The first Mukkuru awakens to light flooding the sky. It spreads its wings and soars over the sleepy city, its cries sweeping through the streets.

Akagi wakes to a feather in his mouth. Dongkarasu had fallen from its perch and is now snoring right on top of him. It's quite heavy. With a suppressed grunt, he rolls the crow over.

Everything basks in the quiet still of morning. After folding away his futon, Akagi opens the windows. He pokes his head outside, shuddering when the breeze slides its phantasmal fingers through his hair.

"Top of the morning, kid."

Akagi bows. "Good day, sir. Are you going back to the dojo?"

"Har har, my little Sumomo has things under control over there! I'm off to finish my pachinko streak! See you around!"

Just another day in Tobari. Speaking of which, it's time to clean the house.

While Akagi zooms across the tatami mats with the zokin, a chill rakes down the back of his neck. Ragged strips of cloth stop at the extremities of his vision.

Akagi pinches his temples. "Jupetta, kindly sit down." Button eyes bear into his soul. The Pokemon grabs his hand and will not let go.

After a minute of the silent treatment, Jupetta sprawls on the mats with its arms and legs extended. Removing it is impossible, as it had nailed itself to the floor. Akagi's frown deepens, and that's when Jupetta finally gets the hint to run.

Akagi keeps on his toes as he quietly closes the door behind him.

While the old man snores away, his grandson dusts the room. Ink bottles are refilled; quill pens are placed back on the desk. War anthologies, poem collections, and myths are returned to their cubbyholes.

Polishing the trinkets requires utmost deliberation, especially the sheathed katana on the wall. The polished blade can lacerate eyeballs just by a wrong glance. The sleek black sheath contains a red Gyarados etched in gold. Akagi traces the engraved characters of Grandfather's name with the tip of his fingers… truly a fitting name for an honorable warrior.

"Mmm… stop feeding me Moomoo Milk… You know I hate that stuff."

Akagi leaves as quietly as he came.

The puppet Pokemon is slumped dejectedly on the floor like an overused rag.

"Jupetta."

It flips its face down.

Akagi sighs very loudly. "I guess I'll make breakfast by myself then. What a shame, considering I made this second apron for nothing. "

That, and Jupetta perks up with renewed vigor. It shuffles after him to the bright and sparkling kitchen.

While Akagi washes the rice, Jupetta procures the necessary ingredients: kombu, daikon, and umeboshi. It accidentally knocks over the boiling kettle. Akagi storms over, Jupetta flinches, but he only places it on the table while he cleans up the spill.

"Accidents happen," Akagi says as he runs his hand under cold water. "Focus on the pot." Jupetta waits until the pot boils to add the kombu in, just as it had been taught.

"It looks bland," Akagi murmurs. "Do you think we need more seasoning? No no, adding too much salt isn't good for Grandfather's blood pressure… perhaps more kombu?"

Tmp. Tmp. Socks shuffle across tatami mats. A grumpy old man marches into the kitchen, his head held high, his hands tucked into the sleeves of his kimono.

Akagi bows. "Good morning, sir."

Grandfather sees the steaming dishes on the table. "You let me sleep in again so you can hog the house chores, eh?"

"Please sit down. The food is getting cold."

After thanks are given, the old man picks up his chopsticks. He eats strongly and valiantly as if the table is a battlefield, crunching down on those pickled daikon as if he's chewing bones.

"Grandfather," Akagi says. "There is no need to bring your katana to the kitchen."

"Hrmph. You never know when you'll be ambushed, son."

"Please slow down or you'll choke."

"At least I'm eating. Here, have some tofu."

A deep, dissonant humming makes Grandfather spit out his congee. He looks up to see the sack of cursed rags tumbling into Akagi's laps.

"Grandson."

"Yes, sir."

Grandfather brandishes his chopsticks. "Why is that thing here?"

Akagi frowns. "Jupetta is a member of this household too." He scratches the Pokemon behind its flattened ear, earning an unsettling purring sound. "There's no harm in letting it join us."

"Riiight. I'd just like to disclose that this old man's soul is already claimed by the vengeful spirits of his enemies. Not very delicious."

"Oh, I disciplined Jupetta on that incident already. It won't ever do that again."

Jupetta bobs its deformed head. Grandfather tears his gaze back to his ochazuke. "You should put that thing in a capsule," he grunts after a silence.

"Jupetta isn't mine," Akagi says softly. "I'll find its owner someday, I assure you."

"Son, you found it in a cardboard box on the side of the road… while it was raining, no less. It's been abandoned—"

"No, it hasn't!"

Conversation screeches to an abrupt standstill.

Then Akagi bows his head. "M-My apologies for speaking out of turn." He's squeezing the Pokemon without realizing it. "Jupetta isn't… unwanted. I'll take care of it until then."

Grandfather knows better than to press on this topic, so he switches gears. "Mm! This green tea is wonderfully brewed! If you serve this to one of your many lady friends, they'll start asking me for your hand!"

Akagi scoffs. "It just so happens that I have a greater ratio of female clients."

"Who always requests you specifically."

"Family and work take priority over pursuit of romance."

"Son, I'm getting old, and you're still in your prime! Why, when I was your age, the young misses of the land would gather to watch my swordplay!"

Akagi mindlessly stirs his congee, gaze downcast. "I don't give our personal address to clients."

"You've known Sumomo for a long time. Her friend Suzuna also looks up to you—"

"Grandfather, your food is getting cold."

The old man dabs a napkin to his upturned moustache. "I remember this particular young lady from my spring days. I snuck into one of those exclusive poetry recitals because I heard there would be a famous biwa player.

"And it was a woman! How could a human manipulate words to play one's heartstrings like that? She invited me to go drinking after it's over… Why, she turned out to be one of the loudest, most impulsive person I have ever met! Eheh, I still remember how milk flew out of her nostrils when she laughed at my attempt at humor."

Akagi musters a small smile. "I don't remember you telling me that about Grandmother."

Grandfather blinks. Then he chuckles softly. "It was before I met your late grandmother." He takes a long, thoughtful sip of tea. "Hmmm… You're right. The food is getting cold."

After a heated argument involving an unsheathed katana and hostile glaring, a reluctant Grandfather concedes the dirty dishes to his extremely stubborn grandson.

"I'm heading out," the former grunts.

"Please wait." The fedora is crooked. As is the hem of the haori jacket. Oh, there's lint in the sleeves. After that's all taken care of, Akagi bows. "Have fun, sir."

Grandfather stares at his grandson. He coughs into his fist. "Hrmph. Don't overwork yourself like last time."

After the door closes, Akagi hurries to the back to fix up his own appearance as well. He exchanges his yukata for work clothes: an ironed shirt, suspenders, and trousers. While he applies gel to his hair, the bundle of reanimated cloth climbs onto the sink.

"How could I forget Jupiter-san's hat? Thank you, Jupetta." The blue cotton cap fits snugly on his head. He checks the mirror again, adjusting his smile and collar before lifting the Pokemon onto his shoulders. "There's still time before my next appointment. Let's go see what's new in Tobari today."

Come noon, the pollution forms a bubble of heat over the city, inflating the temperature and lowering humidity. Akagi chokes on dust as soon as he enters the streets.

Utility poles stretch down the cracked gravel road as far as the eye can see. Above are electrical wires entangled haphazardly in clumps, some positioned right outside windows. Most buildings are separated by only one wall in an effort to cram as much as possible into a strip of land.

"Good to see you again, Akagi-kun."

"Kyaa, it's Akagi-san!"

"Aniki! Come play marbles with us!"

Akagi pats the bucktoothed kid's head. "I'd love to, but I have business. After I finish work, all right?"

Under the rotunda in the park is a group of older gentlemen dressed in haori jackets, huddled over a decisive shogi match.

Click. "That grandson of yours is the talk of the town."

Click. Click. "That kid has no interest in romance. Your young missy will get bored of him very quickly."

Akagi pulls his cap down and hurries away in the opposite direction.

The arbitrary border of Eastern Tobari is marked by an expansive, shallow lake that winds around the mountainside. It's about a 10-minute trip to pass into Western Tobari.

Akagi stops at an ancient oak tree. Within the tailor shop is a pointy red head bustling to and fro showing colorful fabric to potential customers.

"Mars is a very hard worker," Akagi murmurs to Jupetta. "Meanwhile, Saturn's off gambling his life away at the Casino…"

More grey buildings pass by. Akagi steps into a clearing of fallen straw mannequins and broken spears. He approaches the towering dojo, raps on the door, waits, and enters.

Bars of light slip through the high windows, highlighting each handwoven strand of straw in the mats below. Dust motes swirl above scrolls marking the importance of courage, honor, and the duality between earth and heaven, body and mind.

In the middle of the hall is an unresponsive pink mass.

"Sumomo-chan!" Akagi shouts. "What happened? Sumomo-chan!"

"GRORGAH!"

Ah, so that's what it is. Akagi passes his bento box under her nostrils, and as expected she lunges for it.

The two of them move to a comfortable spot near a wooden pillar. While Sumumo wolfs down the seasoned rice, Akagi focuses on patching up the puppet's body.

"Why is your cotton bleeding again?" he murmurs. Jupetta giggles as he restuffs its sunken belly. He passes a thimble through its armpits, tightening the seams. Its fabric is smeared with dust despite him washing it just two days ago. He gives the puppet a good shake to properly fatten it up.

Sumomo wipes her mouth with her keikogi. "Thank you for the food." She belches. "Akagi-san, you haven't thrown away that rag yet?"

"Jupetta is not a rag," he mutters.

"Aren't a little too old to play with toys? There's a reason it's been aba—"

"Why were you sleeping on the floor, Sumomo-chan?"

She scratches her messy pink hair. "I was meditating with my Asanan. I've gotten to the point where I only need one Berry for sustenance!"

Her stomach tells a different story. "Riiight…" Akagi hands her a canister of tea. "Is your father still at the casino?"

Sumomo grimaces. "Urk… yes. It's basically up to me to pay rent for this dojo… I get so hungry that I can't focus on training… And you keep bringing me food, and I feel horrible that I'm leeching off of you…"

"I don't mind. That's the least I can do in return for your helping my grandfather and I when we first arrived to Tobari." He cups his fists together and bows. "I am in your debt, Sumomo-chan."

Sumomo returns the gesture. "Oh no, that's only my duty as the mayor of Tobari. Just seeing you help others is enough for me… Well, that, and your umeboshi. Those are some good pickled plums…

"You're dressed like you're on your way to work. If you have time, do you want to join me on a light jog?"

"Sure. Where are you going?"

"Not far. Maybe up to Kissaki."

Sumomo is pleasantly pleased that Akagi can keep up. Weird, quiet, mysterious Akagi with his creepy puppet peeking out from under his cap.

Akagi notices her staring. "What is it?"

"Why do you wear suspenders with a belt?"

"So my trousers won't fall off."

"Why are you so tall? It's not fair."

Akagi smirks. "Runs in the family, I suppose." She smacks him on the elbow. "Ow… Height does not equal might, Sumomo-chan. In many ways, you are much stronger than me."

Sumomo takes that compliment with a toothy grin. She jogs down the street, her hardened soles slapping against pebbles and the warm earth. Behind her rings the discordant rhythm of boots slapping pavement.

People wave at them as they cross the gates of Tobari. Through Zui Town and Nomose City they run. At the symbolic Tengan Bridge, they take the rightmost path into the mystifying Mt. Tengan itself.

The climb up this mythical mountain is a perilous one. Sumomo slows her pace just in time to catch Akagi before he tumbles off the ledge. They maneuver carefully through the raging snowstorm, keeping strong until the gates of Kissaki City towers into view.

Crisp white snow crunches underneath Sumomo's heated soles. "We can rest over there, Akagi-san… Are you all right?"

Akagi bobs his head. One hand clutches his heaving chest while the other gropes for the wall. The result of such running has left his face a dark shade of red.

"Akagi-san?" Sumomo whispers. "Do you need to go to a hospital?"

"No!" His lungs are vibrating. He can taste the congee in his mouth. Akagi is about to slump down when Sumomo yanks him upright, a grim reminder not to immediately sit down after an intensive exercise.

"Hey!" Bouncy black pigtails bob into sight. A kimono the color of snow, trimmed to the hip aesthetic of revealing skin beneath the knees.

Sumomo waves back. "Suzuna!"

"I knew that little pink head anywhere!" Suzuna exclaims. "Wow, you two look super focused and…" Her smile drops. "Akagi-san, you need to go to the hospital?"

Akagi dons his best smile. "No. How are you, Suzuna-sama?"

Suzuna pouts. "How come you're more intimate with Sumomo?"

"We grew up together."

"You're my client," Akagi adds. "How is your shop in the main district, ma'am?"

"We're closed for this season. And I'm not that old to be called ma'am! In fact, I'm just a little older than Sumomo but still younger than you!"

The martial artist puts up her hands. "Didn't you say there was a great tofu place in Kissaki?"

Suzuna brightens. "Oh yes, I was super focused on finding that place to show y'all." She jabs a finger to the snowy distance. "Follow me!"

It's a small, inconspicuous shack wedged between brick buildings and fir trees. The type of restaurant where patrons dine with their backs toward the open elements.

The heated tofu sits in an earthenware dish of dark broth and green onion garnish.

"Sumomo, slow down!" Suzuna is yelling. "The yudofu's not going anywhere!"

The yudofu has a pleasing fragrance: a silky, earthy smell. It jiggles in his spoon and melts in his mouth, unleashing a harmony of flavors to enlighten the senses. A warm stomach is such a wonderful feeling.

Sumomo had been watching him nibble away. "Akagi-san, why are you feeding that rag too?"

"I think it's cute." Suzuna giggles. "My Yukimonoko loves to eat hot food! Granted, she prefers the oily stuff like okonomiyaki…"

Then she rests her elbows on the counter. "So… where did you live before coming to Tobari, Akagi-san? You're my number-one fixer guy, but I still don't know anything about you."

Akagi fixes his cap so it'll shield his eyes. "I came from the east."

"Why Tobari? There's nothing there but coal and dirt."

"The sun shines brighter in Tobari."

Suzuna nods while rubbing her chin. "We could always use sunshine at Kissaki too. Nights can be so dark and cold."

"You run around with her knees exposed," Sumomo grunts.

"It's the latest fashion! You run around barefoot!"

"It's all I can afford! Besides, Akagi-san wears suspenders and belts!"

"Ugh! That's like wearing a leopard-print kimono!"

The three of them laugh at his expense. Then Akagi stands. "Pardon me, but I'll have to leave now. Thank for you the invitation, Suzuna-sama, Sumomo-chan."

"Take care of yourself!"

"Good luck on the way back, Akagi-san!"

Akagi drops Jupetta back at Tobari. "Watch over the house, all right? And if any intruders come, remember to return their souls by the end of the day."

The Pokemon grins. He pats its head and takes off to the dusty blue skies.

In another part of Sinnoh, an ear-splitting screech scares all the leaves off its branches.

"SHIRONA! Wake your lazy butt up!"

The granddaughter turns over, but Grandma had thrown all the pillows outside.

"SHIRONA! Get your butt dressed!"

"Hnnnnngh." Her eyes are glued shut. A fan smacks her head, and Shirona jolts up. "Grandma, what gives? It's the weekend!"

"He'll be here soon!" the old lady roars from the kitchen. "Do you want him to see you for the slob that you are?"

"Who?"

"Who else comes over when our sink gets clogged?"

And that's all it takes for Shirona to get her ass up. "Grandma, where's my jacket?"

"I don't know!"

Knock. Knock.

Shirona flings open the door. "Hey," she says in a husky, totally not sleep-deprived voice. "Was I awake yes."

If Akagi suspects otherwise, he doesn't show it. Instead, the young plumber tips his cap. "Good day to you, Shirona-sama. Hello, Madam."

"You coming in or what, kid?"

Akagi removes his snow-crusted boots. "It's a pleasure to see you again, Shirona-sama. How was your day?"

Shirona barks out a laugh. "The usual. How about you? Did you just run a marathon?"

"Eheh, you could say that. Can you show me to your clog?"