Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to Pokemon. Any likeness to real-world characters, locations, and more is pure coincidence. Any other references or IPs mentioned belong to their respective owners.

A/N: I was initially planning on getting the chapter out yesterday, but it ended up being way longer than expected. I also made some edits to the previous chapter. I added more paragraph breaks to make it easier on the eyes when reading and got rid of the general sense of wordiness that was there. Hopefully, ffnet synced those changes properly. The site has been buggy af recently.

June 1st.

I started sweating nervously when the two people stared at me, mouths agape. Even the dog, Rockruff, looked up at me incredulously.

If I even believed it had that level of comprehension.

Kukui suddenly started laughing loudly. "Well, that's certainly one way to make an introduction! That woke me up like a normal type using Wake Up Slap!"

I stared at him with annoyance and confusion. Kukui eventually calmed down and wiped away his tears. When he saw my blank face, his bright smile dimmed. "You…are joking, right?"

Seriously, did they think I was a local or something? I wouldn't know anything about their customs!

At this point, I was at my wit's end. It probably wasn't a good idea to push the issue forward, but I wanted answers now. "No, I'm not. What exactly is a Pokemon?"

Kukui and Joy shared a look before turning back to me. Kukui stepped forward. "You don't know what a Blissey is, but surely you've heard of a Charizard, right?"

I stared at him blankly.

Joy wrung her hands nervously before speaking up. "What about Caterpie? Or Pidgey?"

What kind of bullshit was this? Even I knew that these weren't Hawaiian words. When were they going to call this prank off?

"Dedenne? Starly? Taillow? Chansey?" Kukui's voice started growing more desperate with each foreign name he spouted.

Zero. Zip. Zilch. Nada.

"Litten? Bulbasaur? You've at least got to know Pikachu?!"

My silence was damning.

The two stared at me once more like I was an alien from outer space. Rockruff nudged my ankle worriedly.

I shifted my feet uncomfortably. I studied their expressions and it looked way too real for them to be acting.

"Where are you from, exactly?" Kukui asked. "There are only a few places and locations where Pokemon don't roam. It's an extreme rarity, practically close to zero percent, to find someone who doesn't know what a Pokemon is."

"...I just woke up on the beach some time ago," I answered, dodging the question. "Rockruff was the one who woke me up. I just found this place and thought I could get more information on where I was."

Kukui looked deep in thought. He turned to Joy. "You mind opening up the cafe for us? We might be here for a while."

I munched on my bagel ravenously while Kukui sipped his coffee, courtesy of the overworked employees who were here before we arrived.

The center cafe was a nice and cozy place. The smell of pastries and hash browns wafted through the air while soft rays of sunlight filtered through the window on our left.

In my peripheral vision, I could see a few people walking on the road outside the window, officially starting their day, but I only had my eyes on Kukui. Rockruff was eating some large brown pellets. Probably kibble or something.

"So…" Kukui drawled. His elbows were on the table, his hands folded together. I leaned forward slightly. "You've never heard of a Pokemon before."

I stayed silent. Kukui took that as a sign to continue. "Now, where to even begin? There's honestly so much to say that any explanation I give you now would be an extremely gross simplification."

"Explain it to me like I'm a dumb child. Just some information that would be common knowledge for everyone."

Kukui smiled and took a deep breath. "It's important to note that Pokemon are living, breathing, and intelligent creatures like us. Pokemon come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Some could be cute and cuddly like Blissey. And others…not so much."

"You're telling me that Blissey is a Pokemon?" I asked, cutting him off. Something didn't seem right here. "Then what were all those other names you spouted at me?"

"Species of Pokemon that are commonly known. And I do mean very common. These are household names, especially Charizard and Pikachu."

"Wait, so Blissey is the name of a species? A scientific name? Not a regular name?"

"That's exactly right to all of those questions." Kukui looked pleased. "You're getting the hang of this quick!"

Not quick enough because I couldn't wrap my head around those names.

Caterpie? Pikachu? Blissey?! What kind of scientific names were those?! Even the dumbest-sounding Latin names still sounded sciencey enough. Like Turdus Maximus. Heh.

"And…" I looked down at the little pup sitting beside me. It's bowl of kibble was nearly done. It looked up adorably, muzzle smattered with crumbs. "Rockruff is a Pokemon too?"

"That's exactly right."

I resisted my urge to snort.

Rockruff was clearly a dog. Just who did this person think he was fooling?

But I'll go along with it for now.

"Us humans have lived alongside Pokemon forever. At times, we play together. And at other times, we work together. Pokemon have been alongside us for as long as the first civilization started. We wouldn't have gotten this far without them. Pokemon are involved in every facet of our life. For some, it even is our life. Like me."

Kukui gave a small flap of his lab coat. "I am a professor who studies one of the many mysteries surrounding Pokemon. I specialize in Pokemon's abilities and techniques. Why can some Pokemon learn moves outside of their initial typing? Is there a way for Pokemon to modify their techniques to survive their environment better? Why do some Pokemon learn common techniques while other Pokemon of the same typing have different skill sets? These are just some of the many questions I ask when studying Pokemon."

I sat there, deep in thought. Some of the terms Kukui used were still unfamiliar to me. But the way he gave his speech. The passion and energy behind it…

It reminded me uncomfortably of another person I knew in my life.

"There are so many Pokemon with different features and powers that it's hard to keep track of them all. But that's what makes them so exciting! Studying Pokemon is like a never-ending adventure. Just when we think we have it all figured out, a new Pokemon exhibits behavior that goes against all of our working theories and a new avenue of research opens up!" Kukui was almost out of breath before calming himself. He smiled. "Did you have any questions?"

I thought back to the Blissey who had administered a checkup on me without any prompt from the nurse. "You mentioned that Pokemon were in every part of our life and that civilization wouldn't have gotten as far without them. Can you elaborate on that?"

"When I meant that Pokemon are involved in every facet of our life, I do mean every. We get our electricity from Pokemon. Most Pokemon are also involved in constructing homes, including the very building we are sitting in. Some can use their fire to provide warmth in the winter or to smelt and create useful materials. And as you've no doubt seen by now, some Pokemon can even heal those that need it."

I scoffed. "Providing electricity? Making fire? That sounds suspiciously like magic."

"Many people think they are. And some of the powers they wield are so incredible that they make the basic abilities I described seem tame." Kukui must've seen the expression that I was making because he suddenly snapped his fingers and started sifting through his coat. "You seem like the type of person who will only believe when the evidence is presented in front of them. Take a look at this."

I let out a small breath when he pulled out a familiar red and white ball I had seen everywhere.

"This is a pokeball," Kukui answered. It was a tiny thing, not even taking up half his palm. He placed it on the table. The ball shined in the rays of sunlight that fell upon it. "Why don't you press the button in the middle and see what it does?"

I just stared silently at the ball, not willing to move. To his credit, Kukui didn't seem offended. He took the ball back from the table and pressed the button. The ball suddenly grew in size, fitting his hand neatly.

Before I could react to that, Kukui dropped the ball. It bounced on the floor and opened, a bright flash of light pouring forth. It materialized into a shape and I was met with an impossible sight.

A small bird with black feathers and a colorful beak sat where the Pokeball was dropped. It crooned before flying up to Kukui's outstretched arm. It nestled itself and picked at its feathers before staring at me.

My eyes were wide as my mind tried to rapidly find an explanation for the phenomenon that happened before me. I tried to see if it was a magic trick, but Kukui had dropped it casually with no flair or arm movements.

Just how did the pokeball expand like that? How was that tiny thing able to contain a bird of that size? Didn't that break the Law of Conservation of Mass? It probably broke that and more.

"This is a Pikipek," Kukui explained, rubbing the top of the bird's head. It shuddered in pleasure. Pikipek flapped down before crowing at Rockruff. Rockruff barked back enthusiastically and they started to play together. "These are common Pokemon here in Alola. You'll probably find a lot of them in many households."

"Forget about that!" I pointed to the ball that was sitting on the table. It glinted in the sunlight, almost as if it was mocking me. "Just…what is that thing?! How-?!" I floundered around, trying to find the correct questions to ask. I only ended up spouting more gibberish.

"I told you already. We call it a Pokeball," Kukui said with some mirth. "We use it to catch Pokemon so we can always keep them with us. I'm honestly not sure about the specifics, but a Pokemon's physical form is naturally very malleable. The pokeball takes advantage of this aspect and shrinks them to a form that allows them to fit inside."

The fuck?! That explained nothing! "So, you use these pokeballs to capture Pokemon. They exist in the wild, too?"

"That's correct! There are other ways to obtain Pokemon, however. You could get an egg from a breeder or trade a Pokemon for a different one with another person."

"You also said that you use these Pokemon to help civilization grow," I said carefully. At Kukui's nod, I continued. "Isn't that just enslavement, though?"

That was the wrong thing to say.

Kukui's expression darkened. I immediately felt sweat forming on my forehead. "That…is an extremely harsh judgment to make, John. I can see how you could come to that conclusion, considering you are just learning about Pokemon now. But you will make a lot of enemies if you repeat that to a lot of people. Understand?"

I nodded warily. Kukui let out a small breath. He smiled again, but it didn't quite reach his eyes this time. "A lot of people don't see Pokemon that way. It's a give-and-take relationship. There are actually many theories about the bond between humans and Pokemon, but let's not get into that now."

I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. I got back on track. "As impressive as your pokeball is, I'm still not seeing evidence that Pokemon can do all the wondrous things you just said."

Kukui was about to open his mouth when he paused. He looked outside the window and smirked. "Why don't you see for yourself?"

I looked at where he was pointing at. "I don't see what an empty street has to do wi-"

I was interrupted by a nightmarish, beastly roar.

An honest-to-god fucking dragon landed on the street, wearing what looked like a blue backpack. It crouched low and I saw that a person was riding on it.

It was bright red with massive wings that were extended outwards in triumph. Two horn-like appendages jutted upwards from its angular head. Its massive tail swished in the air rapidly.

It was then I realized that its tail was actually on fire.

I looked back at Kukui. He was giving me a smug expression.

"Believe me now?"

I slumped backward in my chair, suddenly out of breath.

This…this was insanity.

That had to be it. I was actually insane. There was no way that a greater part of my childhood fantasy was just sitting outside the window—a real-life fire-breathing dragon.

But it was there, still on that street.

The dragon roared again after the person got off. It took off into the air with a mighty flap of its wings.

"Now that I've got your attention, I have a proposal that I think you might be interested in," Kukui said. My eyes locked onto him. "You see, I just set up my lab near here recently. I know that this must be very overwhelming for you. There probably isn't anywhere you can go without encountering a Pokemon. And you'll need a Helping Hand to teach you everything you need to know on handling Pokemon properly."

Just where was he going with this?

"So I would like to offer you my position as an assistant!" Kukui said with dramatic flair. He held out his hand. "You can learn more about Pokemon under a certified professor. And I can get the assistant I've been looking for. It's a win-win situation. What do you say?"

It was a generous offer.

Kukui had taken time out of his day to explain information a child would probably know here. He was also well known and liked, judging by the reaction Joy gave him when he entered the center. He paid for my breakfast as a show of good faith and showed me things so incredible that I had no choice but to believe him about Pokemon. And he was a dog owner.

There was only one correct answer here.

"Sorry, but I'm going to have to refuse."

Numerous books sat in front of me. I turned the page, my eye twitching when I read another passage. My exasperation was growing by the second.

After refusing Kukui's offer, I had thanked him for the food and promptly exited the center to find a library.

When in doubt, always find the library. That had always been my motto since I was a teenager. I had to try and verify the information he gave me myself.

I'll admit, I was sad to see Rockruff go. The little pup had grown on me in such a short amount of time.

Kukui himself was most likely a nice person, but I wasn't taking any chances. The explanation he had given me about Pokemon was obviously biased in favor of them. I needed a more neutral outlook to form my own opinion. I also couldn't tell if his offer of being an assistant to him was legit. It was too good to be true.

It struck me as odd that he would even make that offer in the first place. I looked broke and I knew that my pseudonym had no reputation behind it, judging by how Joy showed no strange reaction when I told her. If he really was a professor, wouldn't he want someone more knowledgeable working with him?

I couldn't shake off the possibility that the offer was likely a ruse to get me to trust him.

I also got the distinct feeling that I was being watched. A familiar tingling sensation raced down my spine ever since I had left the center. Years of navigating shady streets and dangerous neighborhoods had given me a keen insight into my surroundings. But every time I went back to check for anyone following me, I found nothing of interest. I chalked it up to me being jittery from my recent revelations.

Finding the library wasn't a challenging task. Map markers were checkered throughout the street, giving detailed directions to every prolific location. Hau'oli City was definitely tourist-friendly, at the very least.

Which led me to this situation.

"What the fuck is this…" I muttered to myself. I turned another page and almost lost it. "This doesn't make any sense!"

"Shhhh!" A patron next to me glared. The Pokemon beside him looked like a rainbow sludge with googly eyes. It, too, was staring at me with anger. Another patron looked up from his book, annoyed. The cat-like Pokemon next to him had black fur and a coiled tail. It didn't look like it cared at all. Both were small. None were as majestic as the dragon from earlier.

I gave them both an apologetic look and returned to my studying. I turned the page, trying to ignore the eventual migraine it would give me.

I was reading up on the classification system of Pokemon. Instead of using the eight levels of classification that I knew, there were 18 generic types. Most corresponded to an element related to a specific feature of a Pokemon.

That didn't make it any easier to understand. Some of these types were just weird!

There was the classic trio of fire, water, and grass. Each Pokemon with their respective type could wield their element with various degrees of control. But then came types such as normal, steel, and ghost.

Just what do normal types do? Be useless? Don't tell me that steel type means there are organic Pokemon out there made out of steel. Steel has to be refined from iron first! It was an artificial process!

And then there were ghost Pokemon.

…I didn't have to read anymore to know I wanted fucking out, man.

I looked at the other book next to me, lying half open. It was about the war between Kanto and Johto. It was the only war that took place in the last 30 years.

And how would war even work in this world?

Let's say an army was gathered on a hill to get high ground. Well, fuck you, here's a thunderstorm courtesy of our electric type! Oh, you thought you could just storm up that hill for free? Fuck you, here's an ice wall from our ice type! Oh, an ice wall? Pathetic, let's use our ghosts to sink in the ground and steal your souls. Not only are you dead, but your souls are also damned for eternity!

Based on actual true events, according to the book. Minus the ghost part.

The existence of Pokemon took a steaming dump on Sun Tzu's The Art of War.

I kneaded my forehead to try and get rid of my headache.

I had been cooped up in this library for hours but had made close to no progress in learning about Pokemon. I was constantly roadblocked by terminology, phrases, and unknown Pokemon names that sounded plain alien. The theories proposed in the book were repeatedly contradicted by the existence of another Pokemon's specific biology or power. I had to consult a dictionary multiple times, to my growing frustration.

The only two things I managed to glean successfully were the type classifications and that Pokemon were involved in a popular sport where they battled each other.

That intrigued me. A quick search on one of the public computers yielded a result from a tournament called the 'Indigo Conference'. The video showed two competitors standing on the field with white markings. A Pokemon with a drill-shaped horn stood opposite another that looked like a seal. A battle that could only come out of fantasy appeared before my eyes.

The aptest comparison I could give this battle was that it looked like the Roman Colosseum but for magical animals instead. The way the two Pokemon went at each other made me cringe. The crowd went wild whenever a particularly brutal collision happened between the two.

I closed the computer with slightly shaky fingers.

This was even worse than I thought. I didn't expect animal cruelty to be normalized here.

With this overwhelming amount of information and proof, I had to acknowledge the elephant in the room.

Was I really in another world?

…Or I was part of a government experiment where I was introduced as a control variable to a population brainwashed to think that their failed experiments lived alongside them since the beginning of time.

Or I was hallucinating on my hospital bed for the final time before the sweet release of death took hold of me.

But those two theories dealt with conspiracy and existentialism. I wasn't crazy enough to delve into those rabbit holes. Not yet, at least.

"Um, sir?" I looked up to see a librarian looking at me nervously. Behind her was a big buff, purple humanoid that looked like it was wearing spandex underwear. "I'm going to have to ask you to leave. You're scaring the other readers here."

I looked around to see a bunch of people giving me weird looks. I realized now that my whole body was shaking. My breaths were quick and frantic—another panic attack.

"Y-yeah. Don't worry, I'll be on my way," I said, getting up from my chair and speed-walking to the entrance. I placed a hand on my chest to calm my beating heart, to no avail. A singular thought kept drumming through my head like a death knell.

I really am in another world.

I sat on a bench overlooking a beach, lost in a perpetual daze. The methodical splash of the tide rising forward and then retreating did little to calm me. All around me, people played on the beach, passing beach balls to each other and other Pokemon resembling aquatic creatures from my memory. Each was a reminder of my current situation, sinking me further into a lower mood.

It didn't hit me until now what I had just lost coming here. There were dreams that I had yet to fulfill. Wrongs that I couldn't right.

Family and friends I couldn't make amends to.

Silva came to the forefront of my mind. Who was going to take care of him now? Was he still waiting at the front door like he usually did?

It took all I had to try and suppress the tears that were coming to my eyes.

I slapped my hands to my cheeks. The pain helped abate the dark thoughts for a moment. I knew they would be back, but I would deal with them once I was in a better situation.

I looked up at the sky to see that it was turning evening. I wasted a lot of time on this bench when I should've been looking for a temporary shelter. My stomach was practically eating itself inside out.

Rising from the bench and doing a light stretch, I returned to the same street I found in the morning. Passing by an archway, I followed the paved road to find any safe alleyways or parks to sleep in. The buildings grew smaller and more sparse the more I walked. I found a few areas of greenery passing by, but there were no trees or shade to take advantage of, so I continued forward.

I didn't know how much time I spent walking and searching. But soon, evening turned to early night, and the paved road turned into a dirt path. It was to be expected since I knew most resort areas weren't fully developed outside of their tourist offerings, but I didn't expect my surroundings to become barren so quickly.

The feeling of being watched never disappeared, even after leaving the library. This feeling, while it was getting dark to boot, made me more anxious than I would like to admit.

The moon was out, illuminating the area. I saw tall grass dotted all around me, making me frown. A quick look behind me showed the skyscrapers of Hau'oli shining in the night. Had I exited the city accidentally? The lack of road signs was starting to annoy me.

I moved to turn back when a low growl caused dread to form in my stomach.

The tall grass around me started shaking. Numerous amount of red eyes started peeking from the blades of grass.

Shit, were these wild Pokemon? This close to the city?!

The dread turned to outright terror when fat black rats exited the bushes, beginning to surround me in a circle.

"Ratatta!" One screeched before launching itself on me. I immediately screamed and jumped back. The rat missed and I scrambled away into a run.

The gang of rats quickly followed after me. They were faster on their four stubby legs than I was on two. I cried in pain when one quickly sank its teeth into my ankle. Air was forced rapidly out of my lungs when another tackled me directly in the chest. I fell hard, getting a few scrapes on my back. I looked up to see them looking down at me with bloodlust. Their buck teeth glinted evilly in the moonlight. I nearly fainted when I saw the trail of blood coming from my leg.

Another rat bit into my arm while a few climbed onto my chest, claws digging into my skin. I tried to get up and shake them off, but the pain, combined with my fatigue and hunger, had rendered me temporarily immobile.

Memories of the warehouse fire flashed before my eyes. The hallucination I saw from the flames roared to life right before my very eyes. A vision of a giant bat-like creature with wings made of the night sky appeared, looking down at me with menacing red eyes while I carried an injured child.

Then came the memories of the faces of my friends and family. They all cycled through before stopping at a particular person. With greying hair and kind eyes, I remember my warm feeling when his hand clenched my shoulder, his smile promising me everything would be okay.

I was idly aware that I was crying. I was calling out their names fervently, futilely waiting for a rescuer.

Was this how my life was going to end? Pitifully, in the middle of nowhere?

It was fitting, I thought to myself fleetingly.

"Silva…" I croaked in a desperate attempt to get one last message out. To where, I didn't know, but I knew I had to say it. One rat climbed onto my face. It opened its mouth, razor-sharp teeth poised to bite down. "I'm sorry. You…deserved better."

"INCINEROAR, USE FIRE SPIN!"

"INCINEROAR!"

Flames appeared in my vision immediately. Most of the rats on my body scattered. The rat near my face sat still in shock.

"RUFFFF!" The rat was tackled out of the way by a familiar brown dog. Rockruff stood over my bleeding body protectively, growling whenever a rat got too close.

"It's good that we found you so quickly, John." The blurry form of Kukui said, stepping over me. He was with a red, bipedal creature. Flames licked around its body, priming to launch more at the rats. "Drink this and rest. We'll take care of it from here."

A tart, sour sensation filled my mouth. I immediately felt the agony of my wounds fade away. My eyes slowly closed while the sounds of battle continued around me. I fell into a turbulent slumber shortly after.

My dreams were filled with fire-breathing dogs and giant rats. All were frolicking around in a meadow before the dream turned dark and all the animals turned into nightmarish caricatures of themselves, red eyes cartoonishly evil and primed to eat me.

It all dissipated when I woke to a tongue licking my face for the second time.

I groaned and sat up, pushing the snout away. Pain lanced throughout my body. I opened my eyes slowly, only to see the big blue eyes of Rockruff staring at me.

"RUFF!" Rockruff's tail wagged happily. The tongue returned and lavished me with affection.

"Alright, alright! I get it! You're happy to see me," I said, laughing a bit. I pushed the puppy back. "It's good to see you again, too."

I took a long look at my surroundings. I was in some sort of wooden cabin. The entire room was filled with cardboard boxes stacked upon each other alongside the sofa bed I was lying on. I concentrated on my hearing and heard the quiet noises of the ocean above, meaning I was somewhere underground or in a basement.

I peeked under the blanket to find my midsection wrapped in bloody bandages. My left arm also had a few patches as well. My ankle was dressed in a bandage cast and propped up on the armrest.

Air filled my lungs greedily as I laid back down. The pounding of my heart lessened when I realized I was safe. There was no fire choking me or giant rats out to kill me.

I was alive and well. Rockruff and Kukui had saved me.

I frowned at that. Something didn't add up here. How did they know I was in danger in the first place?

"Ruff?" A furry face pushed up against mine. Rockruff's eyes were shining just like in the morning. It struck me just how intelligent Rockruff's eyes looked. Layers of complex emotions were boiling underneath her eyes as she searched me up and down. Just how smart were Pokemon, I wondered. They seemed way more intelligent than the animals back home.

"I'm alright, boy," I said, ruffling the mane around the dog's neck. "You're one brave little soldier. You just keep on saving me today, huh?"

"You can say that again. Rockruff wouldn't leave your side at all, you know?"

"Shit!" I jumped in place before immediately groaning in pain. Rockruff growled at Kukui as he made his way down the stairs. "Make some noise before you sneak up on me, please!"

"Sorry about that," Kukui said sheepishly. He was carrying a folding chair under his right arm. A blue vial was gripped in his left hand. He set the chair down and sat on it. "It's a good thing you woke up. It looked like you were out like a Snorlax using Rest!"

I stayed silent. Don't get me wrong, I was grateful that Kukui saved me. But the timing seemed too convenient for me not to rule out foul play.

"I got a couch for you to rest on from my storage. How are you doing, by the way? Any pain or soreness?"

I discarded my current thoughts and shrugged my shoulders, making me wince. "Just my left arm and chest. It only hurts when I move them."

Kukui nodded. "Good. I'm going to need to check on your wounds again. I only did a patchwork job at most back on that field. We can begin if you can convince Rockruff to get off you."

Rockruff growled nastily at that. She laid down on my chest, teeth bared. Kukui leaned back, arms raised placatedly.

"Don't think he agrees with that," I said, idly scratching the dog. Rockruff then started growling at me. "What the heck? What did I do to you?"

"That's probably because Rockruff is a girl," Kukui told me, amused.

I looked back at Rockruff. The dog just gave me a flat look. Well, that's awkward.

"Alright, girl, I'm sorry for the mistake," I whispered near Rockruff's ears. "Could you get off me so that Kukui could fix me?" The dog whined before reluctantly jumping off. She stayed near the foot of the sofa, staring intently at me.

"Fascinating…" Kukui muttered, looking at Rockruff. He gestured for me to sit up and started peeling off my bandages. Rockruff growled again while giving a one-eyed glare at Kukui. He grimaced. "I still don't think she forgives me for the stunt I pulled this morning." He said under his breath.

Stunt? What did he mean by that?

I resisted the urge to shut my eyes when I saw my damaged body. Deep bite mark incisions were made around my bicep, still raw and red. A deep purple bruise also ran from my chest to my lower abdomen. Minor bleeding cuts dotted around my nipples and belly button. Vomit started rising to my throat before I forcibly swallowed it down.

"The bad news is that the bite marks on your arm will scar. Fortunately, it will only be noticeable up close, so you can wear short sleeves without worry," Kukui said, examining the wounds. He picked up the blue vial on his lap and handed it to me. "Here, drink this. It will patch you up quickly."

I took the vial from him and inspected it with narrowed eyes. "What exactly is this?"

"A booster of Sitrus berry that has gone through enough alchemic processes to make it safe for human consumption," Kukui said. I blinked, and Kukui gave a small sigh. "I gave you a weaker version of it earlier on Route One. It will heal you, I promise."

I remembered the sour sensation that lingered in my mouth. If Kukui had given me poison back there, I would probably already be dead. Deciding the risk was worth it, I chugged the vial in one gulp.

The familiar sour sensation filled my mouth once more. The results were instantaneous. Before my very eyes, the purple bruise on my chest started to shrink until it merged into a spot underneath my pecs. The open cuts on my arms began to close halfway before stopping. I could even feel the pain in my ankle lessen considerably.

It was a testament to the revelations I saw earlier that something like this barely surprised me.

Kukui brought out a roll of bandages and began to wrap my arm again. "Alright, it worked like a charm! We probably shouldn't risk giving you any more of the stuff. We can go to the Pokemon Center tomorrow to check you up."

"Thanks," I said, rubbing my bandaged arm. Rockruff yipped happily and hopped on my chest again. This was a risk, but my thoughts kept nagging me in the back of my head, so I gave voice to them. "You know, it seems awfully convenient. You being there at the right time to save me when I was about to die."

Kukui froze. Rockruff looked up at the two of us. Her tail stopped wagging.

"I was well out of city limits. And that rat attack didn't happen instantly. I was running for quite a while before I got caught by them. You couldn't have saved me earlier?"

Kukui stayed silent. That was practically an admission of guilt.

"What's your angle here?" I asked, my eyes narrowed. "Why did you help me out? You offered me a position to be your assistant in the morning. An offer that was made after I told you that I didn't know anything about Pokemon. Then you saved me just after those Pokemon got to me. How did you even know that I was going to be on…Route One in the first place?"

I was tense on the couch. Rockruff must've sensed my stress because she curled around me tighter in a protective embrace.

Kukui slumped in his chair, sighing wearily. He seemed to age a few years in an instant.

"Would you believe me if I said I helped you out of the goodness of my heart?"

"No." My answer was instantaneous.

"Figures. I should've expected that from you." I frowned at that. Kukui suddenly leaned forward. "I don't have much else to say. I did help you because I wanted to. It isn't in my nature to leave someone in a dangerous situation like that."

"It still doesn't explain how you were at my side so quickly. I'm pretty sure I would've noticed you walking behind me. When I exited the city, I was sure I was alone."

Kukui gave me a pleading look. "I promise that I wasn't trying to hide this from you. I was going to tell the whole truth tomorrow. Preferably when I have some coffee in me."

I crossed my arms. "Well, you can settle for telling me now. I'm not going to leave this alone."

Kukui pressed his fingers to his forehead. "Fair enough. You deserve to know, after all. It'll make it easier for me in the morning. What would you like to know?"

I leaned back and made sure I got comfortable. "Just start from the beginning. Don't leave any details out."

Kukui took a deep breath. After it seemed like he had gathered his thoughts, he spoke.

"Well, I'm sure you already know how suspicious you look, with that torn uniform and claiming that you didn't know anything about Pokemon," Kukui said. I conceded to that point. Anyone would get weird looks when they appeared like a dangerous hobo. "I didn't know if you were acting like that just to get an opportunity to get close to me."

I blinked at that. "What, you're famous or something?"

Kukui nodded. "I don't mean to brag, but I'm well-known in the intellectual Pokemon circle. Prominent enough for people to try underhanded tricks to learn and steal my research. I've seen people do way weirder skits to try and get closer to me."

"Me not knowing anything about Pokemon isn't a skit," I said. I was surprised to see Kukui nodding at that.

"I believe you. Venturing near tall grass without a Pokemon is practically a death sentence. It's the basic of basics about Pokemon. I'm pretty sure it's taught toddlers first thing."

I grumbled at that. Kukui continued. "But truthfully, I had my suspicions that you were clueless about Pokemon much earlier than that."

"What do you mean?" My eyes suddenly widened. "Wait, you don't mean when I refused that offer from you?"

"That was when I had a doubt," Kukui said. "I practically gave you a free way of gaining access to my coveted research and you refused it immediately. I was baffled, to say the least."

"So that offer wasn't real."

"No. It was just a way for me to keep an eye on you before I could figure out your real intentions. Should you have been trying to steal my research, I would've outed you to the intellectual community."

Ha! I knew it! It honestly wasn't that much of a surprise. It was just common sense.

Rockruff growled. Kukui rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Yeah, Rockruff didn't like that at all. She wanted the offer to be real."

"Because she's a good and honest girl, aren't you?" I cooed. Rockruff preened under the attention.

"Going back to my story, I was intrigued but couldn't let my suspicions go. I decided to follow you to see if you were dangerous."

"So that was you guys!" I said, snapping my fingers. "I felt that I was being watched all the time, even after I left the city. You seriously were watching me the entire day? How did you guys hide from me?"

"I've watched wild Pokemon for longer. And you can thank Rockruff for that," Kukui said with some mirth. "She had your scent from the very beginning. You have some excellent instincts. I would've been caught if Rockruff hadn't been helping out. We stayed far back but could still follow your steps by the scent trail."

I looked at Rockruff pointedly. She at least had enough shame to look guilty. Okay, so maybe she wasn't that honest after all.

"I saw you pouring through books in the library for hours. All were about trying to learn the fundamentals of Pokemon. You also grabbed some advanced books, probably by accident. It was funny to see you get frustrated reading them and consulting a dictionary every page."

"That was when you believed I knew jack shit about Pokemon?"

"At that, I was 90% sure. What sealed the deal was seeing how you dealt with those Rattata. I waited to see if you would pull out a Pokemon to defend yourself, which would expose you. Only to see you almost die trying to run away…"

Now Kukui was looking ashamed of himself.

Rockruff whined at me. Kukui looked at me directly in the eyes. "John, I am sorry that we deceived you. I let my suspicion and past experiences cloud my judgment when you desperately needed help. I know you may not forgive me, but I want to apologize anyway."

An uncomfortable feeling rose in my chest. Damn it all, why did he have to sound just like him.

"It's fine," I muttered. The explanation that Kukui gave me was enough to satisfy me. His reasoning was sound and really, that's all that mattered to me. "I probably would've done the same in your shoes."

The smile Kukui gave me was blinding.

"Also, thank you for saving me," I said, looking away from him. "I'm not that much of an asshole to try and skip over that."

"You have no idea how much that means to me, John. Let's just call it even then."

"No way." I shook my head and crossed my arms. "I owe you one. A favor, that is."

"You don't have to-"

"I do." I interrupted Kukui with a slight glare. "You saved my life. That isn't a small thing at all. It's the least I could do."

Kukui sighed. "If you say so."

Usually, the prospect of owing a favor would fill me with disgust, but Kukui did save my life. Even if he was a nice person, I wasn't about to let him lord that fact over me to influence whatever decisions I could make. By saying that I owed him a one-time favor, I could get out of his influence and debt at the same time whenever the favor was fulfilled.

Kukui snapped his fingers. "Alright, if you feel you owe me a favor so strongly, I got one you can do now!"

I blinked. That was quick. I was expecting him to take a few days at least.

With his usual dramatic flair, Kukui held out his arm. "John, I'm going to cash in my favor. What I want…"

I held my breath. If it was anything morally reprehensible, I would refuse.

"...is for you to be my assistant!"

What.

"You'll catch some Zubat if you keep that jaw open, John."

"Is this a joke?" I asked, ignoring him. "We've just established how I wouldn't be able to fit the position. How can you possibly think I'll be a good assistant?!"

"It is no joke. The offer is genuine this time." Kukui's face turned serious. "I'll be honest with you, John. I don't have anyone I trust that could be my assistant. My research may be for my curiosity, but it could change the landscape of Pokemon battles forever. You do know about Pokemon battles, right?"

I thought back to the video I watched in the library uncomfortably. I bit down on my uneasiness and nodded.

"There are many who would want my research on Pokemon moves and techniques to power themselves up. Some of those people may not have the best moral reasons for that research. I can't tell the difference between those passionate about learning and those who would only be out there for themselves. The friends that I do have are either already established professors in their fields or people who are not interested in what I do, so I can't ask them to do it."

"And that's why you think I'm a good fit? I still don't know anything about Pokemon."

"You'll learn on the job," Kukui said, almost desperately. That's how I knew he was sincere. I couldn't imagine a man like him faking his emotions like that. "Think about the benefits. I'll provide room and board right here at the lab. I'll teach you about Pokemon so that the incident on Route One doesn't happen again. And I'll get an assistant I've needed for a while now. One that I know won't be stupid enough to try and steal my research."

"But why would you even trust me in the first place? You said I was suspicious. I can't think of anything I did that would make you change your mind."

"Well, I already mentioned that I can't leave someone hanging if I could help it. But the main reason's also because of Rockruff," Kukui said. Rockruff's ears perked up when she heard her name while I frowned. "Rockruff hasn't had a good time with humans. She's extremely distrustful, to the point where even my closest friends couldn't get near her without making her run away or aggressive. Then you came along, and suddenly Rockruff has a friend I've been desperately searching for."

I looked at Rockruff in shock. "You're saying she was abused?! What kind of sickos would do such a thing?"

If they ever met me, they would meet the business end of my fist first and more.

"I'm not sure, but it affected Rockruff deeply. I've never seen a bond form so quickly between a Pokemon and a human. It's almost astounding." Kukui held out his hand once more. "I'd like to think that's a sign that you came here for a reason. So, what do you say?"

It was a generous offer.

One that I needed to accept. I wasn't about to let my ignorance about this world almost kill me again. I needed to establish a small power base and get more information.

This would be the perfect starting point.

I reached out and slowly grasped his hand. "Alright, you convinced me. It's a deal. But it'll only be temporary, and I can leave once I know I've helped out in a definitive way!"

Rockruff barked happily. The small dog's tail was wagging furiously. Kukui's smile got even wider, if that was even possible.

"Excellent! You won't regret this! The transition might be weird, but I'll make sure you'll be up to speed in no time!"

"Nah, don't worry about it," I said absentmindedly. I scratched Rockruff's head to try and calm her down. She laid back on my chest with a content sigh. "This isn't my first rodeo anyway. I should be fine."

"Oh? You were a research assistant before?" Kukui asked. I froze and internally cursed at myself. I shouldn't have let that slip.

"Yeah?" I said, trying to play it off. "That so surprising?"

Kukui regarded me with a critical eye. "But you're wearing a warehouse uniform."

"So?" I asked defensively. My hands were clenching the blanket tightly. Rockruff whined at my distress.

He shook his head. "Never mind. It's not my business to pry. Everyone's got their secrets."

I nodded. If Kukui thought he could cross-analyze me, he had another thing coming.

He nodded and got up from his chair. He did some light stretches. "Now that everything is clear between us, it's time to get some rest. It's well past midnight and we have a lot to do tomorrow. Goodnight, John."

I nodded and watched as Kukui went up the stairs. He paused for a moment.

"John?" I looked up at him. "If you ever do want to talk about anything at all, just know my door is wide open. Okay?"

"...I'll think about it."

"That's all I ask." Kukui made his way up the stairs.

Rockruff snuggled closer to me. Uneasiness welled up in me before I squashed it down. I had a roof and a shelter now, but my future was as uncertain as ever.

"I guess we're in it for the long haul, huh girl?" I whispered. Rockruff's light breathing told me she was already asleep. I guess I should follow her example.

I snuggled in the blanket and fell asleep almost instantly, my breathing syncing with Rockruff's. This time, my dream was of Silva and me, playing in the meadow endlessly.

And for a small moment, all was well.

A/N: I gotta work on my scene transitions more. They are getting better but I don't think they flow quite that well yet.