Professor Oak was a renowned legend in the world of Pokémon. A brilliant professor with invaluable studies, the inventor of the Pokédex, and in his youth, one of the greatest Pokémon trainers of his time. The fame skipped a generation, Oak's son falling into obscurity, a purely intentional fate. Oak's grandson, however, Blue? He thought he could be everything his grandfather was, and more. In time, he did achieve his dreams, but in the humility of his defeat at the height of his ego, finally relenting in his pursuit of fame, did he earn the respect of his grandfather. Blue himself grew older, fell in love, and started a family.

To say Grayson Oak had a legacy to live up to was a severe understatement. His great-grandfather was legendary in all corners of the globe. His father was a certified Pokémon master. And he...

He . . .

With a shudder, Grayson gasped, sitting up—only to immediately fall back against the ground, groaning in pain. His cracked ribs hadn't appreciated that in the slightest.

[Relax, you're okay...]

He tensed his shoulders before relaxing, hearing her soothing voice enter his mind.

[Atena? I saw...]

A vision of ruin. A gardevoir halfway crushed in the cab car. A man approaching from behind with a metagross in tow. Trying to fight him. Failing to win.

The memory played like flashes of light in Grayson's mind as he recalled what had happened, how Atena had been seemingly crushed. He'd tried to go in for her, but Striker had distracted him. Had accused him of aiding the others in freeing Lex. Gray remembered trying to fight him off, and losing. Losing in a way he'd never lost before.

[You're safe now.]

He could barely see, his eyes swollen from his beatdown. It had probably looked worse before he woke up. He could feel that the size was already reducing, but he had a splitting headache, which kept his pain off his face, for the moment.

[Where are we?]

[Ice Path, until you're well enough to travel,] Atena answered.

He realized it was dark. That was probably impairing his vision a bit, too. Swallowing, he tried to turn his head, to look in any direction, unable to see any source, before he realized his hand was being held. He recognized the touch, and squeezed the gardevoir's hand back. [What about everyone else?]

[We all made it,] the gardevoir assured. [But...]

[What is it?]

[Ade's pokéball. It's cracked. It won't open.]

Gray swallowed again. He felt a grip twisting at his gut at the thought. The poor greavard, stuck in his pokéball... at least those things were designed to be comfortable, but Ade was so hyper. He'd go crazy cooped up in there. With the mechanism busted, it meant that the ball couldn't be opened, at least not in a simple manner. It required a bit more of a surgical touch, and mechanical knowhow. Feeling suddenly very stupid, Gray reminded himself that this was something Lex would know how to deal with.

[Ares?]

[His pride's the most damaged part of him. He'll live.]

[...And you?]

[Better than I was. I'll spare you the details. Just know that you're in worse shape than me.]

[Well- that's reassuring.]

He could hear the soft, quiet giggle under the gardevoir's breath, but it was followed by a weighed silence before she spoke again. [We got lucky.]

[I know. I wasn't expecting him to be so...]

[How did you know him? Before, I mean,] Atena inquired.

Gray bit this inside of his cheek. [Worked with my dad for a while. Some sort of cross-league thing, the Tripus region military was involved. I don't know the details. Striker was around for a time.]

[And the small girl in your dream that came with him?]

He paused for a moment. Had she entered his mind while he was unconscious? He was sure it was probably to check on him beyond the physical, but he suddenly felt like a layer of privacy had been vandalized. He shoved the defensive thoughts away. He'd need to be honest with someone sooner or later. Why not Atena? He'd prefer her over anyone else. He assumed he knew what Atena was referring to.

[Striker's daughter, Hope. She's a year older than me.]

[You were friends.]

[In our childhood, yes. Then... stuff happened. Striker and my dad had a falling out. Never saw Hope again.]

[I'm sorry, for looking into your memories. I was trying to-]

[It's fine,] Gray replied. [I trust your intentions. You probably saw a lot there I've never talked about.]

Atena was silent for a few moments. [I did. Your mother?]

[She died when I was a young boy.]

[You were closer to her than to your father.]

[She always called me a momma's boy,] his tone was humored with nostalgia. [Never learned how she died. Dad always said it was a disease. He was vague about it.]

[Then things got worse with him.]

[We couldn't relate to each other. We just... grew distant. We're family in blood, nothing else.]

Another silence fell between them. Grayson wasn't sure why he was opening up like this. Of course he'd just decided Atena was his preferred person to say all this to, but all of his pent-up and reserved memories were back on the forefront of his mind, and he was sharing them without hesitation. Deciding to share what else was on his mind, he continued.

[While we have a minute, just the two of us...]

[Yeah?] Atena asked after a moment of silence.

[I...] He was struggling to vocalize it, even in thought. [I enjoyed what we shared.]

The gardevoir didn't reply immediately, but he could feel her hand squeeze his, and her body shifting as she scooted a little closer to him.

[I enjoyed... experiencing it. But the thing I liked the most about what we did... was that it was with you.] Gray told her. Yet another moment of silence, before he felt something against his chest. It took him a moment to realize it was her head, resting upon him. She was hearing his heartbeat.

[Thank you.] She finally said. It was so simple, just two words, yet Gray could feel how genuine it was. How much passion lay behind the syllables. [Gray, what are we?]

He was getting used to her saying his name.

[What do you mean?]

[Are you my trainer? My best friend? My lover? My boyfriend?]

He'd assumed that's what she meant. He just wasn't sure where to start there. [I don't know. I'm not sure what it is we're doing. If we're friends with benefits, or...]

[Do you want to be more?] She picked up where he trailed off.

[I...] Once again, he was struggling to find words. He wanted to say yes. He truly did. Yet despite all that had happened... There was always the issue of poképhilia. Getting tossed away for life? Was it worth the risk?

He'd slowly accepted that he did love Atena in the way she loved him, a hidden feeling within him that only surfaced when her true feelings had been revealed. The concept of engaging in any sort of romantic or sexual relationship with a Pokémon went against everything Gray had been raised on. And yet...

[Yes.]

He felt her hand leave his, before it moved up his chest to reach his left shoulder. He could hear the deep breath she took, and felt it against his sternum. It made goosebumps erect all over his body. Atena held him to her, taking a few more deep breaths. He was thankful she wasn't resting on his cracked ribs. It would really ruin the moment.

[I do, too.] her voice was practically a whisper in his mind.

They laid like that for a while, enjoying one another's touch, content with each other's presence. Grayson eventually drifted back into sleep, soothed by her company and affections. When he woke again, she was no longer with him. Light streamed in through the entrance of the Ice Path. A light breeze came from within the tunnel, carrying a chilled air with it. He felt at his face, only now noticing it had been bandaged. The swelling had pretty much died down, leaving him with just cuts and bruises. Grunting as he clutched his chest, Gray sat up, looking about. Ares and Seidon were the only Pokémon present. Typically, Seidon was emotionally reserved aside from his aggression, but when he turned and saw Gray, he quite literally started jumping for joy, making the ground shake with each leap.

The garchomp stopped after only a few jumps, before he seemed to grow embarrassed at himself, and turned back to the entrance, raising an arm to cover his face. Ares joined Grayson at his side, the blaziken sitting down beside him.

"Everything still okay?" the trainer asked. Ares gave his signature nod of confirmation. Grayson scooted himself back to lean against the cave wall, still holding at his cracked ribs.

"I'm feeling better," he lied. "We shouldn't linger here too long. When the others get back, we should start moving."

Ares nodded again, this time in agreement.

It was finally settling in that they were probably wanted fugitives now. Striker had a lot of power, even after his retirement from the military. Hell, he'd probably get himself reinstated just to have access to better resources. Johto itself wasn't safe anymore. Not after last night. The only place Gray could think of going... was home. Pallet town, in Kanto. But that was probably out of the question, too. Striker would look there. Arbos seemed like the only potentially safe place to travel, but Atena had convinced him to stay for the purpose of fighting for what they had, and for each other. Arbos was only an option if they wanted to flee and hide.

So where could they go?

Grayson's thoughts were interrupted when Seidon stepped aside, and Atena walked into the Ice Path, Runa stalking in after her. She immediately established a link, causing Gray's shoulders to tense for a moment.

[How are you feeling?]

[Much better,] he responded. [Where'd you and Runa go?]

[Scouting with Sui, and finding berries,] Atena answered, moving in to sit on the other side of Gray, where the spot wasn't Ares-occupied. [We weren't very successful. We've picked the area pretty clean over the last few months.]

[Just another reason for us to leave as soon as we can.]

Atena's hand found his, and their fingers laced. At least as best as they could, considering the gardevoir had one less digit than he did. [Where should we go?]

[I don't know,] Gray admitted. [We can't go to very many places where Striker wouldn't find us, or it's already under Rinsik control. We're probably fugitives now, so...]

[I... may have something.]

Atena's words weren't surprising, she was fairly good at coming up with ideas where he failed, but she sounded almost hesitant. From seemingly nowhere, a paper materialized in her other hand (he recognized this as her pulling from her "pocket dimension" or whatever it was called), and she offered it to Gray. He stared at her for a second, before he accepted it, brow furrowing in confusion and intrigue. He looked down at the page, recognizing the chicken scratch scribbling of Lex, and also the region the map displayed. It was Sinnoh. Markings all over it were detailing something, but it wasn't clear what. If Lex had made a legend to help the organization of the map, Gray wasn't finding it.

[This is what Striker was looking for... isn't it?]

[I believe so.] Atena agreed. [Lex gave it to me just before I followed you out.]

[I'm glad you accepted it. I don't know what any of this is, though. Do you?]

[His mind is enigma,] Atena half-joked. [I can't decipher it.]

[Alright... then here's the plan,] Gray began, sitting up a little straighter, straining against his wounds. [We make our way to the nearest port, get on a ship headed to Sinnoh, and start visiting these locations. Maybe we can figure out what this all means.]

[What about the others? Your dad, Lance, Clair, Lex... we could link with them.]

[Ideally,] Gray agreed. [I don't know how easy it'll be to find them, now, though. If we cross them on the way, all the better, but we need to get out of this region.]

[Then that's what we'll do. What about Ade?]

Gray sighed, pulling out the cracked pokéball and looking it over. [I'll figure something out.]

Atena leaned against him, her head resting against his shoulder. They sat there in the ambience of the Ice Path, communicating no more. He leaned back against her, resting his cheek against the top of her head. Despite his reservations... he was glad they were something more than friends now. While that label still wasn't clear, what was clear was that they had an established relationship now, of the romantic variety. It was still a bit weird to think about.

But he'd get over it.

This was just the beginning of the next part of their life, now unified like never before.

"Attention on deck!"

"At ease."

The various soldiers took their seats upon his words, General Bruce "Striker" Shepard striding into the room. A fresh cut could be seen on his lower lip, and above his left eyebrow, both patched with thin white strips. The only signs that he'd been engaged in conflict very recently.

He'd been reinstated, almost immediately following the assault on the Blackthorn PD. His retirement into law enforcement had been put on an indefinite hold—not that he was complaining. He preferred the military. Rinsik had been waiting for a long time for one of the various resistances to do something drastic. High-profile opposition launching a terrorist assault against a government-driven law enforcement agency, funded by Rinsik? That was good enough for the board. Striker was back in action, being at the epicenter of the conflict, and one of the few highly-decorated personnel Rinsik could call upon.

"Senator," Striker greeted a striking man, who seemed too young to be such a high-profile senator, directing the Grande states within Tripus. He had slicked back, jet black hair. His skin was sallow and thin, though with a golden tinge to it. His eyes were a dark green, like pools of jade. He had an aura of authority he exerted, and even the stern Striker could feel humbled by it. Almost. Not today, however.

Senator Rens turned around to face the general, extending a hand that Striker shook firmly. His grip was better than most senators, but Rens had a firm handshake. It garnered at least some respect. Rens, of course, had grown up on a humble miltank farm. His political career since his farming days has been a rapid rise to the top, all seemingly legitimate on the surface. The way Striker heard it, Rens was going to run for the presidency in the upcoming election. Striker had a strong feeling he'd win. Better to be on good terms with the man than otherwise.

"General Shepard," Rens greeted coolly. "I hope your reinstatement went smoothly?"

"Best choice the military ever made," Striker replied.

"I was the one who made the call, general," Rens said. "So I suppose it was the best choice I ever made."

The general hadn't been expecting that. Rens himself had been the deciding factor in reinstating him? What was he expecting from the old soldier? "Good to know," Striker replied.

"General, I have to know: how was it that you bested three of some of the best trainers in the Kanto-Johto district?"

"Simple," Striker sniffed. "I removed the enemy's ability to cooperate. Isolate and dispatch. They weren't unified for long."

"Impressive," Ren nodded his head. "Your kind of strategics, and ruthless efficiency, are exactly why it's you I've signed into reinstatement. Many of my peers and opponents consider you a fossil, best left in the dirt, unable to fight with the changing times. You're going to prove me right."

"Yes, sir," Striker gave a nod. "What is it you want me to do?"

"Eliminate the Drake siblings. But leave Blue Oak, for now."

"Sir?"

"We're fighting a war, general. The opposition needs someone to rally behind. Blue will be that leader, for as long as we allow it."

Striker frowned, wiggling his spruce mustache in thought. Ren didn't just want efficiency. He wanted a game. To build up this resistance against Rinsik. If the general had to guess, it was because of some political angle. Something to help further Ren's career, and possibly land him the presidency. Allowing a staunch outside opposition to form was a great method to having an enemy to point to, to rally people against. Ren was clever. Striker just hoped he wasn't too clever for his own good. If the resistance movement grew too powerful...

"I should be going now, general. We'll speak again."

"We will. Have a good day, senator."

"You as well, Striker."

The general watched the senator leave, feeling like he'd just been roped into a very complex game of chess—and he didn't even know who was on the other side of the board.