"Four. Weeks."
"Correct. Give or take a few days, if my memory serves me right," explained the Sinnoh investigator. "It truly is interesting how the time flies by, hm?"
It had been a... rough few hours for me, to say the least.
After Fennekin had calmed down, the vixen curled into a ball, light snoring rising from my lap. Looker had taken the liberty to ensure I was stable enough emotionally and mentally to resume questioning. Fortunately, he was kind enough to answer a few of my own in turn, which ended up garnering different results than what I hoped.
"How could I have been under that long...? It hardly felt like two hours."
"That's likely from your mind playing a trick on you. Often times when a person is in critical condition, their senses become warped and disoriented. Feelings aren't always so reliable during those times. That reminds me, the state you were in when arriving at the hospital- I hope you don't mind that I peeked at your medical report. The list of injuries, well... to put it simply, I've seen resilient people succumb to less. I have to say, you speaking to me as you are now is a miracle on it's own." Looker expressed, raising his eyebrows slightly as though hearing his own words for the first time.
"Speaking of which..." He cut sharply, steering his eyes back to me. "Could you please fill me in as to how you came into the center's care?"
I hadn't given much thought to it, save for him asking. Unfortunately, all I that could recall beyond the doors was no better than television static.
"Nothing is ringing a bell after being carried to the center's doorstep. It's hazy around then, but I at least remember coming across Santalune."
"And?"
"And you'd have a better chance gathering information around town. A handful of memory ink blots won't do any favors as evidence."
"Lead me through it. To the best of your ability, please."
A sigh left me. "If that's what you wish. I guess it... well, I stumbled through the gates. That would be first. Hm... oh. I remember one poor soul watched me shamble through the front gates and– lord, that shriek... just thinking about it makes my ears ring. Ah, nevermind- I'm going off topic." I shook my head. "After the gates, reality began to slip away. The buildings, the clouds- it all meshed together. I'm drawing a guess, but I think a handful of passerbys managed to get me into the pokemon center. Any other details are too clouded." I admitted, stroking the placated form on my lap. "That's all I can provide."
"That so? I see." Looker responded, stroking his chin. The detective sat solemnly for a few beats longer before continuing. "It sounds to me as though you've endured a great deal."
"If only. I understand my words aren't much, but I can't necessarily control that." I shrugged back, a frustrated scowl creeping along the corners of my mouth.
"Oh not at all; this will do just fine. Great, even! Besides, what you've provided is already shedding light on plenty of topics. Nevertheless, let us continue." stated the officer without missing a beat. "Can you explain how you found yourself in Santalune Forest?"
A bead of sweat began to form, the grin fading. Looker had been dancing around the topic ever since his first question, and I hadn't formulated a good response yet. The only way to worm around would be through an obvious subject change.
Glancing to my right, I observed Looker hastily etching notes into a notepad from his coat, withdrawing it moments before returning to questioning. Nurse Joy; on the other hand, had decided to stay put at the edge of the room.
Although there was no notepad in my hands, I too was able to scrounge some tid-bits from our exchange:
One: I had been taken to the region of Kalos, as evident by Fennekin and the existence of Santalune Forest, which I had (allegedly) wound up in the inner sanctum of.
Two: Nothing escaped Looker.
See, I had already attempted to coerce the intimidating man into leaving by staging a rather convincing facade of drowsiness and drifting off to bed. My plan was to have the Nurse Joy escort him back into the lobby until I awoke and was ready for questioning, but when I had put my plan into motion, he replied with a blunt "I have time." and seated himself in the lobby. I had partially figured it was the same technique he used when I first came-to. The idea of Looker being in the room when I initially awoke being a mere coincidence was just too much of a jump in logic to write off.
Three: I had been stranded for a minimum five weeks in this world already. I was dropped off at the foot of the building at approximately 5:20 pm after passing out, a time of respite for the pokemon center as most trainers usually began to settle down for the day to prepare dinner. What was also miracle was my rate of recovery, which only I found astounding. I was willing to estimate the average recovery time needed for a burn victim typically lasted well over two months to heal, and additional bodily damage would compound it further.
Yet within four weeks, I was fully coherent and regained fine motor functions across a majority of my body. Granted, the technology within the pokemon world was far more advanced than Earth's own, and the advancement of medicines had likely followed a similar growth structure. Regardless, I cut that time in half.
Thankfully, none of the slashes from the brawl had caused enough damage to require physical therapy or surgery, which I hailed as a boone. I was quickly becoming sick of being confined to the bed for so long.
While my recovery was an interesting topic to stew on, I continuously caught my mind sliding back to Looker's previous comment.
'...you speaking to me as you are now is a miracle on it's own.'
How had I managed to survive for so long?
The question just didn't seem to make much sense. No answer I could come up with satisfied it.
I recalled an article I had read about two weeks prior to my last memory on my Earth discussing how the human body can only withstand a certain amount of bodily traumata before utterly failing.
Apparently, if I had let myself fall the first time I'd entered Santalune, then I would have never gotten back up again.
I would have never woken up.
A shiver ran down my spine.
That same line of thinking brought me to another discovery: Surprisingly, this world was a collage of not only the Pokemon games and anime, but had incorporated aspects of the manga as well. With the history behind the towns and worlds correlating alongside locations in the game, a few locations I assumed were from the anime had come up as well. My guess was that it could partially explain why I had sustained wounds from pokemon attacks and how Ash remained unscathed in the anime (at least, he had been at the forefront of them on many occasions and walked them off soon thereafter) and now a bit of my world's physics had transferred over.
Why or how this came to be was completely beyond me.
"Pardon my impatience, but you have yet to answer my question." Looker commented, huffing at my blank stare. I snapped myself back to reality and shook my head.
"Oh. I apologize, it's a... resilient habit. Anyhow, you asked what I was doing in the woods?"
"Correct."
With every passing moment I could feel his intensity bearing down on me. As hard as I scoured my brain, I couldn't create a believable excuse.
"With all due respect sir, I doubt you'd believe it."
"How so?"
"I think you'll get what I mean if I were to present an example, but first I'd like to make a few requests."
Looker raised a brow. "And what might they be?"
"If possible, Nurse Joy, I wish to have some privacy. I would like for you to escort Fennekin outside with you too."
Sharing skeptical glances, the officer reluctantly nodded his head towards the stewardess. The woman looked as though she was going to argue, but the words died on her lips as she stepped forward to receive the dozing pokemon from my arms. With the furry package rocking back and forth in her arms, the woman exited my room.
"Now then. If I may, there is one last condition I want- no, need met. I know that this one may be more challenging to follow through with, but," I paused, taking a breath. Looker eyed me cautiously, signalling for me to continue. "Not a single word that I will say leaves this room. No documents, no recordings, nothing. If by some chance it does, then I may very well compromise the entirety of Kalos and possibly further."
At the mention of the region Looker froze. I felt my blood run cold and a shiver ran down my spine. I knew the veteran officer meant business, but his trained focus could make even a Tyranitar cower.
"Explain, please." was all he said.
"Absolutely. From what I can gather, you have your wits about you Looker, so I have no doubt you'll see where I'm going when I ask this. Have you ever heard of a phenomena known as dimensional travel?"
The man's serious exterior warped into one of befuddlement, then astonishment.
"I think you see the gravity of what I'm faced with. As to the whys or hows, I'm as much in the dark as you. The problem is, the world I originate from diverges vastly in terms of cultural, geographic, and scientific developments."
As Looker processed my words, I turned my attention to the rising ruckus in the hallway just beyond the room's doors. The sounds of muffled grunts meddled with irritated yips as the scuffle mounted. After around a minute of tussling, the noises began to quell. A particularly tired and aggravated Nurse Joy wrenched the door back open, the cap on her hat now haphazardly perched awkwardly on her head. The once brilliant white of the stewardess' apron was now littered with all manner of cuts and signs of struggle, her forearms baring similar shallow scratches.
A few steps behind the nurse came a fuming Fennekin, eyes still hazy from her rude awakening. Her fur was ruffled and mangy, the small scar divots in her pelt partially covered from the displaced hairs.
The tiny fox pokemon took a robotic stroll to the bedside and slung herself onto the frame's smooth railing. With her back half still draped over the back, her back legs scrambled for an edge to push off of for a moment before she flopped down onto her back. Fennekin brushed herself off with a quick shake, curling back up beside my stomach. She blew out a thin gust of smoke from her nostrils, finally setting her head down. A couple seconds passed and she was out cold.
The hints of an amused grin edged around my mouth.
"Well, I suppose we already discussed the meat of it. At least we know she doesn't appreciate being moved without permission." I joked halfheartedly.
Nurse Joy wasted no time leaving the room.
The fox merely stirred for a moment in response, tail tickling my nose as it brushed by. 'She's a cheeky one. Ah, that reminds me; she still needs a name.'
"Your claim – while it is especially apocryphal – holds strong." Looker finally spoke up, drawing my attention. I responded with an understanding nod. "However," he added, "While there is no discrepancy with what has been said; I, too, would like to tell you about something. I understand you are one perceptive young man, so I can only assume you've pieced together that I was not stationed Kalos with the intention of learning your origins. I mean no disrespect towards you, there are simply other matters."
"None taken." I replied, his words echoing again in my mind. 'It's as I thought after all. Half of me is glad that I'm not fully on the radar yet, and the other half is nervous to hear what's drawn Interpol's attention so soon. I can only imagine it's Flare's doing. He did mention them already, anyway. The question is, when in the timeline am I?'
Looker then withdrew a miniature tablet from a brown satchel resting beside his chair. He quickly swiped through the high-tech device before presenting it.
Displayed on the screen was the symbol for a video playback from a news station I recognized as the same playing within the pokemon center lobby.
When the video began to play, the rapid whirring of helicopter blades blared through the speakers. A pale, blond-haired woman sat in front of the camera from the safety of the helicopter hovering in the sky, blue cardigan billowing in the gusts. The microphone in her hand was grasped as if she would plummet to her death were she to let it go. A ghastly expression had taken custody of her color-drained features, her green orbs remaining locked on the scene playing out below.
As if on cue, the camera panned down to the tree line, focusing in and out of the overcast night sky. Even though the feed was grainy, I felt my breath hitch at the grizzly sight nonetheless. I mustered as much willpower as I could to constrict the instinctual quaking in my core, but small shivers still escaped.
Acres of trees and wilderness were swirling in a hellish inferno, mounds of sickly smoke spouting into the sky. What appeared to be miles of forest had been completely consumed by fire, a large deposit of stone and dirt lying a few hundred meters away from the helicopter. Luckily, the heli had flown clear of the fumes, but a single peek was all it took to turn my insides to putty. So much destruction… all for what?
"We at PokeBC are standing here, live over the spreading wreckage of what was once the beautiful woodlands surrounding Glittering Cave, bringing you the story of the attack happening right now! It seems th- that a huge forest fire has broken out of seemingly nowhere! Local authorities and officials are doing all they can to contain the flames, but-" The reporter started before a gut-wrenching explosion rocked the helicopter. The camera feed began to fizz and jolt around sporadically from the sudden force. Choirs of beeps and whirring could be heard from within the cockpit followed by frantic shouting.
"Sources are now coming in that this is an act of intentional terrorism on Kalos, the assailants are unknown as of this moment. Resi- whoa! Residents within Ambrette Town, Camphrier Town, and Cyllage City are advised to remain indoors or seek shelter if able and evacuate routes as quickly as possible. More updates on the situation will arrive soon-" The video concluded as Looker turned the device back around and exited the playback.
I sat with my eyes stuck in a lifeless stare at the foot of the bed, the scene engraved into my mind. I ran a nervous hand along my left arm, still as a statue.
The flames had- well, they just... kept burning. Even though the pixels weren't changing, I could feel the heat radiating from of the screen. My lungs were tight and breathy, struggling to let me breath. I could almost taste the charred remains of the crumbling forest, the splintering bark still smoking on my tongue.
"Stay with us, my friend. Are you alright?"
The question snapped me out of my trance. A quick sputter opened my airways once again, slowly releasing the tense hand gripping the bed rail for dear life.
"I-hrm. I'm fine." I coughed. "Team Flare's work?"
It was abundantly clear I was rattled to the core, but Looker thankfully didn't press further.
The detective cocked his head to the side with pursed lips.
"Ironically, yes. It's created quite the conundrum, coupled with how no motive has been revealed yet. Most conventional causalities such as fossil pilfering were deemed impossible. No man, even with assistance of technology or Pokemon, could venture through that unrelenting wildfire. Fear tactics have yet to be ruled out, but I personally believe this is an inaccurate judgement." He grimaced. I, on the other hand, was lost in thought.
'This... this throws a wrench into things. A large wrench. I hadn't really thought much of my prior knowledge when it came to this world, but this must be before the main plot of the games. Also, I don't recall Team Flare ever acting out so brazenly - especially so soon - aside from blocking off the cave itself. Even then, it's still painful to dredge up memories of waking up...'
I shook my head, shifting the topic. 'I'll need to tread with care from now on to remain under the radar. Hell, what am I getting wrapped up in? God knows what would happen if they caught wind of any of the info I have.'
"Your habit seems to be quite frequent." Looker commented.
I mentally cursed myself before continuing. "The effort is a work-in-progress. Regardless, I'm betting this... event took place close to when I appeared, right?"
Looker shook his head. "Not quite. You see, what I have presented- it happened approximately two days before you were discovered. But it seems I have no need to delve further."
That statement threw me for a loop.
"Wait, what do you mean by "delve further"? Were there more questions you had? I'd be more tha... nevermind. I guess, I couldn't have been..." I paused, eyeing the form and clipboard the detective silently slid me. Upon the paper was a title in ample bold letters stating "RESIDENCE VISA". I sent a sideways glance back to the trench coat-wearing man, eyes searching his features.
"Pardon the wording. Believe it or not, there is a second reason I can place faith in your alibi. You claimed to be from a separate dimension, no? Well, with all of what I've been provided - despite the holes - well, it's still viable for truth. During your time unconscious, the Kalosian League called for a thorough investigation for each possible suspect encountered that may have a link to Team Flare or seemingly suspicious individuals. With the event I've shown you, I think you can understand why. However, no matter how much the Joys and I searched, not a single fact of information could be found anywhere about you. We were left completely mystified."
I knew Looker was a smart man. He was shown to be. Certainly the kind of person who practically bled determination and craftiness.
Although, never once had I spotted him as the sort of person to understand that quickly. Perhaps basing the game's portrayal of the character- no, portrayal of the man wasn't a sturdy basis.
"I'll be blunt with you. As far as the world is concerned, you've never existed. That is, until now. If you would be so kind, my friend, I want you to fill out a few sheets of paperwork regarding your personal information and background, mainly to prevent you from rousing any unneeded attention for as long as possible. It would also be helpful if I had a name to work with." Looker stated.
I winced slightly at the realization that I had never actually introduced myself. I was making myself out to be a fool; failing to introduce myself, sitting like a lost pup. A twinge of embarrassment flushed through my cheeks as I eyed the paper.
"If I may add, you've been rather quiet. Something on the mind, young man?" The detective asked.
"No, I assure you I'm fine- truly. To be quite honest... I'm having trouble coming to terms with the- well, cesspool of recent events. I mean, I wouldn't be surprised if I wake up in a mental hospital the next time I fall asleep." I muttered, the weight of my situation pressing harder upon my shoulders. Something still niggled my insides though.
"Sir, I-"
"No need for formalities. Just 'Looker' will do."
"Ah- understood, inspe- erm, understood, Looker. There's one last question I have to ask."
"Go ahead."
"I get it's not your field, but I'm guessing trainer licenses are distributed from the region's designated professor, right?"
Looker queried an unreadable look at me in response. An aspect of the man I was rapidly picking up on was the lack of expression he had. No matter what I threw at him, he never seemed to vary too much from an icy gaze of seriousness or thick, pointed eyebrows. I hated to admit it, but the man refused to budge, even an inch. At all.
"Not necessarily, but I do understand your inquiry. And despite the... unique circumstances, I cannot fathom an instance of the professor lending a spare pokedex to someone not registered as a Lab Trainer."
…
'Shit.'
I sighed in defeat and allowed myself to gingerly flop back onto the pillows of the bed. Fennekin shifted at the movement, irritated at the disturbance. Looker sat back down across the room and picked up his glass of lukewarm coffee, the heat long gone from the lengthy exchange.
How in the world had fanfictions I'd read back in middle school portray becoming a trainer seem so easy?
Oh, right. I'd nearly forgotten. None of them had ever really experienced it before.
...
Suddenly, an idea popped into my brain. An ambitious idea.
A very ambitious idea that would likely fail.
But it was idea no less.
My mouth released it immediately.
"...a partner."
"Pardon?"
"What about a partner?"
"Can you elaborate further? I'm not sure I follow."
"It was earlier, when you presented that video. You said 'I was not originally sent over here'. Yet, every other time you've spoken about your intentions or goals, you used a plural pronoun, like 'we' or 'our'... that means you've been assigned out here alone." I deciphered. The man in the trench-coat eyed me wearily.
'Good, I have his attention.'
"You also mentioned that you didn't have much evidence going into your case on Team Flare, and I'm the main lead now. That being said, now that I've explained my circumstances and relationship to the 'Team Flare', I don't think I'm that reliable as a source. And please - do correct me if I'm wrong - though I don't think it's doing anyone much help." I explained.
With every deduction, Looker's gaze firmed more and more. Sparks of vexation crackled within his chocolate eyes for an instant before being extinguished.
"And thus..?" He trailed, foot beginning to tap impatiently.
Fennekin nudged my hand curiously, tilting her ears to the side. I motioned to guess she was now interested as well. Either that or she wanted for me to shut my mouth. I took it as the first option regardless.
A sigh heaved out my chest, an intent glint in my eye.
"I might be able to fill that core lead, but in return I'm asking for a favor."
"I apologize for the interruption, but forging trainer licenses far exceeds my jurisdiction. I refuse to agree to any illegal activities." Looker responded coldly, repulsed. He leaned back in his chair, shutting his eyes as though he were exhausted.
"You're right, you won't. You'll be my partner."
Looker's eyes nearly bulged out of his skull, spitting coffee all over the floor. Fennekin let out a jostled "Kin!" as she sprang up from her nap, the spatter assaulting her ears.
"Ah, that wasn't how I meant it. I meant to say I would be your partner, but I'm... still not sure of all the logistics. My point is, we're both tied in here-"
"No."
My confidence was flushed down the drain in an instant. The fennec in my lap peaked up to view the commotion, bowing her head back down when she saw the intense expressions.
"Under what- argh... For what reason should I consider allowing you to become my partner? That process isn't nearly as easy as you make it out to be, and you have yet to even introduce yourself. I'm no fool, that I can assure you."
"Norman. My name, is Norman."
"Well then. Norman," He enunciated, voice laced with forced calmness. "This has been very enlightening. Now that this matter has been addressed, I'm going to take my case elsewhere. My work here is done." And with that, Looker wiped himself off, collected the partially-filed clipboard, and sped over to the door.
'Damn it, he's an adamant guy. I didn't want to mention it, but I don't know of any other options.'
"What about Cyrus? What became of him?" I called, raising my voice.
No matter what, I needed the man on my side. Otherwise, for a lack of better terms, I was screwed.
Looker stopped halfway through the door, snapping his head around so fast I thought his face would fly off from the whiplash. "How-"
"Look, I'll explain the details I have on him another time. What truly matters is that my offer still stands- you let me have a hand in this, and in exchange I'll grant you everything I know. Do we have a deal?"
Looker's eyes blazed incredulously and his brows furrowed hard before subsiding to exasperated dismay. His bitterness seared like the coffee spilled on the floor once had. I felt a tad of empathy for the man. I didn't want to antagonize the poor man so much, but he wasn't making my job any easier either. Fortunately for me, his self control was nearly inhuman.
"Norman, you are pressing my patience much farther than you should. It would be within both our best interests to drop these questions."
It took almost all my concentration to not buckle under the grizzled interpol guardian's gaze, and even more determination to keep my own emotions in check. But I refused to back down. It was difficult to contest the intensity, but the desire and fear to succeed overpowered the discomfort.
"Looker, you need to work with me. I'm completely serious about a partnership, internship, or any sort of deal that can be struck between the two of us." I paused. "I know you're a good man. The type of person I can place my trust in because I know it won't be left in the dust. A man of your word, and a reliable detective. I won't be asking for anything irrational either, no illegal activities of the sort. Now, I need to see the heart that sets you apart from the rest and work with the brain that got you into this position. We both need this knowledge."
"Again, I must politely disagree with you. How you speak of me in such a familial manner- it... is confusing but your information seems to be scarily accurate. But, I cannot risk another unknown element for the sake of results when there could very well be another source that has yet to be found. These variables are so indiscriminately vague that placing another piece of the puzzle into this mess- it could be catastrophic for everyone involved!"
"I am not an 'unknown element', Looker, for the love of god! I'm a human being; and one who knows the variables at that."
Looker paused at the door. He glanced back with an unreadable expression, eventually ambling towards the chair. His gaze shifted between Fennekin and I, who had silently witnessed the dispute. Part of me sympathized for the tiny pokemon, wondering how she had the patience to sit calmly while her brand new trainer sparked an argument with someone he'd just met.
Oh, the things I would've done to trade places with her in that moment.
"Do you honestly believe I'd be oh so stupid enough to not consider the dangers that would come with working under an officer like you, Looker? I may be brash, yes, but I'm no idiot. I've had plenty of time to mull over my options, and my choice is that I'd rather not sit twiddling my thumbs." I stated with a stern conviction.
"You've seen things; experienced more than I ever have or can dream of. But that's a saving grace compared to anything else I can fathom. For Pete's sake, I nearly died mere moments after I woke up in the damn forest. Even this Fennekin here? She's the only thing in this blasted universe I have sliver of a connection with now. Hah- At this point, there isn't much left to lose."
The hardened officer studied the floor. The air seemed so thick with tension that even a Weezing would choke on it. His mind was elsewhere, still taking in the heated exchange we had wrought.
At some point I had unconsciously latched a hand onto one of Fennekin's thin paws, something she quickly took notice of but had never bothered to move. She placed her head on the softly quivering hand, the vixen's focus trained on the detective seated at the opposite of the room.
...
"...just tell me when you finish." He sighed, defeat weighing heavily in his voice.
Guilt clawed at my gut as Looker handed me the forms back. I kept my eyes on the questions. I didn't have the heart to make eye contact then.
The first page consisted mainly of basic identity questions like my first and last name, age, height, etcetera. Easy enough, nothing too out of the ordinary. It wasn't until the "current residence" question that I began to run into trouble.
'What should I put? 'N/A'? Homeless? To think, filling out a simple sheet would be so… intricate.'
I ended up leaving that particular box blank.
A curious and moist muzzle nudged it's way underneath the hard plastic, followed by two bright red eyes. She began to nose her way in between me and the clipboard to see what sorts of neat activities I had been up to, but didn't find much of interest.
The rest of the sections were left either blank or "not available".
Only one other sheet caught my eye as I mindlessly filed out the papers. The page was under a subsection of personal belongings, marked simply as "Pokemon" followed by six open boxes and a smaller section marked "Trainer ID". Luckily, I was able to leave the trainer ID box empty as I focused on the Pokemon name box.
'And now there's an impasse. If I mark Fennekin's name down in this box, then it'll probably register her as a pokemon of mine, but I don't know if she wants to travel alongside me. Eh, if things come down to it, I could place her in Looker's care. I don't even know the basics of pokemon maintenance anyway. Helluva trainer I'd be.'
I glanced down to the curious pokemon beside me and held the paper at an angle to let the fennec have a view.
"So, I'm willing to bet you can't read."
Fennekin raised a bored eyebrow.
"...right, pointless question. Aherm- this is asking for your name. What are we putting?" I asked, turning the form to the vixen.
Fennekin cocked her head to the side. Did she not expect to be given a nickname? Did she even know what one was?
I twirled my hand in a circle, trying my best to conjure an explanation. "Y'know, a nickname. Something special to call you. I don't want to continue calling you 'Fennekin' all the time. It would be nice to have something that means more than just referring to your species' name."
Recognition dawned upon the pokemon as she nodded eagerly, sinking down and stretching out her back with a few pops down her back. Her body rocked back forward, a few mumbles of 'fennekin' mixed with yips following suit. The fennec began pawing at her ear, batting away hairs. Fennekin quickly recalled that I could not, however, understand her, eyes widening and ducking back down.
I wasn't sure if it was just the blur of motion, but it looked for a moment like the fox's face had a slightly red hue. I couldn't help but let an amused snort slide out.
"I'll think of something. Don't worry yourself." I reassured, thumping the edge of the tiny pokemon's ear.
I sat in silence for a moment, the gears in my head diligently churning.
Then, I had a fleeting moment of inspiration.
"How do you feel about Fenway?"
Fennekin chewed over the question with the occasional twitch of an ear. Finally, with one definitive "Fin!", we had found a name for the fluffy companion.
I couldn't help but raise an amused eyebrow at the pokemon's jubilation.
Honestly, the little fluffy creature baffled me. One moment, she was a timid child with no interest in anyone, and in the next moment she'd be elated over a mere name.
'Speaking of being timid, do the natures of pokemon work the same way from the games as though they're the real personalities?' I wondered, my focus drifting down to the satisfied fox. If that were true, then I would be in for quite the ride, considering the Timid trait was one of the more beneficial natures statistically for a pokemon like Fenway.
Little time had passed before I'd completed the last sheet within the packet. As I placed the clipboard down on the nightstand on my right, Looker reluctantly stood from his slump and retrieved the papers. He gave them a quick once-over, then placed them back in his satchel. With his back turned and coat adjusted, he walked to the door.
"This has been quite the… interesting meeting. I wish you a stable recovery Norman, and I will now be taking my leave. Good day." The detective said, swiftly departing. He had never turned back to look at me, but from the way he had been lurking in the back of the room I could tell I had done a number on the man. My heart ached as I thought about our interaction, replaying it like reruns of an old film. Hopefully I wasn't too rude to the gold-hearted cop.
A muffled conversation began to wobble in from the hallway, catching our ears. I leaned forward in my bed, careful not to fold over on my recovering wounds. Unfortunately, my hearing wasn't as powerful as Fenway's and I couldn't make out much aside from the voice of Looker and the Nurse Joy from before. After a few minutes of discussion, faint footsteps trailed off down the hall that were closely followed by Nurse Joy peeking through the doorway. She did a quick visual sweep of the room before fully entering to check for any other surprises, soon traveling to the foot of my bed to face me.
The nurse gave a polite bow. "I apologize for any trouble Detective Looker may have caused you, he's been under copious amounts of stress lately. Are you and your pokemon alright sir?"
I quickly nodded and held up my hand. "Yes, yes, we're fine. I understand where he's coming from, so there's no need to apologize; really."
Nurse Joy nodded back silently, readying a tray she had stationed on the counter. I couldn't make out much more than a few pill bottles or wipes from the distance, but the contents weren't bothering as much as the gnawing that resided at the bottom of my gut. For the life of me, I couldn't understand where it came from, but I did my best to banish the feelings deeper inside.
Fenway stirred in my lap, slumbering peacefully on my belly. I stared at the pokemon, the same scamp who had recklessly braved the odds to save me. She seemed so calm back then, and even as I observed her dozing there wasn't a care in the world to her.
Part of me envied her ability to be so carefree and trusting. The other part of me wanted to grasp onto her for dear life and crumble; into a messy heap.
But all I could do was slide down in my bed and yawn.
'I'm not sure what I've done to deserve you Fenway, but I guess I'm in it for the long haul with you now. I'll try not to let you down.'
As Nurse Joy finished setting up her assortment of medicines and tools, she turned to administer treatment only to find a pair of exhausted souls, swaddled in a deep sleep.
It was, by far, one of the most heartwarming sights the aid had ever seen in all her years of working at the center.
"Physical age of twenty years old… ashy platinum hair… one hundred ninety point five centimeters… green eyes… urgh. The boy may have been telling the truth, but..." the frustrated man murmured, staring at the screen of the laptop, then back at the packet of papers strewn across his desk. There had to be more on him somewhere; a lead within his account, a previous travel record- maybe even a vague spotting description was a hint he was willing to jump on by then.
The detective had been scanning over each page thoroughly for nearly two hours now, leaning back in his seat as he wiped his eyes in annoyance.
At least there was more decaf back in the coffee pot if he began to drift off again. The last thing he needed was to smudge up the forms that took oh so much work to acquire. A weary sigh escaped through the man's lips as he tried to recall something - anything - to explain what could have caused such a headache of a situation.
...
He had been in the region for only a month and a half before receiving a report of an unidentified young man at the local Pokemon Center of Santalune City. At first he wanted to wave off the problem as some punk who had lost his Trainer ID when the kid had finally met his match.
The officer had already been bombarded with instances just like it from disheveled nurses that either didn't know how to properly access the ID classification archives or lazy officers who'd rather pawn off their work to another poor soul. He ended up trashing the request and shutting off his laptop, content with relaxing for a few moments before closing up shop. Today had already been rough enough, what with having to deal with plenty of Flare rapscallions and being forced to endure an agonizingly long virtual debrief with the deputies and police chiefs of Lumoise and Anistar City.
He was busy enough as it was. Throwing another bone would only make his job harder.
The next day, the man received another message from the center, this time urging him to visit as the matter was still unresolved. This only drew more irritation out of the detective as he once again trashed the message.
He wasn't just any average detective that would handle this kind of case; they should be contacting the Santalune police force instead. But no, the center chose to flood his inbox. He was only in the region for the case he was already on, the one Captain Henrietta assigned him. A case with but a single lead; an enormous energy surge appearing above the western quadrant of Kalos that was leagues higher from anything a natural horde of pokemon could create. Ever since, he only had a crumb of info to dwell on, and dwell he had.
The interpol officer's "dwelling" lasted for the rest of the week, that is until Sunday as the messages continued to flood in. The man had entered his vacant office for only a few minutes before a call began to resound on his Pokegear. However, one detail seemed to catch the officer's eye.
Rather than torrent of notifications from the Santalune Pokemon Center, the inbox had been filled with messages from the Santalune Police Station. It piqued his curiosity, sure- but it wasn't enough to detract from. He only accepted assignments from one source, anyway.
A sudden vibration rumbled against the man's thigh. Breathing out a sigh, he haphazardly fished out the device from his pant pocket and held it to his ear. "Hello? May I help you?"
"Of course, Lieutenant. How has the transfer been treating you?" rang a strong feminine voice, a hint of an Australian accent creeping out. The man began to massage the bridge of his nose as he readjusted himself in his chair.
"Ah, Captain Henrietta. I've been just fine acclimating, no need to worry. If I may ask though- you've never called without a prior notice. Is there something of interest you wish to discuss?" he asked.
"Straight to the point and dead-on. I've taken the liberty to review your findings from the folders and files within your hard drive and SD chip - or rather lack thereof - and understand you've found...nothing. I get that in your eyes there is no such thing as a dead case, but the truly wisest course of action would be to wait for another event to arise." she explained. The man began to bite the side of his lip at the suggestion. He'd already spent over a month and a half in the region; he only needed a little bit more time to gather evidence and suspects. There must have been a witness to the surge incident, linking thread or not.
"Ma'am, with all due respect, I doubt this is a dead-end. You assigned me because you thought I could continue where others forfeit. I know this is possible."
There was a pause over the line. "I am fully aware of my own actions, Lieutenant. I'm not calling to relieve you of the case. Rather, a probable lead was discovered not far off from the site of the disturbance. One of our agencies stationed within Anistar City received word from a Pokemon Center within Santalune City had recently taken in a patient on death's door step. However, this male had no identification on him and not a bit of registration within any database that resided within the Center, nor the League's servers. He's completely off the grid. If anything, I'm more surprised you have yet to hear about it."
The man's breath hitched when he heard the news. A mix of emotions swirled within him as his boss continued on.
"I understand your loss has been difficult, and you've been working diligently through it. But I must implore you to that if this becomes too big then you will be relieved of the task and will be.. Substituted with another team. I'm only doing this because I understand, Lieutenant. I know what lengths you're willing to go. So please, proceed with caution."
"I know, I know. You need not to worry for me. I've been trimming into the instance as well with the lad, and do know that I'm already in the midst of unveiling vital components. There is no fallacy when I assure you that I am fine captain. There's no need to lose much sleep at night." He reassured her. It was all a blatant lie, but the man prayed Henrietta would believe it.
She remained silent, making the lieutenant sweat bullets in anticipation. Then, a sigh came over the speaker.
"Don't overdo it, Looker. If you need backup, request it. This could be something massive, and may be key to taking down Flare. Just- be cautious." Henrietta finished, light beeping following her message as she hung up. She just wanted the best for both him and the world.
But Looker couldn't bend a knee yet- not when his gut roared at him that there was something.
He knew it.
...
The grizzled officer stared at the ceiling blankly. Norman had left a few of the sections blank, as Looker expected he would. His eyes met one box in particular, a foreign idea growing in the back of his mind.
Conflicted, Looker bent over the desk, running his hands through his hair. No, he shouldn't involve the kid. He'd already collected what he needed, there was no reason to involve him. He doesn't need Norman; he can handle this case on his own too.
It's just like any other. He and Cro-
Oh. They... still weren't here.
...
Lifting his head, Looker glanced down at the paper, then back up to his computer monitor. Henrietta was right.
He scrolled underneath the "RESIDENCE VISA" sheet, clicking on a single box he had left on his first reviews.
Looker tacked away at his keyboard and hit 'Enter', shaking his head disapprovingly at his own actions. Underneath the "Current Residence" box there were now two words that resided within the pixels.
Looker Bureau
And thus, it begins.
Also, for those of you wondering, I will say it here and now:
This story will not be dropped no matter the hiatus; I fully intend on finishing it unless stated otherwise by me.
I have been (and will for some time be) both writing and editing this story all myself. I intend on making this quite a long fanfic that is over 400,000+ words at the least. I will be attempting to update this as soon as I can. My schedule is insatiably busy, and this tends to impede progress quite a lot. I apologize in advance if I am late on updates, as I will have consistent curve balls thrown. The third chapter will most likely be posted around the end of March or beginning of April.
I would also like to thank the users COMC and Agoodnameguy for their reviews on the story, along with all of you who have Favorited or followed the story.
Now that that is all out of the way, feel free to favorite and follow the story, and leave a review to let me know about your thoughts.
Until next time, homies.