Jenny awoke to the sound of rain pattering on the bookstore's roof. A distant thunderclap shook the structure. She hadn't heard anything from Calypse about a coming storm, and as she looked down to the empty hammock beneath hers, she saw that the Clefable was already out of bed. She sat up and dropped from her hammock to the stone floor, the impact reminding the Wartortle of just how sore her body was from yesterday's expedition and subsequent fight.

"That you Jenny?" Calypse called from the other room. "Finally up?"

Jenny rounded the corner of the bedroom with a yawn and saw Calypse working over the basement's woodfire stove. "Finally up, Calypse. What time is it?"

Calypse flipped whatever he was cooking in his pan. "Almost midday. Been raining like Lugia's wrath all morning, too. I pray it isn't the sign of a hurricane. Still, it's given me some time to try out one of those human recipes you showed me."

Jenny's ears perked up at that. "Really? Which are you trying?" As she asked that, the wonderful aroma of fried bread hit her nose along with a soft rush of nostalgia.

"Cake pans! It seemed easy enough."

"You mean pancakes?" Jenny asked, her mouth already watering for that familiar flavor.

"Yeah, that. Just took a handful of leftover dough from the larder, made it into a little circle, then heated up the pan with some butter in it. Smells good, right?"

"I'll say. Do you have any syrup?"

"I don't think so. Was planning to just use some berry paste and a bit of sugar on the top. Hopefully that will suffice for human culinary standards," Calypse chuckled.

"Sounds perfect," Jenny said.

"Glad to hear it. Here's the first one if you want to taste test it for me." The Clefable took the pan off the flame and moved the cake to a stone carved plate. Sweet smelling steam rose off the dish as he moved it to the table behind him and went back to preparing the next batch.

Jenny wasted no time coming up to the table and admiring Calypse's cooking. A bit wider and thicker than the kind she used to make for Ariel before they'd go to school, but it looked just as tasty. As she recalled that name, though, she stopped herself, a bitter taste in her mouth.

She tried to think of something else. "D-did you say you had some berries to go with this?"

"Yeah. Check the right side of the larder. Bottom shelf."

Jenny nodded and went over to the little room beside the stove. She scanned the shelves, looking for the box of multicolored berries. Right as she was about to grab it, she heard Calypse shriek.

"What in the world?! Hey, get out of here, you!"

Calypse had just turned around to grab some more butter when he caught the sight of a shadowy figure sitting crossed legged on the table devouring Jenny's pancake. The Clefable quickly picked up his hot pan with both hands, clutching the handle like he was about to swat an insect. The shadow continued to eat without a care.

Jenny looked back, her eyes widening as she saw the long black strand of her shadow leading back to the breakfast table. She raced back out, of course seeing Zenji stuffing his face with the last bits of her pancake. "Zenji! What are you doing?"

Calypse loosened the grip on his pan. "You know this thing, Jenny?"

"Kind of. I meant to talk to you about them last night, but then Kino showed up, and by the time I got back you had already gone to bed."

Calypse knit his brow. "You found this thing at Memory Cay, didn't you?"

"Yeah. Their name is Zenji. Garley said they were a Marshadow."

"Y-yes, I know what he is," Calypse said as he set down the pan. "Just never seen one in real life. They've only been talked about in stories." Calypse got a little closer, seeing Zenji stare back at him with a near blank expression. "Can they talk?"

"No," Zenji said.

"They can talk and sass me," Calypse sighed. "You're already rubbing off on them, Jenny."

"Zenji, I thought you were staying in my shell," Jenny said.

The Marshadow shrugged. "...I got hungry. The food smelled good. Tasted good, too."

"Hungry?" Calypse asked. "You mean there is food on Memory Cay?"

"...Rocks mostly," said Zenji. "...Your food tastes much better than rocks."

The Clefable laughed. "That's the best compliment I've heard all week. Well, if you're still hungry Zenji, here." Calypse grabbed the pancake he had prepared on his own plate and passed it over to Zenji. "I'll just make us some more."

Zenji's eyes lit up. "...Thank you," they said before stuffing the whole cake in their mouth. Jenny couldn't help but snicker at how Zenji's eating reminded her of Ariel, but she stopped herself. She wanted to think of anything else, but as she watched Zenji, Ariel's name wouldn't leave her mind.

"So, do you know much about Marshadows, Calypse?" Jenny asked, trying to distract herself.

Calypse added some more butter to his sizzling pan before reaching for some dough. "Only from the stories, but I can do some research later today. I want to see if any of the travel logs mention the name 'Zenji' too. I don't know why, but something about that name rings a bell."

"Sounds good," said Jenny. "See if it mentions anything about separating us, too."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, as weird as it sounds, I think Zenji might be attached to my shadow," she said, pointing to her dark Wartortle shape cast by the room's candlelight forming a path leading to Zenji.

The Clefable looked over from his cooking to confirm this. "Odd. At first I would assume it to be possession, but then Zenji would be controlling you instead of stuffing his face with pancakes. I'll see if any of my books have anything on it."

The group felt another reverberation through the room following the rolling thunder. "Sounds like it's getting worse," Jenny said.

"Curses," whispered Calypse. "Is it already late enough in the summer to start getting hurricanes?"

Jenny tensed up. "You really think it's a hurricane? D-do we need to evacuate?"

"Nah, nothing like that," he said. "Just gonna' have to hunker down in the basement till it passes and hope the top of the store doesn't get blown off. Gonna' have to start moving all the books down here too after we're done eating."

"Already on it," a gruff voice called from upstairs. The sound of a pair of wings beating echoed into the basement as Garley came down holding a basket of books with the grip in his teeth.

"There you are, Garley," Jenny said.

Garley set the basket down at the foot of the basement stairs. He cleared his throat as he approached the table. "Here I am. Went to go check with Windy at the lighthouse. It's a pretty big storm by her estimate, but she says the brunt of it won't hit the island. She thinks it will pass right by, but I'm not one to take chances on the cooperation of the gods."

"Tornadus is throwing his first one of the year, huh?" asked Calypse. "Well, we should at least have time to eat before we move more books. Come. Sit down and rest, friend."

Jenny grinned at the Crobat. "You missed it last night, Garley. Had a friendly match against that Wartortle that came by. Nearly got him, too."

The Crobat sighed as he perched himself at the edge of the table. "You mean that Ditto? Yes, I was aware that they challenged you."

"Really? 'Cuz you took off without anyone noticing."

"Just went to see an old flame. Besides, part of my reputation is slipping into the shadows. Silent and unseen, as it were."

Jenny rolled her eyes. "And I assume that explains how you knew the old Wartortle was a Ditto?"

"No. I knew they were a Ditto because I've met them before. Many times, in fact."

"I figured. I remember you told me about someone like them from your old life. Besides, I got the feeling that Kino knows who I really am."

"That would be a correct feeling," the Crobat said. "I did tell you that they would eventually find you. They aren't just here to check on you, after all. They want you to go with them back to their base where it's safe."

"Do you think I should go?"

"Certainly not in this weather," Calypse interrupted. "Now eat. We'll have time to move the books down once we all have full stomachs." As Jenny and Garley had talked, the Clefable had cooked up a dozen or so thick pancakes and put them across a few plates that he slid over to each guest. Zenji unceremoniously grabbed another fluffy cake and began taking large bites out of it as the others started eating.

With every smack of Zenji's audible chewing, Garley felt his eye twitch. "I suppose you met the shadow, Calypse?"

Calypse looked up from his own food and nodded. "Cute little thing, too. Guess that makes you a mom, huh Jenny?"

The Wartortle gave an incredulous laugh as she swallowed. "Hell no. I am way too young to be a mom."

"If you say so," the Clefable shrugged.

"What? You don't think so?"

"No. It's up to you. I just know my parents were pretty young when they had me and my siblings, though they are a lot more old fashioned."

"How many siblings do you have?"

"Seven. Why?"

"See, that's something I've noticed," Jenny said in between bites. "Pokémon only seem to either have a bunch of kids or none at all. Hardly any in between."

"It's in our nature," Garley replied. "More offspring means more of our species survives."

"I guess. Humans don't really think that way, though. A family with more than even like three kids would be seen as a lot."

Calypse put a hand to his chin as he chewed. "Interesting. Then how many siblings do you have, Jenny?"

Jenny thought about her answer as she swallowed her food. "None. I was an only child."

"Oh," The Clefable said. "Well, I guess if Zenji stays attached to you, you'll be like their big sister, then."

Jenny didn't respond and finished the last of her meal. She looked over to Zenji who had long since finished eating and even fallen asleep during the conversation. As they drifted off to sleep, their shadowy shape began to dissipate and disappear again into Jenny's shell.

"Ah, so that's where they've been hiding," Calypse chuckled as he began gathering everyone's empty plates. "I guess your recipe was a hit, Jenny. Even Garley liked it."

"It was...something else, I'll say," Garley mused. "A simple yet exquisite human dish."

Jenny smiled. "Just say you liked it, Garley."

The Crobat shot her a look. "I just did. Anyway, let's start moving the books down."

"W-wait," Jenny said. "Shouldn't we make sure Kino knows about the storm?"

Garley's eye twitched again. "I don't really think-"

"Good idea, Jenny!" Calypse interjected. "Much better to wait out a storm like this in the company of friends. Go check and see if they're staying at Garchu's. We could use their help moving the stock down as well."

"Calypse, they won't want-"

"On it! I'll be back in a sec." Jenny hopped from her chair and headed for the stairs. Before Garley could extend out a wing and try to stop her, she was already up to the ground floor.

The Crobat could only grit his teeth and grumble. "Why, Calypse? Why?"

"Isn't it obvious? I want to finally meet this old flame of yours," Calypse snickered.

Garley scowled. "I hate you, Calypse."

Jenny struggled to get the front door of the bookstore shut and back in place as the rising winds and rain whipped across Starlight Island. Palm trees swayed beneath the tumbling grey clouds overhead. The Wartortle could barely make out the shapes of cyclones far off on the ocean's horizon. Those monoliths of divine expression danced and spun as they connected the waves and the sky. Further beyond, Jenny swore she could see a massive figure riding the cyclones and clouds like a throne, its hands conducting the storms and guiding them along their wanton destruction.

Against the winds, Jenny pushed her way across the soaked limestone town square. Not a soul lingered in the center of the village, its usual business and foot traffic replaced with windswept palm leaves and the mixed deluge of rain and salt water. The shop stalls had all been dismantled and packed away. Not even the lighthouse beacon turned. The only light Jenny could spot in the village faintly shined through a window across the way beneath the Starlight Island hostel, though the building shook and swayed with every gust of wind. The Wartortle pressed on through the hostel's lobby door, leaning her back against it as she entered to shut out the storm.

A Graveler looked up from their work of tying down lobby furniture to meet the drenched girl. "Oh, Jenny. I thought you were a last minute traveler. What brings you here?"

"Hey, Garchu," the Wartortle said as she shook off the excess rain water on her. "I'm looking for a friend of mine and I wanted to see if they were staying here."

"Is that right? Well, we've only got one room booked at the moment. It was for a couple that came in late last night."

"A couple? Well, was one of them a Ditto? Or maybe a Wartortle?"

Garchu shook his head. "Neither of those. Was actually a Togekiss. They booked the room for two, though I never did see the second guest enter. Must have come in even later."

"Was the name under 'Kino'?"

"Indeed it was. Though the Togekiss did express great interest in their privacy. Paid for the week upfront just to make sure they were not disturbed."

"Well, I talked with Kino last night. I'm sure they won't mind if I check on them."

The Graveler shrugged as he finished his next knot. "Might as well. Better to make sure they have a plan for the storm. I'm actually about to head over to the lighthouse and help Windy make sure it stays up."

"Will just you two be enough?" Jenny asked.

Garchu chuckled. "Even if all the gods teamed up and hit us with every storm they got, my wife and I would still keep the lighthouse up no problem. We'll make sure the entire village stays in one piece. You just make sure your friend stays safe. Their room is the last one on the right."

Jenny thanked the Graveler then jogged down the hostel's hall. Her damp nails clicked along the stone floor as she passed every door, eyeing the one tucked away at the end. As she approached the door, she peeked out the window on the opposite wall, barely able to see through the glass as a flurry of rain kept the outside obscured in grey. Over the sound of the rain, Jenny could hear voices beyond the door to Kino's room. She was also keen to notice that the door was slightly open.

"She did this to spite me, I bet. She knew I hated storms and what does she do? Sends me out into the middle of a hurricane on a tiny little island! I can't fly away, I can't swim away, I can't do anything!"

"Kino, calm down," a female voice said. "We can just go take shelter in the mountain."

"And risk a cave in? No thank you! I'm just gonna dig myself a little hole here and bury myself till the storm is gone."

"They're gonna charge the club extra to fix the floor."

"I'll pay for it."

"And what about me?"

"Ehh...I'll make the hole big enough for you two."

Jenny pushed open the door, finding a pair of Pokémon in conversation, though they both fell silent as the Wartortle entered. A Nosepass already had its body halfway into the floor while a larger Pokémon hovered beside it with disapproval. It took Jenny a moment to remember what it was called, but as the Pokémon's lustrous red coat filled her mind, the name came back to her: Latias.

"J-Jenny?" the Nosepass cried as it wiggled itself out of the ground. From that voice alone, Jenny could tell it was Kino in a new transformation.

As Kino struggled to get themself out of their hole, Latias turned and locked eyes with Jenny. Jenny blinked, unsure what to expect from such a Pokémon, but Latias offered a friendly and tender smile. "So this is the famous Jenny? It's my great pleasure to finally meet you."

Latias extended a hand out to Jenny. Jenny hesitated. "A handshake?" She asked.

"Yes! I'm a fan of the simple yet effective greetings of humans. Oh, but am I not close enough to offer one yet?"

"N-no," Jenny said. "It's fine. Though, what you just said...so you do know I'm a human?"

"Yes?" Latias turned to the Nosepass and cocked her head. "Kino, you did explain the situation last night, right?"

Kino looked up from his hole and gave a nervous laugh. As he did, though, his struggling finally paid off and he popped out of his hole and onto his side. He quickly picked himself up and dusted himself off. "Not in such certain terms. From my experience, these situations take a sense of tact and delica-."

The nearby window lit up with a flash as a bolt of lightning struck somewhere off the shore of the island. Kino shrank back and fell silent, resisting the urge to jump back in his hole. "D-damn you, Tornadus."

"Hey, my friend mentioned that name, too," Jenny said. "Is Tornadus the one making this storm?"

Latias nodded. "He runs wild in the South Star sea around this time every year."

"Can't we try stopping him?"

"Believe me, we've tried many times before," replied Latias with a sigh. "Tornadus barely listens to his brothers, let alone anyone from the club. Besides, he'll just take it as a personal attack if we try to interrupt his storm. Best to wait till he gets his energy out and gets bored."

"Well, that's kind of why I'm here. I wanted to see if you both wanted to wait out the storm at my friend's place. It's not as furnished as the hostel, but his basement will be a lot safer."

"A basement?" Kino's shaky voice picked up with new hope. A light quickly washed over him, changing his Nosepass body into the same Wartortle from last night. " Lead the way Jenny! The further we can get away from the storm, the better."

"Hold on," Latias said, blocking Kino's path as she looked back to Jenny. "I have to ask: will Garley be there?"

Jenny knit her brow at the question. She was about to ask how she knew him, but an old detail of Garley's stories jumped back in her mind. She also remembered where Garley said he was last night. The Wartortle smiled and took the gamble. "Of course. It was actually his idea that I came and got you two."

Latias' eyes widened. "R-really? Garley asked you?" She thought for a moment. "Maybe those years away really did change him. Fine, we'll come with you, but mainly to make sure you're safe through the storm, Jenny."

"And when the weather clears up, you want me to go back with you to your base, right? Garley told me as much."

Latias hesitated. "That's right. You're one of three humans that we know who have been brought to our world. It's our mission to bring you back to the High Flyer's club HQ and keep you safe till we figure out if you're in any danger."

"W-wait, there's more than just me? There's other humans?" Jenny put a hand to her head. She couldn't help but chuckle. "I really thought I was the only one. Are the others already there now?"

Kino came up beside Latias, patting his shell. "We have other agents picking them up as we speak. With this storm, though, no doubt we'll be the last to arrive."

"That's fine. It's just...wow. Yeah, I can't wait to meet the others."

Kino smiled. "Of course. Though, the sooner we can get to safety, the better," he said as even more rain pounded the windows.

Jenny agreed. She led the two out to the lobby of the hostel and out the front door to brave the storm back to Calypse's store.