.
- Spiraled Path -
July 8th, 2031. Afternoon. Dragonspiral Tower, Unova.
The stone tile sat carefully in her palm, a symbol carved in the center. Kierra gently closed her fingers over it, the stone cold against her skin. Lifting her head, she looked slowly around the room.
It was empty.
The tile had been on the floor as if forgotten. Rising to her feet, Kierra looked to the walls—the surface was painted with odd letters. For some reason, she couldn't look away. Gripping the tile tighter in her hand, she inhaled. Her blue eyes glossed as she soaked in the paintings with wonder and captivation.
It was as if the room was alive.
"Kierra!"
Kierra's trance was broken. Looking over her shoulder, she saw her mother and Professor Juniper entering the room. Her mother looked exasperated.
"You can't just run off like that," Bianca lightly whined, catching her breath. "It's dangerous!"
Her mother, Bianca, was the personal assistant of the world renowned Pokemon Researcher, Professor Aurea Juniper. Her research was dedicated to the origins of Pokemon—it was why the three now stood in Dragonspiral Tower. It was the oldest tower in Unova, no one knowing when or why it was built. It was said to be the home of a legendary Pokemon, but the tower was filled with mystery. Perhaps inside it held secrets of the world's origin.
Kierra ignored her mother. "Look what I found!" she exclaimed happily, holding up the tile for them to see.
Bianca tilted her head, puffing out her cheeks slightly as she took hold of it. "What is it?" she asked, and Professor Juniper leaned over to get a closer look at the symbol imprinted into the tile.
"Ah," she said, lighting up. "It's an Unown."
Kierra blinked. "Unown?"
"I think I've heard of it," Bianca mused, putting a finger to her temple in thought. "Unown are Pokemon, right?"
Professor Juniper smiled. "Yes. Unown are very rare—they're thought to live in their own dimension, so humans can't see them." She held up a finger. "There are researchers who speculate that Unown are some of the world's original Pokemon."
Bianca perked up. "Wow, you sure know a lot about it, Professor."
"Of course," Professor Juniper retorted confidently. "After all, some believe Unown played a part in the creation of our very world."
Kierra's eyes widened at the thought, and Professor Juniper took the tile from Bianca and held it up to the light. Eyeing Kierra playfully, she added, "Who knows? Perhaps this tile means the Unown had something to do with the creation of this tower, too."
Kierra's eyes sparkled. "Do you really think so?"
"Why not?" Juniper said as she handed the tile back to Kierra and gave her a wink. "The Pokemon world is full of mysteries, after all."
Bianca nodded happily. "Right!" She looked down to Kierra. "And it's our job as scientists to solve those mysteries!" She sighed dreamily. "The Pokemon world is always so exciting!"
Professor Juniper laughed lightly, and Kierra looked back down at the tile in her hand. Taking a quick breath, she lifted her head to the two with a spark in her eyes.
"I want to solve mysteries, too!"
Juniper paused and Bianca raised her brows in surprise, the two exchanging an amused glance.
"Oh?" Juniper inquired, but Kierra spoke up again before she could say more.
"Just now, I felt like someone was talking to me," she said quickly, her eyes shining. "This room was saying something to me—I'm sure of it!" She looked determined. "And I want to find out what!"
Professor Juniper looked a bit taken back, and Bianca appeared clueless before lighting up at her daughter's words. Letting out a small huff, Professor Juniper let her lips curve into a knowing smile as she saw the fire in Kierra's eyes. Reaching into her bag, she carefully pulled out a book.
"Then I know just the thing," she started, handing her the book. "When I was little, I found a book similar to this one." She glanced to Bianca. "It was through that book that I fell into the past."
Kierra looked down at the book curiously. An Introduction to Pokemon Paleontology and Archeology by Gary Oak. Opening the cover, she began to quickly read the first page.
"Professor Gary Oak is one of the leading researchers in Pokemon Paleontology," Professor Juniper elaborated. "He's made countless discoveries through research of Pokemon fossils and ancient habitats. In fact, he even—"
But Kierra didn't hear her. Her eyes were focused as the stared at the words with fixation, her grip tightening on the binding of the book. Without hesitation, she turned to the second page.
April 13th, 2034. Nightfall. Mt. Moon, Kanto.
"I know this is the right way."
"You said that the last three times."
Skye ignored Briar, walking down the left tunnel with confidence. Briar shook her off, looking at his map. He furrowed his brows, leaning his head down to look at it more closely. "This doesn't seem like the way to Route 4."
Charmeleon waddled beside him, the glow of his tail lighting the way as he watched Skye with tired eyes.
"Oh, we're not going to Route 4," Skye said absentmindedly, and Briar stopped dead in his tracks.
"We're not going to Route 4," Briar repeated dryly, his grip on the map tightening.
Skye looked over her shoulder, flashing him a grin. "That's right—not until we find a Moon Stone!"
Briar pursed his lips, putting a hand to his temple to restrain himself. "A Moon Stone?"
Skye clenched her fist. "Yeah—Uncle Brock told me that I could find one here!" She smiled brightly, taking out a Poke Ball and looking down at it. "You know, for when Nidoran is ready to evolve into her final form!"
Briar opened his mouth to protest, but then gave in, folding up his map. It was very like Skye to act on impulse without telling him, but he at least decided it was good she was thinking ahead for once.
Suddenly, Briar felt his pocket vibrate, and he blinked as he pulled out his Poke Gear. Skye looked over curiously, and Briar answered.
"Dad?"
"Hey," Gary greeted, his voice breaking up through static caused by the cave's walls. "Did I catch you at a bad time?"
Briar shook his head, putting a hand to his ear so he could hear him better. "Oh, no—thanks to Skye, I have all the time in the world," he answered sarcastically, and Skye shot him a look. "What's up?"
Gary decided not to ask, letting out a sigh at the thought of whatever trouble Skye had gotten herself into. "I just wanted to let you two know that I'll be out of the lab for a few weeks."
Briar raised his brows. "Are you going somewhere?"
"Yeah—I'll be leaving for a research expedition in Johto tomorrow," Gary elaborated. "Apparently some researchers I'm familiar with found Pokemon fossils around the Ruins of Alph, and they want me to check them out. I'm also going to visit with Professor Elm and attend some lectures while I'm there."
"Sounds like quite the trip," Briar said thoughtfully before perking up with a smile. "Hey, if you're going to Johto, can you bring me back something cool?"
"Like an action figure?" Gary teased, and Briar deadpanned.
"Never mind," he said dryly, and Gary snickered.
"Don't worry—I always satisfy."
"Mom would say otherwise," Briar commented, and Gary instantly became unamused.
"Very funny."
Briar smirked as Gary continued, "Anyways, if you need something from the lab, Tracey will take care of it for you—be sure to let Skye know, too."
Briar closed his eyes. "Yeah, I will," he affirmed. A sudden crash caused him to wince, and he looked over quickly to see Skye kicking the rock wall.
"Ow! Stupid rocks!" she yelled, rubbing her head. Briar then noticed a small rock on the ground beside her. Looking back to the bump on her head, he put two and two together, twisting his face. She gave the wall another kick, and Briar looked up to see a rock begin to wobble. His eyes widening, he snapped back to the Poke Gear.
"Sorry, Dad—I have to do damage control."
He pressed the end button before Gary got the chance to say another word. Rushing over to Skye, he yanked her away from the wall. Skye looked at him angrily, and he gave her a glare.
"Stop being stupid," he scolded, gesturing up to the ceiling. Skye glanced up, seeing a stray rock sway just the slightest. "Do you want to get us caved in?"
Skye pursed her lips, staring at him in agitation. Brushing him off, she shoved him away, crossing her arms with a, "hmph." Briar sighed, dusting off his shirt, and Skye kept walking without looking back. Pausing, Briar looked up to see she was already gone.
Growling, he bolted after her, Charmeleon by his side.
"Skye!"
"What do we do now?"
Kierra slumped to the ground, moping as she rubbed her foot. Snivy frowned as he plopped down beside her, looking up at her sadly. Looking at her dead Xtransceiver, Kierra slumped her shoulders.
"Are we going to be stuck in here forever?"
It had been four days since she had arrived in Kanto. She thought she would have been in Pallet Town by now. She had been lost in this cave since yesterday, her food running low and her heart sinking in her stomach. Closing her eyes, she realized just how tired she felt—and for a moment, she could see the lab library back home flash in her mind.
"Skye!"
Kierra's eyes snapped open. Inhaling, she quickly stumbled to her feet. "Someone else is here!" she exclaimed, relieved and excited. Snivy perked up, bouncing to her side. Running to the end of the tunnel, Kierra peeked over the corner, staying concealed behind the rock wall. A girl ran by, a boy and Charmeleon trailing behind her.
Kierra watched with wide eyes as the girl strode down the tunnel with confidence, disappearing into the darkness. The light from Charmeleon's tail glowed in the distance as the boy followed after her. Kierra pursed her lips as she fidgeted, and Snivy looked to her questioningly.
"…That girl really looked like she knew where she was going," Kierra noted after a moment, observing how fast she ran. The light from Charmeleon's tail began to dim into the darkness. It wouldn't be long before they were completely out of sight, and she would be left alone again.
Shaking her thoughts away, she looked down at Snivy. "Let's follow them!"
Snivy blinked as his trainer rose to her feet, but then nodded in agreement. Kierra waited another moment to give herself a little more distance between them before following in their footsteps.
January 22nd, 2033. Afternoon. Aspertia City, Unova.
"Who can tell me the difference between a Skull Fossil and an Armor Fossil?"
Kierra shot her hand in the air instantly, pursing her lips in eagerness. Cheren stood at the front of the class, eyeing her warily before looking around the room.
"Does anyone else have the answer?" he asked, but the other children averted their gaze. Some gave Kierra an odd look, but she didn't seem to care.
Sighing in resignation, Cheren closed his eyes. "Yes, Kierra?"
Kierra smiled, satisfied. "The Skull Fossil comes from the Pokemon Cranidos, while the Armor Fossil comes from the Pokemon Shieldon," she answered proudly. "They're both fossils that are native to the Sinnoh region."
"That's correct," Cheren said, and Kierra lit up as she basked in the moment. Before Cheren could say more, the bell suddenly rang, and he looked to the clock. Looking back to the children, he gestured toward the board as they hurriedly began to collect their things.
"Don't forget to read pages 119-131 in your textbooks," he said, and the children thanked him for the lesson as they walked out the door. Picking up the eraser, he swiped it across the board. It was the last class for the day, and he was shifting his mind from Teacher to Gym Leader.
"Hey, we were thinking of grabbing some smoothies—wanna come?"
Cheren blinked, glancing behind him to see two girls standing beside Kierra's desk. Kierra lifted her head at them, offering them a smile as she closed her book.
"Sorry, I can't," she dismissed with the wave of her hand.
"Oh, do you already have plans?" one of the girls asked.
Kierra's eyes sparked in excitement. "There's this new exhibit at the Nacrene City museum," she gushed, putting a hand to her cheek. "They're featuring Helix and Dome fossils brought all the way from the Kanto region!"
The girls reeled back just the slightest, quickly regretting they asked. When Kierra got that look in her eyes, it was known to be nothing but trouble, words falling out of her mouth like water. Kierra didn't notice their change in expressions, continuing quickly.
"Did you know that the Helix Fossil is from a Pokemon called Omanyte? The fossil is actually just its shell—it's thought that the shells of Omanyte were used to protect it against predators." She made a face. "A lot of Pokemon would suck it right out of its shell—like a smoothie!"
The girls went a bit pale, taking a slow step back. Kierra kept talking, but one girl spoke up, interrupting with a nervous smile.
"I just remembered, we're actually running late for something," she said, and the other girl nodded quickly. "Sorry." With that, the two rushed out of the room, whispering between each other as they gave Kierra one last glance.
Kierra didn't seem to take any notice, smiling just the same as she turned back to her desk and finished packing her bag.
Cheren watched Kierra from the corner of his eye, frowning. Putting down his eraser, he made his way to her desk.
"I thought you liked smoothies."
Kierra perked up, surprised to see Cheren beside her. Standing up, she slipped her bag over her shoulder.
"I do," she assured. "But I've been waiting for this exhibit for months."
"The fossils aren't going anywhere," Cheren lightly argued, and Kierra puffed out her cheeks at him.
"I can't wait another minute," she whined in protest. "I have to see them as soon as possible!"
Cheren said nothing, watching Kierra a moment longer. Her eyes looked pleading and full of energy. Sighing, he held up his hands in defeat.
"All right—then I'll drive you."
Kierra beamed. "Thanks, Dad!"
Cheren gave a small smile in return, Kierra leaving the room with an excited buzz. Cheren stood there, silent for a moment before following and closing the door behind him.
Kierra had a bounce in her step as she walked down the hall, Cheren by her side. Cheren glanced at her, and he smiled slightly, his daughter's eagerness somehow contagious. He supposed it had been a long time since he had been to Nacrene City.
"Snivy, Oshawott, Tepig—they're all so cool, I don't know how I'm supposed to pick!"
Cheren's attention was caught, looking over to see two boys conversing by the lockers.
"Hey, when we start our journey, do you wanna go together?"
Cheren pressed his lips together, words flashing back to him in fuzzy noise.
"Hey, let's take our first step on Route 1 together! One, two!"
Glancing to Kierra, for a moment, he thought he had seen Bianca. Closing his eyes, he ran his finger through his hair in remembrance of that very first day. His heart suddenly felt warm, and he looked back to his daughter.
"Your tenth birthday is coming up in a few months, isn't it?"
Cheren's off-handed question took Kierra by surprise, but she smiled in pride. "Mm—that's right!" She looked forward and hummed, "Just three more months!"
"Have you thought about going on a Pokemon journey?" he asked, sliding his hands into his pockets.
"No," Kierra responded flatly, and Cheren was taken back that she didn't even seem to blink. Realizing her father was looking at her expectantly, she elaborated, "I can't leave school—I still have so much to learn!"
Cheren offered a small smile. "There are some things that not even books can teach you," he said, and Kierra pouted. "The entire world is a classroom."
"Dad…"
Cheren ignored her. Looking up, his eyes went soft in remembrance. "You know, sometimes you remind me of myself when I was your age."
"I'm nothing like you," Kierra whined, but Cheren only eyed her in amusement before she continued with, "Now come on—if we don't hurry, the museum will be closed before we even leave!"
With that, Kierra rushed ahead, and Cheren went quiet, watching her as she exited through the front door. She disappeared into the white light, the door closing behind her. Cheren exhaled, closing his eyes as a child passed him in the hall.
She really did remind him of how naïve he had been back then.
April 13th, 2034. Nightfall. Mt. Moon, Kanto.
Briar rubbed the back of his neck, massaging the ache he could feel coming on. Skye had calmed down from earlier—Briar would have been thankful, but instead she was finicky as she kept glancing around with an odd sense of urgency.
"What are you looking at?" he asked, craning an eyebrow.
Skye inhaled sharply, snapping up straight. Eyeing him, she pursed her lips as she furrowed her brows, giving the tunnel a quick once over before leaning towards him.
"I think we're being watched," she whispered to him, glancing back cautiously. "I keep hearing noises."
Briar blinked, turning his head back before looking forward. "Maybe it's just a wild Zubat." He waved her off. "There's no reason to get worked up over nothing."
"It's not a Zubat," Skye retorted hotly. Going a bit pale, she bit her lip. "It's aliens."
Briar shot her a dry look. "Aliens?"
Skye ruffled her hair quickly, becoming panicked. "Aliens!" She looked around. "Mt. Moon is full of 'em!" She twisted her face. "Don't you know that aliens came to earth right here on this mountain?! There was even a whole TV special about it!"
Briar blinked, putting his fist to his hand in realization. "Oh—you mean the Clefairy."
"A codename," Skye muttered, and Briar gave her a questioning look. Taking a breath in, Skye cupped her hands to her mouth. "A-aliens! Just so you know, we're not scared of you! We're Pokemon Trainers!"
"Your knees are shaking," Briar pointed out, and Skye winced as she narrowed her gaze.
"The Moon Stone is their treasure," Skye continued, ignoring him. "If we're not careful, they'll abduct us!"
Briar scrunched his brows together, trying to process Skye's words. "Skye, I don't think—!"
Just then, there was a crash, and both Briar and Skye jumped. Skye spun on her heel in alarm, her face falling as her color drained.
"W-we surrender!" she said hurriedly, holding her hands up. Briar ignored her and walked over cautiously to the source of the noise, Charmeleon creeping defensively behind him. Pausing, he suddenly became concerned upon what he saw, bending down on one knee.
"Are you all right?"
A girl with golden hair lay on the ground, a mess of rocks around her. She hissed, whining as she sat up slowly, rubbing her back. "O-ow…"
A Snivy popped out from around the corner in a rushed panic. "Sni!" he cried upon seeing the girl covered in rocks. He bent over, quickly pulling them off of her and Charmeleon watched on in confusion.
Briar offered a hand to her. "Are you hurt?"
The girl shook her head, taking his hand as he pulled her up to her feet. She gave a nervous laugh, dusting off the bottom of her blue skirt. "I'm fine, I'm fine!"
Skye came over, taking slow steps as she did so. Stepping behind Briar, she peeked out from over his shoulder as she stared the girl down. Briar glanced back at her, unamused.
"Don't mind my friend," Briar said dismissively. He looked back to the girl pleasantly, gesturing to himself. "My name is Briar—and this is Skye."
"Don't tell her my name," Skye whispered harshly. Briar rolled his eyes, bopping her lightly on the top of the head with his fist.
The girl blinked a few times, looking between the two. She felt awkward about being caught, smiling nervously as she adjusted the rim of her hat. "I'm Kierra," she introduced before looking down to her side. "And this is my partner, Snivy."
Snivy held up a hand in greeting. "Snivy!"
Briar raised his brows, taking out his Pokedex and holding it before the green Pokemon.
"Snivy, the Grass Snake Pokemon. Cool, calm, and collected, Snivy uses photosynthesis to collect energy with the leaf on its tail."
Charmeleon raised a brow, studying the Pokemon before letting out a huff and turning his head away. This only seemed to irk Snivy as he shot the Flame Pokemon a glare.
Briar sighed at Charmeleon before returning his focus to Kierra questioningly. "If you don't mind me asking," he started, slipping his Pokedex back into his pocket. "What were you doing covered in all those rocks?"
Skye's grip of Briar's shirt tightened, and her eyes narrowed. "Yeah!" she pipped up. "It's awfully suspicious." Briar gave her a tired look.
Kierra's cheeks dusted red and she coughed, fidgeting with her shirt. "Well, Snivy and I were making our way through one of the tunnels, but then we ran into this angry Graveler and the next thing we knew, we weren't in that tunnel anymore, but some other tunnel." She spoke rapidly with jumbled words, and both Skye and Briar scrunched their faces in confusion as Kierra continued to shift nervously. "And then My Xtransceiver died—you wouldn't believe how bad my signal was in here anyways—so I was kind of bummed out. And then I saw you," her eyes snapped to Skye, who flinched. "And you were running, so you looked like you knew where you were going, and Charmeleon's tail was—!"
"Are you lost?" Briar clarified for her before she could say anymore.
Kierra stiffened and Snivy pressed a hand to his face in embarrassment. Kierra shifted her gaze between Briar and Skye before letting out a nervous laugh, scratching her cheek. "… Maybe just a little."
Skye quickly tapped Briar on the shoulder. "Briar," she said in a hushed voice, and Briar glanced back at her. "Stop mingling with the enemy—we have to find the Moon Stone!"
Briar narrowed his eyes at her. "She's just a girl," he snapped quietly. "Besides, we can't just leave her here like this."
At the mention of the Moon Stone, Kierra perked up. An image of a large, glistening rock she had seen the day prior came to mind—taking this as her opportunity, she lit up and raised a finger in the air.
"I know where the Moon Stone is!"
Briar and Skye both paused, snapping their heads back to Kierra. Briar then smiled, but just as he opened his mouth to speak, Skye covered it.
"Don't fall for it," she warned him, giving Kierra an untrusting glance. "She's going to take us right to her spaceship!"
Briar shoved Skye away from him, straightening out his shirt as he shot her a glare. "You're being rude," he snapped, and Skye crossed her arms. "Kierra is not an alien."
Skye scoffed, looking away. "How else would she know where the Moon Stone is?" she muttered, and Briar gave a frustrated sigh, rubbing his temple. Ignoring her, he looked back to Kierra with an apologetic smile.
"We would really appreciate it if you could show us the way," Briar told her, elbowing Skye in the side to emphasize the word "we". She winced, giving him a sharp look.
Kierra's eyes sparkled, almost as if she was oblivious to Briar and Skye's exchange. Simply happy to be in company, she turned on her heel, humming in her throat as she pointed forward.
"Leave it to me!" she declared proudly, and Snivy followed her as she stepped forward. Briar began to walk, but stopped when noticing Skye still standing in place. Rolling his eyes, he grabbed her arm and pulled her forward, causing her to stumble as they trailed behind.
February 9th, 2034. Afternoon. Nuvema Town, Unova.
Kierra flipped the page. She sat cross-legged on the floor, a mess of books cluttering around her. The laboratory's library was empty, the lights off on the other side of the room. One light flickered, dimming before it broke to black. She turned the page.
She sat by the window, the sun spilling into the room and lighting up the pages of her book. Pausing, she looked outside, noticing a girl playing with a Lillipup by the trees. Her eyes dulling, she looked back to her book, turning the page. Something felt like it was missing—but she was sure that she hadn't misplaced anything, always keeping everything neatly in order. Realizing she couldn't remember what she had just read, she furrowed her brows as she flipped back to the previous page.
She looked back out the window. The girl was gone. Exhaling, Kierra closed her book, shaking it off. She decided she would just get a new book.
Pushing over a flimsy box, she stepped onto it so she could reach the top shelf. She swayed as she stretched her arm in attempt to grab the book she wanted.
A Snivy waddled its way down the hall of the laboratory, stopping when seeing Kierra through the open door of the library. He watched her, tilting his head curiously, but gasped when getting a closer look. Her foot was beginning to sink, the box giving in under her weight. Wobbling at the shift, Kierra inhaled sharply, and Snivy bolted towards her without a second thought.
Kierra closed her eyes tightly, anticipating the impact of her fall, but paused when she felt nothing. Blinking her eyes open, she looked around curiously, spotting Snivy behind her. It was just then she noticed the green vines holding her up in mid-air, and Snivy let her down to the ground gently.
"A-ah," Kierra breathed, flattening out her skirt. Snivy retracted his vines, and Kierra tilted her head. "You're Professor Juniper's Snivy, aren't you?"
Snivy nodded, and Kierra smiled brightly. "Thanks for the save." She laughed nervously, rubbing her head. "I was just trying to get that book up there—I guess I wasn't paying much attention."
Snivy looked up to the book, blinking before extending one of his vines to the shelf. He wrapped the vine around the book, pulling it from the shelf and handing it to Kierra. Lighting up, Kierra sat back down on the floor, and Snivy came over, looking at the book with interest.
"Thanks," she said, opening the book. As soon as the book was open, Kierra's eyes began to absorb the words written on its pages, Snivy's presence drowned out completely.
Snivy blinked as he watched Kierra's eyes rapidly dart back and forth as she read, turning the pages at an abnormally fast pace. He wondered what must have been so interesting about a book that would make someone read so fast. Tilting his head, he waddled over and plopped himself down beside Kierra, attempting to get a look at the pictures on the pages.
After a moment, Snivy noticed Kierra's pace slow down, and her eyes dulled as she gripped the page she held between her fingers. That feeling from before was returning to her. She was starting to realize that it had been a while since she had heard from the girls who used to talk to her in class. She remembered something about them going off on a Pokemon journey together last April. She wondered if they still got smoothies.
"Sni?"
Snapping back to reality, Kierra's focus shifted to the Snivy who was now sitting beside her. He was looking at her expectantly, a hint of worry in his eyes. Kierra quickly shook her head and offered him a smile.
"I'm fine," she assured, looking back to the book. "I was just remembering something, is all."
Snivy blinked, but then smiled, tapping his hand lightly against the pages of her book. Kierra stared at him in confusion, but then perked up upon realizing that he wanted to know what she was reading.
She scooted closer to Snivy and lowered the book so he could see. "This is a book about the ancient Pokemon world," she started, grazing her fingertips over the paper. It was the same book Professor Juniper had given her years ago—the book that pushed her into the sky. "It's one of my favorites."
Her heart fluttered, and Snivy continued to listen eagerly. Flipping the page, she pointed to a picture of a spiral-shaped fossil. "This is a Helix Fossil," she explained, and Snivy perked up. "It's a fossil of a Pokemon called Omanyte that lived over 2 million years ago—but with modern science, they can bring these Pokemon back to life." She put a hand to her cheek dreamily, pointing to a picture of a small, blue Pokemon beside it. "They have real Omanyte living and breathing like they were never extinct at all!"
Snivy stared at the pictures in amazement. He didn't totally understand what Kierra was talking about—but she spoke with such passion and excitement that he couldn't seem to look away.
"And that's only the start," Kierra continued excitedly, looking to Snivy. "By studying ancient Pokemon, we can piece together the secrets of our world. There's still a lot we don't know about Pokemon—where they come from, why they're here." She looked out the window. "When we learn about the past, we can have a better understanding of Pokemon." She looked back to Snivy and smiled. "And when that happens, we can become even closer to Pokemon."
Snivy's eyes sparkled as Kierra spoke, lightly tapping the book and looking at her expectantly. Kierra blinked, smiling as she turned the page for him.
"Professor Gary Oak wrote this book," Kierra noted, skimming over the page. "I'm actually a big fan of his. He's contributed so much to the field of Pokemon Paleontology." She pointed to a picture of an Aerodactyl. "He's so incredible that he was even able to revive an Aerodactyl when he was only 13-years-old!"
Snivy studied the Pokemon closely, never seeing something so ferocious looking before. Kierra flipped the page for him again, but then lifted her head back out the window, going quiet.
"He's so amazing," she repeated, a smile tugging at her lips. "I want to be like that, too."
Snivy looked up at her, tilting his head. Kierra looked back at him, lighting up as she slipped a stone tile from her bag.
"I found this tile the first time I went to Dragonspiral Tower," she said, allowing Snivy to get a better look at it. The memory of the small stone sitting on the floor of the large, empty room flashed in her mind. "…It's like this tile was waiting for me." She smiled sheepishly. "I know that sounds silly, but it's what I think." She looked down to it. "That's why I want to learn where it came from—I feel like it must be holding something important, and I'm the one it chose."
Slipping the tile back into her bag, she took a pause before letting out a nervous laugh. "Though I doubt you understand what I'm talking about, huh?" She supposed a Pokemon raised in a laboratory would have little knowledge or understanding of the outside world.
"Sniv," Snivy said, turning the page again. Kierra blinked, glancing to the book before looking back to Snivy.
"…But maybe you want to understand," Kierra piped up, and Snivy looked to her, nodding eagerly. Rising to her feet, she gave Snivy a confident smile. "All right! Then why don't we go see the new Plume Fossil that came in to the lab today?"
Snivy beamed, giving a nod. "Vy!"
Kierra let out a giggle and rose to her feet. She eagerly stepped in place for a moment before running forward. "Let's learn everything we can!" she called, and Snivy followed behind her with new excitement.
April 13th, 2034. Night. Mt. Moon, Kanto.
Kierra's face fell, stiffening as Snivy's Flash attack lit up the rock wall in their path. Skye, Briar and Charmeleon approached behind her, and her face heated up when hearing them come to a stop.
Gulping, she let out a nervous laugh, rubbing her head as she spun around to face them. "N-now I remember! It was this way!" she said, beginning to walk in the opposite direction.
Briar and Skye exchanged glances, and Skye leaned to Briar. "This is the third dead end," she muttered.
Briar said nothing, straightening back out. After the scene Skye had caused, he had little desire to turn on Kierra in lost faith—but if this kept up much longer, it seemed like the three would never see the sun again.
Snivy looked up at Kierra, and she pursed her lips anxiously, looking around as she walked down the tunnel. "This stalactite looks familiar," she murmured, though it was said more so to convince herself than anything else.
She could feel Briar and Skye's stares boring into her back, and she feared that if she wasn't able to find the Moon Stone soon, they would leave her all alone in this labyrinth.
Snivy shook his head, seeing right through his trainer. Glancing around, he kept his eyes peeled, pausing when noticing a small beam of light seep through the cracks in a wall up ahead. Brightening up, he ran over to the wall excitedly.
"Sni!"
Kierra's eyes widened. "Snivy, wait!" she called, rushing after him.
Skye closed her eyes. "He must be trying to rid himself of her," she observed, and Briar shoved her before following after.
Kierra caught up to Snivy, frowning as she placed her hands on her hips. "You can't just run off like that," she scolded, but Snivy ignored her, lightly tapping the wall. Kierra blinked, shifting her attention. When seeing the light pour from the walls, she let out a noise of excitement.
"What is it?" Briar asked, Skye in tow. Kierra beamed as she turned to them, clasping her hands together.
"Follow me!" she said in a sing-song voice, bouncing down the tunnel. Skye and Briar exchanged glances—Briar was more wary while Skye still stayed skeptical. After a moment, they pushed after her, rounding the corner to see her waiting for them eagerly. Stepping into the light, Briar and Skye's mouths fell open.
"Ta-da!" Kierra chimed.
It was a crater, the sky visible as it lit up the cave floor white with moonlight. A large stone sat in the center of the crater, sparkling as if it had stars dotted on its surface. The stone was glossed with an air of captivation and mystery, radiating strange energy that left a warm feeling inside the three.
Briar broke his gaze, a blur of pink catching his attention. Several Clefairy danced around the stone, bouncing as if weightless as they chanted happily. Skye took a step back, hesitant, and Kierra's eyes shined as she stared in wonder.
"This must be the Moon Stone," Briar gawked, in awe of the sight before him. Skye pulled out her Pokedex, pressing her lips into a hard line.
"Clefairy, the Fairy Pokemon. This impish Pokémon is friendly and peaceful. It is believed to live inside Mt. Moon, although very few have ever been seen by humans."
"We're so lucky," Kierra piped up, a dreamy look in her eyes. "I can't believe we're able to see something so romantic!"
Skye went pale, slipping her Pokedex into her pocket. "We're done for," she said, taking another step back. "If we don't leave fast, then we'll—!"
Briar caught her arm, pulling her back in place. "You're the one who wanted a Moon Stone," he reminded her, pushing her towards it.
Skye yelped as she fumbled, taking a few messy steps forward before toppling over. She lifted her head to yell back to Briar, but her face went blank when seeing a Clefairy standing inches away from her. The Clefairy tilted its head, its chant halted by Skye's disruption.
Skye sucked in her breath, staying perfectly still. "…H-hello," she said, swallowing. She gave a nervous laugh, eyeing the Moon Stone in the center of the room. "Y-your spaceship is really cool."
Clefairy blinked in confusion when Skye glanced at the Moon Stone as she spoke, but then instantly lit up, bouncing back over to the stone. Skye felt her heart drop, and she quickly backed up, stumbling to her feet. She wondered what Clefairy was doing as it bent over, and Briar raised his brows when it picked up a small rock at the base of the stone.
Other Clefairy began to gather, curiously watching Skye as she whimpered pathetically in her attempt to escape.
"They like you," Briar called with a snicker, and Skye shot him a panicked glare.
"They're so cute!" Kierra gushed, taking out her notebook as she began to jot down some notes.
A Clefairy approached Snivy with a wave, and Snivy happily greeted it in return. Briar snickered when he noticed that Charmeleon's eyes were shining, a light blush dusting his cheeks as he watched the pink Pokemon.
"I thought Clefairy were supposed to be shy," Briar commented, smiling as he looked down at some Clefairy bouncing up and down.
"They must not see us as a threat," Kierra observed, taking notes. "Clefairy are very intuitive Pokemon—I'm sure they can sense that your friend has no ill intentions."
Briar gave a dry laugh. "I wouldn't be so sure," he joked, and Kierra giggled.
Skye stayed stiff, ignoring Briar's comment. Her arms were straight by her side as she watched the first Clefairy with focused and alert eyes. Her lips quivered, but she tried to keep her expression firm. She inhaled sharply when noticing the Clefairy making its way back to her.
"Clefairy," it said, holding out a small stone to her. Skye stared down, furrowing her brows as she looked over the stone.
"That's… a Moon Stone!" she exclaimed, and Clefairy nodded.
Briar walked over, raising his brows as he studied the dark stone in Clefairy's hands. "It must have thought all your spaceship talk was in reference to the Moon Stone."
Kierra looked up from her notes, tilting her head. "I thought Skye thought the Moon Stone was a spaceship."
Skye growled, blushing. "Shut up," she said, and the Clefairy looked at her expectantly. Looking back down, she bit her lip in uncertainty, grasping and ungrasping her fist at her side.
"Go ahead and take it," Briar said, giving her a light nudge. Skye shot him a look.
"I was going to," she defended, but Briar looked unconvinced. Taking a deep breath, she bent down, taking the Moon Stone with hesitance. Blinking when feeling it in her hand, she stood up straight, her mouth gaping open when seeing it shine under the moonlight.
"Wow," Skye marveled, breaking out in to a grin as she held it against the sky. Pausing, she noticed the Clefairy, and she cleared her throat as her cheeks dusted red.
"…Thank you," she said with slight reluctance, and Clefairy lit up, bouncing in place. Skye couldn't help but let a small smile show, but quickly shook it off, closing her eyes as she spun on her heel. "All right—it's time to keep moving!"
Briar noticed Skye's legs shaking as she walked by him. Despite the Clefairy's kind gesture, she was still shaken up, clearly wanting to get away from their 'spaceship' as soon as possible. The Clefairy all exchanged confused glances as they watched Skye march away, nearly tripping in the process.
Briar glanced up at the night sky. "Yeah—we need to get out of here so we can set up camp." He smiled, looking back to the Clefairy. "Still, I'm glad we came—I can't wait to tell my Dad about this."
Skye waved him off. "Professor Oak doesn't have the time of day for you," she said, looking over her shoulder to him with a smirk. "He left, remember?"
Briar deadpanned, and Skye snickered. Kierra paused, immediately lifting her head up from her notes.
"Did you just say Professor Oak?" she asked quickly, catching Briar's attention. "As in, Professor Gary Oak?"
Briar held up a finger. "Yeah—he's my Dad."
Kierra's mouth gaped open, dropping her notebook as she made a bee-line to Briar. Skye stumbled out of the way, and Briar leaned back, his eyes widening as she clasped her hands together with sparkling eyes.
"You mean you're the son of the Professor Oak?!"
"I take it you know him," Skye said in annoyance, straightening out the bottom of her shirt.
"Of course I know him!" Kierra spat at her. She then put a hand to her cheek, letting out a dreamy sigh. "He's the whole reason I came to Kanto in the first place!"
Briar raised his brows in surprise. "You came to Kanto to see my Dad?"
"Uh-huh," Kierra affirmed, squirming in place. "He is the leading researcher in Pokemon Paleontology, after all!" She closed her eyes proudly, placing a hand to her chest. "And I'm a Junior Pokemon Researcher!"
Briar tilted his head and Skye scrunched her face. "Junior Pokemon Researcher?"
Kierra stuck up her nose with a smile. "That's right," she affirmed. "I'm studying under Professor Juniper so that I can become a full-fledged Pokemon Researcher myself one day!" She held up a finger. "I came all the way from the Unova region just so I could go to Pallet Town and write my very first Pokemon Report on Professor Oak's research!"
Skye stifled a laugh, and Kierra looked at her questioningly. Briar nudged her in the side, and she grinned, giving Briar a sly look. Briar looked at her with irritation before taking notice of Kierra's owlish stare. Letting out a cough, he rubbed the back of his neck before hesitating.
"Then you're tough outta luck," he began, and Kierra tilted her head. "You see, he's gonna be away in Johto for the next couple of weeks on a research expedition. He leaves first thing tomorrow morning."
Kierra went quiet, and Briar pursed his lips, swearing that he saw something inside her shatter to pieces. Skye watched in satisfaction, her arms crossed as she looked at her for an expected reaction. Her pupils dilating, Kierra's mouth suddenly fell open after processing Briar's words.
"—E-eh?!"
April 1st, 2034. Afternoon. Nuvema Town, Unova.
"A… what?"
"Junior Pokemon Researcher."
Kierra tilted her head, putting down the book she was reading as Professor Juniper approached her. Cheren and Bianca followed, standing behind her as she stood beside Kierra. Snivy looked up curiously, and Professor Juniper smiled at them.
"It's a new program," she elaborated. "It gives kids the opportunity to work alongside professional researchers and share knowledge." She held up a finger. "It's the perfect path for anyone interested in becoming part of the Pokemon research community."
Kierra lit up, instantly intrigued. "What would I have to do?"
Professor Juniper gave a knowing smile at her reaction. "It's simple—after picking a topic of study, you'll work under me as you carry out your research. Every few weeks, you send reports based on your findings that I'll grade and provide feedback for." She glanced to the book Kierra held. "This program will count towards your education, and will act as a stepping stone to becoming a full-fledged Pokemon Researcher one day."
Kierra's face brightened. "That's it?" She looked to Snivy. "I have to sign up right away, then!"
Snivy nodded happily. "Sniv!"
"I totally wish something like this existed back when I was a trainer," Bianca half-whined. "You're so lucky you get to be part of its test run!"
Cheren eyed his wife warily before looking to Kierra. "I can't think of anyone more well-suited."
Kierra beamed, excited at the idea of leading a new movement. "Where will the program be taught?" she asked eagerly.
Professor Juniper closed her eyes. "It's not something that can be taught in a classroom." She looked to Kierra. "For this program, you'll be going out into the field."
Kierra looked confused. "The field?"
Professor Juniper smiled at her. "You can't make any new discoveries locked up in a room all day." She gave her a wink. "The Pokemon world is full of mysteries—as researchers, it's our job to go out and solve them."
Kierra frowned slightly, unsure. "But I really like my school—I really like this lab. I couldn't imagine leaving it all." She slumped her shoulders a bit. "I don't know. I guess it's all kind of sudden…"
"What would you think about going to Kanto?"
Kierra perked up at the sudden comment, and Professor Juniper crossed her arms. "Professor Oak is the leading researcher in Pokemon Paleontology—if you join this program, you'd have access to being able to work with him and see his research first-hand."
Kierra's eyes widened, and Bianca and Cheren exchanged knowing glances. Professor Juniper looked back at them with a wink. Snivy looked up at Kierra, tapping her on the thigh expectantly. Kierra snapped her head down, inhaling before quickly looking back to the others.
"I-I mean, meeting Professor Oak has been, like, my total dream and everything, but I can't just leave home so suddenly!" She pursed her lips, her face heating up. "I have my school, my family, the lab—I can't just leave it all to meet—" She took a pause, gulping as she let out a conflicted whine. "—my idol."
Bianca put a hand to her mouth, giggling, and Cheren took a step forward. "If you don't like being away from home, you can come back whenever you'd like." He smiled encouragingly. "There's no harm in giving it a try, right? "
"Yeah!" Bianca piped up. "Besides, Kanto has such yummy food!"
"Food is your argument?" Cheren asked dryly.
Bianca pouted. "It's a bonus, isn't it?"
"There's a lot to be gained from taking a trip," Professor Juniper spoke up, and Kierra gripped the bottom of her skirt. "You have the opportunity to conduct your own independent research." Juniper smiled, tilting her head. "So, how about it?"
Kierra pressed her lips together in uncertainty, fidgeting her hands as she averted her gaze to the ground in thought. All of this was happening so fast—she had never even batted an eye at leaving home before. When all of her classmates turned ten and went on their Pokemon journeys, she made the decision to stay home and learn. She never thought such an opportunity would be presented to her—and with Professor Juniper as her guide, no less. She would even get the chance to meet Gary Oak, her biggest role model and inspiration. But even still, the thought of leaving home—of leaving everything she knew—scared her.
She felt a tap on her hand, and she looked over to see Snivy looking up at her with firm eyes.
Kierra blinked. "Snivy…?"
Snivy furrowed his brows, waving his hand. "Snivy sniv!"
Kierra stared at him, the fire in his eyes igniting something inside of her. Snivy had always sat by her side, listening as Kierra spoke of her dream. Her dream felt like something far away and distant, as if it was something out of her reach. Someday—that's what she would always say. Someday she would grasp that dream in her hand. Suddenly, everything was right in front of her—all she had to do was reach forward.
Someday was toady.
Kierra stood up abruptly, surprising her parents. Snivy looked up at her with a satisfied smile, taking a step beside her. Turning to Professor Juniper, she clenched her fists at her sides as she flashed her a bright smile.
"All right—sign me up!"
April 13th, 2034. Night. Mt. Moon, Kanto.
"She's been like that for an hour," Skye mumbled, glancing back as Kierra trailed behind the two. She walked with a slump, moping as Snivy looked up at her worriedly.
Briar smiled a little, scratching the bridge of his nose. "She did fly all the way from Unova," he said. "It must be pretty hard news…"
After Kierra's situation had been explained, Briar offered for her to follow them out of the cave. It was clear to them that Kierra's sense of direction was lacking—not only had she gotten them lost in Mt. Moon, but she apparently had been walking in the wrong direction to Pallet Town for days.
She had no food or knowledge of the Kanto region, so Briar had invited her to camp out with them for the night, telling her that they would take her to the nearest Pokemon Center in the morning. She agreed sadly, not speaking since the three of them had set off. Briar frowned, glancing back at her from the corner of his eye.
"I wonder what she'll do now?" he asked, concern painted on his face.
Skye craned a brow. "It's not like Professor Oak is going to be gone forever—she'll just have to wait it out."
"Still, I feel bad," Briar said sympathetically, glancing to the ground. "I mean, he is my Dad—I feel like I should do something."
"You said we would take her to the Pokemon Center," Skye dismissed. "She can call back home and figure it out from there. There's nothing else we can do about it."
"I guess you're right," Briar conceded, letting out a sigh.
Snivy stopped, feeling a rumble below his feet. His face falling, he quickly ran to Kierra, pulling on her leg. She looked down at him, peeking from beneath her bangs.
"What is it, Snivy?" she asked sadly, but Snivy jumped up in down in a panic, pointing towards the darkness.
Briar looked over, raising a brow. "What's going on?"
Charmeleon suddenly perked up, quickly turning his head towards the darkness and letting out a firm, "Char!"
Pausing, Briar heard a soft echo of clutter, and he inhaled sharply as he took a step back. "T-there's something coming!"
Skye blinked, turning her head over, her eyes widening when seeing an Onix digging straight towards them.
Gasping, the three fumbled, quickly dashing through the tunnel in a frenzy as the Onix let out a ferocious roar.
"W-we must have invaded its home!" Briar said, panting as he ran.
Kierra whined, staggering behind. "W-we didn't mean to disturb you, Mr. Onix!"
Skye was ahead of the group, much faster as she looked around for any sort of opening. Something caught her eye, and she made a sharp turn. "Quick! In here!"
The other two dashed over, Briar yanking Kierra into the small crater in the wall before the Onix could hit her. The Onix sped by, letting out another roar as it disappeared back into the darkness. Letting out the breath she had been holding, Skye peeked out to make sure it was clear, looking back to the others with a thumbs-up.
"All clear!"
Briar bent over to put his hands on his knees. "That was too close," he groaned, and Kierra let out a breath of relief as she put her hand on the crater wall—yelping as she tumbled over.
Briar quickly looked back. "K-Kierra!" He ran over, Kierra on the ground. She whimpered, the crater wall collapsing at her touch.
"Just my luck," she whined, brushing off the dirt from her skirt. Briar gave her a sympathetic smile and offered her a hand. She went to take it, but paused, noticing something beside her. Ignoring Briar, she suddenly got on her hands and knees, taking out a small brush from her bag and dusting off the floor with care.
"Uh, what are you doing?" Skye asked, craning an eyebrow.
Kierra didn't say anything, her eyes widening as she dropped her brush. Gently picking up a stone, she looked it over closely, her eyes shining in awed wonder.
Briar tilted his head, trying to get a good look at the oddly shaped rock. "What is it?"
Kierra lit up, her face dusting pink as she spun around. "Don't you know what this is?"
"A rock," Skye answered flatly, impatient to get out of the crater.
Kierra spun towards Snivy, showing it to him. "You know what this is, don't you, Snivy?"
Snivy blinked, walking over to get a closer look. His eyes studied the spiral shape that was imprinted into the rock, remembering the picture in the book from the day he and Kierra had first met. Gasping, he looked up to his trainer in alarm.
"Sni!"
Kierra grinned from ear to ear and squealed inside her throat, standing up as she hugged it to her chest.
"I just found a Helix Fossil!"
Briar's eyes widened. "T-that's amazing!"
Skye looked confused. "A Helix Fossil?"
Kierra beamed at her. "They're fossils of the ancient Pokemon, Omanyte!"
Skye looked perplexed, slipping her Pokedex from her pocket and opening it up.
"Omanyte, the Spiral Pokemon. Omanyte is one of the ancient and long-since-extinct Pokémon that have been regenerated from fossils by people. If attacked by an enemy, it withdraws itself inside its hard shell."
Skye shot her brows up in surprise, looking back to the fossil. "Whoa, can these fossils really be revived?"
Briar nodded. "In Kanto, there's a Pokemon laboratory on Cinnabar Island that specializes in fossil revival. My Dad goes there all the time for his research."
Skye appeared impressed and Briar glanced to the ceiling thoughtfully. After a moment, he smiled, looking to Kierra. "Hey—you were supposed to write your first Pokemon Report on my Dad's findings, right?"
Kierra blinked, drawing her attention away from the fossil. "Yeah, that's right."
Briar's smile winded and he held up a finger. "Well, what if you wrote that report on this Helix Fossil instead?" he suggested, taking Kierra by surprise. "You could even go to Cinnabar Island to have it restored. I'm sure that'd make for a great report." He offered her a shrug. "And that way, your trip to the Kanto region wouldn't be a complete loss."
Kierra appeared delighted by the suggestion, looking down to her fossil in excitement. "I'd totally love to have my own ancient Pokemon," she gushed, giddy at the thought. "And writing my report on that would be so fun!" She then frowned. "…But I have no idea how to get to Cinnabar Island." She shifted. "I've never been on my own like this before."
Briar blinked, pondering before something clicked in his head. He glanced to Skye with a smile, and she gave him an odd look, not understanding. Looking back to Kierra, he held up a finger. "Could you give us one second?" he asked, grabbing Skye's hand and pulling her aside.
Skye let out a squeak in surprise as Briar dragged her off. Kierra reeled back slightly, watching them go. Charmeleon kept a close eye on his trainer.
Skye scowled and quickly pulled her hand away from him. "Hey!" she barked. "What gives?"
Briar decided to cut directly to the chase. "What if we had Kierra tag along with us?"
Skye deadpanned and Briar pursed his lips in anticipation, bracing for the answer that he knew would come.
"No."
"But—!"
"No," Skye repeated firmly, crossing her arms. "She can get to wherever she has to go just fine on her own. We shouldn't have to babysit her when we have our own stuff to focus on."
"We can't just leave her," he retorted. "She doesn't know a thing about Kanto. I mean, she got lost trying to get to Pallet Town from Viridian." Skye didn't falter, but Briar pressed on. "It would be just until we get to Cinnabar."
"Just until we get to Cinnabar," Skye repeated flatly. "Are you crazy? That could take months, Briar! I'm not sticking with kooky alien rock girl for that long."
Briar closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. "Then you don't have to," he said firmly, and Skye looked at him in confusion. He put a fist to his chest, continuing with, "I'll take Kierra to Cinnabar myself, and you can get your gym badges alone."
Skye faltered and Briar stood firm. "Y-you can't do that!" she snapped. "We're a team!"
Briar closed his eyes, turning his head away stubbornly. "Then I'm playing for another team now. A friendlier one."
Skye's brow twitched in irritation, and her hands curled into fists by her sides. Briar wasn't going to let this go—that was for sure. She knew that if Briar wanted to help this girl, then he wouldn't hesitate to do so. It had always been like him to want to help those in need.
Skye blamed those damn superhero TV shows for this one.
Briar opened an eye, watching as Skye's face went red, her lips pressed in a hard line. He waited expectantly before she eventually spat, "Fine. But you're her babysitter, not me."
Briar cracked a grin and flicked her nose. "I knew you had a heart," he teased, and Skye angrily swatted his hand away.
Kierra watched on as Briar and Skye approached her again. Briar had a bounce in his step as Skye trudged behind him begrudgingly.
"How would you like to tag along with us?" Briar asked suddenly with a smile, thumbing to Skye. "Skye here has to get a badge in Cinnabar, so it's on our way." Kierra blinked at the offer, and Briar continued, "Cinnabar isn't exactly close, so it's gonna take us a while to get there." He smiled. "But it might be more fun than being alone."
Skye still didn't approve, looking away stubbornly as she crossed her arms. Briar paid her no mind though, his attention on Kierra as he awaited her response.
Kierra flicked her gaze between the two, mulling over Briar's offer. Her trip to Kanto certainly wasn't going as expected. She had always been someone who stuck to schedules. Everything in her life had a place, neatly tucked away onto a shelf in organized fashion—but everything now had broken into chaos.
She looked down to the fossil in her hands, her fingers curling around it. She knew that right now it was only a rock, still and cold— a piece of the past frozen in time. But Kierra knew better. The DNA of this Pokemon seemed to pulse in her hands as if it were alive. She was reminded of that day so many years ago, standing in the empty room that seemed to be speaking to her—a single tile laying on the ground in waiting.
It was just like now.
Most Pokemon Paleontologists spent ages attempting to find even a single fossil—and yet she just happened to stumble across one, as if it had been waiting for her to find it. The mysteries that rested on the inside of this fossil were just waiting for her to solve them. Maybe this was why she was meant to come to Kanto.
She looked back to Briar who stared at her with welcoming eyes. Even Skye seemed to be gazing at her with interest. Maybe she wasn't meant to do this alone. Maybe they were meant to be a part of this all, too.
Snivy smiled up at her with encouraging eyes. Looking down at him, she could tell that he was ready to take the next step forward. There were so many mysteries for them to solve together, and the open door was right before them.
Taking a breath, Kierra looked back to Briar and Skye, smiling brightly.
"All right!" she said, clenching her fists. "Let's go together!"
April 3rd, 2034. Afternoon. Striaton City, Unova.
"Do you have everything? Do you want me to double check?"
Kierra stood on a dock with her parents and Professor Juniper, a plane floating beside it as people stepped inside. The sky was clear, the water shining white under the spring sun. Turning to her father, Kierra puffed out her cheeks.
"Dad, I'm fine!"
Cheren looked unconvinced, knowing how his daughter could be. "All right—remember to call as soon as you land."
Kierra waved him off. "I will, I will!" she dismissed, but Cheren was skeptical. "Come on, Dad—I'm not a little kid!"
Cheren was about to tell her that her age wasn't the issue, but Bianca perked up as she put a hand to her cheek.
"You're going to have so much fun," she gushed. She then frowned, looking worried. "But it'll be hard not having you at the lab anymore…"
Kierra closed her eyes. "I'm not going to be gone that long," she assured, and she gripped the straps of her backpack. "I'll only be gone a couple of weeks!"
Cheren and Bianca exchanged glances, a look in their eyes that Kierra took no notice of. Professor Juniper watched on with a smile, taking a beat of silence before opening her mouth to speak. A shake from her purse stopped her as a white light emerged from the bag.
"Snivy!"
Kierra blinked, looking down at Snivy as she raised her brows in surprise. "Snivy?"
Snivy became firm, putting a hand to his waist as he waved the other in the air. "Snivy! Sniv snivy!"
Professor Juniper craned an eyebrow in amusement, taking a step forward. "I think Snivy wants to go with you."
Kierra looked taken back. "What? Really?" She frowned. "But you're a lab Pokemon—if you leave, you'll miss the new trainers coming by!"
Professor Juniper gave a light laugh. "I think Snivy has already chosen his trainer, Kierra."
Kierra paused, her eyes widening. Processing, she quickly looked between Snivy and Professor Juniper, pointing to herself in a frenzy. "—Me?!"
Snivy let out a happy, "Sniv!" Professor Juniper slipped a Poke Ball from her purse, handing it to Kierra.
"This is Snivy's Poke Ball." She gave her a wink. "Take good care of him for me."
Kierra stared at the Poke Ball, dumbfounded. Cheren put a hand on her shoulder, snapping her from her thoughts, and she looked up at him. He gave her an encouraging smile, nodding his head. Kierra blinked a few times before looking to Snivy.
He stared up at her with a confident smile, appearing to be eager to go. Kierra remembered all of the days the two had spent together up until now. Snivy was always the one who would sit beside her in the library, listening as she spoke to him of the mysteries the world held. The mysteries that the two would solve together.
A smile crept its way onto Kierra face, and she looked to Professor Juniper. "I will!" she said, taking the Poke Ball into her hands. Snivy lit up, crawling up onto Kierra's shoulder. She giggled, shifting her weight as she looked to him happily. "I suppose that if I want to learn everything that I can about Pokemon, then I'm going to need a Pokemon as my assistant!" she chimed, and Snivy's face brightened. "Please bear with me!"
Snivy beamed. "Snivy!"
Juniper smiled, putting her hands to her hips. "Let me know when you get to Pallet Town," she said, getting Kierra's attention. "I'll send you everything you need to write your first Pokemon Report when you do."
Kierra nodded. "Okay!" She squealed in excitement. "I can't wait to meet Professor Oak for real!"
A noise sounded, and Kierra blinked, looking around. Cheren looked over, becoming distressed.
"Kierra—your plane is about to take off!"
Kierra's face fell, quickly spinning on her heel. "E-eh?!" Beginning to panic, she turned to the others, bouncing in place. "Okay, I'll be off! Love you, bye!" she said hurriedly, rushing over to the plane. Cheren watched her carefully as she stepped on board, sighing as the door closed after her.
"She's not going to remember to call."
Bianca squirmed, letting out a whine. "I didn't even get to hug her goodbye!"
Professor Juniper chuckled. "Don't worry—she'll be back before you know it."
"No she won't."
Professor Juniper blinked, looking back to Cheren in confusion. He merely glanced at Bianca, who glanced at him in return with a knowing smile. Looking to the ocean, Cheren watched as the plane began to take off. Bianca held his hand, and he squeezed it, his eyes bright as he looked to the sky.
April 3rd, 2034. Night. Over Viridian City, Kanto.
Kierra looked out the plane window, Snivy curled up as he slept in her lap. She pet him gently, her eyes watching the sky as the stars sparkled. The skyline began to appear black on the horizon, and Kierra lit up, pressing her face to the window in excited awe.
"That's Viridian City," Kierra whispered to herself, her heart fluttering. Snivy twitched in his sleep, and Kierra put a hand on his head. She smiled, staring at the distant city lights. "…I'm almost there."
Someday was today.
…And the journey continues!
