Summary: After countless deadends of trying to get home, Kagome finds herself in Paldea alongside Steven as he encourages her to learn more about this world. From making friends and companions to pursuing her own path on the "Treasure Hunt," Kagome knows she has a lot to learn- even if her past moments in other Regions still seem to follow.

Pairing: Kagome/Arven.

Disclaimer: I do not own either series. Each belongs to their rightful owners.

Note:
Flashback/Past are written in bulk Italics.

Steven and Diantha are like Kagome's parents.
Alain regards Kagome as a little sister.

Prologue

The world was complicated- she knew that very well. As she looked up at the creatures rushing about before her, a wave of bittersweet somberness wafted over her, her shoulders slumping and her gaze softening. A floral aroma clung to the air surrounding her, coming from the patch of flowers she sat in. Despite the very vocal creatures rushing around, it still seemed to be far too quiet.

She hugged her knees to her chest and rested her chin on her curled arms. In the distance, she could hear faint voices talking in the space just beyond this room. The auras were familiar, one much more comforting than the others. It wasn't much later before the door to the observatory of the lab opened, and Kagome did her best to push her somber expression away as she clambered back onto her feet. Her smile felt forced, and she hoped with all she was that it wasn't obvious. Her expression changed, however, when she realize the person who'd stepped into the area with her wasn't the one she was expecting. Widened blue eyes landed on the man three years older than her as she realized her facade had fallen.

"Oh…" Her voice was quiet, even to her own ears. Her companion, a Lucario given to her by Steven as a Riolu when she first was getting used to this unfamiliar world, rose instantly from where she sat with the other Pokemon. She came to her side dutifully, posed before her with a huff sounding from her.

Honestly, she wasn't expecting him to come around, but she wasn't upset about it. She'd wanted to speak to him one-on-one since the entire ordeal with Lysandre concluded, but from medical care and Steven's swift refusal to allow others around her in such a fragile state, she hadn't so much as seen or heard him. She'd woken up only a half hour ago, and Steven had suggested she come here while he handled other things. She couldn't really say no, so here she was.

"Hello, Alain," she eventually said. She lifted a hand, gently patting at her Lucario's head to soothe her standoffish attitude toward the older man. "There, there," she whispered softly. Her Lucario leaned into her touch, eyes closing in bliss at the gentle affection offered- savoring the aura the miko from a different world produced. Kagome smiled and let her hand fall to land still on the ear of her Lucario as the blue and black Pokemon backed down entirely from her defensive and protective stance.

She didn't miss the way his posture straightened a bit at her voice, but she didn't call attention to it. She shifted her gaze from her companion and towards Alain standing opposite of her. She figured he must've been one of the people Steven had been speaking to. She could still feel Steven's aura close.

"How are you feeling?" he asked after a few long seconds of silence on his end. She was keen to note how he also kept distance between them, as if he was reluctant to step past an invisible barrier in place. She didn't push his boundaries, knowing that perhaps that might be for the best after everything.

"I'm…" Though she tried to say she was fine, she couldn't get the words to form. It was a lie, after all. Her shoulders slumped as a heavy breath escaped her lungs, and she turned her attention away from everyone and everything at that moment. "I'm… getting there," she eventually managed to say. Whatever that meant, it was lost on even her. A moment later, she sighed much louder and sank down into a seated position among the flowers. Her expression clouded over, hands fisting into the material of her pants. She tried to ignore the moisture filling her eyes as her vision blurred. She tilted her head down, but it didn't do anything to hide the tears as they began to fall freely once they got to be too much. Her shoulders trembled, her knuckles turning white.

"Hey…-"

She ignored him when he tried to speak, not that he got very far with his words in the first place. At the presence of her tears, he was stunned into motionless. She could feel the surprise and uncertainty pouring from him in waves. He wasn't sure how to react without making her worse.

She knew she couldn't just give up, but staying hopeful was wearing her thin. She could feel it taking its toll on her.

After she'd taken some time to compose herself, clearing the tears away as if they'd never happened in the first place, she shook her head with a sigh.

"I mean, in hindsight, I've certainly had a lot worse happen to me, anyway," she remarked dryly. It was no wonder why Steven had grown so protective of her. Even here, things seemed to come crawling towards her of all sorts. "Trust me…" she sighed.

He finally stepped closer, sitting a few feet away from her in the flowers. She avoided moving closer, more than happy with the fact that he'd come that far. Her smile was small as she kept her focus downwards.

"I'm sorry."

Kagome perked up, craning her head to the side as she met him with wide, innocent eyes. "For what?" she asked.

He was taken aback by her question. "For everything," he explained. "None of this would've happened if…-"

"It would've happened either way," she cut him off. "Lysandre… he was a megalomaniac who abhorred humankind. He was also an excellent pretender," she stated. "That type of person… they can't be changed once their mind is made up, as much as I hate to say it. They'll make their goals a reality or die trying, and that's exactly what happened to him." She paused and glanced down at the flowers once more. "The fact that I was involved wasn't chance, either," she added on quieter.

Fate steered her here alongside Steven in search of a way home, and, yet again it'd ended in disaster. No matter where she went, nothing seemed to change.

"Don't blame yourself," she stated softly. "I don't blame you."

000

Blue eyes peered down at the few measly shards of the once whole jewel, expression clouding over. The voices speaking behind her had turned to background noise at that point. She closed her hand around what remained of the jewel and let out a soft, surrendering sigh.

"Maybe…- Kagome?"

Steven paused when he heard the noise come from the younger girl. He knew her well enough by now to tell when something was bothering her. Eyes were on her, eyes of people who'd been let in on her secret long ago by now. After this latest attempt, she was feeling more than discouraged. And with so little of the jewel remaining, what could possibly be done by now? How could she ever go home with it like this? If it brought her here in the first place, then she needed it to go home, but… it wasn't even whole anymore. The three shards in her possession were barely a sliver of the whole thing…

"I give up."

Her voice was flat, final, and subdued. Her words took the rest by surprise, clearly, as she turned and placed the three shards down on the table before her.

"What do you mean?" Steven asked, and Kagome cut her eyes up to meet steel blue. He was surprised, clearly. Kagome looked away and turned her gaze away from the remains of the jewel entirely.

"Clearly, I'm not meant to go back," she stated. "No matter what we do, nothing ever works. I give up," she stated a second time.

No matter what they did, nothing went good or right, for that matter. Problems arose, and she was tired of it. She felt exhausted, and she backed away from what remained of the jewel. It didn't even possess its aura anymore. She couldn't even feel it anymore. Frustrated, she turned tearful eyes away and tightened her hands into fists. Her Lucario tensed up and came to her side instantly, sensing her harsh emotions.

"And maybe that's for the better."

Her tone was resolute as she left the room. Mind made up.

Steven approached the spot where she'd been standing, stopping beside the Lucario still standing there. He offered her a gentle smile, reaching a hand out to pat at her head. She glanced at him, letting out a low rumble before following after the girl dutifully.

Steven turned his focus to the lingering shards of the jewel, his expression clouding over.

Whether she truly meant those words or not, he couldn't really know. Still… he knew how frustrated she was with it all. It seemed to be brick wall after brick wall, and now for this to be all that's left of the jewel… It certainly wasn't good. There was no way to tell what became of the rest of the pink bauble.

"What do you want to do?"

He paused and turned towards the source of the voice, to where Diantha sat on the couch. Worry was present on her face, hands clasped together in her lap. Collecting the shards, Steven sighed and shook his head.

"What can I do?" he mused softly. "If she doesn't want to pursue this anymore, I can't force her to."

Still…

Glancing down at the shards, a small smile tugged at his lips.

He knew it'd take time, but she'd bounce back. She always did, and it was hard to keep her down. Ever resilient and resolute, she was strong like stone.

He'd keep these safe, if only for the slight chance she may change her mind at last.

"This actually gives me an idea," he stated after a few seconds of silence.

Kagome had undoubtedly been through a lot, so much without a single break, it seemed. From the situation with Team Aqua and Team Magma back in Hoenn, to Team Galactic, to Team Flare, to the whole situation in Galar… She'd endured each and everyone without so much as a single break to have time to breathe. She'd invested so much in trying to find a way back to the world she called home, that she barely knew anything about this world still at all.

And, if it just so happens that she changed her mind, there'd be no issues.

Auroua-chan: Ive been waiting to do this story for so long!

More about Kagome coming to this world will come a bit later, obviously, but for now we know it's due to the jewel (which, by the way, was whole at the time of her arrival. Now, however, there's only three little fragments of it in her possession… Who can say what happened to it…?)

This story will allude to game events such as the evil teams from prior regions. Characters from prior series will be recurring characters in this story. (Such as Alain, Mairin, Diantha, etc…)
The next chapter will be the start of them in Paldea. Kagome's going to be roughly 18.
Pairing for her is decided!

Feel free to suggest Pokemon~

Anyway, that's it for now! Thank you all for reading, and I hope you all enjoyed! Hopefully I caught all the errors before posting, but if not sorry.

Please remember to Review&Favorite&Follow, thank you!

Bye for now~