AN: This chapter was updated/revised on March 18, 2020.
Revelations
"I'm just a little bit caught in the middle
Life is a maze, and love is a riddle
I don't know where to go
Can't do it alone
I've tried, and I don't know why."
Lenka
Day 64
Annastasia was in the bungalow, reading over Lucy and Rumika's notes from their last several meetings. She sat on the floor with Silver and Lil-G on her lap, the documents spread out in front of her. From the corner of the room, two members of their group were watching her.
June prodded Takeshi.
"Go, say something," she urged.
"Can't you do it?" Takeshi whined.
"I already talked about it with her. I want her to realize that I am not the only one thinking about this."
Takeshi stepped forward.
"What's up?" Annastasia asked, looking up from the baby and papers beneath her.
"Um so…I was wondering about Rita. You said that she was going to be let out of the hospital yesterday, but she is still there," Takeshi responded.
Annastasia looked down at her Lillipup and youngest sibling. They were looking up at her as if they cared to hear her answer as well.
"She is probably going to be let out soon. She was having some issues," Annastasia replied.
"Like what?" he questioned.
"She is…" Annastasia tried to think of a nicer way to say 'depressed' and 'in pain'. She coughed. "Different side effects. I don't have details. But today is a new day, right?"
"I suppose."
He looked back at June. Annastasia followed his glance.
"Oh, I see," she murmured. "Let's talk."
Takeshi sat down cross-legged in front of her, and June followed his lead. Cutiefly, Shaymin, Uxie, Grubbin, and Takeshi's Yungoose followed her.
"I don't want to do the Alola Trials, or go out catching more Pokémon," said Takeshi. "We decided that we want to stop doing the contests. This time for good."
Annastasia nodded as she processed the news
'I thought these activities were helping you cope,' she thought. 'What else was I wrong about?'
"Do you want to go home?" Annastasia asked the duo.
"Yes, but not without our friends," June replied.
"We don't want to be in Alola, but we do want to be with you and everyone else," said Takeshi.
"Then we will do that." She scratched her Pokemon's ears, then those of June's Pokemon. "I'm sorry. I thought coming here would be a good idea."
June immediately felt guilty; she didn't want to seem ungrateful to Annastasia for all her hard work and perseverance.
"You made this a lot easier for us," June told her, although she wasn't entirely sure if that was true. "I think that if you weren't around, we all would have fallen apart by now. You are like glue."
"I thought it would be a good idea to come here too," Takeshi interposed.
"I do have a smidge of good news," said Annastasia.
"What?" they asked.
"One of Amber's Pikipek went rogue and hitched a ride with Cassandra. Lily said that Pipipek told her that Amber was hiding out near the jungles on Melemele Island, and then she and Pip were attacked by a Mimikyu."
June and Takeshi frowned.
"That isn't good news at all!" Takeshi complained.
"No, you see, Mimikyu didn't hurt Amber, Pip, or any of her other Pokémon any more than a friendly Pokémon battle would have," she responded. "Mimikyu joined her team, and not only that, but it is the same Mimikyu that Giovanni is after, and it turns out Soledad and her group are also on the lookout for it too. It is a very special and powerful Pokémon, and it is different from all the other Mimikyu that can be found here. I have been reading a lot about it…Pikipek didn't get a chance to have a conversation with Mimikyu, but he did discover that Mimikyu wanted to help Amber. This means that we now know that Amber is safe, and Pikipek might be able to lead us to her."
"That's nice," June responded half-heartedly.
"I know it is not the best news I could have delivered, but it is better than nothing. It is certainly better than receiving bad news."
"I guesso," said Takeshi.
"And Cassandra's group is breaking up. I know that sounds like bad news, but she decided to come here and spend time with us. I know you, June, have been talking on the phone with her a lot. An hour ago, she called me and explained things. She is going to join us for dinner and then sleep overnight—if you're up for that."
"I'd like that," June replied.
"Is Rita going to go right back to work when she is better?" Takeshi asked.
"Even if she's feeling her best, no one is going to let her do much of anything action-realted. She is probably going to stay in one of the Team Rocket cabins nearby, with us, or at our HQ in Kanto," Annastasia answered. "Her family is nomadic, so she doesn't have anywhere else to go."
June gasped. "I didn't realize Rita was homeless."
"Though not having a house to live in is undesirable for most people, sometimes people don't mind. Rita is one of those types of people. She is a free spirit who makes a home out of everywhere she goes."
"That's cool, I guess," said Takeshi.
"Are you going to the hospital soon? If yes, can we go too?" June asked.
"Yes, but I personally think it would be better for you to stay here," Annastasia replied. "Rita loves you but she doesn't want a slew of people visiting her, and neither do the nurses helping her manage her condition."
"Oh," the kids sighed.
"I know it's rainy today, but if you want to go somewhere, Mewtwo and Lucario are already to bring you places."
"We can go to the movies," Takeshi told June.
"Jocelyn and Benny would like that. I think we should," June responded.
"You can ask the Pokemon for transportation," Annastasia suggested. "I will be here for the morning, but I might leave in the afternoon."
"Where's Michio?"
"He went home."
"Wait, to that mansion in Alola?" said Takeshi.
" "He said he would never go back," said June.
"I thought his family didn't like him."
"They may not like him, but they still want him," Annastasia responded.
"That doesn't make any sense," June retorted.
"You've heard this before, but when families are rich like that, they usually have strict rules regarding relationships and living situations…Regardless, the real reason he is there is to investigate. We must interrogate some of that circle because we think they might have played a role in Jezz's past and possibly his disappearance."
"Michio went over there to interrogate them…I thought that was something only police and spies did," said Takeshi. "Did Michio join Team Rocket?"
"He's just a temporary helper. He'll see what they know. If they say anything interesting, then Giovanni is going to summon them to headquarters, and from there we will do official interrogations."
"So, he's spying."
"You can call it that."
"I'm going to look for Lucario," June decided. "I like the idea of visiting the movies. Do you think we should wait for Cassandra though?"
"She won't be here until later." Annastasia checked her watch. "You have plenty of time to see a movie or two. Please invite Jocelyn and Benny along."
"We will," Takeshi assured her. "Bye, A, we'll see you later."
After June and Takeshi left, Annastasia laid Silver in his bassinet.
"You look just like Jocelyn with those green eyes and round cheeks," she cooed. She collected threads of his fine golden hair between her fingers. "And a bit like me as well."
He blinked his sleepy eyes then rolled onto his stomach. Annastasia peeked at her phone to see if there were any messages or missed calls from Michio.
"Nothing," she whispered to Lil-G.
"Lili?" the Pokémon asked.
"It won't do any harm to text…"
"Pup!"
"Right, someone else might read it. I'll call instead."
XO
Michio arrived on the estate at precisely 8:10 am that same morning. He took Peruva and Mienshao, and although he wished to leave the latter behind, Mienshao insisted on coming with them. He strode the estate with blazing haste, not wanting to get caught by one of his many relatives and neighbors and forced into a tangent. He managed to make it to the front patio undisturbed, but he groaned with frustration when he saw who was coming to answer the door.
"Puanani," he greeted with fake enthusiasm.
"Watch that tone," she berated. "We have been waiting for you for over an hour! Get your ass in here!"
"I said I was coming to visit my parents a little bit after eight. It's eight-fifteen and you aren't supposed to be here."
"Don't talk back. Your parents invited us."
"There are more of you here?"
"We all happened to be free this morning to talk."
Michio's great-grandmother led him, Peruva, and Mienshao into the family room. Michio's aunts, uncles, grandparents, and great-grandparents were present. They broke into fervidly whispered conversations when they saw Michio. Michio could still understand their words through the undertones. He clenched his fists.
Michio's mother approached him amiably.
"I became intrigued when you said you'd be back," she said warmly.
"We have been waiting for you, kid," his uncle said gruffly.
"We lost faith that you'd show," said his grandfather.
"Not that we had much faith to begin with," said Puanani. "Or any."
"You said it would be just you, me, and Makoa talking," Michio said as he sidestepped his mother's attempted embrace.
His mother frowned at Michio's use of 'Makoa'.
"Your father accidentally let it slip that you'd be coming here," said Keaka. "But the three of us can still talk privately."
"Where is he?" Michio asked as he looked around the room.
"Your father is out doing something for Puanani."
"Great."
Michio's relatives were talking quietly among themselves again. He ignored them and their condemning glances.
"Why are they here?" he asked Keaka.
"They missed you," his mother replied.
"BS."
"Michio, can we—"
"—talk? Yeah, that's why I came."
Keaka looked to his other relatives. "We will be right back."
"Hurry now, I don't have all day," Puanani said as Keaka and Michio left the room.
"You and Mienshao stay out here," Michio murmured to Peruva. "Keep an ear out, okay?"
"Prrow," she agreed.
Michio and his mother entered Makoa's study. It was the only soundproof room in the entire mansion, making it a seamless spot for a private conversation.
"I missed you a lot," Keaka wept, forcing him into a hug.
Michio scratched the back of his head, then gently pushed her away.
"I can't honestly say the same to you," he grumbled.
"Michio, you know I am in a tough position," Keaka responded.
Michio shook his head. "Not as tough of a position as I am in. What the fuck is everyone doing here?"
"I am not entirely sure, but…have you ever had the feeling that you were being watched?"
Michio raised his eyebrows then narrowed his eyes in suspicion.
"All the time," said Michio. "Ever since Haku's dumb Mienshao started stalking me. What does that have to do with anything?"
"I have a sinking feeling that they have been keeping an especially close eye on me lately," she divulged.
"Explain."
"They brought up Masuru."
"Who's that?"
"That guy I told you about. Don't you remember?" She huffed as Michio shrugged. "The man I knew many years ago, the one who passed."
"Ohhhh."
Blood rushed to his head. He looked down and coughed awkwardly.
"Umm, I thought that was a really long time ago," he mumbled.
"It has been about eleven years since his death. No one other than you and I have talked about him since," she replied. "Until recently."
"The guy's dead. Why bother talking about him?"
Keaka flinched.
"What I mean is, why are they talking about him all of a sudden and why does it even matter?" said Michio.
"His grand-niece, the one in prison, claims to have overheard the guards talking about him. They said that Annastasia and her Aunt Rumika came to talk to her," Keaka replied.
"Oh wait…shit."
"What?"
"I think I just figured something out…shit."
His mother chuckled sardonically and touched his chin.
"Tis a rare gem," she said.
"Really—Mom—I should go," Michio said as he headed for the door.
His mother grabbed his arm to stop him. "Why on Earth are you leaving so soon?"
"I gotta talk to Annie."
"Then call her. Please don't leave yet."
"Then give me some privacy."
"It's only me. I know you are mad at me, but I am an ally of yours."
"I always gave you privacy when you needed it."
She bowed her head. "I will be waiting right outside."
Just as Keaka was about to leave the study, Michio's phone went off. He glanced at the caller ID and saw it was Annastasia.
"Annastasia must have somehow known," Keaka mused before shutting the door behind her.
"Annie?" Michio spoke into the phone.
"You picked up. I wasn't expecting that," Annastasia responded.
"I was just having a private conversation with Keaka."
"Was I interrupting?"
"No. Actually, I was just about to call you."
"Huh. I had a hunch I should call you."
"Great, Annie, so…ummm…remember yesterday when you were telling me about Jezz and the family and that old guy who died and stuff?"
Annastasia chuckled. "I remember."
"So, I was only like, half paying attention."
"I know."
"Okay, good…I mean…I was talking to my mom and that guy, she knew him, the Masuria guy."
"Masuru."
"Yeah, him. She told me he was one of the people that she saw.…umm, you know what I mean, right?"
"He was one of her lovers."
"…Yeah…"
"Are you sure you heard that name correctly? This would add a whole new dynamic to the story that Rumika and I are trying to piece together."
"Positive."
"Do me a favor and ask her as many questions as possible. I don't want to take her all the way to headquarters for interrogations unless I feel it is totally necessary."
"What should I ask?"
"Hmmm, this is a bit sudden…hmm…okay, I think I know…write this down."
Michio grabbed a pen and notepad from Makoa's desk and put the phone on speaker.
"I'm ready," he told her.
"Ask your mother about Masuru's life," Annastasia replied. "Ask about his relations to my family, and if you can, question her personal relationship with Masuru."
"Annie, this is my mom. I am not going to get that personal."
"Well, get as close as you can."
"…I'll try."
"Good. Make sure to get the details. Ask if he ever had any children; that's the most important question. If Keaka was having an affair thirteen or so years ago, then she probably knows about Jezz. Ask her if he fostered a baby girl."
"Okay, I will...but why?"
"We think that Jezz might be 'Jess', the girl Masuru supposedly took care of twelve years ago when he was working for your family, but we still aren't sure about it."
"You left that massive part out yesterday."
"It wasn't all that relevant at the time."
Michio continued to scribble notes. "What else?"
"Ask if she will be willing to talk to me, but ask that last."
"If you are going to talk to her about this stuff then what is the point of me doing it?"
"You are her son. She is probably going to tell you things that she won't tell me."
"She probably likes you more than she likes me."
"Just do it. I will reward you later."
"Reward?"
"Don't think about it too much. Do the best you can, and we'll talk about it whenever you get back, okay?"
"Yes, Mother."
"Good luck. Talk to you later—love you."
Annastasia abruptly hung up the phone. Michio stared at the screen until it turned black.
'Love you too,' he thought.
Beside Keaka, in the hall outside the study, was Michio's great-grandmother, grandmother, and aunt.
"Nice of you all to join us," he cynically remarked.
Michio's three elder relatives scolded him while he and Keaka exchanged a fleeting grin.
"I am not done talking to my mother," Michio announced. "Leave."
Puanani grabbed Michio's arm. "You are coming with us. We have items to discuss."
Michio wriggled from her grip. He was fuming—being told what to do was worse when someone was touching him in the process. Still, he knew they were relentless, and to honor Annastasia's request, he needed to speak with them all eventually.
"Fine, let's get this over with," he muttered.
It seemed no one else had left nor entered the family's gathering room as Michio and the women returned. Michio took the singlet couch across from his relatives, all but Keaka, who sat in the rocking chair beside him.
As was standard, Puanani talked first.
"This is your last warning, Michio, then you are to be gone from here," she declared. "Off our land forever."
"You are at least 90 years old," Michio quipped. "You won't be alive much longer to enforce that, and I'll manage to continue my life without you. In fact, I can see things going much better for me that way."
"That's enough!" his grandfather brusquely proclaimed. "Quiet when your elders are speaking!"
After he spoke, the family broke into anxious and disturbed whispers. Michio realized that this might have not been the best way to start a conversation, especially when he needed information, but he felt helpless. He couldn't not defend himself.
"Remember to tread lightly," Keaka quietly warned.
Michio stood. "I'm sick and tired of this place. You wanted me out, and I left, and now you want me back. I am not a pawn. Fuck off."
His family once again broke into whispers, some disturbed, some amused, but most of them seemed condescending. Puanani fumed.
"You are the most worthless member of this family," she spat. "We have been so generous to you. We gathered today to offer you a redemption, but you proved just now that it would be a preposterous waste of time. I want you officially gone from this house, and never return!"
"I already decided to leave a while ago," Michio responded indifferently. "It is obvious that you need me more than I need you. And by the way, Puanani, by the time you are dead, the world will be a better place. Or, at least this god-forsaken archipelago will be."
"Leave, Michio. Take all your garbage, and leave. We are done negotiating. That's an order!"
"An order I'll gladly accept it."
Pleased with his decision and course of action, Michio turned to his mother. He half-expected her to be crying, but she actually seemed content.
"Thank you," she told his other relatives.
Keaka left the room, and Michio, Peruva, and Mienshao followed her as she made her way out the front door and into the garden.
"Stop. Look, I'm not sorry for what I said," Michio announced once he got a bit closer to her. "I meant it all."
"I know, I know," she murmured. "You've made me proud."
"What?"
Keaka looked around, expecting there to be at least one person listening in on their conversation. The coast was clear, so she decided that it was time for her to talk to Michio the way she had been wanting to for his entire life.
Because despite Michio being closer to his mother than to anyone else in or out of the Kapule Klan, alone time for them to talk was rare.
"I wanted to leave this family for so long," Keaka confessed. "I was younger than you when I had to get married. I was not happy about it; I didn't want that for myself. I did it because of the money, and I was afraid of being cast away into a world I knew nothing about. I lived in Alola my whole life, and I have always loved it here. If I left, I knew I would have been living on the streets of some other region, struggling to find a career, struggling to find friends or make a family. I made a lot of bad choices, and I kept on making them, never learning. Puanani has been in control of my life since I was an infant. I stayed because of you and Koan, and the reason I failed as a mom was because I never wanted to have children in the first place. I am sorry for not being upfront until now, but I figured this confession might give you some peace of mind, or at least some food for thought."
Keaka wasn't disappointed when Michio turned his head away from her. She at least knew that he was introverted and needed an atmosphere of peace to process and reflect.
"That...was…" he started. "A lot to take in."
"I know," said Keaka. "I just couldn't think of a better way to tell you after all this time."
"You didn't really fail as a mom…I mean, I am still alive, and not in jail. That counts for something."
"If it wasn't for our family's status and ability to pull strings, you would have been arrested years ago," she responded with a slight laugh. "Michio, I decided that I would much rather be a part of your world than the one I am currently living in. Please let me in. I know that is asking a lot; I've done you more harm than good."
"I am not usually the loving, forgiving type…But fuck norms, I can make a few exceptions, if…if you help me."
"Whatever you need."
Michio spent a few moments basking in his small victory.
"Tell me about Masuru."
XO
Annastasia stood at the counter, re-arranging the basket of fruit she had put together. She used Star's Iron Tail to replace the duties of her stolen mace and managed to get dragon-fruit, coconuts, pineapples, kiwis, and several other tree fruits that she had only ever seen in Alola.
Though content in the imaginative world of fruit-arranging, she was distracted by something else. Hours had gone by and Michio had yet to return to the bungalow. A text attempted to assure her that he was fine, but the impersonality of the message resulted in her remaining concerned.
"Onēsan?" Jocelyn questioned as she came into the room. "I thought you were going to see Rita."
"I am. I wanted to wait for Michio to get back first," Annastasia responded.
"Are you worried about him? Please don't be worried."
"Michio can take care of himself, sometimes…he has his Pokémon with him."
"My Pokémon and I can keep a lookout for him."
"No, it's okay, Princess. You should go outside and play."
"I am tired of playing."
"Tired of playing? Since when?"
"I'm not happy."
Annastasia noticed for the first time that Flaafy wasn't next to her. Neither was Pinky or her new Shellder.
"Where's Benny?" Annastasia asked.
"With Tamaki and their parents," Jocelyn answered. "They went to the boardwalk."
"I remember his mother calling to tell me about that. I thought you were supposed to go too."
"I wasn't in the mood."
Jocelyn was always in the mood for the boardwalk, even on a rainy day like today.
"Are you upset because June doesn't want to do contests anymore?" she queried.
"Yeah," Jocelyn sighed.
"You can still do them; I can take you. I will make time for it."
"I don't want to do them either."
Annastasia subtly glimpsed at her watch. It was already three in the afternoon; Michio had been gone all day and he only texted her twice. She told Rita that she would stop by sometime between two-thirty and four-thirty, and she wanted to go soon in case Cassandra ended up arriving at the bungalow a bit earlier than expected.
"Let's go to the hospital together," Annastasia suggested.
"Really?" she asked brightly. "You'll take me?"
"If you want to go."
"I do! But we should tell Mommy and Daddy."
"I'll leave a note on the counter and shoot them a text. Go find your Pokémon."
Jocelyn, Annastasia, Flaafy, Lil-G, Pinky, Sheldon, Plusle, and Minun arrived in the hospital within minutes. When they were about halfway to her room, Annastasia stopped Jocelyn in the hall.
"What's the matter?" Jocelyn queried.
"I am going to talk to Rita about some important developments," Annastasia whispered. "I don't want you to get worried. Plus, it's confidential, which means that everything you hear you must be kept secret."
"You mean I get to help with the mission?"
Annastasia knew that 'help' wasn't the right word, but she didn't want to let Jocelyn know that.
"…Yes. And a very important part of that mission means keeping things confidential. Confidential means only important people get to know. Do you understand?"
Jocelyn nodded. Annastasia smiled and took her sister's hand as they walked down the last hall to her room.
"Here to see Rita?" one of the nurses casually asked her.
"Yes," Jocelyn and Annastasia answered together.
"Gee, she sure has a lot of people coming to visit her today. It's nice to see," another nurse remarked before he turned to walk down a different hall.
"I wonder what he meant by that," Annastasia mused. "Ralph must be back…"
"Onēsan, you said this was Rita's room," Jocelyn reminded her as she tapped on the door to their left.
Though the walls were glass, the curtains were over the windows. They could hear what sounded like multiple people talking inside. After knocking a few times, they heard a voice call 'come in'. Michio and his mother sat across from an anxious Rita.
Zorua yelped and Bleu enthusiastically doused the girls with Heal Bell. Annastasia scratched his feathery head and Lil-G snuggled into his wool.
"I missed you too," she told the Pokémon.
"Oniisan!" Jocelyn said happily.
Michio tried to stand up, but Jocelyn jumped onto his lap, forcing him into a hug. He winced, then let it go; a Jocelyn hug was nothing like a Kapule Klan hug.
"Onēsan and I were worried about you," she said. Jocelyn pointed to Keaka. "Who are you?"
"My name is Keaka Kapule. I am Michio's mother," she answered.
"Oh…Do you want to meet my Pokémon?"
"Sure."
Keaka followed Jocelyn to the other side of the large room. Annastasia turned to Rita and Michio.
"I never thought I'd see the three of you together," she remarked.
"Umm…so…we need to chat and it's about something that should be a secret," Michio hinted as he looked over at Jocelyn.
"I told her she could listen if she kept everything confidential."
"We trust your judgment, but not all of this is our secret to tell," Rita whispered.
"Okay, I'll talk to her."
"It is nice to see you again," Keaka said as Annastasia approached her and Jocelyn. She bowed and put her hands together. "I am sorry, Annastasia. I have a lot of explaining to do."
"I am sure there will be plenty of time for that." Annastasia turned to Jocelyn. "Jocelyn, I am going to talk about something that I can only talk about with Rita, Michio, and Keaka. It is so secret that not even Giovanni can hear it. If I tell you about it, I will get in big trouble and can lose my job."
Annastasia was certain that this wasn't true, but she figured it would be the only way for Jocelyn to feel okay about being left out.
"But I will tell you everything that I am allowed to," she added.
"I'll leave," Jocelyn sighed.
"I'll go to," Keaka offered.
"I think it will be better if you stay here. We haven't quite gone through everything that needs to be talked about," said Rita. She turned to Annastasia. "Sit, please."
Annastasia complied, though she was unsure of why Rita seemed upset with her.
"What is going on? I am obviously missing out on something big," Annastasia commented.
"I'll be outside, down the hall, not listening," Jocelyn lamented.
"I had no idea that Jezz was missing!" Rita burst the second Jocelyn was gone. Annastasia noted that she had tears on the edges of her eyes, which was unusual for Rita. "Why didn't you say something? Do you have any idea how bad I feel? If you only knew…well you will know…"
"I didn't want you to worry. I am sorry," Annastasia responded miserably. "I should have told you."
"Yeah, you should have. Why didn't you?"
"You were helpless, there was nothing you could have done anyway."
"There is a lot that I could've done!"
"We need to back up." Annastasia and Michio met eyes. "I was worried about you."
"It's good you came when you did," Michio murmured.
"Keaka, no offense, but I have no idea why you're here. Who knows what?"
"We asked ourselves that question two hours ago," said Keaka. She paused. "Annastasia, would you like to go first?"
"I shouldn't because I don't even know what we're talking about."
"I'll go," Rita offered. "A, Jezz is trans. He and Jess are the same person."
Annastasia paused. She had a strong hunch that this was the case, but Rita seemed so sure of it. The news poured out of her effortlessly.
"This explains a lot," Annastasia murmured after a few moments had gone by. "Why didn't tell you me until now? I could've saved a lot of time."
"Frankly, it wasn't any of your business," she replied.
"How is it your business? And why are Michio and his mother in on it too?"
"Chill, Annie. Rita, just keep talking," Michio sighed.
Annastasia looked down. She knew Michio was right, and though she hated taking orders from some equal or below her in status, she obliged as Rita continued speaking.
"When was a volunteer at Spectrum, I came across Jezz. He was eight years old at the time, and he was going by the name 'Jamie'. Jamie became my mentee, and we got close. He told me about what his Porygon did, and he told me why he did it. And to be honest, he hasn't changed much. Jezz is still a very bright kid; his intelligence quota is probably several points above genius level, and he can be very succinct, witty, and resourceful in rough situations. He is as socially awkward now as he was back then. And he has always been kind. He wanted his identity to be a secret, and I listened. I never told anyone who didn't need to know."
"I understand that this includes me," Annastasia responded.
"Yes. You didn't need to know. It wouldn't have made any difference. Except now, you thought you were looking for two kids, but there is only one. And that makes a difference."
"I get it. And it makes sense now that he is so drawn to you; you two already have a history. I think what you did was admirable. I suppose I just wish that I was in on it too."
"Well, now you are. Welcome to the club."
Annastasia looked to Michio next.
"I told Rita about what you told me and about what my mom said," he revealed.
"I decided to leave my family behind. I no longer consider myself a member of the Kapule Klan," said Keaka.
"Permanently?" Annastasia asked.
"Yes."
"But your whole family, Koan, Makoa—"
"—they made their choice, and I made mine. They will be fine without me and I will go on."
"That's brave. Keaka, I'm so sorry, but…what happened?"
"I wouldn't know where to begin, though I can tell you that Makoa and I were never meant to last."
"My mother had a lot to say about Masuru," said Michio. "But you probably already figured that."
"Can you tell me what you know about Jezz and Masuru?" Annastasia asked Keaka.
"Masuru worked as a Pokémon caretaker on the Kapule estate. During that time the Kapules had recently signed a business deal with the Winchesters and Tonakas. Masuru and his wife Miya had a daughter, Jessica, but he never got to see her because he and Miya separated before Jessica was even born. Miya raised Jessica until a Team Rocket mission led to her death in the late eighties. Jessica, about three years old at the time, was placed in foster care."
"Miya—Miyamoto—This means Masuru is my grandfather…but you already knew that."
Keaka nodded.
Michio peeked at Annastasia. She appeared crestfallen and reflective. He reached for her hand slowly, and she took it before he got there.
"Were you expecting something other than crime, death, and divorce to litter your family history?" said Michio, half-joking, half-serious.
She shook her head. "If anything, I wish my mother knew…though finding the right opportunity to tell her will be a grand challenge. At most, I think she'd want to know why Masuru left her. If he was alive, why did he let her go into foster care? My mother assumed it was because she was unloved."
It wasn't difficult for Annastasia to imagine, but Michio had a hard time visualizing Annastasia's mother caring about the 'unloved' label.
"One of the reasons Masuru and Miya separated was because Masuru was working for the Kapule Klan and Miya was working for Team Rocket, and the two gangs had a fierce rivalry at the time. The Kapules were angry with Masuru for allowing his child to go to Team Rocket, even though he had no say in the decision. They were certain that one day Jessica would be worth a fortune, but the Kapules didn't realize that Miya was estranged and therefore removed from her affluent relatives. After they learned the truth, the Kapules no longer cared to control Jessica, though Masuru continued to work for the Kapule Klan for many years."
"Still following us?" Rita asked. "I know you get ADD distractions."
"I am good for now. Please, keep going," said Annastasia. "Keaka, how and when did you become involved in all this?"
"I had my first affair with Masuru about twenty years ago," she replied.
Everyone was quiet. Michio shifted uncomfortably in his chair, pondering whether he should stay. He leaned back and closed his eyes.
"Masuru and I were together for the rest of his life," Keaka continued. "We were a bit like our own secret couple, as we only saw each other exclusively—I did not have many relations with Makoa and Masuru never remarried. One day, about twelve years ago, he told me that his niece Jessiebelle was pregnant with a child that she knew she wouldn't be able to keep. He adopted the child the moment she was born and looked over her for about a year. Masuru died unexpectantly complications with a lifelong lung condition. The Kapule Klan knew about the baby girl and realized that if they couldn't have Masuru's first child, then they could have his adopted child, Jess. They truly believed would be connected to money because of Jessiebelle's family. After Masuru's death, no one in the Kapule Klan wanted to raise Jess themselves, so they hired random foster homes to do it for them. Jess's mother wanted her to be raised in a very specific way. She wanted her to attend etiquette school the way Michio, Koan, and most wealthy children in Alola did, but the Kanto version, because they needed her to be disciplined and learned. When the Kapule Klan realized that Jessiebelle and her parents weren't going to be released from prison any time soon, and Jess was a bastard child with no money, they left her at an orphanage that used to be run by my friend Mary. Even before she reached school-age Jess was known to be intelligent, defiant, and morally ambiguous, though I never met her myself. I heard she ran away several times, but ultimately, the Kapules lost track of her years ago. Not one of the Kapules' leaders cared anymore: not when there was nothing in it for them. Though I myself was concerned, I knew there was nothing I could do. Puanani decided that looking for her a waste of time, so she dumped the case and I suppose the rest is history."
"So, if Jessiebelle is Jezz's mother…" said Annastasia. "…that means the lie-detecting Pokémon Usodan failed."
"Usodan didn't fail," said Rita. She coughed, and everyone gave Rita their attention. "I listened to the interview recordings. You asked Jessiebelle if she ever had a son. She answered correctly; she didn't have a son. She thought she had a daughter. She didn't know he transitioned."
"I didn't even think of that…Keaka, this information will be very valuable to my mother. She knew nothing of her father; she though he abandoned her and her mother. I wish Masuru was still alive so that she could meet him."
"I also wish that he was still alive," Keaka sighed.
Annastasia nodded sympathetically. Michio flicked his eyes away before either A or Keaka noticed him watching.
"Masuru wrote in that journal," said Rita. "The rest of the handwriting is Jezz's, hence why there are two different handwritings."
"Wasn't the date like…2020-something? Even if Jezz was alive, he couldn't have been writing," said Michio.
"Oh, so now you're interested."
"I was always interested; I was just never obsessed."
"Whatever, it's cute that you care." Rita flipped through her notes. "The date Jezz started writing—January 12, 2026. He was four or five years old."
"That's too young; most kids are still scribbling at that age."
"Most kids' IQs are below 141 too, but Jezz isn't one of them."
As Annastasia watched Michio and Rita bicker and banter, she recalled a conversation they had not that long ago:
"They said my eyes were too pale and my eyes were too green…" said Michio.
"It's hard to tell unless you really stare, it's like some of the people in my family…" she replied.
"I just thought of something," said Annastasia, a worried look on her face. "Keaka, you said that you and Masuru were exclusive, and Makoa isn't really Michio's father…"
Keaka smiled. "You are wondering about Michio."
"What about me?" Michio questioned. Rita laughed snarkily while Michio was lost in thought. "Oh wait…shit."
"Though Masuru and I were exclusive, we did have a few on and offs. I saw another man, someone who was also French-Japanese, and I am certain that he is really Michio's father," she responded. "Though, I do not know what happened to him. My guess is that he probably settled down and got married. That was something he had said that he wanted to do."
"I'm not related to Annie, right? Because that's all I care about right now."
"No, you aren't. I promise."
Michio looked like he still didn't believe her, but Annastasia did, Rita did, and that would be enough to bring him around in time.
"Fuck, if Masuru is Annie's grandfather, then how old was this guy?" Michio asked.
"Annastasia's grandmother got pregnant while she and Masuru were very young," Keaka answered. "And you weren't born until much later."
"Well…"
"I promise, you two aren't related."
"Well it's fine because they are asexual anyway," Rita nonchalantly commented. "I feel like that makes it obsolete."
Annastasia and Michio decided not to comment.
"Asexual…I thought you were just shy," said Keaka.
"Sorry, Michio, sometimes I just kick people out of the closet," Rita laughed.
"It's not that big of a mystery," Michio mumbled.
While they talked, Annastasia thought about how strange it was for Michio to forgive his mother so easily, and now he was conversing fluidly with both her and Rita, two people that she reasoned he was never comfortable with before.
"Let us bring this conversation back to Jezz," she suggested. "Jezz is the son of my mother's cousin, so he is my second cousin, right? We share the same great-grandparents but not the same grandparents."
"Something like that," Keaka agreed.
"It's a small world, huh A?" Rita remarked.
"I suppose," Annastasia replied. "Now all we need to do is get Jezz back. Have you discussed ways to find him?"
"See, A, the thing is…I think there is a reason he can keep disappearing and then reappearing. Remember his Xatu?"
"According to Sandshrew, his Xatu did teleport him and Jay, which makes sense. Jezz told me that Xatu would sometimes teleport him to different parts of the house in order to freak him out at night."
"That's all good and true but I'm thinking about something else now."
"We are talking about time traveling," said Keaka. "When I was younger, I worked as a student research assistant with Professor Rosedale, the top professor on this island. Her granddaughter still works here. She had a Xatu that could teleport people through time portals. All Xatu have the potential, but only the very smart and well-trained ones can pull it off. I studied them extensively…and I think we are looking at the same Xatu."
"It probably took them back in time, which is why we can't find them."
"But Amber is just as lost but doesn't have any Pokémon with the same ability as Jezz's Xatu," said Michio.
"I think it may have to do with that Mimikyu. Giovanni asked me and Ralph to find it because it has a power that no other Pokémon can imitate. It can become anything its master desires. Whoever catches it can do whatever they want. Gio told me that. I am sure if Ralph knew too, he would have taken things more seriously, but I was told to keep it a secret, even from my TR partner."
"One time the original Dr. Rosedale and I came across an exceedingly high-level Mimikyu, and no matter hard we tried, neither of us could catch it," said Keaka. "We reasoned at the time that it was probably a good thing in the end because it can curse people, and we knew we risked getting ourselves and all our family and friends cursed too if we aggravated it."
"And Mimikyu can curse multiple people at the same time," Rita interjected.
"With its special ability, aka lele," Michio concluded.
"Michio says he saw the dark shadow in the sky a few times," Keaka continued. "The shadows are an omen. They appear in the sky right before the aka lele causes havoc. Usually, the harbinger is targeted to only a few random individuals, even though a great number of people may be affected. It is attracted to familial relations and friendships, being the lonely Pokémon it is."
"So Mimikyu creates this demon, the aka lele, that attacks groups of friends and families because it never had its own?" Annastasia questioned.
"Yes, but the demon is more of an extension of itself. Mimikyu can be in two places at the same time. It can let the aka lele loose while it's better half looks for Pokémon or humans that will be willing to show it kindness."
"And the better half is the half that tries to look like a Pikachu."
"Yes. The aka lele sometimes hides under the cloth that Mimikyu wears, that is, when it is not out creating mayhem and destruction. They say that if Mimikyu's softer side feels insecure, the aka lele will return to the Pokémon. Very few people have seen the embodiment of the curse. Most of the people who have were killed by the shock of it. But there are some people out there who aren't affected by it at all. They are usually the decedents of Aura Guardians."
"Like Amber," Rita pointed out.
"I understand," said Annastasia.
"Yes. Mimikyu knows that a person who can see its dark side and still care about it is worth befriending. That is when it decides to share its power with them," Keaka added.
"We know from Amber's Pikipek that she managed to get on Mimikyu's good side. We can assume that at least she is safe."
"I agree with that assessment."
"See, Annie, I told you those shadows were a harbinger," Michio asserted.
"She also said that only some people could see it," Rita argued. "I suppose I was one of those people too. I already told A about that weird shadowy thing in the sky. I saw it twice, once before the accident, and a second time here, right before Ralph…oh never mind."
Annastasia nodded at Rita to let her know that she understood. Then all three teenagers looked to Keaka.
"Thank you so much for helping with all of this," said Annastasia. "Thanks to you, we now know Jezz's roots, we know that Amber is okay, and we know what happened to the boys, the problem now is figuring out what to do about it."
"I can't help you with that," Keaka said regretfully.
"I didn't think you did. But, while you're here, if you have the answer, I want to know how those girls knew Jezz, and why they're fixated on Michio."
Keaka frowned. "What girls?"
"The banes of my existence," Michio clarified.
"Haku, Lona, and Alina?"
"Yes, those banes."
"They probably know Jezz because of all the gossip that passes from Puanani's mouth and into everyone's ears. Those girls know about every scandal. They enjoy spying on people, getting into their business, and Puanani even pays them to do it sometimes. They use the same sophisticated equipment as Team Rocket does. After all, they have the money. I wouldn't be at all surprised if they knew the details of everyone in your group's lives."
"It explains how they knew I was 'infected'," Annastasia sighed.
"Or how they knew that you and Michio were the oldest virgins in Alola," said Rita.
"Or…" Michio started.
"Ha, you can't think of anything."
"I'm being the bigger person and not commenting."
"But by saying you're not commenting, you are commenting," said Annastasia.
"Whose side are you on?"
"I just have a little linguist in me is all."
"I never wanted Michio to end up with any of those Alolan girls," said Keaka. "I was raised in this culture. I wanted to believe that it would work out in the end, so that even if this was his fate, Michio would be okay. It bothers me how much time I have spent doing what other people wanted me to do instead of doing what I thought was right. As to why Lona, Haku, and Alina are fixated on Michio, my assumption is that they want his money and the title he would've gotten had he followed in his father's footsteps. They were raised in a culture that told them that nothing was more important than money and power."
"And the Alolan tradition says that the youngest son gets all or most of the inheritance," said Rita.
"Yes," Annastasia verified.
"Unless they get written out of the will," said Keaka.
"Well, I thought they wanted Michio because Michio is Alola's finest ladies' man," Rita replied, smiling and jabbing Michio's side.
Keaka laughed and patted grumpy Michio on the back.
"He has all the right stuff…he is too shy and a bit too queer," said Keaka.
"I am glad we met," Rita told Keaka. "And you're right. So, totally right. I'm just grateful that most men are not at all like Michio."
"Are you going to go back to the Kapule Klan ever?" Annastasia asked randomly.
"Never," Keaka responded, her teasing smile turning into a semblance of determination. "I wrote Koan instructions on how to get a hold of me, and though he has let me down in the past, I feel as though now he will respect my wishes and not share that information with anyone. For a while, Koan and Michio were the only ones holding me back from leaving this island on my own terms, but now I am sure that they will both be fine without me."
"What do you plan on doing instead? Being nomadic? I am nomadic, and I like it," said Rita.
"Not everyone wants to voluntarily be homeless," said Michio.
"You don't know what you don't have until you don't have it."
"I respect your philosophy," Keaka told Rita. "But I have no desire to be a nomad. I still have wealth, just not as much as I did before—I was born into an affluent family and married into an even wealthier one. I have no anxieties about my financial future."
"You're educated," Annastasia recalled. "As a research assistant, and a nursing assistant too. I nearly forgot about all that."
"How'd you know?" Michio asked, surprised that she had that info while he did not.
"I talk with both your parents for months before I even met you."
"Oh…right…"
Annastasia kept her focus on Keaka.
"Can you use your knowledge of Xatu to help us at all in any way?" she implored.
"I think I know a way to help, though I am not sure if it will work," she told the trio. "I suppose we may as well try it."
There was knocking on the door. Annastasia stood up to answer it. It was an embarrassed-looking Jocelyn, her Pokémon, and a nurse.
"She was listening at the door," the nurse told them sternly. "Is she yours?"
"Yes, this is my sister," Annastasia responded as she took Jocelyn's hand.
They stepped further into the room. The nurse clicked her tongue.
"We don't let minors wander around her unsupervised, especially with their Pokémon," she chided.
"Okay, we get it. Sorry," Annastasia mumbled before the nurse shut the door on them.
"I'm soooo sorry, Onēsan, I didn't mean to listen to all your secrets," said Jocelyn, bowing her head sincerely. "I-I was just curious. I swear I won't say a word!"
"Flaa Fee!" Flaafy conceded.
"Bous," said Pinky, he and Jocelyn's other Pokémon nodding along.
"I forgive you," Annastasia sighed. She turned to Keaka. "Please, tell us everything you know about Xatu."
XO
In The Next Chapter:
- Jezz finds Amber and Jay a place to sleep
- The story of Mary, Xatu, and Patrissa
- Lunch date