CW: mentions of imprisonment, suicidal ideation, depression, memory alteration

Sinnoh + Ransei 1940 C.E.

Hisui was called Sinnoh now.

Volo never had that happen before.

He'd been to many regions in his long life. Kanto had always been Kanto. Unova was always Unova. Johto was always Johto. Paldea was always Paldea. Sometimes smaller territories like islands or kingdoms changed names but never regions. Galar was always Galar. Hoenn was always Hoenn.

Hisui was always Hisui. But now it was Sinnoh.

It wasn't the worst name, Volo decided. The word didn't have meaning now that the clans knew the true names of their gods. He thought it'd stick around though. The Celestic people had referred to four collective Pokémon as Sinnoh and Volo liked it that way. Afterall, he'd done so for thousands of years. Then it became just one Pokémon but Volo had adapted. Volo thought he could get used to it changing again. He always did.

The world had changed while he was in Ransei. More Galaxy settlements appeared all over the region, only they weren't called Galaxy settlements anymore. They had names like Snowpoint, Veilstone, and Hearthome. Jubilife Village had become Jubilife City. Volo didn't know how he'd felt about that. In a time where isolation from other humans was necessary, the untouched wilds of Hisui were a blessing. Now, cities ate up large patches of land and manmade paths sliced through the space between them. It was very urban and that wasn't something Volo had ever seen before.

He managed though. He found Ginter's wisp fairly easily. Ginter had a favorite route and Volo found peace in walking it again. Spiritomb did too, especially once Ginter joined them. But after that, it got harder.

The Nobles were gone and that saddened Volo in a way he didn't completely understand. It made it easier to visit the Nobles' old homes though. He didn't find any wisps there. That was distressing. He wasn't close with many of the Wardens but he'd call them friends. Ingo, at least, should've become a wisp. He remembered Spiritomb taking a liking to him.

"I͟ngo s͘pèn̡t ̸a ̶lo̧t of ͞t͟im̀e̴ ̢i͡n ̨J͡ub̨ilife͜," Ginter told him when Volo's looping around Mount Coronet was starting to get a little pathetic. "R̛e͠mem̵b͡er͜? He ͡ba̕tt͝l̶ed̢ a͘t ̡t̕he҉ do̕j̕i ẃith҉ ͢Zi̛su."

Volo did not remember but it sparked some familiarity once he started to calm down. "I don't think I ever battled him there. But we need to go to Jubilife anyway."

"A͠K͏ARI," the collective Spiritomb exclaimed, pushing Ginter back in their excitement.

"Right. Akari."

Only, it wasn't that easy. Again. Spiritomb could track wisps from all across the world and yet, they couldn't find Akari's apartment or Laveton's lab or anywhere else she could possibly be. And there was no way Akari would leave Hisui. She was Hisui's hero, afterall. Spiritomb marked her, guaranteeing she'd become a wisp. Unless Arceus ran some kind of interference? That was the only explanation Volo could think of. It didn't explain the lack of Ingo though.

The dojo was pretty easy to find though. It was something called a gym now and it was huge. Zisu and Ingo's legacy persisted. Volo might've appreciated it more if he wasn't so worked up about the lack of wisps. Wisps didn't just not appear like that. There had to be something wrong.

The memories got a bit fuzzier after that. That was becoming a bit of a pattern. Volo vaguely remembered battling someone called a gym leader, causing a lot of destruction to something called 'public property,' and then proceeding to fight a bunch of really strong trainers that called themselves the 'International Police' before fleeing on Enamorus's back. All in all, a pretty bad vacation. At least it reinspired Volo's desire to hunt down Arceus. How dare he keep him from reuniting with his friends. That was just about the only thing Volo had to look forward to. Volo was going to give him an extra kick just for that whenever he got the chance.

"Ransei is a bust," AZ said once he found Volo lounging back in the Dragnor castle, Enamorous and Spiritomb on either side of him. He missed Enamorous. He couldn't believe he waited this long to summon her. Maybe it was best she stayed away from all the fighting though. "I don't suppose you found any leads in Hisui?"

"It's called Sinnoh now," Volo told him, "and no. Most of the temples we built are ruins now. I didn't feel Arceus's presence at all."

"We could go back to Kalos," AZ suggested, taking a few steps to cross the massive room they tended to do their sitting in and settled down next to Volo on the stone floor. "It's been a couple hundred years. Yveltal might be more responsive."

Volo could already feel himself growing tired. "That's why I was in Kalos when I met you. It was a cocoon then and I'm sure it's still a cocoon now."

"Probably," AZ agreed, "but Arceus recognizes us as warriors now. Legendaries can sense those sorts of things, can't they? Maybe it'll be enough to wake it up."

"Enam…" Enamorous groaned and Volo rubbed a hand over her shell. She probably didn't like hearing him talking like this. He never explicitly said it to her but she must know he wanted to end this curse. He wasn't built like she was. Legendaries could roam the world forever and ever and be perfectly happy. Volo couldn't. He was no Pokémon. Humans could only bear so much.

"Kalos is a pretty straight shot from Ransei," Volo commented after a few beats of silence. "Do you want to pass through Galar first? Do you think there's anything there?"

AZ shrugged. "There was a big storm not long after we parted ways that first time. There was another Legendary absorbing energy, sort of like what I did with the ultimate weapon. I spent some time there but I doubt there have been any developments."

That was fair. Volo wasn't really expecting anything. A lot of this quest was just grasping at straws. "Yveltal it is then. At least this time we can ride on Enamorous."

AZ nodded. "In hindsight, Gyarados was a terrible choice that first time."

Volo laughed and the moment was so casual that he was completely caught off guard when uniformed men flooded the castle. "International Police! Surrender or we'll order our Pokémon to attack!"

Volo and AZ were on their feet in a heartbeat, AZ looking around wildly before settling his gaze on his friend. "Volo?"

Volo swore under his breath. "I ran into these people in Sinnoh. They must've followed me here."

"How? You were riding Enamorous."

Volo didn't answer that but AZ's words gave him something to consider. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out half his Pokéballs and shoved them into AZ's hands. "Hop on Enamorous and head to Kalos. I'll catch up."

AZ's eyes widened. "Volo-"

"I'm keeping Vaporeon and Dragonite," Volo assured as Enamorous nudged AZ to climb on her back. "I can fly or swim if I have to."

"I said surrender or we'll order our Pokémon to attack!"

"Spiritomb, Dark Pulse!" Volo ordered and both Spiritomb and AZ did as they were told. Ribbons of dark power sliced through the newcomers as Enamorous flew out one of the castle's gaping windows. The attackers reacted in an instant but Volo was faster. He'd been training Spiritomb for thousands of years. No one stood much of a chance against them.

Except, they did. The memories grew fuzzy again there but Volo knew he never did meet up with AZ in Kalos.

Alola 1940 C.E.

This time, the fuzziness lasted more than just a battle. Normally, any big gaps in Volo's memory came from time. Or, well, Psychic Pokémon. As these memories leaked back, Volo knew this fuzziness in his head was something else. He tried not to dwell on it but this time it was so much worse. He didn't know how long it lasted, just that the time between these bursts of memory was not something that he wished to remember.

He remembered leaving the place Interpol brought him though. He was brought to a house on the coast filled with a type of Meowth he'd never seen before and thrown on the most comfortable bed he'd ever been on. A mattress, Volo would later learn it was called. What other wonderful inventions had he missed when he was in Ransei?

"My name is Kenjiro," the man who brought him here introduced when Volo finally emerged from his slumber. He gestured to the woman beside him. "This is my fiancée Mia. You're in a place called Po Town in the Alola region. You're going to be staying here from now on."

Volo had a thousand questions but they could wait. "My Pokémon?"

Kenjiro dipped a hand into his pocket and pulled out three wooden Pokéballs. "I've never seen Pokéballs like this before."

Volo practically lunged for them but Kenjiro pulled his hand back before Volo could touch them. Despite himself, Volo felt rage bubble up from somewhere deep inside. "Give them to me."

"So you can just run away? Not happening." Kenjiro paused and his demeanor shifted, becoming more resigned. "I don't want to keep them from you. I'm not that cruel. But they'll just capture you again if you leave right now."

Volo stared, not knowing what he meant by that.

"You were a warlord in Ransei, yes? For two hundred years. The world's changed a lot since then. An immortal capable of conquering a whole region is enough of a threat to catch Interpol's attention," Kenjiro explained, ignoring Volo's bristling. "They saw your power. They wanted to make you a soldier. I said no. So, as long as you keep your head low, you're free."

Volo didn't really know how to process that. "Does this… Interpol know you have me?"

Kenjiro smirked and Volo didn't know if that was an answer or not.

Alola 1941 C.E.

After spending some time in the Alola region, Volo concluded he'd never been there, not in all of his immortal life. The heat, the sand, and the island energy felt completely and utterly foreign to him. It was nice to have something new yet he couldn't enjoy it. It would be alarming if Volo felt much of anything. Normally he would've bounced back by now. He just… hadn't.

"Slo…"

"Did you want to come along to the dock, Slowking?" Volo asked, stopping just in time to avoid tripping on a Meowth that darted underfoot. This one seemed to have a sixth sense for when he was heading down the wharf. She always wanted to tag along, even when Spiritomb got bored of it. "I don't know if there'll be much for you to do there."

"Slow." Slowking shook his head and waved Volo over. Confused, Volo did as he was told and crouched down next to him. Slowking reached out with two fingers extended and jabbed them into the corners of Volo's mouth, pushing them up into a smile. He hadn't even realized he'd been frowning.

He had to laugh at that. The Sneasels used to do that with Ingo, if he recalled correctly. They thought it was funny, even if it always left Ingo perplexed. Those were good memories. It was too bad they always brought Volo down. Slowking seemed to sense this and pulled his hands back, prompting Volo to smile apologetically. "Sorry. It's not you, Slowking. I'm just… I don't know."

"Slow… Slowking!" Slowking said, expression shifting as the Shellder eyes on its crown lit up. Volo felt a pulse of Psychic power in his mind. He nearly reeled back in surprise but it wasn't hurting him so he let Slowking do his thing for a moment. Kenjiro trained his Slowking better than nearly anyone Volo had met. He trusted him not to do anything he shouldn't.

Eventually though, Volo became aware of the time and had to pull back. "Sorry, Slowking. I should get going. The fishermen are going to pick some other dock boy if I'm not there first."

"Slow…"

"Come on, Meowth!"

"Meowth!"

Volo ran toward the docks, Meowth scampering after him, feeling light as he jogged through the streets. He'd never run this way before, not even when he was running late. It was nice, the ocean breeze in his face and forcing a different set of muscles to stretch. He hadn't run much in general over the past few centuries, maybe even millenia. Ginkgo Guild members and warlords needed stamina, not speed. He couldn't recall feeling as carefree as he did in those moments running in the Alolan morning sun.

He did end up being fairly late and other boys were chosen to help the fishermen get their gear on the boat and spend the day hauling nets out of the sea. Normally, Volo would head home around now instead of watching the other boys get paid but something kept him there today and it wasn't hope he'd get chosen to help put the boats away at the end of the day. That light feeling from when he'd run over lingered and Volo found himself enjoying just being on the coast. The other boys sat alongside the edge of the wharf and Volo let himself join them, letting their jokes and banter wash over him.

"Hey, Volo," one of the dock boys called out after awhile. "You usually dip before we get started. Want to battle?"

"Battle?" Volo echoed. That sounded familiar…

"Aw, he doesn't even know what battling is!" one of the other boys gobbed. "Let me take him! I could use the easy cash!"

"It's getting big in other regions. You know, the Pokémon League? They're thinking about adding the rules into our trial system," the first boy explained patiently. "It's when you have your Pokémon fight! Except you call out moves and work together to beat your opponent! And whoever wins gets a little bit of pocket change."

Volo didn't really need the money. Kenjiro and Mia gave him whatever he needed. Still, he felt like a Dewpider using Leech Life sometimes. Without pay helping the fishermen, Volo would like something to show for today. "I just have Meowth with me today. Do you want to try battling, girl?"

Meowth made an excited noise and Volo let the other boys guide him through what he needed to do. Only, they didn't need to. The moment he was in position, Volo knew exactly what to do.

"Fake Out!" Volo ordered, watching Meowth shoot forward to slap his opponent's Fomantis. A flinch was always a good way to start a battle. "Follow up with Fury Swipes!"

"I thought you didn't know how to battle!" the other boy complained a few rounds later when Meowth defeated his Fomantis with a Scratch. "Not fair!"

Echoes stirred in the back of Volo's mind before an image of a man in black posing alongside his Gliscor surfaced. "I never said that."

The other boy complained a bit more but slapped Volo's shoulder good naturedly when he handed over his prize money. A few more boys wanted to give battling Volo a try and Volo had so much fun battling with Meowth that he didn't even notice the boats coming back for the evening. They all split after that, scrambling to see if any tired fishermen were willing to lend a few bucks for some help, and Volo joined them but he couldn't help but feeling disappointed.

The next day, Volo didn't bother showing up early to get picked by a fisherman. He stuck around and waited until one of the other boys challenged another to a battle. He couldn't remember who that man in black was but Volo must've battled him before and enjoyed it. It was a lot of fun, even though he didn't win every time, and he got some money out of it. More than he would helping a fisherman, especially since Meowth was starting to get the hang of this battling stuff.

Then, a week after that first battle, something miraculous happened.

"Mia! Mia!" Volo probably could've knocked the door down with how much force he slammed into it with. "Look! Look!"

"Volo? I thought you were-" Mia cut herself off, looking up from brushing the Meowth on her lap, and broke into a smile. "Oh! Meowth evolved!"

Volo nodded excitedly, holding up the Pokémon in his arms. Persian was far too big to hold comfortably and most of her body dangled out of his grip but that didn't stop Volo from trying. "I started battling some of the boys at the dock. She must've gotten strong enough to evolve."

"Oh, Volo," Mia said, tone shifting. Volo feared he'd done something wrong but her face was soft in a way that it definitely wouldn't be if she was about to yell at him. "Alolan Meowth don't evolve because of any sort of training or strength. They evolve by friendship. This is Persian's way of saying she's yours now."

"Really?" If Persian's head wasn't so big, Volo would turn her around to look at her. "You mean it?"

"Sian!"

"I've noticed you've been happier lately," Mia commented, carefully moving the Meowth off her lap to get to her feet. "Would you like a Pokéball for her? Or would you like to use one of your own? I noticed Spiritomb, Vaporeon, and Dragonite are all in hand-carved ones."

"I have my own," Volo told her and he didn't, not yet, but that's not what he was focused on. "Are you sure? Meo- er, Persian is your Pokémon."

Mia shook her head. "I'm a Pokémon breeder. Only a few of the Meowth in the house are mine. Most of them are meant to go out to families and other trainers. Besides, Persian's made what she wants pretty clear."

Persian yowled in agreement and began wiggling for Volo to put her down, which he did gladly. In his excitement, he hadn't realized how heavy she was. They had to figure something out about that. She'd definitely want to get carried again.

"Let's go apricorn hunting soon," Volo told her as she wound around his feet, purring happily. "I'll make you a good Pokéball. The best! You deserve it for all the battles you've won, girl."

"Persian."

"You know," Mia spoke up, "if you're interested in battling, you should ask Kenjiro about the island trials."

Alola 1975 C.E.

"Slowking, what are you doing?"

Volo did end up going on that island trial. He left Dragonite and Vaporeon with Kenjiro and Mia and took Persian and Spiritomb on a journey across Alola, catching many new Pokémon friends along the way. He came back to Ula'ula, of course. He had Kenjiro and Mia to visit, plus his old friends at the docks to show off to. Kenjiro and Mia had a son and Volo settled back down in Po Town to help out when Kenjiro returned to work. He still battled when he could, even if he wasn't traveling anymore. There was some talk of making Volo a kahuna but Interpol nixed that before it got too far along. That was okay though. Volo got plenty of fulfillment being Uncle Volo.

Volo had a lot of experience with kids but not anyone like Kuchinashi. It'd taken centuries for Cogita to grow into an adult. It only took ten years for Kuchinashi to be ready to handle his own Pokémon and Spiritomb had to physically hold Volo back from following him on his Pokémon journey. Volo had grown a lot on his journey and it was only right that Kuchinashi got the same chance.

Kuchinashi took a lot longer than Volo did and when he came back, it became clear why. He met a girl during his journey and, not longer after he'd introduced her to his family, they got married. Volo thought they were a bit young but what did he know? At least they waited before having a kid. They were so excited to be parents that Volo was surprised they'd managed to hold off for this long.

Later, he wished they'd waited longer. Or that he'd said something. Or any number of things that would've kept this from happening even though he knew nothing could've changed this. The birth was rough in ways Volo didn't understand and the mother hadn't made it. It crushed Kuchinashi. Mia and Kenjiro too. At least little Nanu had all of them to care for him when someone else could not.

"Slowking just does this sometimes," Volo said monotonously, barely feeling it as Slowking prodded his face with his fingers. Despite the lax feeling in his mind, his grip on the bundled up little Nanu was still strong. "Don't worry. He's just focused on me, not the baby."

"Good, because it's you I'm worried about," Kenjiro told him, crossing the porch to the edge where Volo was sitting. He swatted at Slowking. "Stop that. How long has he been doing this?"

"Since I got here?" Volo couldn't remember when Slowking hadn't. "Um, like a week before Persian evolved. Right before I started my island trial."

Kenjiro didn't seem happy to hear this. "And you're just letting him?"

"He's your Pokémon. And I know Slowking are smart. I trust him."

"It's generally not a good idea to make a habit of letting Psychic Pokémon dig around in your mind," Kenjiro pointed out, "and he's definitely been digging around somewhere he shouldn't."

"What do you mean?"

"You said this started just before your trial? You remember what you were like before you went? Slowking's definitely been changing things in your head." Kenjiro sounded frustrated and Volo couldn't fathom why. "We should get you checked by Interpol."

"You're Interpol."

"Interpol members who specialize in Psychic-types. We need to figure out what Slowking's been doing to you."

Volo was really not all that surprised to find out Slowking had been suppressing some of his memories, mainly the bad ones. It was what kept him in high enough spirits to take care of Nanu when the rest of the family couldn't. It was pretty hard to be consumed by grief when you can't remember who you're supposed to be grieving. Kenjiro wanted Interpol to put everything back but after a long, somewhat heated argument, they decided maybe this forced amnesia was for the better.

"From now on, don't let Slowking do it. Make sure it's an Interpol professional doing it," Kenjiro told him sternly once things finally settled down. "And don't do it just because you're sad or whatever. Being alive sucks but you need to remember the parts that suck to be alive."

Volo agreed. He wasn't really expecting to need any psychic interference anytime soon. And boy was he wrong.

Author's Note: I'm not really an OC guy so in my head Kenjiro, Kuchinashi, and Mia aren't OCs (even though they 100% are, I'm just lying to myself). Kenjiro and Kuchinashi are just carbon copies of Nanu and Mia is the human embodiment of a Meowth (/j). Kuchinashi is Nanu's name in Japanese, Kenjiro Tsuda is Nanu's Japanese voice actor, and Mia just comes from Miaouss which is Meowth in French.