TRAINER ID
Name: Daniel Ingram
Badges: 3
Account: 38,427 credits
Location: Dewford Town
DANIEL'S TEAM
Trapinch - Female
OWEN'S TEAM
Shroomish (Misha) - Female
Vigoroth (Omar) - Male
Unsurprisingly, we were a little excited about getting our Pokémon back. Though we were far from the only ones who arrived early to the Pokécenter to pick up our Pokémon, Owen and I were indisputably the first.
It had been wishful thinking to believe that we might be able to get our Pokémon before the time we'd been explicitly given, but the chance wasn't zero either. It was definitely overkill to arrive five hours early, but neither of us could sleep and it wasn't as if we were going to be able to hold a workout or training session that was even remotely productive given the circumstances.
I was honestly rather surprised that Owen was willing to skip his morning workout, something I wasn't sure I'd ever seen him do, but he shared the opinion that if we went downstairs to the recreation room, we might not be the first in line when the League's mysterious quarantine center began accepting transport requests. Frankly, I found the thought of waiting even a single minute longer than necessary to get my team back to be entirely unacceptable, and Owen felt much the same.
Despite having daydreamed about how our reunion might unfold hundreds of times over, I still felt woefully unprepared.
Did I follow my desires and instantly release Apollo the moment I laid hands on his Pokéball, or did I wait to find a more private location, and if so where would that even be?
Should I give my team a 'welcome home' or a 'quarantine graduation' gift of some sort, and if so what?
Would Orion or Duran take offense if I chose to spend a few minutes alone with Apollo before releasing them?
Should Trapinch be involved in the reunion? I'd wanted to include her more and treat her like the others, but couldn't help but think she would only serve as a distraction and complicate matters.
How much had changed since our team meeting before the Rocket attack? The events in Lavaridge had forever changed me, but what about them? Two of them had evolved, and although I'd mostly been able to get through to Duran when he'd evolved, he'd been different for sure. How much of that might linger, even if the worst had come to pass? They were still technically infected with Pokérus, after all…
Despite all my lingering uncertainties, the one thing I felt confident about was that I wouldn't react negatively when Apollo connected to my mind. As much as I loathed to admit it, Warren had done me yet another huge favor by providing me with exposure therapy to get over my lingering skittishness surrounding telepaths after being mentally assaulted by the Claydol. If he hadn't brought it to my attention and helped to rectify it, I could easily see a scenario where I would have had an extremely negative, visceral reaction upon Apollo linking with me, particularly because now that he'd evolved his presence would surely feel different, not to mention stronger.
Even if by some miracle my trauma didn't extend to Apollo and that didn't happen, it surely would have popped up someday when I ran into another telepath. I probably would have chalked it up to simply being wary after learning first-hand just how frightening a hostile telepath could be, and I might have believed that for a long time to come, but Warren had helped me see that it was an issue that would only get harder to fix the longer I left it unaddressed.
I'd have probably never willingly opened myself up to another friendly telepath again, and if I ever found myself in another situation where I was subjected to a mental assault, I'd have almost surely folded, regardless of whether Apollo was there to help or not. Being so afraid that I would willingly grant unfettered access to my mind, the most sacred thing a person could possess, to a potential enemy… Well, let's just say that Warren had taken great care to rectify that mindset. It didn't matter how powerful the psychic was, whether I had Apollo with me to help defend, or how scary or painful it might be – you never relinquish control of yourself willingly. The possible consequences of resisting could end up a lot worse than spending a few days in the hospital, but they paled in comparison to the potential loss of your darkest secrets and free will.
To help drive home the possible implications, I'd reluctantly let one of his psychics all the way into my mind once again, only to become completely paralyzed. I couldn't move, speak, or even breathe without 'permission', and getting the presence out was an impossible task once it had taken root, no matter how hard I tried. It was a truly horrifying experience that made me even more wary of powerful psychics, which you'd think would be a bad thing considering the overall goal of our meetups was to help me not crumble in the presence of one, but it did serve to instill in me why letting a hostile psychic into your mind was something you should never willingly do.
It had taken me a while to figure out, but I had come to understand why Warren's response after gaining access to my mind was 'disappointing'. What I'd done had essentially been the equivalent of rolling over and accepting whatever fate awaited me. Honestly, a more fitting response would have been 'pathetic', particularly for someone with ambitions of conquering the circuit and a strong desire to be capable of defending those that I care for.
Needless to say, I not only credited Warren for giving me a wake-up call that I desperately needed, but for helping me avert what could have easily been a horrible reaction to Apollo. I'd have never been able to forgive myself if I had an extremely negative reaction to his presence feeling differently than I remembered, and it would have completely tarnished what should have been a heartfelt moment.
A side effect of waiting in the lobby for hours was that it meant that I was subjected to the news playing on the television screen hanging from the wall. I'd been purposely avoiding such things ever since getting to Dewford, but figured that it was probably about time for me to pull my head out of the sand, at least a little. I'd been making a conscious effort to ignore the news whenever Owen's dad watched, and had even been avoiding going online as much as possible to avoid any negativity that might ruin my road to recovery.
It wasn't just traditional news either – I'd completely checked out online as well. After Lavaridge, my email inbox and private messages had gone from a graveyard to an unusable mess, and it didn't take me long to realize that something had to be done. I disabled private messages out of necessity, and had even gone so far as to set up a filter for my email that tossed anything containing the words Lavaridge, rocket, interview, or statement into a folder I had no intention of checking.
Probably not a great idea, and something I would surely need to undo once my fifteen minutes of internet fame was fully up and things calmed down, but I hadn't wanted to make the same mistake Owen had by allowing myself to be dragged into politics just for trying to do the right thing. Even though most of the messages I got were exceedingly positive and supportive, the reality was that they all reminded me of things I just wanted to forget, so I didn't want to see them.
Despite all my attempts to remain blissfully unaware of the troubles facing the region, I knew it couldn't go on forever. With my team finally being returned to me and the incident in Lavaridge no longer quite as raw, I finally felt ready to begin opening myself to what was happening beyond my own little bubble while secluded in Dewford.
"...still no reports of Rocket activity since the series of raids performed on select Hoenn Pokécenters the day lockdown was announced. One of our League contacts who wishes to remain anonymous speculates that Team Rocket is laying low until they can securely transport the nearly three thousand Pokémon that have been confirmed to be stolen. At a recent press conference, Champion Tucker once again reaffirmed his pledge to do everything in his power to reunite those affected with their companions, swearing to expel Team Rocket from the region once and for all. A bold claim, wouldn't you say Gemma?"
"Indeed, perhaps too bold. It's not the first time we've heard a region's Champion make such a proclamation, but unfortunately there isn't the best track record of delivering on such grand ambitions, so you'll have to forgive me if I'm skeptical of his chances at succeeding. Champion Lance has famously been trying to put an end to Team Rocket's occupation in both Kanto and Johto for over a decade, and we see how well that's gone. True, there have been some very successful campaigns and raids in the past, and few would deny that the continued pressure has served to temper Team Rocket enough that they aren't running rampant in the streets as they once were. Yet the fact remains – Team Rocket is not only alive and well, but arguably more dangerous than ever before. Reports indicate that their ranks are growing, they're continuing to expand their operations across regions, and they have become increasingly surgical in their approach. Though low-level street crimes by the organization are at an all-time low, the evidence is clear that they've pivoted more into corporate and political espionage, indicating that they are broadening the scope of their ambitions."
I frowned, realizing that they weren't going to be giving me the news I'd been hoping to hear. I'd hoped that between Warren and the task force, there would be news of some sort of huge raid on a Rocket base, perhaps even recovery of at least some of the stolen Pokémon. Undoubtedly that kind of thing wouldn't be kept quiet, so I could only assume that it either hadn't happened yet, or had been a colossal failure.
The news anchors continued, shifting their discussion to the lockdown restrictions. Not about how Hoenn's had begun to lift, but about the similar measures being implemented elsewhere as Pokérus continued to spread to other regions, though by the sounds of things Kanto and Johto were the two currently being hit the hardest. They were largely following in Hoenn's footsteps by implementing a lockdown with sweeping restrictions that seemed nearly identical, with the main differences being that they had enacted them without waiting until it was as widespread as it had been here, and their borders were completely closed to travelers until further notice, with no exceptions.
Compare that to Unova, which sounded like it was getting poised for an outbreak far worse than we'd experienced in Hoenn due to their reluctance to institute any measures that would threaten their way of life. Unova was home to many of the world's largest cities, with their economy focusing much more on tourism, interregional trade, and the productivity of their bustling metropolitan cities than most other regions. While the Indigo Plateau was fully intent on taking a heavy-handed approach and nipping the virus' spread in the bud, Unova was attempting to be more subtle. They'd apparently deployed their Rangers and were benefitting from the instant screening that Devon had developed, but were reluctant to do anything as drastic as Indigo or Hoenn.
With the advantage of the new instant screening on their side coupled with a near-militarized security presence, Kanto and Johto's calls for trainers to report to the nearest Pokécenter for testing seemed to have gone off without a hitch and didn't need to be held overnight. It didn't appear that Team Rocket was strategically infecting gyms and Pokécenters as they had in Hoenn, leaving me to wonder if they were going to make any moves at all, or if they were content to lay low after their successful heists in Hoenn. It would be extremely risky to try pulling the same stunt in other regions since security would undoubtedly be increased, but I found it hard to believe that they would only target Hoenn when they were well-known as having the most vested interest in their home region of Kanto.
Or maybe they were just doing it much more subtly, since it definitely seemed like they weren't being spared by any means. Only time would tell, but not knowing what was going on with Team Rocket was aggravating and unnerving. I wanted nothing more than to hear news of a massive raid with a slew of arrests – frankly, it was the only news I wanted to hear. But I had a lot of time to kill, and listening to the news, talk shows, and infomercials helped to keep me from going crazy as I anxiously waited.
The wait was frankly brutal, and there were a few times when I regretted showing up so early. But after what felt like an eternity, nine o'clock finally came and I found myself in a lobby of roughly thirty or so people, when Nurse Joy held out her hand and asked for my Pokédex first, I knew I'd made the right decision.
After I handed over my Pokédex and watched anxiously as Nurse Joy submitted the request for my team to be transported, I could feel the envy oozing off those standing in line behind us. Normally I'd have felt immensely uncomfortable being the center of everyone's attention like that, especially when it could be perceived negatively, but I couldn't find it in me to care one bit even if that were the case.
I was finally getting my team back, and nothing else in the world mattered.
For a moment, I could only stare down at the tray containing my team in a slight daze. It almost felt unreal, seeing the familiar scratches and subtle marring that the Pokéball Norman had given me not so long ago already bore. Duran's Net Ball and Orion's Luxury Ball were in slightly better shape, but they too were beginning to show signs of wear that I hadn't even consciously registered until recognizing them.
"Thanks, Nurse Joy," I said appreciatively, feeling a strong sense of comfort and relief wash over me after clipping the balls into their designated spots on my belt clip.
"Of course Mr. Ingram. It's my pleasure," Nurse Joy said with a sweet smile and a slight bow as Owen anxiously stepped forward and handed over his Pokédex.
"I'm going to find somewhere private. We'll meet up in a bit, yeah?" I said to Owen as I turned my body to face the door, eliciting a huge grin and a thumbs up.
Though I managed to limit myself to power-walking out of the Pokécenter, I lost all restraint after exiting and took off into a sprint toward the beach. I didn't know exactly where I was going to release them, but my rough plan was to run until there wasn't a soul in sight, which thankfully didn't take long.
I unclipped Apollo's Pokéball and released him before I could hesitate. Though I'd put a lot of thought into it while waiting for my team and hadn't been sure, when it came time my gut told me that it had to be him first. I'd already seen Duran fairly recently, and as much as I wanted to see Orion, he would need to wait a few more minutes. Apollo deserved my full attention – not only because was my starter and closest friend, but because the last time he'd seen me was when he'd evolved trying to protect me in a life-and-death situation.
I watched in awe as the unfamiliar shape of a Kirlia began to take form, nearly twice as big as the adorable little Ralts I had grown accustomed to, and the only thought I managed to have before Apollo reached out for my mind was that he was definitely not going to be casually riding on my right shoulder anymore.
Not even yet fully materialized, I felt his presence wrap itself around my wide-open mind, which I'd purposely done to make it as inviting as possible. To my relief the presence was largely familiar, which surely helped ensure that didn't flinch or react negatively, which I was making a very conscious effort to avoid.
Though familiar, Apollo's presence was still undoubtedly different than what I remembered. For one thing, it felt a lot more… substantial. Historically, I'd have best described Apollo's presence as being wrapped in a blanket that provided both comfort and security. That metaphor was still applicable, yet it felt heavier and thicker, as though the blanket had become weighted.
Not only that, but the flood of emotions I felt from Apollo were intense – very reminiscent of when he'd lost his cool with me in Verdanturf.
Relief. Concern. Happiness. Hesitance. Hope. Inferiority.
As he fully took form and the light around him dissipated, I couldn't help but find myself stunned as I marveled at how much he'd changed. Most noticeable was his limbs – his arms had grown in length substantially, yet they paled in comparison to that of his legs. Before, his feet had been obscured by the wispy white mass that hung off his midsection, which caused it to look like he had a gown of sorts dragging along the ground when walking. But that had taken a more distinct form, blooming outwards into something resembling a skirt of sorts.
This put his newly sprouted legs on full display, and I was surprised to find that they were actually green, a color previously only found on his helmet. While still there in spirit, what I'd always considered to be a helmet had grown and conformed to the contours of his head, wrapping around where his nose would be. It now also hung down from the sides of his head, giving the appearance of a shoulder-length haircut with long bangs, but by far the most drastic change was that it now parted in just the right spot to let his eyes finally be fully visible.
He'd always had eyes, but they'd been small and largely obscured by his helmet, and even when he'd look up slightly so he could see something, you didn't ever get a good look at them from the shadow cast by his helmet. But they were now on full display, and much larger than they had been previously, finally offering me my first good look at his scarlet eyes. They closely matched the color of the horns that now adorned each side of his head, which had grown substantially and split off from running along the middle of his head.
More generally, his overall stature was just bigger, at least compared to what I was used to, and his head now roughly reached my upper thigh. After a brief moment of fully taking in his new form as he cycled through a rollercoaster of emotions in my mind, he broke me from my entranced marveling at how much he'd grown by sending me something much more direct.
Regret. Shame. "Sorry… Couldn't stop you from get hurt. Get sick, leave you alone. Felt confused and angry, unsafe to be near."
It shocked me, and not only because of what he'd said. His voice was different – much more crisp and noticeably deeper, as opposed to being somewhat disembodied and lacking the detail needed to clearly depict tone and emotion as it once had. There wasn't a doubt in my mind that if he hadn't sent his emotions along with his words, I would have still been easily able to pick them up from the tone his voice carried.
That tone made his words all the more impactful, adding even more weight to the emotions he sent to me. And in that moment, I realized that I was standing there selfishly gawking at him like an idiot while he anxiously grappled with a lot of insecurity and inner turmoil.
As I came back to reality, my emotions began to run as haywire as Apollo's and it became too much. Words escaped me, so I ran over and scooped him into a tight hug, despite how unexpectedly heavy he was. I'd wanted our reunion to be nothing but positive and had half-expected him to instantly Teleport to hug me, but it was abundantly obvious that he held a great deal of insecurity and hesitancy that I had inadvertently let him stew in.
It was all just so unnecessary and unwarranted. He hadn't done anything wrong and had nothing to feel ashamed of. If anything, I was the one who should be feeling that way, not him.
I held him tightly, my hand rubbing his head reassuringly as I invited him deeper into my mind. I didn't want to say anything – words wouldn't properly express everything that I wanted to relay to him, so I wanted him to get my unfiltered thoughts, straight from the source.
I felt his presence accept my invitation, further sinking into the recesses of my mind as he began to decipher the countless thoughts and emotions swirling in my mind, and I could feel the tension in his body slip away as he melted into my embrace. Evolution had clearly provided a massive boost in his abilities because after only a second or two, he understood everything I wanted to express.
My elation at finally being reunited with him and the rest of the team.
My regrets for accidentally getting him sick with what currently seemed to be something that had no cure.
The pride I felt seeing him evolved.
My deep gratitude for how hard he'd fought for my sake.
The relief I felt at seeing first-hand that he was alright after the brutal beatdown he'd taken from the Claydol.
But most of all, the feeling of finally being whole again. I'd done my best to distract myself and ignore it, but ever since waking up in the hospital there was this constant, lingering feeling of emptiness.
For the first time since waking up at the hospital, I felt complete. Holding Apollo and feeling his comforting presence in my mind once again was all it took for it to finally register that I finally had my team back, and that everything was going to be okay.
"I missed you, buddy," I murmured as I felt him begin to return my embrace, noting a slight quiver from him as his flurry of emotions finally began to settle.
Relief. Contentment. "Missed also."
I gave a wide grin as I held him up, taking in his appearance up close for the first time. "Look how big you've gotten! I hate to say it, but you're kind of heavy now. I think the days of you riding on my shoulder are over, although I might be able to let you ride on my shoulders for a few minutes on special occasions."
Disappointment. Acceptance. Eagerness. "Now is very special."
Without warning, he disappeared from my hands and was suddenly riding on my shoulders, his arms wrapping around the top of my head as delight oozed over our link.
"Much has happened while sick. See many interesting things."
I tilted my head up as much as I could to look at him, being careful not to go so far that he might fall off, but it was enough that I could see him leering down at me.
"While in quarantine?" I asked curiously. "I thought you'd just spend most of that time in your Pokéball, with Nurse Joy checking in on you every so often and letting you stretch a bit. What was so interesting?"
He shook his head with a silent giggle, sending amusement through our link.
"No, you. Attack Owen, yet become better friends. Omar and Duran evolve, and you try learn fighting to protect family. Many things happen since gone. Only understand some, so please tell all."
My eyes widened as I realized he had not only been reading my surface-level thoughts like I'd expected, but had also apparently accessed some of my recent memories. I'd always known it would come someday, but hadn't seriously considered that it would be something he could suddenly do after evolving.
"You can read memories now? I feel like your English is better as well," I said, impressed.
"Think more clearly," he responded with a nod. "Understand things better."
"Huh… I'm happy for you, buddy. Just don't go snooping around in anyone's head but mine unless they give you permission, alright? Just because they let you into their head to talk doesn't mean you have free reign to satisfy your curiosities," I said jokingly.
Indignation. Annoyance. "Not evil like Rockets."
I snorted in amusement. "I know, I know. Just felt like I had to say it, I'd be a bad trainer if I didn't. And yeah, a lot has happened. I'll tell you and the others all about it, but let's not worry about that stuff right now. I just want to forget all that stuff and enjoy this moment – I feel like I've been waiting forever, and it's even better than I'd imagined."
He hugged my head tightly, clearly agreeing with my sentiment, and I couldn't help but close my eyes and bask in the moment.
Although I was still quite eager to see Duran and Orion, it would have to wait just a few more minutes. It was slightly selfish on my part to keep the others waiting, but I couldn't remember the last time I'd felt so at peace, so we just silently stared at the shimmering horizon and enjoyed each other in content silence.
I wanted… no, I needed to hold onto that feeling for as long as possible. I got the distinct feeling that Apollo felt the same, so that's what we did – we reveled in the moment as long as we could make it last.
It wouldn't take long for Apollo's weight to begin taking a toll on my neck, and despite my best efforts to ignore it Apollo would pick up on my growing discomfort and promptly excuse himself from my shoulders. I doubted that I'd be giving him many rides like that, but that only made the moment all the more special.
Not so long ago, Apollo had just been a tiny Ralts that was getting preyed upon by wild Taillow. He'd already grown up so fast, and was still slated to evolve once more in what was likely to be much sooner than I'd expect, and would be nearly as big as me. Life always kept marching forward at a steady pace, for better and worse, and it seemed like these days everything was moving faster than ever.
Time is fleeting, and no moment lasts forever. I couldn't keep our special moment from eventually slipping away, but I could commit every feeling, sight, and scent to memory. That way, even when the moment passed some small piece of it would live on within my memory, as eternal as a moment could be.
After the moment finally passed and we began to feel guilty about keeping the others waiting, Apollo graciously gave us some space before I released Orion, who was the obvious next pick. Not wanting to recall Apollo after he'd been cooped up for so long, he teleported out of sight to hang around in some of the nearby trees slightly inland. He continued to linger in the back of my mind, but it was far more comforting than distracting since he was preoccupied with taking in the new landscape and enjoying his newfound freedom, largely shutting me out to give us some level of privacy.
I'd known that Orion would be overjoyed to see me, but hadn't expected him to be quite as… clingy as he ended up being. He immediately launched himself into my chest upon laying his eyes on me, so excited that he actually ended up knocking me back onto the sand with what was essentially a Quick Attack that I barely managed to catch. That alone wasn't terribly unexpected, since it was completely expected that he was just ecstatic to be out of quarantine and back with our family, but I soon began to realize that it went a little beyond that.
"I know… I feel the same way buddy. I'm so glad you're alright. Sorry if I worried you," I murmured as I showered him with affection, dopamine hitting me hard as I got a first-hand reminder of just how unmatched his soft, fluffy fur was.
Orion nuzzling me furiously was one thing, but the heart-wrenching whimpering and whining that he did combined with him literally biting and holding onto my hoodie to prevent me from pulling him away was a step beyond. No matter how much I tried to reassure and soothe him, he absolutely refused to let go, and it took a good handful of minutes for him to begin to calm down.
I got the distinct sense that he had been suffering from a heavy case of separation anxiety, which I supposed I should have expected given what I knew of Orion. While true that he'd done a lot of maturing since I first met him, he still had a fair number of fears and phobias yet to be fully overcome. Considering he had only been expecting to be held for his screening overnight, I couldn't exactly fault him for being a little rattled that he'd ended up in a strange place for about a week, especially after the unexpected events with Team Rocket and him last seeing me run towards the danger.
Perhaps it was slightly presumptuous of me, but I decided to be much less personal and ceremonious when releasing Duran. Orion refused to let go of me, and I didn't have the heart to recall or force him to stop clinging to me. Besides, I'd seen Duran only a few days ago and had said everything that I wanted to, and I had a strong suspicion that he was more interested in being free and seeing the rest of the team than in sitting through another sappy, heartfelt moment. He'd always struck me as mildly averse to that sort of thing except in very certain circumstances, and my gut told me that he wouldn't take offense to me not wanting to forcibly separate myself from a rattled Orion just for his sake.
So as I cradled Orion in one arm and released Duran with my free hand, I silently invited Apollo to show himself and join what would be our official family reunion.
Finally getting my first good look at Duran since he'd evolved, I joined the rest of my team in admiring how much he'd changed. I'd gotten to see what he looked like in general, but a lot of the finer details were lost behind the thick, curved glass that made up the tank he'd evolved in.
He was now roughly three feet tall, still a bit bigger than Apollo, but even more drastic was his size. His body was longer, looked substantially heavier, and both his claws and his two back-most legs had widened to look much more like 'feet'. His claws were a lot bigger, his arms had extended to allow for much more mobility, and he now sported a bright blue section of shell on his chest as well as a yellow star-shape adorning the center of his head, breaking the strictly orange and white colors I had come to associate with him, although those were still plenty prevalent.
He'd changed in a lot of ways, some more subtle than others. Duran had always been somewhat 'grumpy' looking, even if his personality didn't always match that, but his eyes had sunken into their sockets to almost give the appearance of thick, dark rings around them, which made him look decidedly more menacing than previously. It made his perpetual grumpiness look a fair bit more menacing and intimidating, and was probably the most stark reminder that he was now partially a dark-type Pokémon.
He looked even more sturdy and capable than ever before, and if I hadn't been facing down a massive Steelix just a few days ago, I might have thought that he was the perfect tank, capable of taking any beating that an opponent could dish out.
I'd thought that there was nothing I could say or do to get Orion to let go of me, but I'd been wrong. Seeing Duran and Apollo both curiously taking in the other's forms with interest was enough to get Orion to finally dismiss himself from my arm, leaping down to get a better view of his newly-evolved teammates.
Duran and Apollo were already aware that the other had evolved, but Orion had been completely in the dark. That made the moments following him realize that both of his elder teammates had evolved quite a spectacle, and I couldn't help but give a wide, amused smile as he circled them both appraisingly, taking in their scents and inspecting them closely.
Duran and Apollo were much more tame in their reactions since it didn't come as a surprise, but no less interested. I was content to quietly watch the scene unfold, giving them time to inspect and greet one another, but soon I started to get the distinct feeling that something was… off. Not only from their actions and body language, but also from a growing sense of confusion I felt over Apollo's link.
I didn't think too much of it at first and was content to let them discuss whatever they were talking about without intruding or asking for Apollo to fill me in, but I began to get worried as the initial greetings and pleasantries quickly seemed to get serious. I couldn't help but notice that Duran and Orion were being unusually vocal, particularly towards Apollo, and although it wasn't exactly uncommon for them to have conversations, I could definitely tell something was off as the mood gradually shifted from being lighthearted and positive to one of uncertainty.
As I observed and began to realize that something was happening, I noticed that Orion seemed to be facilitating an increasingly serious discussion between Apollo and Duran, and while I obviously couldn't understand Pokéspeak, it wasn't hard to tell that there was a lot of questions and attempted problem-solving going on as Apollo's confused expression spread to the others. What was supposed to be a touching family reunion had quickly gotten sidetracked, and as they concluded their discussion and Apollo filled me in, I came to realize that the recent evolutions my team had undergone had created an unexpected issue.
Confusion. Unease. "Cannot sense Duran. Mind is…missing."
It took a few moments, but as I finally began to piece together what might be happening, I couldn't help but silently curse at my own stupidity for not having considered the possibility sooner.
Of course, Apollo was able to read my thoughts and knew what conclusion I had reached. I could feel his utter dismay over our link at the realization, and tried my best to reassure him that everything would be fine, since it felt entirely possible that this was a temporary issue that could be overcome with proper research and practice.
Or at least, that was my sincere hope. It wasn't as though Apollo was incapable of communicating verbally if he needed to, but it would be rather bittersweet if Duran's evolution caused permanent communication issues.
"Duran is partially a dark type now that he's evolved," I explained to the group. "He naturally resists psychics, so I suppose it's not too surprising that it interferes with telepathy."
Duran and Apollo visibly deflated, but did my best to quickly reassure them.
"I'd be surprised if there wasn't any way to fix it. It might take a little research, practice, and training, but I'm sure it's something we can figure out. I'll look into it. In the meantime Apollo, you'll either have to use your voice, or through Orion."
"...Li-a."
Although I should have been expecting it, my brows shot up in surprise at hearing Apollo talk. His actual voice was noticeably higher-pitched than what he sounded like in my head, and I wasn't actually sure if I'd heard him verbally talk before. I supposed that since the only workout his vocal cords got was from Disarming Voice, which was effectively a high-pitched scream backed by fairy-type energy, it shouldn't be too surprising that his voice would sound like that, but it was still a little jarring to hear.
Orion and Duran also gave curious looks for a brief moment before Duran grunted something in response, seemingly pleased that they could still communicate traditionally as some of the tension in the air dissipated.
"I'll try to figure out if there's anything we can do, but that'll have to do for now. It'd probably do you some good to get more used to using your words anyway, Apollo," I remarked as I bent over and picked up Orion, who had started pawing at my leg after deciding that his curiosity of Duran and Apollo's recent evolutions had been adequately fulfilled.
"I've missed you all more than you could possibly know… In case it hasn't become obvious, you all got infected during our gym battle and had to be quarantined. I really hadn't expected any of you to be kept longer than overnight, but apparently Team Rocket was already being nefarious long before they decided to attack Pokécenters. Still, I'm sorry you had to go through that… I'm sure being sick and quarantined wasn't enjoyable, but hopefully you're all feeling better."
I felt Orion shiver in my arms as he nuzzled into me, and noted a somewhat distant look in both Apollo and Duran's eyes for a brief moment.
"Nurses take good care, but was… scary. Felt alone, confused, angry, not understand why. Much better now, think clearly, but still feel… little strange."
I frowned, nodding in understanding. "Makes sense… As far as I understand it, you all technically still have the virus in you, you've just gotten over the nasty side-effects that happen when first contracting it. I'm sure they'll figure out a full cure sooner or later, but there's not much we can do other than hope and wait. I guess there is something of a bright side though – at least it means we don't have to be so paranoid when we resume traveling, since it's not like you can get infected again. Well, apart from Trapinch I suppose…"
I received surprised looks from both Duran and Orion, as if they weren't expecting Trapinch to still be around. Apollo had obviously gleaned some information on Trapinch from my mind, because he didn't offer any notable reaction, at least not physically.
"I think I should probably fill you guys in on what's happened," I decided as I set Orion down again, feeling a deep sadness leaking through Apollo's link as he picked up on my thoughts straying to Owen's missing team members. "It's been over a week since we last had a team meeting, and there's a lot you need to know – the first being that Trapinch is a part of this team, at least as far as we're concerned."
I could see various degrees of doubt and reluctance from the group, but continued. "I'm serious about this, no more treating her like she's a guest, or some sort of threat. This past week, we've spent a lot of time together. We've trained together every single day, had a few discussions, and grown closer, even if there's still a lot of room for improvement. She's had plenty of chances to hurt me if she wanted to, but she hasn't so much as tried, even when I touch her without asking. I'll still be giving her the choice to go home once we're able to get back to Mauville before we head east, but that shouldn't stop us from treating her like one of us. She's earned that right, not that she should have ever needed to in the first place… She even tried to defend me against a trainer who is well over elite-level, all by herself."
That statement got looks of impressed disbelief from Duran and Orion, and an unimpressed one from Apollo. I decided that it was a waste of time to try to elaborate on that without telling the entire story, so the context of who Warren was and that Trapinch's gesture was touching yet unnecessary would make sense.
"I'll get to that in a minute, but the point is that if we are going to have a team meeting, then Trapinch needs to join us. I know you all aren't exactly on the best terms with her, and she might not even greet you when she sees you, but please be warm and welcoming. She's the only reason I was able to get through a week without the three of you, and I've been putting her through harder, longer training sessions than I have with any of you. She deserves our respect and acceptance, even if we might not have earned hers yet."
There was some visible reluctance, but they all expressed their acknowledgment. I wasn't so naive as to think that my words would be all that it took for us to become one big happy family, but I felt that it needed to be said.
With that, I released Trapinch, who instantly went wide-eyed upon seeing the rest of the team, particularly the newly evolved duo. To my pleasant surprise, they all gave their own versions of a greeting, which Trapinch answered with a low, slightly reserved chirp.
I couldn't help but smile at the sight of us all being together again. I'd been waiting for over a week for the moment to arrive, and just as I'd hoped I felt a sense of relief and nostalgia wash over me.
Everything was going to be okay – we were all fine and all was as it once was, by and large. It wasn't quite back to 'normal', but then again that was simply impossible. Two members of the team had evolved, the region was still reeling from Pokérus and a sudden wave of Rocket activity, and I suspected that even after a year or two the effects of what had happened over the past week would still be visible.
Things weren't perfect by any means. The gyms and places like Granite Cave were still closed, most of my team was still technically infected with an incurable affliction, there were some restrictions in place that had yet to lift, many Pokémon including two of Owen's were still missing and might not ever be recovered, Owen's future was uncertain, and Apollo suddenly couldn't even communicate the way he was most comfortable with his oldest Pokémon friend.
Reassurance. Confidence. Determination. "Things more good than bad, will get better each day. Together again and safe, most important of all."
I let loose a sigh as I smiled, realizing just how much I'd missed having Apollo around to keep me in check. He was right, as usual – there was far more good than bad. We had each other, our health, and a whole future ahead of us. Soon, we'd be able to challenge Brawly for our fourth badge, and we'd be free to resume our journey across Hoenn, something I was really looking forward to.
Things weren't perfect, but there was no doubt that things were getting better. There were still some unfortunate things that I dearly hoped would get resolved soon, but it wasn't worth stressing about. Nearly all of it was outside of my control, so I should focus on what was right in front of me and the things that I could control.
"It's good to have the gang all together again," I voiced my thoughts out loud with a content sigh as I took a seat in the sand, facing my team as we formed a loose huddle.
"Today, we're going to relax and share this beautiful day in Dewford together. I'm sure you're eager to burn off some of your excess energy – you'll get a chance to shortly, don't worry. I want to treat you all to a proper feast to celebrate your release, and at some point we should probably meet up with Owen. You two aren't the only ones that have evolved, Bronson did too, although I imagine he's changed a little more drastically than either of you."
I chuckled at my own joke briefly before leveling them with a serious look. "But before all of that, I think there are some things we should talk about just so we're all on the same page and everyone knows what's been going on…"
And oh boy, was there a lot to cover. But we had nothing but time, and there wasn't anywhere else I would rather be than sitting in our own private strip of beach on another sunny Dewford day, surrounded by the closest thing to a family I would ever know.
Though things hadn't exactly gone off without a hitch, it was only fitting that we'd run into some sort of unexpected issue, given our track history. As far as I was concerned, a slight communication inconvenience between Duran and Apollo was a small, bittersweet price to pay for an otherwise perfect family reunion.
A/N: New record for latest chapter yet, woot!
On a serious note, I'm seriously starting to struggle to keep with my current pace, as I'm sure you've noticed from the increasingly late chapters. I've always averaged about five completed chapters in the queue at any given point, give or take, but as of this one going out… well, next week's chapter is MOSTLY done, and I've started the one after that, but yeah… It's not looking great.
Luckily, this isn't a case of me burning out. My desire to write still burns bright – it's an increasing lack of free time and recent chapter complexity that are the issues. I've been pushing out a LOT of 8-9kish word chapters recently, and both my personal and work life have been seriously popping off for the last month or so, and I'm not certain that'll change very soon.
All this to say, I'm going to try my best to keep doing weekly releases. It's a goal I set for myself, and I find that it helps motivate me. But realistically, soon you may see me missing updates altogether, rather than being late. I'm not going to rush to push out anything I'm not happy with – story integrity means more to me than some arbitrary goal I set for myself, so please don't fret if updates slow for a while.
I fully intend on finishing this fic, have a rough plan for the major plot points, a handful of fun side arcs, and am excited to keep going. This fic isn't going anywhere, but it's been over a year of weekly updates and life was bound to pop off at some point, but I'll keep going to the best of my abilities, yet it's very possible that I'll be unable to keep to my schedule.
Sorry for the essay, just wanted to let you know what's going on in case I have to start skipping some weeks here and there. I think it's preferable to taking a hiatus to refuel my backlog, since we all know how that usually ends up, but we'll see how things go. Thanks for reading and understanding, stay cute!
Shoutout to The Muffin Rat King, Trix, and Faefox for beta-reading this chapter, and to NFLNT, FateVoid, Hellotheregoodday, GoMagikarp, JoeMcLuvin, BigBuckler712, Sky Kaiken, SilverBladeStar, and everyone else who continues to make my day with their comments.
Discord. gg/ ge6a8XcNcB