DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of these characters. I don't own Genshin Impact or Pokémon.

I have no idea what to write in these A/N things, I just see writers do them all the time.

I think I'll use them to shout at readers.

I'd also like to say, I have no plans for writing any romantic relationships in this fic for the most part. This may change in the future, but currently, I don't think it's very necessary. I think healthy platonic relationships should be seen more often. So unfortunately, if that's what you're looking for, you've come to the wrong place. Actually, no, good for you. This fic stinky.

Enjoy.

The Noibat regards the group with its yellow cat-like eyes, its gaze seemingly settles on Aether with a look of recognition.

Hu Tao stares at the Pokémon then at Aether in amazement. "Holy crap! That's a Noibat!"

Aether doesn't take his eyes off the Sound Wave Pokémon, one of his all time favourites from the games. It's practically identical to how it looks in-game, with black fur all over its body, purple wings, and ears that resemble loudspeakers.

"Holy shit?"

The Noibat dives down towards the group and much to everyone's surprise, lands on Aether's shoulder, nuzzling affectionately against his cheek. The blonde is taken aback by the Pokémon's sudden move, but his surprise is quickly replaced by childlike wonder.

Noibat wasn't nearly as heavy as Aether had initially expected. Upon closer inspection, he could tell that this Noibat was healthy and full of energy.

"That's insane! Noibat are incredibly rare! They're not endemic to Liyue, plus they are especially sought after for their overwhelming power as Noivern. I've never seen one before~!"

What Hu Tao says aligned with what Aether remembers about the Noibat line. Supposedly, Noibat are capable of producing ultrasonic waves at ludicrous hertz levels. If the first stage evolution was already that powerful, he couldn't even begin to imagine how strong a Noivern is.

He wondered how much of the game transferred into this world. Did Mega Evolution exist in this world? Are there criminal organizations armed with creatures capable of levelling cities? Did Pokémon have abilities and hidden abilities? How much did EV's play apart in this world?

Aether stares into the Noibat's eyes and points at himself. "Do you know me? Am I your trainer?"

Seemingly confused by the question, Noibat nods.

"It must be yours. Being part Dragon-types, they are usually very aggressive and will attack strangers on sight. They are proud Pokémon and won't just land on anyone's shoulders."

Hu Tao walks towards Aether, intending to get a closer look at Noibat. However, noticing the other human approaching, the Pokémon tenses up and screeches threateningly at the teen.

Hu Tao raises her hands and backs away slowly. "Woah! Oookay, personal space! My bad~!"

Mei protectively jumps in front of her trainer, looking daggers at the Dragon-type. Shuppet reappears in Hu Tao's shadow glowering, not taking Noibat's hostility very well. The atmosphere becomes tense very quickly, the two teenagers could practically feel it in the air.

Aether takes the Noibat off his shoulder and looks into its eyes. "Noibat! Stop! Hu Tao is my friend!"

The Pokémon stares at his trainer and gives a rueful chirp, seemingly understanding that it has made a mistake.

"You two chill out! It's just a misunderstanding, stand down!" Hu Tao shouts at her two Pokémon. Shuppet slinks back into the shadows, still very cautious about the newcomer. Mei takes a moment to look at her trainer then at Aether and Noibat before begrudgingly backing off and taking her place beside Hu Tao.

Aether walks toward Hu Tao with Noibat held in his arms. The Pokémon stares inquisitively at the brown haired girl. "Noibat, this is Hu Tao. She's a friend. Please try to get along with her and her Pokémon."

Hu Tao leans forward, giving Noibat a charming smile. "Hiya~! It's very nice to meet you Noibat! You're the perfect mix of cute and cool!"

Upon hearing her compliment, Noibat looks away giggling, undoubtedly enjoying the flattery. Aether simply stares at his Pokémon in bemusement.

'Just one compliment and you're already sold? I'm glad you're getting along, but seriously?'

The four leave the alleyway and walk out onto the main street. Aether stares around in disbelief, taking in the sights and sounds of the city. He watches as people walk side-by-side with a variety of different Pokémon. He spots a Golduck accompanying an elderly woman, a Houndour walking next to a man in a business suit, an Ivysaur sleeping on the concrete sidewalk bathing in the sun as its owner sat at the table of a cafe.

A couple walks past the trio with a Flaaffy following close behind, warily eyeing both Noibat and Mei. Aether notices that Noibat, who's perched on his shoulder, catches quite a few glances from passersby. He turns to Hu Tao who just finished a phone call.

"I just called my parents. Fortunately for you~, we have a vacant room that you can use for as long as you'd like!"

Aether blinks. "Wait seriously? Is that really okay?"

She sticks her tongue out at him. "Where else are you going to stay? Out in the city?"

Before Aether could protest, he realizes she was right. He didn't really have any other options. "Thank you so much. I honestly have no idea how to repay you, you've done so much for me already."

She playfully slaps his arm and winks. "Jeez! Of course I'd help! As for what I get in return, that can wait 'till later. Ah, hungry?"

At hearing the word 'hungry', Noibat's ears perk up and he looks expectantly at the two teens. The blonde rubs the back of his head feeling a bit hungry himself. "A bit, I skipped breakfast."

"Same, let's get something to eat!"

The two walk around exploring the city, looking at the stores and cafes in what must be the shopping district of the city. A Rhyhorn pulling a food cart down the avenue caught the attention of the two teens where they bought fresh xiaolongbao. Aether saw even more Pokémon as they walked around the area. He recognized most but there was the occasional one that he couldn't name, which he assumed was from later generations that he was less familiar with.

The city itself was hugely different from Liyue Harbour in game. It was much more similar to modern day Shanghai in terms of architecture. Apartment buildings and offices dotted the landscape, shopping complexes packed with people were at almost every corner, and countless skyscrapers towered above which were even taller than the natural mountain range that surrounded the harbour. Despite the amount of people, the streets were incredibly tidy, a stark contrast to most large cities from Earth.

After spending a good portion of the day walking around, Noibat had grown more accustomed to the rest of the group. He had quickly fallen for Hu Tao's natural charm and ultimately was completely won over when she gave him some food. Shuppet and Noibat, surprisingly enough, had become fast friends. Initially, it took some effort from Hu Tao to get Shuppet to reveal himself to the new Pokémon. Once that hurdle was overcome, the two Pokémon quickly became inseparable.

Unfortunately, no matter what the two teens tried, Mei and Noibat would just refuse to get along. Hu Tao theorized that the two had a natural aversion to each other due to their conflicting Types.

Circling back to the central shopping district, the two had decided to stop at a local park where they could sit and rest. Noibat had decided to return to his Pokéball, while both of Hu Tao's Pokémon had decided to accompany their trainer. Aether was watching a Spinda stumble off a bench when Hu Tao suddenly grabs his wrist. "Oh you're gonna wanna see this!"

The girl drags him off and he can't do anything but clumsily follow along. He struggles to keep himself from stumbling, his legs were throbbing and sore from walking around the city and each step he took made it worse. Weaving through throngs of people, the two teens finally reach the centre of the park where a cheering crowd had gathered in a circle. It was a Pokémon battle.

A Nosepass faced off against Bronzor in a dirt arena. A young boy in wearing a blue cap stood behind the Bronzor, while an older teen stood behind the Nosepass.

"Nosepass! Use Harden!" the teen yells as the Bronzor fires a wave of Psychic energy at the Rock-type Pokémon. Seconds before the ripples of pink and purple slam into its target, the Nosepass shines brightly as if it was briefly coated in a layer of reflective metal. The Psychic wave collides into the Nosepass, pushing the Pokémon backwards making it groan in pain.

The crowd roars, cheering on the younger boy and his Bronzor. Breathing heavily in attempt to catch his breath, Aether stares at the spectacle. It was exactly as he had always imagined. Hu Tao takes a bite out of her xiaolongbao and points at the battle. "Whu du yu thwink ith guing thoo whin?"

He looks at Hu Tao. "Ah, well, doesn't the Bronzor have the type advantage?" she nods as she takes another bite, not taking her eyes off the match. "Twuu."

She swallows the food in her mouth and points at the teenage boy. "Look at his face, he's got a plan." The teen Hu Tao pointed out didn't seem worried with how the battle was proceeding. If he was, he didn't show it.

"When is that guy gonna fight back? He's been using Harden over and over!" yelled someone from the crowd.

'Oh, so he's one of those people. Scum of the earth. Livestock pretending to be a human being.'

Hu Tao snaps her fingers. "Ah, so that's what he's doing." He turns to Hu Tao, not understanding what she had meant. She motions towards the Nosepass with her head. "Watch."

"Alright, Nosepass, let's go!" orders his trainer. The Nosepass thrusts itself forward with surprising speed, slamming into the Bronzor. The sound of metal being rend tore across the arena. The Bronzor slides across the dirt arena kicking up a dust cloud.

"Bronzie!" The younger boy runs to the side of his fallen Pokémon. The crowd roars once again, some cheering and some spouting vitriol. The Nosepass stands victorious as the Bronzor doesn't rise back up.

"I didn't expect that. The Bronzor definitely seemed like it had the upper hand. How did the Nosepass pull that off?"

She smiles and crosses her arms, glancing at the victor and his Pokémon. "He kept using Harden to not only increase his defense but to also increase his mass."

"So that made his attack much stronger." Aether responds, just having connected the dots.

"Yup! And since he didn't order a specific move, they've probably been using that tactic for a while."

Soon most of the crowd had begun to dissipate, leaving both Aether and Hu Tao alone by the dirt field. Aether watches as the young boy takes his fallen Pokémon into his arms and rushes towards to what he assumes is the nearest Pokémon centre. Just as he is about to walk towards a bench, he feels a tug on his arm. He looks over his shoulder and sees Hu Tao giving him a smug smile. "Wanna battle?"

Aether blinks. A few seconds later, he turns to face her and points at himself. "Battle with me?"

She pokes a finger into his chest. "Yes, you! C'mon!"

The teen stares blankly, the cogs in his brain coming to a complete halt. He nervously stares down at his Pokéball. This would be his first time battling. While he did play most Pokémon games back on Earth, battling in real life was a completely different ball game. This was not the turn based video game that he was used to, the skill requirement was completely different.

Hu Tao gestures for him to follow her. "Hey no worries! We won't go hard, just a match for fun~!"

He reaches down for his Pokéball and tosses is it on the ground, releasing Noibat. He crouches down and looks at the Pokémon who simply stares back up at him.

"Hey Noibat, would you be interested in having a battle with Hu Tao?", uncertainty in his voice. Noibat's ears perk up and his eyes widen in excitement.

"Noi! Noi!"

He flies into Aether's arms and looks at him eagerly. 'Well, looks he's keen on it. Since he's up for it...'

A small smile forms on his face, he gives a shrug. "Sure, why not."

Hu Tao claps her hands excitedly. "Great~! I'll be fighting with Mei. Let me bring out my Pokédex so we can read what moves he has!"

"Ah that's right, I was meaning to ask about that."

She nods as she pulls out a maroon red Pokédex which Aether recognizes as the model used in Pokémon XY. Rather than being a bulky model from the older series, this model was much slimmer and had a center touch screen similar to a modern day smart phone.

"Yeah that's how we see our Pokémons' movepool! Pokédexes are pretty essential for any trainer."

She powers it on and points it at Noibat. Aether can see Hu Tao scroll down a page full of information about Noibat. It was much more detailed than the Pokédexes in the anime, containing paragraphs of text and several pictures ranging from the Pokémon's anatomy to habitat. After a moment of scrolling, Hu Tao walks over to Aether and hands him the device.

"Those are Noibat's moves."

Gust, Supersonic, Double Team, Wing Attack, Bite, Dragon Rush, Steel Wing.

Aether takes a quick mental note of the moves, hoping he doesn't forget any. He returns her Pokédex and nods. "Alright, I'm ready."

Noibat jumps out of his arms and flaps his wings excitedly. Aether can't help but allow the elation to build within his body. This was it, he was going to have a Pokémon battle. Mei and Hu Tao walk to the opposite side of the field, the Steel Fairy-type eyeing Noibat with a menacing glare.

Hu Tao waves from across the arena, a manic glint in her eyes. "On my mark! We'll start!"

Aether tugs on the sleeves of his blazer, blowing his bangs out of his eyes. "Here we go."

"3, 2, 1, go!"

"Mei, use Stockpile!" Hu Tao orders as she grins mischievously. Mei's secondary jaws open wide, balls of energy materialize around the Pokémon and get sucked into the Mawile's gaping maw.

'Not good.'

"Noibat, use Supersonic!"

The Noibat zooms toward the Mawile, releasing a burst of sound waves that force Mei to grimace and cover her ears. Mei can't help but fall onto a knee simply from the pure volume of the move.

"Now, use Double Team!" Aether calls out. Noibat begins to move at blinding speeds, creating afterimage copies of itself that surround the dazed Mawile.

Aether can't help but gawk at the display of speed. He couldn't even begin to imagine how fast you'd have to be moving in order to create illusory clones of yourself.

'While Mawile is incredibly powerful with simply obscene jaw strength, it is much slower than Noibat. We can rely on speed and evasion to outmaneuver Mei, we can whittle her down until we can finish the fight in a single blow.'

Hu Tao simply laughs, completely unfazed. "I have to admit, didn't think you'd do this well considering it's your first time!"

A wide grin forms on the girl's face. She throws out her hand, pointing at Noibat. "Alright Mei, you know what to do!"

Aether frowns, a sense of unease falls upon him which is enough to convince him to pull back. "Noibat, keep your distance! We'll wait for their strategy and counter!"

Noibat immediately gets away from the Mawile and hovers in front of Aether, observing Mei carefully. Aether feels his heart drop as a lump forms at the base of Mei's throat, which quickly travels up towards her jaws. Simultaneously, Hu Tao snaps her fingers. "Iron Head." The Mawile grins maliciously, positioning her secondary jaws behind her, perfectly parallel to the ground.

A bright light flashes across the battlefield, and a thunderous BOOM shakes the area. Noibat's eyes widen as a yellow blur slams into him, sending him directly towards Aether, catching the stunned blonde in the chest which sends the two falling backwards into the dirt with a thud. "Ow!"

Hu Tao's triumphant grin is quickly replaced by a look of concern and she runs across the field. "Aether! Are you okay?!"

Aether shoots up into a sitting position, cradling his Pokémon. Noibat blinks sluggishly, obviously dazed from the impact. The blonde boy dusts off his clothes. "I'm good! That was an amazing attack, I completely underestimated Mei. You completely floored us. Literally."

Hu Tao gives an apologetic smile and offers him a hand which he gladly takes. "Sorry! I didn't expect Noibat would crash into you!"

She stares at the Noibat nestled in Aether's arms with genuine confusion, who seems to have more or less recovered from getting hit. "Honestly, I'm very surprised he's still conscious. Most Pokémon are out cold after a full force Iron Head from Mei. That's one sturdy Pokémon!"

Aether takes a look at Noibat, who's visibly upset that he lost against his rival. "Huh. You seriously are an amazing guy aren't you?"

He looks down towards Mei who took her place by Hu Tao's side. "Mei, that was insane, I couldn't even react."

The Mawile looks away, smiling smugly, obviously very pleased with herself.

Glancing back at Hu Tao, he scratches the back of his head. "Was that Flash Cannon? The move Mei used to propel herself?"

She shakes her head, smiling. "Nope, Flash Cannon doesn't generate enough recoil. That was Spit Up. It's a little trick that me and Mei came up with in order to surprise faster opponents. Though admittedly, it's still a work in progress."

Aether laughs quietly. "As expected, I have so much to learn."

The two idly chatter as they walk over to a bench where Aether slumps down exhausted. He sighs deeply, beads of sweat dotting all over his face. Hu Tao passes him a bottle of water and takes a seat next to him. The two had decided to let their Pokémon rest, keeping them inside their Pokéballs. Most of the people at the park had already gone home, as far as they could tell, they were the only ones left.

"We should probably head over to my place soon. It's getting dark. It's a twenty minute bus ride."

Aether doesn't reply and stares pensively at the darkening red sky. Watching him stare at the sky in silence for a good few seconds, Hu Tao smiles gently. "Hey, you doing OK?"

The blonde boy snaps out of his trance and turns to her, giving her a sheepish smile. "Ah sorry, yeah we should head out soon."

She places her hand on his shoulder and gently slaps his cheek. "If you need someone to talk to, please know you can always talk to me."

He pauses for a long time before finally nodding silently, letting out a quiet sigh. "I'm just thinking of home. I feel awful. I left everything and everyone behind, and I'm out here enjoying myself. It just feels wrong."

"And while this is basically a dream come true, I just can't help but think about home. And I'm pretty much stuck here with no way to return."

Looking away, he looks down at his Pokéball. "The reality of the situation didn't fall upon me properly earlier. But, I'm so far away from home. My parents are gone, my sister is gone. My old life is gone."

The boy begins to choke up, tears finally begin to go down his cheeks. He shakes his head and shuts his eyes, embarrassed that he ended up breaking down in front of someone else.

Then he feels someone's arms wrap around him, pulling his head into an warm embrace. He opens his eyes to Hu Tao kneeling on the bench, holding him in a tight hug with her cheek pressed against the top of his head. "Just let it out."

She pulls him in even tighter. "I know I can't really do much. But no matter what happens, I won't let you be alone. I'll always be by your side."

Aether, completely overwhelmed with emotion, shuts his eyes and sobs uncontrollably.