Chapter 29: Post Game Mission
- - - - - East Motostoke, Lower Tier of City - - - - -
- - - - - GGT: Galar Geomancy Therapy - - - - -
- - - - - 4 months after Syra's Victory - - - - -
Today was an attempt to see Haru come closer to terms of his past traumas so that he may properly heal from incidents he had endured. The soft-hued walls and portrait paintings of abstract art that hung in the office were starting to become second nature to Haru's sights. Taking the advice of his fiance to seek therapy, the young man already felt that the banal environment and doctor were helping him with just a few visitations. Laying on a couch that was more comfortable than those in his own home, he stared into the ceiling as an aura of zen enveloped over his mental constitution. His focus narrowed, then relaxed. Haru heard the doctor speak to him and invited him to answer on his own time, as she would join him on the mental battlefield for his demons.
"I hope the couch is comfortable today, because I noticed you walked in with a limp...are you feeling okay, Haru? Do you need some more time to reconvene?" the woman asked.
"No. Just a result of an exercise routine I've started with help of a friend. Thanks to him I've been able to get more fit, though it does leave me pretty sore." He commented. "So...I suppose since we talked about my mom just now, you want me to go through some of the stuff I was witholding last time?"
"A natural part of this process is me helping to guide you into taking the steps of healing yourself. I'm here to help you move on, and you're moving slowly. You spoke before on the last visit how you find yourself getting scared of future failures, and that this leads to your fear of losing Nessa. Can you tell me where these feelings of self mistrust started?" she had asked.
"I have been trying to not mistrust anyone, doc, but I can't see the future. I envy Pokemon who can. Knowing what went down before, I-" he retorted with a unwound tone before appearing nervous and biting onto a knuckle. "Pardon me."
The doctor, one named Victoria, was a beautiful green eyed lady with long blonde hair that grew past her back and tied to a ponytail towards the end, was ready to listen to him, pen in hand and stationary resting on her knee. "Please take all the time you need."
He bit his lip and took a deep breath, before exhaling. "Okay. The place where all these feelings of mistrust started is what you wanted me to start with, right? It may come as a surprise but...I guess becoming the person that Galar relies on makes me worried that the trust of others in me may be misplaced. In that regard I suppose it was misplaced trust in myself from both myself and from others."
Curling the pen through her fingers, Victoria replied softly. "You feel your accomplishments are more of luck and circumstance than of your own doing? But you had told me previously that you don't believe in fate when I asked about how you became the hero: that you did it of your own volition, and not by any prophecy or doing of any deity's plan."
Haru let out a weak chuckle. She was right; he did say that on their last visit. "I guess it's only something I agree with if I romanticize it enough on falling in love with Nessa." The smile faded quickly.
"But yes, I feel it is sometimes that people trust me when I shouldn't be trusted. I mean..." His eyes furrowed in self reflection. "How could I be? I'm not that valuable. How could I be?"
"I'd say we all have value. You don't truly think that do you? Is it actually you that you think doesn't deserve to be trusted, or that you shouldn't be giving trust to others? Perhaps...you find it harder to trust than you let on?" Victoria proposed.
"Crap."
"Hmm? Is something wrong, Haru?" His therapist asked.
"You hit it dead-on. Ever since coming here a lot of things have come back to me that I pushed out of my mind. When you asked me that question just now, it brought back something else. Before Nessa, there was someone that I was close to, cared for, and even loved deeply. But then they turned on me. It wasn't mutual between us: it felt like being bit by a snake or used by a master spy." He sat up slowly as his doctor saw Haru wore a vacant stare that seemingly aged him on the recall of the memory. "One day we were smooching and cuddling. We said we could take on life together, and then one day she's gone. Willingly left as if it was all some sort of ploy. She said it didn't matter."
He sounded confused, panicked, and stressed recalling it. "Before I knew it Hiro was also gone. To think so quickly I lost both her and my brother, my sole source of comfort..."
He rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Hiro was consoling me about losing her right along Hop." He blinked twice in realization and smacked his forehead. "Hop. Gods. I feel like such a dirt bag because I don't communicate enough or worry he thinks ill of me all the same. Like that maybe I 'favored' someone more than him."
"I'm certain he knows you love him as a brother, but also knows you loved Hiro as an older brother and best friend, Haru." Victoria said before writing down some notes. "Tell me more about this person who betrayed you."
"It was only a few years ago, not long before I decided to become a Pokemon trainer. My best friend at the time, Hiro, saw the aftermath of my emotional fallout." A physicality of the memory and the person behind it flashed through Haru's mind hit him. "Gosh. I didn't think I had so many things blocked out..."
"The strength of your affection, Haru, were they a lover that you would have considered at that time 'the one'?" Victoria asked gently.
Haru sighed in a manner as though one were becoming exhausted by exposing himself. "It may have hit my mind once or twice. We were close at the start. What do you doctors call it, the 'honeymoon period'? So anyway, things were okay. It wasn't like going from being a friend to girlfriend/boyfriend changed our dynamic. As a matter of fact, it helped that I grew up around her. Her name was Mila. She was a very intelligent person who could help me see the benefit in my own abilities and the others around her. She made Hiro feel less self conscious about some of his own quirks. That's something I wasn't even able to do as effectively."
Haru took a pause to breathe deep. "Knowing now that it was some constructed plan to merely pretend she felt for me isn't the part that hurts." He looked to the carpet. "It wasn't the hours of awkward silence between us that started creeping towards the end of the relationship that make me wince the most. It wasn't the few times that we had long talks about what we'd do once we set out for the Pokemon league together, only for her to snipe those plans by revealing she never cared about that at all."
"Then tell me Haru, please. What's scaring you the most from that time? What hurts the most?" the doctor asked gently.
His eyes tensed shut. "What hurts more is just the confusion she's left me ever since. The 'why' of it all."
The pen within Victoria's hand scribbled some notes lightly. "'Why' is often something we as humanity have struggled on many a thing from before Hisui times to nowadays. But let's switch focus for a moment. You told me you have been with Nessa for almost 2 years. When you are either intimate or not with Nessa, do you ever have intrusive thoughts where you worry something inside your mind or your past is still left back then? Do you feel that a part of you is still trying to wrestle for control of you?"
Both of his hands slammed to the top of his thighs. "Fuck! Arceus, yes! It wasn't a thing that happened when we experienced our first intimate night together, but I'd be lying to you doc if I said it hasn't happened recently. Sometimes I'm afraid of having something slip through my fingers again. I'm scared of her disappearing. Nessa's been the strongest anchor in my life: a strong woman who is of sound mind and body, and I'm just..." He growled at himself in frustration with both hands clenching then unclenching before shooting up from the couch and throwing a punch through the air. Victoria took note of how frustrated and pained he appeared.
"Shit! I'm some stupid redhead ball of irritability! Yet this 'redhead' is something that people think is a guy with all the plans and strength and I just...! NNGH!" He threw another punch and then sat down, feeling some tears well up in his eyes. "The strength I put out is a front!"
"We all put on a front to secure ourselves in our daily lives." Victoria spoke. "So you don't care if people think positively of you?"
"It...it's not that at all." Haru hesitated, huffing a little as he had to think.
Humming, Victoria nodded. "Because of your pain you think it's best to spread that back by refusing the help for your own sins you believe you committed? You're a Gym Leader, and will soon be a gentleman that's helping to bring a sanctuary. You've done so much good for Galar, but you lashed out before when you think people have the wrong idea about you. Either you want to be considered for your accomplishments, or something is holding you back. Why, Haru?"
As if bursting at the seams, Haru felt something come through. "I'm not trying-...Tch. FUCK! I'm not intentionally trying to be a dick by lashing out! People can love me for my accomplishments or not! If you ask me I think the reason I held back from being a dick is because I don't want to destroy my image I built up!"
The therapist raised a studious eyebrow at him. "Oho, is that so? But doesn't that go against your rebrand as a Gym Leader?"
"I mean..." Haru shook his head and felt himself explode from the inside out. "I haven't done anything worthy of note! The Gym Leader is my true persona, after all! Matter of fact, I'm pretty boring save for being an ex-Champion. Wait..."
He felt close to confusing himself all over and just letting his heart speak for himself. "How many people can say that they got all 8 badges because they thought could do it? Almost none! But not me! I knew I could dethrone Leon the second I set myself out, nicknamed my Scorbunny 'Goji', and took on Milo within 2 weeks of walking all those kilometers to his town! Feeling the music of the battlefield became petrolium for my legs to keep chasing that high! The past me helped gain the reputation I have today because I was, at one point, the best fucking trainer there ever was in Galar!"
"Then why are you so mad when you're rightfully relied on for your pedigree and congratulated for it? Would you rather see yourself as a spoiled boy who controlled his destiny or do you now think fate lent too many helping hands to make sure you became #1?" Tilting her head, Victoria asked, hoping to help him understand.
The rage came out finally as Haru admitted. "I did it by myself! Not by being handpicked by Arceus, not by being summoned for a special purpose, courted by a talent agency or president of a league, or tutored by any special mentor! I'm no prodigy! 'Haru' does not fucking do 'prodigies'! I became the best because Hiro wasn't there, and I had to do it for him! He didn't get the opportunity to see the world because he had it the hardest: more than anyone else! He was the definition of poor! Living in a shanty abode of a home where even the cheapest hotels in Galar would be a luxury, and where coming to visit me was a blessing I didn't appreciate enough! Him and I were going to see the world and buy our own cottage, or at the very least rent a flat together, but he didn't wake up one morning so that didn't happen. He should have just moved in with me! Mom was going to ask him. WE were going to ask him together!"
Haru pulled at his hair for a second then let go. "Ever since I journeyed from that tiny town in Wedgehurst, I thought maybe I could hate myself less if I got to be a better trainer. If I didn't become that, then I would be breaking my promise to him! Not by Galar, but by my own self would I have then considered 'Haru' nothing but dead weight!"
He panted after getting that all out of his system and then blinked twice before his eyes widened in horror at what he admitted to himself. "I..." Both eyes started welling up. "I would be dead weight...?"
Victoria took extra cautious note of how Haru looked around himself when he said those words.
"I..." Biting his lip as he choked for a moment, Haru's eyes shut. "I would be dead weight...because I did it all for him."
Seeing the deep hurt within the patient before her, Victoria took a breath. "I think it's important that you reflect on the fact you did what made you feel human at the time. You're angry, but you were doing this with the intention to survive." Victoria noted, smiling.
Listening to what she said, Haru took slower and deeper breaths.
The doctor turned to another empty page of her stationary and looked back to him after writing down a divet of notes. "This deep-rooted pain of Hiro comes back ever so often, but what about the opposite of you, Haru, hmm? Let's circle to the woman you love, and I want you to think about what makes you happy about her: we can go back to the Hiro regret afterwards, okay?"
Growing shameful by his outburst but all the same feeling comfortable, Haru replied "Yes. Okay, I wouldn't mind talking more about Nessa."
"Nessa makes you feel safe, though right? She is your 'healer'. You described her as a warm blanket disguised as a swimmer who wrinkles her nose when you tell her bad jokes...all before laughing with you on them. Has she seen you at any of these dark moments you're telling me?"
Immediately Haru thought of when Nessa came to his aid and held him when he was having a panic attack before they were even a romantic couple, and when she stood by him after the hoodlums broke into his mother's house, causing him to go into an unforseen rage on them. With another attempt to make himself at home, Haru removed his glasses once he sensed he had to shield any tears from going down from his eyes. "Yeah. Even before we were together, Nessa was receptive towards me. She was there when I had a bad anxiety attack during an autograph signing, and walked me back to my table when I got better. She's just fantastic~. Interesting how life works sometimes where one day you think she's a good friend, then another she's too good for you AND out of your league, then SHE ends up being the first one to hit on you. Hah." He found a spot on the ceiling to zone out to and think about all the good feelings Nessa gives him. "That woman has caught me in the middle of second guessing myself. With the exception of Syra, Nessa's there to see me and make me feel safe even at my worst. But the doubts never seem to leave me. It's haunting, and to a lesser effect, very annoying."
"Do you and her fight due to your negativity?" She asked.
She saw Haru pull downwards on his cheeks. "No, but I can tell she's trying harder to help me heal."
"Is that so? What's an example?" Victoria asked.
"Small signs of love language. She'll show up to my Gym with some leftover food she made at hers, or even bring some from our home, for example. Squeezing my hand when I'm around the house. Small random pecks on the cheeks when I don't expect it because she finds my reactions funny or 'cute'." He looked to the floor with a genuine smile from those instances. "It really helps a lot."
Suddenly Haru stopped talking as though an epiphany was on the cusp of occurring. "You know...maybe the pains I feel aren't even about my dumb ex. Maybe it really ties back to me asking why Hiro died. I'm still blaming myself for not helping him in some way to avoid dying like he did."
"Death comes for everyone. Even if we are not ready, our time is still 'our time'. Was Hiro the kind of man who understood this?" Victoria asked.
Feeling himself grit his teeth and shut his eyes, Haru fondly remembered a conversation the pair shared about life, growing old, and the like.
/"I'm not afraid of dying, dude. I'm just worried about what'd happen to you."/
Squinting his eyes harder, Haru inhaled slowly as a tear leaked out. "Yes he was...because of course he was that kind of person who believed in reincarnation. He said once he was more worried about how I would react to him dying rather than the act of dying himself...and now that's a bit too close for comfort."
Before his therapist could inquire on something else, Haru continued. "If I was so wrong about that ex girlfriend of mine, about Hiro being healthy, about someone like Milo having a grudge against me, about Rose being an associate for my career, how can I be right about anyone? God! Hiro had all the right ideas! All of them! If he was still here he'd-!"
"He'd what, Haru?" Victoria asked.
"He'd...I don't know. He'd know what to say. He always knew! Hiro had a problem with shutting himself down a lot and thinking he was dumber than he was, but the guy was older than me and knew a lot more about...uh..." using his hands to gesture opening books and writing in them, Haru tried to piece his memory together. "About camping, weaponry, the legacy of his family, HECK! I don't even know anyone past my father! He understood his own and how they came to Galar! His love of history led him to help me see things I could never see with anyone else!" Haru began to shout without himself knowing, and Victoria took note of the change of attitude.
She saw him stand up and put his face into the palm of his hands, then sit back down. "Hiro knew things I couldn't think about, and it's thanks to him I got to enjoy those things before I became a Pokemon trainer! My mother may have been a vet ever since I was a baby, and my being around Pokemon may have led to my interest into getting into the league, but Hiro was the reason I chose to pursue it. But he's..." Once more with feeling, Haru grit his teeth and exhaled. "He wasn't able to see me act on it. Hop may be known as the brainiac he is now, but he was inspired by Hiro to be better. He did all these things for me, Hop, and Mila of course: everyone except himself! I wish he knew that I loved him so fucking much like a brother and he was an amazing guy who was only held by circumstances. There isn't even more than a couple of candid photos to carry around back at my house. I may have a child one day and they'll see only a few photos of him, yet my ability to remember things I experienced with him are dwindling."
He began to sob a little. "What kind of friend am I if I can't show photos of him to my future kids? If I forget stories about my times with him?" His hands folded onto each other and clenched. "What if I keep shutting away from doing things because I can't have fun with them out of a sense of guilt? How do I get rid of feeling guilty for enjoying things, doctor Victoria? Please..."
With a lull after Haru said that, Victoria looked at him with a serious expression. "You have a severe case of Survivor's Guilt plaguing you from the passing of your friend, and the unresolved depression from losing not just him but also someone you once cared deeply for is what's holding you back from moving on. Haru, as a professional I'm usually one to say that our actions are what define us and that currently moving from the past is only a losing game. Here, however, I would say you should instead not let go of that past. Keep remembering everything you know so that we can work together to get through this next stage of your life. You may not believe me, but other memories will come to you when you least expect it. I believe in that."
She waited for Haru to look at her in the eyes and understand where she was going before continuing. "In addition, I want you to see that your obsessive nature to bewitch yourself with these thoughts may lead to history repeating itself. Which is something neither of us want for you." She sat up straight while noticing Haru had began gritting his teeth. Appeared she got a direct 'hit' on his psyche. "With that all being said, though...you're improving. Last time when we were speaking of your mother you could only bring up a few events to contrast the narrative of your support network. I had a smaller idea of you then, Haru. I don't now."
She gave him a patient smile. "Haru. You are a strong young man who has overcome intense amounts of adversity. You may not see the end of the bridge of which you're crossing now, but it will be coming up soon. I only ask that you allow me to guide you through it, and maybe let someone like Nessa assist you to the other end."
Tears just dropped from his cheeks as Haru stared back, muted, and nodding.
"You are not to blame for your pain. You are valid for feeling it, and I'm sorry that happened to you."
Haru looked from side to side; his eyes ricocheting like balls on a billiards table. The tears kept streaming while he began combing through his hair from the front towards the back. The doctor offered him the tissue box, and he took one. "I love Nessa more than life itself. I don't want to lose her...I don't want to lose anyone anymore."
The doctor offered a patient smile. "Keeping those that we love close to us is an exercise all parties must engage in, and we must always be sensitive to change. It's not easy, but it is worth fighting to keep going." She looked to her notes and hummed. "Here is something I want you to do once you get back home, okay? I want you to work on re-affirming yourself so you can start healing. Write down notes telling yourself that nothing she did was your fault. Put those in places where you will commonly be. Continue increasing your support system. Do you talk about these with anyone other than Nessa?"
"...you're actually the first one I've told about my ex." Haru admittedly with some shame.
"So let's work on opening those doors for Nessa first, okay? We can work on letting others in as you keep coming to see me. How's that? Be open and earnest with her: tell her what I told you okay?" Victori said, smiling. Her eyes scanned to the analog clock that was hanging above him on the wall. "Oh my. We still have 10 minutes left. Do you want to end your session early?"
Haru shook his head slowly, wiping his eyes. "Can I stay here until my time's up?"
Victoria gave a gentle smile. "Of course."
"Y'know...I know you're a therapist so it's kind of the point to tell you these thoughts of mine." he slowly raised his head up to look at her. Both of his eyes were reddened from disclosing so much to her, but his words spoke the opposite. "But for some reason I feel like I can tell you anything at all."
One of her eyebrows raised and she kept her smile before leaning on one of her hands. "Is that so?"
He nodded. "Yeah. It's almost like even when I didn't know you...that somehow we've already known each other."
That answer satisfied her to the point she smiled more as a person rather than a doctor. "Perhaps we have in another life..."
Exiting from the building, Haru waved to the doctor from her office and stepped outside, rubbing his nose a little. He managed to unload some thoughts that had been building up in his mind, and felt revived by the clear skies of Motostoke. Haru hadn't understood what it meant when scholars referred to nostalgia as something evoking both happiness and sadness at the same time. More than once he was aware of its meaning and why it did, but until recently had not considered the truths until his visits with his doctor. Telling her about the combination of memories revolving his own ex and Hiro brought back the time after Hiro and Hop found out the news.
/
Hiro and Hop walked up to where Haru sat on one of many of Wedgehurst's hills that overlooked the Wooloo-borne fields, and saw their friend's forlorn expression. Staring off into the twilight evening, Haru had since removed his glasses and had a tear-stained face. Sniffling and then turning away when he saw the pair approach him, Haru shamefully hid his gaze. "I'm sorry you two. I haven't been the best of friend to either of you when she was around, and now I can't take back what I did."
"...what?" Hiro said, sounding confused, and then slapping a hand on the back of Haru's shoulder, eliciting a yelp. "What the fuck are you talking about man? I'm the one who failed you! I had a bad feeling about her before and I just didn't say anything at all!"
"That goes for me too. I'm sorry." Hop said, frowning, being the first to sit down with Haru, who still wasn't looking at either brother in the eyes.
Quietly both of them would be rubbing Haru's back.
"We were all going to go through the Pokemon league together...and now she's..." Haru murmured, biting his lip.
"Not a part of it anymore. But we 3 are." Hiro said, smiling and turning to him. Haru finally looked up and nodded slowly.
Diverting some of his red hair out of his eyes, Haru said in a hushed tone, "Sorry. I don't usually cry in front of you guys unless it's some anime we've binged and there's a sappy ending that gets to me."
"Do you need time alone?" Hop asked, giving an idle pat on his friend's shoulder.
"Nah. I'm not going to push you guys away now that you're here." Haru said before raising his head. "Could go for some pizza right 'bout now though."
"I'll treat." Hiro happily butt in, raising a left hand.
Jerking his face to Hiro in surprise, Haru blinked. "Huh? Since when did you...?"
Almost as if he were a scheming Meowth, Hiro seemed too pleased with himself. "Been saving it for a rainy day. What about you Hop?"
"A pizza would be rather smashing right about now." Hop replied, pursing his lips and nodding twice.
"Wicked! Then let's go, dude. C'mon. There's this great place in Motostoke my dad introduced me to the other week." Hiro smiled while helping Haru to his feet. The group walked off towards a Corviknight cab and waved the cabbie down, and for the first time since the betrayal, Haru smiled.
/
/I was a git during that dinner. Going in between crying quietly and munching on pizza. But you didn't make me feel bad for doing it, Hiro./ Frowning, Haru thought to himself as a tear streamed down his cheeks as the memory came up. "I should call Hop and pull him away from his internship from Sonia and get some pizza...and catch up." He said, bringing out his rotom phone. Haru saw the current time and noticed something else come up which left him gormless. A message from Syra via text showing a simple handwave. "Huh...she doesn't usually text just emojis."
He dialed her and looked off into the distance as he noticed a couple of Pokemon landing into the canal nearby. "Hey, what's up?"
...
"Wait WHAT!?"
- - - - - Somewhere - - - - -
- - - - - The next day...- - - - -
"Sorry for the sudden disappearance, Mom, but I hope you understand..." Syra spoke to nobody: quietly monologuing in thought as the sounds of the jet engine deafened her words to other passengers down the aisle. Peering to look through the window on her right, Syra laid her forehead against the rim and watched as Galar had become nothing but a tiny anthill before disappearing across the horizon. The 1st Class ticket she bought was a sound choice, and although she grew to love the Corviknight powered Air Taxis, traveling by Galar Airways was an improvement on all accounts. /I hope that the others will forgive me for the sudden exit./ She thought to herself before looking back down at the phone. It wouldn't have service, but if it did, she would most likely have a bunch of messages filling up her inbox. The thought of that left her with a snarky grin on her face. /This is the first time in my whole life that I've been able to go somewhere on my own accord without worry of time or having a goal in mind. I'm just doing this for the enjoyment of going./
Leaning back onto the headrest, Syra closed her eyes while the pilot reminded all passengers of the trip of the snacks and drinks available. Tilting her cap downwards, and leaning the seat back slightly, she rested her eyes and took a deep breath. /I wonder if Haru has to tell himself to do this more often than he lets on./ Her mind wandered thinking about that for only just a moment, but decided it wasn't worth thinking on for too long. The comfort of the ride in the skies was enough to lull her to sleep quickly. /...I really like how these planes naturally dim the lights when flying. It makes the ride so...much...more...comfy./ The new Champ would drift off to sleep soundly.
It wouldn't be until another 12 hours before she would be landing.
- - - - - Back at Galar - - - - -
Four months have passed since the crowning of Galar's newest champion. After a busy month of being showered with support, sponsor deals, prize money, and adoration from her peaking fanbase, Syra would retreat from the limelight in privacy. Asking her own mom to help her out by being a manager: saying she'd pay, much to Amiri's chagrin. Appearing with Wyndon's Board for the Pokemon League, Amiri, who found out only after a note from her daughter, spoke short and to the point on a possible lack of appearances from the Champion from that moment to the league. 'The Champion is taking time to herself, and as such, will return soon. Thank you for understanding. There will be no further comment'. Before departing across the globe, Syra had simply told Haru via phone call 'After working so hard to reach my goal, I'm going to finally take a break with a well deserved vacation. I'll be back soon. Tell the others that I hope to see them all soon.'
Haru relayed to Nessa the news, and afterwards passed it around to the other Gym Leaders, Sam, and Sevan. /Without Syra around for a bit means that'll give Nessa and I more time to plan for our own future./ Haru thought to himself, putting the note on one of the counters in the living room space. As much as his defeat gave him peace, he knew that he couldn't rest on his laurels. Since the league's season had finished, Haru's Sanctuary was well under way to finishing its first phase of development. Ergo, Haru would be back to work aiming for a new goal just within his reach.
The Wild Area's West Lake Axewell was chosen for LanaHiro Sanctuary's home. It not only had become the tentative home of not just wild Pokemon within the area, but now included a new road that led to where the sanctuary would be built. The sanctuary would stretch past the cliffside all the way to the sea behind it.
Picking a spot that wasn't occupied by another town was a task in of itself for Gyms, but the Sanctuary's spot came after far less debate. At the centerfold of the locale was the starting construction of a large tower that would oversea the multiple biomes where Pokemon would roam: free of trainers and poachers alike and battles of all kind. Hanging on a sign at the construction site was a blueprint overhead schematic shown where the Nursery, R&D, Adoption Center, and Breeding Facilities were to be made. Next to that was a separate schematic pointing out the designated living spaces where Land, Water, Underground, and Air Pokemon would be residing.
Having proposed the idea to make a simple footpath from his hometown leading to the sanctuary was an easy approval process, so there would be no qualms on how to arrive to said sanctuary. Whether travel through The Wild Area, a rail, or via pedestrian, it was to be made accessible to as many as possible. The idea, Haru stated, is to give normal people a general glance of what a haven would look like where Pokemon are not afraid to live their lives as is; closer to the way how those in ancient Hisui would take care of Pokemon. Less 'Pokemon in boxes or daycare' and more 'Pokemon simply on the other side of waist high fenceposts'.
Previously, in a conversation with the investors of his sanctuary, and Oleana, Haru stated "I want to make this place less of a zoo exhibit and more of a home to Pokemon that just happens to have paths that allows normal people to view their daily lives. This isn't a place where I want to glorify them or put on an 'act' or anything at any point: a mere 'peek' into their lives. I'm not trying to bother these beautiful and fascinating beings by having myself and my staff there, I just want to more peacefully co-exist with them."
He shared an illustrator's concept sketch of visitors walking in a dimly lit aquarium, looking at aquatic Pokemon swimming around them. "We're also planning to, at the very minimum, give guests guided tours through an underground walkway to see the Pokemon swimming in the manmade lakes or the sea behind the sanctuary, an overhead bridge scanning the Pokemon who climb through the trees or fly about actively hunting for prey, or the ground level biomes of differing types be they forest, desert, or otherwise. That's what I'm aiming for with the common visitor. Maybe they'll see one of us taking care of a pregnant Nidoqueen, maybe they'll see us feeding the Spheals, maybe they'll spot me cleaning the Eevees.". He had made his stance clear, and it gave the bigwigs more confidence in where they were going with this new endeavor.
"...and , the registered title is 'LanaHiro Pokemon Sanctuary', yes? A namesake-driven dedication, I wager?" asked one of the gentleman in the meeting.
Going tightlipped but straightening his posture more, Haru confidently nodded. "It's to honor my mother who's raised me with the love and initial 'spark' to get me to care for Pokemon..." he had to purse his lips before continuing. "...and for my brother, Hiro. If not for his influence before his passing, I wouldn't have been the man I am today." Oleana, who sat parallel to him, saw Haru swallow the lump in his throat and nodded along with him in confidence.
She would respond for his behalf to make up for the rest. "As Haru has stated before with his intentions being very clearly laid out, we want to go beyond simple Day Cares and Hospitals. We've considered moving beyond. LanaHiro will not just be for enhancement and protection of Pokemon livelihood for their day to day needs, but research into making sure we can gain a better understanding of them. Our previous Chairman, Rose, sought to fix our future energy crisis prematurely, and I have a scientist-borne team not of Macro Cosmos origin that will make sure decisions like that are not made lightly anymore. One such specialist will be arriving here soon to argue a case for some extra renovations, and of some other points she would like to bring up of vast importance. Despite this, you don't need to be here for those Haru: I'm aware your schedule is already busy. I'll be overseeing that discussion with said specialist."
Haru gave it a handwave. "I trust it'll go fine without me!"
The Chairman continued. "Mmm. Rose's administration left us with new shoes to fill, and I've been doing my best to help us make sure both of those are still filled with the proper staff. Haru has shown us repeatedly that he is capable of taking on new ventures, and I am prepared to give him the appropriate staff so he can do his job. I dare argue it'll help renew our strengths to the other projects in Galar as well."
Haru blinked a little and looked to her. "...ma'am?"
"It's of no consequence to say this, Haru, but yes, your push for this is also going to help us mutually continue our expansion of possible, how we say it, trades, into the Crown Tundra. The Isle of Armor is a protected space currently resided by one ex-Champion Mustard, and his wife, Honey." She commented. "...she is a peculiar businesswoman, and one that of which we are trying to cooperate."
Thinking back to the day he went to the Isle of Armor with his friends, Haru recalled how he was approached during that day to consider joining the training dojo there, but that he would 'see about it' one day in the future. Perhaps that day would come sooner, than later. /Right! I remember there being a dojo. Wonder what it's like...?/
As the radiowaves and broadcasts put out the need for professional Pokemon researchers, physicians, scientists, caretakers, security, logistics, managers, and secretaries, the interest for the first legitimate effort in conservation of Pokemon livelihood in Galar exploded. Applications surged to the P.O. Box that was linked to Haru's Sanctuary, so he had to ask some help in filing and sorting through it with Syra's childhood friend and previously rescued scientist, Holly. Looking up from the stack of papers and adjusting her glasses, the woman took to her to-be boss with a stern face. "Have you been focusing on only this for the past week?"
Seemingly confused on the nature of the question, Haru squints his eyes and turns his head to the side. "I went through a few stacks before ultimately asking for your assistance in between planning my wedding. Matter of fact, Nessa and I are going to be visiting 3 of our possible 5 remaining venues for reception soon."
Holly looked up to him as she readjusted her glasses further up the bridge of her nose. Haru squinted again at the manner of her expression. "Am I not supposed to be? I want to make sure it all goes through just like how my Steel Gym came to be."
Holly idly thumbs her lips a bit to help sort through a stack of paper and looks at it with a studious expression. "I was about to chastise you a little on your preemptive eagerness to hop back in on a new adventure, but I should know better by now not to make such assumptions." She folded her arms over the other and gave a huff. "Sorry. I know I can have faith in you...but I also got to learn my place."
"It's okay, honestly. I don't hold it against you." Haru responded, shuffling a little in place as the woman then looked back.
"Speaking of, your to-be-wife let me know ahead of time to not let you get too involved today." Holly looked over to the other, but smaller stack that Haru had worked on up until that moment. She held up a finger before Haru could interject. "She wants you to do what you can to not overstress and risk a 'fall'."
Haru hissed a bit with the pain of the reminder of that fateful day where he fell ill due to stress, causing his lover to worry on his condition. "Right. I suppose if that's how she put it, then I'll follow suit." Bringing out his Rotom Phone, he was suddenly acutely aware of the time. /Guess it's a good sign that I checked now. I have to meet up with Mom./ "You'll be fine then? Doing this all by yourself?"
Holly exhaled through her nose and finally showed him a patient smile for once. "Haru. I couldn't be happier that I am genuinely helping someone trying their best to increase the livelihood of Pokemon everywhere instead of taking my intellect for granted and making me watch over horrid experiments. Unlike when I was working for Team Rocket, I don't have any illusions about what I'm doing. Something that's mundane like this for most people is my current 'zen'..." Her mind flashed back to a scene where, in Giovanni's ego-boosted megalomania, cross-species interbreeding was forced upon someone Team Rocket had captured in the same week as the organization was working on macro-analyzing the Dynamax Phenomenon. She shook her head.
"I've...still got a ways to forgiving myself. Let me help you by giving you time to do other things you need, okay?" The dark blue haired woman said looking up to him as he exhaled and nodded.
"Right. I can't imagine what Giovanni put you through, and I've still not gotten fully past being the reason you had to take up such a mantle of responsibility." He squeezed one of his hands into a fist.
Chuckling weakly, Holly handwaved to him while looking down at the papers. "Haru, you're the hero of Galar. Apologizing to me is something I don't want you to do anymore to someone like me. We're both damaged, and that's okay. Now move on. Go."
- - - - - Hammerlocke, Boutique, 10 AM - - - - -
As the sign outside a small building said 'Closed for Private Party', inside the lone boutique store in Hammerlocke were a few women on the hunt for the 'right' dress. Nessa and Hestia had both their arms crossed, looking to each other and occasionally remarking on the type of aura the dresses gave. The mother, one named Talia, was probably the one most helpful. "You'd think that someone who has been in modeling photoshoots would be able to pick out something less complex like a wedding dress easily." Hestia teased. "But then again, this is for your special day...so no wonder you're looking at these dresses over so studiously."
Nessa just hummed a response, deep within thought as she thumbed one such wedding dress.
"Are you sure you really need us here, Nessa? You're a model, but you should give yourself credit for your eye for details." Hestia insisted.
Looking up from checking out one of the more regal-like dresses, Nessa raised a brow to her work partner. "Don't go telling porkies, I may be a model but for something like this I keep thinking of another 'mood' I want to represent once I put one on. It bugs me. My thoughts keep changing once I put one on, or press one against me." She walked to the tall mirror and posed while stretching out one of the sleeves to give herself an idea of what it would look like fully on herself. At this point in time the bride-to-be had made a few divided sections on hangers near them: 'no', 'maybe', and 'maybe-maybe'...with the latter having only 2 dresses on it.
Talia walked to stand next to her daughter, which prompted Nessa to ask her something. "Were you struggling to come up with the perfect dress when you married dad?"
The woman folded her arms and looked at her daughter before being handed the current dress in folds. "I had a few dresses in mind while doing a bit of 'window shopping' once our relationship hit 'that stage'. From that point until the day I tried on my own, I had 'the one' in mind. Then as soon as I tried one, I ended up not vibing with it like I had previously." she laughed it off, with Nessa looking on in surprise.
"What was it, then? You just blindly chose one until you felt the 'right' one pull you in?" She asked, now turning her head to a few of the remaining dresses that the group had brought in for Nessa to trial for herself. Momentarily she would furrow her brow. /Haru has the easy part of this shindig. All he has to do is just find a fitting tuxedo, pants, and shoes, and he's settled./ Her thoughts carried her to think of everything else that had to be done before the two were wed.
"Nessa?"
"Hmm?" She whipped her head back to see Hestia and Talia looking back in slight concern. "Did you hear me, dear? You looked like you zoned out for a second."
Sighing and raising her shoulders, she nodded. "Sorry. Just..." She could only curl and uncurl her hands in a show of physical exasperation. "Had a dumb thought where Haru has the easy part of this while I don't, but that's not fair of me to say." Nessa replied, walking over and picking up one of the remaining dresses, and deciding to try for another 'full on' trial of seeing herself wearing it and then reflecting.
The pair of friend and parent watched as Nessa disappeared into one of the changing rooms and waited with baited breaths.
Walking out from the dressing room and keeping her back straightened, Nessa looked to her modeling friend and mother, who went quiet. She had heard her mom inhale her breath sharply. "Mom...?" she asked with a strain of concern in her voice. The parent, who had been doing what she could to help her daughter find a good dress, suddenly choked up with emotion.
"I-I'm fine." Talia insisted. The girls had been there for only a short bit, so Talia had gotten out a lot of the emotions off her chest just seeing Nessa try on wedding dresses in the first place. There were multiple times that she could only bite her lip and nod in response.
Having not turned to look in the reflection yet, Nessa didn't feel the air of uncertainty like she did baring the others. A few paces forward and then pivoting to her right, and Nessa was face to face with the visage of the possible future. Looking back at herself, Nessa saw as the dark woman who stared at her was adorned in a way no photoshoot had ever done her own appearance before. Her mind had already automatically filled in the blanks by adding a veil and accessories in her reflection. An air of quiet had filled the room between them as the Water Gym Leader took several deep breaths. Moving her hands over the other and acting as if she were holding Haru's hands, she pursed her lips in thought. This could very well be what he sees.
"...I do."
Nessa felt her heart skip a beat as a smile began spreading. She continued the small roleplay to further the 'feel' of the dress in her mind. "I do take this man, Haru, to be my lawfully wedded husband." Inside, her chest tightened. Her eyes glazed over feeling a rise of emotion hit the back of her throat.
Turning to the women before her, Nessa gave a relaxed smile. "I'm going with this one. Wh-hey! Mom are you okay?" She asked, looking to see said mother silently sobbing her eyes out, with Hestia giving a smile much in the same manner as the model friend of hers.
Wiping her eyes as Nessa went in for a hug, Talia took a deep breath to regain her composure. "I'm fine, but seeing you come out in this dress with such confidence, I don't know what came over me. You're so grown up..."
"If there's anything that you need me to do to this for the wedding, let me know. I want to make sure this big moment is one of my better achievements." Hestia said, looking to Nessa, who erred on the side of confidence.
"Thank you. I don't think there will be much you'll have to do." She glanced back and walked to the mirror before turning her hips to try and see herself from different angles. "Haru is going to absolutely melt on the spot." She said to her friend and mom with as much confidence as possible.
- - - - - Earlier that same day, Stow-in-Side - - - - -
- - - - Break Room, Fighting Gym Side of Stadium - - - -
While the League came to a close for its off-season, Sevan had been courted with some help through his friends to work as Fighting Gym Staff. Neither a Trainer, nor Gym Leader-in-training, Sevan would help do his part making sure morning amenities were set. Alongside the countertop were several small bags of his materials that he brought with him: coffee beans to brew, fruit to snack on, sleep mask, and his personal belongings. A few of the others from the Fighting Gym would walk by and temporarily forget that they got someone new.
'He looks familiar...' one of them would mutter as they peered in then walked past the opening to the room.
Cursing under his breath, Sevan looked to Fen, who was behaving...for now. "Only a matter of time before some shit starts again and people will spread rumors of me." /I can't catch a break./
She yipped at him then shook her head like a dog who was put in a curt mood. "Don't sass me. You ate, and the berries in the bag are mine."
He was cut off nearly mid-sentence. "Morning, Sevan." Bea said, bowing as she entered through the door, looking at the slightly hunched over individual. She could spot him from the purple-and-white half hoodie and dark pants he wore, and the Leafeon who was in the window sill half asleep but sat upright as Bea walked in. Fen, the Ninetails, would look back and almost sneer at her arriving.
"Shin, who're you greeting? Oh!" For some reason, he had not noticed that Bea was greeting him and waved tiredly. "G'morning Bea..." Trying to keep his composure proper now that Bea was speaking to him on her own account with nary a push from any friend on either side of them.
Bea took to doing some idle stretches while watching him quietly for a moment. "Good morning. You sound tired. Have you not done your morning stretches? Had breakfast?"
He only exhaled through the nose while getting a few small marshmallows for Bea's cup ready to mix in. "Heh. I wish I could say stretches and food would help, but only sleep could." The only one that would be sleeping would be Shin, as the morning's rays peaked through the window on her.
Walking up next to him, Sevan's gaze suddenly shot wide-eyed and he felt a ping of panic hit him. She was so much closer to him that adrenaline shot through him, if only for a brief second. Bea would mistake this as him putting on a front. "But it's nothing I can't handle. It's fine."
She squinted her eyes looking at him and tilting her head. "I can see the fatigue in your expression alone, and you even sound tired." Folding her arms, a part of her felt bad. This was the first time the pair of them would speak without him being coked up on drugs. Which meant before that point, he was losing to her in a League battle: a moment that still repeated in her head occasionally.
"It is what it is." He commented, shrugging.
"Is that how you view things? Like why you never come back to Stow-in-Side Gym?"
He stayed quiet and looked down as he finished her specific brew, adding some syrup to the top.
"You could have just rested your Pokemon after you got out of the hospital, leveled up and retry my fight! I would have let you!" She spoke up, but again, to no avail.
It was funny, he thought, how sometimes as much things change, the more they stay the same. He thought back to seeing Hilda yelling at him for similar problems in the past, and failing to have a plan afterwards. Looking to her tiredly, Sevan would hand her the finished hot coffee that was tailor made to her sweet tooth and nodded once.
"Please enjoy."
As the cup began to slowly cool down, Sevan looked to his setup of specialized brew for the rest of the staff and then sat down in one of the couches slowly. "'Sides. I couldn't for fear of Oleana's legal hammer coming down on me."
There was no way she could understand, so Bea just sat down and quietly sipped her mug before her face softened up: the sweet chocolatey mocha-and-marshmallow taste with the unique blend of beans Sevan used put her at ease. "What trouble? You saying I've employed a criminal?" Bea had no knowledge beyond of what 'trouble' could be beyond the hand-to-hand fight they shared in her stadium.
Shin, Fen, and Chorui, who had been flying rounds outside the Gym hunting the wildlife and only stopped to look in where his master lay, looked at Bea silently. Sevan only looked to the floor and dismissed her question. "So where did you learn to fight? Galar have a mixed martial arts culture in Stow-in-Side?"
Bea's eyes winced at him not answering her question, and felt maybe she'd get something later. "My parents taught me."
Even if he felt seconds away between awake and passing out, Sevan was seen visibly surprised. "Whoa. Both of them, huh?"
Nodding, Bea put down the cup and let her hands cool down. Looking at one of her palms for a moment she recalled the callouses she got just training under her dad as a little girl. Getting up from being knocked down during fights with others in the dojo, and training with Pokemon to up her ante. "Grandpa, too. All here in Galar. Referred to as Galarian Karate here, I take pride in what I was able to learn from both of them...even if it was a tad strict. Each day you see me practicing is thanks to their disciplinary lessons. I try to take a bit of what I learned and merge that spirit with my team." She looked over to him. "What about you? You asked if 'Galar' has a mixed martial arts culture, talking like you're not from here. Where do you come from?"
In response she only got a reaction in the form of Sevan leaning forward and grabbing one of his smaller bags. "Not sure I can say."
It was peculiar. Haru and Syra talked up this gentleman so much that Bea had suspected this was either an elaborate ruse or something else was up. How he was willing to go through so much but be so selective on himself made her wonder if her friends were keeping information from her. "Okay...so...you brought a Pidgey here to Galar. That is already weird by itself, but I also noticed you never put them in their balls. Why is that?"
Just as a pecha berry was seen being pulled out of a sack, Sevan looked to Shin, who was now back to soaking up the rays of the sun, then to Bea. "They're my family, and the only reason I put them back is if they're injured." He took a bite of the Pecha Berry that was now in hand and sighed contently.
Bea tried to lighten up the mood a little due to sensing she wasn't getting much ground in the conversation. "...if those are the only 3 you have on you, you skipped out on getting your own starter, then?"
The gaze he gave was vacant; looking past where Bea sat. His eyes weren't looking at her, but an image in his mind of a Pokemon from his past. She saw Sevan take another bite of the berry with now a bit of a huff.
"AH!" He sat up straight, catching Bea off guard, who nearly spilled her mug.
"Ah! What? What is it?" She asked, lightly startled from his body language.
He had reached back into his sack and was heard mumbling to himself and sifting through it. He walked up to where Bea sat with a card in hand. "I never answered about Cho."
"Eh...?" She blinked. Sevan tilted his head outside where the large Pidgeot was seen preening its feathers. "Chorui, my Pidgeot. That card was given to me by your ex-Chairman quite a bit ago himself."
The Fighting Gym Leader scanned the contents therein. The typed letters on it were stated as such:
['The holder of this card certifies Permissions of Pokemon Index Exemption
under Galarian Law Code and Pokemon Galarian League Ruleset.
Signed: _Chairman Rose_ Date: 21/11/****']
"You must've done something for our previous Chairman if he gave this to you." Bea replied, handing it back as Sevan walked back, albeit tiredly, to his seat.
The comment could not have sounded more indifferent. "Rose certainly tried to, at least." Sevan says, with a dismissive handwave. "Macros Cosmo wasn't something I was interested in going into, and from what Haru tells me about the man, I dodged a bullet."
*sssssip*
Having hung onto the few words Sevan would say about himself, Bea was halfway through her cup. "So...uhm..."
"Hey. I'm sorry there's not a lot I'm offering." He'd pipe up, sounding self defeatist.
She pouted a little, then wrinkled her nose. "Don't apologize. You've done nothing wrong. Last thing I want is for you to feel worse."
Like a semi, the memory of being told he 'did nothing wrong' gave Sevan a flashback.
"You've done nothing wrong." Hilda said, looking at a downtrodden Sevan who was in a now much emptier home that lay barren. Its only occupants were his Pokemon, himself, and all of what was leftover from his parents. Him, Hilda, and Quen were in the den of the home, with the latter checking up on their friend to offer support. A Swampert came up to his side and nudged him affectionately for support.
Turning to the Pokemon, Sevan only gave a half smile before looking up to the ponytailed now-Unovan Champion. "Try to convince me that tomorrow, or the next day, Hilda, and see if my answer changes. I'll tell you right now that it won't." His hands stayed to his side, with one going into a pocket as he sees her sitting down next to him.
"There's a lot of things I could have done differently. Maybe I could have pitched in a little more on the business. It probably would have been better, and saved their lives if I took over it instead, and held back a year on going for the Championship." His right hand clenched, with the Swampert whimpering from feeling his master's pain.
Quen didn't like seeing him pity himself and running through every possibility so many times. "Yeah? And then what?! You probably would have been there in the bottom of the ravine along with them. Then you'd be nothing! You'd have never gotten a second chance at life!"
"Yeah? Well perhaps it's what should have fucking happened!" He yelled back.
"Sevan? Hey." Bea had called out to him repeatedly as he sat there, leaned back staring up into one of the fluorescent lamps that lit up a part of the room where he relaxed at: nearly nodding off.
"Huh? Oh. What?" /Fuck, did I just zone out, or pass out? Nearly 3 days now, I suppose it was bound to happen sooner than later./
At this point Bea took the signs that perhaps this wasn't a good or proper time to ask questions, or converse with him. She was getting mixed signals and followed her gut feeling, standing up, finishing the cup and then washing it herself before putting it away. "Thank you for the morning brew, Sevan. Please try to take care of yourself. I don't want you to overdo things while under my care." She put her hands together in a palm-in-fist, martial arts-like bow, and walked out as he was able to handwave.
"Yes, anytime." Sevan said, watching her leave.
Marching down the hallway, Bea crossed her arms. /Syra and Haru talk up this gentleman quite a bit as one of their closer friends, and I put a lot of stake in their opinions. Haru is someone I've known more than Syra, and with exception to how Syra was originally here meeting us other Gym Leaders, I've never had to question his judgment on others. He was perfectly capable of rendering Rose free of his position as Chairman, helped Oleana, befriended both of the troublemakers, Raihan and Piers, and even if Milo had that bad bit that happened to him, it doesn't change that he became friends with him. Heck, in the end, Haru is going to marry one of our Gym Leaders, Nessa, and became one himself!/ Her thoughts are briefly interrupted as she sees the back of Allister's head as he's in the hallways, speaking to his Gym Trainers in the morning. Allister spots Bea and shyly waves to his comrade Gym Leader.
Bea's face recoiled still, in confusion. /His friend Sevan has even started to become a brother-like symbol to Allister. How did a shy introvert like him open up to Sevan, who I barely know anything about at all? Why is he so guarded about what people know about him? Is he intentionally holding information back on himself, or are Haru and Syra willingly not telling me more on him? Is there a reason for it? He doesn't strike me as some secret agent type, nor anything crazy like a time traveler or from another universe./
Her footsteps came to a brief stop as she shook her head. /I need to figure out what's going on with this weird guy.../
- - - - - The Floette's Choice, Florist Shop in Motostoke - - - - -
- - - - - Noon - - - - -
Preparations with the wedding were on an upswing. The dress had been picked, Haru was currently handling the catering options and trying to narrow down the venue for the reception. Nessa's trip to the florist was briefly put on hold to talk to her fiancé, who called her mere minutes into looking through flower options with Sonia. Knowing that Nessa would most likely be stressing, the professor gave Nessa space to talk.
Pursing her lips in anxiety, Nessa looked off at some advertisements for League merchandise that scrolled on a building marquee. "Guess it's to be expected with the time of year. 2 of the 4 of our choices were booked all the way to when the league season starts, and the other 2 have you on 'call' to hear back. So I guess what's left is that Conference Center in Circhester that you mentioned." Nessa asked, sounding a little stressed. "Okay, thanks for the update, hon. We'll see how things work out on my end."
Going back inside, Nessa made short work arranging the type of flowers they would go for during the wedding. Knocking out the order in less than an hour, she clapped once enthusiastically then exhaling slowly, letting both hands relax to her sides. "Okay. Everything today is hunky-dory." Though now she was hoping that stating it out loud hadn't suddenly given her bad luck. With her best friend betrothed, Sonia tried to keep as much stress off of Nessa be it paying for the flowers and working with contacts to get them a priest. /If I can keep her mind as clutter free as possible, then it's a shoe-in for everything else to go well./ Sonia thought to herself.
"Do you need me to look at that venue Haru mentioned on the phone in your place?" Sonia asked, once outside the business as Nessa came out, who put away the business card and receipt from the location.
Waving to a fan who spotted her and called out to her, Nessa looked back to Sonia and bit her lip. "I'm not sure. Haru's gone and done a 'Haru thing' and ended up accomplishing a bit more today than I told him to. Guess despite his talking-to that Holly gave, it wasn't enough to deter him."
Sonia gave a double blink of disbelief. "...a 'Haru thing'? Can you elaborate a lil', bestie? You sound almost annoyed mentioning it."
The blue eyed Gym Leader looked back to her youthful professor comrade and squinted one eye in thought. "It's one of his...'quirks', as it were, that he does. Keeping up with him when he does these things is enough to make me have to think in another 'gear'." She folded her arms and tapped a finger on one of them. "...if my gut feeling is in the right, and there's no reason for me to think it isn't, he's probably well on his way to doing something else right now, too."
Giving a hum and a cheeky grin, Sonia nodded her head sideways to a small cafeteria nearby. It was one of the pair's favorites; Simply Fidoughs. "You sound like you need a break, Ness~. How about it?"
Stabbing the cheesecake with a fork, Sonia kept her attention focused on her friend. "Leon has this 'Leon thing' too, if I were to call it that. Retiring after Haru defeated him left Leon with a lot of time to his own. Seeing his friend come to his own by becoming a Gym Leader has been leaving Leon thinking he has to do the same, since he was previously seen as the amazing achiever; 'Leon the Undefeatable Champion'."
She looked across to her friend, Nessa, who was quietly sipping on a hot brew of the cafe's black coffee. "So tell me, does Haru do things like that at your home?"
The Gym Leader's eyes squinted. "Well there was this one time that really got my goat." Her eyes closed, thinking back to the moment. It was in the middle of the day when she was arriving back. Haru had been home for quite some time, and had agreed that day to do chores. Unexpectedly, however, her first step was met not with the usual display of a nice clean home, but a home that somehow had a bunch of plastic laying around. Plastic shaped like race tracks. Race tracks that were just wide enough to house tiny, battery powered car toys in them. Nearly every bit of the carpeted floor was covered in it, going from the ground, to the counters, under the dining room table, and through several bookshelves. Haru had the 'deer caught in headlights' look on him, staring back at his fiance.
"I got home and shouted 'Haru what the hell is this?!' while I'm baffled, and as I turn to my left I see him with his arms and legs twisting like he's attempting to be a Galvantula. His eyes widened and I fold my arms, clearly irritated. I asked 'Hon. Explain'. And you want to know what his response was to me?"
/ "Now babe, I know what it looks like. It appears I've filled the entire house with 40 meters of Dash Breaker race car tracks. It also appears like I've spent most of the day assembling said track with a group of other racers, batteries and all, leaving almost no room for our Pokemon."
Off to the side, Nora looks around herself as part of the track circled around her and cut off access to her bed. "Veeee..." she says sadly. Nessa's Drednaw huffs in the corner of a hallway, unable to get any closer, with Masako, his Gardevoir, peeking in and looking confused.
"I'll fix that soon, Nora, just be a good statue for now okay?" Haru said, waving to the Ice Pokemon who was pouting at him. "I'm not NOT saying
this is silly...and, I KNOW it appears I have blighted today." Haru said, slightly nervous and face red as his hair.
"Uh huh." Nessa said, fuming with her arms crossed.
"And the bills" Haru added.
"Go on." Nessa said once more.
He points to a small stack near the kitchen counter and winces. "I got a few quarters done at least!"
She was unamused, then turned back to him.
"...but laundry is hanging outside, and the other load is going to finish washing soon."
"Oh good! Then you won't mind ME taking control myself to finish the re-"
"NESSA WATCH YOUR STEP!" Haru said in a panicked tone, dropping one of the cars onto the track, forgetting it was switched 'On'. Whizzing by one of Nessa's legs quickly, she yelps. Haru quickly turns on the others.
"Shit, FOREIGN OBJECT ON THE TRACKS! YELLOW FLAG!" Haru calls out to nobody.
The other race cars that started up now whizzed by part of Nessa's feet, as one of the many parts of the tracks
were going alongside their bookshelves. "Haru! The fuck!" /
Sonia sat there laughing her ass off at the idea of Nessa trying to maneuver what amounted to Haru's toy set of cars filling the house with too little space for her. "hahaha...sorry, Ness, I just imagined that as you told me and it's.." she snickered. Nessa puffed her cheeks. "It's friggin' hilarious!" She would clear her throat since Nessa seemed to have another one in the chamber for her to talk about. "Okay okay. Clearly not the worst offense he's pulled off as a 'quirk' right? What else did he do recently?"
/ It was in the latter half of the afternoon, and dinner had not yet been started by either of them. Only a week had gone by after Syra had become Champion, and pre-planning for the wedding had begun between the couple the night before: Nessa herself running over the list of to-do's with Haru while chatting in bed with a pen and paper in hand. To help conceal themselves in lieu of the press most likely wanting to pressure either of them for comments, it was decided that all of it would be 'officially' put under surnames to protect them. Only those going to the wedding and reception, both staff and guests alike, would know whom it was celebrating in truth.../
"Okay...? Sounding pretty normal thus far..." Sonia said, hearing Nessa recall the situation.
"I go downstairs because there was some 'noise' that was distracting me that I hadn't recognized. He had a record playing that was brand new that played this crazy loud beat, of which the opening is simply just a rhythm of THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!" Nessa said, imitating the noise but with an air guitar motion, since that's how the song started.
/To her discovery, Haru was standing up in the midst of the den where the record player was at, blasting the rhythmic opening of one of his favorite songs; headbobbing all the while to it as Nora wore something not natively made for her head size. A pair of shutter glasses. She too, was headbobbing as Haru then put on some overly colorful looking glasses and twirled in place before posing along the opening of the tune,
before head banging in place as the melody kicked in.
"Babe...?" Nessa asked, almost squinting from the volume and being blasted by the intentional display of cringe before her.
"C'mon, don't tell me you've never heard of this coming from that pair of Kalosian EDM Kings: the duo-paired, robot-helmet, leather jacket wearing group named D.P.!" Haru said in the midst of his vibrant dancing and somehow managing to implement some of the dances he learned from Matthias.
Nessa took a look around and saw that in the time of her absence from this room, Haru had since placed several promotional posters of the group alongside the walls. A pair of gentlemen who looked like machines, clad in leather from top to bottom, with helmets of a confusingly futuristic design. It wasn't until the lone lyric of the chorus hit that she recognized the tune and grimaced in irritation. She recalled having to hear it often when touring early in her modeling career, and was never a big fan of it.
However seeing Haru start gesturing an invitation to dance with him, she shook her head and snickered a little. "Hon, if you don't mind turning down the volume at least for a little while?"
"Hmmm...maybe. Ask me that again in about 2 minutes and 31 seconds!" he said, retracting the hand that asked for her to dance with him.
"Uh-uh. Not while I'm at risk of looking cringey." She teased with a smirk.
Haru posed long by leaning backwards before reeling back to air guitaring. "That may be so, O' Raging Wave Master Nessa of Hulbury! But! I am free...and that makes me the SUPERIOR being of music today!" he spoke in an intentionally overdramatic fashion, only to then start singing the lone lyric to himself./
"What, you not a fan of D.P.?" Sonia teased back, tilting her head. "I tease, but I can see why something like that during that time would drive you up the wall."
Talking about it made her realize something else came up in the recesses of her mind. "It didn't really, not to the extent that you'd think. For the most part I was teasing, but..."
Sonia leaned forward in interest. "...buuuuuuu~uut what?"
Nessa exhaled through her nostrils and pouted. "I think when he saw my reaction, he worried a little about upsetting me. It may be nothing, and I may be overthinking it, but he ended up apologizing profusely later that night."
"...oh?"
"Yeah. He does that sometimes. It's peculiar. When he's not finished with one of the chores that we both agree on switching on for that week, he'll shoot himself down a lot. 'Sorry I'm not done yet' and such." Her face had become crestfallen. "Pair that up with him trying to overwork himself or think he's not cutting it, I wish he'd just realize he doesn't have to, I don't know, 'impress' me."
/"Hey...! It's a compliment. Take it: you're allowed you know!"/
/"I've started to worry a bit about you. You don't know this but you sometimes talk in your sleep."/
/"You end up saying things like 'Please don't go' a lot. Haru, what aren't you telling me?"/
It was at that moment Sonia met Nessa's crestfallen face with her own, having known Haru a little longer than her and sat up straight. "...I see. He hasn't told you anything then, yet?"
"No! At least nothing more than just him being worried about us sometimes, but I get the feeling it's stemming from something, and it's been bothering me." Huffing in frustration, Nessa looked back to her best friend. "We've been together for some time...is he afraid of me secretly? That can't be, I'm marrying him!" She clenched a fist and hit the top of one of her knees. "I don't want him to think he's letting me down, so why does he apologize so much to me?"
"..."
"...Sonia?" Nessa blinked.
"Let's...find a quieter place to talk, Ness. This place is a bit more populated than I'd like to admit."
Nessa felt that something in the pit of her stomach.
- - - - - Wedgehurst, Professor Sonia's Lab 2 PM - - - - -
Getting from the Simply Fidoughs in Motostoke to Wedgehurst took a little longer due to the wait for a Corviknight cab to arrive. Throughout the trip, Sonia would mull over how to discuss what she wanted to tell Nessa. She didn't want to do any harm to Haru telling his beloved what may be the reason for his behavior, but it would do more harm to pretend nothing was wrong. Having information more than nothing at all, but pretending to not know otherwise would have been worse, Sonia decided.
The pair exit the cab then walk together chatting about other things relating to the wedding preparations up until getting to the lab in Wedgehurst. Scanning the interior of her lab, and spotting the tea kettle, Sonia would offer the both of them something to drink before spilling the beans.
"It was before he started his journey into becoming the Pokemon trainer and then later on the one who dethroned Leon. There was this girl that he had known for a long time growing up. She appeared to be a relatively nice girl: short straight pink hair. Always smiling. Had an affinity to researching other regions, which was helpful for the friend group she was a part of: Haru's. She had known him, Hop, and Hiro, and had fit in like a puzzle piece, as I understood it. Since he knew her for such a long time, Haru trusted her like he'd trust you or I." Sonia said quietly, as her friendly Yamper was napping by one of the bookshelves that Sonia leaned against.
"Wh-...this person was part of the friend group with Hiro!? But why wouldn't Haru...a-and Hop too! Nothing...?" Nessa looked on in disbelief, but Sonia gestured that there was going to be more that would explain. /Not a single word about this person ever came from any of them./
"To summarize the whole thing succinctly is going to be a little difficult, so I apologize if I jump around or don't know many details. After knowing her for about 6 years he asked her out one day. Hiro was the one who encouraged him to ask her out, and Haru appeared to manage his time with her and his friends just as easily when they dated as before they were an 'item'. But to put it bluntly, them dating may have been the worst decision Haru made concerning her." Sonia sighed, looking to Nessa, who had her full attention on the story.
"Their connection started off strong. I teased him one day by calling it 'puppy love' a few times, but I sensed it was genuine. I thought it was genuine, at least. Over time, however, she would start to take his attention away from anything not involving her, and small problems emerged. She'd isolate him little by little away from Hiro and Hop. The hobby of collecting League Cards and merchandise from the Gyms started going more into helping her get into what she called a 'study abroad program'. Haru told me one day that he was starting to get scared of saying some things around her that he didn't think about before because she was starting to approach him less and less: make him feel like he's an inconvenience to her."
Sonia hung her head a little thinking back to antsier, younger Haru, only a few years ago, worrying about overstepping his boundaries. "One day an argument got so bad that Haru was just staring at the sky in front of his house for a few hours. His mom asked him to come inside and he declined until bedtime. After another such incident, when he wouldn't know what to say sometimes, he'd just go mute as Mila controlled the conversation. If you ever wondered why Haru became more talkative or boisterous the more he was in the League, it's because he was finally opening back up to his truer self."
Nessa held onto one of her own hands securely. She was worried on the revelation that was coming. "So...what happened? How bad was the break-up?"
Closing her eyes and recalling that day, Sonia sighed.
"Deep into the relationship, their interactions started to become fractured. It was still a relationship, though, so there'd be days where Haru and Mila looked lovely together. Other days they wouldn't. In due time, I thought they had started to work things out and found their balance. But no, it could never be that easy. If he tried to fight back to be heard during an argument, he'd be manipulated into feeling sorry he spoke. Time with her, time with friends, with his mom, or taking care of Nora, you name it: she made him feel guilty for it." Sonia said, noticing that one of Nessa's hands turned into a fist.
"There was this one day he came to visit her when she wasn't answering his calls or his messages at all. When he got to her house in Hammerlocke, he spotted her holding onto someone else taller than him in much the same manner that she previously would only him. You'd think seeing that would have been the worst part, but no. She was wearing a certain infamously known uniform clad only in black and red."
"!" Nessa felt her heart drop.
"...with a red 'R' on the front." Sonia looked up back to the now shocked Nessa. "She was just a Grunt for the organization, but one that worked her tendrils into Haru's skin effectively. Having not only embezzled money but his time, patience, and affection, Haru was distraught."
Nessa was gritting her teeth in irritation now while Sonia finished up the tale.
Taking a step forward and gauging whether or not she should expect inclement weather, Sonia continued. "For some reason, Haru wanted to hold onto one tiny bit of hope even after seeing her for whom she was in actuality. As she turned to leave and disappear to their headquarters, their eyes locked, and he asked..."
/ "After everything I've done for you, this is how you repay me, Mila? Really?"
"I'm sorry, Haru. What do you want me to say?"/
"If Haru has ever suddenly turned apologetic to you or said he felt like he's not worthy of any compliment coming from you, no matter how earned it really is..." Sonia frowned. "...there's a reason for it."
Nessa looked to the floor in a combination of being furious for a past event and sad for the pain her lover had endured.
"If you are wondering too, why Haru feels intense regret like he was not a good friend to Hiro...there's the other side of the coin as to why." Sonia said, biting her lip, noticing the tonal shift between them. "I'm sorry."
"It's no wonder sometimes he gets guarded. Here I was thinking there was something wrong with me. That he hasn't told me even until now is only indicative of how deep the hurt runs." Nessa clicked her tongue and shook her head lightly. "There's no way I could hold any of this against him, but I now understand why he worries sometimes about losing me. But it's not enough to just know, Sonia. I want to make this better somehow."
Nessa raised her head and appeared determined. "He's done so much for me, so now I never want him to second guess me being with him! Not for a second!" Nessa said, going to hug Sonia, a bit of frustration tears from herself coming out. "Ugh. If I have to protect Haru because some bitch left a scar on it, then I'll do it. Do you have any ideas?" /How could she, much less anyone do that to him...?/
The orange haired professor hummed a little while hugging her best friend tightly for a moment and upon letting go, hummed. "He's lucky to have you. Truly. I'm willing to help you in a very direct way but it does involve something when you spoke about his 'quirks' earlier."
"I'm listening." Nessa bit her lip.
Walking past Nessa, Sonia went to a small locker behind a counter in the lab. Opening it, she reached inside one of the many folders she had and then pulled a pair of QR Code print-outs that showed the seating, receipt of payment, a brief note on parking, and time for an event. Handing both of them to Nessa, she nodded. "Here."
Looking at Sonia's print-outs, Nessa asked. "What are these...?"
"These were originally going to be a surprise I had thought of giving Haru before you and him officially marry...but maybe now is a better time. These are a pair of VIP tickets to a concert. D.P. is playing in Wyndon next week. I think something like this would be best to come from you."
Nessa gave a small smile and looked at them, then Sonia. "Sonia, these must be expensive! Is there any way I can repay you?"
The professor shook her head. "Just be open with Haru. Let him know that you're there for him."
Nessa exhaled slowly and nodded once. "I'll give these to him tonight. The least I can do for him for all this fussing I've given him lately is try to meet him halfway on some of his interests. We don't have to match on EVERYTHING, after all..."
"But wouldn't it be interesting end up having fun while there with him?" Sonia countered.
Nessa looked at the tickets and briefly thought about what kind of silly face expression Haru would have upon receiving them and let out a chuckle. "I'd rather have that girl pay for what she did to him with broken teeth, but this is nice for now. Thank you for telling me Sonia."
"Anytime, bestie."
A clap of thunder roared as some rain began pouring outside. The Yamper that was perfectly content in napping now leapt to its feet and barked in random direction. "I suppose you'll have to stay here before heading back home."
- - - - - Stow-in-Side, North Market - - - - -
- - - - - Near the Dual Heroes Statues, 1:25 PM - - - -
The curiosity from the morning had been growing within Bea's mind. With the League season currently in its 'off' period, the requirements to be at one's own Gym were low for every Gym Leader. Whether it's to discuss new community events, have meetings with sponsors, maintain cleanliness within and out of the stadium, or have an annual review (which may lead to a different Gym typing in extreme cases), Bea made short work of her day. Blending as best as she could in the crowds of Stow-in-Side, Bea looked to her phone for messages. If there was any way she could get more information about Sevan, then it would keep her from getting disconcerted.
Bea was bothered thinking about the undisclosed nature of Sevan. /It makes no sense. Some guy comes along and all I know is that he makes some delicious coffee and has an affinity for his Pokemon. Outside of some unknown deal he may have had with Rose, I don't know anything about him. Yet Haru and Syra swear by him, and him getting in trouble at my Gym battle got Oleana herself to come see him. The 3 of them all seem to share similar levels of closeness with him, but trying to talk to the guy about anything about his backstory or anything outside of simple questions always gets me nothing./
The Fighting Gym prodigy saw her message to Syra was only 'sent', but not read.
In between her connecting flights, Syra was able to get Bea's message albeit 5 hours after the fact. She frowned seeing the message from Bea as a flashback from Sevan returned.
/ "I'm just a flunkout. We don't have the Gym Challenge for Hoenn like you have here. It's...different."/
She chose not to reply back to Bea just yet, for fear of not wanting to step out of boundaries between her and Sevan, and not knowing how much he'd want to be known about himself. Bea's stunned at the speed of a reply from Haru, however, which only said:
[Sorry Bea, but he keeps me at arm's length too. If you managed to get him to speak a little, then it's most likely nothing more than something you can search up in public records. Unfortunately I know jack all about how to go about such a task when concerning him.]
Putting the phone back in her oversized Hitmontop graphic hoodie, Bea munched on a cookie bitterly. /What happened to make someone like Sevan so guarded? Is he a criminal? Ex-criminal? Someone who used to work for an organization like Syra? Is he a spy? Is that why he can't tell me anything? If that's the case, why would he act so sketchy every time simple conversations happen? What's he hiding? Do I make him uncomfortable?/ Bea blinked, then recalled the confession he made in the hospital, and blushed. /No, that's not it at all. So...is he then one of those peculier types from Pasio who don't have full teams of Pokemon? Or is he from that one region: Ferrum, was it?/
"AUGH!" Bea groaned loudly, getting up to walk. /It's so damn annoying! Having seen him around all this time and all I've got to show for it is that he's some co-worker!/
Then an idea hit her: another person she hadn't thought up until now.
"ALLISTER! I have a question for you!" Bea said, popping her head back into the Gym for hopefully a small moment. The Ghost Gym Leader was in his private quarters reading a book and had jumped in his chair when his big sister-like co-worker appeared. The Haunter near him stuck its tongue out at Bea and 'yelled' as if to chastise her spooking Allister.
"H-oh. H-hello Bea. What is it, is something wrong? You're looking t-tense." the young boy said, his featureless mask facing her.
"In the time you've gotten to befriend Sevan, have you gotten to know anything about him? I see you and him hang out whenever you have time." she asked, shooing off the Haunter, who disappeared into the walls.
The boy recessed before responding. Known for being usually sheepish in his speech, Allister spoke without a stammer. "Sevan is someone who hides a lot of what he is to protect both himself, and others. I know that he likes to make me feel welcome, and for that, I consider him a good friend." He crossed his arms over each other as Bea took in his answer.
"Oho. So you don't know much about him either, huh?" She asked.
Allister shook his head. "I...know he likes Pecha Berries, and with e-exception to the battle he had with you, he takes care of his Pokemon like family. Is there an urgent reason to know?"
"Well I-" Bea interrupted herself, not realizing how she may not have an answer for that question. Sure, it was confusing knowing that a few people she trusted swore about him, and that none of them knew a lot about him, but was that truly awful? She turned away from the door and sighed. "One supposes that it's not that big of an issue."
She turned back to Allister and offered an apologetic smile. "Sorry for interrupting your time, Allister." Giving him a handwave and stepping out.
Stepping out of the Gym and feeling the early afternoon air hit her face, Bea put both her fists within the jacket she was wearing and huffed. /I suppose it's not that serious. If he found out I was trying to pry so hard into his history without actually getting to know him, that it wouldn't go over well for me./ She began strolling down the set of stairs connecting the Gym to the center of the city, and made headway towards her home.
Waving down a cabbie who was giving a brushing to his Corviknight, Bea entered into the Sky Taxi and told him where to take her: her home. Snuggling a little more into her hoodie, Bea exhaled slowly and mused on the day's events. /This isn't like me at all. I don't know why, but I feel compelled to.../ She thought back to the conversation they shared in the hospital and sighed.
/No. It's actually that ever since he said that to me, I feel off-kilter when it comes to him./ After some time, Bea had to finally admit that to herself. She had been confused about herself. Fans already wrote in letters of adoration, so having people confess to her wasn't something that was anything new.
Mulling over the time left over in the day as well as her own responsibilities she'd have left, Bea made a change of heart decision. Poking her head out of the window of the cab, she called to the cabbie. "Hey, do you mind taking me to Circhester instead? I just realized there's somewhere else I wanted to go to!"
- - - - - Outskirts of Circhester, Route 09 - - - - -
Hopping out of the Sky Taxi when she was close, Bea took to the ground with a leap, then waved to the pair of Corviknight and cabbie before taking in her surroundings. Of the few trips she took here in recent times, Bea was able to remember the route to Sevan's place and took to sprinting in his house's direction. She slid through a few snow dusted hills, leading to a small open field near the body of water that led to Spikemuth. A series of sounds began to emerge down the path where she walked, hearing what appeared to be someone running back and forth in quick succession.
Around another bend, she came to the source of the noise. Sevan, her new addition to the Fighting Gym, was doing a running drill near a tree with his Pokemon all keeping watch of him. Keeping his breathing controlled and form as much without slack as possible, Sevan is working to improve his speed and control of his feet as much as he can. Bea took to watching him from the sidelines; staying partially hidden by a pair of trees and a clump of snow that had built up recently. /Is he seriously doing this while only wearing a shirt and shorts?/ She thought with a curled lip and squinting eyes.
Sure enough, he was exercising without any winter jumper or winter pants on to accompany the shoes he wore. It may not have been effective doing such things out in the cold, but a peculiar, if not quirky self image of Sevan started forming. "You know we have a track inside the Gym, right?"
Nothing. The drill kept occurring, and he showed no signs of hearing her call out to him.
Bea blinked. "Hey!"
Once more, nothing. She went to raising her voice as high as she could without outright yelling. "You know we have a track inside the Gym, right, Sevan?!"
The sound of her voice reached his ears finally, and once it did, Sevan pivoted his glance towards her, instantly redfaced, tripped, and slid face-first onto the ground. He was moving with so much force that he practically ate the snow-covered dirt, and Fen began cackling, causing tiny spurts of flames to come out. "Ehh?! Oh shit, are you okay?!" Bea frantically asked, now lightly jogging over a little closer to him.
Holding a thumbs up with a new rash across his face and a lightly bleeding nose, Sevan nodded. "Yeah I'm good."
"You are NOT good!" Bea insisted, one foot stomping, but seeing that despite the fall, Sevan got up quite quickly.
"So...a 'track' huh? Thought I was only allowed in the kitchen?" he countered, looking to Bea as Shin walked up to him: the Leafeon carrying a thermos with the handle in her mouth for him to use.
"Ah...I suppose those kinds of details about your employment are a bit clouded, and restrictive. But aside from that, how are you able to train out here in the cold? Aren't you freezing?"
After taking a swig from the thermos Shin had supplied him, Sevan began to shadow box in place. "I don't like to sweat in my sweaters, personally. But the cold? I like it. This is a temperature I can get comfortable with, even if it makes little sense."
Jutting out her jaw a little and taking his statement into mind, Bea hummed. "If nothing else, it's a more extreme form of self meditation and training than being under a waterfall. Which I have done myself." She took a moment to look at his form while he shadow boxed and consider the speed he was running his sprinting drill. "How come you didn't move like this during our fight?"
He paused, reversed his stance, then continued. "For the Gym Badges, I ended up trying a 'blitz run', and faltered pretty badly for it."
"Which falls in line with everything else I've learned about you so far." Bea appeared to have a stand-off sort of presence about her as she turned her head to the side. "Haru, and especially Syra talk a lot about you. I want to know more why they do."
"I couldn't tell you why they choose what they do, but Haru was there for me at an important time, and Syra is rough around the edges. I guess I vibe with her pretty easily, even if I can't tell exactly -what- she thinks sometimes." He stopped boxing for a moment to start doing some arm stretches.
Bea chuckled, now nestling part of her face to be hidden within the hoodie she wore. "Syra is like that, after all, so we're both on equal footing for her." Bea paused for a moment to try and naturally bring up Haru, but kept fidgeting around asking the other pressing question on her mind. "Haru is someone who's helped all of us in the Galar League a little, bit by bit. Makes sense he would befriend even a mystery guy like you."
/'Mystery guy' she says, eh./ Going back to shadow boxing, Sevan hung on those words a little.
"I hope some day to see you more able to talk on the things you enjoy, Sevan. I may not show it very well cuz I hold a stoic expression so much, but it has been weighing on my mind to try and know more on you. Allister puts probably the most trust in you over everyone else I know, which is a big deal." She admitted.
Sevan stopped, giving a small grin hearing that and turning to her. "How is he?"
She exhaled, trying to cope with herself still confused as how someone like him could work out in the snow. "Was occupied reading books when I saw him earlier, so I chose not to bother him for long." Her glance turning downward as if trying to think up of something to switch to...and not make eye contact. For reasons unbeknownst to herself, Bea couldn't glance at him working out to his heart's content like this for long. It started to stick to her for some reason.
It...bothered her.
"Have you...used the stuff I gave you?" she asked.
She was referring to the gift basket of ointments for his bruises, some berries, a brownie, and vitamin drink. Sevan's eyes lit up a little. "Oh, shit yeah. I've been trying to enjoy the berries slowly, and the ointment has been helping."
"So you have?! That's great!" Bea sounded thankful, but then finding herself hesitant to go from there.
"Yeah...I really like them. The brownie was also great, too. I appreciate it." He had taken a break from the shadow boxing to rehydrate himself with another swig of the thermos.
"Did you..." her face sank a little into her hoodie. "Did you mean what you said?" Both of her cheeks went red.
Both the Ninetails and Leafeon nearby had their ears perk up, and they watched the conversation with focus on their master's reaction.
"Sorry? I didn't get that." He asked, hearing her only mutter the question. For a moment, in his own frustration, Sevan snapped his fingers to his left side of his head to make sure his hearing wasn't screwing up at the moment.
"Oh, sorry! Right, uhm.." Biting her lip and exhaling, Bea tried again. "Did you mean what you said to me that day?" Bea asked, turning her head to the side. Half of her face was hidden by the collar of the hoodie, and the girl found herself in a strange position not experienced before. So many confusing feelings and thoughts to her suddenly that she'd have to meditate and train in her dojo later to clear her head, she figured.
The air between them got awkward. In spite of this, Sevan did not shy away from giving an answer. As she occasionally looked back at him with just her eyes alone, he tapped a foot for a second. "For as exhausted as I was on that bed, the painkillers turned off my mental filter. I just said what came to my mind." One of his hands rubbed the back of his neck. "Shit. I didn't even know I said it until Syra told me I said it to you."
"Oh..." Bea replied, sounding a little startled.
He took the shot. "But yes. I did, and do still mean what I said."
The winter winds calmed down where they were standing as Bea slowly turned back towards him, but still looking indirectly. "You shouldn't...say such sweet things to me."
At first he thought he botched a chance to get closer to her, as Sevan felt a spike in his heart while clenching a fist. "I see."
"I don't want you to have that same lapse in judgment and say that to others, filter or not. You need to work on your mental fortitude. Maybe there's something I can help teach you with my karate sometime." She had then finally looked back at him. "But thank you...nobody's ever told me that at all." For a nanosecond, Bea's mental judgment wavered and gave a genuine smile for the first time to Sevan.
He was barely prepared to have Bea visit him outside while he was doing drills, much less now the rare and completely unforseen sight of Bea smiling. It only lasted a second, but the image was now permanently burned into his brain. "You're welcome." He'd say with his own face turning flush with blush.
"Hmm." She nodded once and then smacked a fist into one of her own palms. "I think I'm beginning to get why someone like Syra, Haru and Allister like you and find you dependable! Remind me, though, that we should work on that mind of yours. If I have to bring you some of my personal self-help books, I'll do it."
"Yeah...sorry. I'll make sure not to have any more lapses in judgment, boss." he teased since she was his employer.
Her hands rested at her sides as Bea went back to her usual stoic expressions. "Refer to me as 'Bea'. This is enough, okay?"
"Got it."
Leaving Circhester to go back to her home in Stow-in-Side, Bea instead decided to take a train to Motostoke to get something sweet. As she found her seat and took rest, Bea fidgetted. She leaned with her forehead against the window, but was unable to visually focus on anything of note. Her mind flashed back to the direct readmittance of Sevan's feelings for her appearance, and finding herself confused at the scenery of his exercising. These were things she had never explored before, and looked to the floor, baffled. Her chest felt a little tight. Shrugging it off initially as a lack of training she had not done as effectively, feeling the sensation persist left herself with more questions than answers. /I wonder what's going on...?/
- - - - - ? - - - - -
"Your appointment with the Ranger Union should be finalized within the week, sir, I've already discussed the matter with Chairperson Erma." came the voice of one scientist who looked over an dusty cell block. Within lay a girl who appeared to be loosely wearing a Ranger uniform: torn in several spots and leaving her mostly naked with nothing more than a slightly distant gaze towards nothing.
A gentleman wearing a black suit and the logo for the group of Team Rocket appeared. Hands behind his back and a low chuckle upon his entrance, the man spoke with interest. "I take it she was agreeable?"
His scientist associate squinted his eyes. "He didn't really have a choice." looking back to the female Ranger from the cell. It was obvious she was their prized captive and was being used for...something.
"Is she aware of our terms?" the older man said, leaning on the glass to see just hints of body fluids decorating said captive.
"Ah yes, most certainly. When I mentioned we could put her organization on the priority list for what our own has obtained..." the scientist sneered, inhaling deep through the nose as if to get off on what their tactics had led them to accomplish. "...she was so willing it was almost pathetic."
The older man took a step back and then frowned. His scientist friend continued, bringing up a point that did come up in discussions. "I'm aware this one was the reason Almia and Oblivia's situations resolved with nary a scratch to her reputation. It's made us also worry." He showed some results on his stationary that had a confusingly long list of data on it. "This Ranger's genetic code - its influence is intensifying to the point where we may not get so lucky in the future and contain it."
Chuckling so much that he let out an evil cackle, the older man bellowed with pride. "Why contain it?" He punched the see-through glass, hoping to catch the attention of the girl below. He was uncertain if she saw him or didn't care to react through the half-glazed eyes. "Once we've finalized our formulaic research through your efforts we'll be able to move forward with the rest of our plans: rocketing to the skies above. And YOU!" he hit the glass again. "Won't be there to see it. Replicate it as much as needed, and we'll be one step closer to skies beyond even that of deity Pokemon."
Suddenly, the scientist spoke up nervously. "That's the thing...we're not there yet. She's a strange creature. Human. Pokemon. We haven't figured her out, but we're almost to a conclusion that could result in a single success."
The boss felt a tonal shift come over him, but he took a deep breath. "What do you mean 'almost'?"
"We have other problems, sir." Shifting through his stationary, the scientist brought out some paper reports of recent findings separate from his own and handed them over.
"...the Pokemon League of Galar?" Replying with a snide, disgusted growl, the boss looked to his subordinate.
"Formed by the now ex-Chairman Rose. We've got the pieces in place, and we should have enough time on our hands, but I'm more concerned about Syra. She's shown instability as of late, and we don't know if it's going to be enough to move forward based off of what lit-" the researcher's stationary had his papers swatted out of his bosses's gaze as he raised his tone.
"Our modus operandi is far in advance not only to the insipid defectors and half-truthers from other Leagues of many regions, but Lysander. Feh...that fool was correct, for how stupid he ended up being. These people's...ethical inflexibility is what's allowed us to make progress in the very same areas they refuse to consider."
Looking back, the scientist felt a bead of sweat overcome him. "The Dynamax Genetic Isolation And Magnification Values Project?"
The evil boss handwaved it. "Among other things, but I must admit I've been somewhat disappointed in all of the performances of our 'S' prototype Pokemon. We can't seem to match the strength the history records indicate. So many that interact with our captive and mixing her DNA with the research has led us nowhere." But an idea hit him: a plan he had once before that was mentioned by him to his other officers within the organization.
"Unless..." He would turn to a screen that was on the wall and radioed for one officer. A gentleman with teal, short hair and a white Team Rocket suit appeared. He blinked in surprise. "Yes sir, Giovanni, how may I be of service?" he asked.
"Rocket Executive Officer Archer. What of the backup plan?" Giovanni asked curtly, hands behind his back.
Nervousness overcame him. Answering honestly could be deadly for him, or it could just alleviate the punishment. "Yes, well...'M' should be online soon. It took us some time to utilize Clifford's data that was provided, and re-capture and then prime him based off of old documentation from you, but it's undergoing preparations and should be operational in a week." There was a pause, and the boss smirked. "My people will continue to report on the progress."
Coming into the light of the dim room that oversaw the captive, the reflection of one Giovanni was seen smiling evily down at her. "I've had to endure much, but soon, a new age for Team Rocket. Fools like that idiot Lysander got too hung up on trying to bring out the 'beauty' in our world through all the wrong ways, and we can't forget our neighbors Archie and Maxie...too much of ideologues to realize if they succeed they'd destroy the planet. Laughable. Utterly pathetic. But soon their ambitions, no, their means to renew all of humanity and Pokemon-kind will be a reality. Under my hand, Team Rocket!" He sneered gleefully as he chuckled to the defeated Ranger underneath in her cell.
Cherise looked back with one eye closed as she could tell what he was saying without being able to hear him well.
"Soon, all of us will be crowned kings, and me: A GOD!"
- - - - - Galar General Hospital, Wyndon - - - - -
- - - - - Present, 3:30 PM - - - - -
"NO!" Cherise yelled, sitting upright in a cold sweat just as the sound of crashing thunder was heard outside.
"VEE!"
*smack*
A lone Vaporeon was seen slightly being tossed off the bedcovers and hitting the tile floor as Vespa was previously napping to keep his owner company while she rested. The door to the ICU that housed her opened, with Oleana walking in holding a cup of Paldean Brew Coffee. Seeing the Vaporeon belly-up and wiggling to get on all fours as Cherise's heart monitor was beeping rapidly to the panic-stricken wake up, Oleana hurriedly closed the door. She put the cup down to the nearby sink counter and ran to her side.
"Dear is everything okay? I heard the surgery went well and you were recovering...what is it? What can I do?" Oleana asked, concerned.
Cherise closed her eyes hard and shook her head, whimpering. "S-sorry. J...just had a bad dream."
/Damn that Giovanni.../ Oleana thought, squinting her eyes a little hearing Cherise say that out loud. To give her support, she stayed by the Ranger's side as Vespa mew'ed back then slowly hopped back onto the bed.
"Sorry Vespa...just bad thoughts. Memories of that time, you know..." She spoke quietly, trying hard to catch her breath.
Giving Cherise time to regain herself with the support of not just Vespa, but her Latias which had poked its head through the window and subsequently floated inwards, wet fur and all. " had given me a report that told me the doctors and nurses here were able to do their magic on you. Seems the jump from Sinnoh to Galar was the right call after all. How do you feel?"
"I can breathe properly without feeling like I have a cap on my lungs...and I can walk at least. It's slow, but I can move a little before feeling faint. I'm still tired, but it's more than what I had before. Whatever you guys have here in Galar is a whole league apart." Cherise said, but hung her head. "...but is it truly okay to be doing all this for me?"
Oleana exhaled slowly through the nostrils in a slight huff. "Please. I've done nuttier things to help protect valuable people. As I told you before, there is a plan with this: to not only spend as much time as you need to recover, but so I can employ you when you're done recovering."
"Vee?" The Vaporeon's gills spread outward and ears sprung up in interest.
"...really? H...how do you wager that'll be possible? Is there a Ranger Union here? I don't know the first thing about Galar, but I don't remember Erma saying anything..." Suddenly a slight nervousness came over her, thinking about how she was being cared for on this level.
"Chairperson Erma personally guided me to the proper channels, and our one venue in which you'd be employed has successfully started construction. Its time to completion matches just under your estimated recovery time, should things go smoothly." Oleana stretched out a hand to rest on one of Cherise's shoulders.
"We're going to be bringing staff who equally love and respect Pokemon like you Rangers and Operators do, and it'll headed by one of our brightest." She handed Cherise a small printout of early plans from Haru's staff for the biological sectors that would home each kind of Pokemon. " has agreed to join, but the jury is out on whether she'll be anything more than just someone who employs other doctors to look over your condition. I've considered utilizing her mind to help supply potions for Pokemon Centers, since looking into her history, I've noticed how often she's worked in such fields."
The brown-and-pink haired Ranger blinked. "I hope you guys are prepared to deal with her in the long run because she's uh..." She looked to the side and had a comically manic image of the doctor laughing, holding a syringe in one hand come to her mind. "...she's something if not passionate about her studies."
The Latias that was hovering in and listening to the conversation nodded its long neck in agreement, with Vespa giving an audible 'huff'.
The Chairman let out a weak laugh, as Oleana felt hesitant to continue talking about Grace. "The idea is to get her to stay in Galar and at the sanctuary but..."
In the back of her mind, Cherise knew what she meant and pursed her lips. "...she gave you the ultimatum, right?"
Gritting her teeth a little close lipped, Oleana went and picked up her coffee mug and took another sip. Sighing in content as the bitter liquid went down, Oleana remarked, nodding. "She is currently scheduled for a conference with those higher up in the league to argue her thesis. How she got through University of Hoenn is one thing, but her views don't match her pedigree. I had not realized until lately how...'different' she is from others in the field of science."
Cherise huffed, and stuck an upper lip out. "But she was able to argue her point across effectively, huh?"
/
Grace winked at her friend as she gets up to pack everything. "I'll call you when we have reached Galarian airspace so you can meet us at the hospital."
"Thank you for your patience with me on this, doctor." She leaned over to the computer and exited the call before sighing.
However as Oleana had begun to gather her things at that moment, she received another oncoming call from . "...odd."
She answered, lowering herself to her seat and answering the video call with a raised brow. "Yes, doctor? Did you forget something?"
"Yes, actually. I remembered one last thing so I hope you have time to discuss it. I do agree to the terms of condition to follow Cherise into Galar...but I have some questions to bring up with you about that and his upcoming sanctuary." Grace said, readjusting herself in her seat. The pair had previously that day discussed with Haru some opening details surrounding it.
Sighing, Oleana tapped with an idle hand on the desk edge. "Please elaborate for me, then, Grace."
"You know that I am only adopting the medical term of 'Head Doctor' to keep up appearances while there. I may have an extensive medical history with Cherise, but that 'medical' history is only on paper. I am more or less one who has, shall I say, 'tinkered' with her before this all went down to see what she's like. How she exists. Why she exists. I'm one of the few who understands why she's capable of accomplishing the acts she did."
The busty Gardevoir shifted her view so her eyes looked above the rim of her glasses to the video window. "You see the Ranger as a means to an end for the safety of your region. I see her as a friend...and a puzzle piece worth inserting into science's bigger picture."
/What the hell...?/ Oleana felt a bead of sweat form on her temple. "Go on."
"Like I was here in Sinnoh I should be granted the right to oversee her medical doctors for her extended recovery while I'm there. Furthermore, I'll agree to all of the aforementioned conditions of my stay discussed in the call with ..." said, crossing her arms across her ample bust on the video call as Oleana's eyes squinted back. "but I need you to do something for me, first."
Both of Oleana's eyes squinted analytically. "Why do I get the feeling you're about to ask me to agree to something controversial?" Oleana spoke coldly.
"Just grant me my own wing to continue my rese-"
"ABSOLUTELY NOT!" Oleana stood up from her desk and had her finger mere microinches from pressing the button on her keyboard to hang up the call before the doctor hurriedly cut her off.
"WAIT PLEASE! Hear me out first! You need to hear my reasoning!"
There's a long pause between the pair before Oleana sits down then leans forward with both hands holding onto the other. "Fine, but please make haste."
"Okay. As it stands now Galar has a registry of 400 Pokemon for your Pokemon Index. Your current angle is to expand said Index to allow more, if not all Pokemon free reign in Galar, correct? If true, then this would greatly benefit the synthesis of more healthy life where you live, but gone unbalanced you will greatly become as outnumbered and hunted as insects by the very kingdom tree of animals that hunt them. A single Pokemon can, at any point, lay over 10 eggs, over the course of mere minutes if the cycle is active and said parent is healthy. There are, of course, aphrodisiacs that exist that can increase that number, but that's just from a single Pokemon. They cannot create an ecosystem by themselves, but multiply, let's say, 50 eggs from that LONE PARENT by just 400. That's 20,000." The doctor leans forward on the video feed with just the light glaring back on her glasses to appear to Oleana on the feed.
"Now, I'm not saying that in a single day you'll have upwards of that many eggs per day. There is always an ebb and flow in Pokemon daycare that I wager he's more than well aware of, and not every Pokemon will be able to find a partner. But in a single sanctuary like 's where he will be working tirelessly to preserve Pokemon without violence, feeding them, caring for them, do you want to allow the possibility of it imploding overnight? Consider the seasons, the 'heat cycles' Pokemon have: do you truly think it humane to console all of them through making them faint or tiring them out via paralysis? Unless you plan on having a Ranger on every corner to control every few thousand Pokemon, the numbers don't add up. Consider that the minimum number to prevent inbreeding of Pokemon, nay, any species, is a few thousand. I don't care how good your staff or your 'heroes' are, Oleana: not even your region has enough boxes to contain that many Pokemon."
"!" Oleana looked away. had a point. The reason why Daycare Centers were successful was because of the low number of employees and low number of Pokemon that could be taken in at any point, lest it implode a species and any given area near it. A sanctuary like Haru's was nice on the surface, but they had yet to consider the depths of populace for Pokemon.
Seeing the chairwoman react in surprise like this made the doctor all too gleeful; chuckling and all too pleased with catching her offguard. She sat upright as the glare dissipated and she confidently eyed the chairman. "If gone unchecked there will be too many Pokemon living in any one spot, and not only will you be unable to feed them all, but they'll start to unbalance nature with the expansion they're undergoing. Or they'll starve. Or they'll start to fight each other. Haru's sanctuary itself will fall apart, and without controlling Pokemon in some proper manner, it won't last even a single turn of the leaves." The teal colored Gardevoir tilted up her glasses and kept her piercing glare through the screen. "Tell me, Miss Chairman, how do you plan to control the birthing rate of a populace that will suddenly see a boom like that, without outright teraforming the Earth beneath your feet, for both Pokemon and humans alike? Do you think Haru and whatever staff you employ him will have the manpower to care for that many? Do you plan to find thousands of infertile Pokemon to relieve these beautiful creatures? Do you want to castrate each and every singleone? Selectively? How would you decide that? Do you plan to employ low numbers of Dittos? Do you want to have Haru go against his sanctuary's meaning for finding Pokemon a new life be it in nature, safe from humans, by risking these extra birthed Pokemon through trade? That would go against the Adoption Center that would be a part of the sanctuary, now wouldn't it?"
Oleana went quiet and looked to the side. This was a point she had considered, but was now worried they may not have the resources to fight currently. Moreso, she saw a scenario where this would mean she'd take drastic turns much like Rose to resolve it. The worst case scenario would lead to a similar catastrophe under another name, and she would shoulder the blame for allowing it to fester. A now sinister like energy was felt from this doctor in which, up until now, appeared that she expressed only a lustful endeavor when it came to bringing up this specific subject. She had now realized that had just as much a serious and professional perspective as it was sadistic. She put more thought into this than anyone else normally would, or should.
/...what am I getting us into if I go through with this?/ Oleana thought to herself whilst keeping a poker face. "You're making this out to be far more crazy than it has any right to be. Do you think Haru and his staff will somehow just be unable to curate them like this? Do you think yours is the only solution to resolving this, or that his sanctuary is the only one that's out there? Others exist out there, you manic Gardevoir, and none of them require any heinous..." Oleana scoffed at herself. "Who do you think you are asking me for something like this?! Are you psychotic?"
"No Miss Chairman, I'm simply just...eccentric. Ecstatic." Grace said as a mocking smile spread on her cheeks.
"You're also exceptionally irresponsible to suggest I open the possibility for Galarians to will themselves for your 'science'. And do what afterwards? What then, when PokeRus starts to develop in humans? Where do I go for 'Patient Zero'? Do you want to take responsibility when the tabloids come for your head on a silver platter?" Oleana said, now getting irritable with the suggestions.
And yet... kept a cool head over herself, and handwaved with a finger back and forth. "I'm also exceptionally capable, cognizant, creative with the means to court any group of insipid humans using my knowledge of every facet, fashion, AND FORM of scientific syllabus that applies."
Oleana grit her teeth as she almost felt as if the doctor were staring back like a predator cornering its prey. "Damn you..."
In a silky soothing tone, the shiny colored graduate of Hoenn spoke confidently. "In light of this possibility, I offer a compromise. Allow me to help curb the birthing rate of Pokemon. It won't be permanent. I'll join Haru's staff by not just calming down any out of control heated Pokemon, but also by continuing my research in Galar. Do not coyly think I haven't learned how to curate human volunteers for such a task, Miss Chairman: this isn't my first time doing this. I am no ordinary doctor." She readjusted her glasses and grinned widely. "...am I?"
Oleana's eyes widened, and her cheeks turned red. Knowing Grace was going to suggest something like this at all was something she had hoped to avoid ever since meeting and subsequently getting to know her. "That's..." The chairwoman could only feel frustrated not being able to think of a way how not to go along with it. /There's so many problems here. I have to dance the legality of seeing Galar's ecosystem implode with more Pokemon from other regions while stepping on toes and issues I'm not ready to deal with at the moment. It's a known fact that Galarians want to be able to legally bring in more Pokemon. Unless one has an exemption like what Rose offered, it's impossible to do so legally. If this turns against my favor, then I may risk any progress I've been making, and it's because I have this doctor arguing in favor of her barely disguised fetish. Yet the worst thing is, is that I can't think of a way to argue against her./ A blood vessel tensed up in Oleana's forehead. /...am I at my limit?/
Grace felt the negativity in Oleana's doubts coming in and fired again with a reply. "You get to allow more Pokemon to live in Galar be it only through the League, or in the sanctuary, and I get to continue observing what humans and Pokemon bonding could truly be like...for the good of science. Don't perceive me as a rookie: my end goal has been worked towards for years and it will not be something I wish to endanger Haru's sanctuary with forever. Besides...is it truly okay that those manuscripts from Sinnoh only remain as 'debated notes' from a forgone era?" Her eyes looked at Oleana's above the rims of her glasses as Oleana sighed once more. "...or do you recognize that there's potential for new evolution for our species? You can't deny that the majority of the benefits of bonding with Pokemon blossomed our planet with many things. The Leagues of every region are but one of many facets...so too is our precious Ranger." Grace winked.
There was another long pause, followed by a slow and deep breath from the Chairman.
"It is...an extreme maneuver. One that I cannot in good consciousness grant complicitly by myself." Oleana's eyes opened. "...however I will allow you to argue your case to the head of the League. If this does poorly, it'll be on your shoulders. Are you prepared to deal with this?"
The busty Gardevoir let out a laugh in a mocking tone. She was in her zone. "Please, do you think this is my first time doing this, Oleana? I can handle this, AND 's-directed Sanctuary easily."
"..."
"..."
"...I'll arrange a jet for you immediately. Prepare to leave." Oleana said in a professional, but low tone that was caked in a somewhat self loathing tone.
"Hmmf. Knew you'd see it my way." said confidently as the video call ended.
Staring at the now vacant screen on her desk, Oleana exhaled slowly. "...I hope I know what I'm doing."/
"Yeah, I had a feeling she would. That sounds just like her." Cherise said with a hint of indifference.
"I hadn't realized the doctor had such a side to her. When the suggestion came up, it was as if her personality had completely shifted to something more serious. Nefarious, even." Oleana sighed and pressed a thumb up to the temple of her forehead.
Cherise frowned and looked to the Vaporeon who was belly up asking for scratches. "I'm sorry that I'm causing so many problems for you."
Giving a smirk, Oleana shook her head. "Prior to you, I had to fill in for my previous boss who nearly ruined our power grid by unleashing a Pokemon that was not just our major power source, but tied to facets of our region's history and Pokemon League. Wishing Stars. The Dynamax Phenomena...and Gigantamax. Our electricity. Imagine how hard I've had to work just to keep our reputation green with our citizens and to trust me."
"Uh..." Cherise looked confused, blinking.
"The alien, draconic Pokemon named Eternatus. Haru is the one who calmed it down, and is its current master." She explained.
"...wait, the same Haru who is doing this sanctuary in the first place?" Cherise blinked.
"Yes."
- - - - - Haru and Nessa's Home, Hulbury - - - - -
- - - - - Backyard, 5:10 PM - - - - -
Haru tossed his Poke Ball forward, and from within came out Eternatus. Roaring loudly, the Pokemon made the land tremor violently. Holding only an arm up to shield his vision from the shockwave, Haru looked calmly at the skeletal body of the haunting legendary. Nearby, Nora and Masako stood stone-faced from the rear entrance to the home while his other Pokemon were inside. Peering outside, Goji, Leafa, Ruby and Mirukon took a glance to whence the noise came from. Mirukon took note of not wanting his youngling to be scared by the legendary, and so the Lucario picked up the shiny Ralts and walked away from the window. The parent and child Pokemon would go further into the home while trusting his master to keep them safe.
Staring up at the Dragon legendary of Galar, Haru turned his head to the side and sneeezed. The Dragon veered its head forward, ever so slowly. Studiously. The Pokemon appeared as if to sneer viscously as it recalled the reason for its capture. Haru rubbed his nose in disinterest. /Someone's talking about me. Ngh.../ "Hey Eternatus. It's been a hot minute since you and I spoke to each other. I wanted to see how you've been doing since the last time you and I had any interaction was when you were threatening all of Galar. Back then, I hadn't yet become a Champion, and you were going to destroy my home." He reached into his left vest pocket and took out the medallion. Eternatus followed Haru's hand motion to see the medallion. "Do you see this? This is proof that I have tackled every Gym Leader here, and this..." he put it back in, and brought out a small medal. "...is my proof of becoming a Champion. Of which I am no longer. I am but a Gym Leader."
"GIGAAAAA!" it roared right at his face, causing the long tail of his outfit to flap and then strike the tera beneath it, almost in defiance.
Haru put a hand over his cap and made sure it stayed in place. "Right. We haven't exactly had the best of introductions to each other, but I want to spend some time with you not just a master to his Pokemon, but as a friend. In some short time, I'll become a married man, and I'd like to train you as another guardian. If I'm able to have you keep watch over Galar with me and Zamazenta, then I'd feel a bit better about the future." He hung his head as the Dragon Pokemon let out a low, disinterested growl.
Deliberating for just a moment, Haru remembered staring down the bright light and remembered its message. Something evil was on its way, and he had no idea currently of what it could be. "That's not all, either. A certain other Pokemon contacted me and has ordered me to find someone to steer Galar away from a 'calamity'." He stared down Eternatus. "Arceus was the one who gave me that message."
"!" The dragon buckled a little in anxiousness. All of the Legendaries were aware of Arceus, even if not always by name.
"This is a lot to dump on you, but I'm aware this isn't something someone like me can simply request of you." Haru turned to his side and put both hands in his pockets. "Galar is still relying on the amount of energy you give off in order to keep itself running. I'd like to work with you to change the conversation our old congregation within the League still has daily about it." Haru would gesture with a sweeping motion of his left arm to his left.
"Lots of people out there still fear you, but ever since that day, I've been working hard to do things differently." As he began walking outside the yard, the legendary hovered near him, listening.
"I want you to be able to feel like you can keep us safe by working small while also not feeling you 'owe' us anything. Let us work together to keep the connection I'm now holding with not just my other Pokemon, but my to-be wife. We can go at this relationship with you and I slowly, okay? I'll go at the pace you set, but I want you to know that you don't have to be cooped up anymore like Rose di-"
"GGAGGAARRRRRRR! GIGRRRAAAAAA!" Eternatus suddenly and violently whipped around with its tail knocking over some branches from one of the tall trees in the back.
"Okay okay okay! Bad name to say. Got it! Sorry! Just calm down please!" Haru said now trying his best to calm down the creature with his hands spread outwards in caution. The loud screeching from the pissed off predator retracted until the rumbling of the growls was only in Eternatus' throat.
It looked back down at him with its face nearing.
"Humans have a lot to answer for: I get it. But start by trusting me. Okay? I can feed you and give you attention just like my Steel dog, and my team and the rest of my Pokemon family. Heh. We can even start working together to trim the fat of the bloated populace of Gigantimax Pokemon and give them a safer place to be. It'll give you a chance to exercise, and after all, I want to understand you better." He scratched his cheeks, taking in the detail of the strange, almost translucent body. "The truth is, all of this is in hopes for me to better understand not just you but all Pokemon because I'm building a sanctuary." He stretched a hand out to Eternatus, whose large, bulbous head backed off a little.
"Just meet me halfway. We don't have to rush. Okay?" His hand staying outstretched. As the human and scary Pokemon stared each other down, they went quiet as if to study the other's response before the other reacted; a stalemate between two powerful individuals. The legendary Eternatus was a very old, destructive force of nature that was responsible for nearly destroying Galar twice. It could not remember so easily a time when a tiny human stood before it bearing neither a sword or shield, but a hand in kinship.
A moment passes, and Eternatus just nudged the palm of Haru's hand, who tapped on it lightly. "Thank you for trusting me, Eternatus. Now...let me spruce up a large meal for you, and I'll introduce you to the others when you're willing." He turned to Nora and Masako, who nodded. "You both will look after him, right?"
They both gave an equivalent of a thumbs up, with Nora raising a forefront paw, and Haru smirked. "Good."
- - Inside, the Den - -
Walking back inside, Haru exhaled slowly after taking the light step upwards to the interior of the home. His muscles in his legs were aching, so walking meant he carried a slight limp in his step. Not from any injury, but from the new routine that had begun not long ago where Sevan would be working out with him. Being so used to his stamina-based exercising with Nessa in the mornings, changing things up for more strength-based training and light combat basics made sure that his whole body would be yelling for relief. /I can deal with a light jog, but doing weights, crunches, 'core workout' and some boxing is pretty tough. I can see where an amateur like me and someone like him lay.../ He thought to himself, hoping perhaps after feeding his fellow Pokemon he'll be able to put some ice on himself.
/"C'mon Haru I didn't hear any bells!"
"Damn it! Why are you such a hardass?!"
"I told you we would un-bitch those arms of yours, and that we will!"
"You told me this was going to only be 3 sets!"/
"Fucking Sevan...my arms still ache from this morning..." Haru muttered to himself.
Standing before Eternatus had left him lightly shaken but he had to stand his ground for the good of getting his points across. If he, the previous hero of Galar, folded under pressure just talking to a Pokemon he caught and some exercise, what kind of man would he be?
Haru shook it off and allowed himself to undress by removing the outer coat his Gym Leader outfit became to be and laid it over one arm of the sofa. /Nessa will be home soon. I should review what's been done for the wedding so far./ Looking to a hanging wedding planner stationary, Haru grabbed it and a fine marker, and sat down to see their current progress.
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
[X]Theme of wedding: Alola - Nessa
[X]Date (?) 'On a Sunday, aim for 3 months from now! - Nessa'
[] Budget - Mom and Dad are keeping track of this! - Nessa
[?]Bride Dress: Looking at some today! - Nessa
[?]Groom Tux: Going in a few days to be fitted for one. - Haru
[X]Ceremony location: Hulbury Gym Battleground (Still working on getting this set, but it's
important to tie in the reception to the same date! - Nessa)
[?]Reception location: (Working on it now. May be in Circhester. - Haru)
[X]Maid of Honor: Sonia
[X]Best Man: Hop
[?]Priest: Searching for options - Haru
[X]Registry: Already taken care of! - Nessa
[?]Photographers: I have 1 noted currently, but am looking for another
for a different photoshoot to be done. - Nessa
[?]Catering: Kabu may be of some assistance, but still in the air.
Also need to get a baker for the cake. Kitchenware is an obvious must. - Haru
[?]Florist: Going to look into it today! - Nessa
[X]Invitations: Holly is seeing to it all of them are done. - Haru
[?]Ceremony Music: Vaporeware plz - Haru
[?]Ushers: Gym Staff of both Gyms perhaps? - Nessa
[?]Ring Bearer: I have ideas on who...but not sure - Nessa
[?]Videographer: We are not getting Raihan. - Nessa
[?]Honeymoon location: SHhhhh I'm handling this one! - Nessa
[?]Marriage License: Getting this done tomorrow! - Haru
[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]
His eyes glazed over for a moment at all the leftover details that had not been filled in or written. "Still so much to do..." He noted audibly to himself.
Thinking of the next step for the planner would have to be gone over another time. For now, he was focused on getting food ready for this Pokemon of the household and then dinner for Nessa and him. Preparing something delicious for them would be simple: he'd done it before a thousand times. Adding in Eternatus to the usual mix of those proved to be more than he was used to making but it would be worth it if it means coercing a legendary to be more friendly to him.
Haru came back inside and felt anxious for some reason. Bringing out his phone, Haru checked the time. It was getting to be around the time he'd have to make dinner. He hummed. For some reason, nothing was coming to mind. /I don't want to disappoint her by ordering out again.../
There'd seemingly would be no time to come up with an answer without her knowledge, as the sound of the front door was heard clicking open and then shut. "I'm ho~ome." Nessa said, walking in. Going to greet her esteemed lover, Haru was seen outside with his back hunched over and giddy. The skeletal-like legendary was eating Haru's food that he had prepared for him. Looking at him through the screen door, and setting some bags down, Nessa smirked. Sensing someone was home, Haru would turn back and saw the woman inside wave back with a smile.
Upon walking back inside Haru was brought into an embrace with Nessa taking hold of one hand, removing his cap, and then using the same hand to bring his face to her chest as she held him tight, quietly. His cheeks burned up, turning a tint of rose. "Oh...this is nice~." One of her hands sank and rose down his back gently while she laid her chin on top of his head.
"Haru...you're enough for me." she said gently, giving a squeeze to the one hand holding one of his own.
His eyes widened, and she felt his head shift slightly as though to gain better sight of the woman holding him. "...Nessa? Did something happen today?"
She shook her head slowly and then reenforced the hug so that he'd be looking upwards at her, inviting both of his hands to be around her waist while she looked down at him. "Haru. You're enough for me. Please don't forget that, okay?"
A flutter in his heart came, and Haru bit his lip. These feelings and words were concerning to him, somehow. Intimacy was nothing new between them, and always came from a certain place of deeper truths unraveling to the other. "..I...I won't. How could I?"
She could tell the directness had caught him off guard and didn't want to scare him. "You don't have to be scared to lose me, Haru. I don't want you to worry about what happened before and think it'll somehow happen with me."
Both of Haru's irises shrank, slightly in fear and slightly in shock. /She knows...?/ "H-how did...? Was it my therapist...? I'm sorry I never said, I mean I didn't know how to-"
The Gym Leader shook her head. "Sonia told me, and it's okay. Finishing one of the errands for our wedding ended with us talking about you. I mentioned how I was worrying over you with some of the things you do while alone with me...and now I understand."
Panic set in, and he bit his lip "It came to my attention early that it is a faux pas to mention one's own exes. After our first date and the few subsequent dates after, I just figured I'd...no that's not true. I guess I was scared. Still am." Nessa shut him up by combing her slender fingers through his hair and removing his glasses.
Moving to the couch and holding onto him, Haru only heard her speak as part of his ears were pressed to her chest. "I know. It's okay. This is why I want to remind you that you are 'enough' for me. You're not at fault, sweetheart. I hope you realize that since you've been able to accomplish so much while enduring so much pain shows how strong you are regardless of it, not because of it." Nessa looked down at him and brought him up to look at her. "What she did to you was terrible. I'm sorry if I ever made you scared of that happening. All I can do is give you reminders that I won't." She let go of one of his hands with her left and then raised it in front of him, showing off her ring finger. "You see this ring? That alone is the promise that we're soon going to be connected beyond time and space...and I am not someone who backs down from such a decision."
He finally felt secure. The oncoming onslaught of panic was subsiding, but Haru still felt it in him to apologize despite himself. "I'm sorry...thank you." he clung to her.
She could hear him breathe a slow sigh of relief and stroked the curls at the end of his hair with a finger while holding him tight. "How was the morning exercise with Sev?"
"Exhausting. My muscles ache all over, but I feel it the most in my stomach cuz of the 'core' I've been doing." Haru winced.
"Just keep at it. I know you can do it. For now, I want us to forget about planning the wedding for tonight, or even talking about it. I brought home some curry with appetizers and tea. Let's just have a quiet night together."
Nessa noticed Haru slightly pull away, squint his eyes and look to his side before sniffing. "...I was beginning to wonder why I smelled Tikki Masala."
Nessa snorted, and kept petting him slowly. "Oh and uh...why is there a giant purple dragon in our back yard?"
"Ah, Eternatus? I'm gonna be training him." Haru said oh-so-casually. "Figured I could befriend him after catching him from way back when."
"So I see..." She smiled and sighed slowly. "Just remember I'm here, love."
"Thank you..." Haru gave her a squeeze.
"I love you, Haru."
"I love you too, Nessa."
But dinner had to wait for just another moment, as Nessa was reminded of one more thing. Her eyes widened and felt giddy: hoping to get a good reaction out of Haru from the surprise.
"You're really going to love me after I reveal this." Nessa sat up straight, letting go of her beloved, getting up and fetching something from within her jumper that she wore on the way over to home. Flashing Haru the back of the printouts she got from Sonia and handing to Haru, she'd wait for his reaction.
"What's this?" He turned it over, scanned it, and then gasped. She'd see him leap off the couch to his feet and screeched to a pitch of sheer jubilation. "WHTAHTHAWHATHwh! AAAAAHHH! YOU! THESE! AND! WHEN-AND-HOW!" Pointing from Nessa to the papers rapidly. This made her laugh loudly, holding onto her stomach.
"It's a pre-wedding gift. Sonia thinks we should use this together and see them." Nessa said.
"But...! But I thought you...! I mean when I was...!" He sat down on the couch, now calmed to a degree and speaking normally. "Aren't you...at the worst, indifferent to these guys? Would you really wanna go to a concert?"
"It's admittedly not the first thing that comes to mind for something we can do together...but I think that's okay." She reached out and held one of his hands again and brought it to one of her cheeks. "Because it's you, I think I'll end up having a very fun time."
Haru looked simply overjoyed. Hearing Nessa tell him she would go to this special event with him and meet him halfway on an interest he had meant so much that he could burst right there. "Nessa. Thank you..."
"You're welcome~"
- - - - - New Coronet Airport, Sinnoh - - - - -
- - - - - 9:22PM - - - - -
Being ever so thankful that she got several naps on the flights over, Syra walked around the airport with her carry-on trailing behind and Tsukiyomi, her shiny Eevee, resting on her shoulders looking around. Neither of them had been this far from home, and it was the first stop for a much needed vacation. Glancing to the multi-language signs, Syra held back from snapping a photo every few dozen meters, but that didn't stop Tsukiyomi from yapping excitedly in several directions.
"Hey Tsuki, c'mon bro. I'm excited too, but don't fall off my shoulders okay? We gotta stick together while we're here." She felt a bead of sweat form on her forehead. The manner of interior architecture of the airport was vastly different than the one in Galar, and Syra would stop by to ask someone for help.
A staff who was helping to curate people near a directory for the airport noticed Syra and pointed her in the right direction...with Syra apologizing for her accent. It was successful. She wouldn't have to go very far to get to her luggage and meet up with the contact that was awaiting her.
Moments after going through security, Syra looked when she heard a voice calling to her after Tsukiyomi turned his attention first towards it. It was a female voice she did not recognize. Syra had turned to see as a woman with long blue-tint hair, pink beanie with a Pokeball design on it, diamond necklace, pink sleeveless turtleneck sweater, 6 Pokeballs on her waistline and piercing eyes. "Oh shit. Sinnoh's Champion: Dawn."
Dawn gave a casual wave back. "Hello there, Galar's Champion, Syra. I've been told you were interested in legendaries and myths of my region. Is that true?"
Syra gave a wry smirk. "Yeah. But not the only thing."
"Well then..." Dawn opened her arms and gave a regal, slow bow with one arm extended. "I'm here to show you around. Try not to keep up, because there's a lot for us to go over."
- - - - - END CHAPTER 29 - - - - -
