Welcome to another chapter of Usurping! As always, I do not own Pokémon and please see the author's notes for details.
6. From Diffusion to Induction
I may not have been in the cave anymore, but my senses were on high alert.
If I could, I would have shivered, even though it wasn't cold.
What was my vision going to show me now, and why was I having one so soon after the previous ones?
It could only be something ominous, and perhaps there was nothing good in my future.
At least I wasn't in darkness and silence this time.
Instead, I was in what looked like the kitchen of someone's house. There were two people standing across from each other, and a bunch of mail on the floor.
I wish I could've shuddered as a chill raced down my spine, and I knew it wasn't because of the mess.
I hadn't met either person in years, but I could recognize them instantly.
There was a woman with short black hair and brown eyes. Her hair was held back by a red headband. The woman wore tan kimono, the bottom of it a deep red reminding me of leaves in fall. She also had on clay colored sandals, and they were almost the same shade as her eyes.
There was no mistaking that this was Celadon's Gym Leader Erika, probably at her home.
And the person in front of her was even more unmistakable.
For it was a young girl with long blonde hair, green eyes, and clothing that resembled a burning fire…
The girl from the nightmare, Holly.
No, this wasn't Holly.
Or at least this wasn't the Holly I had fought before.
That Holly was from the other world, and she was long since a victim of her unimaginably terrible fate.
The Holly before me must've been from this world.
According to the vision, she was alive and well.
At least during what the vision was depicting.
But why would the vision show me this?
Aside from a professional basis and an embarrassing incident at a perfume shop, I didn't know Erika at all.
I mainly stayed away from Holly, and I hadn't even spoke to her since the first time we met.
It was so long ago I doubt that Holly would recognize me, and I didn't publicize the fact that we had met at all.
I'd rather not relive the horrible memories that went with our first meeting, and encounters after that didn't go any better.
Even if I never introduced myself, and no one ever knew the two of us met.
But still…
Holly, Erika, and I all lived separate lives, and from what I was aware, there was no reason any of our paths should cross now.
Was the vision saying that they would cross?
That they had to cross?
And I still had no explanation why.
But perhaps I would get one.
As something was changing within the vision.
And that change involved Holly.
The girl was grinning like a demon, which was surprisingly fitting considering her history.
Holly's shriek pierced my ears as she stared at Erika, and the wild smile never left her face.
"Mom, I found a letter addressed to me! It's about a study, and I want to go!"
I barely had time to glance at the letter in the pocket of Holly's pants before the vision morphed.
The vision was still in the same place with the same two people, but the floor was now spotless.
Erika must have asked Holly to clean up the mail, and Holly had begrudgingly complied.
The Lady Arceus must not have wanted me to see that, because cleaning up a dirty floor probably wasn't important.
But something else clearly was.
It was enough to make my mind fly in several different directions before I even looked at the new scene the vision showed.
Study.
Holly had mentioned a study.
My thoughts whisked me back to Professor Pine's words from before.
She had asked if someone wanted to participate in something, and Gabriel had deduced that she was possibly asking me to participate in a study.
If that was the case…
Then was this the same study Holly had received the letter about?
And why would Professor Pine be asking me if Holly was the one receiving the invite?
My thoughts were interrupted instantly by someone speaking again.
It was only a pair of simple words, but to me it may as well have been earth shattering.
Absolutely not.
My senses sharply flew into focus as I realized Erika was holding the letter, and Holly was staring at her.
Erika's words had not been an answer to me, but to Holly.
And it was an answer Holly wasn't having any of.
The girl had widened eyes, but there was no fear.
Only surprise and fury.
The girl's voice rose to a yell, as a question rang through the air.
What? Why?
Erika's response was icily calm, firm, and unyielding.
I realized the Gym Leader's eyes were narrowed.
Her message couldn't be clearer.
You're not ready for this, Holly!
Fury formed on Holly's face soon after Erika spoke, and I knew what was coming next.
The vision seemed all too eager to show me, or perhaps resigned.
Regardless, if I could move, I would've been cringing.
I knew I was the one that wasn't ready.
Ready for the enraged yelling and screaming in the argument that followed.
Arguments like this often made me want to get as far away as I could.
But now I was forced to listen.
The argument was so heated there was almost nothing but yelling and screaming.
I thought it would be enough to burst my eardrums.
But within all the yelling and screaming and verbal beatdowns, there was a discussion…
One about several vital topics…
Topics like the right to go on Trainer's journey when one was long past the minimum age…
What it means to be an adult and to have opportunities to prove it…
Being alone before, and facing dire consequences…
Comparison to the legendary Trainers Red and Blue, and an unnamed hero who had done both harm and good…
And then, the dangers of Pokémon journeys, as well as bringing up each other's pasts…
I was relieved I couldn't move because it would take all my effort not to show the frustration bubbling inside of me.
Because I suspected something neither of the two people in my vision did…
If circumstances were more peaceful, both sides of the topics would've been considered, and any dissenting opinions would not have fallen on deaf ears…
Yet clearly things were anything but peaceful, and what could've been a talk about many topics relevant to Trainers and what to do about them turned into an all-out war as one side fought to overpower the other…
Like discussions about those topics almost always did.
It may have been a huge argument to Erika and Holly about the rights of child Trainers, but to me, it was just like any other…
So much that I'd grown numb to it, no matter how much I hated conflict.
But I wasn't numb to the chilling message Holly spoke afterward.
"You've only proved I've won!"
If I could, I would've clenched my fist.
Or hung my head low.
Perhaps both.
Caught up in their argument, both Erika and Holly failed to realize the truth, and I was unable to tell them.
In verbal battles like this, and in the war involving child Trainers…
There were no winners.
There never would be.
Because if those who were and sided with the child Trainers won the battles, it would mean more injuries and deaths on journeys…
Yet if the authorities won, it would only provide child Trainers and their supporters with ammunition, and they would rally and fight even harder to prove those authorities wrong and corrupt, and destroy or reform them…
And then there were the unfortunate civilians caught in the middle, and those trying to make a living in an economy that almost completely revolved around child Trainers…
It was one of the reasons why the battles and the war were seemingly never ending, and that the one known conclusion was that there were only losers…
A conclusion that neither Erika nor Holly came to after their argument.
The image of the two faded away, replaced by another.
If I could have, I would've grimaced.
Because now I had a feeling I was witnessing the disastrous results of what happened before.
I was taken into a simple room with a desk and a crank window. Holly stood in the center of the room, scowling. She wore a dark red shirt and pants. The clothing appeared spotless and had no wrinkles and wear and tear, as though it had just been put on. Air from a fan whipped Holly's hair around, but she didn't pay any attention.
Instead, she just stood glancing forward, scowling.
Perhaps Erika had sent Holly to her room at some point, Holly decided to change clothes eventually, and I was watching the consequences almost directly after the argument.
This vision could have even been directly after, since my vision give no indicator of when and what time of day the argument took place.
Then again, maybe the argument had long since passed. I had no way of knowing and the vision wasn't telling me.
Or perhaps Holly just didn't like something in the room.
After all, I would think it would be would be hard for the light green on the walls and the floor to appeal to someone that loved fire.
Or perhaps, she had had trouble sleeping. Sleeping in clothes like that would be a bit odd, but it wasn't unheard of (since I knew I often did it myself). I could faintly see that the room was under the darkness of night from slightly below the curtains around the giant crank window.
Having a bad night would make anyone annoyed, so Holly would have good reason to be angry.
But then…
Holly's scowl turned into a smile, and I had a feeling there still wasn't any mirth.
No, this was mischievous, dark, and plotting.
Whatever this was, it couldn't be good.
Holly bent down and placed her hand in the desk drawer. The door made the softest sound as it opened, but I swore the world could hear.
Holly reached out and grabbed something, making almost no noise as she gently closed the drawer and straightened up.
If they could, my eyes would have gone wide.
For Holly had a small bag, but it may as well have been a deadly weapon.
This bag looked unassuming, resembling a dark yellow purse with a shoulder strap. It had some sort of white symbol emblazoned, and pockets to the sides. That wasn't what caught my eye though.
I became focused on what couldn't be seen.
A wave of magic that assaulted me.
Powerful magic, at that.
Magic that was not uncommon with a bag a Trainer would use.
For these bags could be expensive, and not every Trainer could have them, but they were second to none when it came to reliability.
And it was all because of that magic.
Magic allowed Trainers to carry everything and anything.
The bags weren't advertised as magic, as some people weren't comfortable with that, and it would destroy any competition by monopolizing markets.
The magic was so subtle that I doubted anyone other than an extremely skilled magic user or otherwise those especially in tune to magic would notice it.
As far as I knew, Erika wasn't either of those things.
So it would make sense that she didn't notice.
Holly probably knew she wouldn't notice as well.
If I could, I would've shuddered.
That bag told me exactly what Holly was planning to do.
And there was no way I could stop it.
No way anyone could stop it.
And Holly seemed to know that as her grin grew even wider.
Soundlessly, she tiptoed towards what looked like a bathroom.
I would've flinched as I wondered my visions would have the indecency to show someone using the restroom.
But there was nothing of the sort.
Instead, Holly gingerly opened the door to the bathroom.
I wondered if she would turn the light on, but she did no such thing.
Instead she glanced around the bathroom, creeping stealthily on the tile.
I wasn't sure what she was looking for at first, but then a chill ran up my spine as I realized the answer.
The answer given to me by what wasn't there.
For though the bathroom was pitch black and it was a place I had never seen, my eyes adjusted far more rapidly than I expected.
I suspected it was because of the vision wanting to rapidly show me information, and giving me the ability to see easier in the dark than I normally would've been able to.
Regardless, there were so many chills up my spine that I could if started shivering.
There was nothing in a toothbrush holder…
No tube of toothpaste was on the counter…
Not even anything like makeup or a hair brush…
A towel hung in the bathroom, but I had a sinking feeling it was the last one there.
Holly didn't give me the answer to that question though, as she closed the door just as easily and quietly as she had opened it.
She must have found answers to her own questions, though, as she nodded approvingly.
Without hesitating, she trotted over to another door.
I wasn't sure where that door led to, but I received my answer as Holly also opened it.
I could make out shelves in the darkness, so I guessed it was a closet.
Holly glanced around carefully, but I could tell she was restless.
I couldn't understand what she was looking for because most of the shelves seemed to be empty.
But now, my vision did tell me the answer, as my sight suddenly expanded.
From there, I could read several labels.
Even though I quickly and desperately wished I couldn't.
With how easily I could see things, the labels may as well have screamed their messages.
Heavy-duty.
Easy to carry.
Protective.
And the ones with those messages were all completely empty.
These words all said different things, but they were to me they all stated one thing.
And it was something that wasn't even on the labels.
Something that I was hoping wasn't true.
Even though everything spoke to the contrary.
Yet the room was almost completely silent as Holly closed the other door.
In another minute, she had grabbed the bag off the desk and slung it over her shoulder.
She gingerly walked over to another destination, heading over to the crank window.
A prickle of dread ran down my spine, and I wondered if my face would blanch.
I had hoped what I suspected wasn't coming true…
That Erika would come in and stop all this…
Then Holly would have second thoughts…
Or someone would notice and put an end to Holly's scheming.
But there was no one and nothing else as Holly carefully pulled back the curtains.
She stepped so close she was almost up against the window.
Her body was completely still, but her eyes searched restlessly.
Were it not for the vision restraining my movement and preventing me from feeling sick, I would've probably vomited.
Because I knew exactly what she was looking for.
And it appeared almost on cue.
No, it was on cue.
It had to be.
There was no way something like this could happen otherwise.
For next the window lazily floated a Pokémon.
One that I knew wasn't native to Celadon.
This creature looked nothing like the gorgeous plantlike beings Celadon was famous for.
Instead it had a purple spherical body with short arms and legs. The legs had hands and feet that resembled those of a human, and I could see a tiny tail in the back. The Pokémon had two pointed triangles on its head that looked like ears. There was scruffy hair on the creature's head, or at least something that looked like that. But what couldn't be missed was the other's toothy grin. Bright white teeth almost shone in the darkness, but what outdid even them was the creature's bright red eyes.
The eyes of a Gengar.
One of the most well-known Ghost Type Pokémon, and a favorite among ghost enthusiasts.
And also one of the strongest and the most feared.
If someone like Holly had a Gengar, there could be no end to the atrocities she could commit!
And it seemed those atrocities were starting right here.
The black pupils in the Gengar's red eyes glanced straight at Holly. Its grin was so wide I wondered how there could be any room on its face. Holly returned the gesture with a similar grin and focus. I didn't know what the details of Holly and Gengar's relationship, but it was clear they greeted each other warmly.
And that they were allies.
Which meant that they probably planned everything all this together.
If I could, I would've shuddered.
I had a feeling I knew how Holly and Gengar knew each other.
But I never expected it to be like this.
Was hoping it wasn't like this.
Didn't want it to be like this.
And yet here was, unfolding right in front of me, with me being unable to do anything about it.
I could only helplessly watch as a blue aura of psychic power surrounded Gengar. The aura engulfed the window, ripping it out of the wall as if it were a sheet of paper.
I resisted the urge to cringe. I'd forgotten the crank windows could be taken completely out of the wall like that, and rather easily, if one knew what one was doing.
Somehow Gengar knew that too, and now it effortlessly held the window in place in the air. Holly was looking straight at the ajar window, paying no attention as the night wind whipped in her face and blew her hair back.
Instead, she just looked down at Gengar expectantly.
Within another moment, the psychic power engulfed her.
It picked her up very gently and gingerly, as though she was as light as a feather but also made of glass. Holly briefly floated in the air, before she was brought forward and into the open space where the window had been. The psychic power intensified, and she was lowered to the ground so effortlessly she may as well have always had wings. Holly's feet almost silently hit the grass but the psychic power around her did not disappear. Instead, it weakened, all of strength going to the window floating in the air. The window gingerly floated back to where it had been before on its own. That was a clicking sound, and the window was fit into the place where it had been before. It had been ripped out of the wall before, yet now it fit neatly back in like a puzzle piece in its proper place.
Perhaps because it was a puzzle piece.
A puzzle piece in Holly's sinister plan.
But I had no more time to think about that as the psychic power dispersed.
Holly glanced at Gengar, smile never leaving her face.
Gengar still returned the smile, even as it turned its back to her. I thought perhaps the Pokémon would abandon Holly then, but no such thing occurred.
Instead, Holly jumped onto the Pokémon's back, hands and feet holding on to what looked like jagged spikes. They must not have been spikes, though, because Holly didn't indicate that anything was painful.
Instead, she only gave a nod.
I could see Gengar nodding back, before floating in the air. Without warning, it hurtled forward through the night at breakneck speed. I wondered how Holly could hang on, but she didn't even seem to have the slightest bit of discomfort as she did so.
Instead, she merely glanced over Gengar's back as the world flew past him. I thought I could vaguely make out trees, grass, and the night sky. However, it was only for a brief, fleeting, moment, and there wasn't enough time to make out anything specific.
The world rushed forward at an almost dizzying speed, and I wondered how long it would go on. I had no way of keeping track of time.
Yet suddenly, almost as soon as Gengar had started flying, the ghost Pokémon stopped.
This time I thought I would get dizzy as it seemed like the world was crashing into me.
Perhaps it would be the same for Holly, yet if she was dizzy she didn't indicate it.
Instead she simply glanced around, and it gave me time to collect myself as the background came into view.
Trees were on every corner, and there wasn't a single speck that didn't have green grass. However, there was light shining further on, and if I strained my ears I could pick up the sound of water flowing.
I knew there was a pond in Celadon, and a man who lived in the house across from there. So Gengar must have taken Holly near this area.
But why?
If Holly was doing what I thought she was doing, then venturing near a stranger's house and possibly being found should be the last thing on her mind!
But whatever was on Holly's mind had nothing to do with risks. Instead, she smiled again, grinning.
Within moments, she had jumped off of Gengar's back, landing safely in the grass. The ghost Pokémon suddenly turned around, a question written in its eyes.
The Pokémon had not spoken, but the question was easy to read.
Why are you doing this?
If I could, I would've blinked in confusion.
Surely, the Pokémon must know why! Otherwise, it would not have helped Holly on her journey!
But perhaps just needed to hear words of confirmation from Holly's lips.
And she was all too eager to give them as she focused on the Pokémon and her smile grew wider.
I'm doing this because Erika was wrong. No matter what, she had no right to try and stop me.
So I will become a Pokémon Trainer, and I will become so powerful that no one will defy me ever again!
Holly suddenly waved her hand in a dismissive motion, and for second I thought she took back her words.
However, her message was once again clear as she spoke a second time.
You should go before someone sees you. I handled things myself from her. Go on ahead without me, and meet me at the place we discussed.
The Pokémon nodded and slunk back into the shadows.
Holly wasted no time as she let her bag fall to the ground.
She plunged her hand into it, snatching up a belt that matched her clothing.
Holly secured the belt around her waist, digging around in the bag again. She came out with six black-and-white balls, attaching each of them to the belt. I thought that would remain there, but Holly snatched up the one in the middle.
She tossed it into the air, and the blinding white light filled the area.
Another creature stood staring at her.
This creature had what looked like a white mane tumbling down its back. It looked like a man made of dark brown wood if not for the pointed ears. The creature's hands were made out of leaves, and it had a pointed nose. Piercing yellow eyes could be seen easily in the dark as the creature continued staring at Holly, but its gaze only held confusion.
This was a Shiftry, I knew.
A powerful Pokémon wielding abilities involving grass and darkness.
One that could slice Holly up on the spot.
And yet it didn't do anything.
Instead it seemed to ask the same question the Gengar had before.
One that Holly was once again eager to answer.
She was no longer smiling now, having stopped before she called out the Pokémon.
Instead, her face contorted into concern mixed with terror.
Her voice was the same as she spoke to the Pokémon.
"Shiftry, something is wrong with Erika and I have to get away! There's someone in Viridian that would be able to help us! Could you and the others with me take me there?"
If I could, I would've shivered.
Most Pokémon wouldn't understand what Holly had said…
And she probably wouldn't understand whatever answer the Pokémon gave…
After all, with the power and abilities, it was clear the Pokémon wasn't hers but Erika's.
And since Holly wasn't supposed to have any Pokémon of her own, it was only logical to think that Erika's Pokémon had been ordered to protect her…
That they would follow any order given from either of them.
But still…
That wouldn't follow this terrible order…
Couldn't follow it.
They must've known that something was suspicious and wrong…
But then…
It all clicked into place.
There had been no Pokémon witnessing the argument, or even any near the two…
And since Erika couldn't understand Pokémon, of course she didn't tell them…
And Holly and Gengar had collaborated together and chosen this specific spot…
All to disorient Erika's Pokémon and make it so that even if they wanted to bring Holly back, they couldn't…
But if they didn't know the context and they were duty bound to obey Holly and protect her…
Then they wouldn't bring her back.
I thought I was going to start trembling.
I wanted the Pokémon to do something, anything to disobey Holly.
But instead the Shiftry nodded.
Rapidly, it turned its back.
Holly grinned again as she leapt onto it like she had the Gengar before. Without another word, the Shiftry sprinted away from the pond and into the night.
A prickle of dread rushed down my spine as I registered but I had just seen.
Holly had run away to become a Pokémon Trainer, and she looked like she had been successful.
It was something I'd seen countless times, with child Pokémon Trainers in pursuit of independence, power, fame, and fortune, or even the hopes that all their problems would be solved.
But the results were always tragic.
Even if it didn't involve anything fatal or even life-threatening…
There were bonds, a trust, and even reputations that were broken, never to be restored even the best cases.
Everyone involved would have to live with what the child Trainer did for the rest of their lives.
And there was no way around it.
I felt a stabbing pain in my body, even though I knew there was nothing happening to me.
There was a friend of mine who had done the same thing as Holly…
Well, someone that used to be a friend of mine.
He had been successful running away, both wanting to become a powerful Pokémon Trainer and have his family stop babying him…
He was even able to travel to different regions, trying to become a strong Trainer there…
But no matter how powerful a Trainer he was, nothing could stop the chronic illness that ravaged his body…
And the stresses of the journey only made it worse…
It was no secret that I objected to him even traveling, and spoke in no uncertain terms about how foolish I thought he was being…
But with the way being a child Trainer worked, all of my arguments to the authorities fell on deaf ears…
And I was warned that if I tried to stop him or even continued to argue loudly and publicly, I would be the one in trouble…
So the illness almost took his life, but I was able to save them by getting him to those who could help in time…
But I also crushed his dreams, as he was declared unfit to train or even travel alone…
And he never forgave me for it, even though it had been years…
As soon as that happened, he had severed all contact with me, and I doubted anyone could get him to reverse his decision…
After all, my friend Wally may have been physically ill, but his mind was perfectly fine…
Including giving him the capacity to decide who he wanted in his life, and how he would treat the people indirectly responsible…
And the fact there was nothing I could do about it…
Even though Holly and Wally's situations were different, it didn't change the fact that what I saw now and the emotions it brought back still stung…
And there was something else stung even more.
This was the first time I'd seen this, but at the same time I had seen it all before.
Because there'd been a dream one night, another vision…
One of a girl going to Viridian riding a Pokémon…
One that looked exactly like Holly, one that was Holly…
And one whose journey ended badly…
Just like this Holly's journey would…
But perhaps she wouldn't succeed…
After all, children who were against authority that much were sometimes taken down…
Just like…
Just like…
No, that wouldn't happen.
Not many child Trainers were taken down before their journeys.
And so Holly wouldn't be, either.
With a plan this elaborate, it would be near impossible.
Besides, I probably wouldn't have received the vision if she had simply been returned to safety.
The vision that now held me hostage.
I wondered if it would let me go now.
After all, the vision that seemed elaborate and long.
But it refused, and I could only stare forward.
Staring forward as I was at the vision's mercy and being dragged somewhere else.
Author's notes:
The title is the name of a song from Valkyrie profile 2. This song plays when character unexpectedly gains information, something eerie happens, or someone reveals a skill they didn't know they had. It plays several times, but I was thinking of a particular scene when I had it be the title. In the scene, the goddess Freya is talking to her husband and co-ruler of Asgard, Odin. Freya explains that she was participating in a battle in the mortal world, Midgard. Freya does not win the fight, but manages to capture a major enemy, Brahms, and retreat without any injuries. The problem is that the battle doesn't go as planned, since Freya entered the fight because she was looking for someone who should have been there. The person she was looking for, a former Valkyrie named Silmeria, has gone missing after the fight, and no one has any idea where to find her. At the same time, Freya relates that something strange was going on, and that she sensed some sort of distortion. Odin doesn't think it's anything to worry about, and dismisses her, but Freya still seems upset.
Later on, Freya's fears are unfortunately realized when the distortion is revealed to be coming from the mage that participated in the battle, Lezard. He is a time traveler from the first game (which is revealed to take place in the future despite the first game seeming like it's a sequel and/or alternate universe up until that point). Lezard has now gained a massive amount of power due to his actions in the first game and what he's been doing in the past in the second (offscreen during the second game). He is able to destroy Odin, injure Freya, take Odin's divine power for himself, and become a new god by creating his own pocket dimension.
Right before all this finishes, Freya put all the pieces together, and the player is treated to a flashback to of what actually happened. Lezard kidnapped Silmeria and used her power for his own purposes, but since he was not supposed to be in the battle, no one knew what was going on and could react. Brahms was also not supposed to be captured. Instead, he would take the injured Simeria to safety while also keeping her captive. The reason is that at the end of the battle she winds up in a crystal prison that he has no idea how to break. Her older sister Lenneth would find her many years later, but not know how to rescue her. It's vaguely implied that she may have been rescued somehow after the events of the first game, or at least be in a situation where she could be rescued.
I chose the theme from Valkyrie profile 2 as the chapter title because of the eeriness of the visions, but also the idea of going into the past and gaining new information to influence the present. There's also a bit of the theme about distortions, because this is where Usurping's timeline truly begins to diverge from Holly Rising's. This is because in Usurping, Kristine intervened in situations where she didn't or didn't do much Holly Rising (as the unfused Maria). This is the case even though Holly herself is not as strong and ruthless in Holly's Rising.
A lot of what Kristine views in her vision comes from Daughter, with the scenes either being seen directly there or just discussed after taking place offscreen. There are some modifications so that Kristine and anyone not reading any of the companion works gets the proper information, but not as much is repeated. The first event comes in chapter 4 of Daughter, when the Gym Leader Erika begins to flashback about her adopted daughter's Holly's decisions that lead up to the rest of the plot in Usurping's timeline. The dialogue from the letter is taken directly from the preceding chapter in Daughter as well. The embarrassing incident in the perfume shop is also from Daughter. Erika references it in her internal guts during the argument as one of the few times she lost her temper and was bullied in recent memory. The perfume shop scene is a different take on what happens canonically in the anime with Ash and Erika. For details about what changed, please read the author's notes in daughter for chapter 4.
-In the original version, Kristine just saw the argument but didn't hear what people were saying and just assumed what it was about. In this version, she hears everything and summarizes it. The change has to do with what happens in daughter, specifically near the end of it. At this time, it's revealed that Kristine basically knew most of the stories entire plot after a certain point and excluding some events that kicked off the second part of the plot but were resolved by the time the information was revealed. The knowledge influences how she acts within the story, and is also how she is able to show she is innocent of the crimes Holly has accused her of (although Kristine herself is not in any legal trouble, but just risks her reputation being damaged, and it does take a little bit of damage at the end despite proving her innocence). In order for Kristine to have the knowledge, she would've had to hear the entire argument and make comments about it. Since the dialogue and argument is already in Daughter, it is omitted here so that the same thing does not have to be read again.
It also worth noting that Kristine is having a much more detailed vision here. The reason is because of what the plot is like and she and the audience need to and are able to know. What Holly does before the story and what leads up to her decisions is important for the plot and Kristine's future actions. However, most of Holly's antics have been revealed in Daughter (and possibly other future). Furthermore, Holly and Erika are both of the focus to make way for Kristine and her adventures. So there would be no way to see the information leading up to the plot other than someone telling the others about it later on. That already happens in end of Daughter and involves the majority of the information Kristine receives now. Therefore, I chose to just use a more detailed vision and have Kristine being concerned because the vision is so detailed. This is because Kristine knows there's a lot of information she needs to understand in order to avert something terrible or at least be aware something happening.
-Kristine's reaction to the argument is a little bit different in the final version from her original reaction. She was originally going to agree with everything Erika did and want to charge headlong into to defend the Celadon Gym Leader. However, Kristine's disdain of conflict, despite liking things that involve adrenaline or speed like Pokémon battles, is a problem I have in real life. Numbness also made sense considering Kristine's background, and although it's mercifully not as bad in real life, it can be a problem for me if I'm faced with especially stressful situation or long conflict. Additionally, having Kristine be more neutral on a lot of issues, or at least be being able to demonstrate emotional control even when she has a passion opinion is a trait I have in real life. Furthermore, it would make sense that Kristine would know both sides of an issue she had experienced personally, or just was the issue could be discussed more peacefully because of what it means. Kristine's reaction with wishing she couldn't see the conflict or otherwise been able to step in, confronted, and fixed the problem are also reactions I've had to conflicts, especially of the conflict is long and ongoing.
This makes sense with Daughter as well, since the theme of the argument and the entire story by extension is that neither side is completely wrong or right, and they both only have partial information. However, the two sides are so busy trying overpower each other that they're focusing on proving that they're right and failing to see that the opinions are equally valid. In Holly's case, she is shown to be ruthless, willing and able to do anything in our power to achieve her goals when she believes her ideas are in the right and that she is facing injustice. Holly is shown to be at least partially right on many things, and her initial interactions are least a little justified, especially within areas and stories that focus on her. It's when she graduates to the events that kickoff both Usurping and a lot of Holly Rising that she becomes more villainous. As a result, most of the other characters are disgusted and withdraw their support from her. Holly herself goes from trying to prove herself to take and to taking down anyone that's in the way and believing that the events justify the means no matter how corrupt either are.
-The bag Holly grabs is the same supply bag a Trainer would use canonically. In the games, Trainers have small supply bags that can fit anything into them, but it's never explained how. On top of having items that really shouldn't fit in the bag, (such as collapsible bicycles, various navigating machines such as dowsing rods for hidden items and the machine for the match call system and recording matches, and a surfboard in one of the latest games), the bag if it way more items than something of that size should be able to even though it has storage restrictions. Newer games made that even more confusing starting with Diamond and Pearl, which removed bag limits entirely. It's even shown in the anime where the character Dawn is shown leaving home lugging large suitcases, but her mother just hands her a preprepared bag and says that's all she will need. This is never questioned or even brought up again, so I just decided it was some sort of magic.
-Holly running away was mentioned briefly in Holly Rising, and Usurping's version goes into more detail in Chapter 2 of Daughter. The canon character Sabrina summarizes what she thinks happened, and Holly herself confirms it later. However, there is one slight change. In the original version the events, one of Erika's Pokémon helps Holly out the window. This was changed for many reasons. One is that in the later chapters Holly is revealed to have a secret Gengar that knows moves only a Trainer can teach it. However, this was a plot point was not developed until that chapter. Looking at this one, I knew I wanted to insert something referring to that into this chapter. The reason for that is because Erika's Pokémon were ordered to protect Holly in case anything would happen, but Erika is still the Trainer legally. Therefore, they would know what Erika would expect and allow Holly to do. So they would know something was wrong and if Holly tries to command them to help, they would just as likely refuse. There was also the issue that they were all in Poké Balls, which involve light and noise upon calling on a Pokémon. If Holly used one of them in her room, she had a good chance to get caught. However, Gengar is still treated like a wild Pokémon, because Holly can't reveal to Erika that she even has a Pokémon. Therefore, when it came to someone having to help Holly with running away, Gengar was an easy choice.
Wally is a canon character, although his role in the series is a bit different from canon. It's also a bit different from his role in Holly Rising, which is explained in this author's on from there:
"-Wally is a canon character from the Hoenn games. He suffers from an illness, and thus is very weak. However, is strong-willed, running away from home to go on a Pokémon journey anyway. Wally then appears near the end of the games, having become one of the strongest Trainers the player has to fight. The remakes take this a step further, having Wally also appear in the optional postgame area as both a potential partner and opponent. In this area, some of the strongest Trainers in the series awaits, and these Trainers are far more difficult than anything else seen in the game. Unfortunately, the common interpretation is all the strength Wally gains is no match for the illness ravaging his body. As a result, he passes away from said illness either on his journey or after it. This story uses that interpretation, but deals with the matter bit differently than what is typically seen. A more detailed explanation of Wally and what happened to him will be given next chapter.
-Speaking of death, time to really talk about what happened to Wally.
So I stated before, common fan interpretation has Wally die from his illness at some point, and this story also does that. Wally's illness is never revealed in most Pokémon media, but is stated to affect his breathing. The commentary is that Wally has asthma, and Pokémon Special goes with that. Despite his asthma, Wally still manages to become strong, to the point where he is one the most powerful Trainers in the games he appears in. His condition also doesn't seem to bother him at all, despite the rigors of training.
However, Wally's illness makes his story one giant mess.
This is because many areas in the Pokémon world are death traps for asthmatics. A perfect example is in Wally's home region of Hoenn. About halfway through the game, the player encounters fields of volcanic ash. They must pass through them in order to obtain the next Badge. However, Wally must also pass through here, both to get all the Badges, and one of the members of this team seen near the games' finale. The problem is that running through an ash field is a good way for an asthmatic to get hurt or even killed. The games never even acknowledge this. Pokémon Special tries to explain it by saying that Wally wears a special suit allows him to breathe in areas he normally wouldn't. However, Pokémon Special doesn't deal with the possibility of Wally's suit being knocked off, destroyed, discarded or forgotten, or even just malfunctioning somehow. The remakes of the original Hoenn games instead tried to show Wally having crippling shyness. However, references to illness are still in those games, and Wally is still stated to have a strong of will to leave home without telling anyone. So even though it could be a more plausible explanation, it doesn't really work.
There's also the issue of what illness is chosen.
Wally's asthma is supposedly makes things significantly difficult for him. However, other than forcing Wally to move to another town at the beginning of the games, it doesn't give him any issues. Fan interpretation tries to expand on that by explaining (and sometimes even showing directly) that Wally's illness makes him going on a journey very dangerous and even fatal.
The problem is that asthma typically isn't fatal.
While there asthma can be fatal, the most likely scenarios for such a case would be not getting proper treatment or constantly being near be trigger with no means of escape. Either of these scenarios can happen if an individual does not know they have asthma or is not receiving adequate treatment for their attacks. Although the above scenarios could happen to Wally, they are unlikely. Wally has had his asthma for a long time, and knows he has. He's not stupid, naïve, or reckless, so he would most probably know to take whatever treatment he had with him, and what triggers to avoid. His aforementioned knowledge also makes it so that it's not feasible for him to deliberately avoid or refuse to receive treatment, or run straight into something that triggers his asthma. In the event that he could not receive treatment or ran into a trigger that he did not know about, asthma is very common. Therefore, it wouldn't be too far-fetched for someone to realize Wally was sick, get him away from any triggers, and taken to a place where he could get whatever treatment he needed. So why the idea of Wally's illness being deadly and fatal during a journey at first seems to hold weight, that is not the case if the illness is implied to be asthma.
But something else works out well.
And that is lupus, an autoimmune disorder.
Lupus is a rarer disease to begin with and Wally's gender and age makes it even more so. Therefore, the general public would most likely not know what it is or how to treat it, even if Wally was constantly and obviously sick. Even if he was taken to a hospital, it's possible hospitals wouldn't be able to treat it either because of its rarity. Furthermore, even though lupus does have treatment and can be well-managed (enough to allow person to live a normal life), devastating flareups can still happen. These flareups can be fatal, depending on the severity of the disease. The severity also varies widely, and no two cases are the same. That's not even counting other conditions lupus can cause that can also be fatal, or even the side effects of some of the drugs used to control it.
As a result, Wally having lupus makes his whole situation, and the common interpretation of it, much more believable. It also puts them in a situation where while going on a long journey alone at a young age with his condition is still possible, it is very risky (and probably ill-advised). On the other hand, the danger of his illness being fatal on the journey is much more plausible and real.
It is where knowing that what other conditions Wally has (or had) besides lupus, or if said conditions are from his lupus are unknown at this time."
-Aside from the information mentioned here, Wally's fate is discussed in Holly Rising. Its use is evidence of the Pokémon League's supposed corruption, with laws preventing anyone from stopping Wally from traveling. However, it's later revealed that Holly Rising's Kristine also didn't do anything with the resources she did have. So other characters are disgusted by the whole thing since it's effectively neglect (Kristine knew Wally was sick and should not have been traveling despite respecting his wishes, and didn't do anything). But no legal actions against either side can be taken.
Usurping, however takes a different angle. One is because I found that Wally dying from his illness was interesting at first, but then became cliché. But considering how much trouble his illness gave him and what the issues in real life would and could be (without getting into the huge problem about running away), I also wanted to show that off and give him some consequences because of what he did. So him surviving but being unable to train or even have the same freedoms he did as a Trainer seemed appropriate. I also knew that from Kristine's history and motivations for doing what she did on her journeys that she would be very vocal about him stopping, to the point where she would almost get into legal trouble. And even though Kristine was right about what she was doing and had his best interests at heart, Wally certainly wouldn't see it that way. So Wally cutting Kristine out of his life as a result also made sense. It also shows off the flaws in Kristine's character, because even though she saved Wally's life and did the right thing morally, she knew it was going to get her in legal trouble somehow (or could), she ends up losing a close friend, things can never be the same between them. Therefore, it was a good live show in their clear consequences for actions, even though she does try to do what's morally right and usually has logic behind them.
In earlier drafts, the two did reconcile after many years, but they were never as close as they had been before (even though Wally recognized that what happened on his journey was not really Kristine's fault, or at least entirely). This was taken out to undermining the clear consequences, and would have been difficult to write. There's a chance I might still write that in at some point, but when and if that happens is unknown. It's also not noting that Wally's illness will be the same as when it was in Holly Rising, or if it will be something different.
-The laws Kristine references that prevent Kristine from stopping Wally are called the Trainer Laws, and were something I created for this series. They first appeared in the backstory of Holly Rising and again in the backstory of Daughter. There is an explanation about them from Holly Rising, and it can be read below:
" The laws that protect Holly and effectively allow her to do whatever she wants are based on my interpretation of the Pokémon world versus real life. In the Pokémon world, Trainers can start their journeys age at 10, and depending on the interpretation and media, even younger. At that point, they are effectively treated like legal adults. They can travel wherever they want without adult supervision, or even help. Activities that children are usually required to do, such as school or eventually gaining job skills, are never forced on them or even brought up the majority of the time. It usually only comes into play when someone chooses to attend classes or attempts to pick up a job skill voluntarily. Even then, the person can choose to stop attending classes or learning the job skill at any time without repercussions.
In real life, this would have serious problems.
The first of which is the potentially massive legal repercussions of children not going where they are required to (namely, school and truancy). Children without supervision also raise legal repercussions, and these legal repercussions can also extend the people supposed to take care of them (or the government itself if there isn't any). Also, a child deciding one day to wander off away from wherever they live and go traveling would result in them being likely classified as a runaway. That brings with it a host of legal issues, punishments, and emotional trauma for everyone involved. Lurthermore, forcing a child to go on a journey (as is shown with some reluctant Trainers) can result in the one doing so being punished. Children are treated differently from adults legally in that sentences for wrong doings are usually lighter. On the flipside, there is a host of restrictions until one becomes an adult. Some these restrictions directly affect areas relevant to traveling, such who manages matters related to money or health. As a result, children may not know how or find difficult to access the needed things for traveling alone, even if they realize they need these things and/or plan to use them responsibly.
But this isn't even getting into all the other issues with young children being allowed to travel on their own. Children often lack the cognitive abilities to make mature and well thought out decisions, given their brains are typically not completely developed in those areas. As a result, letting them travel without adult supervision results in them being exposed to a myriad of dangers they have no way of handling or avoiding. Furthermore, most children do not have the necessary skills to survive, or the physical strength to utilize them properly (e.g. carrying heavy supplies). And the cognitive immaturity would still be an issue with survival skills, such as how to handle difficult situations emotionally. Not being required to go to school (or pursue proper alternatives) would also mean that many children would end up without a basic education, either by choosing not to or being unable to attend. Lacking a basic education would make it nearly impossible to go on to higher education and specialize in a career field in order to get a job. Even in the case where a child didn't choose higher education, it would still be difficult to get a job because most jobs require basic education and/or other skills first. And without a job, the children would not be able to reliably support themselves financially. Which means they would be unable to get almost anything for their journey or whatever else they decide to do.
All this means that most journeys would realistically be tragic and short.
And that the Pokémon world is a mess.
With everything explained above in mind, I created the Trainer laws."
-The other vision with Holly that that Kristine references near the end comes from the prologue of Holly Rising. In the prologue she has that vision, and it's exactly as she describes. However, since it's quite before she appears again, she's just confused and mentioning as a strange dream. Since Kristine is not the main character in Holly Rising, the vision is not brought up again after that.