Author's Note: I wrote Sonder to write a Pokemon story where I felt like I belonged. A world where queerness and disability were part of everyday life, and where the strange looks I deal with daily were the outliers, not the regular. Thus, while Jude isn't me (not even close), they do share some traits with me. All of Sonder's main characters are diverse in some way and I adore them all. I only hope you like them, too. Furthermore, Pokemon was created by an autistic man, and I wanted to celebrate that with a character who was autistic, like me. Jude's experiences as an autistic person are largely based on my own. Autism is a wide spectrum with many traits that a person may have, and thus, Jude may not look like what you're used to autism looking like.
Sonder is a journey fic in the original region of Altera. Fundamentally, it is a story about exploration of the self and the world, but it's also a mystery, a dramatic adventure, and a story of friendship and the celebration of life. It has romantic relationships, all of them slow burn and well-developed (in my opinion), and plenty of subplots. It's a story I've been working very hard on. So I hope you all enjoy it. If you do, I'd love to hear from you! Thank you.
Chapter One: Leaving Home
The whistle of the passenger train and the squeal of its brakes drew Jude from their half-dozing against the window. They jolted, wincing at the noise, and looked around as the train decelerated and screamed to a halt. It wasn't possible that they'd already arrived in Duskport. The train ride was over three hours and Jude had been dozing for perhaps an hour at most.
Around Jude, the handful of other passengers in the car murmured to each other and themselves, leaning forward or standing to peer at the door that lead toward the front of the train. Jude didn't bother to move. They unfolded their arms and petted Rex, their Growlithe, who was resting his head in Jude's lap.
The cushions of the booth seats in the train car were comfortable. The end-of-June, afternoon sun shone through the window and warmed Jude's skin. And the train car smelled vaguely of vanilla and cinnamon, though Jude didn't know why. It was a cozy place to rest, and a good way to spend the long journey from Myrtleport to Duskport. Far more comfortable than the old, worn down bus that Jude had been forced to take from their hometown of Furrowbury to the town of Myrtleport, that morning.
The floor had been sticky, the bus driver rude, the radio crackly and too loud, the toilet had been out of order, and it had smelled far too strongly of cabbages. Not Jude's idea of a good morning.
Whatever was going on with the train, someone would be through to tell them shortly. Worrying endlessly wasn't going to solve anything, and getting up from their comfortable spot wouldn't help.
As if on cue, the train car door opened and a well-dressed man who presumably worked for the train stepped in.
"Excuse me. Can I have your attention, please?" he called. Jude turned their head to look over their shoulder and toward the front of the car. "We have an issue. There are aggressive Pokémon on the tracks that we cannot move. These are grass-type Pokémon. If there are any rangers or trainers on board with fire-type Pokémon, we would appreciate your help."
There was a long moment of silence before the murmuring started up again. Rex lifted his head and cocked it at Jude, who sighed.
"All right, all right," they murmured to him. They nudged him and he hopped up, dropping under the table to allow Jude to slide out of the booth. They stood and faced the employee, drawing the attention of everyone in the train. Jude was used to the attention. They were tall and they knew many found them intimidating, due to their often flat expression and somewhat broad, muscular form. It was something their father had had to explain to Jude, after their last growth spurt. That people assumed the worst of those bigger than them.
Jude didn't understand. But then, neurotypical people had never made much sense to them.
"I'm a trainer," said Jude, leaving off the unfortunately that threatened to slip off their tongue, "and I have a Growlithe. I'll help." Technically, they weren't a trainer yet. Their license wouldn't activate until after the opening ceremony for the League season, tomorrow morning. But no one else needed to know that.
"Thank you," said the man, with a nod. "Please, follow me." He turned and left the car, passing through the door. Jude followed, careful not to look back at the other passengers. The ones who watched Jude already had wary looks, and Jude was already sick of them.
These people were scared, Dad would have said. You are strong, and capable, and your voice carries. They look to you for help.
But Dad wasn't here, and attention was like a slimy second skin that clung to Jude and destroyed all the peace their resting had given them. The bus, the hustle and bustle of Myrtleport, the dislike of leaving home, and now the looks of timid, scared people. It was all too much.
Jude glared at the group of teens at the front of the car, who were whispering and pointing at Jude, as they passed. They weren't that weird looking. Hell, they weren't even six feet tall - just under - and while they were built to climb rocks, they didn't look like a body builder or a superhero.
It was the flat expression. It was the multitude of scars on their hands and forearms. It was their eyes - so dark they were black, removing the distinction between iris and pupil.
Soulless, old Mrs. Witherwood used to whisper, making the symbol of Arceus whenever Jude passed. The pastor at Furrowbury - Jude's hometown's - only church had agreed. Jude and Dad had stopped attending church when Jude was a child for a reason.
The teens stopped for a moment, but they started again. They were probably the same age, sixteen and a bit, in Jude's case, but they felt a lifetime away. Most teens did. Jude had never understood people their own age.
They followed the man through to the next train car, and then the next. He opened the outside door in the third car and gestured for Jude to step out first. Jude raised an eyebrow at that. Shouldn't adults go first? He was more experienced than Jude. Or, maybe he thought Jude was older than they looked. It wasn't uncommon.
Plus, he didn't seem to have a Pokémon on him, which Jude thought was strange. What kind of person didn't have a Pokémon?
Jude stepped out of the car and down the short steps, dropping down onto the gravel that lined the sides of the train tracks. They were one car back from the engine, and the engine car door was open as well. The conductor leaned out, his gaze going from Jude to Rex at their feet.
"You a ranger?" asked the conductor. His voice was the country drawl of southeast. Roanside, probably. Maybe Sugardale. His glaze flicked up and down Jude in a way that Jude had learned meant they were being sized up. Judging by the raise of his eyebrows and the purse of his lips, he was impressed with what he saw.
Jude whispered a silent 'thank-you' to their body language guide, which was on the ereader in their bag, back on the train.
"Trainer," said Jude, with more confidence than they felt. Hopefully, Rex would be able to handle whatever grass-types were on the tracks. They would be weaker than Rex, on principle, but Rex was a pet turned trainer Pokémon, and that was recent. The best attacks he knew were Ember and Iron Tail. If the grass-types were strong enough to worry the train staff…
It would probably be fine.
"Right," said the man, nodding. "We got a couple of pissed off Parasect on the tracks. Can't risk attacking them with anything we got. They might spore and then we're hosed if something else happens." He looked at Rex, then at Jude again. Jude focused on a spot over his shoulder - close enough to his eyes that he might not notice, but far enough away for Jude to avoid discomfort. "Think you can handle it?"
Jude shrugged. "Parasect?" Highly weak to fire, though their spore abilities might prove a problem. Ember had a good range, and if Rex kept his distance, he'd be able to take them out without being harmed too badly. No Iron Tail, in case they had Effect Spore, but if any had Dry Skin, it would be even easier to drop them.
However, Parasect was an evolved Pokémon, and they were decently strong. Rex wasn't that strong. And why were Parasect even here? This wasn't their native area. They preferred heavily forested areas and the darkness of swamps, or even lush caves. These tracks ran alongside the coast and largely through grassland and areas near beaches. Perhaps the mushroom had an influence?
The man was staring at Jude. A twinge in their shoulder made Jude aware that the other man was, as well. They must have spaced out.
"We can handle it," said Jude, with a nod. "C'mon, Rex." They struck off toward the front of the train, Rex at their side.
It wasn't a long walk, and Jude had to pass the conductor as they went.
"Good luck," he called, before stepping back into the train. Jude gave a quiet huff. Based on what he said, he did have a Pokémon, but he wasn't willing to fight. He'd rather endanger his passengers than try and do it himself. Sure, he'd excused himself by saying he needed to stay safe if something else happened, but what else would happen?
He was a coward. Plain and simple. Both of them were.
The grass around the train was tall, taller than Rex in parts, and Jude hung close to the train tracks to avoid losing him to the grass. Or risking Rex getting ticks or some other bug. The heat of the afternoon sun and the heat dripping off the engine car had Jude sweating through their hat and t-shirt before they got around the front of the train. They pulled off their baseball cap and swept their fingers through their short, dark curls. At least they'd shaved the sides of their head before they left home. That helped. Jude pulled their cap back on, drawing it low over their face. Contrary to popular belief, especially among some of the tourists in Furrowbury, Jude still burnt in the sun if out too long, despite their moderate brown skin. Though, they'd thought their freckles would make that clear.
Some people only saw what they wanted to.
As Jude cleared the front of the train, they came face to face with four Parasect milling about on the tracks. They were throwing spores at the front of the engine car. Probably poison, based on the purple tinge. Jude winced and took a step back. That wasn't good. If they were attacking inorganic things, they might attack Jude. Damn.
What had gotten into them? They were so far away from home and now they were attacking a train?
Jude's foot crunched on the gravel. The four Parasect turned as one. Jude winced.
Then they started screaming. The screeches ripped through Jude's head. They clapped their hands over their ears and winced, ducking their head.
No, bad, wrong. Bad, bad, bad. The noise tore through what calm they had. It clawed at their skull. It dug into their thoughts. It hissed its pain into every inch of Jude until they wanted to scream back.
"Rex!" Jude yelled. "Ember!"
He pushed forward, wincing all the way, then threw his mouth open and spat fire at the Parasect. They scattered, screeches fading, and scrambled for cover. One launched itself at Rex and Rex dove sideways, rolling away from it. Jude took a few steps back, hands dropping to their sides and clenching into fists. Avoid the Parasect, help Rex fight. Easy enough.
"Start with that one," said Jude. "Stay back and use Ember to target it from afar." Jude pivoted as a Parasect scuttled by, too close for comfort. Their vision blurred at the edges. Their ears rang. Their head had started to pound and it was already digging into their teeth.
Pain later. Fight now.
Rex dove around the Parasect, firing off fireballs as fast as he could. A few of them managed to land home, but the Parasect were fast, as well. They moved in tandem, as if they could hear each other's thoughts. Maybe they could. Maybe the mushrooms let them.
Jude cheered Rex on as he moved, calling out dodges and attacks as he went. One Parasect went down, its mushroom smoking from the Embers that Rex had landed. Jude ducked as a Parasect spat something at them. It leaned back, preparing to run. Jude bolted sideways and rolled, the gravel digging into their bare arms.
"Rex!" they yelled. Don't Screech again, don't Screech again. "Little help."
Rex turned, leaped over another Parasect, and flipped in midair. His tail glowed and he slammed it into the Parasect running at Jude. Both Pokémon went rolling and tumbling into the grass. As Rex got up, he stumbled, and Jude gasped at the sickly purple aura slowly spreading from Rex's tail and up the rest of his body.
Oh no.
They were running out of time.
Rex… Had he ever been poisoned before?
Rex spat fire at the Parasect, over and over until it went down and didn't get back up.
Two to go.
Rex stumbled, wincing. He let out a whine and Jude bit the inside of their cheek. Come on, buddy.
"Howl," said Jude, mind spinning. If he powered up enough, he could one-shot one of the Parasect, right? Probably not. But it would make it easier.
Rex threw back his head and Jude clapped their hands over their ears just before Rex opened his mouth and howled into the sky. The Parasect stumbled, chattering at one another. Jude grimaced as their head pounded.
Rex stopped and launched himself at the two Parasect. He slid between them, stumbling as he stopped, and spun around as they separated from one another. He spat fire, over and over, alternating between the two, dancing between them even as he flagged and swayed. The Parasect shrieked and scrambled, but they didn't seem to have any proper attacks. And when they threw out their spores, Rex scorched them in midair, until they fell to the tracks and grass as ashes.
The two remaining Parasect shrieked and reared back, claws glowing. Shit. Jude took a step back and so did Rex, but he wobbled. Taking a breath, Jude prepared to run for Rex. Maybe they could handle the attack. Maybe their shirt would help.
A shriek from above and Jude clapped their hands over their ears, looking up. A Staraptor streaked by. Its wings glowed and it dove for the Parasect, slamming into both with either wing. They cried out and went rolling. They tumbled into the long grass with their fallen brethren and vanished.
Jude stared. The Staraptor landed on the ground on the other side of the tracks from Jude. It was tall, almost as tall as Jude, and they gapped. Weren't Staraptor usually shorter than that? A man climbed off the Staraptor. He had dark skin and wore the black and red or the rangers. A red and white checked keffiyeh was fashioned around his head. He smiled and waved at Jude, hurrying over.
"I saw you fighting the Parasect. Are you all right?" he asked, sliding to a stop at the tracks.
Jude let their gaze follow the pattern of his headdress to avoid the intensity of his gaze.
"My Growlithe is poisoned," said Jude, shame creeping up their throat. A good trainer wouldn't have let that happen. A good trainer would have protected him. But if Jude was a good trainer, they would have given a damn about the gym challenge. If Jude was a good trainer, then the competition wouldn't have disgusted them. Annoyed them. Fucking trainers.
Jude was fine the way they were. But they shouldn't have taken on the Parasect.
Stupid.
"I've got some pecha berries you can have," said the ranger. He called back his Staraptor, which vanished into the Ranger Ball in one hand. The red and black design was distinctive, and in another situation, Jude might have asked what the purpose of Ranger Balls was. Right now, they just wanted to get those berries and get back on the train.
Not a great start to their journey.
What were they even doing out here?
He crossed the tracks to Jude and pulled a pecha berry from the pouch attached to his hip. "Here, the quicker you give it to him, the better off he'll be."
"Thanks," mumbled Jude. They grabbed the berry and hurried over to Rex, dropping to their knees. Gravel dug into their pants as they held the berry out to Rex. He ate it, fast enough that Jude worried he'd choke.
"My name's Nasir," said the ranger. "What are you doing out here?"
"Got asked," said Jude, petting Rex's fur. The purple tinge was slowly fading, from the front, back. Rex leaned into their hand and closed his eyes, letting out a little whine. "Parasect attacked the train, stopped it. I was the only person with a fire-type who volunteered."
Nasir hummed. "Volunteer and ask are two different things."
Jude shrugged.
He sighed. "How about I ride with you? I'd like to talk to that captain, maybe find out what happened. Parasect aren't native to this area, and I'm curious where they came from."
Jude shrugged, again. They scooped Rex into their arms and got to their feet, slow and steady. Nasir sighed, again.
"Right then, after you," said Nasir, gesturing.
Jude headed back to the train, climbing the steps into the car and moving back toward their own car. Nasir followed behind, and Jude heard the murmurs and saw the surprised looks that followed them. Nasir broke off when he saw the employee that had led Jude out, and Jude slipped into their seat, settling Rex on one side of them.
People stared, but Jude didn't say a word. They slid down in their seat and pulled their hat low over their eyes. For a few minutes, there was only silence and whispers and staring. Rex's breathing slowly evened out as he leaned against Jude, and Jude didn't focus on anything except petting his fur and listening to whatever noises he made.
After a few minutes, Nasir slid into the seat across from Jude and leaned on the table. He set a bottle of soda down onto the table and smiled at Jude.
"How is he?" asked Nasir.
Jude shrugged. "Fine." A pause. "Getting better, I mean. Thank you."
"You're welcome." Nasir smiled. "What's your name?"
"Jude." They hesitated a moment, then, "They/them."
"He/him," replied Nasir. "And good to meet you."
Jude shrugged.
"Are you a trainer?"
"Will be, tomorrow."
"So, you're joining the League?" asked Nasir, cracking open his soda. The bottle was already sweating from the sunlight bearing down on it through the window. Jude watched his hands, which were rough, calloused, and scarred, but held a gentleness that spoke of his ability to soothe Pokémon and people alike, as he trailed his thumb through the condensation.
No wasted water, Jude supposed.
"Yeah. In the opening ceremony and everything," said Jude. They watched Nasir's expression at the top of their gaze, never lifting their head nor meeting his eyes. He sat sideways on the bench seat of the booth, back pressed into the wall and the window, one arm on the table, one leg bent up at the knee. His boot was on the seat, then. How much dirt was he getting on it? Did he even care?
Conversation around them was low. Lower than it had been, before. People listening in. People curious why a ranger was spending time with a newbie, a weirdo, like Jude.
As if Jude hadn't just helped them all at the cost of themself.
Jude stroked Rex's fur. He dozed, half in their lap, his head curled against their stomach. He was cooler than usual, but the purple sheen had vanished entirely from his fur and muzzle. When the train stopped in Duskport, Jude would take him to a Pokémon Centre. It would delay them into Dawnmere by a few hours, but they'd rather arrive at midnight in the unfamiliar city than let Rex suffer a minute longer than necessary.
"Fancy yourself the next Champion?" asked Nasir. He had a drawl that wasn't native to Altera. Closer to the specific cadence of the northern Sinnoh citizens. Or maybe a touch of Kalos. Posh, Jude supposed, but in a rough, worn-out sort of way.
Jude snorted. "Not likely. Don't even want to challenge the gyms." They cast a glance out the window and watched the shoreline rush by. At this speed, they couldn't make out any details, but the ocean was beautiful, and Jude wanted to spend days on the beach, this summer.
"Oh?" Nasir cocked his head. His gaze flicked up and down Jude, sizing them up. Jude tensed. "Huh. Why join the League then?" He dug into the bag at his feet with one arm and pulled out a bag of grapes. "Most people on journeys are looking for something." He opened the bag and tossed a grape into his mouth. "If not gym badges, then what's in it for you?"
Jude sighed. That was the question they'd been asking themself since their father had given his ultimatum, months ago. Journey, or job. Travel, or stay with him and work at the clinic. They'd spent their whole life at Dad's vet practice and hadn't relished in the idea of spending the rest of their life there. Not that it was bad, but because it didn't call to them. Plus, Furrowbury wasn't exactly their idea of a perfect home. Too many small-minded nitwits.
Yet, why train? Trainer culture was toxic and horrifying, driving people to risk themselves and their Pokémon for what? A chance at greatness? The same Champion for eight years, now. What made any new trainer think they could take Genevieve Harrow? Why hurt yourself to go for something that wasn't possible? For something people told you that you had to want? And it wasn't as though the other League spots were ones people went for, when they became trainers. Hell, Jude couldn't even name most of them.
"I guess… that's what I'm trying to figure out," said Jude, drumming their fingers on the table. "I'm only sixteen, but it feels like everyone else around me knows what they want already." Even if that want was impossible. Even if they were all delusional. Jude stared out the window. There were trees now, spread out but there all the same. The big, arching branches and trunks that curved toward the beaches and the sky all at once. "That's what journeys are for, right? Figuring yourself out?" Jude shrugged. "Maybe I'll find what I want, out there."
Nasir hummed. "It's worth a shot."
With a grimace, Jude scrubbed one hand over their face. "Right, you probably don't actually care. You're just being polite." That was how it worked. People made small talk. Small talk was supposed to be small, not philosophical.
Nasir shook his head, moving his keffiyeh as he did. "Not at all. I'm genuinely curious. I often ask new trainers what they want. Obviously, only one person at a time can be Champion, and then there's twenty-two other main League members. With hundreds of trainers every year, that leaves a lot never reaching their initial dreams. It's important to know what you're reaching for, if not that impossibility."
A snort. Jude shook their head. "Oh, trust me, I have no interest in joining the League. I can't stand the stupid thing. All those people, trying for something they can't do. Destroying themselves because the League tells them to. What about their own dreams? Do they really want to be League members, or are they just buying into the same nonsense as everyone else?" Jude looked down at Rex. "I have no interest in putting my Pokémon at risk for nothing. And I have no interest in pretending that 'nothing' could be 'something'."
Nasir cracked open the bottle of soda and drained half of it in one good. Jude watched the condensation on the bottle move. Droplets that threw tiny rainbows across their surfaces from the phone.
"Maybe," agreed Nasir, shrugging. "I'm not one to argue against possibility, just likelihood. But I think you have the right idea. Journeying to find out who you are and what you want is important. And who knows, maybe you'll find something you never thought you would."
"Considering I have no expectations, that seems likely," said Jude. Who was this guy? Why wasn't he arguing with Jude? Everyone always argued. Told Jude that their disdain for the League was basically treason. Was an insult to Altera and its culture, its history, its present. Yet, Nasir agreed. Nasir listened.
Why?
Nasir chuckled. "You know what?" He lifted his bottle into the air as a form of 'cheers'. "I'll drink to that. Expectations low and you're always surprised. But there's something to be said for excitement, too."
Jude shrugged. "Yeah, whatever." It wasn't that they weren't excited, only that they didn't know what to be excited about. And if Jude let themself get excited without anywhere to direct it toward, they'd just end up manic, frustrated, and ready for a fight. But there wasn't a chance they were going to explain that to a man they'd just met. As much as it was nice to connect, Jude remembered their stranger danger classes, both from Dad and from the League as a whole.
Something-something, vulnerable young trainers. Something-something, don't talk to people who seem too interested in you. But what was too interested? What was too cautious? And how worried did Jude have to be, when they could lift their own weight with one hand and most people were too smart to try anything? And the ones who did didn't have the brain cells to realize they were out of their league trying to fight Jude.
Pfft. Stranger danger. Something else that didn't make sense. Something else no one had adapted for the autistic community. All reading body language and facial expressions and tone to find intent. Paying enough attention to people to figure out even a third of that, even a tenth of that, was exhausting, and it could drive day-long headaches into the front of Jude's head.
Arceus, they had a headache, but they weren't going to take anything for it while taking to Nasir. It'd pass on its own, in time. And they hated the way people looked at them when they took painkillers over what they perceived to be nothing.
Stupid neurotypicals. Never thinking about how this shit worked for everyone else. Never thinking that other people had different experiences.
Was Nasir a predator? Doubtful. But this was the sort of thing Jude had no cues for. Was he giving off danger signals? Was that why people were watching?
Could rangers be bad guys? That seemed unlikely.
Nasir was watching them. How long had Jude been spaced out? Had they been staring at him? Jude grimaced. Shit.
"Sorry," said Jude, the word falling out of their mouth without thought. Jude's grimace deepened. Stupid shitty reflex.
"You're fine," said Nasir. "But I appreciate the thought. Now, if I may change the subject, I'm headed to Dawnmere, so if you'd like company, I'm happy to tag along. I always get lonely when they split up my partner and I."
Oh right, rangers had partners. Not that Jude had ever met a ranger. Furrowbury was too small for rangers. It had a sheriff and a couple plainclothes police officers, but that was it.
"I'm stopping in Duskport for a while," said Jude. Was this dangerous? Eh, it was probably fine. Dad was always telling Jude to follow their instincts, even if Jude's were a little weird compared to most people's. The classes had just put a new batch of paranoid thoughts into Jude's heads.
Stupid classes. Jude had known most of the information in them, anyway. Except the city/urban stuff. Which, in their defence — small town, country roads. It made sense for them not to know.
"Ah, fair enough," said Nasir.
The two continued to chat about little things as they watched the landscape fly by. Time passed faster with company, and Jude kept one eye on Rex as they chatted with Nasir. Rex seemed to be doing fine, but worry brewed in Jude's chest. How long would it take him to recover? How bad was poison?
Logically, Jude knew that poison was easily recovered from, so long as quick action was taken. But it was different, seeing it in action instead of in a book.
As their nerves brewed under their skin, Jude found themself reaching under the collar of their shirt for their necklace. It had a rubber, chewy ring attached to the black cord. As they reached for it, however, they brushed the second necklace beneath their shirt, one that had joined the first only this morning.
"Before you go," Dad had said, holding out the necklace. "I want you to have this. The stone is a piece from… from your mother's."
"Oh?" asked Jude, gently taking the offered present. They held it close, curiosity for both the necklace and their mother tightening their chest and furrowing their brow.
"When she evolved her Vulpix, the stone was too big. This is what was left of it." He rubbed the back of his neck and shrugged, a smile that Jude often saw reflected back at them on his face. Sheepish, their father had said. Embarrassed, the social skills books all explained in patient, marching letters. But why? "I don't know if it's big enough to evolve Rex, but I wanted you to have it. Your mother was a great ranger, and I think she'd be proud to see you as a trainer. So… I wanted you to have a little piece of her with you, while you travel." His words stumbled over one another and he didn't look at Jude even in the off-centre way that Jude often looked at other people.
Jude smiled. "Thank you, Dad. I love it." The two had hugged, clinging tightly, knowing that they might not see each other in person for an entire year, and then had said their goodbyes. And then Jude was off, heading for the bus station in Furrowbury to start their journey to the capital city of Dawnmere.
Jude caught themself smiling, despite their nerves. The necklace was a connection to a mother they barely remembered, having lost her twelve years prior. It was comforting, to have a piece of her with them in the face of this strange, uncertain journey.
They popped the chewy necklace into their mouth and fingered the shard of fire stone wrapped in wire with one hand, listening to Nasir regale Jude with stories of ranger activities throughout Altera.
By the time the train stopped in Duskport, Jude and Nasir had traded numbers on their phones, and they parted ways in the station — Nasir heading for the monorail platform and Jude ready to strike out into the city to find a nearby Pokémon Centre.
Duskport was massive. A city so huge that even this tiny part could barely fit inside Jude's mind. The train station was multiple stories, with monorails above and below the half a dozen train tracks in Jude's vicinity. The smell of soggy Kalos fries and slightly overdone beef permeated the area, mixing with the scent of hundreds of bodies. The beef was familiar, at least. Furrowbury was a farming community, with strange, mundane cows eating grass in fields next to Miltank that were milked for potion ingredients. There were plenty of vegetarians and tofu eaters throughout the world, but for those that liked meat in Altera, Furrowbury and the towns surrounding it had them covered. And despite Jude's dislike of their hometown, they were always proud to be part of the only community on Altera that farmed meat animals alongside Pokémon (because only monsters ate Pokémon, and the law, and everyone's morals, was very clear about that). It was hard, with how stressed and anxious cows, pigs, and chickens got around Pokémon, but the community had been at it for fifty years, and they had the best meat in the whole region.
Shaking out their thoughts, Jude dug their headphones from their pocket and cranked their music, determined to avoid the cacophony of disjointed voices and announcements that threatened to tear open their mind.
They scooped Rex from the ground and carried him out of the station, ignoring the colourful posters and over-bright fake plants all around. The terracotta tile floors beneath their feet were hard and unforgiving, digging at their already wearing patience.
Where was a Pokémon Centre?
A map near the exit — or was it the entrance? — held the answers. People streamed around Jude, some glancing at them but most ignoring them. They talked on their phones or ate their handheld foods or travelled with their partner Pokémon at their sides. There was a variety to them that Furrowbury lacked. A Zubat upon the shoulders of a young girl. A Sandshrew shuffling along next to an elderly man with a walker (the man, not the Sandshrew, though wasn't that a mental image worth exploring?). Several Machop scurried back and forth, their arms full of concrete and bricks and boards. Construction somewhere in the station, too far for Jude to hear above the crowds and their music.
They squinted at the digital map, which stuck out of the ground like an inorganic tree. A helpful marker stated 'you are here', and Jude shifted close to the map to tap the Pokémon Centre icon to see where the nearest one was. Jude wanted their arms free, but they were too worried to call Rex back into his ball. They couldn't remember if it was safe to do so, in this situation.
Probably. Pokéballs were designed for this sort of thing. But probably wasn't good enough and panic fogged their usually crisp knowledge base.
A pin dropped onto the map, dotted lines rising up between the marker and the pin. The nearest Pokémon Centre was a five minute walk away.
"Right," murmured Jude, mostly into Rex's fur. "Let's go."
Outside the station, Duskport exploded in size and light and noise and smell. The honking of cars, the whistling of wind, the calling of people. The taste of steam on their tongue, strange and tasteless as it might seem. Unfamiliar smells but some of them distinctive. The heavy sent of salt in the air and the rancid smell of fish — both fresh and rotting — assaulted Jude the moment they breathed.
And the buildings, oh the buildings. Jude wasn't scared of heights. They climbed rocks, for Arceus' sake; sometimes freehand, just because they could. But these buildings were something else. They were stone and glass and wood and metal. They were both short and squat and tall and spiralling. Some of them weren't that tremendous, but there were others, so many others, that went so high into the air that Jude dared to think that if they reached the top, they'd see above the clouds.
They stumbled, head tilted so far back to watch the buildings that they lost their balance. Around them, the crowd of people parted as if Jude were a river rock, unimportant but for the temporary spread of flow.
Metaphors.
Jude liked metaphors. But only when they were the one making them.
Then they knew exactly what those metaphors meant.
With a deep breath, Jude struck off toward the Pokémon Centre, trying to keep their head. Rex clung close to Jude, just as unused to crowds as they were. At least people were fast. They moved with a pace that still wasn't fast enough for Jude, but leagues better than the unhurried mosey that so many back home had committed themselves to.
The buildings kept getting taller. The crowds thickened as Jude moved away from the train station. Salt and fish continued their assault, stronger as the winds shifted to blow between the buildings. Disgusting. Absolutely disgusting. Living in the shadow of Misty Cove had acclimatized Jude to the smell of sea salt. It was beautiful and lovely and Jude adored waking up to that smell.
But fish. They despised fish. Fish was the worst of all foods. The smell, the taste, the texture. Not to mention how many grocery stores the damn fresh fish counters ruined. Urgh.
It didn't take long to reach the centre, and Jude breathed a sigh of relief as they stepped from the hot, crowded streets of the city and into the air-conditioned lobby of the clean, welcoming Pokémon Centre.
There were maybe a dozen people in the Pokémon Centre, most of them sitting on the various couches that were spread about one side of the waiting area. The other side had a children's play area and a window that looked into a small kitchen, where several staff members milled about. Jude's eyebrows rose at the sight. A take-out cafe in a Pokémon Centre? That seemed… strange. Odd. Unfamiliar, maybe?
The counter area, directly opposite to the doors and far enough back for a decent sized line, had two Nurse Joys on duty. They wore the customary white outfit and hat with pink first aid symbols. Each wore a name tag. As Jude approached, they noticed the name tags had a spot for pronouns.
The nurse to the left, away from Jude, tapped away at the computer, her brow furrowed. She had dark hair pulled into a bun that changed the shape of her nurse hat, and her name tag read 'Bridgette'. The Nurse Joy that smiled at Jude was a tall, broad man with pale skin, rosy cheeks, and a name tag that read 'Leon'.
"Hi, welcome to the Pokémon Centre," said Nurse Leon, beaming at Jude as they stepped up to the counter. "My name is Leon and I'll be happy to serve you today. What can I do for you?"
Jude shifted Rex in their arms and settled his feet on the counter. He laid down on it and yawned. "My Growlithe was poisoned by a Parasect's ability. I gave him a pecha berry, but I wanted him to get checked out." The words tumbled awkwardly from their mouth, tripping over one another. They grimaced, gaze flitting to the big flat screen TV behind the counter. It played a muted advertisement for the Pokémon League, subtitles scrolling along the bottom of the screen. They'd never really been in a Pokémon Centre before. Dad handled everything back home. Often with a lot less tech than even this lobby had.
"Of course. Let me take a look at him," said Nurse Leon. He examined Rex with deft fingers and a focused gaze, moving through tools that Jude recognized. A stethoscope, for one, and several others. They watched with a tight chest and hands clenched behind their back, trying not to worry a spot through their cheek. Sure, Dad had trained them on a lot, but it was different, when it was Rex. No slap-dash field medicine was good enough for him, just like it wasn't good enough for Dad's patients.
Except it wasn't the same. Because this was Rex.
"Well, it seems he's having a bit of trouble taking deep breaths," said Nurse Leon, "and I'd wager he's exhausted. We can give him some medicine and put him in a healing chamber, if that's all right with you."
Jude nodded. "Yes, that would be great, thank you."
"All right. I'll just need his Pokéball," said Nurse Leon. Jude pulled it off their belt and expanded it into their hand. They passed it off to Nurse Leon, who patted Rex on the head. "All right, buddy. Time to go to sleep for a bit. Ready?"
Rex looked at Jude and gave a little whimper, ears swinging around and flattening to his head. Jude stepped forward and pressed their forehead to Rex's, rubbing his head and ears with their fingers.
"You'll be okay. The nurses here are great. I'm sure of it. They'll make you feel better," they whispered into Rex's fur. He licked Jude's face and relaxed a touch, before sitting on the counter and waiting for Nurse Leon. The nurse called Rex back into his Pokéball and nodded.
"Shouldn't take more than an hour and a half," said Nurse Leon. "Be right back." With that, he turned and headed back through a swinging door into the back. On the TV, the screen switched to a list of Pokémon currently in healing. There were seven, and all of them had various timers. Jude waited with held breath to see when Rex would appear.
"An hour and a half?" came an indignant voice from Jude's left. Jude jerked, eyes wide as they turned. A tanned boy, almost as tall as Jude, glared at them. He wore clothes that gave off a vibe of being too new to be worn, and his face was pinched and cold. "What gives you the right to faster service that me?" he sneered. With a scoff, he turned toward the other Nurse Joy and scowled, slamming an open hand onto the counter. "Did you lie to me to stall my progress?"
The nurse sighed. She glanced at Jude and then to the boy. "No, Mr. Mèinn, we didn't lie to you. Your Pokémon are in far worse shape than this trainer's. You also have two, instead of one. While in-Pokéball healing in the chambers can be done simultaneously, exams and distribution of medicine must be done in sequence."
He huffed. "Well then, you could have assigned more nurses to my team. My team is far more important than—" He stopped, gaze flicking up and down Jude in an all-too-familiar way. "His?" he guessed.
Jude frowned. "Theirs," they corrected, folding their arms over their chest.
The boy rolled his eyes and waved them off. "Whatever. My team is more important. I demand you change this immediately." Jude gritted their teeth. What an absolute—
"We can't," said Nurse Bridgette, pitching the bridge of her nose. "Your Pokémon suffered from a bad burn. Not only that, but you didn't apply medicine in the field, so the burn worsened on the way here. We simply can't heal your Pokémon any faster than we already are."
The boy whipped around and glared at Nurse Bridgette, who gave him a flat look.
"Furthermore, as you do not currently possess an active trainer license, you shouldn't be participating in such dangerous battles, nor should you have more than one Pokémon." Nurse Bridgette's tone was so flat that even Jude could tell the intent. They bit the inside of their cheek, torn between arguing with the boy over his dismissal of Jude's correction and grinning at Nurse Bridgette's no-nonsense attitude.
"I assure you that I am above such rules," said the boy, lifting his head, "and I will not stand for such slander to my good name." He narrowed his gaze at Jude. "And this one must not have an active trainer license, either? So why does…" He paused and Jude ground their teeth. He knew their fucking pronouns. He was just being an ass. "Why does he get a pass?"
Jude moved before they realized they'd decided to. They backed the boy up to the edge of the counter and loomed over him, lifting up as high as they could. They squared their shoulders and narrowed their eyes.
"My pronouns are they/them, and my name is Jude. My Growlithe is injured because the train to Duskport was stopped by Parasect and I was the only person on board with a fire-type. I helped and my partner was injured for it," they said, words clipped, voice hard. What was it their social skills books said? Anger wasn't an answer. Anger wasn't appropriate.
Fuck the books. They were done.
"I don't see why any of this is my problem," said the boy, lifting his chin. "And you're in my space. I'll ask you to leave."
Jude grinned. "Make me."
The boy's eyes went wide. His gaze flitted up and down Jude, face turning paler with each passing second. The weight of other gazes clung to Jude, including the nurse. The swinging door opened and Nurse Leon appeared in Jude's peripheral vision.
"Hey there, trainer. What's going on?" asked Nurse Leon. He stepped up next to Nurse Bridgette and beamed. "Your Growlithe is all started in the healing chamber. Gave him a shot of antivenin, too. He should be good to go in about an hour and a half. Why don't you get a sandwich from the cafe window and take a seat?"
Jude took a step back from the boy and turned to Nurse Leon, expression softening. They gave both nurses an apologetic smile. "Thanks. Sorry."
"Well, now—" started the boy.
"Not you," said Jude, without looking at him. He sniffed and stalked off, slamming the doors open with his palms as he left. Jude winced, realizing, now, that most people were staring at them. They put their back to the waiting area and looked at the nurses. Both were shorter than them. Huh. "Sorry," they said, again.
"I'll let it slide," said Nurse Bridgette, with a sigh. "You have every right to be upset with him. Though I ask you take the fight outside, next time."
Nurse Leon shook his head. "We see a lot of tension and high nerves, here. I hope you can relax. We'll let you know when Rex is ready to go."
Jude nodded. "Thanks," they mumbled, embarrassment flushing through their body and burning their face and ears. Arceus, why had they done that? Now everyone was staring and the nice nurses thought they were an angry asshole.
Stupid.
Jude shuffled over to the cafe window, got a sandwich, and settled down on the couch furthest from the rest of the trainers to wait.
It wasn't a long wait, despite it all. Jude read through some pages on the Pokédex app, sent a text to their dad, and studied the monorail schedule until their eyes wanted to cross. Anything to keep them from thinking too hard about Rex, behind the staff-only doors.
But time passed. And it wasn't the worst wait, and by the time it was over, Jude was prepared for the rest of their day.
"Jude Farr?" called Nurse Leon, when the time ran down. Jude got to their feet and shuffled to the counter, embarrassment still hot on their ears. "He's all ready. Here." Nurse Leon held out Rex's Pokéball and Jude cradled it close, releasing Rex onto the floor before shrinking and setting the ball back onto their belt.
"Hey, buddy," said Jude, crouching down to hug him close.
"Everything went well. He's all healed and has no permanent damage. Bridgette told me what you said about how he got injured, and the train company confirmed your story. You're free to get going." Nurse Leon smiled at them. "Try not to get into anymore trouble, all right?"
Jude stood again and nodded to him. "Right. Thank you. Come on, buddy, let's go." Jude and Rex left the Pokémon Centre and headed toward the monorail station.
Onward to Dawnmere. It'd be almost midnight before they got there, but Rex was fine, the sandwich had been good, and as much as Jude couldn't stop thinking about their run-in at the Pokémon Centre, and how strange the day had been, it hadn't been awful.
Life outside Furrowbury was proving to be interesting.