Chapter 18: Convictions of a Lost Trainer. Touya's Pursuit of the Truth.
The day after Touko and N entered Driftveil City…
Touya walks out of Pinwheel Forest with a creeping sense of trepidation. His journey has been uneventful so far, but Touko's suggestion haunts him at every step. What exactly is in Nacrene City that can help him recover his memories? What is this red gem she gave him?
His attention is momentarily captured by the sight of orange cones and yellow barriers blocking the way to the marshy area of the forest. Throh and Sawk can be seen clearing away fallen tree trunks, while several trainers and their Pokémon are planting new trees with the help of wild Pokémon. There's a sign that reads, "Reconstruction efforts underway. Exercise caution."
"I've heard about this on the news. A large specter was taken down by a mysterious, golden train that could breathe fire. I'm amazed the city didn't get leveled; that must have been one intense battle."
Touya observes how everyone in the vicinity is working together, and a void opens in his heart at the harmonious sight. The trainers and their Pokémon before him are working together to achieve a common goal, but what about him?
His hand slips into his bag and grasps a Poké Ball before he realizes it. With a single swipe of his finger across its surface, he immediately recognizes that he's holding Samurott's Poké Ball.
He hadn't thought much of it before, back when he mindlessly pursued the rush of the Battle Subway. All that mattered to him was using his especially close bonds with his Pokémon, occasionally teaming up with Touko, to reach the subway bosses. It didn't matter how he came to establish such a deep bond with his Pokémon, only that he has.
But then, that bond began to scare him. It all started when his starter, Samurott, handed him a card out of the blue. Touya took a look at the big, bubbly words that spelled out, "Happy Anniversary," and could only stare at it in confusion. He thought his Pokémon found it on the floor and wanted to show it to him, but then Kyouhei stated how he noticed the water-type Pokémon was intensely looking at it on their last shopping trip and bought it for him. Touya thanked Samurott for the gift, but he then caught the hurt, forlorn expression on his Pokémon's face, and for the first time, he could not understand what his Pokémon was thinking.
It was an eye-opener. Every single one of his Pokémon carried the same sadness within them. And from there, he began to doubt and question everything. There were moments when his Pokémon would be waiting for something, either a pat on the head or some sort of reward, and he would cower under their gazes because he didn't know what they wanted. He didn't know what he was supposed to do. The light in their hopeful eyes would then fade until there was nothing left but loneliness and despair.
He hates that part the most. He despises how his Pokémon is suffering, and he's the cause of it. He hates it so much, but he doesn't even understand why he feels so strongly about it.
Back in Nimbasa City, after helping Kyouhei evacuate the amusement park, he had asked N to talk to his Pokémon. With his ability to understand their hearts, N should be able to find the source of their sadness. And yet…
"Your Pokémon…will not tell me," N looked pained as he relayed their words, "They said it's not my business to know."
"Umm, excuse me? Are you okay?"
A female trainer is tilting her head at him, a concerned frown clearly written on her face. Next to her feet is a Whimsicott, who, upon meeting Touya's intense stare, hops over to his side and bounces around him. Cotton spews from its body as it waves its tiny hands, hoping to draw his attention.
"Oh…Yeah, sorry," Touya blinks, his gaze jumping between the cotton puffs floating in the air, "I was…thinking about something."
Her frown disappears, "I won't pry, since it's none of my business, but Whimsicott saw you standing there and wanted to cheer you up a bit."
"Thanks. Are you helping out with the reconstruction project?"
"Yes! It's a lot of work, but I feel like I've gotten closer to my Whimsicott. You should sign up, too! We need all the help we can get! Just find Lenora at the Nacrene Museum, and she'll tell you more. In fact, why don't I come with you? I was about to take my break."
Touya once again observes the reconstruction zone, and the hole in his heart grows deeper. Something tells him to join them, and the overwhelming urge to help takes over.
"Okay, let's go together. Thanks again."
"You're welcome! Oh, my name is Dye. It's nice to meet you!"
"I'm Touya. Nice to meet you, too."
Dye guides Touya to the Nacrene Museum, but as soon as he steps through the front entrance, he bumps into a blonde-haired man in a gray lab coat, who is too preoccupied with tapping away on the device on his arm, which is rapidly blinking yellow lights back at him, to move out of the way in time. Touya feels as though he's been through this before, and a chilling stillness settles in him. The edges of a memory resurface, a quiet yet unyielding voice rambling words he cannot make out, but it fades just as quickly as it comes. His fingers shake as the sensation slips from his mind, washed away like sand on a beach.
Touya grips the rim of his cap to steady himself. "Sorry, my bad. I was-!" The trainer cuts himself off when he registers who exactly he had bumped into, "Colress?"
At the mention of his name, a flash of recognition spreads across the scientist's face. "Ah, it's you. Done exploring Alola, I see?"
"Yeah. I just got back, actually. Did you ever finish your research?"
"Research never stops for a scientist," Colress corrects, "If you meant my investigation into Z-Moves, then I would say no. There's still lots to uncover, but I'm currently occupied with something else. What about you? Have you found the answers you were seeking?"
Touya's smile drops, "Not really. All I found were more questions."
"Then you just need to keep searching. Curiosity is a powerful force, and it is always worthwhile to heed its call."
"That's why I'm here. I received a hint that something here would be able to help me. Oh, and also to sign up for the reconstruction efforts."
Dye pulls Touya aside and whispers, "Who is this guy? A friend?"
"Not really," he quietly answers back, "We just happened to bump into each other in another region."
Colress nods and resumes tapping on the device attached to his left arm, "If you're looking to help out with the city's reconstruction project, you can find Lenora in her office. Now, I think I'll go check out the café next door. See you around, Touya."
Touya waves goodbye to the scientist and follows Dye into the museum. Upon entering, he sees a massive fossil of a dragon-type Pokémon. A black-haired scientist with thick, round glasses is standing in front of it, seemingly evaluating its body. Dye catches Touya staring and says, "Pretty impressive, right? I still can't believe they have a complete fossil like this."
"Yeah. I wonder how they found all of the pieces."
The scientist overhears their conversation and runs up to them, "A very good question! Through many generous donations, as well as contributions by our research team, we were able to assemble this fossil together."
Dye and Touya blink in his direction, not expecting him to butt in as he did. The scientist finally realizes why they're staring blankly at him and clears his throat.
"Oh, sorry. I was overhearing your conversation, and my tour guide mode was turned on, so to speak. I'm Hawes, the assistant director."
"Picking up my habits now, Hawes? You always were so fascinated by that skeleton." A new voice interrupts them, and Touya spots a dark-skinned woman with blue hair styled into an afro hastily making her way to them.
"Dear! I can't help it. I just feel this huge sense of accomplishment whenever I see it."
"Hello again, Hawes, Lenora," Dye greets and then gestures to Touya, "This guy wants to volunteer for the reconstruction project."
"That's great to hear. We could use the help," Lenora nods, "How about we talk in my office? Follow me."
"Alright, my job here is done," the Whimsicott trainer says, "I'm gonna get back to work! Nice meeting you again, Touya!"
Dye runs out of the museum but not before sending Touya a smile and a wave goodbye. Lenora turns on her heel and heads further into the museum. As he tries to catch up to her, Touya passes through several exhibits of fossilized Pokémon and then encounters a display of an inconspicuous white stone.
Lenora sees how he's stopped to examine the exhibit and says, "That's a replica of the Light Stone. The legendary Pokémon, Reshiram, would take this form when it's resting."
Touya blinks once, and he sees the museum in his mind. The memory is already starting to slip away, but he is able to hold onto it long enough to recognize that the stone is not white, but black.
"That stone is supposed to be black. Wait, but why…?"
To snap out of his reverie, Touya violently shakes his head. Lenora glances back and finds him pulling his cap over his eyes.
"Everything alright?"
"Yeah…I was just reminded of something."
The director isn't one to let someone wallow in their thoughts alone, but she waits until they've entered her office to bring it up. Turning herself around to fully face him, Lenora studies his gloomy expression and concludes, "Something tells me you're not just here to volunteer. What's on your mind? You don't have to tell me everything. Whatever you can tell me is good enough, so long as you get things off your chest."
Touya grips the strap of his bag. He can't exactly tell her how he might be from an alternate Unova. Even he's not too sure about that claim, but his Pokémon seem to believe so. The only way to verify if it's true is by recovering his memories. He knows why he has to, so what is this feeling in his heart that's telling him otherwise? It had shown up when he attempted to correct the color of the stone he saw earlier…as well as when he first met Touko and N.
"Have you ever forgotten something important?" he eventually asks, "And you feel like you have to remember what that is?"
Lenora takes a cursory glance at her office. Shelves of fossils and artifacts tower over the room, just barely missing the ceiling. Her desk is littered with the latest archaeological articles. She picks up a fossil and turns it over.
"Did you know that, if you dig up a fossil, you're uncovering memories of the earth?" Lenora lets the trainer think over her question before continuing, "Fossils tell us many things about the past, like what kind of Pokémon lived back then, what they ate, how they survived in their environment. They are created and then buried into the earth, forgotten until we dig them up again."
She sets the stone down, "When a memory resurfaces, it can bring along truths that are difficult to accept. You have to ask yourself if you're ready for that. Just as how our present can be changed by the past, a person can become someone else entirely once they remember who they were."
Touya pulls down his hat, now beginning to understand what is shaking his resolve. It's fear. He's afraid of what might happen to him if he remembers his past. He's afraid of losing who he is now. Before all this, he was a normal trainer with normal aspirations. What could be more important to him than spending time with his Pokémon and becoming stronger as a trainer?
Could it be that…he's always felt this way, and he's been using the Battle Subway as a distraction this whole time?
Lenora's friendly smile drops when he releases a shaky sigh, "My bad. I didn't mean to frighten you. Of course, if you feel you have to remember, there's often a good reason why."
The fear starts to subside. "That's right. My Pokémon wants me to become the person I used to be. It's very important to them that I do."
Touya recalls the many battles he's fought with his Pokémon. He wonders how long it must have taken to build the strength of their bonds. He wishes to learn how he came to remember each and every one of his Pokémon's likes and dislikes, their little habits and quirks during battle. Why they have chosen him as their trainer.
"I…I want to become the trainer they remember and share the same goal they do. Because…if it's important to them, it must have been important to me."
"Thanks, Lenora," Touya says, "I won't hesitate anymore."
"I'm glad I can help you. Are you still interested in volunteering for the reconstruction project?"
"Yes, of course!"
"That's great! I do need to see your trainer card, your Unova gym badges if you have any, and your party members. We assign work to trainers based on the strength of their parties as well as the type of Pokémon they have. It's to ensure that everyone can fulfill their part of the project."
With a nod, Touya opens the flap of his bag and first pulls out his trainer card and badge case. He hands over the card first, and Lenora begins writing down his information in a notebook.
"Touya. ID No. 09181. Started his journey three years ago. Three...years ago…?"
Lenora bites the inside of her lips. "Can I see your gym badges?"
"Yeah."
Touya pops open the case to reveal eight, dusty gym badges. Seeing as how he has the Trio Badge and the Freeze Badge, two badges the Unova Pokémon League no longer distributes, that means he must have been taking on the gyms back when Team Plasma first appeared, which checks out with the starting date of his journey. But if that's true, then she should have been the one to give him the Basic Badge.
And yet, she doesn't remember ever battling him. She can definitively say she hasn't met a trainer by the name of Touya until right this moment. What is going on?
She takes the Basic Badge out of the case and examines it. It appears to be genuine; the colors are the same, and the weight matches. She should know; she used to distribute them to her challengers.
"Is something the matter?" he inquires. The former gym leader shakes her head and closes her notebook.
"I just remembered something I needed to do later today. You must be a really strong trainer if you have all eight gym badges."
"Yeah…guess I am."
"Did you ever take on the Pokémon League?"
Touya opens his mouth to answer no, but he finds the words stuck in his throat. If he has all eight gym badges, then he should have challenged the Pokémon League. That was the next step after defeating all of the gym leaders. But he doesn't know, and he doesn't want to answer dishonestly.
"Sorry. I…I don't know if I can actually answer your question. Maybe I did."
The curator accepts his answer, but a swarm of questions is buzzing inside of her head. Still, she sees how guilty he looks for not being able to answer decisively, so she doesn't push the boy any further. Instead, she says, "Well, if you ever want to challenge the league, you will need to obtain the appropriate gym badges. They'll still accept your Basic Badge, but the Trio Badge and the Freeze Badge will no longer grant you entry into Victory Road and the Pokémon League. You will need the Toxic Badge from Virbank City and the Wave Badge from Humilau City."
Touya nods at her explanation as he eyes his gym badges. Several minutes later, he stores away his badge case and his trainer card. "Right, I'll keep that in mind. Did you want to see my team?"
"Yes, if you would."
From his pockets, Touya tosses five Poké Balls into the air. His team of Samurott, Escavalier, Reuniclus, Braviary, and Scrafty form a line next to him as he proudly introduces them to the curator.
Lenora marvels at the diversity of his party. If she's able to assign each of his Pokémon to a specific team, then it'll greatly speed up the process of the project.
"What do you think? You can place us anywhere you need help with."
"I'm already thinking of several things we can have you work in. Come by tomorrow morning at 7, and we'll give you your assignments. Oh, and our volunteers are given rooms to stay in during their time here," Lenora hands him a keychain of a golden train, "Just head to one of the designated buildings and show them this. They'll take it from there."
"Thanks. I can't wait to start."
Touya recalls his Pokémon and heads back up to the museum. Lenora leans back into her chair and stares at her notebook. She then packs it into a backpack and leaves her office. On the way out, she bumps into her husband.
"Hawes, I'm heading to Castelia City."
"Huh? What for, dear?"
"I have to speak with Professor Juniper. Keep the museum running while I'm gone."
"Of course! Take care!" As Lenora enters Pinwheel Forest, a mirage snakes across the museum walls before unveiling itself as Uxie, the Knowledge Pokémon. It stares at Touya, who is unaware of a red glow pulsing from his bag…and of a faint, hazy aura surrounding his body that's fighting back.
Professor Juniper has just brewed herself a cup of coffee when Nacrene City's former gym leader walks into her office. She turns to greet the visitor, exchanging a casual smile.
"Lenora! Good to see you."
"Holdin' up alright, professor? I heard what happened to your lab."
"Yeah, I still have no idea how it got demolished overnight. I didn't lose anything too major, though, thanks to my wonderful assistant."
"Where is she? Out doing some field research?"
"No. Mei called earlier, desperately seeking her help, so she's on her way to Driftveil City. Were you looking for her?"
"No, I came to see you, actually."
"Well, what can I do for you?"
The curator frowns, "I need you to look up trainer ID No. 09181."
"Another background check? Give me a moment."
She opens her laptop and begins punching in the number Lenora's given her into a database. Once she clicks through two links, a picture of Touko appears on screen, shocking Lenora.
The professor notices her reaction. "What's the matter?"
Lenora presents her notebook and draws her attention to her latest entry. "Earlier today, a trainer named Touya volunteered for the reconstruction project. This is what was on his trainer card, as well as the gym badges he had."
The professor gazes at the information like she's just encountered a newly discovered Pokémon. She doublechecks the ID on the notebook with what she had typed into the computer, finding that she did input it correctly. Just as it did with Lenora, the date when he began his journey intrigues the professor. Back then, she was the primary distributor of starter Pokémon. If she could not visit the trainer in person, she would prepare a package along with a greeting card for them, but the whole process was overseen by her.
So then, she must have been the one to gift Touya his starter, but she has never heard of his name before.
"His trainer card and gym badges aren't fake, either," Lenora adds, "There has to be an explanation for this."
Professor Juniper sees now why Lenora has come to her. How do they make sense of this discrepancy? Did they both forget this trainer? Did he steal his Pokémon and gym badges?
The professor flips through her calendar and writes a note down for Bianca. She then asks, "Can I meet with this trainer tomorrow? I would very much like to learn more about him."
Lenora is slow in answering her, "…Yeah. He's scheduled to come in at 7, so before I give him his assignment, the two of you can have a little chat."
However, in the back of Lenora's mind, something about her conversation with him continues to nag her.
"Have you ever forgotten something important? And you feel like you have to remember what that is?"
"Will we be able to learn anything…?" she wonders.
That night, Touya calls Kyouhei to update him on his journey so far.
"You've remembered more things?"
"Yeah…" Touya covers his eyes with his arm and tumbles back onto the bed, "I went to the Nacrene Museum today, and when they were showing me an exhibit of the Light Stone, I recalled seeing a black stone instead."
"A black stone…? That has to be the Dark Stone. If your memory is telling you that the Dark Stone should be in the museum instead of the Light Stone, then…maybe, in your world, Zekrom was the one resting in the Relic Castle, while Reshiram was hidden away at Dragonspiral Tower. That's where they originally found the two stones here."
Touya doesn't know how Kyouhei's explanation fits in with his missing past. Are the differing locations of the two stones a hint of some sort?
Kyouhei closes his eyes, "Touko, N, and now the two stones…what connection do they have with you? Wait, what if…?"
"Kyouhei, what are you mumbling about?"
The intern stops in the middle of his musings. Touya doesn't know who Touko and N really are, and the International Police have decided to let the two of them reveal their true identities themselves. He can't speculate further without releasing that information. "It's nothing. The best thing to do right now is to continue recovering your memories."
"Yeah…I'm glad I took Touko's suggestion. How's your investigation going?"
"I might have found another lead. People coming from Driftveil City are saying how they saw a giant Amoonguss appear and then disappear in a flash of pink light. I'm heading there in the morning."
"What? It just showed up and vanished?"
"Apparently. I'll have to ask the locals for more details."
"If you ever need my help, you know where to find me. My Pokémon and I are at your service."
"Thanks, Touya. Let's hope we both get answers to our questions."
Kyouhei hangs up, and his friendly smile instantly drops. If Touko and N, as well as the two stones, are connected to Touya's past, then maybe he was involved with the original Team Plasma incident back in his world. Maybe he was caught up in all of the chaos and had to fight Team Plasma to stay with his Pokémon. That would explain why his Pokémon are so attached to him, and why he's such a strong trainer.
The swapped stones bother him, though. Does that mean, in Touya's world, N awakened Reshiram and Touko summoned Zekrom? Why are the stones different in the first place?
The intern shakes his head and pulls the covers over himself. He can puzzle together Touya's past once he gets more pieces. His investigation needs to take priority. No doubt he's going to end up with yet another notepad of incomprehensible witness statements.
Touya wakes up the next morning not to the sound of his alarm or his Pokémon but to a haunting sound that shocks his body into overdrive. It starts off as tiny bells, gently ringing to the pace of a brisk breeze, trilling higher until it resembles a little girl giggling at nothing.
It makes his skin crawl. He feels the need to break into his skin and dig out the goosebumps, one by one.
His hands fly to his ears to block the sound, but instead of diminishing its volume, it reverberates in his head as though he's trapped it inside. He slams his eyes shut and violently shakes his head. Why does it sound like it's getting closer and closer?
The sharp bang of steel against steel scares the dainty laugh away. Touya turns to his right and finds Escavalier with his polearms crossed in front of his chest. The rest of his team have all woken up from their sleep and are now huddled next to his bed, worryingly staring at their trainer.
"Thanks," he wearily says. The bug-type Pokémon nudges a lance to his trainer's arm, wordlessly asking if there's anything he can do.
Touya rubs his eyes and asks, "Did you guys hear something like…a little girl laughing just now?"
His team shares an uneasy glance with each other. When they all shake their heads, Touya gives a tired smile and gets out of bed. That sound could be a figment of his imagination, a remnant of a nightmare he can't remember. Whatever it was, he hopes to never hear it again.
After brushing his teeth and eating his free breakfast in the lobby of the Pokémon Center, Touya hurriedly walks to the Nacrene Museum. The morning air is chillier than usual, but he remembers reading how the day is supposed to warm up fast. Plus, he'll be moving around soon, so that'll also drive the cold away.
He steps into the museum and finds Lenora and a woman in a lab coat glancing at a file in the curator's hands. Upon hearing footsteps behind them, they turn around, and the scientist sweeps her gaze over him.
"Good morning, Touya," says Lenora, "Let me introduce you to Professor Aurea Juniper. She's the residing professor of this region."
"Nice to meet you," the professor follows up, extending a hand, "I've heard about how great a trainer you are from Lenora, and I had to come see for myself. Thank you for dedicating your time to helping out the city."
Touya shakes her hand. She has a warm and friendly smile, her posture casual and open. However, he gets the feeling that she wants to ask something of him. He's so sure of his assessment that a memory springs forth. In it, he's in front of a lab, and two people, a boy and a girl in their early teens, are blocking the entrance. Their faces are murky like someone's blurred their expressions, but he feels at ease with them. When he walks up to meet them, the boy says something before opening the door. And inside, waiting for them, is Professor Juniper.
Who are they, the people he's with? Why can't he see their faces or hear their voices?
The memory, as if sensing his growing curiosity, begins to slip away, fading like a film reel being set on fire. Touya internally grabs at the fading pieces. He begs for something, anything to keep the memory alive. Just long enough for him to know those people's names!
His bag shines red once more. As it washes over the lobby, it illuminates a spiking aura that, against the searing red light, alternates between yellow and red-orange. His memory explodes with color and sound, enveloping his senses and drawing him away from the present.
"The Pokédex is a high-tech device that automatically records the Pokémon you encounter!" the professor lectures, and the girl to his left nods along. The boy to his right only seems to be paying attention for the sake of formality, "So, I want you three to visit many places and meet all of the Pokémon in the Unova region!"
Her tone shifts as she implores, "This is my request. Touya! Cheren! Bianca! You'll go on an adventure to complete the Pokédex, will you not?"
Lenora and Professor Juniper both stumble back as they observe the strange occurrence surrounding Touya. From their perspectives, it seems like two opposing forces clashing with each other, fighting for control over the trainer. The red light is trying to wash over Touya, but the aura around him has him trapped within its grasp.
A few seconds later, Touya deeply gasps, and the light and the aura vanish. He draws air into his lungs as if he's been saved from drowning. When his breathing returns to normal, he tips his hat down and looks away.
"You with us, Touya?" Lenora questions. The trainer heavily swallows, not fully tuned back to the present yet. All of his attention is on his newly-remembered memory. He has friends. Two of them. And their names are Cheren and Bianca. Just the thought of knowing more than feelings and distorted images is enough to set his heart ablaze.
He has a clear memory. A precious fragment of his past.
"Yeah, never better," Touya finally replies, breathless and full of hope. He notices how Professor Juniper and Lenora still have their mouths wide open from witnessing the abnormal phenomenon a short moment ago and asks, "What's the matter?"
The professor shoves a hand into her lab coat as she ponders to herself, "What is going on? There's something seriously off about this trainer, and he doesn't even seem to notice. Moreover, that red light…it feels familiar…"
Seeing as the professor has retreated to her thoughts, Lenora answers for the both of them, "Did you notice anything out of place just now?"
"W-Well, no. Not really?"
The curator isn't convinced of his response, but Professor Juniper pulls her to the side and whispers, "I know you're wondering about that aura we saw, but he isn't aware of its presence. Let's continue to observe him for now."
Lenora concedes with a huff. The aura hasn't shown any adverse side effects aside from sticking to Touya like glue, and they probably won't get more information about it by pressing the matter. They make a mental note to keep an eye on his condition in case the aura ever shows up again. After all, they have no idea what is prompting it to flare up.
They reconvene with Touya, and Lenora masks her racing thoughts with as upbeat of a smile as she can muster. "Must be my imagination. Anyway, we're off to Pinwheel Forest. I'll explain what we'll be doing over there."
They head out first, with Professor Juniper several steps behind Lenora. Touya moves to catch up with them, but just as he's about to pass through the exit, the red light from before blinds him, stopping him in his tracks.
When he regains his bearings, Uxie, the Being of Knowledge, stands in his way.
It glances at his bag, where the red light resides, pulsing to the rhythm of a beating heart. The jewel on its forehead lights up, and Touya hears its voice in his mind.
"Seeker of knowledge, I am Uxie. You have called upon my power to fight against a suppression of the past."
Its…power? And what's this about a suppression? For a brief second, Touya stares confusedly at the legendary Pokémon, but then he recalls pleading for something to keep his memory going. And, instead of more fleeting images, he found himself immersed in his memory as if experiencing it all over again.
"W-What do you mean, suppressed?" he questions, "I…I thought I just forgot who I was."
"You have not merely forgotten. A force is preventing you from remembering. Thus, you require my power. Is that not why the hero of truth has bestowed my token onto you?"
Touya digs into his bag and draws out the red gem. Touko…she must have known that this gem would lead him to Uxie. So then…all this time, his memories weren't gone. They've been buried…by something.
Uxie continues, "A trial awaits you, should you choose to follow the other humans. If you overcome the trial, you will gain that which you seek. Go forth, and prove you can withstand the truth."
His vision is flooded with red once again, and he drags his arm up to protect his eyes. After several seconds, Touya drops his guard, noting how the legendary Pokémon is gone. The red jewel in his hand now beats quietly.
"If I pass this trial, I'll regain my memories. I…I have to go, then." And yet, even with this resolve, Touya feels a bead of cold sweat drip down his neck. Lenora's warning pesters him, urging him to reconsider.
"When a memory resurfaces, it can bring along truths that are difficult to accept. You have to ask yourself if you're ready for that."
Paired with the truth of his past being suppressed, he wonders what the trial may be and whether he'll be able to pass it. However, when he thinks about how his Pokémon are waiting for him to reach the same truth as they did, he shoves aside his doubts.
"I can't waver now. My Pokémon are counting on me, and I will stop their suffering."
On the way to Pinwheel Forest, Touya spots Colress sitting at one of the patio seats. He is slow in picking up his cup of coffee, and he takes two seconds to savor his sip of the pitch-black liquid.
Something about the scene strikes Touya as odd. Is Colress the kind of person to leisurely enjoy his coffee like this when he's always engrossed in his research? And this early in the morning? Granted, he doesn't know what a scientist's schedule would look like, and Colress does seem to have enough time to fashion some of his hair into…whatever that blue whip is.
As Touya walks past, Colress catches him out of his peripheral vision. His glasses hide his stare, but his lips are folded down. He keeps his gaze on the trainer until Touya's group leaves the city borders and then downs the rest of his coffee. Relinquishing a few Pokédollars as tip money, the scientist proceeds to follow him out of the city but stays just far enough away to observe him without drawing his attention.
At the trail leading to the marshy area of the forest, Touya greets the nurse and the trainer assistant stationed there. They're operating under a white canopy, handing out sandwiches to the volunteers. He picks one up for his lunch and then five more for his Pokémon. The nurse chuckles at him trying to stuff the sandwiches into his bag, and when one of them drops to the dirt trail, he laughs back and bends down to pick it up.
As soon as his fingers tap against the plastic wrapping, Touya senses someone's eyes on him. There are other volunteers who are staring at him, of course, but he–his body–can't help but stand at attention. It takes him a moment to realize that he's bracing himself. He flicks his head back and then to his left and right. Upon seeing Colress blinking at him, a shaky breath escapes his lips as the tension inside his body lessens.
"G-Good morning, Colress," Touya mumbles, "How come you're still here?"
"Your eyes were darting all over," Colress mentions, purposely ignoring his question, "I don't think you've dropped any other sandwiches."
Averting his gaze, the trainer opens his bag and counts out six sandwiches in total. As he does so, he notes how his heart hasn't slowed down. He's still anticipating something to happen–for someone to appear from the shadows.
"Someone's watching me. Wait…how do I know that? Has this happened before? Don't tell me I've been targeted in the past."
This has to be the trial, and if it's already started, it's too late to back out now. Touya lifts his head, "You're right. Just making sure."
Colress is certain Touya's eye movements just now were too frantic for merely searching for an item he was in arm's reach of. He must have noticed, then. But how is that possible? They wouldn't be so easily discerned.
"Touya! The day's wasting away! Over here!" Lenora's voice echoes from within the swamp.
That's the end of this conversation, Colress supposes. "You best be on your way."
"Right! Uhh…see you around."
As Touya leaves Colress behind, the scientist lands his gaze on the newly planted saplings to his left, "Hmm, with the rate at which this project is progressing, I'm confident the damage here will be nothing more than a faint scar. It's a shining example of the potential of the bonds between people and Pokémon…"
His glasses mask the manic twinkle in his eyes as he speaks to an invisible audience, "But you don't care about that, do you?"
Touya spots Lenora, Professor Juniper, and three other volunteers at the edge of a pool next to a thick patch of dark grass. The water is a muddy brown color, due to a large number of sediments and dead organic matter trapped inside. Tree trunks of varying sizes sprout from the lake's surface, leaning against each other to keep themselves upright.
"This used to be a lot worse," informs Lenora, "We've managed to remove the bigger trunks, but we're going to need to take them all out in order to start purifying the water. Think you can assign some of your Pokémon here to help with that?"
Touya observes the pond and then the three volunteers next to him. One has a Timburr, while the other two have a Staryu and a Lotad. He asks the trainer with the Lotad, "Can you tell me how you've been removing the tree trunks?"
"Yes, so Lotad here ferries Timburr over to whichever log we want to remove. Timburr chops it into manageable pieces while Staryu keeps it in place, and then we all move it into a pile over there," she points to a small cluster of chopped logs, likely their work from the previous day.
"It's just the three of you?"
"We used to have more people in our crew, but once we got the really big trunks out of the pond, they got reassigned to more labor-extensive projects. I really miss all of the manpower we had before."
Touya grins; he knows which Pokémon to send out. He grabs a great ball from his bag, "This guy'll be a big help, then. Reuniclus, you're up!"
A Pokémon encased in a green, jelly-like substance pops out of the ball. His head and body are connected in the middle, but his ears are detached, held together by the gel. Two chains of multi-colored orbs make up his arms, and the jelly has even morphed the ends of itself into a pair of stubby fingers. Upon seeing Touya, he draws him into a hug that, from the outside, looks as though to suck the trainer in his membrane.
Like every time in the past, Touya simply stands still and endures the hug, even though it's getting harder to breathe. Does he tell Reuniclus to knock it off? No, that doesn't sound like something he would do. He really needs some air, though.
Reuniclus, recognizing how his trainer isn't responding to his affections again, slowly loosens his grip. Once again, he can't get him to-!
A red light from Touya's pocket blinks twice. When it ends, Reuniclus feels a hand on his head. The Multiplying Pokémon glances up at his trainer, who is staring down with an apologetic smile.
"I didn't know you liked the head pats so much," Touya says, "When you were a Duosion, you always pushed my hand away."
Reuniclus's body shakes upon hearing Touya bring up his past evolutionary state. Soon after, tears are rolling down like an open faucet, and the psychic-type goes back to embracing his trainer. Touya comforts his Pokémon, softly whispering his apology.
As trainer and Pokémon share a moment, the three volunteers all whip out their Pokédex, and the one with the Timburr says, "Woah, I've been all over Unova, and I've never seen that Pokémon before!"
"Indeed," Professor Juniper nods, taking a closer look at Reuniclus once the Pokémon pulls away from Touya, "Reuniclus are really rare Pokémon. Any Pokémon in its evolution line are almost impossible to find in the wild. How do you two meet?"
Touya cocks his head, "They are? I met Reuniclus at Route 5, and I remember Solosis being everywhere. I couldn't go two steps without finding one."
"Was there an outbreak of them?"
"No, I don't think so. They seemed right at home…"
"Can I see your Pokédex, then?"
Touya lowers his head, "Mine…is broken. I-I don't know why, though."
Reuniclus scans the area, trying to figure out why Touya has called him out. His trainer is quick to inform him, "Okay, Reuniclus. I want you to help these three trainers move the tree trunks out of this pool. They're going to need your strength."
The Multiplying Pokémon salutes and joins the other three Pokémon at the edge of the pool. Once Timburr have safely boarded the Lotad and the Staryu is in the water, they glide their way to the nearest trunk. The log has been wedged in the pool ever since the beginning, and even with all three of the Pokémon's efforts, they haven't come close to even wiggling it loose. They've only managed to chop away the rest of the log that isn't submerged underwater.
The Timburr conveys this to the Reuniclus, and the psychic-type slams his jelly appendages together. He then shoves his arms into the water and grabs hold of the tree trunk. Reuniclus pulls back with considerable strength, enough to make the membrane around his arms wobble. Inserting some of his psychic power, he feels the log dislodge, and with one last tug, the trunk is free from the pond. Water splashes all over the volunteers' Pokémon, but they are more focused on the Reuniclus's display of strength.
"That's it, Reuniclus!" Touya cheers.
Reuniclus is so happy from getting praise from his trainer that he doesn't realize how the log in his grip is leaning back. At the last minute, when it would seem the trunk is going to land back into the pool, the psychic-type uses his power to levitate the log. He then tumbles in the air, bringing both the trunk and himself next to the pile of timber.
Everyone laughs at Reuniclus's antics, but underneath her small chuckle, Professor Juniper is still tossing the information Touya's given her around.
"Never before have I heard that Solosis can be commonly found in the wild. You have to be extremely lucky to find one, but…"
Lenora starts to lead Touya away, gesturing to the top of a nearby cliff. Deciding to further watch the trainer, Professor Juniper follows behind them.
What's waiting for Touya at the top of the cliff is a boulder easily triple his size. There are already many indents on its rocky surface, and hints of red-colored dust peek out from the gaps. Lenora pats the rock. "This is our new Challenge Rock. Wanna take a swing at it? Just use any fighting-type move, and you get to take home some Stardust."
She hands Touya a blue pouch to collect the Stardust. Since she's encouraging him to give the rock a good punch, he may have well. His Pokémon certainly wouldn't want to pass a chance to demonstrate their strength.
"Scrafty, it's your turn!"
Upon release, a bipedal, orange-skinned lizard Pokémon reaches down to pull up on the baggy yellow pants around his waist. He has a red crest on his head fashioned into a mohawk, and his hood and tail are made out of the same skin as his pants.
His posture slack, Scrafty eyes his trainer with a bored expression. Touya has always wondered why Scrafty is the least enthused member of his team. Unless he's in battle or training, Scrafty hardly shows any emotion, especially to the other party members. Is it related to him not remembering anything? If only he knew what his past self thought about Scrafty…
The jewel in his bag responds once again, and the aura reignites, doing its best to fight against the gem's illuminating light. Scrafty's eyes are blown wide open as he witnesses the phenomenon for the first time. Lenora and Professor Juniper, on the other hand, brace themselves, not knowing what will happen.
Touya feels his past self sitting on a steel bench. He sees Touko–the Touko of his world–handing both him and Scrafty a lemonade after their latest run in the Battle Subway.
"So, Scraggy evolved, huh?" Touko noted, downing her drink in one go.
He nodded, but his smile could barely be considered as one, "Yeah, but ever since he did, he's been closing himself off and training on his own. I…I'm starting to think he doesn't like me as a trainer."
Touko bent down to Scrafty's height, watching as the Hoodlum Pokémon turned away and drank his lemonade. "Hey, Scrafty! Do you think Touya's a good trainer?"
Touya almost dropped his can. "I-It's not that easy, Touko! Y-You can't just-!"
"Why not? If you want to know something, just ask! Your Pokémon will answer you honestly! So, tell me! Touya's a really good trainer, right? Otherwise, you wouldn't have responded to his commands so confidently!" She prodded Scrafty, a cheeky grin on her face. Scrafty spared a glance at Touya, and the trainer's barely-formed smile fully morphed into a frown.
She just didn't understand. If it was that easy to resolve his doubts, then he wouldn't be tiptoeing around the subject, trying to carry on like there wasn't anything wrong.
Scrafty walked up to his trainer and puffed his chest out. Then, he slammed his can of lemonade against Touya's and gulped the rest of the drink down. He gestured for Touya to do the same.
"Scrafty…?"
Touko burst into laughter. "Come on, Touya! What kind of Pokémon would have a drink with their trainer and not like them? Look at you, Scrafty, acting all cool!"
Scrafty didn't take Touko easily figuring him out too well. He attempted to salvage his image by lazily chucking his empty lemonade into the nearest trash can, but it bounced off the edge and fell behind the bin. With another blow to his pride, the Hoodlum Pokémon scurried to the trash can, crushed the canister, and slammed it down into the bin with much more force than necessary. When Scrafty rejoined the two trainers, he pointed to Touya's can, wordlessly asking for it. His trainer finished his drink and tossed the can over.
Without turning around, Scrafty flung the empty lemonade over his shoulders. This time, it hit the rim…straight into the trash can.
Touko clutched her stomach, overcome with laughter. As Scrafty shrugged and planted himself next to Touya's leg, clutching at his sagging skin, Touya smiled at his Pokémon, his heart reassured of their bond for now.
Scrafty repeatedly calls for his trainer, even going so far as to walk up next to him and tug on his pants. The aura and red light vanish once again, and Touya loses his balance for a moment. With Scrafty's help, he manages to steady himself.
"Thanks," Touya then notices how Scrafty, instead of composing himself back to his usual aloofness, is checking all around his trainer's body, "Hey, what's the matter?"
Scrafty realizes that Touya really doesn't know about the strange energy practically drowning his form just now. The Hoodlum Pokémon pats Touya's leg and then pulls up the skin around his waist. After uncovering his most recent memory, Touya recognizes that as Scrafty's ready position.
"Alright, use Drain Punch on that rock!"
Scrafty flicks his right hand out and winds up for a punch. The sound of crunching grass catches his attention, and instead of using his momentum to hit the Challenge Rock, he pivots his left foot, shifting his body in a half-circle. The Hoodlum Pokémon swings his fist to the immediate thing behind Touya: Colress.
Touya tries to command Scrafty to halt the attack, but a shiver courses down his spine again. The sensation from earlier is back; whoever's watching him is super close now.
Colress doesn't seem fazed as Scrafty's punch sails towards him, only lifting his eyes in mock panic. A shadow flickers in the wake of the Drain Punch, and when the attack settles, Scrafty has downed a Bisharp. Behind the unconscious Pokémon…is a member of the Shadow Triad.
Lenora and Scrafty assume an aggressive stance, evidently aware of the ninja's identity. Even Professor Juniper is frowning at the uninvited guest. Colress is the only one whose posture hasn't changed.
Touya notices how tense everyone is and asks aloud, "Are you the one following me?"
Shadow throws a bewildered glare at Touya and Scrafty. How is this ordinary trainer and his Pokémon able to sense him? It has to be connected to that otherworldly aura. "Who are you?"
"That's my question. I…I feel like…I've seen…" Touya trails off as he clutches his head. The aura and Uxie's red light clash for the fourth time. He sees himself on a…bridge? Yes, a bridge. Those are cars under him. And…all three members of the Shadow Triad are pushing him toward a green-haired man…
Colress watches the reading on his arm device spike to overwhelming levels. He has to stop that aura from flaring any further. Right now, Touya is a beacon. Even out here in Unova, if there's a strong concentration of Ultra Wormhole energy, then what follows is surely…!
Shadow doesn't understand what's happening with Touya, but he does know that this is his chance. He points his Kugeki device at the trainer, but Colress interjects, "That's not going to work."
"Bluffing, Colress? This guy is nothing more than an ordinary trainer, stuck in an unfortunate situation. And it's about to become even worse for him."
"You really have no idea what that aura is, do you? But go ahead. See if you can really turn him into a Kugeki."
"Colress, what are you saying?" Lenora questions and then turns to Shadow, "And you! You used to be part of Team Plasma, right? If you hurt this trainer in any way…!"
"The only ones who are getting hurt around here are the people here…once this trainer becomes a Kugeki! Now, be our test subject!" The ninja activates the device, and a portal breaks above Touya. A great deal of suction power is unleashed, drawing in ropes of tree leaves and small boulders, but Touya remains firmly planted to the ground. Even Scrafty, who was meant to be fused with Touya, only has to grab onto Touya's pant leg in order to stay right where he is.
"I-Impossible!" Shadow rages, "Explain yourself, Colress!"
"Touya here is a Faller," Colress explains with a smirk, "His body is soaked in Ultra Wormhole energy. There's no way you can fuse him into a Kugeki with the amount of Kyurem's power that you have."
The portal stops trying to pull Touya in, but it remains hanging over Touya like a stormcloud ready to strike. Shadow then resorts to Plan B. He'll just throw him into the portal manually. Flicking out of view, the ninja reappears behind Touya and prepares to grab his arm. Only, when he reaches for it, Scrafty is there to protect his trainer with another punch.
"That's not going to work, Shadow Triad," came Touya's ominously calm voice, "You see, Scrafty, ever since our second meeting at the Tubeline Bridge, has been training to anticipate surprise attacks. You won't be pushing me around so long as he's present."
Touya turns around, and his gaze is deathly cold. The aura races over his form, shades of the sun splashing in all directions. Uxie's gem only makes his appearance even more sinister, like an otherworldly being.
"I…I'm starting to remember. Our first meeting was at Chargestone Cave when you dragged me to meet him."
Shadow takes a step back. "We have never met before. We ask again: who are you?"
The red light threatens to consume everyone's vision. "Touya of Nuvema Town. But that's something your lord asked you to look up, wasn't it?"
Colress grits his teeth. It's no use. That aura is blaring out of control, and it's only a matter of time before-!
A harsh crack silences the area. Professor Juniper thinks that someone's dropped something onto one of the nearby boulders, but then Lenora points to a spot above Shadow. The sky has been broken open by another portal, but it has a funnel shape as opposed to just being a singular hole. Sheer white tentacles wiggle out of the tunnel, and two of them reach for the edges of the portal and push the rest of its body out.
It appears to be some sort of jellyfish-like alien. A band of six-pointed stars circles its head, and some of its tentacles resemble a set of arms and legs, with the rest acting like a drape. It has no eyes and nose.
The portal closes behind it, and upon landing its sights on Touya, it cries with ecstatic glee.
Upon hearing the sound, Touya feels the world around him slow to a halt. His body shakes, and his eyes are blown open by terror. His hands tremble out of his control as he slaps them against his ears to block out the sound. Judging from how his face twists with pain and sobs tumble out of his mouth like a cascade, it isn't very effective.
The red jewel in his bag shatters and fades out of existence. He doesn't hear Professor Juniper as she begs Lenora to evacuate the volunteers to the Pokemon Center. He doesn't hear Colress as he identifies the creature as UB-01 Symbiont or Nihilego.
What he does hear is the Ultra Beast's cry, ringing closer and closer. Each pulse sends Touya further away from the present. A memory drags him into its influence, trapping him inside. He relives the moment he first encountered this creature. He was about in the middle of the most important battle of his life when the ceiling cracked open, and the alien descended onto the battlefield like an angel of death. It had picked its target to take away with it, but Touya shoved him out of the way and was captured instead. The alien's target–Touya's opponent–helplessly called for him, each time louder and louder until he was screaming his name.
And all Touya remembers after that point is the feeling of relief, knowing that he had protected him.
The portal closes behind the Ultra Beast. Nihilego floats down on top of Touya and gently grasps the boy in its tentacles. It then lifts itself up, trainer in tow, into the portal the Shadow Triad had opened.
Uxie floats out of the museum. The red jewel on its head bathes the city in its light, the same light the Ultra Beast is outlined with.
As the truth assaults Touya, he and the Ultra Beast become one.
Profile: Lenora
Current curator for the Nacrene Museum and former gym leader of the Nacrene City Gym. After the events of Pokémon Black, Lenora retired from being a gym leader in order to dedicate herself to her job as an archaeologist. Cheren is her replacement. She's married to a man named Hawes, and together, they maintain the Nacrene Museum. Lenora's a down-to-earth woman with many life experiences under her belt, and she is always eager to learn more about the world around her. With the help of Uxie and volunteers, she is overseeing the restoration of a large part of Pinwheel Forest after it has sustained heavy damage from the battle between the ghost train and the specter Kugeki.
Current team: Watchog and Herdier