Chapter One: The Journey Home.
It had been ten years since I arrived in Hisui.
For my work I had travelled the vast plains, marshes and mountains of this new country; seeking out new places and creatures – I surveyed the land and sent my reports to my counterpart in Jubilife with pride and excitement as I helped to pave the way for a future I had once known, but forgot more with each passing year.
My Pokémon were my constant companions, fearless and daring. Espeon and Umbreon would keep me warm at night, trot alongside me during the day, and protect me from harm. We documented new species together, studying their habits and habitats in order to collate the data that we would fly back to the village and the survey corps, relying on Braviary to fly far and wide. Sometimes Rei would send some news back about our friends and the progress Jubilife was making in my absence.
Eventually, news came that I couldn't ignore – I read the small scroll next to the campfire, Umbreon's red eyes fixated on me whilst Espeon curled up at my feet, snoring lightly.
"Something's up," I told him, and he trilled at me in response. "I think we'll be making the way home."
I looked up at the sky, now still and covered in stars – so tranquil compared to when I'd first come here. I frowned – not quite able to recall if I had arrived by boat like all those others that had settled in Jubilife. Or maybe by convoy like the Ginkgo guild? The details were fuzzier and fuzzier to recollect.
I tucked myself under my blankets, and Umbreon curled up next to his sister. I had caught these two Eevees as pups in the Obsidian Fieldlands, scooping them up from under the rampant hooves of an Alpha Rapidash defending its Ponytas – probably enraged from my presence rather than theirs. As we travelled together, they evolved on their own. I was delighted to see that they had grown with me as family.
I snuggled down and closed my eyes, fond memories flooding my thoughts as I drifted off to sleep. I smiled.
My feet pounded the ground as Espeon skittered ahead, her small lilac paws making barely a sound compared to my heavy footfall. She purred encouragingly at me, her mauve fur glistening in the sunlight. Umbreon was more cautious; he remained close to me, his crimson eyes considering the familiar landscape.
We had walked consistently for days, forgetting our surveying of other Pokémon and our usual patient and meticulous data collection. They were stoical with my lack of speed – years before I would have called for Wyrdeer to carry us across plains and swamps, or asked Braviary for a smooth flight down from the mountains.
But I left my flute with Rei, I thought begrudgingly. It had been my choice; this was meant to be a journey of self-discovery as well as an excuse to find rare species. However, the instrument would have come in handy to speed up the torturous journey back to the village.
As I came over the crest that separated Jubilife from the Obsidian Fieldlands, I stopped to catch my breath.
The village was so… different.
It had grown bigger – spreading outwards in all directions and extending further down the coast. More fields for food provisions were surrounding the boundary, with people and Pokémon working together in the distance. Umbreon sniffed the air next to me, as Espeon circled the same spot ahead, her violet gaze seeking the familiar in a town that was now quite strange and alien to us.
"I wonder if our house is still there," I murmured; I could see the Galaxy Hall as reference.
The large copper statues that adorned the roof of the Hall had changed. From here I could see the Magikarp had presumably fallen into disrepair (or off the roof) and had been replaced by a ferocious looping Gyarados. It was a good metaphor – the town had evolved, like Pokémon. It was now Jubilife Town; village forgotten.
I progressed down the hill, admiring the rice paddies and the ploughed fields of grains and vegetables. Strangers looked up at me, not unwelcoming but definitely a little suspicious. When I had lived here, newcomers arrived mostly by boat, apart from friends from the Diamond and Pearl Clans.
As buildings started to pop up on either side of the track – farms and homesteads, mostly – I looked up at the wooden gate ahead. My heart moved faster as a familiar face was there, expectantly scanning the horizon.
"Ress!" I waved, my steps speeding up to a jog.
Umbreon trotted in pace, Espeon sprinting ahead to the guardsman that always stroked behind her ears in that way that she loved.
"Akari?" his eyes widened, and he began to laugh. "You're home!"
"I am," I confirmed, beaming as he scooped me into a warm embrace. "It's so good to see you!"
"And you," his smile lessened a little. "Though… under the circumstances…"
My own grin faded, and my chest felt heavy with worry as I remember why I'd come back in the first place. I shook off the feeling and reached up to touch Ress' greying sideburns.
"Shouldn't you also be thinking of looking after yourself?" I teased, and he brushed me off with a guffaw.
"Get in there," he nudged me forward, before giving Espeon a quick stroke from head to tail. "Rei will be beside himself with excitement."
I kissed his cheek and walked in under the roofed gate. The atmosphere changed almost immediately. I could see changes to the main street – now cobbled and with more lanterns ready to light the way at nightfall. Two more brick buildings had squeezed in next to the Galaxy Hall, each emblazoned with the insignia of the Pearl and Diamond clans.
The shopkeepers were the same, all calling out to the numerous passers' by regarding their wares. I looked down at my own tattered uniform; I'd have to pick up a new kimono and ask Cyllene for a new set of tunic and trousers.
Cyllene… Laventon… So many people I haven't seen, I could feel the nerves rising in my chest, making my heart beat faster.
I progressed forward, Espeon and Umbreon keeping close so as to avoid trampling feet.
"Are you guys sure you don't want to get into your balls whilst we're here?" I asked them, offered out their Pokéballs as refuge. "I don't want you to be trodden on."
Espeon sniffed the ball with disdain and snorted at me. She daintily turned her back whilst her brother looked at me face on in disgust. I shrugged and tucked the balls back into my pack.
Beauregard stood firm outside the Galaxy hall, as stoic as ever. Next to him was a little wooden stall – the Ginkgo merchants had put down some roots, it seemed. A permanent stop in their nomadic lifestyle.
Beauticia fluttered her wings with glee as she recognised my Pokémon through the crowd.
"Akari!" Beauregard shielded his eyes from the midday sun. "Is that you?"
He didn't pause for small talk and gestured me inside.
"You'd best see the Professor," he clarified.
I nodded and progressed into the hall in front of me. The large wooden doors were brightly painted with red lacquer and the brass knockers gleamed in the sunlight.
I looked briefly at my distorted reflection; I was a mess – same dark eyes and black hair, tied back in a hasty ponytail. Also, generally dirty from days of travel and sporting several bruises and scars from past accidents and Pokémon battles. Now I was blushing and becoming red and blotchy, not to mention the dishevelled state of my clothes.
I sighed; Laventon never worried about any of that, anyway.
He'd supported me and been my mentor since I came to Hisui. I vaguely remembered my feet on the sand of Prelude beach as his concerned expression hovered over the heads of his three Pokémon.
The entrance-hall of Galaxy hall was the same. Its crimson carpeted floors were a little worn, granted, and the walls were covered in black-and-white photographs of the Corps members. You could tell the excited grins of the Survey Corps from the focussed seriousness of the Security Corps or the sensible smiles of the Medical Corps. Pokémon alongside their trainers, ready to build friendships and bond over their work together.
I made for Captain Cyllene's office straight ahead, readying myself for the scrutiny I would meet. Umbreon and Espeon followed dutifully, noses in the air as they sniffed for familiar scents.
"Captain, I-!" I stopped short as I entered through the double doors.
The office was largely the same. Stacks of papers and records as high as the ceiling, awaiting sorting and filing. A large mahogany desk front and centre, also covered in papers and a couple of photo frames.
A brass nameplate shone at the front of the desk, though I didn't need it to recognise the young man sitting behind it.
"Rei!" I gasped, my hands covering my mouth, which had dropped open. "You're the Captain?!"
Rei stood from behind his desk, and I noted how tall he'd become. His dark hair was cropped close at the sides, but was a little longer on top. His dark irises looked me up and down – seeking something familiar in my own new appearance. His smile was the same; broad and beaming. His Pikachu hopped down from the desk and began to inspect my Pokémon warily – not recognising the evolutions in front of him.
"Akari!" Rei came out from behind the desk and strode across the room to pull me into an embrace. "I'm so glad you're here."
"The Professor?" I asked, looking around as if to spot him.
Rei's smile dropped as suddenly as it had appeared. He released me and crossed his arms.
"He's not well. I mean, really not well," he sighed like the weight of the world resided on his shoulders. "He's being cared for in the Commander's quarters – gives him some privacy and easy access for the Medical Corps."
I nodded, though to hear they were making such adjustments made me worry this wasn't a common cold. Rei gestured for me to follow him, and I obliged. We talked as we climbed – it seemed he'd been promoted to Captain a little while ago but didn't want to distract me from my own travels. Commander Kamado had settled on a little farmstead near Lady Cogita and both were amicable friends, despite their historical discontent for each other's attitudes towards Pokémon and Hisui's role for the future.
Cyllene had been the obvious replacement, and Rei noted she'd done well in organising the village and re-allocating land in order to not encroach too much on the Pokémon's habitats. He was very excited about the Onsen that was situated where the old farm had been and commented that I should definitely pay a visit. I tried not to show my embarrassment, but he noted my reddening complexion and apologised profusely.
"Sorry! Of course, I don't mean—you're well-travelled, sure, but you don't smell. I mean, maybe not like soap, but not in a bad way… Ah, I'll just stop."
We'd climbed the stairs to the top of the building, and Rei stood aside to let me enter.
I pushed open the door and looked around for my old friend.
The office contents were neatly allocated to a corner of the room. The rest had become a miniature home, with a cosy kotatsu and tea-station, and a large fluffy futon next to a bay window. Bookshelves were lined with records and manuscripts, but also photographs of Laventon and his friends – I blinked to see my own youthful face smiling up at me from one of the frames.
"Akari?" Laventon blinked at me, his dry lips cracking into a smile. "You're home!"
The sight of him and the word home brought tears to my eyes. I rushed to his side, kneeling beside the futon and holding his outstretched hand in mine. He was still wearing his silly purple bobble hat, but somehow looked frailer underneath. He turned his head to cough, a tissue pressed to his lips. When he turned back, his eyes were also glistening.
"It's been so long," he croaked. "I kept all of your letters!"
He gestured to a small bamboo basket next to the photograph of me on the shelf. I brought it down to his bedside, and he fondly began to flick through them, sitting himself upright against the many pillows Commander Cyllene had provided for him.
"This was my favourite," he chuckled, holding out a sketch I drew of Umbreon inspecting a baby Pichu. "The story about reuniting him with his family brought a tear to my eye!"
I smiled gently at him and resumed holding his hand. I let him chatter away, enjoying his company and his never-fading enthusiasm for Pokémon. He continued to talk until he wore himself out, and I tucked him back under the covers. He told me wearily that during the last winter a pneumonia had struck down a lot of the elderly, and he'd simply refused to believe he was one of them now. He'd tried to chuckle at that, but it caused a small fit of coughing. Fatigued, he drifted off to sleep, and I watched his chest rise and fall.
A hand rested on my shoulder, and I jumped.
I turned to see Cyllene, her blue hair tied back into a tight bun. Her uniform was black now, to reflect her new rank of Commander. She smiled at me and silently gestured me out to the balcony. I followed obediently, though I was reluctant to leave Laventon's side. Espeon stayed behind, curling up on a spare patch of warm futon.
"It's good to see you," Cyllene confirmed once she'd closed the door behind us. She held me by the shoulders at arms' length, examining my taller and leaner frame, my long and unruly hair. Her smile widened. "You look healthy."
That was the extent of her emotional outburst. I smiled at her.
"Congratulations on your promotion, Commander," I inclined my head, as her hands still rested on my shoulders.
She shrugged. "Someone had to fill Kamado's geta, and the Corps thought I would be adequate."
"More than adequate," Rei slipped through the door at the right time, though his voice was hushed so as to not disturb the patient inside. "Have you asked her, yet?"
I looked back to the Commander, expectantly. Cyllene released me from her grasp and began to pace in a small circle. She cupped her chin in her fingers, in thought. Finally, she stopped, sure of her next words.
"Akari, you know I wouldn't expect an answer straight away," Cyllene's gaze fixed me to the spot. "I understand you have sacrificed much for Jubilife and the Pearl and Diamond Clans. But… I need you to take over from the Professor, should his health fail."
I blinked – and my chest hurt. Pride and excitement blossomed at even being considered to teach others about Pokémon, and to coordinate their study. However, dread and fear at losing my mentor made me feel ashamed at even considering a position that was, and always had been, his.
"Oh… Well… I'm not…" my words failed me, and I began to open and close my mouth, looking akin to a Magicarp.
Cyllene nodded. "I wouldn't expect you to give me your answer straight away. I wouldn't expect any less from a Survey Corps specialist."
"Specialist?" I repeated.
"A ten-star member," Rei confirmed. "Think it over, Akari. We have time."
I looked back into the office, at the sleeping man on the futon. I'm not sure how much…