June 9th, First Year

Two months. Akari crouched low in the billowing tall grass, her eyes fixed on the large pokémon just a few paces ahead of her. She checked her pockets. Right, Mars was exactly where she needed her to be. Akari waited until the creature turned its back and then-

"Mars! Agile, Stomp!"

The alpha Rapidash thundered out from its ball and kicked the alpha Floatzel clear across the clearing. The creature shook its head, staggering before roaring in anger. Akari threw herself out from her cover, grinning. "Mars, Low Kick!"

The task had been finished in less than a minute. No sooner did Akari sneak up on the giant did she have it contained in a brand new pokéball. She was most definitely putting Volo's patented back-strike technique to good use.

She had grown used to the way newly caught pokémon would settle into their balls and did not flinch at how cold the pokéball became in her hand now. She straightened up, shaking the dust from her uniform.

Two months had given her ample time to sharpen her teeth and gain her footing as a fully-fledged survey scout. After aiding Warden Ingo in quelling Lord Kleavor, apparently, Commander Kamado had seen to give her a bit more slack on her metaphorical leash.

Now, the village folk weren't afraid to ask her for requests. Now, the shop vendors wouldn't spare her a second glance before peddling their wares to her.

And now that the Obsidian Fieldlands were cleared for scouting missions without the need for escorts, Akari had made a habit of staying out in the field for a long, long time. Nobody had questioned her. After all, she was Arceus' Chosen and Professor Laventon's golden goose. Any progress that she made toward leaving Hisui or serving the needs of Jubilife Village were good enough to her. And it'll have to be good enough for the villagers, too, Akari thought smugly to herself.

She took a seat on a nearby boulder, watching Mars graze along the riverbank. By noon, she'd be crossing into the Heartwood to study Combees. Doing her scout work just made the days pass by faster. That, and not having to put up with anybody else on her little scout missions. No matter what anybody said about her behind her back, her methods of completing her tasks alone proved highly successful.

Akari checked her pack again: restoration items, an extra sleeping bag, rations, a map and-

"Well, well, well! Aren't you a bit far from the campsite?"

"Mister Volo!" Akari perked up, whipping around with an accusatory glare. "You seem to have a knack for appearing out of thin air. Maybe you should be a scout," she commented shakily, tossing Mars a berry as the large pokémon came over to sniff at the blonde. "Your talent for sneaking up on me is incredible."

"Glad you know how to spot real skill!" Volo boasted smugly. He'd skipped poking her in the back like he usually did, instead just waving as he and his Togepi entered the clearing. He shook off his pack and slumped against a nearby tree stump, a lazy smile on his face. "And I already said you can just call me 'Volo'. No need for formalities." He set his pack down and began rummaging about in it, tossing a berry for Togepi to munch on. "It's a good thing I found you! And here I thought I would be all alone on my way towards Grandtree Arena with no friendly Galaxy Team scouts to protect me."

Sarcastic ass. Akari raised an eyebrow. "Poor thing," she mocked. "What are you going to the arena for? Peddling Warden Lian your wares?"

"That's correct!" Volo took out assortments and hunks of shiny stones, all sparkling with a different hue. "Found these on a trip to the Icelands last week. That child warden pays a fortune for these types of rocks and I don't blame him. Every item has its value!"

"Even if they're both useless and worthless?"

"Especially so!"

Akari shook her head at the man and began to gather her things up, recalling Mars. "You really brought all those heavy rocks down here just to sell them to him? How much does that rucksack weigh? Two hundred pounds?"

"Such a high number! I'm flattered, truly, but you'll have to guess lower." Volo cut her off before she could retort an answer. "I do have something specifically for you, though. I think you'll like it."

Akari shied away from the man. "Please. I couldn't take anything from you-"

"No, no! I insist!" he started, carefully grabbing one of her smaller hands in his (much bigger and strangely calloused) ones as he rummaged around in his pack for something. "It's a gift. I know you had to give up Oshawott, so I went ahead and found you another friend! I think you'll like this one."

Oshawott. Akari tried not to think about the tiny creature. She had tried, truly tried, getting along with the tiny creature but things only soured until Akari could no longer stand the feeling of its pokéball banging against her hip. It hadn't even helped her in the battle against Lord Kleavor.

She'd tried giving him back to Professor Laventon but since its evolution was needed to fill in the dex, she couldn't just return him. She had tried giving him to Rei and Yuki but Rei already had a Buizel and Yuki wasn't all that interested in the little guy.

She'd even tried leaving its pokéball out in the wild. It really did not like that and had waterlogged her clothes and sleeping gear for a whole week straight. It never stayed in the pastures. It never cooperated with her. It just hung around her like a ghost, refusing to just be normal.

So… Akari eventually lied and told the professor that she was leaving Oshawott in the pastures with the other pokémon that she'd caught. She had been desperate enough to the point where she 'accidentally' may have gotten Oshawott's ball dented shut by the swing of an Onix's tail. And maybe, just maybe, she sort of 'lost' the pokéball and Oshawott too. But she would never tell a soul.

Because nobody would ever know. Sometimes, pokémon managed to break free from the pastures. She'd already finished a mission in gathering a group of Bidoof that had managed to escape the farm and were making a snack of the village. Who's to say that if somebody were to notice that Oshawott was missing, that they would immediately assume Akari was up to something?

"Are you alright there, Akari?" Volo's voice was quieter than before, his eyes confused as he carefully grasped her shoulders and gave her a little shake.

"O-oh! No! No, I'm fine!" Akari responded, giving a nervous nod of sorts. "Sorry, I was just thinking about something else."

"…Okay then." Volo reached toward his belt and retrieved a pink pokéball engraved with a heart. It was a dainty little thing, the paint trims still shiny as though it had been freshly painted. Little sparkling gems littered the surface of the opening lid, catching the light of the sun.

He held it out for her. "You might consider this a challenge of sorts."

"O-oh? How so?" Akari stared at the ball and then at Volo. She'd never seen a pink pokéball before. Or maybe she had and there was some sort of connotation to the item that made her a bit uneasy receiving it from the merchant that she definitely had a crush on. Akari nearly fainted when she realized that Volo had been holding one of her hands this whole time.

The ball rocked gently in Volo's hands as he jokingly held it before her for Akari to inspect. Was there something inside? He then gently tossed the ball, smiling as a tiny pokémon emerged and looked around curiously at the pretty pink flowers. "I know it's just you, Mars, and Venus right now so I figured I'd catch you an additional little helper. This one's a doll. Isn't she cute?"

The little Glameow stared up at Akari with faint curiosity, weaving around her feet before sitting politely on the rock next to her, seemingly content with itself. This pokémon was familiar in a cozy way. She picked up the creature and almost immediately fell in love with it. This, she could work with.

"Mister Volo-"

"Volo," the blonde corrected her a bit more sharply. "Just Volo, my dear."

"Volo," Akari repeated, not quite sure how she felt about the change in formalities. "I don't know what to say…"

"I think a simple 'thank you' would suffice, but don't dwell on that. It's a gift! And a challenge," he smiled, adjusting the cap on his head. He stood to his full height, towering over Akari as a new air clung to him.

"A challenge?" Akari repeated, standing up on her own to try to match his sudden stance.

Volo lifted up his apron to reveal not one, not two, but three pokéballs on his belt. "You see, I quite like having pokémon as partners. I think it's rather necessary, actually." He unlatched one of the balls at his belt and caught it deftly, his friendly smile turning into a confident smirk. "To tell you truly, I want to see how much stronger you've gotten since our first encounter in Jubilife. I chatted some with that red-haired woman- the one who runs the security corps in Jubilife."

"Captain Zisu?"

"I suppose so." He snapped off one ball from his ball and caught it deftly, a sly smirk on his face. "You see, she mentioned that a good way to train up your pokémon is to battle with another wielder. What better way to do that-" he proposed, his head angling to shine in the light of the sun- "than to have a … friendly battle?"

A strong breeze blew a few strands of Volo's hair loose and by Arceus, did they shine as though they were made of woven gold. Akari watched as the man quickly fixed his hair, allowing his long locks to tumble down the sides of his face and ripple over his shoulders only to once again fix it into his signature dango look.

Fuck, he's hot.

Akari shook her head, trying to hide how flustered she'd began at the ideas that were starting to form in her mind. "I didn't take you for a pokémon wielder," she started, fumbling with Mars's pokéball. She stared at her reflection in the shiny stone of the cover and straightened up. "Don't think for a minute that I'll go easy on you."

Volo's smirk only deepened as he tossed out a Gible. "Ohh, I wasn't planning on it, my , let's see what Arceus' Chosen can do."

It was a close battle. Akari had won by a landslide with the new Glameow and a well-timed Slash. She recalled her exhausted partners, savoring the glint of surprise and anger in Volo's eyes as he recalled his own. She liked the look on him. She loved that look on him. It was much, much better than that overly-friendly exterior the man put on and if she were being honest, it was definitely a bit arousing.

"Much better than our first, eh?" Volo commented, stooping to heal his partners. "You're getting much stronger."

"That I am." At Volo's look of disappointment, Akari added, "Don't worry. We'll get stronger together and then I can continue to beat you."

"Hubris! Such hubris!" the man laughed, slapping his knee with a hearty guffaw.

"Are you mad that I won?" Akari teased. "Admit it! You're mad! Maybe next time, you'll win! Are you still going to Grandtree Arena?"

"I am indeed. Maybe you'd like to join me? As a matter of fact, I think having you along might just earn the warden's favor for something I'm working on."

Volo's darker tones pulled her in. "And what would you be working on?" she pried.

"I'll tell you if I can manage to get my hands on it. You'll find it interesting, believe me."

The two traveled in relative peace as they banked along the eastern side of the river, crossing into Deertrack Heights and then eventually down its southeastern slope. Akari had decided to name her new partner 'Saturn', finding the name fitting for an unknown reason.

Eventually, they arrived at the Heartwood. The sun was just beginning to set, giving the forest a cozy glow that made Akari want to stand around just a little longer. They'd managed to stop and make camp at least twice before finally, Akari recognized the path that they were walking along.

"Halt! Who goes there? Show yourself!"

Volo responded first. He took off his cap and waved as the duo came into view of the young warden. "It's just me, Warden Lian! Myself and Akari! I'm here with quite a few things you'll find interesting."

"Good evening, Warden Lian," Akari bowed.

Lian looked toward Akari. "I don't take it you're tryna' get more notes on Lord Kleavor, right? 'Cause he ain't here."

"Oh, that's too bad." Akari sighed and then looked pointedly at Volo. "Well, I guess I'm just escorting this tree over here."

"Don't be jealous of my height," Volo retorted, playfully scuffing up her hair.

It took an hour for Volo to finally finish peddling his rocks to Warden Lian, but finally he began to pack up his things. Just as Akari was getting ready to start leaving, Volo lightly elbowed her in her side and gestured toward Lian.

"Now, I hope you don't mind my asking," he began, "but would you happen to know if Lord Kleavor carries a plate?"

Akari stared at Volo. A plate? What did a plate have to do with anything? To her surprise, Lian Warden nodded.

"This old thing?" From one of the baskets wielding a flag, Warden Lian pulled out a large and heavily chipped olive-green plate. And not just any plate either but a bulky one. It was thick too. Looked more like a cutting board than a plate you'd eat food off of.

Volo beamed. "That's it! That's what we were looking for!" He moved forward to step in front of Akari and sent her a look. She wasn't quite sure what it meant but she didn't like the way it sent shivers down her spine.

"Why were you looking for this? This old thing's always been here. Not quite sure what it's made of but it was here long before I was. The previous warden never said anything 'bout it either."

"That plate you have there is crucial toward Almighty Sinnoh's Chosen One's quest," Volo stated. He turned toward her, still looking at Lian. "You've heard about the quests that Almighty Sinnoh has given to Akari here, haven't you?"

"I have."

"Well, this quest for seeking out all pokémon has to eventually be verified by Almighty Sinnoh and it mentions here-" he beckoned Akari's tablet from her- "that seeking out all pokémon also requires finding all the plates. They're connected to the Original One, those. Made from parts of him before he formed all of creation." Volo wiped at his brow and crossed his arms. "We're thinking that if we collect all seventeen of them and present them at the end of our quest, that it might just help our friend here return back to their rightful time. You see-"

"Alright, alright! I was planning on giving you the plate anyway, Akari. You don't have to talk my ear off about it." As he handed it over, he glanced away and rubbed the back of his head. "Lord Kleavor was gonna give it to either you or Warden Ingo anyhow but couldn't after you went and calmed him. Consider it his and my thanks. If it's what Almighty Sinnoh wants then you can use it."

"You won't mind?" Akari asked, gently taking the plate and sliding it into her bag.

"Not at all. Lord Kleavor doesn't need the plate because he's already too strong for his own good. It's just sitting collecting dust. Take it. You were more help in calming my Lord than I ever was. It's the least I can do."

"Thank you, Warden Lian. I hope this helps. And if not, I'll make sure to get this back to you." When they'd gone far enough so that Warden Lian couldn't hear, Akari whipped around to stare at Volo. "Is what you said true?"

"About the plates? All of it. But I didn't say everything." He beckoned her closer. "You see, there's nothing that excites me more than delving into ancient ruins and legends. The tale of the creator, Arceus, is the oldest of them all and the most cryptic. There are temples and statues scattered about Hisui that tell its tale, but they are all lost to time and are long-dead ruins. But you see, here's where our collaboration comes into play."

"Collaboration? Wait, wait, wait." Akari held up her hands to stop him. She could see his eyes practically twinkle as he lit the fire that would keep them warm for the night. "You want me- us- to collect the plates?"

"Yes, but for a very good reason. You see, if we present all seventeen of the plates and seek out all pokémon, there's a very good chance that Arceus will be summoned in a physical form. One that we can see and touch and hear. And don't you want answers for your situation? There's no guarantee that going back to your time will ever yield answers."

"You have a point there," Akari admitted, setting out her things, "but how will we find these plates?"

"I have a lead for the psychic plate- that one should be with Lord Wyrdeer or his warden."

"One of which has already been calmed so we have a good chance of collecting that plate."

"What do you say?"

"If it means getting answers, I'm in."