-Jace-

He doesn't break down until Kyle's been discharged from the hospital, and the two of them are staying in the motel room provided by the UB Task Force. The agency is also responsible for paying for Kyle's medical bills which both helps and fuel his breakdown.

"We can't get home, we're either test subjects or live bait, and we're indebted to these guys," he sniffs into his pillow. "There's a good chance an Ultra Beast will eat me, and I'll never see my brother again."

He feels the tears coming and tries to wipe his eyes on the pillowcase. It doesn't help.

The bed dips as Kyle takes a seat next to him. A hand starts gently stroking his hair, and he sniffles harder. He tries not to think about how he almost had to live in this new world alone.

He already wakes up crying from nightmares of the Ace trainer's death; he doesn't need to sob about it while awake.

"It'll be okay," Kyle hums, still petting his hair. "We've had worse."

"Worse than being in a different dimension?" He chokes out in disbelief.

"Well, we're not surrounded by gangsters trying to kill us and eat our pokemon," Kyle points out. "We're currently living in a very nice motel by the beach. All our pokemon are here with us, we're both alive and well, and we can go out for ice cream anytime we want. Sounds fine to me."

He snorts into the pillow. Of course Kyle's definition of fine depends on whether or not they're in a life or death situation.

"The way I see it," Kyle says, "we managed to get to this world, so there has to be a way back."

The Ace trainer stops messing with his hair to start rubbing small circles in his back. He takes a shuddering breath.

"Until we find it, the Ultra Beasts are going to keep tracking us down. The UB Task Force needs us as much as we need them, so we use them while working on our funds," Kyle continues. "I'm going to take all the local hotshots' money, and you can work on being this world's first male Nurse Joy all over again."

He moves to give the other man the most horrified look he can manage. He didn't even think about his now useless medical degree. Everything he ever worked for has been taken from him; his achievements don't exist here.

"Don't worry," Kyle tells him with a dangerous smile, "I got you into school last time, and I can do it again. Just give me the word."

He recalls the school life with its endless tests and essays. The all-nighters he pulled trying to memorize information he still hasn't used to this day. He wants to say "Not a chance" or "You're kidding, right?"

Then he remembers the teary-eyed trainers clutching their pokeballs and the smiles that lit up their faces at seeing their partners well again.

"I don't think the International Police would be too thrilled with that," he ends up saying weakly.

He gets a condescending pat on the head.

"You just leave them to me," Kyle says.

Not four days later, he's staring at a letter express mailed all the way from Johto. He doesn't even huff as the piece of paper gets snatched out of his hands.

Kyle hasn't just entered him in the Nurse Joy program; he gets to take placement tests that'll determine how much schooling he'll actually need. If he can test out of all of them at a hundred percent, he gets to take the final exam and make his final research paper.

"Let's go pick you up some books," Kyle says after giving the letter a glance over. "Wouldn't hurt to brush up on everything."

"Why do I ever doubt you?" He mutters.

Kyle just grins at him.

Studying becomes a great distraction for him, and as the days go on, he almost forgets he's in a different dimension entirely. This Alola isn't much different from his own after all.

"Did you know that there's a Pikachu Valley on Akala Island?" Kyle bursts into the motel room.

He throws his pen down in disgust. There's no way he can forget with this moron around. He slams his notebook shut with a sigh. He notices Kyle carrying a take-out bag.

"What's to eat?" He asks.

"I brought you a burger. Figured you were getting tired of Chansey's eggs, though how when those things are delicious is beyond me," Kyle replies, tossing the bag to him.

He makes a face at the Ace trainer. Sure it saves money, but how Kyle can eat those things every day is a mystery to him. He'd rather forage for food, but Chansey takes offense over having its eggs rejected.

"How'd scamming travelers out of their cash go?" He asks flatly.

"I would never!" Kyle gasps. "I am an official tour guide, thank you very much!"

"And does the agency know you take unofficial trips for extra cash?" He snorts when he gets no answer. "Thought so."

He ignores the pout aimed towards him. He's not blind to Kyle's darker habits, and he's sure there are worse things the Ace trainer is doing. If it means eating something besides flash sale food, he can definitely look the other way.

"I saw the kids today," Kyle says after settling down on the bed. "Not Selene and Helios, the ones they hang out with."

"Really?" He gapes.

They'd been unable to find anyone they personally knew; there are no traces of Myna and the family they'd been staying with. Even his co-workers have been swapped with new faces.

"Saw 'em while I was giving a tour around Hau'oli City," Kyle nods. "Weirdest part was that there was another boy and girl running around with them."

Kyle goes quiet, eyebrows furrowed, and he decides not to bother the man about it. Kyle had gotten incredibly attached to the so-called "protégés" and to see someone else in their place must have been upsetting.

"Hey, do you remember what to do if someone comes in claiming they've seen someone turned into an Abra?" He asks, getting an idea.

"That question is still on the exam? Seriously?" Kyle lets out a laugh.

"I can't remember it all," he holds up a book, "help me study?"

He's aware he can't do much—Kyle's the one that's keeping them alive at this point—but finding a distraction? He can do that, and if it benefits him in the long run, well, that's just being smart.