Chapter Five: The Trade
Police stood side-by-side, holding their riot shields as angry protestors clashed. Nathan watched from a distance as the chaos unfurled. Several flags flapped in the air, most sporting a cobalt "D" with rainbow stripes on either side, and many people held signs as they shouted. Buildings would be burned and looted.
In short, nothing new.
Nathan shook his head in disbelief. All over some thug who had robbed a convenience store, then had been shot by a cop as the two exchanged fire. But it didn't matter to Delta or any of its braindead followers; they had their catalyst for anger, and neither logic nor reasoning was about to stop them. "Bunch of morons," he murmured as he left the scene.
People were passing him, some of which were heading to the protest. Shops had locked themselves up – though this would likely be ineffective against the mob when they inevitably decided to swarm the businesses. He had been hoping to grab some household supplies from the supermarket, but it looked like he would need to go elsewhere for that. It wasn't worth being in town at the time.
Undella, fortunately, would be far more peaceful, and shops there weren't likely to be locked up to ward off looters – though such measures would inevitably fail in preventing millions in damages. He felt pity for the residents in northern Castelia, but at the end of the day… this was what they had chosen. This was who their allegiance was with – not businesses, not the middle class, not the workers, but to the entitled mob. Delta was a poison of their own making.
It was why he knew where Alpha was coming from. It didn't make their actions right, but it was understandable.
As he stepped into his truck with only ten minutes having elapsed on the parking meter, Nathan closed his eyes and lay against the headrest. A lowly sigh escaped his mouth. Nimbasa would likely experience similar bouts of unrest fairly soon; most cities throughout Unova would. He only hoped that Aaron would be okay. But then again, he should. His apartment complex is quite a drive from city hall or any police departments…
The truck started and veered away from the scene. People wearing masks dotted the sidewalks as he sped past, intending to leave this city before he was blocked in by protestors. The vibration of his phone in the cupholder earned a glance. Nathan would have ignored it had it not been from Aaron. He tapped the button, then synced the Bluetooth with his truck's speaker system. "What's up?" he asked, not looking away from the road.
"Dude, Castelia's a fucking mess right now."
"I know," Nathan replied, "I'm trying to get out of here as we speak."
"What?! You're in the city?"
"Yeah. I had a few things I needed to take care of here," Nathan said. "But now they're out protesting the death of some thug. They've gone and made a saint out of a criminal like usual."
"Well shit," Aaron muttered. "Seems like the whole world is falling apart. Orre just stumbled upon a warzone, guns and shit all over the place, and now this…"
"Yeah, heard about that. Rough business, those cartels." Nathan turned right at the light and hit the gas. The freeway was a few miles away, and any likelihood of him getting caught up in the mess was low. "Anyways, how're things going with your situation?" He almost regret asking upon hearing the pause from Aaron's end.
"…It's going, alright. We met up the other day and I sent Pierce over to her. She wanted to test him against the rest of her team, you know?" Aaron fell silent.
"She wants him, doesn't she?" Nathan asked.
"…Yeah. Badly, too, from the way the text sounded. He managed to take down her ferrothorn. I don't even know how he did that, but… Pierce was still ready to go after that match." Aaron managed a laugh despite the situation. "I haven't replied yet. I mean she already knows what my answer is, but I guess I didn't prepare myself enough to actually give it."
"Sometimes there isn't enough time in the world," Nathan said.
"Heh, you got that right. I'll be getting him back tomorrow after class, and then on Friday… well, we'll be meeting at the center to do the official trade…" Nathan flicked on his blinker, signaling his intention to merge into the left lane. No cars were behind him, but the motion was mechanical. A force of habit.
"As far as I'm concerned, you've made a very adult decision. I'm proud of you, Aaron."
"Thanks man," Aaron replied. He awkwardly cleared his throat. "Well, I guess I'd better reply to Sofia."
"Alright then. Stay safe out there. Nimbasa's sure to face their own rioting."
"Yeah, I don't think they'll come around our way. They never have before. And besides, I doubt Marcus would hesitate to shove one of those aura bones up someone's ass if they came and tried to start trouble." Nathan laughed with his friend. Welcome, given the topics of conversation.
"Let's hope it doesn't come to that."
The television had become little more than background noise. Adira still seemed to be somewhat interested in it, which was the only reason he hadn't switched it off and gone to the bedroom. Nathan had planned on showering, but his wife seemed to have other plans in mind. Her head was resting on his bare chest as he slowly rubbed his hand down her cheek.
"So I've been thinking…" he said, earning a slight glance in response. "I might like to get a tattoo. Right arm. Maybe the second one could be on my back." Adira's mouth immediately shot open as she glared at him incredulously. She was met with a stupid grin as Nathan laughed.
'Alright then. The day you do that, I'm coming home with a mohawk. Rainbow-dyed and all.'
"Huh, is that it?" Nathan asked. "I might be willing to take you up on that trade."
'You had better not.' She glared at him before joining in laughter. 'I mean it. If I ever come home and see ink on your skin…'
"No worries," he replied. "That was just for your reaction." Adira rolled her eyes before returning her attention to the screen. A sitcom from the sixties was running – their favorite show – though Nathan would wager that they'd seen this particular episode at least a dozen times. There had only been three channels when the show initially aired, and colored television had yet to become standard. According to Nathan's father, that was about the time things started to go wrong for society.
And there was definitely some merit to that. Humanity had used its very advancements to cripple themselves. Morals became relative. Misinformation and slander were the norms. Nobody listened, yet everyone demanded an audience. Using their greatest advancements, people had set themselves back into tribalism.
The show's canned laughter brought him back to the present. "Honey, there has to be something else on. I can just about quote every line of this one…"
'Well, the remote is right there.' Adira motioned to the coffee table, but a smirk grew on her face as she made no effort to move from her position.
"Yeah," he nodded, "might as well be a million miles away." She snuggled into him closer, relishing in yet another victory, and he relented. Adira brought her head to his and placed a gentle peck. He responded immediately to the gesture until she withdrew. The smile on her face slightly lowered.
'What's wrong? You seem a bit distracted.' Though Nathan's mind was constantly at work, it was true that he was a bit off today, and Adira knew far better than to be told otherwise.
"It's just… I hope everything goes well tomorrow." Nathan had volunteered to give Aaron a ride to the pokémon center to make everything official since he would be in Nimbasa anyways. Now he was wondering if that was a good idea; he would see everything unfold firsthand, for better or worse. While trading was far more formal nowadays than it had been decades ago, there were still many ways that the situation could go wrong. Four party consent was required – from each trainer and pokémon in question – and that usually wasn't the issue. But from what he had understood, Aaron had neither met nor spoken to this typhlosion in question. What if she didn't like him?
'I'm sure all will be well,' was Adira's response. 'Aaron has come a long way from the person he used to be. I have no doubt that he will treat Nora well.'
"Yeah, I know. It's just… I hope she takes to it as well as he does. From her point of view, it might look like she was forced out, you know? And to some extent, maybe she was. There could be hard feelings."
'Well, if there truly are hard feelings about the matter, would you want to live with someone who was willing to 'replace' you? If there is bitterness, then it is best to move along rather than dwelling on it.'
"I guess you're right," Nathan replied. "I don't know – this stuff is all so complicated. These relationship dynamics. This whole trainer system evolved from one where people sort of 'owned' pokémon, and even though things are better now… it still leaves some weird dilemmas like this one." She nodded.
'Maybe. But I think everything will work out. All we can do is be there for them and pray. Well… that and drive them there, of course…' He nodded. Though there was nothing more he could do, that didn't stop him from worrying about the matter. He had been fortunate enough to have avoided problems of this sort when it came to composing his own team; Nathan hadn't been concerned with competition, though as it turned out, they were quite skilled at it. The law regulating sponsorship of only six pokémon per trainer served its purpose in preventing people from exploiting the gym circuits but made prospective trainers seriously consider adding each individual to their team. Among several potential issues, things like this could happen.
"I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens tomorrow."
"Is that it?" Aaron asked as Pierce set a favorite blanket of his onto the edge of the bed. There weren't many items there: a vial of sand from the Desert Resort, some rocks he'd collected over the years, a couple of photos and a few bedding items.
"I think that about does it," the krookodile stated. His eyes wandered around the bedroom until they rested on a framed photo on the nightstand. "Could I… take that one, too? Just to have somethin' to look at and remember everyone by."
"Of course," Aaron said, grabbing the picture. His father had taken it once they had returned from their fifth badge towards the end of their first summer. Everyone was smiling. "Dad's got it saved on his camera, so I'll just get another." He folded the stand and set it into the cloth bag along with the other items.
Nathan didn't take long to arrive. Aaron returned everyone to their balls except for Pierce, who joined him in the back seat. "I am gonna miss this place," he commented as they pulled away from the apartment complex. "But it'll be nice to see the world a bit, too!"
"You'll definitely be doing that," Aaron commented. Sofia had acquired nearly fifty badges from all over the world. From what he had heard earlier this semester, she was planning on spending some of the winter break and traveling through Sinnoh. As a foreign pokémon, Pierce would be sure to attract a lot of attention, and thus, battles. A perfect element for him, Aaron thought. That is, if he could manage the cold.
The ride was mostly silent. Small talk was made here and there as the pokémon center drew near, but for the most part everyone kept to themselves. It was when they arrived in the back parking lot when Pierce spoke up.
"Listen… I can't thank you enough for giving me this opportunity…"
"You were always able to do this," Aaron replied. "You should have done it sooner. I don't deserve gratitude after holding you back for nearly three years."
"Well, you know what I meant." Pierce looked out the window, scanning the parking lot until he saw the white convertible parked alone. Sofia's car, no doubt – the only one there befitting of a multi-millionaire's daughter. She was already inside. "I… I'm a bit nervous about this," the krookodile admitted.
"Yeah," Aaron replied, putting a hand on the ground-type's shoulder, "me too. But she spoke really highly of you, Pierce. She wants this just as much as you do. I know everything will work out." He figured that it was best to get this over with and opened his door.
The center wasn't all that busy. There were always trainers around – some looking for battles, others to heal their Pokémon – but not nearly so much as there was on the weekends or after the public education school times. Fortunately, his schedule didn't include any classes after eleven on Fridays, so both he and Sofia had agreed to meet up now and dodge the crowd. The others similarly left the truck, and the low beep of the truck sounded as Nathan locked it.
"Want to grab lunch afterwards?" Nathan asked, likely trying to lighten the mood.
"Sure thing." Though he wasn't sure how much he'd feel like eating. But, he mused, it wouldn't hurt to break the ice with Nora. The sliding glass doors parted for the four of them. A few nurses were out and about; the usual receptionist who received injured pokémon was behind the counter – the easiest job in the establishment since that only consisted of reenergizing pokémon who had grown weary or had fainted. However, the device would signal if any more serious injuries had occurred, and that was where the rest of the staff came into play.
A sigilyph was on a gurney that was being wheeled into one of the back rooms by two other nurses. For a moment, Aaron found himself wondering how one would treat such a creature given its relatively abnormal biology. Then again, that's probably why the doctors here had to undergo such rigorous studies – both in treating humans and pokémon – to work here.
He shook his head. There was something to do here, and with that in mind, he found his way to the elevator. There tended to be three floors for most modern centers, the third being for specialized procedures. Aaron hit the button. The second – the one they were headed towards – was, depending on the circumstance, the most cherished or dreaded for trainers. The legal floor.
Paperwork for just about everything occurred on this floor. It was here that you either started your journey as a trainer… or had it ended. A trainer would first receive their license here, update new members of their teams, conduct trades or release pokémon from their care, and every so often face legal consequences for bad conduct. That could range from a suspension of one's license to being hauled off in handcuffs. A lone security guard was in the corner for that specific case.
Cubicle-like stations were on one hand of the room and tended to be used for more minor matters, almost all of which were empty on this particular day. Renewing or updating a license and the likes. They were headed to the other side of the room. The individual, walled-off sections. It was there that he saw Sofia seated in the waiting section, her entire team being present for the event. She waved eagerly and a wide smile adorned her face. Aaron nodded.
"The mediator is waiting in room three," she said. "They haven't been too busy today."
"Yeah, I can tell," Aaron replied. He scanned over her six pokémon – five of which were Pierce's new teammates. All eyes fell on the two of them. Damn, they do look tough. A weavile, vaporeon, ampharos, noivern, ferrothorn and, of course, a typhlosion were all positioned throughout the room. "Well… I guess it's about time." Sofia stood up and made her way to the designated room. Aaron swallowed, trying to ignore the heavy feeling in his chest, and looked back at Nathan. He was met with a single nod.
"I'll be waiting here," he said, before taking a seat with Adira.
"Alright," Aaron replied, though mostly to himself. He followed Sofia and the typhlosion into the room. She pushed the door open and he followed her inside.
The room had a sleek and modern interior. A rectangular, black table was central and had five mesh office chairs, the one on the end being occupied by a man in his mid-forties. A few paintings were on the wall, and there were two potted plants, but aside from that, there was nothing else inside. Several papers were on the table.
"Hey. How're you all today?" the mediator asked.
"Pretty good," Sofia answered.
"Same," Aaron said. He didn't mean it.
"This process should only take about ten minutes. Have either of you ever participated in a trade before?"
"No," Aaron replied as he took a seat. A slight smile stretched out as he noticed Pierce carefully position himself onto the chair. Fortunately, they had been designed with tails in mind.
"Not a trade, but I have participated in a transfer before." Aaron looked at her questioningly. "That's how I got my vaporeon," she said. He nodded; eevees often saw transfers, either from parent to child or amongst friends.
Each of the trainers was handed the first form and a pen. Aaron glanced it over. Standard information was requested, both about the trainer and the pokémon in question. Name, phone number, current address, social security number… He filled all of it out instinctively, but eventually had to pull out his phone when it came to the last requirement: his trainer ID number. He found the official app – something he hadn't touched in a while – and input the passcode. After some searching, he eventually found what he was looking for. T227662255692. He went ahead and wrote Pierce's individual number while he had the app up. P743723576656. Aaron then filled out the rest of Pierce's information. Height… 5'2… weight is… about 205…
The next sheet was solely dedicated to Pierce's medical history. It was relatively quick given the fact that he'd had no major issues or surgery since he had joined Aaron or even prior to that. He checked the "no" boxes down the page.
"Once you're done with the medical info, I need you both to read over these pages," the mediator stated, pushing a stapled set of sheets to each trainer. "Do not skim through it. Read each word." Aaron had no intentions of doing otherwise, if only to delay the inevitable.
A few legal clauses were cited throughout the pages, but the main takeaway was the mutual consent clause. While each pokémon was assigned to their respective trainers, the trainers could not force them to do anything they were uncomfortable with – including battle, or even staying with them. Neither human could withhold communication from the pokémon with their prior trainer. Similarly, a trainer was not actually forced to take a pokémon in; if they couldn't afford to take care of them or simply wanted to dissolve all ties, then the pokémon had no legal grounding to remain under their care, and the following process was similar to that of an eviction. The law protected both parties from abuse of the other, though it rarely ever came to that. Anyone could leave the agreement and go their own way at any time.
"Can the two of you read?" the mediator asked.
"Yes," both pokémon answered. Given the accessibility to free online courses, most pokémon with trainers were proficient to some degree.
"Then I'm going to need you each to read over this form here. Once you have, make your mark on the bottom." That was when Aaron realized the large ink pad that had been set between them. At the bottom of the third page was a line for his signature and the date, showing that he had understood what he read.
It was the last page that would finalize everything: the transfer form. It reiterated that the trainer understood all the prior information and was willing to relinquish care of the pokémon in question to the other. Both he and Sofia would fill out a separate one. His eyes darted across the page. A printed name, signature, and date. That's all it took. Looking up, he had noticed that Sofia had already filled hers out. With a smile and a curt nod, she slid it towards him. Alright… Nora first, I guess. She had printed the typhlosion's name on the line and her ID number. Her signature was neat and clean.
Aaron saw Nora shuffle in his peripheral. With a slow nod, the pen made its way across the paper. After an uneasy smile, he slid the paper back, to which Sofia passed it to Nora. The female trainer placed her hand on the typhlosion's shoulder; the fire-type's eyes set on the ink pad. Without a word, she set her paw against the black-stained foam, and after a short hesitation, pressed it within the designated spot.
And now came the very part that he had dreaded. Aaron gripped the pen much tighter than necessary. He printed his name. Then the date. It was that signature that would finalize everything on his end. But with a final mental reassurance – that he hadn't made all these self-preparations for nothing, and that this was what was best for his friend – he spelled his name out in cursive.
He had just signed Pierce away.
Aaron handed the sheet to Sofia, who spent much less time filling it out before handing it back to Pierce. The ground-type remained still for a second before accepting the sheet. Maybe he was still processing all of this. No doubt there was some hardship he was facing as well. Pierce looked to the male trainer as if asking for permission one final time. Aaron simply nodded. Put on a forced smile. One that the krookodile returned before stamping his hand down into the ink and leaving his own mark.
And that's that… These files would be put into the system, and within the day, Pierce would no longer appear on Aaron's roster.
"That about wraps that up," the mediator said. "The carbon copies are for the two of you, but the originals stay with me." He turned his attention to the two pokémon. "As it stated in the stapled section, the two of you cannot be denied access to communication or the freedom to come and go as you see fit. If such an offense does occur, you are able to report it as a breach of this contract." A few more legal details were spelled out, all of which were simply reiterations of what had been in the required reading, but Aaron was hardly paying attention.
When they stepped out into the lobby, there was one other trainer there. A girl looking to be around sixteen – probably starting her own training campaign. She looked at the large scene in front of her in curiosity as the woman behind the desk readied the paperwork. You ought to watch, he thought. Don't make the same mistakes I did…
Aaron released his team, none of whom looked happy about this – contrary to Sofia's own. "Well buddy… it looks like this is it," Aaron stated. The krookodile folded his arms, and for a moment, it looked like he might reconsider. "I know… we had a lot of good times back during our campaign. But… I haven't been the trainer you needed these past years. I couldn't be. And like I said… you're a dreamer. I'm not – not anymore. So you need a trainer that has the same priorities as you. A trainer that I can't be."
"You'll always be my trainer," Pierce said quietly.
"And you'll always be that little sandile that never knew when to quit," Aaron replied. "And for the record… don't." The ground-type nodded before looking over to his other three teammates.
"I'm going to miss fighting with you guys…"
"Pierce… you'd better call like… at least three times a week…" Krista said. She looked like she was about to tear up.
"Aww… you know it!" the krookodile happily said. "I'll always be around, too – it's not like I'm going to the other half of the world. Well… not yet, at least, and certainly not forever! I'll just be a call away!" He put a clawed hand on Marcus' shoulder. "As for you, pup… I'm going to miss our matches. Or goin' out to the park to harass them rookie trainers!" The lucario managed a laugh at that, though Aaron knew he had to be taking this just as hard as him. The two had been thick as thieves all this time, and that was even ignoring the fact that Marcus was able to detect all the pain the trainer himself felt. He wondered how the lucario managed to deal with it. He himself only needed to hold the façade a little longer.
"Aster…" The serperior's tongue flicked out, tasting the air. "I know I gave ya a hard time every once in a while. There's a big, beautiful world out there – you know that of all people. Why you ever traded that for a television is beyond me," he admitted. "I just want you to live life to the fullest, y'know?" Aster nodded solemnly. His proud look was absent. "But you've got it, pal – you're where all this started. The first one to best me in a fight. I'm… sorry if it came across like I was ever pickin' on you for anything, but it was just because I love y'all."
"We love you too, Pierce," Krista said. She pulled the krookodile into a hug, soon joined by the other two pokémon. A smile crept on Aaron's face as Aster wrapped his body around the other two. When they released, Pierce stepped towards Aaron. No number of self-assurances the trainer made had actually prepared him for this very moment.
"I guess… I'll seeya around," Aaron said. Pierce pulled him into a tight hug, his claws almost jutting into the trainer's back.
"Thank you… thank you…" he could only murmur.
"Out of all the sandiles I could've come across… I'm glad it was you. You've taken good care of us, Pierce. Now go take care of yourself." Aaron's hand went to the back of the reptile's head and he pulled him in, touching their foreheads together. "I love you, buddy."
Eventually they parted. Sofia's team had finished saying their goodbyes to Nora as well. The two trainers knew what came next – the last part. A single practice that had remained from the way trading used to be done before it was more heavily regulated. Aaron pulled out Pierce's ultra ball, and, taking a final look at the krookodile, recalled him. The typhlosion similarly disappeared into her own – a luxury ball – and the other trainer stepped forward.
"You don't have to worry about a thing," she promised. "He'll receive the best care that I could possibly provide."
"I know," Aaron said. "Thanks for doing this, Sofia. Thanks for giving him the shot that I took from him." He held Pierce's ball in his right hand, his fingers finally relaxing around the metallic sphere.
"No, I should be thanking you. You've got my word he'll have that shot. Pierce is… really something special. You'll see him on television one day." Of that, Aaron had no doubt. Each trainer held their respective ball in their right hand, and, without so much as another word, handed the pokémon off to one another. It was done, both on paper and in practice.
Aaron felt the luxury ball – the first time he'd ever owned one, only having held them from Nathan. It was somewhat heavy, with gold leaf ingrained into the middle and top stripes. They now retailed for what would cost a month's paycheck for him.
Looking back at Nathan, who had slipped on his jacket once again, Aaron nodded. "I'll see you Tuesday, Sofia."
"Don't forget we have a quiz," Sofia said. That's right… It had completely slipped his mind, but then again, there was a pretty good reason for that.
"Of course. I'll see you in class then." Looking over her team once more, Aaron returned the other three for the time being and slipped the balls onto his belt. After trading Pierce's personal items for Nora's, both he and Nathan turned to leave. The girl at the counter looked just as dejected as he felt. Don't let this be you one day…
"Well… that sucked…" Aaron said when they entered the elevator.
"I'm sure it did," Nathan replied. "Growing up sometimes comes with… unfortunate consequences. Tell me, when do you think a person is an adult? When they reach a certain intelligence? Hit a certain age? Can hold a well-paying job?"
"I don't know," Aaron said. "What's that got to do with anything?"
"It's none of those. The moment you grow up is when someone else's needs come before your own. Most people nowadays never do hit that point. But you just proved that you aren't most people." Aaron's shoulders slumped. They reached the first floor.
"If that's the case, then growing up fucking sucks…" Nathan said nothing for a moment, then shook his head.
"Not all the time. There's a difference between loving someone and loving their companionship." The glass doors parted as they walked to the truck. "Why do you think the majority of marriages today end in divorce? Lack of communication and compatibility can definitely be factors, sure, but ultimately it's because most people love themselves first and foremost. They love the idea of being with their spouse without actually loving them."
"…I gotcha." They paused in front of the pickup.
"What I'm saying is that actual love isn't selfish, and because of that… pain can come with it. But that's also how you know it's real." Nathan gave him a warm grin and Aaron couldn't help but return it. "Now, I'd say you've got a new friend to get acquainted with. Why don't you let her out and we can decide on what to get for lunch? My treat."
"Alright." He was right. Aaron could deal with whatever personal feelings he had later. Right now, it was on him to make sure the new member of his team felt welcome. As Nathan and Adira got into the front seats, he held took Nora's ball into his hand and double-tapped the central button. The typhlosion materialized in front of him and shook her head. She looked at her new trainer curiously. "Hey there," he said.
"…H-hi."
"We were just about to head to lunch. What do you feel like?" he asked as he opened the door, motioning for her to hop in.
"I… I don't know. I'm not really hungry." Aaron got in after her and shut it.
"Come on, there's gotta be something you're into."
"I guess… I like Mediterranean…" That wasn't a style of cuisine that Aaron was familiar with, so he didn't know any particular restaurants.
"I know a place," Nathan said as the truck began moving. "Have you ever been to Paralia?"
"Oh… yeah, I have. One time," Nora said. "It was really good. The others weren't really into it, though."
"Alright. That's where we're headed, then." Her ears had perked up upon hearing this. Aaron couldn't help but grin at the sight.
"I've never heard of the place," Aaron said.
"I ate with a friend there once, then had a business meeting another time. I'm sure you and your team will enjoy it. They've got some tables outside for larger parties." Nathan turned the rearview mirror so that he could catch a glimpse of the typhlosion. "So why don't you tell us about yourself?"
"Me? I mean… nothing really much to say," Nora said with a shrug. Her left paw rested against the door as she looked out the window. "I grew up in Johto and joined Sofia when she went through Azalea. I was the fifth member of her team then. She ended up catching Seth a few weeks later." He could see the reflections of her eyes in the glass, staring off into space, and almost wished that Nathan hadn't asked the question.
"Hey… is everything alright?" Aaron asked. She didn't turn to face him, and her chest fell in a silent sigh.
"…No, not really," she replied. Nora's head turned, but only slightly, so that her right eye was barely visible. "I saw how you all were with him. I feel like I just took away your best friend…"
"I don't want to hear any talk of that sort. You did no such thing. Everything that happened today was my fault. I was the one who stole Pierce's dream right from under him, so it was only right to give it back. I'd be lying if I said that didn't hurt – Nathan and I just talked about that, after all – but it would have hurt me more to have kept him from pursuing his passion. You are absolutely not responsible for me transferring him, alright?" Nathan silently nodded from the driver's seat.
"…Okay," came her quiet reply. She winced as a loud horn from beside them blared. Aaron glared as a smaller car sped by them.
"My fault," Nathan apologized. "Forgot to use my blinker." Aaron looked at a sign before realizing that they were not in Nimbasa anymore.
"Are we going to Castelia?" he asked.
"Yep. That's where the restaurant is. Don't worry, though. We aren't going downtown." That was good; considering all the protests that were occurring, avoiding the center of the city was for the best.
The rest of the ride was mostly silent. Aaron figured, though, that she would settle in easier upon interacting with the rest of his team. While the distance between the two cities was not all that large, heavy traffic stretched the ride to far longer than it should have been. Colossal buildings could be seen against the horizon, and as they drew closer, Nathan turned towards one of the more suburban districts. Here, the residential areas were quite similar to Nimbasa's – after all, they were sister cities.
The silver truck pulled into a small yet bustling shopping center close to the freeway. A tremendous mall with a tall, white dome was the central attraction. Various stores peppered the surrounding areas, and neat sidewalks and freshly-mowed lawns were present everywhere one looked. Nathan drove to one corner of the plaza where a slim restaurant stood. Potted ferns hung from various surfaces of the building, and a two marble fountains were positioned on either side of the entrance. There was a line to get in.
"Well, shit. Looks like we'll be here awhile."
"Adira went online and put in a reservation about an hour ago. We shouldn't have to wait too long." Aaron looked at the people in the queue, some of whom were sitting on benches. This Paralia restaurant must have been good. Of course, it didn't help that they were arriving around twelve. He parked the truck and stuff the keys in his pocket as he got out. The four made their way through the line and to the black podium. A waiter was standing there with a tablet.
"How many people?" the man asked.
"Seven," Nathan replied.
"Alright. At the current rate, we're looking at an hour and a half, maybe two. Is that alright?" Aaron froze upon hearing this. What kind of restaurant were they at if that was the expected wait time?
"We have a reservation, actually. Hayes."
"Oh – the balcony. Of course; we should have it ready in fifteen minutes."
"Sounds good," Nathan said. They walked out the door to wait for their name to be called. Aaron tried to ignore a glare from one woman, likely assuming that he was wealthy and thus able to buy his way through life.
When they were called, the waiter led them up a narrow staircase to the second floor of the restaurant. A large, oak table was draped with a white cloth. Slim glasses were positioned beside each plate along with black napkins and several pieces of silverware. The sound of running water could be heard from the fountains beneath, and narrow, white fencing was positioned along the balcony edge, showing a perfect view of the towering city. Their waiter had set the paper menus down before excusing himself for the time being.
Aaron paused, then grabbed the other three pokéballs at his side and released the rest of the team. The other three pokémon looked around questioningly. "Hi there!" Krista said upon seeing the typhlosion.
"H-hello…"
"Oooh, where are we? This looks fancy."
"A restaurant called Paralia. We're in Castelia," Aaron said, motioning out to the city skyline. Everyone took their seats on the bench, though this tended to be a bit awkward for Aster. Nevertheless, he managed to coil himself up comfortably and position himself well above the edge of the table. The serperior had picked a spot between his trainer and Marcus while Nora seated herself on the other end with Krista. Nathan took the end seat by Aaron, and Adira was beside him and the audino.
Aaron looked at the menu and immediately understood. Shit, I can't afford this… "Dude… I didn't know this was a one-star restaurant…" He looked up at Nathan, who gave him a questioning look. "I guess… that explains the line…"
"Yeah, they've been this busy the times I've come here, too. They're one of the few star-rated restaurants that doesn't require a reservation beforehand. Of course, it certainly doesn't hurt… They save the balcony for events and the like and tend not to use it during regular business hours." It was then Aaron felt the familiar nudge against his mind. Marcus almost never used telepathy unless it was a very private matter. He tried not to make it obvious.
'Aaron… how the hell are you going to pay for this?'
'Nathan is treating us to lunch. Had I known this is what it'd cost, I'd have been against us coming here.' Aaron thought. It was a three-course meal and looked as though it would be between eighty and a hundred dollars a person, not including drinks. He had eaten at a high-end place such as this one other time: when he had graduated high school. Aaron slipped his phone out of his pocket and stealthily motioned for Nathan to do the same.
Dude, I wasn't expecting this place to be so expensive. This doesn't feel right.
Nathan skimmed over his phone and his fingers quickly tapped a response.
As I told you before, it's a special event. Just ignore the prices. I'm gonna be upset if you or your pokémon short yourselves.
Aaron slipped his phone back into his pocket and tried to swallow his sense of pride regarding the matter. If Nathan said it was fine, then he could only trust that his friend had meant it. But now he was seriously questioning how it was that Nathan could so effortlessly afford what would inevitably be a thousand-dollar meal. He nudged the lucario under the table.
'He says not to worry about the price. I guess… tell the others to do the same.'
'Alright then,' Marcus thought. 'I already know everything that I want!' Aaron laughed, then caught himself, trying to play off the fact that he was holding a mental conversation at the table.
The menu was very simply labeled. For each of the three courses – not including other miscellaneous items like dessert – there were five items. Aaron looked through the options.
"Everyone know what they're getting?" Nathan asked.
"I've got mine sorted out," Marcus said. "What about you guys?"
"Same thing I got last time. Five lettuce Caesar, the lobster spaghetti, and the roasted beef short rib," Nathan said. "It's more than enough for Adira and I."
"Ugh… I bet the lobster spaghetti is good. If only I weren't allergic to shellfish…" Aaron said. He always kept an EpiPen on hand just in case, though he wasn't affected by anything airborne or even if the food was cooked on the same surface. Direct consumption was the only threat, and fortunately, there were four other pasta options to choose from.
"What is branzino?" Krista asked.
"A Mediterranean sea bass. Tends to be cooked whole after being gutted."
"Yuck," she said. "Chicken it is, then. And maybe a sundae afterwards."
Once the waiter came back everyone ordered their drinks. By now, most of them knew what they wanted to eat. He receded to the kitchen.
"Well, I believe some introductions are in order," Krista said, faking a proper tone. "I'm Krista, that's Marcus – you've already met Aaron – and that's Aster." Aaron was impressed that she had skipped on an opportunity to tease the serpent.
"It's nice to meet you all," she said. Almost meek, like a child.
"We're very happy to have you with us," Marcus stated. "I'm sure you'll fit right in."
"I hope so. What do you all… well, do around the place? I heard you aren't looking to go professional," she asked, directing the question to the trainer. "Four pokémon is a lot for someone who isn't looking to battle all that much…"
"Well, I still do like battling," Aaron said. "We're actually pretty good at it – we've gotten all ten major Unovan badges. These three helped carry me through that campaign. But I'm looking to teach others how to battle rather than going pro myself."
"I see…"
"That said, we talked about it the other night, and we'll be doing a lot more battling than we've been doing the past two years. It's just something we should all do to keep in shape. Especially after… well, we got utterly destroyed by his team…"
Nathan laughed. "Ah, don't sell yourself short. You guys did really well against us."
"The combined three of us took out a single charizard," Marcus said. "A defensively trained charizard…" he murmured under his breath.
"A charizard who has trained under me twice as long as you have under Aaron. It's no big deal, dude. Don't beat yourselves up over it."
"But anyways, battling for us is more of a hobby rather than a career. A hobby that we're about to pick up on once again, but still a hobby. You by no means are expected to participate." Nora nodded; she looked relieved upon hearing that.
The waiter soon returned with everyone's drinks, and by then, each diner knew what they wanted to eat. Marcus was first to place his order. "I'll take the crispy duck wings, the… Aaron, how do you pronounce this? The stuff with the spicy sausages in it."
"Uhh… pappardelle? I probably butchered that pronunciation myself."
"It's all good," the waiter said with a chuckle.
"Alright, that and the angus skirt steak."
"Dude, that's literally all meat…"
"And that's why I have these," he said, showing his canines with a grin. Krista snickered. He went around the table and got the other orders before collecting the menus, save for one in case anyone wanted to add anything else.
While the pokémon were talking amongst themselves, Aaron turned towards Nathan. "You know… I just happened to think of something. What do you do for a living?"
"Ah, I hope the meal hasn't brought that to mind," he replied.
"Well… I'd be lying if it didn't get me wondering, but still… I've known you for two years now. Do you still teach at the university?"
"Well, I never exactly taught, though I was a TA for a few years. But that was only while I was getting my PhD and something I thought might be a good experience. Grading papers isn't hard, especially when it's science. You're either right or wrong. I mean, I'd give partial credit where it was due, of course." He took a long sip of his drink before setting it down. Aaron's hand had mindlessly found its way to the coiled snake beside him. He ran his fingers along the scaled creature's side as he listened. "The year you took the class was my last semester doing that, anyways. I was paid by my company to get my PhD on account of my research in the field."
"You said something about engineering. I remember that much," Aaron said. "So if you were a TA for a chemistry class, does that mean you're a chemical engineer?"
"In a manner of speaking, yes. But my area of expertise is more specific than that. I'm a nuclear engineer." Aaron's eyes went wide. That was not what he expected to hear.
"You mean… you make bombs and stuff?" Nathan laughed at this, looking over at his wife, who seemed equally humored by the statement.
"Good heavens no. Nobody's made nuclear warheads in quite some time. And besides, you couldn't make a bomb out of the stuff I worked with. Uranium dioxide pellets are at most five percent enriched – much too low to make a bomb out of – and are under constant watch. My job consisted of removing the spent fuel assemblies from the reactor when it came time for a reload." Nathan took a drink, swallowed, then continued. "Besides, when I was at Nimbasa, they had me researching the possibility of constructing thorium reactors."
"Thorium?"
"Yeah. Element ninety. Four times more common than uranium and far more efficient. Years ago, people used to throw the stuff away when they found it in mines. Over the past twenty years, there's been an increased interest in thorium reactors, particularly throughout Unova, Kalos, and Galar. Only thing that's holding 'em back is the investment cost."
"So… you're making uranium obsolete?" Marcus asked, having found interest in their conversation.
"Well I wouldn't say that. There's still about a couple hundred years' worth of the stuff that's easily accessible – that we know of. We require some plutonium to give thorium a bit of a push since it isn't fissile on its own, and that's actually recovered from the spent fuel from uranium reactors. So there will always be a need for uranium, just not as much of one."
"Oh… that's pretty cool," Marcus said. Though the lucario likely didn't understand much of what was said, that never stopped him from being inquisitive. Aaron envied that in him.
The first course came, and soon after he finished what had undoubtedly been the best salad he had ever tasted, the second arrived. He had ordered Bucatini Cacio e Pepe – spaghetti, cheese and pepper – and it was phenomenal. Meanwhile, Marcus had thoroughly mixed the chunks of sausage with his pasta and wasted no time in shoving in one mouthful after another.
But it was the third course that truly shone: the main attraction. Aaron had gotten the garlic-parmesan chicken. "Arceus, this is really good," the trainer said. "Marcus, Aster – either of you want to try this?"
"I'm good," Marcus said, cutting a steak nearly as big as the plate. "Really good…" Aster looked curiously at his trainer's plate.
"Here," he said, cutting off a piece then offering it to the serperior with his fork. The grass-type didn't hesitate to bring his mouth to it. He chewed, then nodded.
"You're right – that is really good. Try some of mine." He had ordered the beef rib. Aaron picked off a small piece of Aster's.
"You… used the same fork…" Nora said in shock.
"Well yeah. Why wouldn't I?"
"Sofia never did…" Aaron shook his head.
"Well, I don't really care. And besides, Aster's probably cleaner than I am," he chuckled. "I can't promise that things will be the same as what you're used to, but I can assure you that we'll do our best." She nodded, and for a split second, it looked as though a smile were about to appear.
But only for a second.
"Yeah, as long as you don't burn the house down, we should get along just fine," Aster joked, expecting a laugh. Nora froze upon hearing the reply, causing Aaron to wince. I forgot to tell them. Aster continued with his meal, oblivious to what he had just said.
"I-I…" She looked down. Her lip quivered, and immediately Marcus looked up. "I'll be right back…" The typhlosion got up and briskly walked inside.
"Shit…" Aaron murmured.
"What was that all about?" Aster asked. "I thought everything was going well…"
"It was," the trainer replied. "It's my fault. I forgot to tell you."
"Tell me what?"
"She can't make fire. At all. That's why Sofia needed Pierce."
"No… and I…" the serperior looked down, his mouth agape. "I didn't mean to…"
"Way to go, Aster!" Krista said with a harsh glare.
"It wasn't his fault." Aaron set his fork down. "He didn't know. None of you did." He looked over to Nathan, almost expecting advice, but the older trainer said nothing. It was his job to figure this one out.
When she didn't return within a few minutes, Aaron excused himself from the table. After asking where the restrooms were and being directed downstairs, he made his way there, still noticing many people from the line earlier still waiting. He passed between several occupied tables until he reached two slim doors down a hallway opposite to a noisy kitchen. Fortunately, they only seemed to be single units, so there was no risk of embarrassing a stranger. Aaron knocked on the door for the female restroom.
"Nora? Are you in there?" There was a pause, but eventually a reply came.
"Yeah… I'll be out in a minute."
"I'm so sorry about that. I forgot to tell them." He could hear the sink running, though the water sounded constant. Almost like she wasn't using it and was trying to drown out the sound of something else. "I promise you; he didn't know. Aster wouldn't hurt a fly. He would never have said that had I told them…"
"…It's okay. I'll be fine." The water stopped, then the crinkling of paper towels. The typhlosion quickly opened the door but didn't maintain eye contact. "Let's… go finish our meal…" She walked past him.
Aaron sighed. He might not have been the smartest out there, but it was clear that something was wrong – and likely would be for some time to come. All he could do was be there as needed. In time, she would open up a bit more.
Hopefully.
Special thanks to FuryWrites for beta reading this chapter.