb, Claire, mic check, please.¡±

    With a nod, the twins headed over to their spots as they wore their headsets, placing their scripts on a stand as they brought the mic closer to themselves. ¡°We¡¯re ready!¡± They responded in unison.

    ¡°The gain levels are stable, no distortion in the audio,¡± Another sound engineer confirmed.

    ¡°Pull up the footage for the first scene,¡± Ms. Pok¨¦lsky issued one of the staff members. The projector in the recording room and the television in the control room soon flashed on, freezing the raw footage of the episode mid-motion.

    Pressing a button again, the Director averted her attention back to the twins. ¡°We¡¯ll be starting in the first scene of episode seven. Follow along with the body language of your pok¨¦mon on screen as usual, ok?¡±

    ¡°Got it!¡± Claire replied, grinning at Bianca.

    Caleb gave a thumbs-up. ¡°We¡¯re on it!¡±

    Bianca smiled back, raising her fist slightly in a gesture of solidarity.

    ¡°We¡¯re rolling,¡± The sound engineer announced. ¡°The footage will start on the beep.¡±

    A single flat tone rang out, and the episode began to play. Zorro and Eve perked up, their attention glued to the screen as their trainers'' voices filled the room.

    Their characters walked through a dark cave structure riddled with stalagmites and eroded rock, the mist from the mist machine hanging low under their bodies.

    ¡°I can''t believe we¡¯re back here so soon,¡± Caleb murmured, his tone low and reflective as he mirrored Zorro¡¯s posture on-screen.

    ¡°At least we''re more prepared than our first expedition,¡± Claire replied after a breeze blew by in the cavernous hall.

    ¡°True! And we also have to go pretty deep to get those evolution stones. Finding three is going to be hard!¡±

    ¡°We just need to keep Guildmaster Tundra¡¯s words in mind once we go deeper.¡±

    Bianca was startled when she felt a paw press against her leg. Looking down, she saw Zorro nudging her bag, and it struck her that her Xtransciever had been buzzing all along without her noticing.

    ¡°Thanks, Zorro,¡± She whispered, scratching his ear in gratitude. Standing carefully to avoid disrupting the session, she stepped out and closed the door quietly behind her.

    With a sense of trepidation, she flipped open her Xtransciever and saw that Professor Juniper was calling. It was an unexpected call, and a wave of concern washed over her, fearing it might be about her lack of progress in her research. Reluctantly, she accepted the video call.

    ¡°Hi, Professor,¡± Bianca greeted nervously, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting a call today.¡±

    ¡°Hi, Bianca, sorry for calling without warning. Did I interrupt you in anything, by any chance?¡±

    ¡°No, not at all!¡± Bianca replied quickly, waving a hand as though brushing away the concern. ¡°The twins are recording lines for one of the later episodes. I was just watching.¡±

    Professor Juniper¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°Good to hear. I wanted to update you¡ªthere¡¯s been a change of plans.¡±

    Bianca blinked. ¡°A change?¡±

    Professor Juniper nodded. ¡°Mr. Stu Deeoh and I have had a conversation about making our collaboration public. Rumors have been circulating online about our involvement in Pok¨¦star Studios and we felt it was the right time to do so.¡±

    Bianca knew what she was talking about. It first started when that photo of her with the twins from a tourist spread around on the Entranet, sprouting rumors of her taking part in some production. Thankfully, none of them were correct in the sense of what kind of production it was, but it did worry her about the information becoming leaked as the days went by. Revealing it now before a random person online was understandably the right move to make.

    ¡°How are we announcing it?¡± She asked, her voice tinged with apprehension.

    ¡°I assume that Mr. Stu Deeoh has already sent Brycen and his pok¨¦mon off to an interview in Virbank, correct?¡± Professor Juniper responded.

    ¡°He did,¡± Bianca answered before her eyes opened wide at the realization. ¡°Oh, so Brycen¡¯s going to be the one to make that announcement?¡±

    Professor Juniper¡¯s gaze softened. ¡°Because of this, Mr. Stu Deeoh has invited me over to Pok¨¦star Studio to watch the test screening of the show once it¡¯s ready. With how close the  production of Sonamu¡¯s Sunrise is to completion, I¡¯ll be available to come by when it¡¯s done.¡±

    ¡°And when you come by, does that mean¡­?¡±

    "We can talk in person about everything we''ve gathered thanks to your efforts," Professor Juniper complimented. "My arrival also creates a scenario where I can finally meet Harper. You know how much I always wanted to see him."

    Bianca squirmed uncomfortably in place, shifting a foot on the floor.

    ¡°Bianca? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Professor Juniper immediately noticed her behavior.

    ¡°Is¡­ Is everything that I gathered¡­ sufficient? Everything I¡¯ve managed to piece together about Harper is only the surface level, I just get confused and get stuck about anything else¡­ because every species of pok¨¦mon are unique, and no two pok¨¦mon of the same species are identical,¡± Bianca stated, recalling her lessons from early biology. ¡°It¡¯s an undeniable fact, like how Eve¡¯s ears are larger than an average eevee¡¯s or how Zorro¡¯s eyes are capable of changing color, but Harper takes it to an extreme. Now that I¡¯ve known him for a while now, I¡¯ve come to realize how fundamentally¡­ different¡­ he is to the average riolu.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Professor Juniper asked patiently.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, Professor, but I don¡¯t know how to explain it,¡± Bianca admitted with a sigh. ¡°Ever since he trained Eve about acting better, I noticed that something changed as the show¡¯s production continued. When I talk with him, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m talking with a riolu. It¡¯s like I¡¯m talking with someone older than me.¡±

    "I may have an answer as to why that might be the case now that we have more data to work off of," Professor Juniper said thoughtfully.

    ¡°There¡¯s an answer?¡±

    ¡°Under immense guilt or stress, people or pok¨¦mon may tend to mimic the personality of a lost loved one, and sadly, what you''re seeing may be connected with Harper''s past. The scar on his chest indicates an accident that involved someone he lost, likely his Trainer. While his memories are gone, he still subconsciously imitates his Trainer to keep him alive in memory¡­¡± Professor Juniper explained carefully.

    ¡°But we don¡¯t know if his trainer is dea¡ª¡± Bianca started, her voice faltering.

    ¡°Yes, we don¡¯t, but they¡¯re missing,¡± Professor Juniper reiterated with a soft but firm tone. ¡°This would explain why you felt like you were talking to someone older whenever you talked with Harper.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I originally thought it was him being forced to mature at an early age¡­¡± Bianca murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

    ¡°We¡¯re closer to an answer now, Bianca,¡± Professor Juniper assured her, her tone full of encouragement. ¡°Everything you have collected to find why Harper is literate is more than sufficient, ok? Don¡¯t belittle the effort you have put in as my Assistant Professor and sole editor to what might be Pok¨¦star Studio¡¯s next great achievement.¡±

    Bianca¡¯s eyes began to water and she hastily wiped them before they formed into tears. ¡°Thank you, Professor.¡±

    ¡°Of course, now you should exit the call. We can talk more once I come by, I¡¯m sure that the twins won¡¯t like it when they see that you left them for too long,¡± Professor Juniper added with a chuckle.

    "I¡ª Yes! I''ll see you next time, Professor!" She tilted her head in a bow and disconnected the call, quickly pocketing her Xtransciever and entering the control room. Caleb and Claire were still recording their lines and their pok¨¦mon were still glued to the screen.

    Thankfully, they hadn¡¯t noticed that she was gone for too long so she eased her way to the back of the room and sat down to continue watching them perform. As she sat, a new image of Harper began to form due to Professor Juniper¡¯s theory; it did quell her precariousness about the riolu.

    If only it could answer them with absolute certainty.

    <hr>

    Despite being a star in two movies already, Harper never expected to be in an interview. It was only when Mr. Stu Deeoh suddenly burst into one of their training sessions with twins and their pok¨¦mon that the possibility emerged in his head. Apparently, larger TV stations were sending requests in droves for an interview with Brycen due to the success of Full Metal Cop.

    They also wanted the presence of Brycen¡¯s Ace pok¨¦mon and the new addition to his team and the co-star of the film. After sifting through all the emails, the studio owner chose a TV station that was established nearby in Virbank for convenience. With the production of ¡°Sonamu¡¯s Sunrise¡± already underway, Mr. Stu Deeoh helped to pick a date that wouldn¡¯t interrupt its progress.

    Harper internally cringed from the memories of him filming interviews. He had tons of experience after working for late-night talk shows and entertainment channels that outsourced their filming to where he worked.

    And it was boring every single time.

    Since it was his job, Harper couldn''t outwardly complain about filming them, but he certainly had the right to have his own gripes if he didn''t share them. There was no fun in keeping the lights and camera angles completely still during the entire interview session. Every time he was on the set, preparing the interview between some stuck-up celebrity and the host with an ego only bigger than their salary, he wished he was spending his time preparing for a potential audition instead. Harper always let his brain autopilot whenever he helped film interviews, his mentality was better spent elsewhere.

    However, now that he was an actor for Pok¨¦star Studios, Harper was thankful that he never needed to do that again. Now, he was going to be in the seat where he usually helped with finding the right lighting¡­

    Wait¡­

    How was he supposed to act during this interview?

    Harper cursed himself for never paying attention to all the interviews he filmed. They were just about to be interviewed, so why didn¡¯t he have this thought pop up any sooner?

    ¡°Hey kid, you nervous?¡± The lumbering Ice-type turned his gaze to Harper.

    Realizing that he had been fidgeting with his paws the entire time, Harper forced them down at his sides. ¡°This is my first time doing an interview. What are we supposed to do?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about a thing,¡± The polar bear grabbed Harper and placed him on his shoulders before adding bounces in his step, bobbing Harper up with him. ¡°Brycen¡¯s going to do most of the talking anyways. All we need to do is sit beside him and give an answer if they ask us anything, just simple ¡®yes¡¯ or ¡®no¡¯ questions. I¡¯m sure that was one reason why Brycen told you to not bring your whiteboard.¡±

    Harper instinctively reached for his neck, only to feel the emptiness where his whiteboard usually hung. It felt strangely unsettling, especially after wearing it for so long. Beartic was right that leaving it behind was because Brycen was going to talk for them, making the whiteboard effectively useless, but deep down, Harper knew the real reason. His longing to be recognized as a star clashed with his wish to avoid being labeled merely as ¡°the pok¨¦mon that could write.¡± Yet, the Ice-type trainer and his Ace understood him perfectly without needing further explanation.

    "Thanks, Beartic," Harper patted the spot between Beartic''s ears with a grin. "The moment they ask me something, I hope you answer instead.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can do that, and also¡­¡± Beartic cocked his head sideways, dodging Harper¡¯s paws. ¡°I¡¯m the one that gives the pats, not you!¡±

    Beartic suddenly leaned in, rolling Harper off his back and catching him in a firm embrace. Before Harper even realized what was happening, the polar bear secured him in one arm like a beach towel and began to gently pet his head.

    "Hey!" Harper tried to wave Beartic''s paw away from him but failed. His strength was far greater than Harper''s was ever going to be, and he couldn''t do anything but relent.

    As annoying as it was when Beartic pulled something off like this, it wasn¡¯t like Harper hated it. He hadn¡¯t been a victim of lighthearted goofs like these in years, and it made his time in Pok¨¦star Studios more¡­ enjoyable, to say the least.

    The lighthearted attitude, the skills and experience in their passion, and how they shared similar goals reminded him of someone from his past life.

    It reminded Harper of his father.

    Not wanting to bum himself out any further before filming an interview, Harper shifted his attention to the broadcasting network they were heading to.

    ¡°Hey Beartic, how come we¡¯re doing an interview so close to Pok¨¦star? Wouldn¡¯t Castelia City have a more mainstream channel? I¡¯m sure that Pok¨¦star Studios would gain more recognition that way,¡± Harper tilted his head, his curiosity evident as he leaned forward slightly.

    After clearing his throat, Beartic began his explanation. ¡°Mr. Stu Deeoh likes to give smaller networks and companies a fighting chance against competition by giving them exclusives like interviews or behind-the-scenes. The Twin Dragons know how much the Castelia Times¡¯s paparazzi hounds us for their entertainment segment.¡±

    Beartic¡¯s answer wasn''t what Harper had anticipated, but given that he was in the Pok¨¦mon world, he had come to realize that profit wasn¡¯t the driving force here, a very stark contrast compared to how things worked in Hollywood.

    ¡°Mr. Stu Deeoh¡¯s pretty¡­ benevolent,¡± Harper said slowly, scratching the back of his head, his eyes briefly scanning the horizon. ¡°But still, I wonder what Castelia City¡¯s like.¡±

    ¡°Why? Do you wanna go to Castelia?¡± Beartic asked, cocking an eyebrow while his claws lightly drummed on his arm, his expression both amused and curious.

    ¡°I mean, it would be cool to visit someday,¡± Harper replied with a casual shrug. ¡°I don¡¯t know what the rest of Unova¡¯s like.¡±

    Beartic only responded with a hum and a brief smirk, just quick enough for Harper to barely notice. The remainder of the walk was a peaceful one, and as the afternoon gave way to early evening, they finally reached their destination. Harper carefully slid down the Ice-type''s back from his shoulder, who had placed him back up a few minutes ago, and looked up at the multistory building. The structure was designed just like the others around it but with one distinct feature: a bright, flashing logo for a TV station above the sliding glass doors.

    ¡°Virbank Network¡­¡± Harper read the sign aloud as Brycen furled his sleeve up and observed his Xtransciever.

    ¡°We¡¯ve arrived on time,¡± Brycen moved his arm down, stepping into the building first. ¡°Follow me, everyone inside is expecting us.¡±

    After briefly asking the front desk for directions, Harper made his way through the building, catching the attention of staff on their way.

    ¡°It¡¯s Brycen and his Ace! They must be here for the interview!¡± One intern whispered to their colleague.

    ¡°And that¡¯s his riolu!¡± They quietly burst aloud. ¡°He¡¯s even cuter up close!¡±

    Harper didn¡¯t need to listen any longer to the chatter around them when they finally stepped into the recording room. The design inside was typical of a standard entertainment channel, with the host¡¯s desk and chair, sofas of varying sizes, and a backdrop featuring a night cityscape through large windows. While the set offered ample space for those being filmed, the area crammed with equipment felt quite tight. Harper noticed crew members hastily navigate a maze of wires while carefully maneuvering around cameras and lighting equipment.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Harper mentally compiled the production value of the set overall. It was far less than Hollywood would usually have, but if Mr. Stu Deeoh had specifically chosen this place over a larger company, then he had faith that things would go fine.

    ¡°The guests for the interview are here!¡± An employee announced to everyone else, many of them momentarily stopping before returning to preparing the set.

    ¡°Brycen! Welcome to Virbank Network!¡± A bright and sharply suited man approached the veteran actor and shook his hand. ¡°My name¡¯s Zeke Striker, the host of Virbank Variety. I greatly appreciate you and Mr. Stu Deeoh for allowing us to have an exclusive!¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Brycen firmly shook back. ¡°I hope that we¡¯ll have a pleasant interview, Mr. Striker.¡±

    ¡°With your two pok¨¦mon beside you, tonight¡¯s show will go great once we go live!¡± Zeke waved to the rooms down the hallway. ¡°Get your makeup ready, and I¡¯ll see you soon!¡±

    As the electric host left, Harper stood silently in surprise at what he mentioned a moment ago. No one ever told him this was going to be live, and he had assumed up till now that this was going to be a pre-recording.

    Maybe it was his prior experience setting up expectations. For every celebrity interview and talk show Harper had helped in filming, they were always prerecorded. Even the ones considered ¡°live¡± to the public were recorded in advance for convenience to the famous figures being filmed, much to the inconvenience of everyone else in the film crew. The unease Harper had for this interview began to bubble up once more, but now knowing how he needed to interact very little, he was able to push it down again.

    He was in two movies now, and he was now acting in another production. An interview should be a piece of cake.

    As long as Beartic and Brycen were there, he felt like he could get through this.

    <hr>

    "Gooooooooooood Evening, Ladies and Gents, and welcome to Virbank Variety! I''m your host, Zeke Striker, and tonight, we are joined by some very special guests from Unova''s Entertainment Capital, Brycen and his pok¨¦mon!"

    The lights flashed on the three, and Harper had to blink twice to adjust to the brightness. Quickly, he joined Beartic in waving for the camera as Brycen stoically nodded instead. Zeke continued to speak to the main camera, introducing the guests for tonight.

    ¡°Brycen is a celebrated figure in the entertainment industry for starring in multiple action films such as Enter the Beartic, Crouching Tiger Hidden Druddigon, and Avenue Avengers! He¡¯s also more familiar with older Pok¨¦mon Trainers as one of the former Gym Leaders of Unova, famous for coldly striking down anyone without mercy! Brycen, thank you for coming tonight!¡±

    Brycen shifted his weight and gave a small wave of his hand. ¡°Of course, thank you for inviting us.¡±

    Zeke tapped a stack of cards together with his hands, leaning forward. ¡°I would like to start with a few questions about you that everyone is dying to know.¡±

    Brycen waved his hand forward, signaling for him to shoot.

    ¡°The first question I would like to ask is; Why the career change back into an actor? It¡¯s odd to see a Gym Leader return to their former job.¡±

    "My decision to return to Pok¨¦star Studio wasn''t made lightly," Brycen replied, crossing his arms thoughtfully. "After Team Plasma attempted to take over Unova two years ago, the bonds between people and pok¨¦mon were tested to their extremes. After a conversation with Champion Alder, I wanted to prove that with my acting alongside pok¨¦mon, the tension between us can be lifted."

    Zeke nodded, tapping the cards on the desk again. ¡°That is a very honorable answer, but do you ever miss being a Gym Leader?¡±

    Brycen¡¯s lips curved into a faint smile as he glanced briefly at the camera. ¡°I¡¯ve enjoyed my time as one, and I¡¯m glad to have passed the role onto the Gym Leaders we have today.¡±

    ¡°Every Unovan Gym Leader follows a theme for their type specialty, and you still seem to do so, any reason for that?¡±

    ¡°Due to the geography around Icirrus City, there are frequent snowstorms that come from Twist Mountain during the winter,¡± Brycen explained, his hand resting on Beartic¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I also found my Ace and first pok¨¦mon, Beartic, when he was a cubchoo before I began my journey as a Pok¨¦mon Trainer. I have always been an Ice-type specialist, and I always will be.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for answering that. For your career as an actor, what is your favorite and least favorite aspect of it? I¡¯m sure every actor has their own gripes about the industry.¡±

    Brycen gestured toward Beartic and Harper. ¡°What I enjoy most about being an actor is working alongside pok¨¦mon to create something special for everyone to see.¡±

    ¡°And your least favorite part?¡±

    Brycen frowned slightly, his gaze dropping momentarily. ¡°The intrusive nature of paparazzi. There is a difference between being willing to give an interview and being poked and prodded for one.¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t been forced into this one, right?¡± Zeke asked, his eyebrows rising with mock worry.

    ¡°Not at all,¡± Brycen said with a rare smirk. ¡°I¡¯m honored to be here with Virbank Variety.¡±

    ¡°That is reassuring for me and the rest of the Virbank Network to hear,¡± Zeke replied, chuckling as he exhaled with relief. ¡°Another question I would like to ask is: What kind of martial arts do you practice for movies? It¡¯s nothing like other martial arts I have seen in films.¡±

    "I practice the ''Reit¨­-ken Style,'' or the ''Frozen Fist Style.'' It primarily focuses on slow and deliberate movements before striking with sudden and sharp combos to ''freeze'' an opponent in place."

    "That sounds fierce! How much of it is applicable in real-world scenarios?"

    ¡°Nearly all of it. The only difference is that to a bystander, the moves won¡¯t look flashy.¡±

    ¡°Why is that?¡±

    ¡°Looking good for the camera is the last thought any martial artist should have when fighting against real opponents. Your focus is to stop them before they can cause any more bodily harm,¡± Brycen''s face turned a shade serious, almost as if giving a lesson.

    ¡°I see. Well, it¡¯s amazing that your fight choreography in movies can work in real life!¡± Zeke slid a few cards out of his hand and set them beside him. ¡°Speaking of fight choreography, the fights in your last movie, Full Metal Cop, have been the talk of everyone who¡¯s seen it since its release!¡±

    ¡°Full Metal Cop has been a thrilling production, and I am thankful for everyone¡¯s kind words about the film,¡± Brycen nodded his head to the camera.

    ¡°The praise is well-deserved, Brycen, and it also goes for your riolu, Harper,¡± Zeke added, shifting his gaze to Harper. ¡°You¡¯ve been becoming popular from the roles in your last two films, especially in Full Metal Cop. Your chemistry with Audrey Cohen¡¯s sneasel, Ripley, has been so amazing that the film has had one of the highest turnovers in pok¨¦mon viewers in Unova¡¯s history¡ªa record that hadn¡¯t been beaten for years!¡±

    ¡°I¡ª Wow¡­ Really?¡± Harper blushed, scratching the back of his head and glancing downward, his ears twitching.

    ¡°No need to feel shy,¡± Zeke laughed, leaning back slightly in his chair with an amused grin. ¡°Now, the public sees you as one of the biggest rising stars, but how do you see him, Brycen?¡± He pointed at the veteran actor with his cards, tilting his head with interest.

    Harper turned to Brycen and, after briefly exchanging glances, the veteran actor returned his gaze to the host, his expression calm and composed. ¡°Harper has made mistakes from time to time, but he has learned from them and became a great actor in a short amount of time,¡± Brycen said, folding his hands on his knees.

    As embarrassing as it was to have his shortcomings admitted live on television, Harper was nothing if not grateful for the way Brycen phrased it, his tail swishing subtly behind him.

    ¡°Continuing about Harper, he''s shown great talent for a pok¨¦mon new to the industry. How did you find a pok¨¦mon like him?¡± Zeke asked, leaning slightly forward with a curious tilt of his brow.

    After a few seconds of thought, Brycen began to explain an abridged version of the story. He omitted the descriptions of Harper''s injury and his "condition," so it sounded far more optimistic than it really was and Harper having his chest scar hidden again by makeup before arriving for the interview helped in fueling the falsehood. The details about Reed and Meadow taking care of Harper and Mr. Stu Deeoh finding him remained the same.

    "Mr. Stu Deeoh has an eye to find potential when he sees it. Beartic and I have only helped to foster that talent," Brycen said, his voice steady as he gestured subtly toward Harper. "It has also helped that he had a great partner to act within Riolu-Kid of Justice vs. Brycen-Man.¡±

    ¡°Ah yes, the movie that saved Pok¨¦star Studios from bankruptcy, and it was thanks to a Pok¨¦mon Trainer that happened to be around, right?¡± Zeke asked, adjusting his cufflinks and raising an eyebrow.

    ¡°Yes, and his name was Nate Cinereu,¡± Brycen confirmed, nodding slightly. ¡°He and Harper were a magnificent duo and helped through despite our struggling conditions.¡±

    ¡°The short film was praised quite positively according to the Entranet, but some say that it was too short and they want more. Is Pok¨¦star Studios considering another project for that IP?¡± Zeke asked, tapping his cards lightly on the table for emphasis.

    ¡°As of now, no,¡± Brycen answered as he leaned back slightly. ¡°Mr. Stu Deeoh wishes for Nate to return for his role when the time is right, but right now, he is busy on his Journey.¡±

    ¡°Well, it sounds like it¡¯s in limbo, but we¡¯ll all stay optimistic for now,¡± Zeke stated to the camera, flashing a reassuring smile. ¡°Now, I have one question to ask that the Entranet has been spreading rumors about. Tourists of Pok¨¦star Studios have recently spotted Professor Bianca in the backlot with two children as if they were preparing for something. By any chance is she or the Unovan Research Team involved with any projects?¡±

    Harper froze in place from Zeke¡¯s question, his ears twitching nervously. He glanced at Brycen, who remained composed, though Harper noticed the faintest shift in his expression¡ªan indicator that he was carefully calculating his response.

    Brycen took a deep breath in and stated his answer. "All that I am allowed to explain is that, yes, both the research team and Pok¨¦star are in collaboration for a project."

    "How fascinating! Is there anything else you can explain about it if you can?" Zeke''s eyes sparkled with curiosity as he leaned forward slightly.

    ¡°What I can tell you is that the younger audience will enjoy this,¡± Brycen replied with a faint smile.

    As Zeke and Brycen continued to talk with each other, Harper leaned sideways towards Beartic, grabbing his attention.

    ¡°Is Brycen allowed to reveal that much?¡± Harper asked discreetly, his voice low and his eyes darting briefly toward the cameras.

    Beartic gave a small nod. ¡°Mr. Stu Deeoh actually told him to explain that much. He trusts him enough to not leak anything major since Brycen¡¯s not the kind of guy to slip anything up like he¡¯s on thin ice.¡±

    Harper couldn¡¯t help but roll his eyes at the pun despite knowing that the cameras were still rolling, a faint smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth.

    <hr>

    In a shadowy alleyway of Castelia City, Mr. Green and Mr. Gray found refuge from the bustling crowd on the sidewalk. They stood in the dim city lights, each propped against the crumbling wall opposite the other. Flicking a cigarette out of a pack, Mr. Green lit one up and took a deep drag, exhaling the smoke above him and watching it slowly rise up.

    ¡°I hate this city, too many people in one place,¡± Mr. Green sighed, rubbing his temple with one hand while the other held his cigarette. ¡°Hey, Mr. Gray, how much longer does Cabot even want us here?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t use the captain¡¯s name in public, damn it,¡± Mr. Gray hissed, quickly looking down the alley for eavesdroppers. ¡°We¡¯re supposed to stay quiet until we get the order to move.¡±

    Mr. Gray didn¡¯t know why his Team Captain assigned him and Mr. Green to Castelia City when security had increased. The public and the local police were now on the lookout for Team Neo Plasma members, so he and Mr. Green had to hold pseudonyms in case either of them were caught so they had nothing to share about the other.

    Mr. Gray was growing impatient as much as Mr. Green. Hiding like this was a waste of time, and pretending to be normal people infuriated both of them. He wanted to put on his face mask to hide his face but it would, in turn, reveal them to be members of Neo Plasma. As much as he wanted to argue back to the Team Captain because he ordered them to stay, that''s all they could do.

    It also didn¡¯t help that they had another frustrating member join their team some time ago, making it into a disjointed trio. Their additional member, the informally-named Mr. Brown finally caught up to them with an annoyed expression and two bottled drinks in hand.

    ¡°I brought your sodas,¡± Mr. Brown growled, forcefully tossing each one of them at Mr. Green and Mr. Gray, who both successfully caught them. ¡°I¡¯m not your damn shuttle for beverages so get them yourselves next time.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but who¡¯s the one here that wants to stick with us?¡± Mr. Gray shot back, folding his arms as he glared at Mr. Brown. ¡°It¡¯s just supposed to be me and Mr. Green here, so you should be fucking grateful that we let you into our group after your last one got arrested.¡±

    Mr. Green flicked his cigarette onto the floor, extinguishing it with his foot. ¡°You know, that does raise a question¡ª¡± He took a swig of his caramelized soda before pointing at Mr. Brown. ¡°I remember reading that newspaper article where only three out of four members were caught. How did you get away from the cops? You don¡¯t look like the sharpest tool in the shed¡­¡±

    "You calling me a dumbass?!" Mr. Brown snapped, stepping forward and shoving Mr. Green''s shoulder. "I got away because they were dumbasses! They tried running away together, so I ran in the other direction! Guess who won in the end?! Me! That''s right!"

    Mr. Green smirked, his hands resting lazily in his pockets. ¡°That sounds like what a coward sneaking away like a Patrat would do.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯M NOT A FUCKING COWARD!¡± Mr. Brown yelled, his face flushing red before something clicked in his head. ¡°AND DON¡¯T CALL ME A PATRAT!¡±

    ¡°SHUT UP!¡± Mr. Gray exploded, stepping between them and shoving both backward with stiff arms. His finger jabbed the air as he pointed at each of them. ¡°Mr. Green, stop pushing Mr. Brown¡¯s buttons. And Mr. Brown, any more funny business, and I¡¯m kicking you out of our group. Got it?¡±

    ¡°¡­Fine,¡± Mr. Brown grumbled.

    ¡°Sure,¡± Mr. Green shrugged without a care.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get out of this alleyway,¡± Mr. Gray said sharply, brushing dust from his jacket as he stepped forward. ¡°The both of you better stay silent the whole time or else.¡±

    Returning back to the busy street, the three of them followed the foot traffic down the sidewalk.  Mr. Gray briefly glanced over at Mr. Brown, who had no care to apologize whenever he bumped into some, which he had done multiple times. As annoying as Mr. Green was, he had a point about Mr. Brown''s loyalty; if he easily betrayed his last group, then it was only a matter of time before he did it again. Mr. Gray decided to keep a close eye on Mr. Brown as if the one he already had on him wasn''t enough for being a raging asshole.

    Sometime later, Mr. Green briskly paced a few steps ahead of Mr. Gray to approach the front of a television store. He stared intently at the multiple televisions displayed behind the glass window, all of them playing the same commercial for the latest brand of pok¨¦mon snacks.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have time for window shopping, Mr. Green,¡± Mr. Gray barked, crossing his arms impatiently. ¡°We don¡¯t even have a place to put one anyway.¡±

    ¡°Just look at that one, man,¡± Mr. Green replied, sticking a finger out at the largest television showcased behind the window. His eyes gleamed with excitement. ¡°Thirty-two inches, 4K resolution, the colors alone¡­ this is the best on the market right now.¡±

    ¡°And¡­ what about it?¡± Mr. Gray asked dryly, motioning at the so-called prime television with a flick of his wrist.

    Mr. Green turned his head, lowering his voice as he leaned closer to Mr. Gray. ¡°Once Neo Plasma takes control of Unova, no one¡¯ll stop us from taking anything we want.¡±

    ¡°And the first thing you want to steal is a TV? Really?¡± Mr. Gray asked, raising an eyebrow as he tilted his head.

    ¡°I mean, c¡¯mon,¡± Mr. Green gestured broadly at the television with both hands. ¡°Don¡¯t you wanna see news coverage of our successful takeover in the highest quality possible?¡±

    ¡°Fair point,¡± Mr. Gray admitted with a smirk, ¡°but we can see us taking over with our own eyes. Now let¡¯s go.¡± He grabbed the back of Mr. Green¡¯s shirt, pulling him away from the store window.

    ¡°Hey hey hey, stop stretching my clothes!¡± Mr. Green muttered, adjusting his collar once he was released. He jabbed a thumb in the direction of Mr. Brown. ¡°Besides, I think you¡¯re forgetting someone.¡±

    Mr. Brown stood transfixed at the televisions with closed fists, his face gradually contorting the longer he watched. Mr. Gray grumbled as he marched towards their incompetent partner, already sick and tired of him.

    ¡°What did I say about funny business? Let¡¯s go now!¡± Mr. Gray commanded, his voice sharp. But his words seemed to go in one ear and out the other.

    ¡°It¡¯s him¡­ It¡¯s fucking him!¡± Mr. Brown slammed a fist against the glass, his voice trembling with anger. ¡°So that¡¯s where the brat¡¯s Riolu¡¯s been all this time!¡±

    Mr. Gray turned to the television, all of them now playing what seemed like a talk show. He recognized Brycen sitting in the sofa chair, the former Gym Leader who helped thwart their plans two years ago. Beside him was his Ace, Beartic, and another pok¨¦mon, a young riolu, a riolu that Mr. Brown had his undivided attention on.

    ¡°Ok, first off, stop creating such a scene, you idiot. Second, you know that riolu?¡± Mr. Gray asked, pointing at the canine pok¨¦mon as Mr. Green approached with a curious expression.

    "Hell yeah, I do. He''s the one I lost to when I was in Virbank City! I knew there was something weird about him, with that scar and everything!" Mr. Brown spat, his finger jabbing the glass furiously.

    ¡°Wait¡­¡± Mr. Green stepped forward, his mouth curving into a grin as he peered closer. ¡°That¡¯s the Riolu that was with Brycen in Full Metal Cop! I loved that movie!¡±

    ¡°When in the hell did you find the time to watch a movie?¡± Mr. Gray asked, narrowing his eyes. ¡°I know you never went to a theater since we¡¯ve been together the whole time after the Team Captain assigned us together.¡±

    ¡°Watched a pirated copy online a few nights ago at that motel while you were sleeping,¡± Mr. Green admitted casually, pulling out his phone and waving it. ¡°The video quality was shit, and all the subtitles were in Sinnohan, but it was still fun to wa¡ª¡±

    ¡°Stop it! Stop praising that mutt!¡± Mr. Brown growled, curling his hands into fists and slamming them against the glass again. ¡°That damn riolu messed up my plan to take over the Virbank Ports, and now he¡¯s famous? Arceus, I wish I could just ruin his life¡­¡±

    ¡°What? You have a plan or something? You know they don¡¯t like it when grunts act on their own,¡± Mr. Green asked, raising an eyebrow as he leaned casually against the window.

    After a few moments of fuming, Mr. Brown¡¯s expression shifted as an idea struck him. ¡°There was something interesting about the mutt when I battled him¡­ For some reason, he had a whiteboard on him before he threw it aside to battle me¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­What does that have to do with anything?¡± Mr. Gray asked, his tone flat.

    ¡°Why would a Pok¨¦mon ever need a whiteboard?¡± Mr. Brown asked rhetorically, gesturing wildly as his voice grew animated. ¡°He used it for something, most likely for communication¡­¡±

    ¡°What, you think he¡¯s drawing pictures to talk with people or something?¡± Mr. Gray deadpanned, rubbing his temples.

    "That''s my point exactly! Don''t you think Leader Colress would love it if we steal this Riolu?" Mr. Brown''s lips curled into a sinister grin. "He''s always going all la-dee-da about communicating with Pok¨¦mon anyway. Not only would I get back at the trainer who beat me, but stealing him would also get us three promotions for sure!"

    ¡°Shut the fuck up!¡± Mr. Gray clasped his hand on Mr. Brown¡¯s mouth and whispered close to his ear. ¡°You¡¯re speaking way too fucking loud in public!¡±

    ¡°You know I have a point though,¡± Mr. Brown spoke with a muffled voice.

    Mr. Gray only frowned, staring at the television as the interview continued. Subtitles scrolled along the bottom of the screen while the host and former Gym Leader spoke.

    ¡°Tourists of Pok¨¦star Studios have recently spotted Assistant Professor Bianca in the backlot with two children as if preparing for something,¡± The host asked curiously. ¡°By any chance is she or the Unovan Research Team involved with any projects?¡±

    ¡°¡­all that I am allowed to explain is that, yes, both the research team and Pok¨¦star are in a collaboration for a project¡­¡± Brycen answered.

    ¡°We can use that!¡± Mr. Brown exclaimed before looking sideways in both directions and taking them to another alley for privacy, heeding Mr. Gray¡¯s advice. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve got an idea. We could just steal the Riolu and say the Unovan Research Team was researching him for trying to communicate with Pok¨¦mon or something. It adds a Cheri on top! Since we¡¯re not technically lying that they¡¯re involved with the Riolu, Colress would love to hear that!¡±

    ¡°What if he finds out that we¡¯re lying?¡± Mr. Green brought up as he pointed at Mr. Brown. ¡°We¡¯d get punished and I¡¯m putting it real lightly.¡±

    ¡°He won¡¯t,¡± Mr. Brown brushed the notion away. ¡°He¡¯s such a sucker for anything Pok¨¦mon-related that he¡¯ll love whatever we bring him,¡± For the first time since they had met, his voice carried an unusual sharpness. ¡°Guys, I want to fuck the riolu up to get back at that trainer that beat me twice and I know you guys want a promotion. Stealing him is the quickest way to do it, so are you both in or not?¡±

    Mr. Gray considered the upsides and downsides of going along with his plan. If he told Mr. Brown to shut up and they continued to stay in Castelia City until the Team Leader ordered them to move, there was no risk of being caught. On the other hand, if they succeeded in kidnapping a single, tiny pok¨¦mon, they''d have a fairly good chance of being promoted and he''d be able to be on par with or even above the role of Team Leader.

    Having a higher authority in Team Neo Plasma sounded nice¡­ and for how idiotic Mr. Brown sounded all the time, this was an interesting change of pace.

    After a long pause, Mr. Gray nodded slowly. ¡°Fine. I¡¯m in. But if we¡¯re doing this, it needs to be planned down to the last detail. No slip-ups.¡±

    Mr. Brown¡¯s grin widened into something almost manic. ¡°Perfect.¡±

    As the trio stood on the bustling sidewalk, Mr. Green raised a hand with a sudden, enthusiastic idea. ¡°You know¡­ I heard Pok¨¦star does guided tours.¡±

    Mr. Gray frowned, tilting his head as he regarded the suggestion. ¡°The ones where tour guides walk you through the place? You¡¯re suggesting we join one of those?¡±

    Mr. Brown nodded, his grin now laced with calculation. ¡°It¡¯s perfect. We can learn the layout, figure out security routines, and maybe even find out where they¡¯re keeping that riolu. It¡¯s the best shot we¡¯ve got to pull this off without getting caught.¡±

    ¡°You think they¡¯ll let a group like us walk around without any questions?¡± Mr. Gray asked skeptically.

    ¡°Relax,¡± Mr. Green interjected, smirking as he gestured to his clothes. ¡°We just need to dress the part. Pretend we¡¯re a couple of clueless tourists. We¡¯ll blend right in.¡±

    ¡°Blend in?¡± Mr. Gray scoffed, running a hand down his face. ¡°You, with your big mouth? Sure, let¡¯s see how that works out.¡±

    Before Mr. Green could respond with one of his usual quips, Mr. Brown¡¯s eyes darkened, and his voice dropped into a low, serious tone. ¡°We¡¯re doing this. And we¡¯re doing it right. No screw-ups, no freelancing. You two follow my lead for once, understood? It was originally my idea anyway.¡±

    Mr. Gray stared at him for a moment before giving a curt nod. ¡°Fine. But if this goes south, it¡¯s on your head.¡±

    ¡°Deal. Now, let¡¯s get out of this city¡± Mr. Brown quickly accepted with a nod as he walked forward. ¡°Virbank shouldn¡¯t take too long by subway.¡±

 Scene 3 - Take 11: Unspoken Fears and Surprising Cheers

    Harper sat on the other side of the dressing room, watching from afar as Claire diligently listened to Layla about proper care of pok¨¦mon. She used Eve as an example, nodding along as she groomed the eevee''s fur with careful strokes. Caleb focused on brushing Zorro with a frustrated look on his face, his grip tightening on the brush as he became distracted from the Lead Makeup Artist''s advice¡ªuntil Claire elbowed her brother in the side.

    ¡°Ow! Hey!¡± Caleb yelped, jerking away as he rubbed his ribs with one hand. ¡°Why¡¯d you do that?!¡±

    ¡°You should be listening to Ms. Kang!¡± Claire huffed back as she pointed at him. ¡°When we start our Journey, I¡¯m not taking care of Zorro every time!¡±

    ¡°But I was listening!¡± Caleb hissed through his teeth, still rubbing his side. ¡°Ms. Kang said not to brush a Pok¨¦mon too hard, but no matter how I brush Zorro, his fur never looks the way I want it!¡±

    Layla tilted her head thoughtfully, her hands resting on her hips. ¡°I noticed that the first time I worked with him, but his fur¡¯s already perfect!¡± She leaned down and patted the poochyena¡¯s head. ¡°He¡¯s got quite a healthy coat!¡± She added with a reassuring smile.

    As the twins continued to talk with Layla, Beartic entered the room and after briefly greeting everyone, took a seat beside Harper and settled with a soft grunt. He tossed Harper a dry poffin he grabbed from the concession stand outside before biting down on his own sweet poffin.

    ¡°So how much longer until Eve¡¯s makeup is done?¡± Beartic asked, chewing thoughtfully as he slumped back in his seat. His ears flicked slightly, watching the ongoing preparations.

    ¡°I think they¡¯re almost done,¡± Harper replied, rolling the poffin between his paws before finally taking a small bite. He nodded toward Layla, who was handing a perfume bottle to Claire in gift fashion. ¡°Layla was just teaching Claire about Pok¨¦mon care since she asked earlier,¡± He added, glancing back at Beartic.

    ¡°Right, Claire mentioned that she wanted to be a traveling nurse,¡± Beartic said, wagging a paw. His expression softened as he observed Claire¡¯s eager enthusiasm. ¡°She asked the right person to learn from. Layla¡¯s the best in her field.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right about that,¡± Harper murmured, gently adjusting the knot securing the tassels behind his head for his costume. ¡°She¡¯s got magic hands to tie this without making it hurt every time.¡±

    Beartic chuckled, resting his paws on his knees as he gazed back at the twins. His expression lingered for a moment before his eyes flicked back to Harper.

    ¡°So¡­ how do you feel, kid?¡± he asked suddenly.

    Harper turned his head, blinking in confusion. ¡°Feel¡­ about what?¡±

    ¡°For this show,¡± Beartic said, gesturing vaguely around them with a lazy wave. ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to ask how you felt when you wrapped up your last scene in Full Metal Cop, but I wasn''t there at the time. Now that we''re nearing the end of this show with the final episode, I wanted to know how you''re feeling."

    With Beartic mentioning it, Harper began to recognize the strange yet familiar sensation that had lingered since morning. It was the same feeling he experienced while watching the sunset after discreetly slipping away from the celebration party in Undella Town. The sense of accomplishment came not from the party, but from when he spent the evening with Audrey and Ripley. After a moment of thought, he gave a light sigh.

    ¡°I feel¡­ more sure of myself,¡± Harper admitted, his gaze distant as he traced a claw over the edge of his seat.

    Beartic tilted his head, his brows raising with interest. ¡°How so?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m getting used to being here in Pok¨¦star Studios,¡± Harper answered, his paws fidgeting with the edge of his costume. ¡°Everyone¡¯s so nice and caring, and the environment is so positive. It¡¯s nothing like before.¡±

    ¡°Like before?¡± Beartic¡¯s brows furrowed.

    ¡°B-Before?¡± Harper stammered, his fur bristling slightly as he flinched at the Ice-type¡¯s sudden shift in tone. He quickly held up his paws. ¡°I¡ª I didn¡¯t¡ª¡±

    Beartic raised a paw, his expression softening again. ¡°I know you¡¯re not ready. You don¡¯t need to answer. You can explain it when it¡¯s time, okay?¡±

    Harper exhaled shakily, his shoulders sagging with relief. ¡°T-Thanks,¡± He mumbled, collapsing into his seat. Ever since he told Beartic and Brycen of his eventual disclosure, he had been much more likely to slip up. Not that it exposed him too much, but every time he did so, it increased the concern of the two.

    ¡°Anyways¡­¡± He cleared his throat, his tail twitching restlessly as he forced himself to refocus. ¡°After Brycen Man and Full Metal Cop, I enjoyed working on a project meant for younger audiences. With how lighthearted it was, I felt the same way when we acted.¡±

    ¡°I agree with you there,¡± Beartic nodded slowly, crossing his arms as he tapped a claw against his forearm in thought. ¡°My role as Tundra is one of the most fun roles I¡¯ve done yet. I¡¯m sort of sad that this is the last time I¡¯ll get to joke around with you on set.¡±

    Harper coughed out a laugh. ¡°That¡¯s what you¡¯re worried about?¡± he asked, exhaling sharply. ¡°It¡¯s not like this show is the last time I¡¯ll see you.¡±

    ¡°I know it isn¡¯t,¡± Beartic replied, ruffling Harper¡¯s head fur with one paw, earning an irritated swat. ¡°It¡¯s just that another opportunity to mess with you is going to end soon.¡±

    Harper only chuckled as he fixed his fur again. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Beartic. You¡¯ll have a bunch more in the future.¡±

    Beartic hummed in response, leaning back into his seat. ¡°You know¡­ I expected a simpler answer from you.¡±

    Harper arched a brow. ¡°How else was I supposed to respond then?¡±

    ¡°Well, you could¡¯ve said, ¡®I sure am glad that I can train with Beartic once we have more time,¡¯¡± Beartic teased, his grin widening as he waggled his brows.

    ¡°Is that what you want to do with me when this is done?¡± Harper asked, rolling his eyes.

    ¡°C¡¯mon, kid. It¡¯s been a while since we last trained,¡± Beartic stretched his arms behind his back, his seat slightly creaking as he leaned. ¡°There¡¯s a special move I¡¯ve been meaning to teach you.¡±

    A special move? Harper¡¯s ears perked up as his tail twitched with interest. His move pool had remained stagnant since the show began production, so it¡¯d help to learn a new move for if he was in another film that had combat. The only move he knew that could be categorized as special was Vacuum Wave. He didn¡¯t know what other special moves that a riolu could learn¡ªthey were more recognized as physical fighters. Could riolus learn any other special moves other than Vacuum Wave? Maybe Beartic wanted to teach him Swift¡ªhe didn¡¯t have other ranged options after all.

    Harper shifted in his seat. ¡°What kind of special move are you talking about? You never phrased it like that before.¡±

    ¡°Ah shoot, sorry if that confused you,¡± Beartic scratched the back of his head after noticing Harper¡¯s changing expression. ¡°What I meant was that I want to teach you how I use a move compared to how other pok¨¦mon usually do.¡±

    ¡°How so?¡± Harper leaned in.

    Beartic raised a digit up to his mouth, his smile curling upward. ¡°You¡¯ll see when we start training again. That¡¯ll get you pumped up for now, won¡¯t it?¡±

    Harper gave a mocking wave of his paw. ¡°Sort of.¡±

    Beartic snorted, nudging Harper¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Oh, shut it. I know you¡¯re excited.¡±

    As they chuckled together, Harper watched as Bianca arrived from the entrance, enthusiastically greeting the twins and conversing with Layla. He remembered how Brycen mentioned a few days ago that Professor Juniper was going to come by once the test screening was ready. That date was rapidly approaching now that they were filming the final episode, and it made Harper a bit nervous about his first encounter with her.

    Even knowing the fact that Professor Juniper is aware of his literacy, it still uneased him with his first impression of her. She was the Pok¨¦mon Professor for Unova, after all, and that title held a much greater merit than the games portrayed. With how casual and lighthearted Bianca always seemed, it made Harper forget from time to time that she was the Assistant Professor to Professor Juniper and not the flighty rival he remembered from his playthrough of Pok¨¦mon Black as a kid.

    Harper pushed his concern away with a shake of his head, deciding to let future him worry about it when the time came.

    He watched as Zorro and Eve hopped off their seats, their tails wagging as they trotted toward the group.

    ¡°We¡¯re done with our makeup!¡± Eve chirped, twirling in place before striking a playful pose.

    Harper appreciated Eve¡¯s enthusiasm, watching as Claire clapped in delight and Caleb gave an approving nod. Layla chuckled, brushing off her hands as she stepped back to admire their work.

    ¡°You two look fantastic as always,¡± She said, placing her hands on her hips. ¡°You¡¯re all set for the final episode!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re actually doing the last episode¡­¡± Zorro breathed out in almost reluctant amazement.

    Eve nudged herself beside him, fluffing her fur. ¡°We¡¯ll do our best!¡±

    Claire turned toward Harper and Beartic, waving them over by the door. ¡°Come on! We need to head to the soundstage before Director Pok¨¦lsky comes looking for us!¡±

    ¡°Race you there!¡± Caleb suddenly exclaimed as he rushed past her, closing the door behind him.

    ¡°Hey, no fair!¡± Claire shouted as she held the door open for Zorro and Eve before catching up to him.

    Harper gave Beartic a sidelong glance. ¡°Guess that means no more sitting around.¡±

    Beartic let out a dramatic sigh, stretching his arms as he stood. ¡°So much for a peaceful break.¡± Despite his words, a smirk tugged at his muzzle. ¡°Let¡¯s go, kid. Time to wrap this up.¡±

    As they made their way to the soundstage, the weight of the moment settled on Harper¡¯s shoulders. This was it¡ªthe final episode. The culmination of their work, their effort, and all the moments shared on and off set. Despite the lingering nerves, he felt ready. More than that, he felt grateful.

    <hr>

    In the Tundra Guild lobby, the chatter of teams gearing up for missions made the air feel alive. Pepper and Hazel stood side by side at the mission board as they scanned the array of posters. Hazel¡¯s bright eyes were fixed on a request for help from a family of sewaddle, her tail wagging faintly. Pepper, meanwhile, tilted his head toward a different poster, his ears perked with interest.

    ¡°Look, Pepper! This family of sewaddle needs help finding a safe place to live! We¡¯d be perfect for the job!¡± Hazel¡¯s voice carried a note of excitement as she flicked her tail toward the poster.

    Pepper¡¯s mouth curled into a grin, and he nudged the board with his paw, pointing at another job. ¡°Or¡­ we could check out this one. It¡¯s in an unexplored part of the mountains near Sonamu Forest! Finally, a real adventure!¡±

    Hazel shook her head, her ears flattening slightly as she took a step closer to the board. ¡°Pepper, we¡¯re supposed to be helping others. It¡¯s a big reason why I wanted to join the guild.¡±

    Pepper sighed with a puff of frustration. ¡°But what¡¯s wrong with a little fun? We could both use it,¡± He muttered, glancing at Hazel with an almost pleading look.

    Hazel stilled as she turned to face him, her tone grew firmer. ¡°I want to take missions that make a difference, not just go exploring for the thrill of it.¡±

    Pepper¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying my idea doesn¡¯t matter? Just because it¡¯s not some ¡®serious¡¯ mission?¡± He snapped, lifting his chin in defiance.

    Hazel straightened her posture. ¡°No, I¡¯m saying that we¡¯re a team, and we should focus on things that actually help Pok¨¦mon. I¡­ That¡¯s¡­ That¡¯s what we¡¯re here for, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Maybe that¡¯s¡­ Maybe¡­ Mr. Harper, can we do this again?¡±

    <hr>

    As soon as Harper signaled Celine to end filming, the film crew loosened up as lights adjusted, scripts flipped, and quiet murmurs filled the air. He watched as Zorro and Eve sat off to the side, not speaking despite the scene having gone well up to that point. There was an edge, a hesitance that clung to their performances.

    He decided not to address it outright and he instead crouched near Zorro, letting the quiet settle between them. The poochyena tensed up as Eve¡¯s eyes darted between them as though considering whether to speak.

    |[Guilt]|

    All Harper sensed from Zorro was that he wronged him, but for what? The scene was perfect until he asked him to stop.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? You were doing great,¡± Harper said gently, tilting his head.

    ¡°I¡­¡± Zorro let out a slow exhale, his tail curling slightly. ¡°I hate being mean like this.¡±

    Eve''s gaze lowered in solemn understanding, not saying a single word. The argument in the script was opening old memories for them, and even though they hadn''t had an issue during rehearsal, being in front of a camera would certainly elevate their emotions. Harper distinctively remembered Brycen''s advice to not bring up Zorro''s past, knowing well of the aftermath from personal experience. Thanks to his conversation with Eve, he had a broad idea of how to alleviate his dispirited nature. He silently signaled the eevee to come closer to the two of them, and when she did, he focused on the poochyena. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°You know, Eve felt unsure about this as well when we rehearsed this together,¡± Harper reassured.

    ¡°Really?¡± Zorro turned his head to Eve, who nodded once at the poochyena.

    Harper hummed in response. ¡°She¡¯ll never explicitly say this, but she cares for you through the good or bad because the two of you are like siblings.¡±

    Zorro¡¯s eyes rapidly darted back and forth between Harper and Eve before he slowly returned them back to him.

    ¡°Remember, Eve knows that you don''t mean what you say to her while filming. Do you mean what your lines tell you to say to her?¡±

    ¡°Of course I don¡¯t!¡± Zorro rapidly shook his head before recoiling in shame. ¡°S-Sorry¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be, you definitely wouldn¡¯t feel that way,¡± Harper shook his head before giving him an encouraging nod. ¡°Still, it looks like you knew the answer all along.¡±

    A few seconds passed where Zorro sat with his own thoughts until he eventually responded.

    ¡°I¡­ I guess I did¡­¡± He muttered. ¡°T-Thanks, Mr. Harper. I think I can do this again.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear,¡± Harper concluded. He stood up and turned to the Director¡¯s line of sight and signaled to continue with a wave of his paw.

    ¡°Harper says things are good! Let¡¯s continue where we just cut!¡± Celine called out, clapping her hands together to refocus the crew.

    He turned to Zorro again, briefly talking with him again. ¡°Remember, your emotions are what give your lines meaning, but they don¡¯t affect the actor you¡¯re saying them to, only the character they represent.¡±

    ¡°O¡­ Ok!¡± Zorro nodded with confidence.

    When Harper walked off the set, he watched as the film crew began moving again, finalizing details as Zorro and Eve steeled themselves to continue the scene.

    Scene 1, Take 3,¡± Someone announced before clapping the slate together.

    ¡°Action!¡±

    <hr>

    Hazel straightened her posture. ¡°No, I¡¯m saying that we¡¯re a team, and we should focus on things that actually help pok¨¦mon. That¡¯s what we¡¯re here for, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Maybe that¡¯s what you¡¯re here for, Hazel,¡± Pepper scoffed. ¡°I thought being a team meant going after what excites both of us, too.¡±

    Hazel¡¯s gaze softened for a moment, but then she lowered her head, her ears pinning back. ¡°Maybe we aren¡¯t on the same page anymore, Pepper. Maybe¡­ we can take these jobs separately,¡± she suggested, her voice quieter but resolute.

    Pepper froze, his bravado faltering as her words struck him. He glanced back at her, searching her expression for any hint of hesitation, but Hazel¡¯s stance remained firm, her eyes unwavering.

    ¡°Fine. If that¡¯s how you feel,¡± He growled slowly.

    The tension between them lingered like a thick cloud as they stood there in silence. Around them, other guild members exchanged uneasy glances, sensing the shift between the normally inseparable duo.

    Finally, Pepper stepped forward, snatching a job poster from the board with a flick of his paw. His steps were brisk as Hazel watched him walk away, her expression briefly softening, but she quickly turned back to the board, grabbing her own mission poster.

    ¡°I can complete this by myself¡­ I know it.¡± She whispered as she clutched the paper tightly.

    With a final glance at the mission board, the two members of Team Horizon walked off in opposite directions. The lively chatter of the guild seemed to waver as their steps echoed down separate hallways.

    <hr>

    The rest of their final day of filming continued with little issue. Thanks to Harper¡¯s advice and Eve¡¯s encouragement, Zorro overcame his insecurity and performed the best he had yet. From the scenes with Beartic and Zorro, Harper and Eve, and to when they acted alone, no filming had ended prematurely again.

    The plot of the final episode continued like how most children¡¯s media did, where partners split before realizing they needed each other to play off of their own strengths and weaknesses.

    On one of the cameras, Harper and Celine watched the recording of one of the earlier scenes they filmed, checking for any missing details before moving on.

    ¡°Hazel¡­ I¡¯m sorry for saying all that mean stuff to you earlier today. I didn¡¯t really mean it.¡± Zorro said in character, remorsed.

    Eve gazed up at the poochyena, teary-eyed like how she did during training. "I''m also sorry for saying that we had to split up. We shouldn''t have done that."

    The two briefly stand in silence as their body shifts into a more confident stance, with Pepper quickly wiping his eyes.

    ¡°How about we find a job that¡¯s both helpful and a little adventurous next time?¡± Zorro suggested, keeping his cheerfulness up. ¡°I think we¡¯d do better¡­ together.¡±

    ¡°Agreed,¡± Eve sniffed, smiling as the two looked at each other.

    ¡°Wow! This is the best I¡¯ve ever seen them!¡± Celine commented in amazement. ¡°I can understand them by their body language alone.¡±

    *Is that scene good to go, then?* Harper wrote.

    ¡°Sure does! Now we just have one more to do!¡± The Director declared before turning to everyone in the soundstage. ¡°Alright! Let''s take ten for a break before we film the final scene!¡±

    As the film crew relaxed, engaging in casual conversations with one another, Harper noticed Zorro and Eve letting out deep sighs of relief. Just as he was about to make his way over to them, Beartic placed a paw on his head, holding him back.

    ¡°You¡¯ve done great with them, but it¡¯s my turn now,¡± The Ice-type playfully beamed, his eyes twinkling mischievously. ¡°I¡¯ve got my own method to cheer them up.¡±

    Before Harper could say anything back, Beartic grabbed him and dropped him in a nearby seat before entering the set, sneaking behind Zorro and Eve.

    ¡°Hey! Don''t be so mopey on our final day!¡± He barked, startling the two young pok¨¦mon. Before they could react, he suddenly scooped them up and placed them on each of his shoulders. ¡°Who''s up to learn Fly?¡±

    The unexpected turn of events lifted their spirits, sending them into fits of laughter and cheers as Beartic swiftly navigated the set, skillfully avoiding crew members and equipment scattered in his way.

    ¡°Hey, Mr. Harper?¡±

    Harper turned to see Caleb take a seat beside him on an empty wooden box. After the boy adjusted his makeshift seat, he joined in watching Beartic play with the poochyena and eevee.

    ¡°I wanted to ask you something while Claire was off my back,¡± He pointed a thumb behind him, where his twin sister was engaged in a conversation with Brycen and Bianca.

    *What is it?* Harper flipped his whiteboard over.

    Caleb nervously fidgeted with his fingers. ¡°Well¡­ It¡¯s¡ª Um¡­¡±

    Harper leaned in, his ears twitching slightly.

    The boy soon steeled himself and bowed his head to him, blurting out his question. ¡°Can you join me when I become a Pok¨¦mon Trainer?¡±

    ~What?~ Harper raised an eye.

    ¡°You can keep training Zorro when I start!¡± Caleb rushed to explain, his words tumbling out in excitement. ¡°He¡¯s so much stronger now than when he was before we met you. If you joined us, we could be the next Champion of Unova!¡±

    Harper stopped himself from sighing in front of Caleb, instead writing his unchanging answer down and showing him.

    *Sorry, but I don''t want to leave Pok¨¦star Studios.*

    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Caleb mumbled, his shoulders slumping. ¡°But how am I going to get stronger without the best sparring Pok¨¦mon ever?¡±

    That warmed Harper¡¯s heart, but the twin brother needed to know that their battles couldn''t go on forever.

    *I¡¯m not the only reason why Zorro¡¯s gotten stronger.* Harper scribbled before erasing the sentence and writing two large words.

    *It¡¯s you.*

    ¡°Me?¡± Caleb blinked, pointing at himself.

    *Remember when you hesitated whenever I hit Zorro in our first battle?*

    ¡°Too well¡­¡± Caleb pouted, rubbing his shoulder at the memory.

    *Do you remember the last time you made that mistake again?*

    ¡°I¡ª¡± He raised an index finger before it dropped down. ¡°I don''t remember¡­¡±

    *How about your non-verbal communication?*

    ¡°We¡¯re getting better at it, bu¡ª¡±

    Harper stopped Caleb¡¯s sentence with a paw. *You''ll continue to get better even after you leave Pok¨¦star.*

    ¡°But what if I fail at my first Gym? What if I fail before it?¡± He asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

    Harper¡¯s expression softened. *Because of what Zorro told me.*

    ¡°What did he tell you?¡±

    *His dream is to become strong enough to take you anywhere you want without being scared.*

    ¡°It¡­ It is?¡± Caleb whispered, his gaze drifting over to Zorro, who was now sprawled on top of Beartic¡¯s head, giggling.

    *Don''t be scared to start your journey without me. Besides, you have Claire and Eve, right?*

    ¡°I know that, but I would win every battle ever if you came with me!¡± He tried to refute.

    *Winning isn¡¯t everything. Losing teaches you just as much as winning does.*

    Caleb huffed, resting his foot on his leg and tapping on it with a finger. "Yeah, yeah, I know. But having you around would make it easier."

    *If it were easy all the time, it wouldn''t make you strong.*

    Caleb sat quietly for a moment, staring at the playful chaos Beartic was causing with Zorro and Eve. The laughter ringing through the set made his lips twitch into a small smile.

    ¡°I guess you¡¯re right,¡± he sighed, finally looking back at Harper. ¡°It won¡¯t be the same without you, though.¡±

    *We still have time together before the show is completed.*

    *It¡¯s not like you''re going to leave as soon as filming ends.*

    Caleb let the words sink in before nodding. ¡°Yeah¡­ that''s true¡­¡±

    Just then, Claire called out from across the set, waving at him. ¡°Caleb! Come on, Ms. Pok¨¦lsky wants to tell everyone something!¡±

    ¡°Alright, alright!¡± He sighed dramatically before standing up, offering Harper one last grin. ¡°When I become a Pok¨¦mon Trainer, I¡¯ll win against you, but only if I don''t beat you during sparring before I leave!¡±

    After Caleb hurried on his way, Harper leaned back into his seat, exhaling to himself.

    ~Thank God I didn¡¯t mess that up,~ He brought a paw to his face, dragging it down.

    How many times had it been now that he gave advice to the twins and their pok¨¦mon? With how many times his words helped them in times of need, it slightly unnerved him.

    Was he better at this than he originally thought?

    Not wanting to raise his own ego, Harper sat up and made his way to where the rest of the film crew and pok¨¦mon actor extras had gathered around Celine. He saw Brycen and Bianca together near the center, where the Director had placed herself. Beartic stood behind them, towering over everyone else, letting Zorro and Eve jump off his shoulders to sit in their trainers¡¯ arms. Harper weaved his way around the crew members until he arrived next to the polar bear.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Harper asked Beartic.

    ¡°Director¡¯s got some pre-final words for our last day,¡± He answered, crossing his arms. ¡°I guess she couldn¡¯t wait to give thanks before we even finished this last scene.¡±

    The crowd¡¯s murmur died down when Celine brought a wooden box in front of her and took a step forward on it, now taller than everyone beside Beartic. With a cough to clear her throat, she began to speak aloud.

    "Everyone! We''re finally in the final stretch of filming this show!" She announced as a few people clapped and cheered. "I just want to thank you all for all the hard work you have put into this project. I know how different this typically is to other films we make here in Pok¨¦star, but we are making something truly spectacular here thanks to the tremendous efforts of one pok¨¦mon," She began to observe the area around her. "Speaking of, where is he?"

    Without any warning, Beartic picked Harper up onto his shoulder, waving to grab Celine''s attention. She quickly spotted them out and waved towards them as she continued to talk.

    ¡°Thanks to Harper, production for ¡®Sonamu¡¯s Sunrise¡¯ wouldn¡¯t work! He¡¯s gone above and beyond with not only helping our new stars alongside Brycen¡¯s Ace, Beartic, but also checking every single piece of dialogue we have recorded so they were as authentic as they could be for pok¨¦mon viewers as well! Can we give him a huge round of applause?¡±

    In a split second, the soundstage erupted into a cacophony of absolute ovation. Harper felt his cheeks blush as the cheers and clapping continued, the loudest coming from the twins, their pok¨¦mon, and Bianca.

    ¡°You did good, kid,¡± Beartic grinned, tilting his head up. ¡°Celine was right about everything. The show only worked because of you.¡±

    ¡°It also worked thanks to everyone else here,¡± Harper added, scratching the back of his head shyly. ¡°I only helped whenever I could.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you know what I mean,¡± the Ice-type scoffed in amusement, rolling his eyes playfully. ¡°I can only imagine where your literacy is going to take Pok¨¦star Studios from here on.¡±

    For the first time, Harper¡¯s foreknowledge of knowing how to write didn¡¯t feel as if he were lying to everyone. Despite how he lied about his past to everyone, it still brought everyone together to make this show. He didn¡¯t know what to expect of the future, but with his plan to reveal himself to Beartic and Brycen, he at least knew that it was going to be alright.

    When the applause finally died down, Celine hopped off of her equivalent of a soap box. ¡°Now, let¡¯s get this final scene over with!¡±

    ¡°Our final scene in this show together,¡± Beartic murmured, folding his arms as he gazed over the set. ¡°Let¡¯s make the most out of this one.¡±

    ¡°We sure will,¡± Harper nodded firmly, determination gleaming in his eyes.

    <hr>

    The sky was still tinged with darkness, the first hints of dawn barely creeping over the horizon. Outside the entrance of the Tundra Guild, Team Horizon stood alongside Tundra and Luca, the cold morning air surrounding them. They were gathered for a farewell, the weight of departure settling in.

    Pepper¡¯s paws trembled slightly as he wiped at his eyes, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to spill. His voice wavered as he looked toward the departing figures.

    ¡°Are¡­ you two really leaving?¡± He murmured, his ears drooping. ¡°It felt like such a short time¡­¡±

    ¡°It feels just like yesterday ever since you first set off with Hazel and your friend here, hasn¡¯t it?¡± The Narrator reminisced. ¡°You¡¯ve been through so much together¡ªexploring new places, helping pok¨¦mon in need, and learning what it truly means to be part of a team.¡±

    As the words echoed, the world around them seemed to shift. Like a vivid memory, their journey unfolded, showcasing all the pok¨¦mon that Team Horizon had helped.

    Across Sonamu Town¡¯s lively square, Twig the pansage, Wave the panpour, and Blaze the pansear laughed and played together by the fountain, their past feud nothing more than a distant memory. Nearby townsfolk smiled at the sight, relieved to see harmony restored.

    Inside the Audino Medical Center, Pilf the scraggy busied himself at the front desk, happily assisting incoming pok¨¦mon. Behind him, Ivy the audino carefully applied a bandage to a patient, exchanging a pleased greeting with Pilf as they worked in seamless rhythm.

    Beneath the vast night sky, Ranni the gothitelle stood within her observatory, her eyes fixated on the telescope before sketching the vague shape of a distant star. A quiet sense of peace washed over her as she admired the twinkling constellations through the glass dome above.

    At Sonamu Museum, Talon the archeops guided a group of young, eager pok¨¦mon through an exhibit, his wings gesturing animatedly toward the towering fossil of a tyrantrum. The children¡¯s eyes widened with amazement as he unraveled the ancient pok¨¦mon¡¯s history with excitement.

    On the grand stage of Unfezant Theater, Feathershaw the unfezant listened attentively to Lumi the litwick as they discussed stage lighting. Lumi flickered slightly, explaining where the lights would fit best for each scene, while Feathershaw nodded in understanding.

    Within the Mienshao Dojo, Lin the mienshao demonstrated precise movements to a class of Fighting-type students, her keen eyes watching as they attempted to mimic her form. Walking through the rows, she adjusted their footing and posture with expert precision.

    At the lakeside of Sonamu Forest, Nikki the jolteon, Amber the flareon, and Raine the vaporeon enjoyed their time together. Amber lounged on the warm sand, watching as Raine glided effortlessly through the water. Nikki playfully leaped from a boulder and cannonballed into the lake¡ªonly to accidentally send a jolt of electricity through the water. Raine surfaced, giving a mock scowl, while Nikki offered an embarrassed smirk. Amber chuckled at the scene, amused by their antics.

    A short distance away, Beaverly the bibarel wiped the sweat from his brow, surveying the sturdy dam he had just finished reinforcing. With a satisfied nod, he stepped back, finally able to relax.

    The memory-like visions faded, returning the scene to the guild¡¯s entrance, where the morning light had brightened slightly.

    ¡°All of these Pok¨¦mon,¡± The Narrator mused with soft certainty. ¡°I¡¯m sure that Team Horizon can do great even after our departure.¡±

    Tundra steadily nodded in agreement. ¡°They¡¯re right, Team Horizon. You¡¯ve accomplished so much ever since your friend joined your team. They won¡¯t be leaving forever. We¡¯ll see them again.¡±

    Hazel¡¯s ears perked up, hope flickering in her eyes. ¡°R-Really?¡± She softly asked.

    Luca gave a firm nod. ¡°The friendship you have made will last forever. Time and distance will do nothing to break it.¡±

    Pepper turned toward the Viewer, determination shining through his lingering sadness. ¡°I¡¯ll never forget the adventures we had together!¡± He called out. ¡°You¡¯ll always be a member of Team Horizon, no matter what!¡±

    Hazel stepped forward, lifting her head with newfound confidence. ¡°Team Horizon will always shine another day!¡± She declared.

    Together, they all raised their paws, waving as the Viewer walked down the stone steps alongside the unseen Narrator.

    As the town stretched before them, the Narrator¡¯s voice spoke once more.

    ¡°A world only inhabited by pok¨¦mon is a wonderful place to be, isn¡¯t it?¡± They asked.

    When the Viewer responded, the Narrator continued to speak.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad that you have learned so much with the time you spent with Pepper and Hazel in the Tundra Guild. Thank you for being such a good friend and ally for Team Horizon.¡±

    The sun began to rise, its golden light casting over Sonamu Town and the towering red pine at its heart.

 Scene 3 - Take 12: Trained Responsibilities and Suspicious Activities

    Even though filming had wrapped up a while ago, Harper was far from finished with helping out on the show''s production. In fact, it was just the beginning of his needed efforts.

    Shortly after finishing the last episode, the time he used to spend acting was now dedicated to ensuring that the pokespeech in the footage matched the audio levels of other sounds, such as music and sound effects. All the editors and sound designers had no way to check for themselves due to the language barrier, so they called for the best pok¨¦mon to help out; Harper himself.

    Harper had no reason to decline their offer since he already had the experience for this specific purpose here thanks to his involvement in the production of ¡®Full Metal Cop¡¯ when filming for that ended. He knew his aid would also come in handy because a set date for a test screening had been scheduled soon. On top of that, the pressure of Professor Juniper coming by to watch made it clear that the production team needed help to get everything worked out during the editing process.

    Right now, he found himself sitting next to the production sound crew, who worked tirelessly for the past few weeks fine-tuning the audio settings on their computers while reviewing footage clips. Despite his extensive experience in the film industry, he had never witnessed the editing process for sound and music.

    As a Key Grip, he never involved himself in that area, nor did he ever need to, so it was fascinating to catch a glimpse of this different facet of behind-the-scenes work. He knew it was best not to get too involved in the work environment, especially since he had little understanding of the complex technology they were using. With no other way to help, all he could do was watch the professionals work their magic.

    ¡°Ok, I think this should do it¡­¡± The audio engineer, a man named Eli, muttered, rubbing his temples before taking his headset off. He changed the audio output to the speakers, stretching his arms as if shaking off the intensity of his focus. ¡°We tuned down the forest sounds and the wind, so it should be better now.¡±

    Harper perked up, ears twitching slightly as they pressed play. The footage of the fourth episode began to roll, and he watched the scene of Zorro and Eve unfold on screen.

    <hr>

    The dense foliage of Sonamu Forest rustled softly as Team Horizon made their way through, carefully stepping past puddles and patches of mud. Or at least, Hazel was careful¡ªPepper, on the other hand, was happily hopping from puddle to puddle, sending water splashing everywhere.

    ¡°Welcome back to the world of Pok¨¦mon, my dear friend!¡± The Narrator¡¯s voice happily exclaimed. ¡°Today, Pepper and Hazel have been tasked with finding medicinal herbs for Ivy at the Audino Medical Center. It sure looks like they¡¯re having fun!¡±

    Pepper beamed as he leaped into another puddle. ¡°Look at all these puddles! That storm the other night was huge!¡±

    Hazel, carefully stepping around the water, let out an exasperated sigh. ¡°It¡¯s making our walk to the lakeside a bit annoying¡­¡±

    ¡°Well, I think it¡¯s the opposite!¡± Pepper grinned, making another grand splash.

    Hazel pulled out a handwritten note from Ivy, glancing at it before looking ahead. ¡°According to Ivy¡¯s notes, the herbs we need should be growing by the rocky outcrops near the lake.¡±

    With one final, enthusiastic bound, Pepper landed in a puddle so deep that water splashed up, drenching both himself and Hazel.

    ¡°Oops¡­ sorry,¡± he muttered, looking regretful.

    Hazel shot him an annoyed glance before both Pok¨¦mon shook out their wet fur, sending droplets flying in all directions.

    After pushing through thick underbrush, the two Pok¨¦mon finally emerged at the lakeside, only to be met with a shocking sight. The lake was nearly empty, the ground beneath it cracked and dry except for the slightly damp earth at the bottom. A thin stream trickled down from a small river atop a cliff, feeding into what remained of the lake.

    ¡°Woah! How is the lake empty? Did the storm blow all the water away?¡± Pepper blurted out in astonishment.

    Hazel¡¯s sharp eyes caught movement nearby. ¡°Why don¡¯t we ask the bibarel over there?¡±

    A distressed bibarel stood amid the wreckage of what must have once been a sturdy dam. Logs and branches lay scattered around as the Pok¨¦mon surveyed the damage, looking overwhelmed.

    Pepper and Hazel made their way over, leaving a trail of muddy paw prints in the dry riverbed. ¡°Hello! We wanted to ask why the lake is empty,¡± She inquired politely.

    The bibarel sighed in frustration. ¡°It¡¯s because of that storm the other night! All the wind blew my dam all over the place, and now I have to rebuild it again!¡±

    Pepper tilted his head. ¡°It looks like it was holding all the water back before it was destroyed.¡±

    Hazel nodded. ¡°Is it okay if we stay around here? We only want to gather herbs for a guild request.¡±

    The bibarel¡¯s expression softened. ¡°The two of you are guild members? Sorry for the rough introduction. My name is Beaverly. The both of you can do whatever you want here since I¡¯ll be busy all day repairing this.¡±

    With that, Beaverly turned back to his ruined dam, already focused on the long task ahead. Meanwhile, Pepper and Hazel wasted no time in gathering herbs. As Pepper reached for a particularly stubborn sprig wedged between two rocks, he suddenly yelped.

    ¡°Hazel, help! I¡¯m stuck!¡±

    Hazel quickly rushed over. ¡°Hold on. Let me help.¡± She grasped Pepper¡¯s tail firmly in her paws and leaned back, pulling with all her might.

    With one final tug, the two of them tumbled backward, rolling down the dry lakebed. They landed at the very bottom, just stopping short of the small stream trickling in from above.

    ¡°Owwww¡­ my paw¡­¡± Pepper whined, wincing.

    Hazel frowned, ears drooping slightly. ¡°Sorry, Pepper. I¡¯ll be more gentle next time.¡±

    Pepper shot her a wary look. ¡°Next time?¡±

    Before Hazel could answer, her attention snapped to something beneath Pepper. ¡°Hey, what is that? The thing you¡¯re sitting on?¡±

    Curious, Pepper moved aside, revealing a strange, feather-shaped stone embedded in the ground.

    ¡°Whoa! What a weird-looking rock!¡± he exclaimed.

    Hazel examined it more closely. ¡°I think this is more than a ¡®weird-looking¡¯ rock.¡±

    With careful paws, she dug around it and lifted it up, revealing its true form¡ªa Plume Fossil. The two Pok¨¦mon exchanged amazed glances.

    Grinning widely, Pepper declared, ¡°Wow, it¡¯s a feather in a rock! We should show this to Luca. He¡¯ll know what to do with it!¡±

    Hazel nudged the sack of herbs beside them. ¡°After we deliver these herbs to Ivy.¡±

    Pepper blinked before nodding rapidly. ¡°Oh, right! I got too excited and forgot about the request we were doing. Let¡¯s hurry and give them over to her! We have the right amount she wants now!¡±

    <hr>

    Eli paused the clip at the end of the scene, leaning back into his seat and rubbing his chin.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ The foley artists still might have to tone down the wind sounds¡­¡± He swiveled his chair to face Harper. ¡°What do you think, Harper? Did the dialogue stand out?¡±

    Harper tapped his whiteboard with the marker before writing: *Everything sounded fine, but the parts with Beaverly could be a bit louder.*

    ¡°Alright then, just give us a minute to change what you said,¡± Eli nodded before he began to fiddle with the controls. ¡°Let¡¯s get to work, everyone!¡±

    Harper watched as Eli''s crew began to work again, all of them putting one-half of their headphones back on in unison as they turned to their workstations. Without anything else to do, until they needed his help again, he looked back on his schedule for the rest of the day.

    Although he dedicated part of his time to assisting the audio team, the absence of acting responsibilities allowed him to tackle other tasks he had previously neglected. Not only did he continue his sparring sessions with Zorro while Claire and Eve learned the ropes of Pok¨¦mon care with Layla, but he also resumed his training with Beartic.

    He was eager to find out what Beartic meant by his "special move," but the polar bear decided to spend the last few days focusing on the fundamentals. He explained that he wanted to refresh his body to be better prepared for battle. Harper agreed, knowing that Beartic hadn¡¯t engaged in any spars since their last training session, which took place during the production of ¡®Full Metal Cop.¡¯

    Harper turned his head to the wall clock, reading it to be almost time for him to leave for Beartic¡¯s training.

    After writing on his whiteboard, he tugged at Eli¡¯s sweatshirt, grabbing his attention.

    ¡°Huh?¡± The audio engineer turned around, eyebrows raising slightly. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Harper?¡±

    *It¡¯s almost time for me to go.* Harper pointed at the clock.

    ¡°It is?¡± Eli glanced at the clock before his eyes widened. ¡°Dang, you¡¯re right. You mentioned that you¡¯ve got business with Beartic.¡± He swiveled his chair back to his computer, fingers flying over the keyboard as he clicked through menus at a rapid pace. After hurriedly typing and clicking around, he turned back to Harper. ¡°Could you watch this one more time before you go? I think we got everything properly fixed now.¡±

    Harper nodded as he set his whiteboard aside. The recording played through again, this time the adjustment Harper recommended fixed the ambient noise that was louder than Beaverly¡¯s dialogue.

    ¡°So¡­ How was it now?¡± Eli leaned forward slightly, watching Harper¡¯s reaction carefully.

    *Everything sounds good now. I think the fourth episode is done*

    ¡°That just leaves one more episode to go¡­¡± The audio engineer sighed with relief as the rest of his team followed suit. A few crew members stretched in their chairs, others exchanging grins or fist bumps. ¡°We¡¯re really almost done with the test screening.¡±

    Noticing his cue to leave, Harper hopped off his seat and waved the team goodbye before heading to the door.

    ¡°Hey, before you go¡­¡±

    Harper stopped himself, his paw already about to push forward. He turned around to the audio engineer and the rest of his team, who all smiled, waved, gave a thumbs up to him, and the like.

    Eli rested his arms on his chair¡¯s armrests and tilted his head slightly. ¡°We wanted to say thanks for helping us out with this so many times. Having a Pok¨¦mon that can give their perspective helps a ton.¡±

    Harper appreciated the compliment, but it raised a question that had brewed in his head for some time now. Did they never have a pok¨¦mon to at least say yes or no on the quality? While the language barrier wouldn''t have allowed the finer details to be noted, a nod or a shake of the head would have worked somewhat fine.

    *How have you done it before I showed up?* He scribbled on his whiteboard.

    ¡°To be honest, we''ve never had to focus on Pok¨¦mon dialogue so much in the past. We thought Full Metal Cop was a lot to handle, but it was nothing compared to this show. This is one of the first productions with so much Pok¨¦speech like this, so with you helping, it''s speeding things up a lot quicker," Eli rubbed the back of his neck before offering a sheepish smile.

    *I''m glad to be of help, then.*

    ¡°That¡¯s great to hear.¡± Eli¡¯s smile lingered, but his expression turned more thoughtful. He leaned slightly forward in his seat. ¡°There''s also one more thing I wanted to make sure of¡­ Brycen told us about keeping your¡ª¡± he gestured vaguely to Harper¡¯s whiteboard before continuing¡ª ¡°¡ªyour skills a secret, but is it really true that you made that decision?¡±

    Harper quickly realized that the audio engineer was referring to his decision to exclude his name from the ending credits, aside from the ''cast'' section. While the staff and crew were aware of his role in helping other Pok¨¦mon cast members with their lines, they found it peculiar that he had formally requested to avoid being credited as one of the pok¨¦mon helpers. It made sense that they would be curious when he declined to be credited for helping the audio team.

    As much as it would have heightened his name in the film industry in Unova, Harper only wanted to be known as a pok¨¦mon actor and nothing else. He didn¡¯t feel comfortable revealing any hint of his literacy to the masses yet. For now, Pok¨¦star Studios was more than enough, especially his close friends.

    He eventually nodded back, and Eli exhaled through his nose, nodding in understanding.

    ¡°I see, well, I¡¯ll be sure to tell the producer to only keep your name under the ¡®cast¡¯ section in the ending credits. You don¡¯t have to worry about anything. We¡¯ll see you later today, alright?¡±

    With a wave, Harper left the room and the office building¡¯s front doors soon after. Letting out a deep exhale, he readjusted his whiteboard¡¯s strap on his shoulder. He had a lot to do for the rest of the day, but he never felt burdened with any of the extra help he had ever done since his arrival. Compared to the years he wasted back in Hollywood, Harper felt accomplished with every person he helped.

    Without a doubt, he loved this studio.

    As Harper rounded the corner of the backlot intersection, he found himself far behind a large group of foreign tourists, a vibrant mix of different nationalities. One of the Pok¨¦star Studios tour guides stood at the front, holding a brightly colored flag high in the air to keep everyone together. The guide, equipped with a speaker holstered at their waist, was animatedly chatting away, which thankfully kept the group distracted as Harper slowly stepped back, hoping to avoid any interaction with strangers.

    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    Oddly enough, he noticed that while nearly all the tourists were busy snapping photos¡ªranging from selfies to group shots¡ªthree Unovan individuals in the crowd weren¡¯t taking pictures at all. While everyone else aimed their cameras at the well-known actors'' parking spots, famous outdoor sets, and iconic props, these three tourists simply stood apart, seemingly uninterested in capturing the moment.

    Instead, they were snapping photos of the most senseless spots: the corners of buildings, the undersides of roofs, and other fairly mundane places. Harper couldn¡¯t help but cock his head in confusion at the scene. He knew tourists could be a bit bizarre, but he''d never encountered anyone quite like this before.

    ~I suppose everyone''s got their way of showing their fanaticism for movies,~ Harper shrugged, deciding to change his route to Beartic for a less crowded one.

    ¡°Miss Tour Guide!¡±

    Suddenly, a loud voice rang out from the crowd, making Harper tense and whip his head around in alarm. He worried he''d been caught trying to slip away, but thankfully, the voice wasn''t aimed at him¡ªit was directed at the tour guide up ahead. Scanning the crowd, he spotted the source: a foxy-looking man with a matching glare in his eye, one of the strange folk taking pointless photos.

    ¡°Hey, Miss Tour Guide!¡± He called, already having the tour guide''s attention. ¡°Do you know where the actors and their Pok¨¦mon stay during filming?¡±

    Clearing her throat with a hint of annoyance, the tour guide kindly responded. ¡°They temporarily make their homes over in a separate parking lot for vanity vans due to how frequently scenes are filmed away from the studio. It¡¯s down this path, but any unrestricted access will result in a serious fine, so I highly recommend sticking with the designated tour guide route.¡±

    "Private? Aw, man¡­" The man groaned while standing slumped, glancing at his map of the studio. "Guess we can''t take photos over there."

    ¡°You¡¯re right, but you don¡¯t need to worry¡ª¡± His friend muttered as he placed a hand on his shoulder, flashing a smirk. ¡°We¡¯ll see that actor soon enough.¡±

    When Harper briefly sensed a moment of overexcitement from the crowd, he knew he overstayed his welcome behind the tour group. He quickly and silently left for the other direction, turning a corner at the fastest opportunity.

    Tourists were weird, no matter what dimension he lived in.

    <hr>

    Harper stepped into the empty gym movie set, observing Beartic as he moved equipment away from the center of the arena. The usual clutter of cameras and lights had been pushed against the walls, leaving the middle of the space wide open. The rearrangement made the area feel much more expansive than usual. As the door behind him clicked shut, the polar bear turned and gave a wave.

    ¡°Perfect timing!¡± Beartic called out, dusting off his paws before resting them on his hips. ¡°I just finished setting everything up for your training!¡±

    ¡°Good to hear, I thought I was going to be late,¡± Harper replied, rolling his shoulders as he placed his whiteboard aside on a nearby table. ¡°Are we starting right now?¡±

    ¡°Yup, let¡¯s start now. It¡¯s high time you learned Counter,¡± Beartic grinned, his excitement apparent at the way his claws twitched slightly at his sides.

    He was finally going to learn Counter, a move he had been curious about for quite a while. Given the popularity and frequent use of counterattacks in martial arts films, Harper¡¯s excitement rose as he approached the center.

    ¡°When we last talked about this, you said that this was ¡®special¡¯ for some reason,¡± He said, air-quoting the word. ¡°What did you mean by that?¡±

    ¡°Well, I can start by describing what Counter is itself. You take the enemy¡¯s physical attack head-on and return it to sender. The difference that makes my Beartic-Style Counter special is the flow of power. A normal Counter involves getting hit by incoming physical damage and returning it with double the power. However, with how I do Counter, I can completely negate any damage.¡±

    ¡°Wait, all damage?¡± Harper repeated, his ears perking up in surprise. ¡°How do you do that?¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s where I begin, starting with your posture,¡± Beartic explained, shifting fluidly into a battle-ready stance, his movements smooth and controlled. ¡°The posture is usually flexible, but this one¡¯s a good place to start.¡±

    Harper mimicked Beartic¡¯s posture, bracing his arms and shifting his legs slightly down. He followed up by tensing his body, pretending a move was about to impact him.

    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t make your muscles stiff¡ªit¡¯s important that you loosen up,¡± The Ice-type laughed, reaching over to give Harper a light slap on the back. ¡°Give your legs some leeway and more space between your paws and chest.¡±

    ¡°So¡­ like this?¡± Harper adjusted his stance slightly, letting out a slow exhale as he relaxed his frame.

    ¡°That¡¯s more like it. Now, you block the incoming attack with your dominant paw, and at the moment of impact¡ª¡± Beartic demonstrated a slow, deliberate motion, his arm sweeping through the air as if redirecting an invisible force. ¡°¡ªFlow with the attack¡¯s trajectory and change the direction of its power. When you do that, guide the damage you received back against them on top of your own arm strength.¡±

    He fiercely threw an uppercut into the air, his muscles flexing as the centrifugal force of his spin strengthened and sped up the attack.

    ¡°And that¡ª¡± he crossed his arms confidently, his chest puffed out slightly. ¡°¡ªis how you do it. Any questions?¡±

    Harper watched and listened the best he could, but he failed to interpret the finer details. His first issue was that to use Counter, he needed to be hit by the move. Wouldn''t the risk of taking damage while using this version of Counter be guaranteed if that were the case?

    ¡°Beartic, I still don¡¯t get it. If I loosen myself up, won¡¯t the damage be worse?¡± He asked, his brow furrowed in concern.

    ¡°I don¡¯t mean to go completely limp like a training dummy¡ªthere¡¯s a balance between flowing¡ª¡± Beartic paused mid-sentence, exhaling sharply through his nose and shaking his head before stopping midway, a grin beginning to form. ¡°Guess showing is better than telling, after all.¡±

    He shook his arms and legs, loosening himself up before standing still with a confident smile. ¡°Alright, jump at me with your best physical move. You¡¯ll see what I mean when I hit back.¡± The polar bear didn¡¯t initiate a stance, yet Harper couldn¡¯t find a single opening to approach the veteran battler.

    ¡°Are you sure this won¡¯t hurt you?¡± Harper asked cautiously, his stance tightening despite himself.

    ¡°Not at all,¡± Beartic assured him, his voice steady and unwavering. ¡°Remember how I move, how my Fighting-type energy feels when I change the direction of your attack. Don¡¯t forget how every sensation feels at this very moment.¡±

    Harper took a deep breath, his paw curling into a tight fist as he focused the Fighting-type energy within him onto his paw. He concentrated, allowing the energy to condense tightly until he couldn¡¯t hold it in any longer. With a sudden burst of motion, he lunged forward, opening his paw to unleash Focus Punch against Beartic¡¯s front.

    When Focus Punch connected, the first thing Harper noticed was how surprisingly mild the impact felt. Instead of the usual heavy thud, it was more like a gentle nudge, as if Beartic had somehow tempered the force of the blow. Time seemed to slow down around him as Beartic spun around once, swinging the arm he used to take the Focus Punch and shifting the power into his other, balling up his paw into a fist. Time rushed back to normal as he pulled back his arm, stopping just an inch from Harper¡¯s chest and cutting the Counter short. A miniature sonic boom erupted around them, sending the wind swirling outward as the Fighting-type move had nowhere else to go.

    Harper staggered back a step despite the lack of impact, falling to the ground and blinking rapidly as amazement and relief welled up within him.

    ¡°You good, kid?¡± Beartic broke the silence, towering over him with an easygoing stance.

    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m good,¡± Harper replied, his voice slightly breathless. ¡°How¡­ How did you do that?¡±

    ¡°Be more specific,¡± the Ice-type elaborated, tilting his head slightly. ¡°What part of Counter has you confused?¡±

    He scratched his head in confusion. ¡°How did you make my Focus Punch feel like a Tackle? And why did you spin like that?¡±

    "I''ll explain why if you get back up," Beartic chuckled, extending a paw toward him.

    When Harper stood back up on his legs, the polar bear went into a standard orthodox boxing stance, throwing a simple jab forward.

    ¡°A punch like this doesn¡¯t have a lot of impact, but if you twist your hips¡ª¡± Beartic threw a fast side hook, the air whipping past his arm with a soft whoosh. ¡°Your punch will be stronger, do you know why that is?¡±

    ¡°Because¡­ Because of torque?¡± Harper threw his answer out, trying to remember what he learned in high school.

    "Hmm, I''m impressed you know your physics," Beartic nodded before throwing another jab and hook. "You''re right; giving a rotation to your moves gives it more velocity and more velocity means that your fist is going to hit harder. When you used Focus Punch, all I did was continue the motion around me before I returned it back as a Counter."

    ¡°This sounds hard to learn¡­¡± Harper grimaced slightly, his brow furrowing. ¡°I don''t think I¡¯m going to learn this soon¡­¡±

    ¡°Not with that attitude, you won¡¯t!¡± Beartic laughed out loud. ¡°I¡¯ll have you using this in the next movie you¡¯re in that¡¯s got combat!¡±

    ¡°Did you use this a lot in movies?¡±

    "Of course I did! It looks far flashier than a regular Counter on the big screen," Beartic chuckled, flexing his arms dramatically, his muscles behind his fur bulging as he struck a mock pose. "People like it when moves are exaggerated, yet realistic. Even though my counter looks over the top, the movement of my Counter has a logical reason. Think of using the move like hitting two pidgey with one Rock Throw¡ªyou''re amazing the crowd while showing off your strength."

    ~My God, this world really does have that idiom¡­~ Harper internally face-palmed, shaking his head in disbelief.

    ¡°Something on your mind?¡± Beartic raised a brow, catching the subtle twitch in Harper¡¯s expression. His gaze narrowed with curiosity, his posture relaxing a bit.

    ¡°N-No, it¡¯s nothing,¡± Harper stammered, shaking his head before holding a fist up, ready to use Focus Punch again. ¡°Can I see you use your Counter one more time?¡±

    ¡°Sure, but soon, you¡¯ll have to use Counter against me,¡± Beartic warned. ¡°Since I told you to not hold back, I won¡¯t be either, ok?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s going to hurt a lot, isn¡¯t it?¡± Harper clenched his fists in a stance.

    ¡°It wouldn''t be training if it didn''t hurt,¡± Beartic grinned, standing firmly with his paws planted on the ground, his posture solid like a frigid mountain. ¡°Now, give me your best move again!¡±

    Harper charged his Focus Punch one more time, hoping that he''d understand the inner workings of Beartic''s Counter, not only because he wanted to learn something practical, but also because he really didn¡¯t want to be hit by a veritable expert in combat with their signature move.

    <hr>

    The tour of the studio was by far the most boring experience that Mr. Gray ever had. If the attraction hadn''t been for his group¡¯s true purpose, it would''ve been a complete waste of time. None of the movie fun facts that the tour guide babbled on about stuck in his head, and he was grateful. It would''ve fogged up his memory of what really mattered right now.

    Mr. Gray shut the motel door behind him before closing the room¡¯s curtains, darkening the room. Mr. Green tossed his bag onto the sofa couch in the corner and threw himself on his bed as Mr. Brown brought the table to the center of the room. He brought two chairs over and the two sat down as they waited for their final partner to join.

    ¡°Hey, get over here now,¡± Mr. Gray snapped, pointing at the open seat. ¡°We need to start planning this heist, we don¡¯t have time to waste.¡±

    ¡°We just came back, man. Can''t we take five before doing this?¡± Mr. Green frowned as he sat up, massaging his thigh. ¡° My legs are killing me from walking around for so long.¡±

    ¡°No, we¡¯re doing this now,¡± Mr. Brown growled. ¡°I¡¯m not wasting another second so get your ass over here before I make you.¡±

    With a scoff, Mr. Green shuffled off the bed and sat down with them. ¡°So, what are we starting with?¡± He locked his fingers together as he leaned on the table, pretending to be serious. ¡°I¡¯m not the guy who makes the plans here, so one of you better have something good.¡±

    Mr. Gray took out a map brochure of Pok¨¦star Studios and laid it flat in front of them. Like how Nimbasa designed their amusement park maps, the design was visually loud and obnoxious with poorly edited and photo-edited film iconography. If they had a better option for a map, they would have chosen it immediately, but right now, this was all that they had for an accurate, top-down view of the studio.

    ¡°We start with where we''re going to break in, starting with the walls,¡± Mr. Gray pointed at the edge of the map with the back of the marker where the backlots resided. ¡°Security for the front was far tighter, so going from the back will keep us from being spotted.¡±

    Mr. Brown then took his camera out of his bag and placed it on the table. "Take your cameras out, it''s time to see what route we can take once we''re in."

    As they scrolled through their camera feed, they took a closer look at spots where they had been left unattended and where maintenance was lacking. A few photos in, Mr. Gray furrowed his brow as he spotted a particular image in Mr. Green¡¯s album. It was a selfie of Mr. Green with the street of an outdoor film set of Castelia City in the background.

    ¡°Mr. Green¡­ When did you even take this photo?¡± He turned the camera over, showing it to him.

    ¡°This one?¡± Mr. Green leaned in before recognizing it, taking the camera and pulling the photo up to a larger size. ¡°I remembered this set from ¡®Full Metal Cop¡¯ so I took a picture of it, why do you ask?¡±

    ¡°Oh for the love of the Almighty¡ª¡± Mr. Brown snatched his camera and immediately deleted it before slamming it onto the table and sliding it back. ¡°¡ªCan you just focus, like, at all? We didn''t go to Pok¨¦star like we were on some fucking vacation.¡±

    ¡°Fine, but you didn¡¯t have to delete it¡­¡± Mr. Green pouted as he fidgeted with the camera¡¯s controls. A moment later, his usual grin returned, sneering at Mr. Brown. ¡°Hah! It¡¯s still here, you didn¡¯t delete it from the trash! Nice try, man!¡±

    ¡°You wanna go you son of a bi¡ª¡±

    Already noticing the trembling fist underneath the table prepped to fly forward, Mr. Gray violently grasped Mr. Brown''s shoulder and pushed him into his seat before he could get up. He leaned forward, tightening his grip as he whispered to him.

    ¡°As annoying as he is, you need to remember your damn place so don¡¯t you dare go any further,¡± He warned, pressing his thumb downward on the pressure point, causing Mr. Brown to wince in pain. ¡°Just because you have full control of the plan doesn¡¯t mean you get to start a fight. I¡¯m still the leader, no matter what, so whatever your plan is, it¡¯s only going to work because the both of us agreed to do it, so be grateful.¡±

    ¡°Fine¡­¡±Mr. Brown grumbled, breaking himself out of Mr. Gray¡¯s grasp with a flick of his shoulder.

    ¡°And you¡ª¡± Mr. Gray jabbed at Mr. Green, drilling a finger into his chest. ¡°¡ªOne more stupid thing from you and your face is gonna get VIP access to my fist, got it?¡±

    ¡°Geez, ok¡­¡± Mr. Green yielded, rubbing his cheek in anticipation.

    Sighing in frustration, Mr. Gray brought up what he wanted to tell the two ever since he noticed it during the tour.

    ¡°Continuing on, I¡¯ve noticed a pattern that all the cameras like this one near Soundstage T¨C800 are all angled weirdly,¡± He showed them the photo he had been looking for; a single security camera high up on a building near the corner.

    ¡°I think I noticed that as well,¡± Mr. Green commented as he brought up his own photo of a security camera, turning it to the rest of them. ¡°This one from Soundstage C-137 is crooked to the left a bit and this one from an office building is slightly bent to the right.¡±

    "Let''s catalog all of them down," Mr. Brown instructed as he uncapped a pen, flipping the map of Pok¨¦star to his front. "Show each one to me and I''ll draw ''em down."

    They spent the next few minutes charting all the cameras they took photos of as the map gradually turned into a proper blueprint of their scheme instead of a tacky entertainment industry map. Using a highlighter, they also marked triangles to indicate the estimated angles of the cameras, darkening each corner of the buildings as they progressed.

    When the last camera was added to the map, Mr. Brown tapped his pen on the edge and began to draw a line forward. At an intersection, he turned a corner where a camera faced the opposite direction and moved on. Over time, the line zigged and zagged all over the map, dodging all the camera angles before reaching their destination where the riolu reportedly resided.

    ¡°And that¡ª¡± He dropped the pen on the table like a microphone. ¡°¡ªIs how we¡¯re getting in.¡±

    Mr. Gray took another glance at the completed route. As annoying as the route looked with the multiple turns and backtracking, he couldn''t complain. This was the best shot they had to even get to the riolu, which brought up the next point they needed to cover.

    ¡°Ok, so once we get to the riolu, how are we going to grab him?¡±

    ¡°By getting his pok¨¦ball, but since it''ll be closer to Brycen, we might not be able to grab it,¡± Mr. Brown muttered, drumming his fingers against the table.

    ¡°Instead of getting his pok¨¦ball, I¡¯m thinking we use something to stun him,¡± Mr. Green suggested, leaning back in his chair with a smug grin. ¡°I know a guy around here who can get me the purest Stun Spores.¡±

    ¡°Stun Spores have levels of purities?¡± Mr. Brown raised a skeptical eyebrow. ¡°Since when?¡±

    ¡°They don''t legally exist. The type you see in competitions and in the wild don¡¯t last long, but the guy I know learned to remove impurities from it so when it hits a pok¨¦mon, it hits hard,¡± Mr. Green explained, gesturing with exaggerated waves of his hands. ¡°It works so well that only a Full Heal or Full Restore can cure it, and those shits are expensive as distortions themselves.¡±

    ¡°So how long does this version of Stun Spore last?¡± Mr. Gray asked, rubbing his temple as he absorbed the information.

    ¡°For a small pok¨¦mon like riolu, likely for days,¡± Mr. Green shrugged, a glint of amusement in his eyes. ¡°It''s more than enough time to get it to Colress.¡±

    ¡°That sounds good, we won''t have to deal with a squirming mutt that¡¯ll fight back when we grab him,¡± Mr. Brown nodded, tapping the pen against the map. ¡°So when can you get the Stun Spores from your guy?¡±

    Mr. Green tilted his head back, staring at the ceiling as he silently counted on his fingers. ¡°I¡¯d say in a little less than a week if I contact him today.¡±

    ¡°Then contact him now. We¡¯re stealing that damn riolu as soon as we can,¡± Mr. Gray ordered, his voice low but firm.

    ¡°I might have to spend all my savings then,¡± Mr. Green whined, slumping in his chair. ¡°He doesn''t like sudden requests, and his prices are so high¡­¡±

    "Once we''re done with this theft, money''s going to be the last of our concerns," Mr. Brown smirked, cracking his knuckles in anticipation of their profitable future.

    As the two began to dream about their personal ideas of wealth and power in Neo Plasma, Mr. Gray took another glance at the map, his eyes following the trail one more time.

    This idea needed to work.

    If it somehow didn''t, he¡¯d be sure to get back at Mr. Brown for ever bringing this up.

 Scene 3 - Take 13: Nighttime Abductions and Identity Disjunctions

    A week had passed since the final editing for the test screening of the PMD TV show had been completed. The production team had been busy with post-processing, leaving Harper and the others with more time to focus on training. The days had been long and grueling, but at least they ended with a well-deserved meal.

    Harper sat together with Zorro, Eve, and Beartic in the cafeteria, enjoying the cool blast of air conditioning after enduring the sudden stifling heat outside all day. The sun had been relentless, making even the shaded areas of Pok¨¦star Studios feel like an oven. Now, taking a well deserved break, the group relished their time doing nothing inside after all that training.

    Brycen, Bianca, and the twins were absent because they were in a meeting with Professor Juniper discussing her upcoming arrival. Upon realizing that the session would likely be a tedious round of discussions among adults, Zorro chose to train with Harper and Beartic. At the same time, Eve decided to sit back and observe. Harper found it mildly amusing to see Caleb and Claire attempting to sneak out of the conference room, only for Bianca to catch them by their shoulders with a steel grip, as Professor Juniper had requested their attendance.

    ¡°I swear, I was about to pass out before we even started sparring¡­¡± Zorro groaned, resting his head on the table. His fur was still damp from the ice-cold water from a nearby set he had jumped into earlier. ¡°How do you even function with all that fluff?¡± He pointed a paw at Eve.

    Eve flicked her ear, unbothered. ¡°It¡¯s called ¡®not complaining about it,¡¯¡± she scoffed with amusement, digging a berry into a pok¨¦puff before taking a clean bite. ¡°Just try to ignore the heat and you¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    Harper smirked as Zorro mouthed the word ¡®how¡¯ before slumping his head on the table again, clearly too tired to argue. The poochyena had every right to be exhausted¡ªearlier, he had his first spar against Beartic after training with Harper, and the outcome had been exactly what he expected. Zorro didn¡¯t stand a chance.

    The poochyena¡¯s skills had improved since training began, but the gap between him and Harper was still noticeable. Against Beartic, however, that gap became a chasm. Every attack Zorro threw had been met with effortless deflections and counters, and by the end he was left sprawled on the floor, panting while Beartic barely looked winded.

    Harper stirred his food idly, his mind drifting back to his own struggles with Counter. He absentmindedly traced a claw over the scar on his chest, where Beartic had once demonstrated the move at full force. Even now, he couldn¡¯t quite wrap his head around how the polar bear managed to turn the opponent¡¯s strength against them so smoothly. No matter how many times he watched or attempted it himself, something wasn¡¯t clicking.

    He tried his best not to worry too much about it. Learning new moves wasn¡¯t going to be easy every time, with Vacuum Wave being a good example. He wasn¡¯t under a deadline, and with whatever production for a movie being far away, Harper had plenty of time to learn Counter.

    ¡°Is Counter still on your mind?¡± Beartic asked, noticing Harper¡¯s silence.

    Harper slightly flinched, not expecting him to catch onto his frustration so easily.

    ¡°It is. You saw how I tried to counter Zorro¡¯s Tackle during our spar, but he got a clean hit on me instead,¡± he muttered, ears twitching in irritation.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let it get to you too much, kid,¡± Beartic said with a reassuring nod. ¡°Learning a unique move like my Counter is difficult enough, and you¡¯re making great progress.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I just wish I could do better,¡± Harper admitted, staring down at his paw before clenching it. His grip tightened as he looked up again. ¡°I get it on paper, but I still don¡¯t understand how my body is supposed to use the opponent¡¯s power with my own.¡±

    Beartic pondered for a moment, stroking his chin. Then, he snapped his claws together as an idea came to him.

    ¡°The simplest way to remember the move¡¯s function is with the three R¡¯s: Receive, Redirect, and Return,¡± he explained, gesturing with his paw. ¡°Think of receiving the opponent¡¯s attack like you¡¯re being pushed¡ªbut instead of resisting, you continue the motion with a spin. That¡¯s where ¡®Redirect¡¯ comes into play. You redirect the opponent¡¯s attack through you with that spin, and then you ¡®Return¡¯ it with a punch.¡±

    Beartic tilted his head slightly, watching Harper¡¯s reaction. ¡°Did that help?¡±

    ¡°Somewhat¡­¡± he mumbled, thankful yet still stuck in the same mental place as before. ¡°I think I just need to practice more until I get it, complaining isn¡¯t going to do anything. Do you think Brycen can help if I ask?¡±

    "He can definitely help with the movement aspects of it, so I think that''s a good idea," Beartic nodded before his ear twitched toward the cafeteria doors, his head turning soon after. "Speaking of, it seems that he''s here with Bianca."

    As Harper mulled over Beartic¡¯s advice, the cafeteria doors swung open, drawing the group¡¯s attention. Bianca strode in first, followed closely by Brycen.

    ¡°There you all are,¡± Bianca said, placing her hands on her hips with a small smile. ¡°I¡¯m picking Zorro and Eve up to go to bed early. The test screening is happening first thing in the morning, and we need everyone at their best.¡±

    Zorro let out a long groan, slumping further against the table. "Aw, man¡­ Do we have to?¡±

    ¡°You should listen to her,¡± Beartic suggested with a knowing glance. ¡°Seeing that Caleb and Claire aren¡¯t here right now, I think they¡¯ve already begun preparing for bed. You and Eve should follow suit.¡±

    Eve stretched lazily before hopping down from her seat. ¡°I was going to do that anyway,¡± she said, flicking her tail. ¡°I¡¯d rather not look half-dead for the screening.¡±

    Harper watched as Zorro and Eve trotted off to Bianca¡¯s side. He almost left his own seat to leave with Brycen before the Assistant Professor spoke again.

    ¡°Professor Juniper wanted me to let you all know that she¡¯s on her way tonight,¡± Bianca denoted. ¡°She should arrive by morning, so we¡¯ll get to watch the test screening together.¡±

    Harper tensed. He tried to keep his expression neutral, but Beartic noticed the way his paw clenched around the edge of his tray.

    ¡°Well, I think that¡¯s everything,¡± Bianca stated, stretching her arms into the air with weariness. ¡°I¡¯m feeling tired as well. I¡¯ll see you three tomorrow!¡±

    Brycen gave a nod. ¡°We¡¯ll be heading out now.¡±

    ¡°Bye, Mr. Harper!¡± Zorro and Eve waved goodbye in unison, the eevee waving much harder than the poochyena.

    As they exited the cafeteria, Harper walked slightly behind Beartic and Brycen, his mind racing. The thought of Professor Juniper arriving made his stomach twist uncomfortably, and his steps became more rigid the closer they got to their van.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been quiet,¡± Brycen remarked, glancing over at him. ¡°Something on your mind?¡±

    Harper hesitated for a moment before sighing and writing a response. *It¡¯s Juniper.*

    Brycen hummed in understanding. ¡°Are you worried about what she might think about you?¡±

    Harper nodded.

    ¡°You have nothing to worry about,¡± Brycen assured him, his tone calm yet firm. ¡°I won¡¯t let her do anything drastic.¡±

    Harper frowned slightly, puzzled by how certain Brycen sounded. He looked up at the man, searching for an answer in his expression, but Brycen remained unreadable.

    ¡°¡­Alright,¡± Harper murmured with a single nod, holstering his whiteboard to the side, though his unease didn¡¯t fade entirely.

    Harper couldn¡¯t shake the feeling away that tomorrow was going to be much more exhausting than any of his training sessions prior.

    <hr>

    Harper tossed and turned on his sofa bed, struggling to find sleep on the sweltering night. The air was still, with not a single breeze coming through the open window, amplifying his discomfort. He shifted from one side to the other, his mind racing with thoughts, careful not to disturb Brycen, who was a notoriously light sleeper. As he lay there, the heat became unbearable, leaving him restless and yearning for a moment of cool relief. It had been an hour of shifting around at this point, and all he wanted was some sweet shut-eye.

    Even if it were cooler tonight, his nervousness about Professor Juniper arriving would''ve kept him up anyway. This was going to be another rare occasion where he got to meet a main figure from the games. From how Bianca talked about her, the Professor was excited to meet him upon her arrival, and that made him tense. By now, Professor Juniper definitely knew that he could write, so Harper had no reason to hide that from her. As long as he didn''t accidentally reveal anything else when she arrived, he had little to worry about. He''d have to stay quiet if she asked any revealing questions, but he''d have to be careful with any other questions that he could answer.

    Fed up with the heat, Harper sat up and raised a paw, gripping his wrist with the other. He took a moment to compose himself, closing his eyes to envision the chilling sensation of ice in his fist. As he wasn¡¯t directing his Ice Punch at anything specific, it held its form, steadily cooling the air around him. Little did he know, his Ice Punch was more than sufficient to lower the temperature inside the van. Frost began to form on the sofa bed, and the water bottles on the table were already feeling the effects of the sudden chill.

    Harper panicked and haphazardly stopped channeling Ice TE into his paw, ending Ice Punch¡¯s formation. With his attempt at air conditioning now over, he sighed with relief as he slumped onto the back of the sofa.

    ~This is probably the only time I wish I was weaker¡­~ Harper thought to himself, shaking off the remaining ice off his arm. ~I guess Beartic was right, I¡¯m getting stronger much faster than I¡¯m realizing.~

    While the difference in experience and skill as a battling actor pok¨¦mon like Beartic and him were still wide, it didn''t downplay any of his skills compared to the average pok¨¦mon his physical age. Hopefully, he would have a shot at being in a pok¨¦mon battle or two in the next film he was in, whatever it would be.

    Harper glanced around the dark inside of the van, noting that it was much cooler than he originally intended. Thankfully, Brycen hadn''t noticed the temperature drop despite how lightly he slept, most likely because of how accustomed he was to Ice energy. Though he didn''t mean to make it this cold, the chilliness was far more bearable than the initial heat. Where his fur made the heat unbearable was now much more pleasant. The chilled air now complemented his body heat, and it made it much easier for him to attempt to sleep.

    As long as he didn''t continue to overthink Professor Juniper''s arrival, that is.

    ¡°Shh! Keep quiet¡­!¡± a voice hissed outside followed by a dull thud and a whimper in pain. ¡°The last thing we want is to wake anyone up!¡±

    His eyes opened wide as his ears twitched and swiveled behind him before his head followed. Footsteps rubbed against the asphalt, growing louder as whoever was outside got closer. Voices echoing in the night weren¡¯t uncommon as some film crew members stayed overnight due to outdoor night filming, though they never sounded this angry. Harper assumed their stress to be from overtime, he knew all too well about how cranky that could get anyone.

    With the inside of the van now modestly chilled and with the noise outside, Harper decided to shut the window for the night. After stifling a yawn with closed eyes, he got to his knees and grabbed the window handles, pulling them down and letting gravity do the rest.

    The window, however, abruptly stopped midway, waking Harper up from drifting off. Confused, Harper opened his eyes to see what stopped him from closing it.

    He came face to face with three masked men staring intently at him, one of them clutching the underside of the window up with gloved hands. The suddenness of seeing three absolute strangers up close froze him in disbelief, and he immediately regretted doing so when one of them spoke.

    ¡°What are you waiting for?!¡± the man from the right hissed. ¡°He¡¯s right there! Grab him now!¡±

    Before Harper could react, the man in the middle snaked his arm around his waist, locking him into his clutch. The third member of their group quickly took out a small, white bag.

    ¡°Hurry the fuck up and dump it before the mutt fights back!¡±

    The man with the bag hastily undid the knot and sloppily dumped its contents onto Harper''s left body. He tried to hold his breath as it fell onto his face, hoping to avoid inhaling whatever they had released, but it was futile. The instant the fine powder settled, an unnerving tingling spread down his spine. At first, it felt like static electricity crackling across his limbs, but soon the sensation morphed into something far worse. His muscles stiffened suddenly as if invisible chains had snapped around him.

    Panic surged within Harper as his face twisted involuntarily in spasms, his body jerking uncontrollably with bursts of electrical charge. It was as if the strings of a marionette had been severed, leaving him in a chaotic dance. He struggled to call for help, desperate to scream for assistance, but no sound came through the jolts of electricity coursing through his muscles.

    ¡°C¡¯mon, let¡¯s get out of here before anyone sees us!¡± One of the kidnappers hissed, pointing behind them. ¡°Now we go back the same way we came!¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t believe that we¡¯re really stealing the same riolu from Full Metal Cop,¡± the man holding him breathed out. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll find better use for us than Pok¨¦star did now.¡±

    ¡°N-No!¡± Harper stifled before his body painfully jolted.

    ¡°Shut the fuck up!¡± one of the kidnappers yelled, slapping the man holding him across the face. ¡°Stop dragging us down and keep quiet!¡±

    Harper squirmed in place, hoping for any sense of mobility to come up. They planned to steal him and it was working. His worst fears that he had come to terms with rose back up in the face of being stolen from all that he loved.

    Were they going to research him?

    Lock him away?

    Force every one of his secrets out?

    It didn¡¯t matter what the end result would be. He would never be able to come back to Pok¨¦star Studios if they succeeded.

    With every step they took, he was getting farther away from Brycen and Beartic, his friends.

    His family.

    He lost his family once.

    He couldn''t lose it again.

    With all the power he could muster, the only thing Harper found himself able to control was his right arm, the one spot that the kidnapper missed when they dumped the paralyzing substance on him. He felt his fist feebly clench at his command, but with how the rest of his body refused to listen, it made the simple action nearly impossible. Each digit on his paws struggled against the paralytic bind that held him captive. It drove his mind to fight even harder against the electrical haze that clouded his senses.

    The kidnapper that held onto him tightly was oblivious as Harper painstakingly charged up Fighting TE in the only limb he could still use, driven by sheer desperation. With each charge, the physical strain pulled him back, like taking two steps forward only to take one step back, but he was still pushing through. After much effort, he finally spread his digits wide and slammed his hand against the man¡¯s arm. A loud crack echoed through the night, quickly followed by a piercing scream.

    Harper rag-dolled onto the floor, his face falling flat on the concrete as his body limped sideways. He watched as the kidnapper who held him dropped to his knees, holding his broken arm in pain. His arm bent horribly in a ninety-degree angle downward in the same direction his tears fell. His accomplices flinched in surprise when they turned around to see the both of them on the ground.

    ¡°W-What the hell! Hey! The fuck happened?!¡± the man on the left shouted with unease. ¡°Why¡¯d you drop the riolu?!¡±

    ¡°M-My ar¡ª my arm!¡± the man he attacked stammered through his tears, fearing to touch the broken end.

    ¡°Grab him with your other arm then, dammit!¡± the man on the right snarled.

    The injured man didn¡¯t hear his associate. Instead, he fell onto his knees, and then onto the ground, gripping tightly against the base where Harper cleanly snapped the bone.

    ¡°Mr. Green¡¯s useless! We need to grab the riolu and go now!¡± the first kidnapper shouted at his partner in crime.

    ¡°This is all your fault, Mr. Brown!¡± the second kidnapper snapped back, jabbing a finger on his chest. ¡°I thought your Stun Spore was supposed to work!¡±

    ¡°You didn''t give me time to apply it properly!¡±

    ¡°So now it¡¯s my fault?!¡±

    ¡°Why you¡ª!¡±

    The two men continued to bicker with each other as Harper and the injured man remained on the floor, both fighting against their own pain. No matter how short of a distance he made by nudging his body on the ground, he wanted to get away from the men as far away as possible.

    "HARPER! WHERE ARE YOU?!" Brycen''s voice thundered before the van''s door slammed open. He had Beartic''s pok¨¦ball prepped in hand, and his eyes darted around the lot before locking onto where he fell to the ground.

    ¡°B-Brycen!¡± Harper gasped through his staggered breaths, jolting from the shocks. ¡°H-Hel¡ª HELP!¡±

    With full force, Brycen hurled the pok¨¦ball forward. After a click and a red flash of energy, Beartic materialized a few feet away from Harper as the kidnappers stood petrified.

    ¡°Kid! You ok?!¡±

    ¡°Beartic! I¡ª¡± Harper¡¯s face jerked in pain as another shock coursed through his body. ¡°T-They¡ª¡± he fell to the ground again, still trying to fight against the paralysis.

    ¡°Shit! He¡¯s here!¡± One of them let go of the other¡¯s hair, wracking their head in distress. ¡°Fuck fuck FUCK! How did we fuck this up?!¡±

    The polar bear slowly turned his head to the kidnappers as Brycen stood by his side. Beartic¡¯s chest rumbled like an engine, revving up to snap at them with full force. The grunts took a frightened step back as Beartic snarled at them, his sharp teeth bared at them like an arsenal of weapons and the air frosting with his breath.

    Harper had never seen Beartic look so full of wrath.

    As soon as the polar bear took a step forward, the grunts panicked and scrambled to escape, abandoning their injured companion.

    "Oh no, you''re not getting away from us!" Beartic shouted as he swiftly summoned Ice TE into his arms and slammed them to the ground. From the impacted area, the ice crept across the ground toward the backlot intersection where the two kidnappers were fleeing. The grunts lost their footing and slipped from the frozen asphalt as an ice wall shot up in front of them, blocking their path. Beartic swiftly followed up with additional walls of ice, sealing off the other two available escape routes, leaving only one option: to confront Beartic, Brycen, and Harper head-on.

    ¡°Don¡¯t. Move.¡± He growled at the kidnappers, not letting up with the ice on his arms.

    Harper managed to fight against the paralysis just enough to sit up a little by leaning on his right arm. Now that he had a better viewpoint on the kidnappers, he saw what they were wearing, and it looked all too similar.

    Including the man behind them who had fallen to the floor in pain from a broken arm, the intruders all wore black gear and masks to hide their faces. On their chest was a symbol Harper knew all too well.

    It was them: Team Neo Plasma.

    He didn¡¯t know whether he should¡¯ve expected them or not, but he had hoped to high heaven that he would never see them again.

    Brycen dashed to Harper¡¯s side and quickly settled beside him. The seasoned actor gently lifted Harper''s head, tilting it back. ¡°I never thought I¡¯d need this at Pok¨¦star Studios, but close your eyes,¡± he instructed as he uncapped a golden spray bottle.

    Harper shut his eyes as a light mist enveloped his face and body. In moments, the paralysis that had gripped him completely vanished.

    One of the grunts stared, dumbfounded. ¡°Shit! He had a Full Heal?¡±

    ¡°A former Gym Leader like myself would always have one on standby,¡± Brycen coldly answered as he helped Harper up into a more comfortable position. ¡°Are you hurt anywhere else?¡± he asked, carefully checking for any other injuries on his body.

    ¡°N-No, they only stunned me,¡± Harper moved his muscles, the paralytic sensation now gone in his system. ¡°I¡­ I think I¡¯m fine now.¡±

    Brycen turned his head to the Neo Plasma grunts and scowled with unfettered anger. ¡°They won¡¯t run away, I won¡¯t let them. They dared to steal you away at our most vulnerable, and I won¡¯t let that stand.¡±

    With his paralysis cured and knowing for certain that everything was going to be alright thanks to Brycen and Beartic, another emotion took the reins, outriding the fear and initial shock from earlier.

    They tried to steal him.

    They tried to take him away from everything that he loved. His paws curled into the tightest fists he was capable of.

    He had never wanted to fight back this badly before.

    He had never felt this angry.

    Regaining his balance, he stood up and made his way next to Beartic and Brycen.

    ¡°Harper, stand back,¡± Brycen directed, tossing the empty Full Heal before folding his sleeves up. ¡°I¡¯ll apprehend them before they can fight bac¡ª¡±

    Harper grabbed his arm and halted Brycen in place, confusing him and Beartic.

    ¡°Let me fight them,¡± he pleaded, clutching a little tighter. ¡°Please.¡±

    The Ice-type trainer stood still, slowly glancing at Harper before averting his gaze at the grunts. They stared at each other in confusion, wondering why nothing had happened yet.

    Brycen gave a simple nod of understanding, rolling his sleeves back down. ¡°I see. I¡¯ll let you and Beartic handle them in a pok¨¦mon battle, but there is something I must talk with them about first¡­¡± he approached the scared duo, the third huddled on the floor in pain.

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    ¡°You must be the Neo Team Plasma that I have been hearing so much about,¡± he said, standing beside his ace pok¨¦mon. ¡°Now, while I could apprehend you myself in an instant, Harper here wants to do it himself, so I¡¯m offering the two of you a choice¡ª¡± he held two fingers up, confusing the grunts still on the ground. ¡°¡ªSurrender now, and your punishment may be lighter than usual¡ª¡± he then lowered one finger, pointing at the ground with the other. ¡°¡ªOr, you can battle my two pok¨¦mon with a minuscule chance of winning.¡±

    With the way that Brycen worded it, it sounded like he had absolute confidence that he''d win and that they''d lose.

    Harper didn''t doubt him in the slightest.

    The two grunts stared at each other and nodded a few seconds later, grasping their pok¨¦balls. ¡°We¡¯ll take that chance.¡±

    A grin appeared on Brycen¡¯s face, but it quickly vanished when he turned to Harper and Beartic. ¡°They¡¯ve agreed to our terms. Show them that they made the wrong choice.¡±

    The two grunts grasped their pok¨¦balls off of their belt and immediately tossed them forward. With two successive flashes of red, their pok¨¦mon appeared in front of them. To the left stood a scrafty that sneered at Beartic as it readjusted its baggy skin. To the right, the watchog glared at Harper and immediately began to huff with rage upon eye contact.

    The watchog leaned forward, ready to pounce at the command. ¡°Finally, I get to beat your ass for revenge!¡±

    ¡°Revenge for what?¡± Harper couldn''t help but blurt out. He wasn''t familiar with this watchog in the slightest.

    The watchog froze in place, an eyelid twitching in disbelief. ¡°How do you not remember me?! You fought me with the kid that ruined our whole plan!

    Harper didn''t know what he referred to, the only time he fought with true repercussions at stake was when he¡ª

    He remembered now.

    ¡°Oh. It¡¯s you.¡±

    ¡°You know him?¡± Beartic pointed at the familiar face.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I last saw him, he was the patrat I fought against in Virbank with Nate,¡± Harper explained, his fists clenching even tighter.

    ¡°If he''s here, then his trainer had a motive to try and steal you,¡± the Ice-type circled his neck from side to side. ¡°We¡¯ll just have to make them learn again to not mess with you¡­¡±

    The icy intersection stretched between the Neo Plasma grunts and Brycen with their pok¨¦mon standing still at the ready. Harper¡¯s breath came in steady puffs of mist, his fists clenched at his sides. The paralytic ache on his side still tingled, but now that he was finally free, he wasn¡¯t holding anything back. Beside him, Beartic stood tall, his thick fur rippling in the wind as he flexed his sharp claws, glinting like ice daggers underneath the night sky.

    On the other side, the two grunts smirked with false confidence, their stance like cowboys during high noon. Watchog stood alert, his piercing red eyes glowing in the night shadows. Scrafty flexed, his loose skin sagging slightly as he bounced in place, sizing himself up.

    Brycen calmly yet commandingly whispered to Harper and Beartic. ¡°We¡¯ll finish this quickly. Harper, Beartic¡ªfight without hesitation.¡±

    At the crack of the melting ice wall, the grunts snapped and one of them spat out a command.

    ¡°Scrafty, Bulk Up!¡±

    Scrafty let out a guttural growl as its body swelled with strength, muscles tightening and defenses reinforcing. It was preparing for a war of attrition.

    ¡°Watchog! Hypnosis!¡±

    The instant Watchog''s eyes flared with an ominous glow, Harper''s limbs grew heavy as the pull of drowsiness crept in. His vision blurred, his mind teetering on the edge of unconsciousness¡ª

    ¡°Close your eyes! Quick Attack!¡± Brycen ordered sharply.

    Harper forced his eyes shut and lunged forward, his speed cutting through the frozen air. He slammed into Watchog¡¯s midsection, sending the Normal-type staggering back.

    ¡°Beartic, Aqua Jet¡ªstrike next!¡±

    Beartic¡¯s lower body became enveloped in a swirling coat of water before he rocketed forward. He crashed into Scrafty, water spraying across the area as the impact knocked him back several feet. However, he skidded to a stop, barely fazed by the hit.

    ¡°Drain Punch!¡±

    Scrafty lunged forward, its fist glowing with an eerie red light. Beartic quickly reacted, shifting his arm to block the attack before it hit his torso. A sharp grunt escaped him as energy still drained from his body and absorbed into Scrafty¡¯s, visibly restoring some of his stamina.

    Brycen thrust his arm forward. ¡°Beartic, Icicle Crash! Harper, knock Scrafty over!¡±

    Beartic reared up and raised a massive paw. The air around him crackled with cold energy before jagged ice shards formed above him and came crashing down toward Scrafty. The Dark-type attempted to flee from the icicles, but Harper rushed in with a Low Kick to trip him down. The frozen spikes struck and shattered upon impact, sending a shockwave of ice shards directly on top of Scrafty.

    One of the grunts recoiled in frustration, waving an arm in disbelief at Watchog.

    ¡°Why¡¯d you let him go?! Use Thunderbolt on him now!¡±

    "Beartic, dodge, and use Hail!"

    The air sizzled as Watchog summoned crackling electricity, his yellow stripes glowing brightly with the move. A moment later, a massive bolt surged forward in a jagged arc. Beartic leaped away just in time, the move leaving a scorched mark on the ice.

    Landing further away with a heavy thud, he reared his head back and let out a deep, rumbling roar. Dark clouds began to swirl overhead. Moments later, sharp ice pellets began to fall, peppering the battlefield with relentless cold. Watchog and Scrafty flinched as the hail struck their exposed bodies. Beartic shielded Harper with his body from the storm.

    ¡°Ignore the pain! Use High Jump Kick!¡±

    Shaking off the excess ice off his body, Scrafty crouched low before launching himself high into the air, his knee glowing with violent Fighting TE.

    ¡°He''s an open target, Harper!¡± Brycen shouted, pointing in the air.

    Knowing what to do, Harper ferociously spun his arms, remembering the sensation Brycen taught him. With a forceful push upward, he shot a spirling wave of air and Fighting TE into the sky. His Vacuum Wave successfully struck Scrafty mid-air, causing him to lose control and crash into the ice with a heavy thud. The Dark-type groaned, his body covered in bruises from the relentless onslaught of attacks from him and Beartic.

    ¡°Watchog, stop the riolu with Mean Look!¡±

    An unnatural weight suddenly fell upon Harper, locking him in place. A chill crawled up his spine as Scrafty rose back up, not intending to back down just yet.

    ¡°Use Payback!¡±

    Recovering, Scrafty sprang forward, Dark TE swirling around his fist as it swung at Harper.

    ¡°Beartic, Counter!¡±

    Beartic jumped in Scrafty''s path as Harper held his arms up in self-defense. Just like in their training, the polar bear initiated the usual stance that Harper always followed. He leaned forward with a paw out, his foot sliding back in a crescent form.

    ~The recieve¡­~

    Scrafty¡¯s fist landed against Beartic¡¯s non-dominant paw, but there wasn''t any noise to indicate any impact.

    ~Now he¡¯s redirecting¡­~

    The Ice-type spun on the base of a foot, swinging his dominant paw around for extra power on top of Scrafty¡¯s own. The Dark-type energy from Payback and the Fighting-type energy from Beartic coalesced into one the closer it arrived.

    ~And then¡­ the return¡­~

    With a single devastating punch, he struck Scrafty directly in the chest. The force sent the Dark Fighting-type flying backward, crashing into the ice and skidding several feet before going still.

    The grunt¡¯s jaw dropped as he put his hands on his head in shock, unable to react any other way. Satisfied, Beartic took a deep breath and patted off his paws with a huff.

    ¡°One down, one to go,¡± he growled at the Normal-type, his claws twitching.

    ¡°I''m not giving up yet!¡± Watchog panted heavily, his eyes burning with fury and stubbornness. ¡°I¡¯ve still got a score to settle!¡±

    Matching the meerkat¡¯s rage, his trainer seethed the next command. ¡°Use Giga Impact! Destroy the beartic¡¯s arm before he does anything!¡±

    Normal TE erupted around Watchog as a bright yellow light shone around his face with orange streaks of energy swirling around his body. Without any care for the aftereffects, he launched forward at full speed, causing Beartic to put up his guard, ready to dodge at the last second. However, despite the grunt''s command, the attack wasn''t aimed at Beartic.

    It was aimed at Harper, and the both of them didn''t realize until it was too late.

    ¡°KID! GET OUT OF THE WAY!¡±

    ¡°HARPER! MOVE!¡±

    Harper¡¯s mind raced as time slowed down, with all the surrounding noise around him coming to a stop. He watched as Watchog approached him with a familiar impact and heat. His conscience froze in fear as the pain he felt on that day came back, the feeling becoming stronger the closer the Normal-type approached him.

    He didn''t want to die, but he couldn''t run or dodge at all. He couldn''t think of any other option he could use except for one: He needed to Counter it, but he never got it to work.

    He still needed to try. He knew he now had the power to at least try.

    Harper slid his foot back and held his paw forward, keeping his body loose yet firm at the same time. He shifted his body weight forward, leaning in anticipation.

    ~Receive~

    As soon as Watchog¡¯s head landed on Harper¡¯s paw, he stepped back. He followed the flow of his enemy¡¯s move with his open palm as he slid back.

    ~Redirect.~

    Harper spun on his leg, swinging his dominant paw around with the added strength he received with his non-dominant paw from Watchog.

    ~Return.~

    With a meaty slam, Harper clocked Watchog squarely in the face, leaving a fist-shaped indent on his rounded cheeks. He slammed him directly into the icy floor, shattering it into pieces as ice particles scattered everywhere. When the dust and frost settled, Watchog let out a single gasp before he passed out, his head nodding off into unconsciousness.

    Harper fell to his knees and landed on his other arm as he coughed profusely, trying to get oxygen in his lungs. A blunt pain continuously shot through his arm and across his body, shaking every fiber of his muscles. He couldn''t feel the dangling arm he used to receive the move. He knew why though, it meant that he didn''t loosen his body enough. That''s why Watchog''s Giga Impact still broke his body down.

    It wasn¡¯t perfect like Beartic¡¯s, but he did it; He used Counter.

    He taught the kidnappers not to mess with his new life.

    The eyes of the two grunts whizzed around in desperation, looking around for any sort of escape, but they were trapped in every conceivable way. With their pok¨¦mon down and every escape route blocked off, their only way out was through Harper, Brycen, and Beartic. With Brycen being a martial arts expert and Beartic being an absolute powerhouse, their chances to escape were next to zero.

    They seemed to understand how fruitless their efforts were, as they didn¡¯t fight back when Beartic took their arms and forced them behind their backs, freezing them on a nearby lamppost. The third injured grunt lay on the floor beside them, continuing to whimper in pain, clearly unable to run off even without having any icy restraints.

    ¡°Won¡¯t their arms freeze off?¡± Harper asked with concern, massaging his own arm as he looked up at the polar bear.

    ¡°The temp¡¯s low enough to keep them in place, but not enough to freeze them from the inside. It¡¯ll melt soon after the cops show up, and they¡¯ll show up pretty soon.¡± Beartic answered, crossing his arms and tilting his head at Brycen, who just finished ending a call with security and the authorities.

    Placing his Xtransciever in his pocket, Brycen knelt down to Harper''s eye level and softly karate-chopped the top of his head with a frown. With a stern tone, he began to talk.

    "That Counter against the enemy''s Giga Impact was one of the most dangerous moves you could have used it against¡ª"

    Brycen then placed his hand on his head, gently petting it with a gentle smile.

    ¡°¡ªBut you did great. Still, don''t take any more risks like that again. We¡¯ll get treatment for you and Beartic soon.¡±

    Sheepishly, Harper nodded, happy that he got praised somewhat. Even though his body ached all over from the aftermath, finally using Counter successfully made it worth it.

    However, he wished he had gotten it to work in a nicer situation. They now had to interrogate the grunts as to why they tried to steal him, and whatever their answer was, he knew he wouldn''t like it.

    ¡°One of you talk,¡± Brycen commanded, approaching the apprehended trio. ¡°Why did you break in to steal Harper?¡±

    ¡°Our lips are sealed!¡± The first grunt spat out. ¡°Mr. Gray and I aren¡¯t saying anything until I get my lawyer!¡±

    ¡°Oh, like that¡¯s going to work with us!¡± The named Mr. Gray kicked the other in the shin, causing them to hiss through his teeth. He raised his head towards Brycen. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you everything, just give me that lighter sentence you mentioned, one that¡¯s better than Mr. Brown anyways.¡±

    ¡°What the¡ª! You traitor!¡± Mr. Brown cursed, throwing his own kicks at Mr. Gray. ¡°You¡¯re throwing us under the bus just like that?!¡±

    ¡°If I¡¯m going down, you and Mr. Green are coming along with me! Now, shut up or I¡¯ll shut you up myself!¡±

    ¡°YOU FUCKIN¡ª¡±

    Mr. Gray struck him squarely in the liver with a knee. Mr. Brown recoiled in pain as he moaned, leaning forward.

    ¡°What did I say?! Huh?!¡± he fumed before letting out a defeated sigh, turning his head to Brycen again. ¡°Ok, what do you want to know first?¡±

    ¡°How did you break in and dodge the security?¡± Brycen demanded, narrowing his eyes.

    ¡°We used the public tours and saw where the security cams were. We made a route to take advantage of the blind spots,¡± Mr. Gray admitted with a shrug.

    ¡°What was your intention with stealing Harper?¡± he pressed.

    ¡°We saw your interview on TV and this doofus¡ª¡± Mr. Gray nudged his head at his accomplice. ¡°Had the great idea to steal your riolu to show off to our boss.¡±

    ¡°Why did you want to show your boss?¡± Brycen frowned, a slight growl rumbling near the end of his question.

    Mr. Gray hesitated, his throat bobbing as he swallowed hard. ¡°Our boss has an obsession with trying to understand Pok¨¦mon, and we were going to tell him that your riolu knew how to write because Mr. Brown over here once saw it with a whiteboard. We planned to tell our boss that a riolu named Harper was being researched by the Unovan Research Team to impress hi¡ª¡±

    Brycen swung the side of his fist above the grunt, landing a heavy thud on the lamppost and bending it on impact. The lights above flickered from the damage.

    ¡°HOW DID YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT?!¡±

    Everyone flinched at the outburst as it echoed around the backlot. Harper stiffened, glancing between Brycen and the grunts, his heart pounding.

    ¡°K-Know what?¡± Mr. Gray blurted out, scared yet relieved that his face wasn''t the target of Brycen¡¯s punch.

    ¡°That Harper was being researched?!¡±

    Mr. Gray and Mr. Brown momentarily put aside their mistrust as they turned to face one another. A look of bewildered disbelief spread across their faces. Even Mr. Green briefly stopped crying in pain of his broken arm and slowly turned his head over to Brycen.

    ¡°W-Wait¡­ It was true?¡± Mr. Brown stammered, baffled.

    Not answering Mr. Brown, Brycen rubbed the bridge of his nose as he stepped away, shaking his head.

    ¡°I should¡¯ve done something sooner¡­¡± he muttered under his breath.

    Harper glanced at Beartic, his expression mirroring the bewilderment on the Ice-type''s face. He was at a loss, unsure of how to respond. He never wanted to be researched, but it happened all under his nose. His mind raced as he combed through his memories since the start of production. He didn¡¯t want to believe that this show had kicked off solely because Professor Juniper and Bianca wanted to study him, but the thought lingered. He couldn''t shake the memory of how often the Assistant Professor had her notes out, even when it seemed unnecessary, and it kept creeping back into his mind.

    Brycen woke him up from his spiraling descent with a hand on his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m incredibly sorry, Harper. Yes, I knew of Professor Juniper and Bianca¡¯s true intentions the whole time, but I have come to realize that I shouldn¡¯t have done so now that it has resulted in this.¡±

    Harper didn¡¯t know how to feel, and while he wanted to know everything as to how, why, and what was in this research, he needed to ask another time. He had other problems to deal with first before his own, which was the Neo Plasma grunts beginning to spew forth insults and ¡®what-ifs¡¯ at them.

    ¡°We would¡¯ve gotten away with it if it weren¡¯t for you meddling in this! You breaking his arm and blocking our route ruined everything!¡± Mr. Brown glared at Harper and Beartic.

    ¡°Dude, shut up! Just shut the fuck up!¡± Mr. Gray continuously kicked him in various places, with most of his attempts aiming at the crotch.

    ~If only we caught them by pulling a mask off instead¡­~ Harper couldn¡¯t stop the coincidental thought appearing after hearing the grunt¡¯s bilge.

    ¡°DON''T YOU SMIRK AT ME LIKE THAT YOU DAMN MUTT! I¡¯LL KILL YOU A¡ª¡±

    Before Mr. Brown could finish, Beartic¡¯s paw swung through the air and struck him across the face. The impact alone was enough to daze him, but before he could even shake off the hit, a thick layer of ice encased his mouth, sealing it shut. His muffled shouts of rage were reduced to frustrated grunts, his breaths out of his nose puffing against the frozen barrier.

    Beartic sighed as he glanced over at Harper and gave a reassuring thumbs up. "Don''t worry, his nose is still open so he''ll breathe. I was getting sick of his badmouthing anyway."

    Now that the danger had truly passed, the last remnants of adrenaline in Harper¡¯s system finally began to fade, leaving behind a deep, overwhelming exhaustion. His limbs grew heavier, his breathing slowed, and before he realized it, his knees buckled.

    His body tilted forward without warning. The aching in his muscles flared all at once again, and his vision swam slightly from the sudden drop. Beartic reacted instantly, grabbing him with a firm yet gentle paw.

    ¡°Woah! Hey, you okay, kid?¡± he asked, his brows furrowing in concern as he adjusted his grip to keep Harper steady.

    ¡°Y-Yeah, I¡­ I think I just need to sit down¡­¡±

    Beartic carefully guided Harper over to a nearby chunk of ice left over from the Icicle Crash used during their battle. Harper let himself sink onto the cold surface, shivering slightly as it pressed against his back. The contrast of the chill against his burning muscles was oddly soothing, and for a brief moment, he allowed himself to just sit and breathe.

    His head throbbed, and his entire body ached, but now he had the opportunity to rest. He exhaled shakily, rubbing his sore arm while staring at the frozen grunts. While dealing with Neo Plasma was done for now, there was something he needed to deal with soon after.

    He hoped that Bianca could explain herself without ruining his perception of her.

    <hr>

    Flashes of red and blue light gleamed through the van''s window blinds as sirens wailed outside, growing closer over time. The light pierced Zorro¡¯s eyelids and the shrill noise shook him awake, rousing him and Eve from their sleep.

    ¡°Wha¡­ What¡¯s going on?¡± Eve grumbled as she lifted a paw up, blocking the blaring light from her eyes.

    Ms. Neri slowly rose from her bed and split the window blinds before peeking outside. Her eyes squinted through the brightness, and through the loud sounds outside, Zorro heard her mutter something.

    ¡°Oh no¡­¡± she whispered, her voice tense. In an instant, she dashed to the coat hanger, grabbing her jacket and bag that sat beside it.

    ¡°Ms. Neri?¡± Claire rubbed her eyes open. ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    ¡°Something¡¯s going on out there,¡± Ms. Neri answered as she slung her bag around her shoulder. ¡°You two stay, I¡¯m going to see what¡¯s happening.¡±

    Caleb threw his blanket aside as he sat up. ¡°We wanna come with you!¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s dangerous for you two,¡± Ms. Neri paced her way to the door as she grasped the handle before turning back to everyone. ¡°Go back to sleep, ok?¡± She shut the door and left for the cause of the lights and noise.

    Not even a moment passed when Caleb decided to ignore her words by jumping out of bed.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go take a peek!¡± he grinned as he began to make his way to the shoe rack, putting on his sneakers.

    ¡°What?! But Ms. Neri said to stay!¡± Claire refuted, grabbing his pajamas and pulling him away from putting on his other shoe. ¡°Let the adults handle it!¡±

    ¡°Oh c¡¯mon,¡± he countered with a mischievous smirk after he securely tied his shoelaces. ¡°I know you wanna go as well~¡± He added with singsong, his tone teasing as he tilted his head toward the window.

    She nervously fidgeted with her hands, glancing back and forth between her enthusiastic brother and the hat that Ms. Neri had inadvertently left behind. After a few seconds, she loudly groaned to herself with frustration.

    ¡°¡­Fine! But only because Ms. Neri forgot her hat!¡± Claire hopped off the bed and began putting on her jacket with her brother, who pumped his fist with a grin.

    As the twins got ready to head out, Eve took a seat next to Zorro, her expression filled with deep concern. ¡°I don¡¯t like what¡¯s going on¡­ do you think Mr. Harper is ok?¡±

    He didn¡¯t know if Mr. Harper was involved with the scary lights and sounds, but Zorro had confidence that he would be fine. Mr. Harper was way stronger than him, strong enough that he wished that he was there with him back then¡­

    He still couldn''t shake off his desire to check anyway.

    ¡°Mr. Harper¡¯s strong, but I wanna see if he¡¯s fine!¡± Zorro declared with determination, his claws clenching into fists. ¡°We can¡¯t just sit here and do nothing!¡±

    When Caleb and Claire finished putting on another layer of clothing, they opened the door and let Zorro and Eve out first into the cramped and noisy night. They immediately found the source of the commotion by the crowd that began to form on the other side of the lot. A cacophony of voices from reporters, cameramen, and curious onlookers jostled for a better view of the scene. Flashes of white light from camera bulbs pierced the night sky, overriding the red and blue that blared around them.

    ¡°There¡¯s so many people here!¡± Claire gasped, tightening her grip on Ms. Neri¡¯s hat. ¡°How are we gonna get through?¡±

    ¡°We do something called ¡®Push Through Everyone!¡¯¡± Caleb boldly answered before stampeding into the crowd. Zorro heard short responses from his trainer of ¡°sorry,¡± ¡°s¡¯cuse me,¡± and ¡°make way,¡± as Claire followed along after a sigh, going along with her brother¡¯s impulsive plan.

    ¡°Let¡¯s walk underneath everyone,¡± Eve suggested, pointing at the legs of all the tall humans.

    Zorro and Eve crept through the bustling crowd, moving low on the ground, slipping unnoticed beneath everyone. They wove between polished shoes and worn boots, dodging the occasional stumbling step or swinging bag. Zorro paused briefly, his ears flicking as he caught snippets of conversations above them.

    ¡°¡­attacked in the middle of the night¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­it¡¯s believed to be attempted¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­still no word on the reason behind the intent¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­authorities rapidly arrived at the scene¡­¡±

    ¡°Stay close,¡± Zorro whispered, his voice steady but low. His eyes darted to the center of the crowd, scanning for an opening. Eve nodded, her tail brushing against his flank to signal she was following.

    Ahead, a bright yellow line of police tape stretched between multiple metal barriers, guarded by officers trying to control the swelling mass of people. The tape fluttered in the breeze, the words ¡®POLICE LINE ¨C DO NOT CROSS¡¯ stark against the flashing red and blue lights.

    ¡°We¡¯ll go under,¡± Zorro murmured, jerking his snout toward a gap between the legs of a man holding a microphone and the wooden barricade beside him. Eve hesitated, her wide eyes reflecting the spinning lights of nearby squad cars.

    ¡°But... what if they see us?¡± she whispered back, her voice barely audible over the noise.

    Before Zorro could respond, Caleb and Claire broke through the crowd and ducked underneath the tape, dodging the police officers and making their way to the center. Zoro still couldn¡¯t see what was going on because of everyone in the way, but he still heard a few voices cut through the commotion.

    As they arrived at the scene, Zorro took in the chaos around him. Police cars surrounded the area, and an ambulance was positioned awkwardly, facing away from the action. Paramedics carefully lifted a man in dark clothing onto a stretcher and quickly wheeled him inside the vehicle before speeding off. Nearby, Ms. Neri stood with Mr. Brycen, who was engaged in conversation with a police officer. Behind them loomed a large, shattered pillar of ice, its hollow interior seemingly cradling the outlines of three figures.

    Nearby, he saw Mr. Brycen talking with a police officer, who had a notepad out like Ms. Neri always had around.

    ¡°¡­yes, and they used this to incapacitate my pok¨¦mon,¡± Brycen explained as he held out a tied bag the size of his palm, handing it to the officer. ¡°Be careful with this, this is no ordinary Stun Spore¡­¡±

    Meanwhile, Mr. Beartic guided two men over to another officer, who escorted them toward the back of a police car. Most importantly, Mr. Harper sat on the pavement, leaning on the ice, rubbing one of the iron plates on his paws. He had bruises all over his body, with his fur ruffled everywhere. He held his arm close to his chest, wincing in pain as a medic tended to his wounds with a potion.

    ¡°Mr. Harper! Are you ok?!¡± Eve exclaimed, rushing to his side, with Zorro following along shortly after.

    ¡°W-What happened, Mr. Harper?¡± Zorro blurted aloud.

    Everyone turned after hearing their outbursts, and Ms. Neri was the first to shout back.

    ¡°Eve? Zorro? Wait¡­ Caleb! Claire!¡± she sternly pointed at the two. ¡°I thought I told you to stay in the van!¡±

    ¡°You forgot your hat and we wanted to¡ª But Ms. Neri, what happened here?!¡± Claire cut herself off, waving at the crime scene.

    ¡°Go back to the van! We¡¯ll talk about this later!¡± She demanded, walking up to the two and pushing them along to the police tape.

    ¡°Wait! We need to get Zorro and Eve!¡± Caleb argued, forcing himself against Ms. Neri, trying to push towards the two.

    ¡°You¡­ You two should go to them¡­¡± Mr. Harper requested as he rubbed his arm, giving a warm, yet worrying smile. ¡°Everything¡¯s¡­ Everything¡¯s going to be ok¡­¡±

    Suddenly, the man in the car lowered the window and squirmed his way out of the opening, the task difficult due to being handcuffed from behind.

    ¡°What the hell! How did he roll them down?!¡± a nearby police officer exasperated. He ran to the back of the police car, trying to push the man back in as several more police officers came to help.

    ¡°You damn riolu!¡± He snarled as he fought against the officer, squirming against the multiple hands pushing him in. ¡°I¡¯ll fucking get you and that trainer if it¡¯s the last thing I do for Neo Plasma!¡±

    ~N-Neo Plasma?~ Zorro froze in place. Did he hear it wrong? He must have¡­

    With one final push, the police officers shoved the man back into the car as more profanities slipped out. The criminal¡¯s chest scraped against the edge of the window, tearing off a Velcro badge that tumbled to the floor. Oblivious to what happened, the officers swiftly closed the window and slid into the car, driving the suspects away from the scene without a second glance.

    Zorro cautiously approached the fallen badge, his racing heartbeat drowning out all the surrounding noise. A cold shiver ran down his spine, heightening the anxiety swirling in his mind. With each step he took, the feeling intensified, yet an undeniable force urged him to move forward and see what symbol was etched onto the badge.

    ¡°Zorro¡­? Where are you going?¡± Eve breathed out, her voice trembling with unease as she looked back at their trainers. ¡°We need to go back!¡±

    ¡°Zorro, what are you doing?¡± Mr. Harper asked next. ¡°What¡¯s wr¡ª

    ¡ªong with these people?! How dare some stupid kid¡¯s family keep a poochyena as a pet? They''re not even native to Unova!¡±

    ¡°N-No! Let me go! LET ME GO!¡±

    ¡°Why¡¯s he trying to fight back? We''re going to liberate you from your owner! Pok¨¦mon aren¡¯t meant to be owned! We¡¯ll find a better place for you to live!¡±

    ¡°Caleb''s not my owner, he¡¯s my friend! He''s family! I can''t leave him and Eve behind! Let go! pLeAsE! HELP! ZORUA WHERE ARE YOU?!¡±

    A badge divided right to left in black and white in the shape of a shield.

    A large, blue ¡°P¡± overtaking the center, with a zigzag behind it.

    Team Plasma.

    It was Team Plasma.

    The police officers just took away the people who knew where Zorro was.

    ¡°I-I need to follow them!¡± Zorro began taking steps away from the badge, his breath rapidly accelerating as his chest grew heavier. ¡°They know where he is, I can find him!¡±

    ¡°Find who, Zorro?¡± Eve asked, unnerved.

    ¡°He¡ª He¡¯s still gone!¡± Zorro shook his head before turning around and running away from everyone in the direction of the police car. ¡°Come back! Where is he?! Tell me!¡±

    He dashed through the crowd, dodging the legs of the people with desperation. He needed to find the Team Plasma grunts right now. Zorro had to fix everything.

    Zorro had to apologize for everything.

    To everyone.

    To Zorro.

 Scene 3 - Take 14: Stunning Adaptations and Resolved Complications

    ¡°Zorro! Hey! Where are you going?!¡± Harper abruptly sat up, futilely reaching an arm out for the poochyena.

    But his hand grasped only air. His voice didn¡¯t reach.

    Zorro had already vanished into the tide of bodies.

    ¡°Zorro, wait! Come back!¡± Eve shouted as she darted in his direction, following the same path as him through the legs of the crowd.

    Their sudden departure snapped the entire scene into chaos. Shock rippled outward. Beartic and Brycen froze mid-step, stunned. Harper still knelt, staring in disbelief as if time had fractured around him. Bianca gasped, eyes wide as she failed to stop Caleb and Claire from running.

    ¡°ZORRO! WHERE ARE YOU GOING?!¡± Caleb screamed, voice cracking as he shoved forward. ¡°GET OUT OF MY WAY!¡±

    ¡°EVE! COME BACK!¡± Claire shouted behind him, her words breaking into sobs as tears began to stream down her face.

    The twins ducked under the police barrier, forcing their way into the fray. They pushed past legs and cameras, tripping over cables and stumbling through people too distracted by the breaking news to notice two children fighting to chase after their friends.

    ¡°Move¡ªMOVE!¡± Caleb barked at a cluster of reporters. One nearly dropped their mic. None stepped aside.

    The chaos of the crime scene swallowed them whole. The cameramen shouting, reporters gesturing wildly to their crews, and the flashing lights only made everything more disorienting. The twins struggled against it, but no one gave them room to breathe, much less run.

    ¡°Caleb! Claire!¡± Bianca rushed forward, grabbing both twins in her arms. She dropped to her knees and pulled them close. ¡°We¡¯ll find Zorro and Eve. I promise¡ªwe will. They can¡¯t have gone far¡­¡±

    Brycen turned sharply to Harper, his tone sharp and commanding. ¡°Harper, go after them. Now!¡±

    Harper blinked up at him, still catching his breath. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the only one small enough to get through that crowd!¡± Brycen pointed toward the trail Zorro and Eve had left behind, now rapidly closing in with people. ¡°Don¡¯t wait!¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s right, kid!¡± Beartic added, forcing his massive body through the sea of people, shoving shoulders aside with grunts. ¡°I¡¯ll follow as fast as I can, but you need to move now!¡±

    Harper gritted his teeth, forcing himself up onto shaky legs. His ribs ached. His head throbbed. The earlier fight still echoed through his body like aftershocks from an earthquake. But none of that mattered¡ªnot now. They needed him. Zorro needed him.

    He inhaled sharply, then bolted.

    Ducking low, Harper tore into the wall of people. Legs blurred around him, and voices shouted above his head, but he didn''t stop. He zigzagged between heels and knees, slipping under coats and past security vests. A reporter nearly stepped on him, but he rolled through it, breaking into a full sprint.

    The pain still flared with every movement, but he bit down on it. He had to push through.

    The city¡¯s iconic fog rolled in as soon as he made it onto the main streets. Even though he couldn¡¯t see the two anywhere through the haze, sight wasn¡¯t the only sense he needed to track them down. Despite the dank, gaseous scent of the cityscape, Harper managed to sense Eve¡¯s perfume out, if just barely. The faint aroma of sweet roses trailed around the corner like a marker, one he intended not to lose.

    After running down a few streets towards Eve¡¯s perfume, the smell began to grow stronger. Turning the final corner, he saw the eevee sitting and panting from fatigue. Eve turned her head to Harper, her face wet from tears.

    ¡°M-Mr. Harper¡­ I¡­¡± Eve sniffled as she faced the floor, her tears dripping onto the pavement. ¡°I couldn¡¯t k-keep up with him¡­ I-I lost him!¡±

    Harper dropped to one knee, gently gripping her shoulders. ¡°No, he¡¯s not lost,¡± he said, steady and certain, even if part of him still doubted. ¡°We¡¯re going to find him. No matter what.¡±

    Eve wiped her face with a shaky paw. ¡°B-But how? This city¡¯s huge!¡±

    Harper hesitated. He didn¡¯t have an answer¡ªnot a real one. He¡¯d hoped Eve would lead him to Zorro, but she¡¯d pushed herself to the limit. Now it was his turn.

    ¡°We¡¯ll do our best,¡± he consoled her. ¡°I¡¯ll spend all night finding him if we have t¡ª¡±

    |[¡­guilt¡­]|

    A jolt hit him¡ªsubtle, but sharp. A pressure behind his eyes. A feeling that didn¡¯t belong to him.

    ~What was that?~ Harper¡¯s ears perked up as he rapidly looked in all directions.

    ¡°¡­Mr. Harper?¡± Eve asked, lifting her head in confusion.

    ¡°Shh,¡± he murmured, closing his eyes. He focused¡ªnot on the sounds, not on the street¡ªbut inward. Reaching.

    There. A faint thrum in the distance. Not a voice. Not a sound. A feeling. Drenched in sorrow. Guilt. It wasn¡¯t sharp like anger or fear¡ªjust heavy. Lingering.

    He latched onto it. The signal was weak, but it was there. Fuzzy. Unstable. But real.

    His eyes snapped open.

    ¡°Eve,¡± he said, rising to his feet as the tassels on the sides of his head lifted with a strange grace, reacting to the aura that had finally revealed itself. ¡°I think¡­ I think I found him.¡±

    <hr>

    Harper and Eve rushed down the roads and pavement, weaving through the late-night stragglers, barely slowing down as they dodged and brushed past pedestrians. A man in a long coat muttered a curse under his breath, clutching his newspaper as it nearly flew from his hands. A group of teenagers loitering outside a convenience store turned to watch, one of them letting out a low whistle.

    Eve nearly tripped over a loose crack on the sidewalk but caught herself just in time. Before Harper could ask if she was alright, the eevee shot him a look of determination, urging him to keep going. With a sharp nod, she surged ahead, tail low and eyes locked on the road ahead.

    As they ran, Harper let his aura sense extend outward¡ªunrefined and flickering like a weak signal¡ªbut just enough to guide him through the heavy air pressing in around them.

    The air grew heavier as they neared the docks, thick with the scent of seawater and rust. The city¡¯s noise faded, replaced by the distant groan of shifting boats and the occasional squawk of a Wingull. At the very end of the port, past rows of anchored ships, Zorro stood alone, staring down at the water, his lips moving in a near-silent murmur.

    ¡°The car was too fast¡­ I got lost¡­ It¡¯s my fault¡­ He¡¯ll never come back¡­¡±

    ¡°Zorro! Why¡¯d you run away?¡± Harper shouted, grabbing the poochyena¡¯s attention. ¡°You scared us all¡ª¡±

    |[GUILTGUILTGUILTGUILTGUILTGUILTGUILTGUILTGUILTGUILTGUILTGUILTGUILTGUILTGUILTGUILTGUILTGUILTGUILTGUILTGUILTGUILTGUILTGUILTGUILTGUILTGUILTGUILTGUILTGUILTGUILTGUILTGUILTGUILTGUILTGUILTGUILTGUILTGUILTGUILT]|

    Harper flinched sharply at the massive surge of emotions that struck his psyche when Zorro turned around. He faltered to the floor, catching his fall in time.

    ¡°Mr. Harper!¡± Eve exclaimed before helping him stand. ¡°Are you ok?¡±

    He held his head in pain as he stumbled back up, taken aback by the sheer density of Zorro¡¯s emotional state. How could a single pok¨¦mon emit this much distress?

    Eve turned to Zorro, growling at him. ¡°Why did you run away like that?! None of us want to see you gone agai¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªHE¡¯S STILL GONE!¡± Zorro suddenly cried out with a contorted face, startling the two of them. ¡°I haven''t done a single thing up till now! I should¡¯ve tried to find him myself years ago!¡±

    The two were unable to respond to Zorro, confused by what he meant.

    Harper blinked, his brows knitting in worry. ¡°Who are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°I don''t deserve to be here at all¡­ I should''ve kept looking for him¡­¡± Zorro continued to mumble to himself, not hearing his question.

    ¡°Zorro¡­¡± Eve slowly approached the poochyena. ¡°Why are you talking like you''re still gone?¡±

    The poochyena tilted his head down, trying to hide himself from their gaze. ¡°Please¡­ Please don¡¯t call me by his name anymore.¡±

    Like Eve, Harper also began to make his way closer, not trying to aggravate the poochyena. ¡°Zorro, we still don¡¯t underst¡ª¡±

    ¡°I. Said. DON¡¯T CALL ME BY HIS NAME!¡± Zorro¡¯s eyes glowed as he raised his front two paws into the air, a dark crimson aura covered him before it began to swirl around. He brought his paws down to the ground, creating a surrounding force field of energy before quickly expanding as a sphere of Dark TE.

    The attack approached him and Eve at rapid speeds, yet his mind flew into a chaotic rush. He froze in place and his eyes opened wide with horror. The world melted in place, and the seaside port of the night transformed into a harsh, dry desert. As the blood-red energy advanced closer, he could feel the heat on his flesh, the sharpness of metal slicing his muscles, the impact breaking his bones.

    He was going to die again.

    There was nothing on the other side, he saw the other side and it was empty. Only absolute hollowness awaited him there. He was going to lose his second chance at life.

    He was going to die agai¡ª

    ¡°MR. HARPER!¡± Eve screamed, her body tripped onto the floor, unable to dodge the attack.

    Awoken by her voice, Harper impulsively grabbed Eve and jumped away from the attack. His back faced away from the poochyena and successfully shielded her in time. The two landed on the concrete ground far away from the attack¡¯s vicinity as it dwindled down.

    "E-Eve! I¡ª Are¡ª Wait, are you ok?!" Harper let go of the eevee from his tight grasp, checking for any injuries. The opaque darkness singed the tip of her fur, but he thankfully didn''t spot any damage further than that.

    Eve coughed a few times before she began to stammer. ¡°M-Mr. Harper¡­ but your back¡­¡±

    The energy that stuck to his back stung like it was seeping deeper into his skin. He couldn¡¯t see what it looked like, but he had to tough it out. This wasn¡¯t the worst pain inflicted on him in his life.

    Compared to then, this was nothing.

    ¡°Ignore that! Are you ok?¡± Harper pressed, his face tight with concern.

    ¡°I-I am, but¡ª¡± Eve looked at Zorro with horror in her eyes. ¡°¡ªZ-Zorro¡­ Why?¡±

    Zorro took a step back, his body shuddering as he shook his head in denial. ¡°I-I didn¡¯t mean to, I h-haven¡¯t used that s-since¡­ Mr. Harper, I didn¡¯t mean to!¡±

    ¡°Zorro, just tell us what¡¯s going o¡ª Augh!" he winced in pain. "We¡ª We can''t help you if you don''t explain anything to us!"

    ¡°B-But if I do, you¡¯ll¡­ you¡¯ll¡­!¡±

    ¡°Whatever it is, we won''t do anything!¡± he definitively assured him. ¡°I want to help you. We want to help you!¡±

    Zorro stared at him in silence as tears pooled beneath his wide, trembling eyes. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out¡ªonly a low, shuddering breath as if speaking the truth would unravel him entirely. His body shook, his legs nearly buckling beneath him.

    Harper took a slow step forward, hands slightly raised. ¡°Scared of what, Zorro? Of us?¡±

    ¡°I-I don¡¯t know what you¡¯ll think of me when you find out what I did,¡± Zorro choked, eyes darting between the two of them. ¡°What I l-let happen¡­¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re still standing here, aren¡¯t we?¡± Harper said, trying to steady his voice. ¡°Whatever you did¡­ we¡¯re not walking away.¡±

    Eve narrowed her eyes, but her tone softened. ¡°You hurt us, Zorro. You scared us. But¡­ we¡¯re still here. Just tell us the truth.¡±

    Zorro sniffled, wiping a paw across his face, but it only smeared the tears into his fur. ¡°If I say it out loud¡­ then it¡¯s real. Everything I¡¯ve tried to fix becomes real again¡­¡±

    Harper crouched down, gritting his teeth from the pain in his back, and leveled his gaze with the trembling Pok¨¦mon. Remembering how he felt that night with Beartic and Brycen, he gave a warm smile to the poochyena. ¡°Sometimes saying it is the only way to stop it from eating you alive.¡±

    Zorro''s eyes flicked up again, searching their faces for anger. All he saw was pain¡­ and a sliver of hope.

    Suddenly, a flurry of black fog swirled around the poochyena and Harper shielded Eve again, covering their faces from the gust. When the wind finally died down, they were finally able to open their eyes. The moonlight shone brightly onto the seaport, illuminating where the poochyena was¡­ but it wasn¡¯t a poochyena anymore. Where the canine sat now had a black-and-red pok¨¦mon, a tuft of red fur stood tall on their head as a dark collar circled their neck. Zorro wasn¡¯t a poochyena, but a¡ª

    ¡°¡ªZorua¡­¡± Harper breathed out, unaware that he was speaking out loud. ¡°You¡¯re a zorua¡­¡±

    The disillusioned fox forced himself to nod, ashamed. ¡°I¡­ I was his friend before he was stolen. We used to play together in the woods behind his house¡­¡±

    Harper was unable to grasp the new situation he had found himself in, but what he feared more were the young pok¨¦mons'' emotions. One side screamed for unadulterated forgiveness and the other demanded closure.

    Eve shook herself out of Harper¡¯s clutch and faced Zorua with an expression he had never seen on her face before.

    ¡°¡­Why did Zorro never tell us about you?¡±

    "B-Because my mom said that our kind wasn''t supposed to let anyone know about our identity¡­ I told Zorro though because I really wanted a friend to play with¡­"

    ¡°Then¡­ were you him this whole time?¡±

    ¡°Ever since he w-went missing,¡± Zorua forcefully coughed up.

    ¡°T-Then it¡¯s been years¡­¡± Eve¡¯s eyes widened with dread before she shouted at him. ¡°Where is he now!?¡±

    ¡°I DON¡¯T KNOW!¡± Zorua burst into tears as he collapsed to the ground, paws over his head with guilt. ¡°Some Team Plasma b-bad guys stole him! I tried to chase the ones the police took away because I thought they knew where he was!¡±

    ¡°What happened to him!?¡± Eve demanded, stomping a foot on the ground. ¡°Why did you take his place?!¡±

    ¡°They stole him because they w-wanted to free Zorro from Caleb! It happened while we were playing hide-and-seek since they knew he was Caleb¡¯s pok¨¦mon!¡± he sobbed, his wails piercing through the ocean waves. ¡°I-I was too scared to fight back! They stole him and I-I didn''t do anything!¡±

    Zorua looked at Harper, truly looked, and his lower jaw trembled as more tears spilled out. ¡°It wasn¡¯t just that I didn¡¯t fight back. I could¡¯ve. I was strong enough. I knew some tricks¡ªillusions, misdirection. But I-I froze. I watched them take him a-and I didn¡¯t move. I let them take him. All I did was hide in the tree we always met at like a coward!¡±

    The silence that washed over the three of them was damning. For a minute, all Harper and Eve could do was watch as Zorua continued to wallow in shame. The facade was up, but the hurt left behind still hung in the air, and his gasps and sobs echoed around the docks.

    ¡°I¡­¡± she corrected herself as she slowly inched towards the Dark-type fox. ¡°Zorr¡ª Zorua, I¡ª¡±

    ¡°¡ªDon¡¯t touch me!¡± Zorua shuffled away from her in fear. ¡°I hurt you too much! I don¡¯t wanna hurt you again! Not after I stole Zorro away from your family!¡±

    Eve froze for a moment, ears flicking back, before stepping forward again with quiet determination. ¡°Zorua, no¡­ I¡ª¡±

    ¡°I d-didn''t know how to tell your family that Zorro was stolen! I-I didn''t want any of you to be sad so that¡¯s why I pretended to be him a-and Ididn¡¯twantanyonetobemadatmeforstealinghisidentitysoIdidn¡¯ttellanyone¡ª¡±

    Eve cut through Zorua¡¯s sputtering with a nudge of her head on his neck, placing a paw on his back and pulling him into a hug.

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°E-Eve?¡± Zorua sniffled.

    ¡°You miss him,¡± She whispered, calming Zorua down. ¡°You miss him like we all do. I¡¯m not mad, and I don''t know why I should be mad at you.¡±

    ¡°B-But I¡ª Y-You¡¯re really ok that I wasn¡¯t Zorro the whole time?¡±

    Without warning, Eve swiftly pulled him into a tight embrace by wrapping her paws around Zorua¡¯s back. As she hugged him, her body began to shine brightly, overshadowing the dim electrical lighting of the seaport. Harper briefly covered his eyes from the initial flash, but when they adjusted to the light, he realized that the brightness wasn¡¯t an aftereffect of a move like he initially thought.

    She was evolving.

    Through the radiating luminescence, Eve¡¯s body grew larger, standing taller than Zorua and Harper. Her tail shrunk to become less bushy as her large ears rounded out more. The distinctive fur collar around her neck seemed to dissipate into the air, manifesting instead as two vague shapes that Harper couldn''t make out¡ªone resting on her neck and the other winding its way toward the base of her ear. From each of the shapes, delicate strips unfurled like tendrils of mist, gently coiling around Zorua''s body beside her paws.

    When the light died down, Eve''s new ribbons glowed a pink hue onto him, and his eyes widened in realization at her. With a warm smile, she let go of the fox and leaned back.

    ¡°You¡¯re still family,¡± Eve answered simply, her voice now slightly deeper, more mature.

    Her words were what Zorua needed to hear. He cried louder into Eve¡¯s new fur, relieved as if freed from the weight of pressure he endured for years. Eve hugged him again with the aid of her new ribbons, one of them soothing his head with a caress. Over time, his sobs gradually reduced to a quiet snivel.

    ¡°He¡¯s calmed down now,¡± Eve remarked to Harper, who had stood in utter shock the whole time.

    ¡°I¡ª That¡¯s great, b-but you evolved!¡± Harper stammered. ¡°How¡¯d you evolve into a sylveon?¡±

    ¡°A¡­ A sylveon?¡± She looked down on her body as her two front ribbons twirled into a spiral. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know, Zorua was so heartbroken but I didn¡¯t know how to tell him how I felt until I felt something¡­ pure¡­ deep inside me. It was like I didn¡¯t need to tell him, but let him feel what I felt instead, and that¡¯s when I felt my body change.¡±

    Zorua nodded, wiping a tear from his eye. ¡°She meant everything, b-but I don¡¯t get it, I don¡¯t deserve it¡­ Why?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ because I also haven¡¯t been truthful to the both of you,¡± he admitted, glancing at Zorua and Eve before returning his gaze to the Dark-type. ¡°I understand that you want to hide the truth because that¡¯s what I¡¯ve been doing my whole life¡­ or at least my whole life here¡­¡±

    Harper wanted Beartic and Brycen to be the next to know his true identity, but he changed his mind when Zorua revealed himself. Their similarities were a near one-to-one ratio, and the disillusioned fox desperately needed someone to connect with. He clearly understood that right now was the moment. This was the start. He was going to reveal everything over again, just like he did with Nate.

    However, this wasn¡¯t out of desperation to be known.

    This was to help someone who needed it.

    ¡°The truth is¡­ I¡ª¡±

    Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted one of Eve¡¯s feelers reaching out towards him. When he raised his head, he saw Zorua holding on to another of her ribbons as it gently wrapped around. She lifted the free ribbon closer, urging him to grab it.

    ¡°Eve?¡± Harper uttered.

    ¡°I¡­ I think I can help¡­¡± she responded, nudging her ribbon on his paw. ¡°I feel Zorua¡¯s pain, but he¡¯s feeling better when he¡¯s sharing it with me¡­¡±

    ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s ok?¡± Harper hesitated, stopping himself from reaching forward. ¡°This must all feel so new for you¡­¡±

    She gave a reassuring nod. ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡±

    As soon as Harper held onto her ribbon, his psyche connected with Zorua and Eve¡¯s emotions. A blend of sensations coalesced from the two and continued to grow as his own merged into it.

    It wasn''t just pain anymore¡ªthere was comfort in it too, like the weight of it was easier to carry when they held it together as if the sensation of shared joy doubled and shared sorrow being halved was made visceral.

    ¡°Everyone in Pok¨¦star Studios believes me to be an amnesiac riolu with the talent for filming, but that¡¯s a lie. I¡¯ve been lying to everyone about who I really am.¡±

    Zorua and Eve remained silent, intently listening with their full attention, not wanting to disrupt him. Feeling calmer with their presence, Harper continued on.

    "I''m not an actor with an innate talent for acting. I''ve had years of experience before I showed up from all the auditions and training I put myself under back in Los Angeles, the place where I came from, and a place I can never go back," He nodded his head downward, his breath quickening as the memory of that day returned. "I¡­ I lived in another world before¡ª"

    Eve¡¯s ribbon gripped tightly on Harper¡¯s paw, throwing his focus towards the warm, comforting sensation that grew more sincere. Her and Zorua¡¯s faces winced in concern as if bracing themselves for whatever truth was coming next, uncertain but unwilling to turn away.

    ¡°¡ªBefore I¡­ I died,¡± he revealed, watching their eyes widen in shock. He continued on through their stunned silence. ¡°I used to work in a movie studio like Pok¨¦star, but a bomb meant for a prop tank went off in front of me. When I woke up, I found myself in this body near Route 20. My injuries were still on me, and this scar is my only reminder of that day,¡± Harper looked down at his chest, feeling the sides of his past injury. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ trying to move on the best that I can, and hiding who I am and what happened isn¡¯t going to help.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re telling the truth¡­¡± Eve whispered, her voice barely holding together. ¡°Is¡­ Is this what you¡¯ve always felt this entire time?¡±

    Harper stopped himself from nodding and shook his head with a faint smile instead. ¡°Not until recently. I wanted to tell Beartic and Brycen about who I really was but I didn¡¯t know when, but after hearing Zorua out, he deserved to know first.¡±

    Zorua lowered his gaze, his ears folding back as his voice wavered. ¡°Why?¡±

    "Because, in a way, I know I''m not alone anymore," Harper responded, placing a paw on Zorua''s shoulder. "You can take your time, but keeping the truth to yourself forever isn''t going to help. Telling Eve and me was the first step and you did a great job, now you need to tell Caleb and the others."

    Zorua hesitated, wiping his eyes with the back of his paw, before facing him again. ¡°Ok, I¡­ I will.¡±

    Harper breathed out his nose with relief before asking another question. ¡°Would it help if Eve and I were beside you when the time¡¯s rig¡ª¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± he replied instantly,

    ¡°Alright then, just tell us when you feel ready, ok?¡± Harper calmly responded.

    "Thank you, Mr. Harper. And thanks, Eve," Tears began welling up in Zorua''s eyes again, not of regret or shame, but of the solace he finally received after so long. "C-Can we stay here a bit more? I don''t wanna leave yet."

    Harper briefly glanced over his shoulder in the direction where Pok¨¦star Studios was. He didn¡¯t think it was the right time to head back, even if everyone was waiting for them to return. Zorua had just revealed a truth he¡¯d been hiding for so long, and he didn''t want to rush his feelings. He made a mental note to his future self to apologize for delaying their return.

    ¡°Sure, we can stay here a bit longer,¡± Harper answered as he sat beside Zorua, with Eve following suit. ¡°We¡¯ll go back once you feel ready.¡±

    When Harper turned to his side, Zorua looked up at him with a soft, fragile smile¡ªnothing like the practiced ones Harper had seen during filming. This one wasn¡¯t put on for the camera. It wasn¡¯t part of a role.

    This was Zorua smiling as himself.

    <hr>

    Harper sat with the two by the end of the docks until the sun just began to peak out of the horizon. The pain from his last battle and injury from Zorua¡¯s outburst was now a dull and distant memory. While it ached every now and then, he bit through it regardless like he always did.

    During the time of reflection, Zorua explained the rest of his story, filling in what they didn''t know. The entire time, he told the truth with a relieved tone as if freed from the mental weights that held him down.

    They first met each other when Zorro began exploring and bumped into him while he was training his illusions. Because zoruas were never meant to reveal them, he made Zorro swear to keep his location a secret. He kept his promise, but that didn''t stop the poochyena from showing up nearly every day after that.

    Before his kidnapping, Zorua and Zorro always played together in the forest behind his house nearly every day. They always met up at the same spot underneath a large tree to spend time together secretly. Their routine never changed until the day Team Plasma showed up.

    ¡°After Zorro was stolen, it took me days to make an illusion of his form,¡± he explained as his fur softly shimmered, shifting between his black fur and a poochyena¡¯s gray fur. ¡°I never learned how to change my eyes, but I didn¡¯t want to keep his family waiting¡­¡±

    Upon seeing his illusion ability again, a faint memory of how the ability worked ingame appeared in Harper¡¯s head. He knew it usually broke after a move hit the illusion once, so how come it never broke when he sparred with Zorua? When he got his answer, he couldn''t help but feel bad for not being able to help sooner.

    "When I first met Zorro, my illusions weren''t always the best, but he always loved seeing them. I started training them to impress him, but¡­ My reason for training my ability changed after he was stolen. No matter how tiring it was, I forced my illusions up because I didn''t want to be caught¡­"

    Every battle he was in was a fight to keep his identity safe. With how battle-ready he portrayed himself to be for every spar, Harper came to realize how great at acting Zorua was in his own right. From their first encounter and battle together, he would never have known that it was Zorua in a strong illusion that he had fought against.

    At this point of their talk, people were beginning to show up, mostly sailors and captains starting their morning shift in the docks. Zorua felt ready to return, so they made their way back to Pok¨¦star Studios through the streets of Virbank.

    Not wanting to return to everyone in his original form, Zorua changed back to a poochyena, his eyes still remaining the same color despite everything else being identical. Meanwhile, as Eve had evolved into a sylveon, they had no way to hide her from the few people they passed by. Judging by the passerby¡¯s reaction to her new form, a sylveon wasn¡¯t well known to the public. They quickly dodged everyone before anyone could take photos, as Harper didn''t want any additional attention on them.

    During their brisk pacing, Harper noticed that Eve¡¯s ribbons were beginning to twist around each other, her face matching its energy.

    ¡°Is¡­ Is Claire going to be okay with my evolution?¡± she asked hesitantly. ¡°I evolved before she could make her choice, so what if she doesn''t like it?¡±

    Harper held onto one of her ribbons, unfurling the tension. "It''s going to be okay. We''ll explain everything the best we can, but I wholeheartedly believe that Claire will love your new form."

    ¡°I¡­ okay, Mr. Harper,¡± she slowly nodded, a growing sense of confidence radiating through her feelers.

    Once they had made it to the front gates of Pok¨¦star Studios, Harper spotted a large figure in the distance making its way towards them. He soon made it out to be Beartic, who ran on all four legs at breakneck speeds, skidding once he got close enough as he stood up.

    ¡°Kid! Everyone¡¯s been waiting for you this whole time! What were you¡ª What happened to your back?!¡±

    Harper turned slightly to hide it from Beartic¡¯s line of sight. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Just a light scratch, doesn¡¯t hurt.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t get that injury when we fought Neo Plasma, so where did it come fro¡ª¡± Beartic froze when his eyes met Eve¡¯s. ¡°Wait¡­ Is¡­ Is that you, Eve?¡±

    She sheepishly nodded as she faced the ground, her feelers drooping downward.

    ¡°You evolved¡­ and into an eeveelution I¡¯ve never seen before¡­¡± Beartic muttered, blinking in astonishment before shaking his head. He then turned to Harper. ¡°You¡¯ve got a lot of explaining to do to everyone.¡±

    When Harper nodded, Beartic faced Zorua, who was still in his poochyena form. He knelt on his knees and stared at him with a stern, yet concerned expression.

    ¡°Thank the Twins that you''re ok, but please don''t pull that off ever again, ok?¡± he sighed with relief.

    Zorua silently answered like Eve, with his tail tucked between his legs.

    Beartic let out a slow breath, then reached out and gently ruffled the fur on top of Zorua¡¯s head. ¡°You gave us a scare, but you came back. That¡¯s what matters.¡±

    Zorua didn¡¯t speak, but he leaned into the gesture just slightly¡ªjust enough to show he was listening. His ears twitched, still lowered, but there was a flicker of calm returning to his body.

    ¡°C¡¯mon, let¡¯s go,¡± Beartic motioned with a wave of his paw as he turned toward the entrance. ¡°Everyone¡¯s waiting for us.¡±

    ¡°Where?¡± Harper asked.

    ¡°The meeting room,¡± Beartic answered, his tone carrying a hint of urgency. ¡°Professor Juniper¡¯s arriving soon, and she heard from Bianca about Zorro running away, so you need to explain what happened¡ªon top of Eve¡¯s evolution.¡±

    ¡°Are¡­ Are we in trouble?¡± Zorua asked, his body briefly trembling.

    Beartic shook his head. ¡°No, you aren¡¯t. We were all just concerned. Now, let¡¯s go back to your trainers¡ªthey¡¯ve been waiting all night for you two.¡±

    As they walked to the office building, Harper glanced over at Beartic multiple times before looking away.

    ¡°What is it, kid?¡± the polar bear asked, finally noticing his lingering gaze.

    ¡°Did¡­ Did you know the whole time?¡± Harper asked, his voice low with unease.

    ¡°About what?¡± he replied, raising a brow.

    ¡°About me being researched,¡± Harper responded, his eyes fixed on the ground. ¡°Brycen knew, and he didn¡¯t say anything. Did you know?¡±

    Beartic stopped in place before turning around. ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t know, truly. I¡¯m sure Brycen had his reasons for not telling you, but I¡¯m sure he meant nothing ill by it.¡±

    ¡°I wanted to ask him more about it sooner, but because of the Neo Plasma grunts and everything¡­¡± Harper trailed off, thinking back to their nighttime battle.

    The polar bear nodded in understanding. ¡°I see, we¡¯ll talk with Brycen about it when we can, but for now, let''s not keep everyone else waiting. I¡¯m sure they want answers as much as we do.¡±

    As the four of them made their way to the offices, he noticed Eve walking a little closer beside him. Her feelers brushed against his paw, while Zorua kept his head low but his pace steady. They weren¡¯t the same as when they left, but thankfully, they changed for the better after overcoming the worst.

    Now, Harper wanted to know what Brycen¡¯s deal was.

    <hr>

    The meeting room still smelled like recycled air and cold metal. Chairs were pushed out of alignment, and a few papers were scattered near the corner of the table. No one had bothered to clean up after last night.

    Harper stepped through the doorway, Beartic right behind him. His eyes moved across the room until they landed on Bianca at the far end, crouched between the twins. She was trying¡ªsaying something quiet, steady¡ªbut it wasn¡¯t landing. Caleb and Claire sat frozen, their cheeks streaked with dried tears, eyes empty.

    At least until they saw who was behind him.

    ¡°ZORRO!¡±

    ¡°EVE!¡±

    The twins immediately rushed to the entrance, hugging their partner Pok¨¦mon with desperate relief, their grips tight as if afraid to let go.

    ¡°Don¡¯t ever do that again!¡± Caleb demanded, his face scrunching up as he blinked back more tears. ¡°I don''t want to lose you a second time!¡±

    Claire tilted her head into Eve¡¯s, holding onto her gently, her fingers trembling against the soft fur. She was aware of her evolution but didn¡¯t let it distract her. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I¡¯d do if you were lost¡­¡±

    At first, the two pok¨¦mon remained silent in their trainers¡¯ embrace, but the longer they remained in it, the harder it was for them to keep their composure. Soon enough, Zorua began to cry first, pushing his head into Caleb¡¯s pajamas. Eve followed a moment later, using her new appendages to wrap around Claire.

    Bianca watched the twins with relief, glad that the immediate danger was now over. That didn''t stop Harper from noticing the Assistant Professor¡¯s curious fascination at Eve¡¯s new form. He continued to stare at her, remembering again that she had been studying him, watching him, this entire time. He didn''t know how to feel about her anymore, but he hoped to God that she could explain herself.

    He also hoped for the same with Brycen, who stood reserved beside Bianca. Learning that he was being secretly researched was one thing, but for Brycen to let it continue was something else entirely.

    ¡°Harper, Beartic, you''re back,¡± he said as he approached the two, his usual composed demeanor softer than usual. ¡°I am glad to see that you have found Zorro and Eve.¡± He reached behind his back, pulling out Harper¡¯s whiteboard and pen before handing it forward. ¡°I want to properly apologize now that the incident with Neo Plasma is behind us. Will you allow me to do so?¡±

    Harper reluctantly agreed with a nod, taking his whiteboard and slinging it around his neck.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Brycen responded, turning back to Bianca, who still had her razor focus locked onto Eve. ¡°I would like to talk with my pok¨¦mon in private before Professor Juniper arrives, I¡¯ll be back shortly.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Bianca blinked twice before turning sideways, adjusting her glasses as shame filled her eyes. ¡°O-Oh, of course!¡±

    Leaving the twins and their pok¨¦mon to their business, they walked to another, smaller meeting room. With a lock of the door, Brycen sat on the floor with crossed legs, matching Harper¡¯s line of sight. Harper remained standing beside Beartic, his posture tense, taken aback by the sudden humility in the Gym Leader¡¯s actions. Despite that, Harper remained silent, watching as he shifted in place. After Brycen cleared his throat, he began to explain.

    ¡°On the day that Bianca gave her pitch for the show, I knew this was a scheme for them to attempt to research you. Gym Leader Cheren had an interest in you and likely told her and Professor Juniper about it. They wanted to observe you in a natural setting without your knowledge using ¡®Sonamu¡¯s Sunrise¡¯ as a front.¡±

    Harper¡¯s digits gripped the edge of his whiteboard tightly.

    ¡°My curiosity for your skills was my own undoing. I let them research you because I wanted to know myself. I intended to stop them if they went too far, and yet, it has brought us to this situation.¡±

    Brycen placed his hands on his legs and bowed forward, tilting his head downward. "This was a violation of your privacy fueled by my desires. I should have told Professor Juniper to end her secret plot sooner. I sincerely apologize for everything; I broke the trust you gave to Beartic and me that night."

    He raised his head, and his eyes held a rare weight of regret. ¡°I hope you can forgive me for this¡­¡±

    |[Penitence]|

    He looked down at his whiteboard, then back to the man on the floor who had once been his mentor, his protector, and still was, in a way.

    A deep breath steadied his nerves.

    Harper loosened his grip as he watched ¡ª no, felt the Ice-Type Trainer express his sincere apology. Despite the frustration of realizing that the TV show''s production wasn''t being true to its original intention and how Brycen basically let it happen, he knew it wouldn''t do him any good to hold a grudge. Beartic was right in that Brycen had no ill intention in concealing the truth, and Harper knew he wasn''t without fault either; his stubborn choice to keep his identity a secret had ultimately pushed the veteran actor to take the actions he did.

    Not wanting to see Brycen on the floor anymore, Harper urged him to stand back up by pulling his arm up. When he stood back up, Harper began to scribble down his side of the apology.

    *I forgive you. I should¡¯ve been more truthful soone¡ª*

    ¡°No,¡± Brycen moved his hand over Harper¡¯s whiteboard, stopping him from writing any further. ¡°I understand that you wanted more time to yourself. I didn¡¯t want to pressure you into telling the truth, but at the same time, I also didn¡¯t wish to see you be affected by your¡­ panic attacks. I foolishly assumed that the Unovan Research Team would spot something that I didn¡¯t, and I now see what a stupid decision it was. If those grunts succeeded in kidnapping you¡­¡±

    With a single sigh, Brycen continued on, straightening his posture as he met Harper¡¯s gaze. ¡°I promise that when Professor Juniper arrives, I¡¯ll make sure that everything she has on you will be erased in its entirety. Once she agrees, which she will, we¡¯ll take a break away from Pok¨¦star Studios.¡±

    ¡°A break?¡± Harper raised an eyebrow, glancing at both Beartic and Brycen. *A break where?*

    ¡°Anywhere,¡± Brycen simply answered. ¡°After what happened here last night, I would like to spend some time away to get it off of our minds. While I do want to stop by Icirrus City, we can travel wherever you¡¯d like, I assume that you wish the same.¡±

    Brycen was right. Harper wished to see what the rest of Unova was like. So far, his only experiences had been during his trips to Undella Town and Humilau City, but those were primarily for filming purposes. As much as he loved Pok¨¦star Studios for allowing him to live out his dream, he still wondered about life outside of film production in the Pok¨¦mon World.

    And with the tension around here, Harper wanted to get out of it all, at least for a short while.

    He also had another reason to leave, one that gave him the perfect place to tell his entire story in private. If they were going to Icirrus City, then he wanted to tell the truth in the one place he knew had a direct connection to his experience with the Pok¨¦mon series, especially from playing Pok¨¦mon Black.

    *When we go, I want to go to Dragonspiral Tower.*

    ¡°Dragonspiral Tower?¡± Brycen repeated, glancing at the equally curious Beartic before looking back at Harper. ¡°How come?¡±

    *Because¡ª*

    Harper hesitated for a moment before continuing his response, reading it out loud for Beartic as well.

    *Because I want to tell you everything about myself there.*

    ¡°Because I want to tell you everything about myself there.¡±

    Both the Ice-type experts¡¯ eyes widened.

    Brycen was quiet at first, processing the words with a depth Harper hadn¡¯t seen before. His expression didn¡¯t shift immediately, but something in his eyes did¡ªa quiet acceptance.

    Beartic let out a breath through his nose, slow and steady, before placing a large paw on Harper¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Then that¡¯s where we¡¯ll go,¡± he said simply. ¡°And when you¡¯re ready, we¡¯ll listen to every word.¡±

    Brycen gave a firm nod, patting Beartic¡¯s arm in agreement before facing Harper. ¡°Dragonspiral Tower it is. If that¡¯s the place you feel is right, then we¡¯ll respect it. Whatever your story is, Harper¡­ we¡¯ll hear it in full. For now, let¡¯s head back to the other meeting room,¡± he concluded as he stood up, adjusting his kimono. ¡°I¡¯m sure that Professor Juniper has arrived by now. There is a lot that we need to discuss with her.¡±

    Without any more words needed, they walked back through the quiet halls, the echo of their footsteps filled the space between them. He didn¡¯t know what kind of answers Professor Juniper expected from him¡ªor if he would get the right ones from her. However, for now, he was no longer running from the truth. Not about who he was. Not about anything.

    When the three turned toward the meeting room door, he heard the low hum of voices on the other side. It was time to face the others, to help Zorua reveal the truth to himself.

    Harper made a mental note to thank Zorua again for finding the courage to speak up.

    For both of them.