For some reason, it had never crossed my mind that I'd ever face... moderate amounts of damage. Mild damage that can be healed through Pokèmon magic and natural regeneration? Obviously. Career ending, or even life threatening damage? You're speaking to someone who died once before. I am wholly aware of my mortality and not disillusioned into thinking that I was invulnerable.

But run of the mill bone fracture that won't affect me in the long run, admittedly, thanks to Pokèmon magic, and thus forces me to keep my left arm in a cast for a week?

Now, for some reason, that I did not expect. Maybe it was that I assumed that the world ran on anime logic, or that it would be too advanced not to instantly heal anything that wasn't life threatening... but instead, here we are, a few days later and my arm still in a cast. Still I had expected to be popped out when I arrived, instead of in the city square.

Jubilife's center was quite boisterous. Barely louder than many of the megacities in my old world, but it was still most likely the largest city in the Sinnoh region. A few towering structures reaching several stories in height, while plastered billboards and pixelated advertisements playing on screens adding visual to the audible noise of people and broadcasts. And regarding people, so manypeople and Pokèmon. In my old life this would have felt like one of those small towns you would travel right past without any notice, however, the one thing that was significantly more sensitive to all these things was my new body. I felt the urge to return to my Pokèball from sheer sensory overload individual scents assailing my nose, colors in my eyes and the presence of mental essence surrounding me.

Of course, Cynthia set up in a little plaza area, full of people but with still space for a little privacy to be had if I ducked into a corner between the stonework and the wood siding of a closed booth from some vendor.

"God fucking damn it..." I mutter, looking around for possible other areas around the plaza before my gaze locked on Cynthia's form.

She looked... not worse for wear, necessarily, but a little haggard, platinum blonde hair a little tussled, bloodshot eyes, and looking unsteady on her feet- all signs that she had slept poorly. I had assumed she was busy chatting up another trainer bending down to lock his bike in a bike rack.

For her own part, she was also giving me a once-over, eyes locking in on my arm. A moment of tensing of her own arm showed what she was dwelling on, yet her gaze set back to straight eye contact again.

After a moment of just intensely staring at one another, my brain caught up to the fact that, most likely, she had never seen a Pokèmon die violently, especially not with how

I... savaged it. With my focused vision, I could afford a scowl to focus on any twitch she made and how her eyes occasionally darted to nearby Pokèmon accompanying handlers or aiding others.

I could feel it in her. The uncertainty, the way our interactions were now colored with a film of red.

Unfortunately, I had no way of asking what had gone on since I conked out, though I can only assume she found me since I was here and not dead. My memories of what happened were spotty at best, though I did recall having to kill a wild Whiscash.

Not fun, but... no one forced it to come after me and the egg, and I had no doubt that I was probably its next meal. I could have sent it packing, if I had more control over my fit of rage... but, well, I wasn't going to have nightmares over killing it.

Not the Whiscash in particular, at least. I already had my fair share. But I also understood that Cynthia was not the same as me, and... that was probably scarring for her. Or maybe I'm underestimating this place's 14 year olds.

As I tried to rack my brain for a way to convey "We cool?", a burst of needy, affectionate aura tugged at my senses, as my eyes landed on the incubator near the girl.

...the new incubator. The old one presumably got damaged by the Whiscash, though thankfully, it looks like the little tyke inside is fine.
Slowly, I moved to put the incubator on my back by its harness, staring at Cynthia expectantly. That seemed to finally snap her out of her reverie, and she smiled slightly at me.

"Well, at least you seem to be alright." She sighed, her facial muscles relaxing with the same timing of her mental hue dimming. "What happened there... I'm sorry. I wasn't quick enough to draw your Pokèball... but, thank you, for defending the egg. Do you remember what happened?" She asked her fingers wrapped around my little whiteboard before twisting it around to face me. Well, it seems I am playing Pictionary again. Thankfully had some more practice teaching Olivia Pokè 101.
I stared at her for a moment, propping the writing implement on my bad arm before uncorking the sharpie.
It was a bit difficult to keep steady, though thankfully, but eventually I managed to make an okay miniature storyboard:

1 Drifloon knocking me into the river,
2 Me swimming for my life,
3 me in a small cave with the egg,
4 me in front of the Whiscash (with a small cloud bubble for the Whiscash with the egg to represent why I was fighting it),
5 me standing on top of the Whiscash (for obvious reasons, I just drew it normally, with X where the eyes should be),
And 6, a Golduck showing up and knocking me out.
When I presented my artistic masterpiece to the human, she looked it over for a moment before raising a hand and nudging her nose with a knuckle. "I see... and you went overboard again like you did with Misdreavus and Palmer, right?" She reached forward and gripped the board to angle the smooth surface to get a better view of the oily marks I had made.

I paused, my head immediately crooned forward to get a proper look of the storyboard. I... hadn't drawn that. Was I getting that easy to read?

Slowly, I nodded.

Her cheek sucked inward before she began to twist the cheek when she bit down, a moment to mull over the information. "That state is definitely powerful... but you need to control it better, if you couldn't even tell that you were attacking me, and that Golduck was something I caught to come find you." With this comment she lowered the whiteboard back to my stunned form as I held onto its edges before quickly wiping away something sticky onto my thigh fur on instinct.

"We should have you work on it... though perhaps, when you're less liable to injure yourself even more than you are now. Still, welcome back, Riolu." She smiled, though one could see that it was strained. And with three taps of her fingers, she released the other Pokèmon in the balls.

...no not like that

Three more Pokémon joined me on the outside. And though last time we'd all been together I sat in the median of the team, now I sat firmly at the bottom... and noticeably, every one of them was a foot and change taller than the previous, with Roserade being slightly taller than three feet, Gabite four and a half feet, and Golduck nearly sitting at 6 feet.

I, unfortunately, was cursed with the size of a marketable plushie, and if I remembered correctly, would forever be a short king even past evolution, only reaching thereabouts of Gabite's current height.

God did not bless me with tall genes, yet another reason to punch him in the face.

"The Nasir! He's back!" I blinked as I watched Roserade stride up to me, arms wide for a hug. I froze for a moment, remembering what happened just a few days ago... but she retracted the spines this time, thank god. I would need to get used to the article before my name again… arceus damn me, could I get my other arm broken so I can go back?

Golduck and Gabite were both eyeing me, Golduck with curiosity, and Gabite... I honestly couldn't tell. Some indecipherable draconic emotion, I feel.

...after a moment, I still felt the need to pull out of the hug even if it wasn't dangerous, because we weren't quite on physical contact level yet. "Uh... yeah, here I am. It's only been a few days since I left, Roserade." I was wary about trying to pry myself out of the embrace of the larger plant humanoid, but eventually managed to extract myself... just in time for Gabite to look down at me, starting to sniff at my arm.

"You alright, squirt?" She asked, head tilting around. She reached out with her claw to poke at the cast, forcing me to grab her to stop it.

"Yes, thank you. Don't touch me." I hissed, and let go of the claw when I felt it retract. Turning around, I watched the newest addition to the team, who was simply staring at me, head slightly tilted.

"You look healthier than last time I've seen you." Golduck quacks after a moment. I open my mouth to reply... and immediately let out an accidental bark of pain as something sharp pokes at my cast- fucking Gabite-

"STOP FUCKING POKING IT!" I shout, swatting a probing claw away. "Seriously, what the hell is up with everyone today? I'm fine, back off. Nice to meet you, Golduck."

"We already met." I blink at the blunt reply from the blue fowl. "In the cave." He clarifies.

"Meeting someone formally typically doesn't involve beating someone into unconsciousness, now d..." I start replying drily, before remembering who exactly is it that I'm talking to- a bunch of Pokèmon. "Never mind. Anyways, well met. Where the hell are we, Jubilife maybe?" I ask, as I take a moment to properly scan the area around us for finer details.

"I have no idea." Another bit of bluntness from Mr. Emotion. Okay. Okay. Still a plaza set out in front of the Pokémon Center and several rather official looking structures set on the edges of paved bricks and the roads going around this rectangular center. One oddity is a tree and plaque, some children prancing around while a few bug types are crawling around it. Any parents around were either ignoring it or giving the kids a half-hearted wave to settle down while a few Wurmples ganged up on a Burmy that only ruffled its faux leaves in response to the assaulting caterpillars.

"Come on, then! I'm not afraid of you! I'm not afraid of anybody! Try and eat me, if you dare! I dare you! EAT ME!" it shouted, with all the rage of a Pokémon whose only tactic seemed to be using Harden to repel the bites of the… mischievous? Hungry? Bug types tended to not be that sentient, as opposed to most others.

I turned away from the scene, not really my business. Around the group a few stands covered with boxes were strewn about. Even saw a Heracross who was standing in front of a stand's berries as the stout fellow made exaggerated marches on stumpy legs. Any Pokémon or kid attempting to steal for said Pokémon would receive a slight nudge away as the stalwart creature guarded the wares… only to miss an Abra stealing some items with psychic-

I winced as the Heracross dipped its head forward and put all its strength towards charging into the Abra, launching it head over heels with the flick of its horn. The yellow creature's momentary flight ended into a roll sending the psychic into another stand causing its tent to dip inwards. So apparently the Heracross was paying attention. Besides berries it seemed to mostly be simple crafts. "I expected grand fountains and the like for Jubilife..." I muttered to myself.

"This is Celelife, the Nasir!" Roserade blurted louder and closer to me, a few stray mon looked our way and Roserade quickly withdrew arms that were reaching for me to begin covering her face. I am guessing my stare worsened the Pokémon's reaction as Roserade further shirked away from me. Cowards.

I did my best to perk up as having another… companion, viewing me as odd was not on my to-do list. "Oh, so I guess we're chilling until we head to… Oreburgh? Canalave? For the gym badge." Roserade began to peek from behind its hands while Gabite began to cackle.

Golduck pressed a hand underneath its chin. "Heading for badges… What is a gym?" I- what?

"Gym is in the town after Jubilife." The large reptile barely twisted up the corners of its maw as it looked down upon me. "This is like… a small town or something."

…

small?

"Are you okay?" Roserade began to step closer as I processed this information. The buildings were quite tall, yet looking past this center and down the road, the buildings seemed to grow smaller. Still more people and sensations, but already this was proving to be overwhelming compared to my past experiences.

I could feel my environment shifting around me, I even gave a half-swipe at Gabite prodding my arm a third time. I just had to process this somehow. I was already feeling a heavy pressure in my head, spiking nerves in my nostrils and the motley of colors assailed my eyes. How would I cope with something worse? I could just ditch the group. Maybe keep my distance? No, that would just still be in the city and likely cause a panic if they noticed. What about trying to sleep through it? Or getting in a Pokéball? No, that would be like sleeping through an orchestra in the front seats. And I am certain I need more time to properly heal.

A growl slipped out of my throat. I had to think this through. Needed to think.

Perhaps I could-

"The Nasir!" Roserade blurted out as I was guided to the side of the road. An idling truck finally moved past the group once I was pulled onto a cracking sidewalk. A pink curve on a brown box was plastered on the side of the dark black automobile. Poké Parcels… For something based on Slowpoke awfully odd to have a window and pidgeotto sticking its head out.

"Tiny Townie Terror!" The 'mon screeched towards me and battered its wings towards us. Cynthia however gave a quick wave to the bird and it began to puff out its chest. Why did it even need to travel by car, if it could fly?

...what was that? A panic attack?

"Hah! I can't believe I got to watch a Poké delivery in action. And you made an impression." Cynthia beamed towards me with a wide, soft grin. The appropriate response was a brief glower. That properly shut down the grin as Cynthia began side-glancing towards me and the van. I briefly pondered whether I should explain that the Pidgeotto was angry, not friendly through the usage of my whiteboard before deciding against it. Hand still felt a bit icky from earlier. Why were her hands sticky anyways?

I'm getting overwhelmed, but I need to not space out around these parts, unless I evolve into Lucaroadkill. Looking between the gaps of a barely useful white picket fence, I could spy a Bidoof currently hopping onto a package on the porch among a dozen Poké chew toys with heads popped off. The little brown thing began chewing at a rounded cardboard handle set at the side of the container as our tiny group of medium to large mon marched onwards.

…is this the first time I see a Bidoof? Huh. It sure is. For some reason, the memes about it being a God stuck with me, and, nope. Just fluffy beaver.

"Bah! Poké Parcels. Just replacing our town mail services. Everyone just orders things on their computers on those onliney places." An aged man bent over with an ivory cane- was that a Cubone's club before?- was addressing Cynthia. The fellow had oddly bushy straight eyebrows that hid his eyes and an even longer beard that tucked down his red blue and yellow themed suit. Red tie. Blue jacket. Lastly yellow pants with what may have been green boots. Back to his hair, now that I am focusing more on its odd style it may have once been blue considering two blue strands are poking out from the rest.

He somehow manages to look kinda like a clown, and kinda like an old man. The combination, for some reason, gives me incredible sex offender vibes.

"Oh… really? What kinda services did you have before! Was it Ponyta based? I know our region used to have the Ponyta express." At this, the fluffy white-haired man seemed to perk up. Hard to see behind those bushy straight eyebrows and beard over his mouth though.

…why was Cynthia acting this cheery today? It felt… forced. I still couldn't feel anything but a hollow, apathetic void inside her.

"Ah I see. A young-un who respects our cultural history. How rare it is to see the youth taking an interest in the greater generations." A hand was raised forward and began to clasp around Cynthia's shoulder.

Pervert Alert! Run! As much as I don't really like Cynthia, I can and I will assault an elderly man if this turns bad… and I never thought that would be a sentence I'd ever have to think.

To Cynthia's credit the young girl just smiled slightly, and gave a wide stretch to shake off the hand. "Well, I am a trainer working with Professor Lucas in order to compete in the Pokémon League after all, and I-"

"Ah of course of course. You wish to emulate your seniors who have refined the arts. What was I initially speaking of… Ah yes, Celelife's services! You may not know it but it used to be called Celerity."

"You see Jubilife was never the mighty city it once was. Sure it had its own population boom, yet with the growth Jubilife was experiencing it required those who would perform the real work! Thus many of Celestic's citizens and our forefathers were tempted by the prospect of striking out and working for the bigwigs before returning home with said prosperity, only for those like my own father to linger here and set down roots in a… a… partnership or some such with those who consider themselves our betters, never acknowledging the importance of Celerity's role in Jubilife's success." I and the choir just nodded along with this old man's rambling. And just like her Pokémon, so did Cynthia. We continued to sideslide across the gravel alongside the road while the old man continued to shuffle to speak towards us. Just need to be on the other side and we can leave!

The old man continued the ramble as a precursor for an even longer tale. Green with crimson flashed in my eyes followed by my reflexes kicking in, leaping away from a backpedaling Roserade nearly skewering me on her thorns. I jumped about ten feet in the air in the opposite direction, landing on my toes, claws digging in for balance. "What the…"

Apparently our party leader decided to stop in place as Cynthia stood straight. As a result, Roserade jerked backwards to stop from walking into the girl's leg, not wanting a repeat incident with the spikes, only to nearly skewer me too. She gave me an apologetic side-glance.

"Wait! So you guys- ahemI mean you are from Celestic too?" Cynthia now took a half step towards the prattling fellow only pausing to shut her mouth while forcing a constricted groan through her throat. "Would you happen to know Professor Carolina?"

Way to go. Now he knows where you live… is it not the norm in this world to withhold telling creepy old men sensitive information?

"Oh, that upstart who wanted to dig up every little thing in Celestic and put it in a display case? Sure do. Cute girl, though a bit too engrossed in her work for my tastes." The old man cackled, flashing a grin of teeth that were a bit too straight and white to appear real. Cynthia's eyes widened slightly, but she kept the smile plastered on her face, nodding politely as she listened. "She still digging around looking for time and space and wha'not with those ruins? I think she's looking in the wrong place. Celestic's history's found in its tradition, not its ruins."

Any interest this man may have held was sparked and killed within the same sentence. "She sure is." Cynthia sighed. "She's quite dedicated to her research. She puts a lot of stock in wanting to unearth just how much of a part the legendaries played in human development, as opposed to the current theories that say we're mostly self-developed." For the first time, something broke through the barrier of apathy that seemed to hang around Cynthia like a cloud- a note of bitterness tinged her aura when she spoke of her grandmother. "Still, why travel all the way here from Celestic?"

"Hah. Besides my Pokér partners, I am one of the few in Celelife born in Celestic." Ah yes. The totally not scheming creep is setting us at ease by leering and rubbing his beard. Although Cynthia is just standing with wide eyes and a slight upturn of her pursed lips. Two-hit combo of hometown and Pokémon knowledge. Winner, creeper!

"That's just… Wow! So you must have seen Jubilife modernize. And this town! I wonder what it must have been like to travel across the region to here… dangerous I bet!"

"Oh some of us had automobiles, although my papa had an Altaria that guarded our open top truck. In fact I raised a few generations from that fellow and a few kin still-" The old fellow was beaming towards Cynthia as I reached up with my good paw to tug on her black hem of her top. The wind picked up for a moment blowing her golden locks and flattening the white puff on the elder's head with a quiet gust sounding out a "swaaaaaaah" only for it to be interrupted by Cynthia placing a hand on her chest and coughing harshly. "Ack! Sorry Mister! I just had something in my throat."

"Tssk. As I was explaining, young miss. Many Altaria and Swablu around the lake and marsh of Jubilife's power plant are kin released from my family's caretaking. In fact we have a festival at the plant where my father had dyed Swablu chicks to pass out to prospective trainers among the other worker's children. It has existed ever since the opening of the plant-"

"Chk-" the muted noise came from Cynthia's throat once more, but the opening of one eye began to glare down on the young girl as the elder treated the throat clearing as if it was a personal insult. With a quick tension of the young lady's cheeks her cheeks began to flush as each blood vessel and muscle constricted from the embarrassing stare. "Sorry. I really do love listening to your tale, I just… Well maybe I should just save us some time and head out."

The flustered girl performed a quick swivel on the balls of her feet and began to trod forward with a noticeable hunch in her spine.

"Now miss. Is that anyway to treat a fellow trainer! Tssk! You youths. Not engaging in polite conversation and then trying to weasel their way out of a fight. You seem to be a mostly respectful young lady, so I'll be sure to teach you proper battle etiquette at least. Hopefully you may be a bit more demure in your future battles with ungentlemanly fellows like that incorrigible grandson of mine."

"You and what Pokémon, Grandpedo?" I pulled my lips back into a snarl and my tiny body gave a full torso rumble as I growled at the old bastard. It was in this moment I noticed the out of place hair of his fluffing up. A small blue head- body peaking out as the "hair" dropped to the side.

I- how-

"Waaaa Master beat the ruffians yet? Oh… Ruffian trainer! Okay! Tally ho!" With a shake of its full body the Swablu began to beat its wings as it lifted from its perch, an unsettling gleam in its place.

…okay, two things:

First, Clowny Mc Clownman's aura seemed to physically detach from his body, and the feeling of repulsiveness that I've felt towards him peels off of him together with the Swablu. I… what? Why does that Swablu feel so... evil?

The second, perhaps more pressing: BALD! BAAAALD! MY EYES!

I held up a black paw in front of my face while Gabite raised one of her own arm fins over her face as well. After a moment, Roserade glanced from side to side before emulating us with both flowery hands hiding its face. "What is a Grandpedo?" Aaaand there is Golduck emulating The Thinker as it is resting on a trunk.

"Your Pokémon would benefit from proper training when allowed to roam." The old fellow was focusing his bushy furrowed brows towards our antics and his Swablu began soaring over our heads. My fuzz began to stick on end as the very core of my mind demanded action at the movements in the upper part of my peripheral vision.

I don't know what the little fucker's deal is, but I don't want him out of my sight.

"Dirty little fuzzballs like you should behave like a properly trained pet," The pint-sized bastard released a croon from the center of its torso through its beak, Normal type energy gathering in its chest. Instinctively all of us tensed up for the following assault only for the creature to end its trill and swoop down to the old man's forearm, letting it fizzle out harmlessly with a trilling chuckle.

"YEAH! Fly back to your master you little nugget!" Gabite gnashed teeth and began to lurch forward only for Roserade to step in Gabite's path to try and use her body as discouragement to advancing.

While we were bantering with the future chicken tendie, Cynthia was just narrowing her eyes and watching each flap of the Pokémon's wings and how it twisted in the eddies of the air.

"Miss, you understand it is rude to stare and refuse a challenge. I will be going easy on you after all, this is your first lesson. Not that my little Swablu here is as proficient as my personal Altaria." The other hand was raised towards the Swablu's beak and it began to nuzzle the fingertips before nibbling on dried up apricorn treats.

"I will still give the children a whipping master!"

...right. I have never felt comradery or a sense of belonging before, but after sharing a glance with the rest of my teammates, there was an understanding between us that we'd bury this thing.

Why is Swablu evil? Why not?

This chapter was co-written by a friend of mine! The coding course has been particularly bullshit lately, with my professor using chatgpt to write exercises.

If you wish to support my writing, you can check me out on the place of patrons where I post five chapters ahead. Alternatively, you can always PM me in private if you wish to commission something written where we can hash out the details. Otherwise, a review is still more than enough, and I can't be thankful enough for it.

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Drink water, stay awesome. Nick of Name, out. :)