Author's Note: Hi, thanks for reading I, Isobel thus far. I know it's been a while since the previous chapter, and I've been sitting on the WIP of this one for over half a year now. I originally intended to finish posting this arc within a month of its release back in 2021, but the chapters required rewriting and expanding, though it wasn't exactly writer's block. I struggled to find the motivation to continue this story since it didn't get the reaction I anticipated (I barely even know what people think about Act 2 of what's been posted for the past few months). That, and a lot of life stuff got in the way.

In any case, this will probably be the last chapter I post for I, Isobel. Maybe not the last fanfic I work on since I still have other WIPs (mainly involving the Dreamdiver fics), though they will most likely be short stories instead of longfics. Just at the moment, I see no incentive to continue Isobel's story, and each arc was written on an episodic basis, so I kept it open ended in case I wanted to write follow ups or wanted to end it. Also keep in mind this final chapter might be a little rough since I haven't passed it through a beta reader this time and some of it was written as a first draft. I know that doesn't set high expectations, but I have no expectations for this fic anymore, so I'm surprised if you've actually read up to this point. All I want is to put this story to rest so I can move on.

Anyway, for those reading, I hope you enjoy, and I hope you're okay as well.

Chapter 10: In to a Life

The rest of the journey was quiet. No one bothered her as she walked through the caves — thankfully no one mistook her for a trainer this time. Though since she was so dirty and bruised up after last night, it was a wonder nobody mistook her for a wild Pokemon instead. Not that trainerless Machamp were wild, per se.

Once she got within range of the gift shop, however, her phone vibrated. Right, that was still on. And she had one new message from last night. She sat by a bench to properly read it.

'Hey, it's that guy you crashed into the other day. I've got some news about the situation, but phone this number when you can.'

Crap. Of course, as soon as she got back into civilisation, reality had to stare her right in the face. She wanted to turn back and cosy up into that grass bed, but if she had to pay up so soon, she needed to prepare herself. If she put it off for too long, then that would've made things worse. Her thumb hovered over the call button, hesitating for a moment until she finally pressed down.

The dial tone rang, until…

"Hello?"

"Um…" The phone shook in her hands, though she breathed in to stifle herself. "Hey, it's that, er, Machamp."

"Right."

"I just wanna say, I'm so sorry about what happened the other day. I got distracted and a lot went through my head and it took me all by surprise and I should've gave you a signal, okay? I know I should've, I know it's all my fault, so I'll do anythin' to help—"

"Hey, it's okay. I'm dropping the charges."

Isobel took a moment to process it. "You are?"

"I should've said it was insured, but I didn't know what the company would've said, whether they had something about Pokemon and all that."

"Yeah, but it was still my fault."

"Yeah, but they're coverin' it anyway." He exhaled. "Between you and me, that company's stumped on what to do, so they ruled it out as an accident. Like a Wooloo rolled into it or something."

Edie was right after all, but it still wasn't any less embarrassing to be compared to a sheep.

"Even after I told 'em you had a job and all, it didn't sit right with them to charge a Pokemon that much."

"How much?"

"25,000."

Isobel was gobsmacked, literally, she smacked her mouth when she heard that price.

"Car insurance things are a freakin' grift, I'll be honest with you — I'm paying 50,000 a year for it. But this has paid itself off by half already."

She sank into her seat. That was such a relief, but her heart still pounded like crazy. 25 grand. Half her monthly rent.

"Look, I wanna apologise on my end for swearin' at you, I felt like a right old tosser after that."

"Nah, it's fine, I'm an adult."

"I know, but it still felt weird, since you're a Pokemon and all."

"So? It's not like I'm a toddler who needs potty training."

"You got me there. Alright, so no hard feelings between us?"

"Not at all."

"Alright then, good to hear. Well, good luck with whatever you're doing."

"Right. Bye."

Once he hung up, Isobel sat there for a while, sifting through her thoughts. Right, that was a relief. More than a relief. All this hubbub about it, and it amounted to a slap on the wrist. So, she was happy about it all, right?

A part of her still wanted to be responsible for it, though. It was her own mistake, and facing the consequences would've helped her to feel more independent. But she would've been a fool to insist on paying it anyway. Humans would try to get themselves out of paying less.

So, what now? She had this extra cash lying around from that same day, since she could've taken a day off. And unlike humans, she didn't have to pay for tickets on off-peak rides. Mum's words echoed in her head, about finding some respite. The countryside was different to the city, so Turfield was Isobel's oyster. She wanted to take pictures of the geoglyphs. Go for a stroll in one of their prized gardens. Have a Turfish pasty for lunch, or maybe even a plate of fish & chips. Isobel felt particularly indulgent after that fight, so why not?

Isobel got off the bench and walked to the bus stop with a new pep in her step.

One day later, and it was back to the rat race. The staff at the Pokeball emporium were happy to see her back there, and also glad to hear that the roadside accident didn't give her any trouble in terms of paying anything back. And when Isobel went to that same spot in the same street to flip the same sign, she swung it around with more vigour, even trying out a few new tricks, which impressed the passersby. Even if it wasn't where she wanted to be in years or so, this job was enough to tide her over for now.

When her shift ended, Isobel headed straight to the Golurk cafe for another plate full of iced buns, and she was also the guinea pig for that Morgrem's new tart recipe. Although it had too much jam filling — that Morgrem also had a bit too much fun saying 'soggy bottoms' because of it — it tasted nice all the same. As she washed it down with some coffee, she also started drafting up her PokeJobs posting, listing her skills, her experience, and her services. It was slow progress, and she regularly had to remind herself that she deserved to be in the position of a Pokemon coach, but at least she had a goal in sight. Isobel also expected Admirari to pop up in some random fashion that almost made her wet herself, but she never showed up. After the cafe closed, she exercised at the outdoor gyms to burn off all those calories. Then she came back home, ready to cook dinner, and she instinctively reached for Bronze's bowl on the floor to dish him up some food.

Right, Bronze stayed at Keystone Quarry. She no longer needed to vacuum up his moulting fur, or cook him meals, or have his company or someone else to battle with. Of course, Isobel knew it was temporary, but she didn't expect to miss him this much. She hoped he was happy with Terra and everyone else back home.

Isobel cooked up her chicken and mushroom stir fry. She ate on her own while she browsed through several battle streams. She washed up. Went to bed early. Tossed and turned in her sheets. Absentmindedly tapped her phone. Then she sighed and got up to go for a walk around Circhester. Maybe that would make her feel less alone.

Trainers roamed the streets with their Pokemon tailing behind them. Locals and university students alike shouted and shuffled into pubs, restaurants, clubs, and every other place that facilitated Circhester's nightlife. Isobel suddenly wished for the taste of barley on her lips, and almost tagged along with a group of humans her age (or the human equivalent to her age) when she remembered the extra set of arms at her back. Right, she was a Machamp, and she existed outside of their bubble. This was exactly why she preferred her own company at home when night struck, so she wouldn't be reminded of everything she had to miss.

When a few stray Pokemon brushed past her, holding instrument cases, Isobel tagged along with them instead. The further she walked, the more she picked up the sound of music, playing a folksy pop song she'd heard on the radio a few times. Perhaps there was a concert going on, something that probably cost more than Isobel would be willing to fork up. This turned out to be an open stage event in the middle of a shopping centre.

While nobody was performing yet, there were Pokemon popping in and out of the stage to set up their instruments. The crowd was a mix of both humans and Pokemon. There were actually more Pokemon here than she expected, even if humans were still the majority in the audience. Finally, Isobel saw a banner that read 'Pokemon Talent Benefit Concert - Admission Free', which gave her nothing to lose as she joined the crowd.

Time passed. Isobel was half-tempted to buy some snacks from one of the refreshment stalls, but her waistline already hated her for all the puddings she bought. She managed to pick out the Golurk and Morgrem duo — despite their status as frenemies earlier, the Morgrem looked comfortable sitting atop the metallic Pokemon. Another mon stuck out from the crowd: a Jynx with short hair that almost made her look like a boy. Or him, perhaps, it was hard to tell.

Then the wind changed. As subtle as it was, Isobel guessed that someone had teleported in. Of course, it was Admirari, donning a blue scarf that draped around her body. This didn't go unnoticed by some members of the crowd, staring at her as if she appeared out of thin air… because she totally did and even in a world full of psychic mimes and sentient keys, teleportation still made people turn their heads. Admirari only smiled as she gravitated towards Isobel, as if she knew she was there the entire time.

"Ah, Isobel," she said, raising a tentacle, "it appears we've crossed paths again."

"Yeah, um, totally." Isobel's skin tingled at the Hatterene's presence. "What are you doing here?"

"Watching a Slowpoke triathlon." Admirari chuckled in that high tone of hers. "No, I came here for the concert as well, as you have."

"Well, I didn't really plan it. I had no idea this was goin' on until now."

"It's been the talk of Circhester for a little bit. They're trying to showcase what Pokemon are capable of, not just participating in fights or errands, but performing."

"I mean, battling is a performance in a way. And it's not like I haven't seen others like us playing in the street or whatever."

"No, exactly, but this is the first event of its kind for this city. Alongside the PokeJobs programme, they also want to cultivate their— well, our existing talents by paying for tuition or instruments."

It was a wonder Isobel didn't read about it on the news. Or hear about this event. There was a lot to Circhester she had yet to explore.

"Have you ever thought about picking an instrument up?" Admirari smirked. "I can imagine you would be a good drummer with all those arms."

"Ah, no, no…" Isobel hid her arms behind her back. "I'd just suck at it."

"Have you ever tried it?"

"No. I guess not." If Isobel cloned herself, they would've been her worst enemy. This was a habit she needed to kick, especially after that trip the other day. "Maybe I could pick up the guitar, be like that Shredder guy."

"Who?"

"You know—" Isobel jammed on a double-necked air guitar—"that Machamp who's in that metal band."

"Ah." The Hatterene's scarf swished behind her. "I can't say metal is my cup of tea."

"It's not mine either, I just listen to stuff like The Beadrills." Isobel cosied up closer to her. "And what sorta music do you like?"

"Classical, mostly, but I can listen to anything as long as it isn't loud." Admirari squirmed. "Especially if it's performed live. It's a smorgasbord of clashing human emotions."

"Will tonight be much trouble for you?" She glanced at a Toxtricity in the band lineup who noodled at his chest growths. "I have a hunch it's gonna be heavy."

"Well, we'll see. And speaking of which…"

The band was about to start soon. She didn't know what to expect from a Toxtricity, Obstagoon and Rillaboom combo, but instincts told her that they played rock and roll.

She didn't have long to linger on that as the trio appeared on stage. The Toxtricity, predictably, carried around a bass guitar, pedals on standby at his feet, and the Rillaboom, go figure, stationed herself at the drumkit. The Obstagoon, however, brought in a keyboard, which he propped up on a stand. The moods of the stage changed as the human crew at the back fiddled with the lights. The previously dark stage now lit up, bathing the band and its audience in pink light that gave off a warm vibe. Even if it was colder at night, Isobel felt much more cosier with the colours streaming off her face.

The Toxtricity stepped up to the microphone on stage and positioned his three-fingered hands over the frets and strings, making the amp vibrate. Isobel had no idea what to expect at this point. Maybe he would've gotten the crowd to show some devil horns before he started. Maybe he would've screamed, diving head first into a cacophony of chaos.

Instead, the Obstagoon started first, washing the backdrop of the performance with a smooth, soothing set of chords. The drums kicked in next, playing at a breezy pace, and then the bass jumped in, playing a set of notes that danced over the backing band. The Toxtricity's playing was fast as each note carried a detailed groove over the track, but not too intense, almost sounding jazzy. For someone with only three fingers, he certainly made the most of it.

He started humming as the members of the audience swayed to the beat, and then…

"Let me lie on a bed of moss,

gazing at the constellations.

Give me some relief from this fight,

need a little consolation.

This ain't all I'm destined to be,

just some living generator.

I'm not your battery no more

for your alternating current.

Current, Current, Current,

swim in the current, current, current.

Will I sink like a rock, or float like a duck in this

current, current, current?

Current, current, current,

live in the current, current, current.

Don't live in the past, we're in the present,

the current, current, current."

His words were meant for Pokemon ears only. And yet, even though Isobel understood the lyrics just fine, it was his voice that carried it for her. His singing was smooth and blissful, gliding over the instruments like a Mr. Rime at an ice skating rink. Not just that, his presence was electric, literally. His guitar wasn't even plugged into any amp. But not only that, the way he looked when he sung those words, Isobel could tell the Toxtricity had been through quite the past. The feeling the song evoked was difficult to describe, like watching a horror movie that didn't scare her in the moment, but stayed with her after the end credits. Haunting was the closest Isobel could think of.

When the song ended, it was like waking up after a spell. Despite the song's downbeat tone, the crowd enthusiastically clapped, as did Isobel. It was a crime she hadn't listened to this sort of music before — maybe she relied too much on what was popular and didn't listen to the stuff beneath the surface.

"Nice, isn't it?" Admirari whispered.

"Not what I was expectin', but, well, I'm glad I found this. I have no taste when it comes to this sorta stuff."

"Well, the Beadrills are still popular after all these years. You could pick worse bands to follow."

"Really? I thought people said the Beadrills were kinda basic."

"They were the most influential group to ever play music in Galar, hardly basic."

"So what are you now, some kinda music historian?"

"No, I just like to learn about whatever piques my curiosity. Adam gave me plenty of time to explore it, after all."

"Then again, he probably listens to all the hippie stuff."

"He's actually a rap fan, believe it or not."

Isobel was speechless. That would teach her to never judge a book by its cover. Case in point: the band on the stage who just played that ballad. Thankfully, the next song was much more upbeat, and even funky, which made some of the bystanders dance. That energy was infectious. The energies from the different dancing Pokemon, especially that small Morgrem, made her think of that spinning Hitmontop from her old team. She hadn't danced in a while. Now was the perfect time.

She couldn't dance as expressively as she wanted since she was in the middle of a crowd. There was no telling who she would hit with her arms, after all. But jumping along, in a crowd full of people and Pokemon enjoying the same things as her, allowed her to live in the present. The current, current, current.

Admirari stayed at the sidelines, but nevertheless shuffled to the sound, her scarf flowing behind her like a swishing tail. Like Isobel, she got lost in the music. It was nice to see her having fun since she seemed so hard to read half the time. That magnetism was there again, pulling Isobel away from her circle in the crowd and closer to that Hatterene. Isobel was fast and instinctive. Admirari was slow and deliberate. Eventually, their moves synced up and they danced at the same pace, from this song to the next, and then the next one, which turned out to be the last.

The Toxtricity's band bowed and stepped off of the stage, allowing the human presenter to come forward.

"Let's give it up again for Soaring Lily!" The audience clapped again. "Hope you're enjoying it so far, cause we've got a lot of talent coming up your way. Now, this is all free, but we also encourage you to donate if you wanna pitch in." A Corvisquire glided past the crowd, holding a bucket. "Anything you dump in the bucket will help fund our tutor programme for up and coming Pokemon. Or if you just wanna support the artists directly, they'll be standing right there until the show ends." The Rillaboom from the previous band waved as she chomped on a banana. "Next up, coming all the way from Kalos, is Delial Dionne!"

After everyone's applause, a Braixen strutted onto the stage, holding an acoustic guitar. Isobel didn't know what to expect from her either. How exciting would someone's voice and a guitar be? Then again, plenty of Beadrills songs only featured those two things, and that still kept her listening. When Delial's paws picked over the frets, it instantly caught her attention as she drifted from note to note with ease.

"I shall dance among the fire lilies

Find the witchhazel in this black haze

Float along the wild westerly winds

That carry me to the great white sky."

Even though Delial sang in human tongue, her voice was hard to describe, somewhere between a fairy and a ghost type, especially with how much the microphone echoed. But it reminded Isobel of nature, of battling Dad under the stars, of her hands brushing past the thorned bushes, of feeling the grass between her toes. It was serene, almost making her fall asleep. Perhaps folk wasn't her thing, but she knew it sounded pleasant to listen to. As the song droned on, Isobel's attention shifted to her partner— no, friend. Admirari closed her eyes, fully lost in the sound. Her face was wet— wait, was she crying?

"What's wrong?" Isobel whispered.

"Nothing." Admirari's tentacle wiped away her tears. "It's… beautiful. Overwhelming, even."

She never knew music had that effect on someone. There was nobody in the world Isobel wanted to pick their brains more than Admirari. All she could say in reply was 'huh'.

"I know, it looks silly." Admirari chuckled. "But remember, I also sense everybody's feelings here. Some are indifferent to this music, others feel touched by it. And when the music's quiet, I tend to focus more on the sound as well. Each guitar stroke, each thought the musician puts into her technique as she laws her paw on those strings." She glanced at the bystanders, who noticed her whispers. "We should continue this conversation elsewhere."

"Well, why don't we slip out of the crowd while it's quiet?"

"I suppose we could."

Isobel held her arm out, gently weaving through the people and Pokemon that stood in a trance-like state to the music. Without thinking, she also grabbed Admirari's tentacle, leading her forward. Some of those emotions flowed through Isobel as well. Awe. Contentment. Even a little bit of melancholy. Isobel felt like she was seeing something she shouldn't, but she also felt warm inside. Like she did before when her and Admirari spoke at the cafe. They finally stopped by a bench, away from the concert, but close enough that they could still hear everything.

"I'm fine." Admirari adjusted her scarf. "It's nicer observing from a distance, though."

"I bet other people don't rub off on you as much from far away."

"Indeed." Her grip tightened around Isobel. For the first time, she felt fear emanating from the Hatterene. "Do you ever feel like your powers are a curse?"

Isobel held out her three free hands. The only thing that counted as a power was the ability to pound craters into cliffs. It was hard to feel like that was a curse. But it also came with an insatiable need to fight, one that she still couldn't break away from.

"Not really. It is what it is. I can hold, like, four cups of coffee at once."

"I can barely hold onto one, not that I would want to drink two or more, but I digress." Admirari leaned back and shut her eyes again. "I wanted to kill Adam, sometimes."

Isobel didn't know whether to hold her tighter or let go. "What did he do?"

"Have feelings. As a Pokemon under his wing, I didn't always why he felt the way he did. Why he laughed at someone's forced pun, or cried when he read his books. It was hard for me to understand human emotions. Still is. I'm certain you feel that way sometimes."

"Like how customers get pissed when some overworked guy at Bob's Your Uncle gets their order wrong."

"Those people are wastes of oxygen." She took a deep breath. "But I loved Adam, as a friend, like Pokemon would. I didn't want my instincts to drive a wedge between me and him."

"But you two seem quite buddy buddy now."

"It took a lot of work, from both of us. I studied him from afar outside of his training rituals, trying to understand how certain actions triggered emotions. He started meditating as a way for him to block out those emotions and bring us closer together." Admirari smiled. "It worked."

"Well—" Isobel squeezed her tentacle—" I'm glad to hear that."

She opened her eyes, gazing at Isobel. "Thanks for listening, and for keeping me company. I think I would've teleported back to my cave if I came here alone."

"Quite the coinkidink, huh? I just came here because I had no one else to talk to."

"it seems like the stars aligned tonight."

Isobel gravitated closer to Admirari. Closer than ever. Even closer than the fight. Closer than the cafe. Her heart thundered like a Rillaboom's drum. She brought her face closer, closer, closer, then, her blood turned to ice.

Was this too much for Admirari? What if she said no? What if Isobel reacted badly? What if she was being too forward, trying to kiss such a sensitive Hatterene?

"You have clammy hands."

"Ew." Isobel wiped the sweat off of her shorts. "Sorry."

Admirari adjusted herself on the bench and backed away from Isobel. "I can tell something's on your mind— well, I can literally read your mind right now. You want to kiss me, right?"

Steam was about to explode from Isobel's nose.

"Oh my god, I'm sorry!" She stood up, covering her mouth with all four hands.

"No, no, it's fine." Admirari's tentacle flowed through her scarf. "If you want to say something, just tell me right now."

"I know—" her words came out muffled until she put down her arms. "I, er, crap, I dunno how to say this, okay?"

"Well, just, speak your mind."

"Okay. Uhhhh... I... thought about some things, and, uh, this is kind of new to me, but—"

"But what?"

"I—" All four hands made a fist. "You're hot, okay?"

Admirari sat, stone faced. Isobel took a deep breath. No turning back now.

"I just realised, I might like girls. Girls like you, y'know. You're strong, don't take shit from anyone, you're nothin' but yourself, and uh, it's..." She inhaled. "All this time, I had this feeling that I didn't even know was there. And I've never said it out loud, to anyone. And I know I might regret it later, but, well, it would be great to hang out with you again sometime. So..."

Admirari's eyes widened. Even for a psychic, she probably didn't expect that, not in a million years.

"Unless, uh, girl's aren't your thing." Isobel groaned, smacking her forehead. "Sorry, I shoulda asked first. Have I made things weird?"

Lots of thoughts raced through her head. C'mon, Machamp were supposed to be about gusto, right? Act first, think later. But letting it all out, she wished she'd thought about it first. So she froze up. When Admirari stood from the bench and stepped towards her, she gulped, tugging at the back of her shorts. Admirari then laid a tentacle on her shoulder.

"Isobel. If you're asking to go on a date, I'll have to politely decline."

She slowly nodded, lowering her eyes. "Right." Isobel just smiled and coyly put her arms behind her back. "I guess it was a bit sudden, huh?"

"Yes. That, and you did punch me in the face several times before, but that's not why I refuse." Admirari held onto the brim of her hat. "I don't see myself as the romantic type, for neither male nor female Pokemon. So I'm not looking for the same thing you seem to be."

"Well, fair enough." She exhaled and held her chest. Right, she was a little disappointed, but strangely, relieved at the same time. Thankfully, it didn't end up with half of her skinned face on Admirari's tentacle. "I respect that you know what you want."

"I'm glad you understand." Admirari smiled. "But I still want to be your friend. And, well, that was a brave thing for you to say."

"I-it was?"

Admirari hummed as she sat back down.

"Ah, er, okay!" Isobel looked to the stage. "So, where does that leave us?"

"Like it was before. Feel free to go back to the crowd, but I'll stay here until the next act comes."

Isobel sank to the bench, keeping a few inches away from Admirari. "Nah, I'll keep you company for now. Besides, this music's kinda boring."

"I beg to differ."

"I mean, it's still good music, just ain't my spice."

"I suppose that's fair."

"And the Braixen's really good, too. I never knew someone could play that well with just three fingers— well, paws."

"It's possible. Maybe you should ask that Braixen out."

"Hell no, she'd turn me into a Kalosan fry."

"You never know until you try, and she is single, by the way. You might have a chance."

"I mean, I'll take your word for it since you're a psychic and all, but maybe you're also just baiting me."

"Perhaps. At least we're not talking about this within earshot of her."

They spent the rest of Delial's session talking until she came off, bowing before the crowd. By the time the next act came —a Houndoom wailing while his accompanying human played the violin—, they had settled into a groove, exchanging words like they exchanged blows in that week-old battle.

Isobel felt a strange sense of calm. Even though she wasn't close to where she wanted to be in life, and she faced relationship rejection for the first time ever, the path ahead seemed clearer than ever before. No longer a garbage-filled alleyway, but a clear path in an open field, with many peaks and valleys along the way.