-Jace-
They've been in this alternate Alola for over five weeks now. He thinks the shock should have worn off by now.
He stares out the Pokemon Center's windows, blinking back tears. His Roserade Tea remains on the table untouched. It's a waste of money, but he can't bring himself to care.
He was only supposed to be in Alola for a year. Get the job done with a smile and go home to his small house in Olivine City. Now his home with its squeaky floors and ever dirty walls is out of his reach.
He might never see Olivine City either as the UB Task Force won't let them leave Alola. He's stuck here indefinitely, and the only thing distracting him is schoolwork. That won't last forever; he's taking his placement exams in three days.
The testing will be done here in the local Pokemon Center. It's nothing he can't handle, but it seems wrong to forgo the proper channels considering he's signed up with Johto's program and not Alola's.
At least he has that small comfort. His newly created paperwork cites him as a resident of Johto. He's not sure when that region became home instead of Unova, but it probably had to do with—
"Guess what? I've found new protégés!" Kyle's distinct voice rings out in the Center.
Startled, he looks away from the window only to come face-to-face with two children ensnared in a gleeful Kyle's grip.
"Oh, my ever-loving Ho-Oh," he says with dawning horror, "did you kidnap two eleven year olds again?"
"Get this," Kyle chortles, "their names are Artemis and Apollo, and they just moved to Alola. They're starting the island challenge!"
Kyle beams at him, clutching the children closer. Neither seems to have a problem with the tightening hug, and he's certain this is the start of something truly bizarre. He tries to find something to say that's not a prediction of doom.
"Those are contacts, right?" He asks, looking in Artemis' direction.
Impossibly wide eyes that are a bright, unnerving yellow blink back at him, and his gaze moves to the girl's nose.
"Kyle said I'd look intimidating with them!" Artemis chirps.
"Of course he did," he says flatly.
"I tried to get my hair done like his, but the stylist wouldn't do it," Apollo pouts. "Blue spiky hair is so cool!"
"I'm sure we can find someone," Kyle consoles with a hair ruffle.
He rubs his face wearily. Of course these three would get along spectacularly. Not even a different world could stop such a troublesome friendship.
"So how'd you meet? And aren't you supposed to be working?" He asks pointedly.
"I took the day off and bumped into these two on Akala Island," Kyle tells him.
He blinks. Kyle's not the most hard-working individual he knows, but skipping work is out of character for the Ace trainer. A suspicious feeling begins forming in his gut.
"What were you doing on Akala?" He asks.
Kyle's eyes light up in a dangerous way. Before he can attempt to take back such a stupid question, Kyle slings off the backpack used for work. His jaw drops as a pokemon egg is shoved into his face.
"You know how the Mantine Surf course is right next to our hotel?" Kyle jiggles the egg, grinning.
His brain connects the dots quickly.
"Don't tell me that's a—"
"Mantine!" Kyle nods. "We're going to raise a surfing champion!"
"What's this 'we'? Do you even know how to surf?" He takes a long sip of his cold tea for lack of a better option.
Though he keeps his tone as acerbic as possible, it's a legitimate question. Mantine Surf never caught on back in their world. Unless Kyle's had a water pokemon previously, he's never known the man to play in the water for fun.
"I'm going to sign up and take lessons as soon as these two are ready to fight the Akala kahuna," Kyle says. "I promised to train them first."
Artemis and Apollo high-five each other before boasting about winning in no time. Kyle, cradling the egg, beams down at them with an absolute affection.
He takes another sip of tea and watches in wonder. There's no sign of pain in the Ace trainer. He sees none of the signs: no hunching of shoulders, gritted teeth, or curled fists. Kyle seems better somehow. There's a more genuine grin on the Ace trainer's face.
"I'm not doing all the work," he warns, fighting back a smile. "I'm going to be too busy to raise a pokemon, so you'll just have to actually do something for once."
He won't spoil the mood by rationalizing why they shouldn't get a new pokemon. The gentle grip Kyle keeps on the egg is reason enough. What's one more distraction in their new life, he thinks with fond exasperation.
Kyle pretends to be indignant, and the kids begin playfully mocking the Ace trainer. He lets himself smile for the first time in weeks.
...
He does end up finding out why Kyle no longer seems to be in pain. He gets it out of the Ace trainer by the next morning.
With two days left until his tests, he cracks open a textbook, pokemon egg carefully balanced in his lap, and ignores the groaning lump of curled blankets.
"Kill me," Kyle moans from the bed.
"You made your bed. Now lie in it," he says without looking up from his book.
"How is Tapu Lele my fault?" Kyle cries.
"You know full well you have to earn their attention," he says. "I don't know what crazy stunt you pulled this time, but you deserve the side effects."
That's not to say he isn't glad that Kyle's no longer injured, but he also knows the rumors surrounding the deity. Hangover symptoms as a repercussion for the instant healing are one of the better possibilities.
Kyle lets out another groan, and he gives the egg a gentle pat. Poor thing has a crazy life ahead of it.