January 28th, First Year
Akari winced. Her hands shook, the pads of her fingers a terrifying shade of purple as she stared at the empty valleys laden with snow before her. A fierce wind tore at her exposed skin as waves of snow blasted across the hills whistling a song of warning and desolation. Her chest burned and tears pricked at her eyes. This wasn't how she had imagined her trial would go.
She had just managed to slip out of view of her spectators and now, she could finally lean up against the nearest frozen tree, her teeth chattering as she crouched under the shade of a fir. The hard bark dug into the flesh of her arms as she drew them in closer. Despite the snow shoes, she couldn't feel her feet at all. They were like stone pillars weighing down her every step.
The pokéball at her side quivered and broke open. First came an annoyed chirp and then, something cold moved past her leg. She spared a glance. Two beady blue eyes glared at her, its pale fur dotted with specks of snow. It gave an indignant squeak and plopped down, seemingly bored with her.
She brightened. At least she had a friend with her. She'd seen the stranger, a young woman named Jakucho, take up battle with a Shinx not too long ago. Akari set her lips and stood slowly. She would need to have the same drive to succeed. She would not be beaten. Maybe she could turn it into a competition of sorts.
Almost immediately, branches snapped behind her and a blanket of snow crashed into the ground. Footsteps sounded much too close for Akari to have any time to escape. She flinched back, ready for whatever was tailing her to lunge before-
"Oh, there you are. What're you doing?"
She blinked and turned. Behind her stood a lanky teenage boy, his face swaddled with fur as he extended a gloved hand in her direction.
"Who are you?"
"I'm Rei. I'm from the Galaxy Team." He carefully pulled her onto her feet and helped dust the snow off of her poncho. "What were you thinking sitting down in the snow like that? Are you trying to freeze to death?"
"What? No! I j-just- I needed time to get my b-bearings, that's all."
Rei clicked his tongue and began rummaging through his things. "Might I suggest that you, maybe, don't?" he quipped with an air of sarcasm. "That's a quick way to die, especially out here where winters are brutal." He handed her some extra items, his eyes scanning the valley. "Professor Laventon sent me to help you. You and that other stranger, but I guess they split?"
"Thank- He- hey, you can't do that! You'll get in trouble," she squawked.
"No I won't. Not if I don't get caught, that is. Say," he piped up, eyes squinting as he seized her up, "How much do you know about pokémon- apart from catching them, do you know their behaviors? Stuff like that?"
"Uh, no. Not really. Not unless I've worked with them for a while."
"So you really do work with pokémon where you're from?" Rei gave her a beaming smile and motioned for her to rise, pulling out a water-stained map from a pocket of his satchel. "Okay, so maybe I don't know what time you're from. How's about I give you a little tutorial." His understanding smile turned cheeky. "A little know-how from a master of pokémon."
Akari crossed her arms, eyebrows raised with skepticism. "You're a master of pokémon? Really? Seriously?"
That seemed to cow Rei. "Yes, really! Hey! Don't look at me like that!" He pulled his bag tighter around his shoulders and began leading her out of the woods, eyes set as he scanned the slope again before pausing. "Your first objective is to catch a Bidoof, right? Well look! There's a whole horde down there!"
Akari followed his gaze and found a cluster of little brown bodies milling about on the icy hills. He'd been that close, huh? She sighed. "Hey Rei, thanks for helping me. I really appreciate it."
A dust of red colored Rei's face. He grinned widely, clapping her on the back as he led her along. "N-no problem, newbie! Now, come on! Let's get this done!"
To Akari's surprise, Rei had kept true to his word in teaching her how things worked. She had made the mistake of directly approaching a Bidoof in hopes of having Oshawott lower its health before she could safely catch it. She'd received bruised ribs as her prize.
"Thank you for being so dumb," Rei muttered with exasperation. "Come on, newbie. Every new scout learns that you have to catch the pokémon before it sees you. That's just common sense."
"Well, it's not common sense for me," Akari grumbled in response.
Her new partner, Oshawott, seemed to like the snow. Whenever they started walking, Oshawott would just slide around on its belly just like- Akari winced, her nose scrunching as a piercing headache rolled in behind her eyes. Just like who? A gentle tap from Rei chased the confusion away from her and she gave the question no further thought. She would pursue that thought later.
After making quick work of catching a Bidoof and nearly scaring off all of the Starlys on Aspiration Hill, Akari had finally managed to nail a Wurmple right on the back of its head. Finally, she was finished! Finally, she could go ho- no… no she couldn't go home. Not yet, anyway.
It was just after noon when Akari returned, Rei having snuck off so as to not be seen with her as she made her way up to the gates of the encampment where a group of scouts were waiting. Rei was at the back end, his eyes twinkling with mischief as he grinned at her before he went back to talking with an older-looking scout. She would be sure to thank him properly later.
"Miss Akari!" Professor Laventon emerged from the group, his smile radiant as he reached her. "Thank heavens! I knew you would do well but I was still ever so worried." His eyes scanned her over. "How are you feeling?"
"A little sore but okay." In a lower voice, she added, "Thanks for sending Rei. I couldn't have done it without him."
"Of course, my girl." And then Professor Laventon let his eyes wander onto the horizon. "I assume Miss Jakucho isn't far behind, yes?"
"Miss Jaku- Miss Jaku!" Akari had completely forgotten that she wasn't the only trial-goer in the fieldlands. "I- she's not back yet?"
"No. I'm sure that she should be coming in any moment now," Laventon cheered. "You should head to the medical tent. I know Rei's got medical training, but you have some traveling ahead of you. Best be well rested before we set off back to Jubilife."
So Akari did as Professor Laventon ordered and retreated into the encampment, and she waited, and waited... and waited. By the time the guards were rallying her to depart, the sky had darkened to a stormy gray and the snowstorm had worsened. A few of the guards were even setting down the slope carrying lanterns and barking orders. Rei had joined her and relayed some news.
The other stranger had never come back. Nobody had seen her in hours. Rei had gone looking but he couldn't find her tracks; the snow had filled them in. None of the clans had seen her either. As a matter of fact, Akari had been the last to see her. She tried not to think about it too much. Jakucho would be fine. She had to be fine. She also ignored the look on Professor Laventon's face when he said he'd be staying behind to wait.
February 1st, First Year
With a pair of hands guiding her along, Akari was taken to the very top floor of the Galaxy Team Headquarters. It was a dark and triangular room with a low roof and a ceiling window shut tight. Lit lanterns hung from the ceiling, casting light onto the multiple papers, maps, and framed items papering the walls. Only a clean desk and two uncomfortable looking chairs decorated the room.
Akari stood before the chair, Captain Cyllene standing in the frame of the door while Rei took up position on her left. They waited for the commander to arrive and they certainly didn't wait long.
Rei's nimble fingers dug into her back as heavy footsteps sounded on the carpeted stairs, an imposing figure making its way into the office.
"Commander Kamado," the captain bowed deeply. Akari was forced to follow her lead as Rei mirrored her move. "Our first candidate is back."
"Hrrm." He turned, his eyes dark with something Akari didn't recognize as he waved his hand dismissively. "You two-" he glanced at Rei- "are to retreat to the downstairs office. Go now."
"Yes, commander." With another deep bow, Captain Cyllene and Rei quickly and quietly exited the office leaving Akari to stand ramrod straight as her eyes followed the commander around the room.
He made his way to the desk and pulled out a few papers, his eyes not leaving her form as he began piling them before him. "Sit," he commanded.
Akari rushed to fulfill the order. Rei had mentioned a few things about the commander on their three-day journey to get here. She'd also heard some things from the other scouts upon their congratulations of her joining the corps.
Commander Kamado was rumored to be a paranoid man, one obsessed with safety and most importantly, one who openly discouraged relations between people and pokémon. He was also rumored to be a former warlord; that would explain his mercilessness toward herself and the other stranger if it had some merit to it. Some scouts had told tales of the commander being known to personally execute those who weren't fit to stay in Jubilife.
But Akari looked at the man before her and felt indifferent. Almost like she recognized him from somewhere… but where? It wasn't just him but Rei too. As a matter of fact, she'd run into a handful of people that seemed to shake something deep in her core. One of the scouts that had escorted her here was a blond-haired boy that seemed to be really good friends with Rei. What was his name again?
"It's actually Hiroyuki, but all my buds just call me Yuki! And don't you forget it! I'm gonna become the head of the Survey Corps, just you watch!"
The commander rose from his seat and cleared his throat, motioning for Akari to rise as he stood before her. His expression was hard to read beneath his permanent furrowed brows and thick facial hair. Nonetheless, he seized her up before rolling his shoulders back.
"So… it seems you have passed your trial," he began, voice low and sonorous. "Whatever has sent you upon us has not left your brains behind-" he paused, his eyes narrowed- "eyes forward, cadet." His voice changed and the pensive atmosphere in the room changed almost immediately. He moved out of her eyesight. "Well? What do you say after being given an order, cadet?"
"Y-yes sir!"
"Louder."
"Yes, sir!"
The commander moved back in front of her. "I revoke my last statement. Clearly, you are not from here. You seem to have no discipline for ranking at all. That will have to change. For the time being, I will allow you to stay here but you will work for my organization, is that clear?"
"Yes, sir."
"Your talents with pokémon are promising. You will be stationed in the survey corps. Your job is to assist Professor Laventon with his work. You will stay in the corps barracks and you will do any job that he requests of you. Is that clear?"
"Yes, sir."
"Do not disobey." Commander Kamado folded his hands in front of him, his eyes darting to the suit of polished armor in the corner of the room. "I have no room for disobedient scouts or layabouts. Any refusal to do work will result in your banishment." He moved closer, his face obscured by the shadows of night. So close that Akari could feel his stagnant breath on her face as he towered before her. "You may have been sent by a god but my rule here comes first. You'd do best to remember that."
"Yes, sir."
"Now-" he turned swiftly, hands behind his back- "leave my office. Captain Cyllene has your orders."
Akari quickly bowed and took her leave, shivering as the commander's gaze never left the back of her head until she had made it to the second floor. Her mouth was dry and the headache from before pounded ceaselessly behind her eyes, making her vision fuzzy. Something was so wrong about… whatever that was. Whatever it was, Akari was grateful to be leaving the headquarters.
