"After a mostly uneventful trip," I leaned against the railing as the ship sailed through the calm waters towards the slowly growing city. "We're finally here."
"Hurrah," Alex rolled her eyes, glancing at Robert who was staring at the city, a smile spreading across his face. "All that happened was that Robert went missing, hit his head, and came back with a dire warning. Nothing too eventful."
"Right?" Robert's grin grew wider. "Man, it feels good to be almost home. After so many places and nearly dying, this is a breath of fresh air."
"A bit chilly mind you," Alex rubbed her exposed arms. "We're definitely not dressed for the weather." She was wearing the t-shirt of the clock in Laverre City today with jeans, which wasn't much with the cold months looming in the near future.
"Why haven't you picked anything up in the gift shop here?" Robert asked, raising an eyebrow in question. "You do realize the ship has one, right?"
"Yeah," Alex avoided his gaze, scratching her cheek in embarrassment. "I, uh... I might have run out of cash."
"WHAT!?"
I chuckled as Robert started lecturing Alex about how he had a card for her to use instead of her own money. What followed was him shoving the card into her hands and ordering her to head to the gift shop and not come back until she was properly dressed for the cold.
"Fine," Alex gave in, rolling her eyes as she gave me a look full of silent laughter. "I'll be right back then." She headed towards the stairs to head deeper into the ship, waving back at us. "I'll be sure to pick you something up as well Zeno!"
"Here we go again," I groaned, Robert laughing.
"Better go after her man," Robert pounded my back as he pushed me in the direction she had left. "Don't want to end up in a pink fluffy sweater now do you."
"I'm going, no worries," I said, heading after her. Making my way to the gift shop, I found Alex already studying the line of sweaters available on a rack. She lingered next to a pink one for too long, so I steered her away from that. "Please no."
"What?" Alex smirked at me. "I think you'd look good in it." She began chuckling. "What's with the drop-dead expression!? You know I wouldn't do that to you." She punched me lightly in the arm. "How about you find your own clothes then and I'll look for mine. Robert won't forgive either of us if we don't walk out of here with something."
"Too true," I said, moving around the racks of clothes and shelves of trinkets. I stopped near a rack of black sweaters near a shelf full of snow globes. One of them housed a city with large skyscrapers, little snowflakes falling around it. Shuffling through the sweaters, I finally picked out a black one with a white outlined pokeball symbol split into two, each half on each side of the zipper. Grabbing a pair of dark blue jeans, I headed into the small changing room. I slid the sweater through my arms over my black shirt, deciding not to zip it. When I came out, I found Alex waiting for me, already in a new outfit.
She arched an eyebrow. "Not all black. I see you've grown."
"Ha ha," I said drily, but smiled. "Nice sweater."
"You think so?" She glanced down at the beige sweater she was wearing. Along with a lighter pair of blue jeans, the face of a Ninetales was outline with streaks of red on the front of the sweater. "I thought it was a bit of a coincidence that something like this was here."
"Must be destiny," I chuckled. "It suits your new hairstyle."
While Robert was missing for those couple of days, Alex had gotten her hair done in the ship's salon, which was something Robert found amusement in.
"I was missing and could've been dead or mortal peril," he had rolled his eyes at the time. "And you thought to get your hair done?"
"Hey, what can I say," Alex had held up both hands in response. "It was a way to keep me distracted from a missing friend."
During our journey through Kalos, Alex had red highlights streaked through her blonde hair, but this time she had opted to go for the exact opposite. She had her hair dyed red, then added blonde highlights through her now wavy hair.
"Well, I say we're ready for a new adventure," Alex smirked as she put one hand on her hip. "Goodbye Kalos, hello Unova."
"Can we hope for a normal adventure this time around?" I asked daringly.
"Not a chance," Alex shook her head.
After buying our new clothes, we headed back towards the upper deck where Robert was. He was right where we had left him, staring at Aspertia City. He smiled. "Good, you got new clothes." He stuffed his hands into his beige cargo pants' pockets, still wearing his blue shirt adorned with a pokeball symbol.
"Aren't you going to change your clothes?" Alex asked him. "All you've done is change from cargo shorts to pants."
Robert grinned. "Nah, I'm good. Plus, the cold isn't too bad here for me. Now c'mon," he beckoned us to follow him. "We'll be docking any minute now. I got some people I want you two to meet."
"You feel that, Arcaneis," I breathed as we stepped onto the port of Aspertia City, people bustling off the ship. "It's the air of a new region and new sights to explore." Arcaneis padded beside me, his dark orange fur with yellow stripes catching the attention of practically everyone around us, which he seemed to be loving.
"It's like they haven't seen an Arcaneis before," Robert joked. "Man, I can't wait until I can give Professor Juniper the data!"
"We're heading straight for your home then?" Alex asked, tapping her chin. "I would love to meet your family. Think of all the wonderful things I can say about you."
"Please no."
"Hah, there you are Rob!" We all turned to see a spiky blue-haired teen walking towards us, hands in his red and white sweater's pockets. He grinned as stopped just a couple feet from us. "About time you got back."
Robert smile turned into a wide grin. "Hugh, my man!" He stepped forwards, wrapping Hugh in a crushing hug.
Hugh grimaced. "Woah there, easy on the body please." He breathed a sigh of relief as he stepped back, wiping off his jacket. "So," he looked at both Alex and I. "You two must be Zeno and Alex. I've heard a lot about you."
"Really," Alex raised an eyebrow at Robert. "I hope it was all good."
Robert smiled weakly as Hugh laughed. "No worries." He leaned back. "I've seen your battles in the Kalos League. Those sure were something." He looked at Arcaneis. "But he is definitely new. What is he?"
Robert cleared his throat. "Let me." He patted my Pokémon's side. "This here is Arcaneis, the evolved form of Arcanine! He became a Fire and Electric type to boot!"
"Woah, no kidding!?" Hugh stood in front of Arcaneis, gazing appreciatively at him. "I'd love to see him in action."
"I could give you a personal taste if you'd like," I grinned. "It would be good to get a taste of how you Unovans battle."
"Sorry to disappoint you," Hugh rubbed the back of his head, sighing. "But I'm not a Pokémon trainer."
"You're not!?" Alex seemed just as surprised at me. "But you... I mean, you look the part at least."
"I do huh," Hugh looked down at himself, shrugging. "Pokemon battles are as interesting as they come and thrilling to watch, but I never got into being a trainer."
"Ah, well," I sighed in disappointment. "I'll have to battle someone else then."
Hugh shared a glance with Robert. "Remember that one guy you battled in the League last time you were here?"
"Huh?" Robert furrowed his eyebrows. "You'll have to be more specific than that."
Hugh sighed. "The nerdy looking one."
Robert tapped his foot a couple times, before snapping his fingers. "Oh, right! Yeah, I remember him. He was actually pretty tough."
"Well," Hugh nodded to both Alex and I knowingly. "He's gotten approval from the League and set up his own gym recently right here in Aspertia."
"Woah woah, back up," I squinted at Robert. "You took part in the Unova League!? Since when!?"
"Oh, right," Robert rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I did, just after I got back from Alola. It wasn't a big deal."
"Wasn't a big deal!?" Hugh looked shocked. "Rob, you won the League and took on Alder himself! That's not a big deal!?"
Alex sighed, hitting Robert in the head. "You and me are going to have a talk later about what you haven't told us."
"Anyway," Hugh nodded back towards the city. "Cheren is running a Normal type gym in the Trainer's School, which he teaches at. He's pretty new, so I don't think he's had any challengers yet. If you plan on participating in the Unova League, then battling him should be your first stop."
"Well," I glanced at Robert, who was rubbing his head. "We have somewhere we need to go first."
Hugh nodded. "Ah, time to meet the folks. They're great people. I'll walk with you guys since I live just a few houses down from him." He pointed to Arcaneis. "Might want to return the big guy for now. Aside from attracting a lot of attention, he's a bit big for the sidewalks."
As we walked through Aspertia, Hugh and Robert both talked about how they grew up together. Hugh, while not wanting to become a trainer himself, loved helping out his sister "train" with her Purrloin. Robert seemed to have always been wanting to be a Pokemon Trainer, having gone on his first journey as soon as he was allowed by his parents, which was in Alola where we had first met.
"Oh, right," Hugh leaned his head back as he walked. "There seems to be this new group of people that are causing a stir about Pokemon being our prisoners or something."
"They're not new," Robert shook his head. "I don't remember what they're called, but they advocate for the release of all Pokemon. I'm pretty sure they don't even use pokeballs."
"You know, it is a bit odd for a region to have such a big city out in the outskirts," Alex commented.
"Trust me, this ain't big," Hugh shook his head. "You should see Castelia City."
"Unova is known for its especially large cities," Robert held out his arms wide as we walked along the sidewalk, careful not to hit passersby. "And its bridges. Can't forget about the bridges."
"Casteliacones," Hugh held up a finger. "You haven't truly experienced Unova if you haven't had that frozen treat." Mawile, who was walking alongside us, perked up at the mention of the Unova dessert. I smiled to myself, having recently discovered while on the cruise ship that Mawile had a thing for tasty treats.
"Kind of like Alola and its Malasadas," I glanced at Alex, reminding myself that if I was ever in Alola again, I would get some for Mawile. "Hau could gobble those down like it was nothing."
"And like the Lumiose Galette," Alex nodded. "Remember I brought some to you while in the hospital?"
I nodded, the memory still recent enough to feel like it was happening all over again. I had a few good laughs with Alex while we ate, shared fond memories of the places we had visited... I caught Robert's eye and he gave me a thumbs up, patting Hugh's back to speed him up a little.
Alex sighed beside me. "You think he could be any less subtle?" When I glanced at her, she wouldn't meet my eyes, a slight flush in her cheeks that I was sure wasn't from the cold.
"Zeno," Alex had said when she stopped me on the sidewalk back in Lumiose City the same day we had left for Unova with Robert. "Whatever you decide to do, wherever you decide to go, I want to come with you. I don't want this to be like Alola. Where you go, I wish to go as well."
"I screwed up back then, didn't I?" I reflected. "When I left Alola and headed back home, I never tried to contact her. Maybe I thought there was just no way we would see one another again. That our feelings weren't real. Or maybe... I was just afraid, even after all that had happened."
"Alex." Our walking had slowed, Mawile between the both of us. "What you said before... Back in Lumiose. Did you mean it?"
"Mean..." Alex went quiet, her eyes becoming distant, remembering. "Yes." She looked right back at me. "I did mean what I said."
"Then," I took a breath. "Let me ask you this. Alex," I turned to look at her. All around us, people moved about their day, heading to work, looking in on shop windows, hanging out with friends and Pokemon. In the middle of it all, I stared at Alex. "I have a feeling that wherever I go, trouble always seems to follow. Danger always seems to be right around the corner. Is that the kind of person you really want to be around?"
Alex seemed to be searching my eyes before her own softened. "Oh, Zeno. I can take care of myself you know. Besides," she stepped closer, the world seeming as if was slowing to a halt. "If I'm with you, I know I'll be fine." She was closer now, head tilted slightly as she-
Mawile flew up, landing on my shoulders, the sudden movement startling Alex to stumble back a few steps. Mawile growled at Alex, eyes narrowed. Alex looked like she had been hit with Astonished, then began chuckling.
"She's mighty protective of you isn't she," Alex seemed amused.
"That she is apparently," I tickled Mawile under the chin, which she seemed to like, but she still glared daggers at Alex.
"Hurry it up you two," Robert had jogged back to us. "We're nearly there. C'mon, it's time for the two of you to finally meet the fam."
"Welcome home Robert!"
As soon as Robert had opened the front door, he had immediately been assaulted by his own mother. She was shorter than her son by a couple inches, but by the looks of it, she was plenty strong.
"Oh you've grown so much," she pulled back, smiling wide. She had a lighter blonde hair compared to Robert's dusty color, but she seemed to share his cheerful personality. Then her gaze landed on Alex and I. "Oh, you finally brought your friends home! C'mere both of you!" She held her arms open wide, so we both let her hug us.
"HAHAHA! Finally brought a girl home I see!" A man taller than Robert stepped out, a mop of dusty blonde hair covering his head. He wrapped Robert into an even more crushing hug with those huge arms of his. He looked like one of those guys who worked out for a living. "My boy never brings home girls!"
"Um," Alex didn't look like she knew what to say.
"I guess I'll be going now," Hugh lifted one hand from his pocket to wave goodbye as he turned away. "I'll be seeing you all."
"Oh?" Robert's mom looked up. "You don't want to stay for dinner?"
"Nah," Hugh didn't bother turning around. "I expect my own folks want me home."
"Ah well," She turned to face Alex and I. "Come on inside you two. Dinner will be done soon. I want to hear all about Robert on your adventures."
"I'll tell you," Alex twirled her fork in her spaghetti. "Robert was a tough opponent in the Alolan League. After the twists he pulled during the battle, winning felt worth it."
"Our Robert has always strived to be a strong trainer," his mother, who had introduced herself as Carol, smiled warmly at her son. "He made quite a name for himself here in Unova. We're so proud of him."
"Ah, mom," Robert rubbed the back of his head, soaking in the praise. "I failed to beat Alder, so I wasn't the best."
"But you made it all the way to him," Rick, his father, grinned proudly. "And that's something to be proud of. Even if you decided that path wasn't for you in the end." He glanced at me. "We've only seen the news and such about what happened over in Kalos. I hate knowing that it turns out to be kids who end up doing the most to save the world." He held up his hands. "No offense to you three. I just think us adults should be doing more."
"Oh, they did," I said, setting my fork down. "But I guess they wanted to recognize our achievements." I nodded to Robert. "Your son did a lot. Aside from helping to take down Team Flare and the Cult, he helped out after the crisis by healing both people and Pokemon. I don't think I've ever met a more generous and selfless person in my life."
Robert seemed a bit shocked by my words, blinking in confusion. He then smiled. "Thanks, Zeno."
"Truly," I turned back to his parents. "He's someone I can call my best friend."
"We're just happy he's safe," Carol rubbed his hair affectionately. "From everything we've seen and heard, worrying is just about all we could do."
"I make sure to be careful," Robert said, nodding. "Besides, I trust these two to get my butt out of trouble no matter what."
Alex snorted. "Some messes I'll leave you to fix on your own." Despite her words, she was smiling.
"Well," Rick clapped his hands. "We got a spare bedroom for one of you. Only one bed so someone will have to sleep on the couch."
"I'm good with that," I nodded before Alex or Robert could say anything. "I just hope we're not imposing too much."
"Perish the thought," Carol stood, collecting the dishes. "Get some sleep after your long travel. Sightseeing can wait until tomorrow."
"Sounds good," Alex yawned. "Oh, can we borrow your backyard for a bit for our Pokemon? They'll need to eat."
"Go right ahead," Carol said. "Oh, Robert, you still got those bags in the pantry. You can use those for the Pokemon."
"Roger that," Robert saluted.
"We're here," I told my Pokemon as I let them out. "Unova awaits."
"How about we relax a bit before going back on the road," Alex rolled her eyes. "I'm telling you, as soon as we get back to adventuring, something is bound to happen."
"Hey now," Robert huffed as he closed the back door behind him, stepping onto the grass carrying a large bag of unopened pokefood. "Don't start raising flags like that."
I sat back, watching my Pokemon eat. Corviknight had dug his beak into his large bowl, munching away at pellets while Mawile popped one into her mouth experimentally, her face beaming at the taste. Robert laughed as she began eating hurriedly. "With the extra money I made working for Professor Juniper, I've been able to buy better food. I'll make sure to get the smaller bags for the road."
Alex raised an eyebrow from where she was kneeling, petting Ninetale's head. "Where exactly is our destination?"
Robert finished setting down the bowls for all our Pokemon before pulling out an old map. As he tried smoothing out the creases, I watched my other Pokemon dig into their meal. Bisharp was eating slowly, lifting each pellet into his mouth one at a time. Lucario sat beside him, having an eating competition with Greninja, both gobbling down the food. Meanwhile Arcaneis was eating out of the largest bowl, scarfing down his meal with gusto.
"Ah, there we go," Robert said, smoothing the map out one final time on a wooden table that was placed in the middle of the backyard. It was decently sized and just barely fit all of our Pokemon, with room for a few trees to move in the wind. The sun was setting in the distance, about to move behind the large mountains in the West.
Robert jabbed a finger on the bottom right of the map. "This is an older map, so Aspertia, Floccesy, and Virbank aren't on here, but it should be good enough for our purposes." I looked at where he was pointing and read the name,
"Nuvema Town," Alex said, frowning. "Looks small."
"That's because it is," Robert confirmed. "A small town, but it's where Professor Juniper has her lab. It's a great place." He moved his finger back to where Aspertia was located. "We'll move up through here and have to take a boat when we reach Virbank City. From there we can either go to Castelia or..." He traced a path and stopped his finger on a clump of islands just West of Nuvema Town. "We can go through Routes 18 and 17 and come out on Route 1. From there it's a short walk to town."
"Is that the shortest route?" I asked.
"Yeah," Robert nodded. "Going through Castelia onto Skyarrow bridge and so forth will take much longer."
"Well, on our way out of Nuvema we can always go the other way," Alex said, looking at me. "It ain't an adventure unless we explore the whole region."
I grinned. "I second that."
"Alright then," Robert closed the map. "Our route is set. There are only 2 gyms along that route, counting the one here in Aspertia." He leaped onto the table, shooting out his hand in a piece sign. "Oh man! This may be my home region, one I've walked the path already, but man am I getting stoked!" He boomed with laughter. "Zeno, Alex, I will show you two the wonders of Unova!"
Night had fallen over the region, the lights in Castelia sparkling brightly as if it was the height of day. However, deep shadows ran in the room high above the city. Without even a knock on the double oak doors, they swung right open, multiple figures entering the room. The person in the lead sauntered forwards, slamming something heavy on the ground, cracking the polished floor beneath the fine rug.
"Well, ain't this some nice digs," he sounded quite cheery, his eye gleaming in the darkness as he stared at the figure hidden in the shadows. He produced a crimson card from beneath his suit, flicking it onto the desk. "Well, we got your message." He gripped the handle of his weapon tightly, an evil grin forming. "And we expect a handsome reward for this job."
Two of the three characters at the end are OCs created by a dear friend from Wattpad for the use of this story, so credit to them.
