Archive of Our Own ^beta

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… 

……

It’s cold here. 

Dark, too. Pitch black surrounded her, engulfed her, threatened to swallow them whole. They were floating in the darkness — or… No, they were falling. She didn’t know how she could be so certain, but they knew she was falling. There was nothing to indicate as such. No light, no sound, not even wind. Maybe not even air. Just unending darkness in every direction, and her, floating — falling — through it all. 

Though there was nothing around, the familiar and heavy weight of anxiety settled itself in their chest. Though… It didn’t feel right, didn’t feel like her normal worries. It felt so much heavier, like it was pressing her down, down, down. Heavy enough that it made her feel sick to their stomach. It was joined quickly by a stinging in the back of their throat, the familiar heat that came before tears. She… Didn’t want to be crying. They were already tired enough as it was, and her head hurt, and… And they were falling. 

A ball of bright, golden light whizzed past her, continuing up and up and up until it was hardly a speck in the distance. A few moments later, another light followed. Then another. Then another and two more, the time between the lights shrinking the longer she fell — definitely falling, now they were certain. She was facing up, whatever up meant. Watching the lights grow smaller and smaller as they shot past her. Though they got within inches of her, the lights never hit her in any way — not that knowing that put her mind at ease in any regard. As the lights increased in frequency, all she could do was pray the pattern continued. They weren’t sure how long had passed since she began to fall, though she figured it must’ve been some time now — she was practically surrounded by golden light. The orbs were coming at such a high frequency that they essentially merged into solid walls of bright.

They weren’t sure how, or how she even knew what had happened, but she was facing down now, whatever down meant. Watching the lights shoot towards her was considerably more anxiety-inducing than watching them pass. They never hit her, though. Every time one got close, she would flinch and brace for an impact that never came. However, worse than the lights shooting towards her was what they were coming from — below her was an expanse of brightness, golden light so luminous it scanned as white, the source of all the orbs shooting towards and past her. 

And it was growing closer by the moment. 

The weight in their chest wasn’t mere anxiety, they realised — it was fear. She was scared. Scared of falling, scared of whatever lie below her. And terrified of hitting it. 

She tried to move, but their limbs wouldn’t react — they couldn’t even feel their body, they realised, their head hurt far too much. The only sensation she could feel was cold, ice running through their veins as they stared at the expanse of white below her. Moving wouldn’t work, then. No way to run. The fear was all-encompassing now, enough that she tried to scream, but their voice failed. Nothing, no sound, nothing. She couldn’t do anything. Again they tried to scream, or cry, or something, but when they opened their mouth it was as though all the air was sucked out of their body. Pain shot through them — a spike of pain against her head, sudden and piercing, like she’d been shot. Combined with it was the searing in her lungs from failed attempts at breathing in a vacuum. She couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t breathe. 

She was falling.

She was dying.

She didn’t know if the two were different. 

The vast expanse of light below her only grew closer as she struggled to move, struggled to breathe. No matter how much she fought, they only continued to fall, further and further down. She knew that what was below them was the end. Knew that the moment they made contact with the white void below her, it would be over. There was nothing she could do but accept it — and she couldn’t even do that properly. She kept fighting, fighting to move, fighting to feel their body enough to control it. Fighting to breathe, fighting their pain. But no amount of fighting saved them from their fate — it didn’t even prolong it. If anything it felt like she was falling faster. When the light felt close enough that impact must’ve only been moments away, she squeezed her eyes shut as tight as she could, though light still seeped through. Please. Please. Please. 

… 

…… Nothing. There was no impact, there was — 

Airi.

She flinched at the sudden voice and opened her eyes again, expecting to be met with overwhelming light. Instead, there was… A figure, in front of her. Crafted of the golden light she had seen before. It was absolutely massive, towering over her, making them feel as though they were hardly a speck. She couldn’t make out most of the details of the creature except for the red of its eyes, staring down at her. The rest of it was blurry and abstract, bright light fuzzing the edges of its form. She opened her mouth to speak, but again their voice failed. Though, this time, their failure didn’t come with any pain — in fact, their pain had faded entirely. 

Airi , the voice came again. It didn’t come from in front of her, like they were expecting, instead it… Felt as though it came from everywhere, surrounded them completely, resonating deep inside their head. Still they knew that it was the creature before them speaking. It was looking at them while it said the name. Was that her name, then? She couldn’t remember. It must’ve been, it felt… Familiar.

The being gave them little time to ponder it any longer. It is well that thou art here. I have hidden thee beyond both time and space for thy protection as thou recovered. Art thou well? The beast tipped its head a little to the side, as though curious. 

… Well? She didn’t really understand the question. But… Well, she didn’t hurt anymore, at the least. They just felt… Heavy. Tired and strange. Was that well? She didn’t know. They couldn’t remember ever feeling better, so it must’ve been. They nodded, despite their uncertainty. 

Excellent, the creature replied, then thou art prepared for the tasks that lie ahead. The being of light stepped towards her, the space around it rippling as though disturbed. It leaned its head down to her eye level, staring directly into their eyes — into their very soul, it felt like. I am that which humans call Arceus. I assign thee a task, one that I expect thou to be the most capable fit. It straightened its neck, looking down at her once more. In front of her, light shimmered and collected into a ball, becoming more and more solid — Airi glanced up at the creature and back down at the light before she saw it start to fall. Alarmed, she grabbed at it.

The shape solidified in their hands, forming a small, white, rectangular object. There were pointier bits at the top and bottom, and a strange wheel-like shape on the back, but she couldn’t really make out further details — too blurry, details fading together into a vaguely white block. Even with her addled vision, she recognized it to be some sort of phone, which only confused them further. They weren’t too sure what that even meant. She knew the word but not the meaning, not really. She looked back up at Arceus, confused and desperate for clarification, but to her horror, the light that made up the beast was beginning to disperse. Light started pouring from its form, like it was… Dissolving. She almost tried to move again, to step towards it in her worry, but the voice came again, Airi, stopping her before she could even realise whether they could move. Seek out all pokémon, and thou shalt find me once more. 

The light pouring out of Arceus’s dissolving form shot toward Airi, blinding her. Desperately she squeezed her eyes shut as the light encircled her — too bright… She didn’t really feel cold anymore.

She didn’t feel anything at all, really. 

art done by: cyli

Chapter Text

… Cold again. That was a shame, they didn’t really care for feeling cold… Didn’t really care for their headache, either… What happened to being well..? 

… She could feel the air around her, cold against her skin. When they inhaled, it burned in her lungs. That was new, wasn’t it? She couldn’t feel hardly anything before, only knew that they were cold. The sting of it against their skin was more unpleasant than she thought it would be, as was the sensation of ground underneath her. Another thing that was unpleasantly new to her, the ground she was laying on was cold, solid. Damp, too. She could feel moisture against her skin.

… It hurt. Everything did, their whole body aching. Their head hurt the worse, though, enough that it was all they could focus on. A dull, throbbing pain, in time with their heart pounding in her skull. They couldn’t hear their heart before, either. Couldn’t really hear anything, actually, up until… 

… Arceus. Right. The… Task. The task, right, it had —... Right. They forced their eyes open, though the moment she did she regretted it, overwhelmed by the bright sunlight beating down on her. If it was so sunny that it made her cringe, shouldn’t she be warm..? Why was it so cold? … Not important, she… She had to find the phone. Arceus had given it to her, so it must’ve been important. More important than feeling cold, or warm. She squinted in the bright light, prayed her eyes would adjust — no luck. Everything remained horribly oversaturated and blurry no matter how long she waited, overwhelming enough to make them feel sick. They gritted their teeth, pushed herself a bit off the ground, though her body screamed in protest. Doesn’t matter, pain isn’t important. Find the phone. Find the phone. She could only support the weight of her upper body off the ground, one arm pinned below her to keep her up while she scanned the surroundings. Everything was horribly blurry… There. A few feet ahead of her, she could just barely make out something glowing bright gold against the brown of her surroundings, like she had seen in their dream. That must’ve been it. She twisted the arm underneath her so that her palm was to the ground, tried to push herself up enough to stand —

Pain shot through them with the attempted effort. She gasped, collapsed back onto the ground in a pathetic heap. Tears nipped at the corner of her now-closed eyes. Annoying, she thought as she forced herself to open their eyes again, breathing heavily from the pain. She already couldn’t see, the last thing she needed was to be crying. It doesn’t hurt that bad. Pain isn’t important. Get the phone. How? They couldn’t stand, so they definitely couldn’t walk. Crawl. Could she do that, even? … She supposed she didn’t have much of a choice. She put her arm in front of her, used her forearm to bear the brunt of their weight as they dragged herself vaguely forward. They kept the gold, glowing light firmly in her vision: her destination. It wasn’t too far. Even with how much every movement hurt her to the bone, she felt at least somewhat confident that they could make it that far. Slow, heavy movements as she dragged herself through rough dirt. Occasionally she would drag through small stones, but the pain of them tearing open the skin on her arms and hands was miniscule compared to the overwhelming ache through her entire body. 

She reached out another time, and to her relief, her hand was only inches away from the glowing spot ahead of her — the light seemed to fade as she got close, but they could still see a blob of white where it had been. Please be the phone. They dragged herself the remaining half a foot and reached out, reached towards the object ahead of her. Her fingers brushed against cold, smooth material, solid as she grabbed onto it. Something poked into her palm as she did — the spikes from the yellow ring on the back, she realised as she pulled it closer into her vision. The phone wasn’t heavy, though it had more weight than she remembered from her dream. Of course it does. That was a dream. As she held the device, the screen lit to life. Text popped up, text she couldn’t hope to read, though she imagined it was important. The phone was from Arceus, so everything about it must’ve been important, even what she couldn’t see. Hopefully the text stays… She was too exhausted to try any harder to read the screen for the moment. She rolled onto her side and curled into herself, holding the phone close against their chest as her vision faded —

Ahead of her, something caught the light. Even in her darkening vision she could see the glint of whatever it was, only a few inches ahead of her. Was that from Arceus, too? It was close to the phone. With her empty hand she reached for it, grabbing blindly at the dirt until her fingers brushed against something more solid. She moved her hand towards it, but to her great displeasure, the object actually rolled when she pushed against it. It was round, then. She lifted her hand a bit off the ground and hovered it over where she thought the object was before she tried to grab downwards, fingers curling around something smooth, cold, and perfectly spherical. She pulled it closer to her, held it in front of them to try and see better what it was — a circular, glittering stone, smaller than her palm. It was primarily a dusty blue with wisps of deeper blue and white curling into a helix within. The longer she stared at it, the more she was certain it was hers, though they had no idea what it actually was. Just that it was important. Just that it was hers. 

She brought it close to her chest with the phone, curled her knees over her hands, making herself the smallest ball possible. Maybe if she made themself really tiny, they could compress themself tight enough that they wouldn’t hurt anymore. She squeezed her eyes shut. Tried, unsuccessfully, to steady her breathing — she was uncomfortably aware of how she was breathing, of the pain in her lungs with each uneven breath. Even with her eyes closed, she could feel the heat of tears stinging her eyes. She was tired of trying. Tired of hurting. Would it be a sin to go back to sleep? They hadn’t been awake that long, but they didn’t like it, didn’t like all the new sensations and all the pain that came with being awake. With her eyes closed, her consciousness faded, grip loosening on the objects she held close to her chest. Just a little more sleep. Just till the pain goes away. 

She felt contact on her side, shaking her whole body. The contact hurt, but at the same time, they could barely even register it. Her head hurt too bad to process the sensations around her. Vaguely, they realised, they heard something. Someone? Another shake on her arm, and this time she could vaguely hear a voice, “— k-up! Can you hear me?” Was the voice talking to them..? Probably, right? It was probably the same person shaking them. She wished they would stop, it hurt…

“Come on, wake up,” the voice came again with another shake. She could hear it a little better, even when it dropped to a mutter, “Please be alive, come on. Wake up, please.” … She wanted to respond, somehow, wanted to let them know she was awake — was she awake, actually? Her head hurt. Regardless it felt important to respond, or at least try to. She tried to make the effort to speak, but the only sound they made was a pathetic whimper they could barely hear. Not what she wanted… She was so tired, though, it was so hard…

“Oh thank the Almighty,” the voice said, and even in their muddled state she could hear its relief. “Can you hear me? Wake up, come on — this place isn’t safe.” … Not safe? Why not? She whimpered again, forced her eyes open just a crack, bracing herself for the harsh light from before. Instead of bright sunlight, though, the world around her was cast in grey, faded light. A man knelt over her, though he appeared blurry to her — she couldn’t make out most of his features except that he was very blue. His hair and clothes were all blue, blurring together into one shape in their poor vision. Was he the one speaking? Probably. They could feel his hand on her arm. She had been rolled onto her back, though whether she did that in her sleep or the man had rolled her over, they weren’t sure. He shook her arm again, “That’s it, come on. You alright?”

… Alright? Did he mean like how Arceus had asked if she was well? She didn’t think so. They hurt really badly, and they were so tired… Her eyes were already starting to fall shut in their exhaustion again, but a violent shake on her arm from the man next to her jolted her back into awareness. “Stay with me. Can you sit up?” … Sit up? Why? They didn’t understand why they would need to. But, the man sounded desperate. Maybe she should at least try to do what he was asking. She forced her upper body upwards, dragging herself into a sitting position, though not without a pained whimper. The movement just seemed to make the pain in their head worse, a deep stabbing through their skull, like someone tapping a spike into her head. She brought a hand to hold her head up while she tried to steady her breathing. 

“Good, good, that’s good,” the man said — his voice dragged her focus back to him. She turned her head just enough to see him at her side. Even though he was kneeling down, he was taller than her. Her vision was clearing up, which was a relief — they could make out his appearance a bit more clearly now, enough to make out the worried expression on his face. “You can hear me, then?” … She nodded. He sighed, heavy and relieved, murmured something she couldn’t quite hear. Her attention drifted from him — now that she could see a bit clearer, she could actually try to figure out where she was, but… The expanse of course dirt and shattered, white pillars was foreign to her. Where am I? Ruins of some sort… Alarm shot through her as realisation dawned on them, where’s the stone? She focused her attention on the ground around her — there, between her and the stranger, were the phone and the strange stone she had found before she fell asleep. The phone should’ve been more important to her than the stone, she realised, but she worried more of the stone —

She flinched with a sudden contact on her shoulder, and the man’s voice came again, “ — ello? You there?” … Had she zoned out? Probably. Focus on what’s important. Figure the rest out later. Right. She focused back on the man with blue hair, nodded. He frowned a little, just a worried downturn of his lips, pulled his hand off her shaking shoulder. “Try to focus. Can you tell me your name?”

… Her name? She didn’t answer immediately, eyes falling back to her side where the phone and strange stone lay. Staring at the phone made her remember her dream, remember the being of light, her task… Focus. Right, her name… “... Ai —.... Air… Airi… Airi.” It was hard to speak, hard to control her mouth well enough to make sounds, especially with how badly she was shaking. But that was her name, wasn’t it? It was the name Arceus had called her, and it felt like hers. 

“Airi?” he repeated in question. When she nodded, his expression softened just a touch, “That’s a good name. You —… Are you hurt at all?” Hurt? She did hurt, but they got the feeling that wasn’t what he meant. What did he mean, then? Injuries? She had some cuts from the stones in the ground, but that seemed small, and those really didn’t hurt much compared to the rest of them. He probably didn’t mean those. Was the answer no, then? … It made sense if it was. More sense if the answer was no than if the answer was yes, so she shook her head. “... Alright. That’s good, then. We… Let’s get you back to the settlement, we’ll worry about the rest later, you’ll freeze if we spend any more time here.” … Settlement? Like a town? No, he didn’t say town, he said settlement. He also said she would freeze — is that why they were shaking so much? … It was odd, though, she didn’t really feel cold anymore. Again her gaze fell between them, at the glittering stone and strange phone Arceus had given them. 

A hand passed through their vision, grabbed the phone, causing Airi to squeak in alarm and reach towards it. The movement threw off her balance enough that she nearly toppled over, though she felt a solid hand on her shoulder, holding them in place. “Woah — hey, it’s okay, I’m not robbing you. I’m just going to carry these for you, okay? I have pockets.” She looked up at him, felt tears as she met the brown of his eyes. “I promise I’ll give them back as soon as we’re at the settlement, okay?” … She sniffled, shook her head. It was hers. Arceus had trusted her with it, she couldn’t let anyone else have it — and the stone was important, too, even if they didn’t know why. “...” He let go of her shoulder, grabbed the stone with his other hand. Even though she’d said no, he grabbed them anyway, but she couldn’t move to stop him. Only watched as tears flooded her eyes as he placed the two objects in his pockets — then, her fear faded to confusion as he removed his jacket. Why was he doing that? Didn’t he say it was cold? Plus, he had her stuff. What was he doing..? 

He leaned forward towards her, draped the deep blue of his coat over her shaking shoulders. “There,” he said, “Now they’re in your pockets, not mine. Should help with the cold, too.” … Oh. He hadn’t ignored her no, he was just making things easier for her — plus, even though they didn’t really feel cold anymore, the weight of something on her shoulders felt nice. Comforting. But… Wouldn’t he be cold like this? It was his jacket, not hers, and he had said it was cold. She didn’t want him to be cold at her expense… Her worry must’ve been somewhat obvious, because he smiled at her, said, “I can take the cold for a little bit, don’t worry. Can you stand?” 

… She didn’t know. Her head hurt, and her entire body felt sore and heavy, but… They nodded anyway. They wanted to try, at least. Despite their assurances, she didn’t actually make any move to get up until the man did. Standing over her, he held a hand out for her, offering to help — an offering Airi only stared at, barely registering. After an awkwardly long moment she reached up and took his hand, let him pull her to her feet —

Short lived. The moment she was completely vertical, her vision blacked out and she stumbled forward — had it not been for the blue-haired stranger, she would’ve collapsed into the dirt, but he was there to catch her. She fell into his arms, grabbed onto him as she panted for breath. Vaguely she heard him say something, but her heart pounding against her skull drowned out all noise. Loud, painful, nauseating. She squeezed her eyes shut. A quiet, pathetic whimper fell from their lips as their strength faded, taking with it her consciousness. She registered, slightly, the man’s voice, the feeling of being lifted somehow, though she couldn’t really fathom how. Too tired. Too tired, too weak, too… 

Too cold. 

♪ Vague silhouettes are all I've got left till I fall back asleep

An afterimage of the divine, or just my restless mind ♪

Chapter Text

“Whoa —!” Adaman hadn’t been confident in Airi’s ability to walk, sure, but he hadn’t expected her to pass out upon standing — she was lucky he was there to catch her, holding the shaking girl in his arms. She grabbed back at him with desperate, trembling hands. “Woah, hey, are you alright?” She was fighting to breathe — they whimpered back at him, her grip on him growing weak. “Hey, hey hey hey, come on, stay with me —” She was fading, fast. No time left to waste. He frowned to himself, slipped an arm under one of Airi’s and behind her back, hoisting her up so he could better get his other arm under her legs to carry her. No reaction from Airi — she was already unconscious, completely limp in his arms. She’s in terrible shape. 

Much as he wanted to sprint back as fast as possible, that would require jumping off or otherwise sliding down a cliff — something he would’ve done happily if he were alone, as it was quite the shortcut, but with Airi in his arms he thought it better to follow the path back down from the Shrouded Ruins. A glance at the sky showed him heavy rain clouds — time ticking away. The last thing he wanted to do was subject the already-sick girl in his arms to a rainstorm. Though he couldn’t go skipping off cliffs, he still moved as fast as he could without jostling Airi much, half-sprinting down muddy paths. At the very least, Airi didn’t weigh enough to slow him down. 

Truthfully, he didn’t even know how she was alive. He’d watched her fall from the sky — by the time he got to the ruins, he expected to find a corpse. And he thought he had found a corpse for a few terrifying moments, when he couldn’t tell if she was breathing and she wasn’t responding to his voice. He was happy to be proven wrong, of course, but… She was in terrible shape. The entire time he’d been talking to her, she’d barely been able to hold focus, barely able to even stay awake. Whenever she looked at him, it was like they couldn’t even see him, little-to-no awareness in their eyes. And they hadn’t managed to speak except to tell him her name. Even then, they had hesitated for an awful moment, long enough that Adaman wondered if she even knew their own name. The only time she actually reacted to him is when he tried to take her things… How out of it is she? Maybe they had a head injury..? There’s no blood, though. If she’d hit her head badly enough to be this dazed, there would surely be proof of it — her white hair meant it would’ve been easy to notice any blood. But, nothing. No sign of harm except for her behavior. Physically, she seemed perfectly fine, but… 

… Her clothes were practically torn to shreds. There was a huge gash in the side of her flimsy purple top, exposing most of her stomach and left side: it looked like it had been left from claw marks. One of her pant legs was entirely ripped off just below their thigh, and they were missing the shoe on that leg. And yet, he didn’t see any injury underneath her torn clothes — no evidence of harm except blood on the ripped edges of their clothing, dry stains. Her actual body seemed fine. No injuries that he could see — he couldn’t even see scars. Has she been healed, then? He glanced to his right, towards Mount Coronet — high above the mountain, lightning curled threateningly around the rift in space-time. Where Airi had fallen from. If she had been healed, it must’ve been before she’d fallen — had Almighty Sinnoh healed her before sending her here? If that were the case, then Airi would be blessed by Sinnoh… He could feel the heat of her fever burning against him, and her behavior earlier implied she was terribly out of it. Hardly feels like a blessing… Perhaps her illness was a result of falling? That didn’t make the most sense, but it was all he could figure. Or perhaps the Almighty could only heal her of bodily harm, not of whatever ailed her — though, that didn’t sound true of an almighty deity, either. 

Regardless, it hardly mattered. Something terrible had happened to her before she fell, that much he knew to be true, and now she was feverish and fading. He needed to get her back to the settlement for care — worries about where she came from and her involvement with Almighty Sinnoh could wait until she’d recovered. If they recovered, because if Adaman was honest, he wasn’t positive the girl would even live. She was so out of it… Don’t think about it. Just move. He didn’t have the time to spend doubting her survival, not when that time could be better spent actually improving her odds. He pulled Airi a little closer to his chest, gritted his teeth, and picked up the pace. 

He made it back to the Diamond Settlement in record time, and to his great relief, right before the rain started. The moment he stepped into the encampment, the sky opened up, and he had to scramble to get to proper shelter. Not too many people were loitering outside, most expecting the oncoming rain, but two people were waiting for him in front of the infirmary — Mai, who had seen Airi fall just as he had, and Martia, who Adaman had to assume Mai had summoned incase the person he brought back was injured. When they saw him running up with the girl in his arms, Mai was quick to the door, opening it for him so he could dart inside before the rain could drench him or Airi further, Martia rushing in behind him. Adaman took just a moment to catch his breath while he approached the bunk beds on the right of the building. He carefully laid Airi down onto the bottom bunk while Martia hovered anxiously at his side. 

“She’s not injured,” Adaman began, earning a relieved sigh from the healer. He turned towards her, instinctually put his hands where his coat pockets would normally fall — not having a coat spoiled that, but luckily his base outfit still had pockets he could tuck his hands in while he went into more detail on Airi’s condition.  “Not that I can tell, at least. However, she has a high fever, and… I don't know, she seems dazed, like she wasn't even aware of themself. But, that might just be the fever. She passed out when she tried to stand.”

Every additional detail he gave seemed to make Martia’s worry grow, her frown deepening with every word. She knelt next to the bottom bunk, held the back of her hand against Airi’s forehead, quiet for a moment. “... She’s definitely warm, but if they were out in the cold wearing that, ” she stood, gesturing at Airi in reference to their thin clothing, “For any time, we need to keep her warm. Go fetch me some extra blankets,” another glance at the sickly girl, “And some new clothes. I’ll make something for her fever.” 

Adaman nodded, went to leave the building — to his surprise, Mai followed him. The Warden only a step behind him as he stepped out and darted through camp, towards a hut made for storage. He held the door open for Mai to let her step in ahead of him before he walked to the back, where shelves lined the wall containing fabrics. He was quiet as he rummaged through the shelves, waiting for Mai to speak up. When she didn’t, he did, folding two heavy blankets over his arms while he broke the silence, “You haven’t said anything since I got back. What’s on your mind?”

“...” She sighed, knelt next to him to join him in searching for spare clothes. “I don’t feel good about this. I don’t think we should be taking anyone in right now, not with how things are going with the rift — we don’t even know where she came from. The last thing we need right now is some sickly girl who fell from the sky to take care of.” She grabbed a clothing set from the shelf, stood back up. “I know you’ll disagree —”

“I do.” 

“— but that’s where my mind is. And… Most of the clan will more likely agree with me over you, I’m afraid.” She walked past Adaman to the door without another glance, said, “I’ll follow your lead, of course. I trust your judgment. Just… Keep it in mind, yes?” She opened the door and walked out, leaving Adaman standing among shelves of supplies, quiet. 

She was right, of course. Adaman wasn’t blind to the circumstances around his clan, he knew full well that the rift in space-time was straining them already. But… How could he just abandon someone in need? Though things were tense, the Diamond Clan certainly wasn’t without the means to care for her. She won’t be accepted easily, though. Even if they could help the clan out when they recovered, it’d take a long time for her to be integrated. Though… Who knows, perhaps Airi had a place within Hisui already? He couldn’t go thinking so far into the future without even knowing her circumstances. For all he knew, she could already have a home in Jubilife, or even the Pearl Clan. Unlikely, though, considering she fell from the rift. And she wasn’t really dressed like a Hisuian, even if their clothes weren’t destroyed — her thin clothing wouldn’t stand up against the colder weather, and the one shoe she did have wasn’t even remotely waterproof. He’d never seen clothes like hers, not even from the immigrants in Jubilife. Is she from another region, then..? Somewhere warmer, maybe? … No use theorizing. He would ask her when they had recovered some. In the meantime, the Diamond Clan would look after her, and he’d take the brunt of the criticism for that decision. Try to shield Airi from as much of it as possible, anyway. 

He sighed, shook his head to clear his thoughts before he finally stepped out of the storage hut, hovering near the entrance — the rain had lulled for a moment, a temporary mercy as he walked through the muddied camp. He stopped outside of the door of the infirmary, knocked on the solid wood — Martia’s voice from inside, “Just a second, wait out there.” He wasn’t about to disobey the healer, so he just shuffled a little closer to the door, making sure he stayed underneath the overhang while he stared up at the sky with suspicion. A nudge at his leg dragged his attention downward only a moment later. His Leafeon and another Eevee had joined him under the overhang. Probably to get out of the weather, he imagined, as the rain started back up only a moment later. He smiled and knelt down to pet the Leafeon under the ear, though he didn’t say anything. Too lost in thought. 

The rain had kicked back up in earnest by the time he heard Martia again, “Alright, you can come in now.” He straightened, used his free hand to open the door, held it open for his pokémon to run in before he entered — they knew well enough to wipe their paws on the entrance mat, though, while Adaman just kicked off his shoes entirely into the corner before he stepped up into the building with the blankets. He glanced at the beds — Airi was wearing the clothes Mai had brought in now, and Martia had folded Adaman’s coat over the headboard. Their old clothes were in a basket near the foot of the bed to be dealt with later. Leafeon was quick to the basket, sniffing at the ruined clothing within. Must be why Martia wanted me to wait outside, she had probably been changing Airi out of their destroyed clothing. Mai wasn’t there, though. He frowned with the realisation, but didn’t say anything as he approached Airi’s side.

He draped both the blankets he’d grabbed over the girl. As soon as he did, the Eevee jumped on the bed and settled next to Airi, curling up next to her. He almost smiled at the sight, finally spoke up, “How is she?”

“... Fine, oddly. I mean, feverish, yeah, but —...” Martia trailed off with a frustrated sigh while Adaman turned towards her. “... She’s not injured. But her clothes were torn all to hell. She should be injured. I really thought you were just wrong about that, but no, they’re fine. I couldn't even find anything to suggest a head injury, despite them literally falling out of the sky. It’s… I don’t know. Unsettling? I don’t know what to think.” She shook her head, said, “Whatever, I guess, just — well, I’ve done what I can. She should be fine if she can fight off the fever. I gave her some medicine, and she’ll need to take more tomorrow morning — if she’s going to die it’ll be before then. If she makes it through the night they’ll probably be fine.”

Adaman couldn’t help but stare at her in mild shock, that was… Blunt. He understood, though. She was frustrated by her lack of information, by how little she could actually do — most of what she had just said were more venting than actually giving Adaman any information. “I get it. The lack of injuries confused me, too — it’s honestly a relief to hear you voice my own worries.” He smiled at her, “Thank you for your help, I appreciate it. I’ll stay with her through the night, you can go get some rest.”

“... Right. No problem, it’s what I’m here for. Sorry for ranting.” Martia took a slow, deep breath. Quiet for a moment, looking back down at Airi. “... Come get me if she gets worse for whatever reason. I’ll be here first thing in the morning otherwise.” With Adaman’s nod, she turned and stepped back to the entry, though she paused by the door. The lack of door opening got Adaman to turn to face the entrance in confusion, where he met the healer’s eyes. “... Do you think the Almighty sent her here?” Before he could even think to reply, she shook her head, rushed to speak again, “No, nevermind, I don’t want to think about it. Goodnight.” She rushed out the door, nearly slammed it shut in her rush to leave. Adaman only stared after her.

A silence passed following Martia’s exit. The only sound in the infirmary now was the rainfall outside, heavy and persistent. A boom of thunder rattled through the silence after the door shut, earning a squeal of alarm from his Leafeon, who darted under the bed at the sound of thunder. Adaman stared at the door for a long, long moment before he sighed to himself. He stepped to the back of the bunk where Airi lay, where Martia had draped his coat. He pulled it back on before checking the pockets, pulling out the strange objects Airi had worried so much about. One was more easily understood to him. Some sort of gemstone. It was primarily a pale, dusty blue, close to white, and it had swirls of darker blues in the center, forming a helix-shape. He didn’t recognize it, but it felt… Powerful, somehow. The other object baffled Adaman completely — some strange, white, vaguely rectangular… thing. He wasn’t even sure what to call it. One side of it was black and glossy, maybe glass? The other was the white material, with a golden wheel design of sorts. Him grabbing this thing had caused Airi great distress, so it must’ve been important to her… But what even was it? Something from wherever she had come from, perhaps? 

… No use wasting time trying to understand something he’d never seen before. He returned to Airi’s side, leaned over her to place the white object on the bed next to her, between her and the wall. He had a feeling she’d be upset if they woke up and it wasn’t in reach — same for the other object, the stone, but he had a plan for that one. A plan that required leaving. Even if it was just for a moment, he didn’t want to leave Airi unattended… Should’ve asked Martia to stay a while longer. Too late for regrets, he supposed. He elected to leave his idea for a little longer, pulled one of the floor mats closer to the bed and sat down, back against the bed frame. He stared at the strange stone in his hand, ran his thumb over its glossy surface. Perfectly smooth, spherical, and cool to the touch. It wasn’t something someone would just find, it had been refined to this state. The only two personal objects Airi had to her name were this and the white object, so he imagined this was just as important to her. And it’d be pretty inconvenient for her to carry around a loose gemstone… He wanted to make some sort of pendant for her, but his jewelry wire and other supplies were in his own house. He could forgo it, really. Airi would probably be fine without, or she might even be upset if he modified the gem in any way. But if he was resigning to sit with her through the night, it’d be nice to have something to do with his hands —

The door opening pulled him out of his thoughts. He turned his head to the door, saw Mai, who frowned at him as he stepped in. “You’re not actually staying here all night?” 

“... Well, I was planning on it. Unless you want to?” It was more of a tease than an actual question, he knew full well Mai wouldn’t want to spend her time on someone she still considered a stranger — and he was right, judging by her grimace. “I’m joking. Do you need something?”

“... Not exactly. Just worried for you.”

“I’m not really the one to be worried about.”

“I know.” She stepped up past the entrance, came to sit at Adaman’s side with a sigh. “Martia was in a huff when I came in earlier, so I dropped off the clothes and let her be. I assumed you would have a better chance of calming her than I would. Is she alright?”

“She’s fine, she’s just frustrated — Airi seems to be… A bit of an oddity.”

“That’s her name, then? Airi?” He hadn’t realised he hadn’t given the girl’s name. He nodded. Mai went quiet with the confirmation, fiddling with her wristband. Eventually she said, a little quiet, “What exactly is your plan? … Do you have one?” 

Plan, huh? “... One step at a time,” he said, “First, I’ll stay with her through the night, since Martia says this is the riskiest time for their survival. If she makes it, when they wake up, I’ll see if I can get any information from them about where she’s from — if we can, we’ll see about getting her home. If not… Well, we’ll see. I don’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves for the moment.” He rolled the stone over in his palm, studied the swirls of darker blue within the sphere. “Just worried about her makin’ it for the time being.”

“...” Mai didn’t respond for a long moment. “And if she has nowhere to go? If wherever they’re from is beyond the rift, inaccessible to us? What then? Do you intend to let her stay here? We’re hardly equipped for that.”

… Adaman sighed, tipped his head back to look up at the ceiling, fixed his eyes on the hanging light in the center, resting the hand holding the stone on his lap. “I don’t know. And I won’t, not until we get answers from her. We’ll figure something out — and I promise I won’t do anything to strain the clan. I am thinking rationally, much as you’d think otherwise.” He turned his head towards Mai, who returned his look with a skeptical expression. “I just can’t leave a person in need. You complain, but I know you wouldn't have left them for dead, either.”

She frowned, stared at him for a long moment. Quiet. Finally she looked back down at her hands, said, “No, I wouldn’t. That… You're right.” She sighed, brought her hand up and squeezed her temples, “I don't like it when you're right. What happened to listening to your elders?” Adaman laughed, the warmth of it dispelling what tension there was left in the room, and earning just the slightest smile from Mai. She dropped her hand back to her lap, said, “You're right, we'll figure out what to do moving forward when we have more information. I still… Don't feel terribly good about this, but I can't argue with you.” 

“Glad to have you on the same page.” He smiled at the Warden. “On that note, may I ask a favor?” He saw Mai roll her eyes, but she didn't actually say no, so he continued anyway, “Can you get my jewelry stuff from my house? The blue trinket box with the latch. Or, I can get it, if you don't mind waiting here for a minute or two.” 

“... For what? That strange gem? Is that Airi’s?”

“Yes to both — this and that weird white thing were the only things she had on her. She was… really, really upset that I took them, so I think they want to have them with her all the time. It's not exactly easy to carry a loose orb on your person. I was gonna make a simple pendant or something, I’ll have to check if I have good wire for it.”

“... Odd use of your time. You don't even know her.”

“I know. But, I mean, if I’m gonna be sitting here all night anyway, I might as well do something. And if it keeps her happy and calm to have it easy to attach to her person, all the better.” 

“... You're too thoughtful for your own good sometimes.” She pushed herself off the floor, stretched an arm over her head with a hum. “Alright, I’ll fetch it. Do you need anything else?”

“No, I’ll be alright. Thank you!” Mai nodded, stepped back to the door and left without another word. He lifted the stone back up to eye level, quiet in wonder as he studied it. If Airi knew what it was, maybe he could ask her — he couldn’t help but be a little curious of the strange gem. More than that, though, he was curious why Airi had it. Why it had been sent from the rift with her, same with the strange white object. Were they related to the Almighty Sinnoh? Interesting… Well, more reason for him to do something nice for Airi in the form of making a pendant of the gem — if it was related to the Almighty in some way, it was arguably his duty as the leader of the Diamond Clan to honor the deity of time. 

Mai was back only a few minutes later with the box he’d requested. She stuck around for a while and the two chatted while he thought about his plans for the stone — more casual conversation, mostly, neither acknowledging the sickly girl behind them. Eventually, though, Mai left, wishing him a good night. With a glance back at Airi, she said, “I hope she recovers well.” All Adaman replied with was a smile and an agreement — he hoped so, too. 

After the warden left, he focused his attention more fully on the gemstone, trying to figure out the best way to go about this. It wasn’t massive by any means, but bigger than most gems he’d worked with before. Heavier wire, then? Thicker wire could be a bit of a pain to work with, but it’d probably be safer in the end than using something delicate. With a vision in mind, he got to work shaping wire to the shape of the spherical stone. After the silence stretched on for a while, he felt movement at his side — Leafeon had emerged from underneath the bed to settle at Adaman’s side, curling up next to him. He smiled and pet the grass-type under its chin before he focused more fully on the stone. Hunching over and working quietly, Leafeon settling into sleep at his side. 

He wasn’t sure how much time had passed by the time he considered his work ‘complete.’ He held the stone up, admiring his handiwork — it was fairly simple, but it accomplished what he wanted, which was that it would be easy to string onto something. Two wires wrapped either side of the front of the stone, and on the back there was a support wire down the center, all meeting in a loop at the top. He held the stone by the loop, testing how it handled its own weight. No shifting, no bending of wires… Good. Perfect, in fact. Hopefully Airi didn’t mind. 

Adaman placed the finished project to his side before stretching his arms over his head with a quiet groan. Hunching over for so long was not doing him any favors, that was for sure. He pushed himself off the floor to stretch a bit better, maybe walk around for a bit — as he got up, though, he heard a soft sound behind him, something like a murmur. He turned to face the bed where Airi was sleeping, held perfectly still. Is she waking up?

Another murmur, the rustling of blankets as the girl rolled onto her side, facing the wall, back towards Adaman. The Eevee at her side, feeling the movement, just took a moment to settle into the crook of her chest before it stilled, and silence filled the room again. Just readjusting. Adaman let out a breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding, and as he did, he heard another sound from Airi — more of a whimper this time. That was enough to get him to worry enough to kneel down next to her bed. Before he could ask if she was alright, she murmured again — he could tell she was saying something, but they were still otherwise. Sleep talking? 

… He decided not to wake her, in that case. He took a moment to finish stretching before he sat back down at the bedside, leaned back against the bed. Airi’s voice came again, but he couldn't make out the words — their voice was hardly audible. He looked over his shoulder at the girl again, though with her back towards him he couldn't glean much. He could hear a bit better when she spoke again, though. Maybe he wished he couldn't, because the next thing out of their mouth was a whimper, “Hurts… Cwistal?” She curled a little smaller, “Come back…” 

… She was asking for somebody. She was still in enough pain for it to register even while they were sleeping, and they were asking for somebody to come back. Maybe they were having some sort of nightmare..? He didn't know. He didn't know whether to wake her, either, so he only stared at the back of her sleeping form for a long moment. Wondering. Worrying. 

While she did make a few more sounds, none of it sounded intelligible to Adaman, and she stopped squirming — maybe her nightmare had ended, or maybe she'd just shifted to a deeper phase of sleep, he wasn't sure. The fact that she was talking in her sleep should've been a relief — it meant she wasn't getting worse. Instead of relief, though, Adaman only felt heavy. 

… Something had happened to Airi before she fell. He didn't know how he could be so sure, but he was positive. The rips in her clothes, claw marks of some terrible beast… She'd been attacked. And if the injuries she'd suffered lined up with the marks on her clothes… They'd been right along their stomach up through her side — while he couldn't know how deep the wounds had been, it was… Unlikely, that she would have survived them, under normal means… So she was healed, then. Healed and sent through the rift in space-time to Hisui — Adaman couldn't even guess from when or where she came. If it had truly been Almighty Sinnoh that brought her here, she could've been from any point in time imaginable. He couldn't even fathom the circumstances from which she may’ve come from. 

… He sighed. He didn’t know, and there was no point in making guesses — something he kept telling himself, and yet there he was, making guesses anyway. It did him no good. Didn’t do Airi any good, either. Pointless speculation was doing nothing but adding to the heavy feeling in his heart and stressing him out. He grabbed the gemstone, stared at it and the wire he’d shaped around it. Again he wondered about it, about what it could possibly be — and, in the back of his mind, he wondered about Airi. Wondered about the name she’d said in their sleep, Crystal, about where they’d come from. Quiet, he placed the stone back at his side, leaned his head back against the bed and closed his eyes. No use in wondering, he could ask when they were awake. He’d done all he could to help them for now. It was up to her to pull through… 

… Even as he drifted to sleep, Adaman worried. 

♪ Does the swallow dream of flying as it sleeps on the wing?

Does it long for the summer as it flies home for spring? ♪

Chapter Text

Airi couldn’t remember their dreams, though when she woke up, there were tears in her eyes. Upsetting, then. It was the first thing she noticed when they woke up — that awful sting in the back of her throat and in her eyes, moisture on her cheeks. She didn’t open her eyes for a while, though. They didn’t really want to wake up yet. She still hurt too much, and when they’d passed out, they’d been outside. She didn’t want to contend with her pain or the elements yet. She just wanted to sleep until the pain went away… 

… Though, laying there with her eyes closed, she didn’t really… Feel like they were outside anymore. The surface under her didn’t really feel like the wet, coarse dirt she’d been in before, and they couldn’t feel the jagged stones embedded in her. Whatever she was laying on, it was… Soft. Warm… Warm. That was new. Was warm good? … Probably, right? She hadn’t liked feeling cold before, so they supposed warm was an improvement. Soft was also new, nice. 

There were things on top of her, too — warm and heavy. The combination of sensations made her feel… Safe, almost? They weren’t sure. It was familiar, and yet she couldn’t remember ever having experienced anything like it. Couldn’t remember ever feeling warm, ever experiencing softness. Ever experiencing comfort in the way they were in that moment. She kept her eyes closed and nestled into the softness around her — she still hurt, but now she was starting not to want to wake up because she was comfortable. That was definitely new, at least in their memory. Still, it seemed her body disagreed, because no matter how long she kept her eyes closed and breathing even, no matter how fatigued she still felt, she couldn’t fall back asleep…

… She sighed, finally actually opened her eyes. The first thing they saw were a pair of brown, fuzzy ears — she realised quickly that there was a pokémon asleep next to her, an Eevee, curled up next to her and dozing peacefully. She kind of wanted to pet it, but their arms were under heavy blankets, making that a difficulty. Oh. Blankets. That was the warm weight on her — that made sense. Was she in a bed, then? That would also make sense. How did I get here, though..? She couldn’t really remember. The last thing they remembered was the man with blue hair, and cold. Had he brought her here..? She wasn’t sure, but it made sense. She rolled onto her back, careful not to disturb the sleeping pokémon beside her. Above her was solid wood slats. Bunk bed, then, and she was on the bottom. Carefully, she pushed her upper body upright, bracing herself for the stabbing pain that had come before, but… None. The ache in their body was consistent — moving stung a bit more, but nothing like before. That was good, wasn’t it? The blankets covering her fell to her lap as she sat up, giving her a chance to free her arms and settle them atop the blankets.

… She had sleeves. That was new. Was it? She didn’t think they had sleeves before — not long ones, anyway, not like she had now. They couldn’t really remember what they were wearing before. They stared down at her hands, fiddled idly with the bottoms of the deep blue sleeves, feeling the heavy fabric under her fingers. It was… Nice. Her top seemed to be a jacket of some kind, primarily a deep blue with some lighter blue patterns — stripes down the lengths of the sleeves and an… Emblem, of some sort, on the front. Some strange pentagon shape. She brought her hands up to the neckline to tug it down a little bit, realised as she did that the outfit actually had a hood, a fact that delighted her more than it should’ve. Whatever she was wearing was nice, she decided. Soft. Warm. 

She looked to her left, where the Eevee was sleeping. Adjacent to the bed was the wall, but on the bed besides the Eevee was the phone Arceus had given her. Relief washed over her the moment she caught sight of it — she hadn’t lost it. She grabbed it with her left hand. As she pulled the device towards her, the screen lit up, text popping up onto the display. Her vision was clear enough to read it this time: “I bestow upon thee this Arc Phone and thy mission: seek out all pokémon.” It was called the Arc Phone, then… Oh! Like from Arceus. Arc… It made sense. She placed the phone in her lap, the screen dimming as she did, and instead looked around for her other object, the stone. 

She didn’t see it on the bed near where the Arc Phone had been, so she assumed it was elsewhere — worry started to eat at her as she turned to her right, finally getting a look at the building she was in. A small, one room building. There was a stove built near the center, and the wall opposite of her was lined with shelves. She stared at the shelves for a long moment. A lot of plants, both growing in pots and stored in jars, and more opaque containers she couldn’t see the contents of. Some various cookware, too. Pots, a kettle, a mortar and pestle. She also caught sight of some bandages, splints, even crutches leaning against one of the shelves — combined, everything scanned as medicinal. Was she in an infirmary? That didn’t make much sense, she wasn’t hurt — they didn’t think so, anyway. She’d told the man earlier she wasn’t hurt. If they were hurt, that meant she had lied, which was… Upsetting. She frowned with the thought before their mind caught up to them, the stone. Right, no more distractions — another scan of the shelves before she looked down towards the floor. 

… Besides the bed, leaning back against the ladder to the top bunk, was the man she’d met when they had first woken up — he seemed asleep, head tipped forward. She couldn’t see his face well enough to tell if his eyes were closed, though. Seeing him surprised her enough to distract them again: why was he here? Was he injured? But he wasn’t in a bed. It didn’t seem like a good idea for someone who was injured to sleep on the floor, especially sitting up like that. Was he just sitting with her, then..? … But they didn’t know him. Didn’t even know his name. Why would he stay with someone he didn’t even know? … Unless I do know him..? She couldn’t remember. They didn’t think so, but… She didn’t know. 

She pushed the thought away and instead took a moment to look over the man in more detail — her blurry vision when she’d first met him meant she couldn’t actually see much of him. All she had really noticed were the blue of his hair and clothes, and now she was realising that was an oversimplification: his hair was actually multicolored, to start. While the top layers of his fluffy hair were primarily the deep navy she’d noticed before, it was tied up, revealing the bottom layers to be mostly an oddly green shade of blond with dark teal streaks. Even calling his coat purely blue wasn’t really accurate, though it wasn’t that much of a stretch: she could mostly only see the back of it, where there was an emblem of sorts sewn into it. A glance down at her own top showed the same emblem with inverted colors. Maybe it was important..? The emblem on the man’s jacket was framed by bright yellow streaks — the way they were depicted almost reminded her of claw marks. Combined with how they framed the emblem, maybe it’s meant to represent some sort of pokémon..? She didn’t really know. Why was it on her clothes, too? 

She couldn’t see the front of him well enough to see what he wore under the jacket, but could barely see another pokémon resting in his lap. It was primarily a pale yellow with leaf-life ears — she couldn’t see the rest of it, but that was enough for them to know it was a Leafeon. Leafeon evolves from Eevee. Maybe both were his pokémon, then? Seemed likely, since there wasn’t anyone else around, and the Eevee next to her seemed too nice to be wild. She was staring at the Leafeon while she thought about it — after a moment, the grass type shifted. With a yawn, it rested its head on the man’s thigh and looked up at Airi with sleepy brown eyes. The two only stared at each other for a moment before it moved its head again, pressing its head against the man with a sleepy brrmp sound. Was it trying to wake him..? 

… She finally looked away from him while the Leafeon kept chirping at him, scanned the ground around him. Finally they saw what they were looking for. The stone she’d found when they woke up — it was resting on the ground beside the man, alongside a small blue box and a spool of metal wire. She didn’t care much for the other things, though, gaze fixed on her stone. She wanted to grab it, but the last time she’d tried to lean and grab something, it hadn’t exactly ended well. All they did was stare at it, too scared to even let the gemstone out of her sight.

Finally she heard shifting and a quiet voice, “What..?” She turned her head back to the man. He’d brought a hand up to pet the Leafeon behind the ears and used his other to rub his eyes before he turned his head towards Airi — their eyes locked for just a moment before she flinched and looked down at her hands, while he said, “Oh, you’re awake!” … He sounded pleased. Was it a good thing for her to be awake? She looked back towards him at the sound of movement. His Leafeon had hopped off his lap, allowing him to stand and stretch for a moment, remarking as he did, “That’s good, I was thinking you would sleep a lot longer.” He leaned and grabbed the stone off the ground, an action that earned a flinch from Airi, but instead of keeping it, he held it out for her to take. They stared at the offered gemstone for a long moment before she reached her hand out and let the man place the stone in her palm. Quietly examining it while he asked, “How are you feeling?”

… That was a vaguer question than she would like. She didn’t really know the answer. Questions like are you hurt were a lot easier, because there were only two possible answers, but how are you feeling could have any answer. How was she feeling, even? Warm? Tired? Her head hurt, as did the rest of her. But it wasn’t the screaming pain she’d felt before. It didn’t hurt to breathe anymore, either. But what did that mean the answer was? … She didn’t know. She just stared down at the stone in her hands. There was gold-colored metal wire weaved around it, securing it in place, and a loop at the top. She ran her fingers over the wire, silent. That was new, wasn’t it..? 

… She had been quiet enough for the man to pick up on the fact she didn’t know how to answer, she supposed, because after a long moment of this he spoke up again, “How about this: are you feeling better or worse than you did yesterday?”

… Oh. That was an easier question, only two answers again: better or worse. She still stayed quiet for a moment, thinking it over. She hurt, but not as bad as before. It didn’t hurt to breathe anymore. She was warm instead of cold, and even though they were tired, it was much easier to stay awake… Those were all improvements over before, right? “... B — better, I think,” she answered, though their voice was hardly a murmur — speaking was harder than she wanted…

“That’s good, then!” She glanced back over to him, saw him smile at her — it felt warm and kind. When she didn’t speak again, he did, “When Martia gets back, you can tell her a bit more in detail about how you’re feeling, if you can manage it. She’s good with medicine, so she can help if you’re feeling sick at all. Does that sound okay?” … She nodded, though they didn’t actually know if she’d be able to say how she was feeling. “Great! We can just talk in the meantime, if you’d like,” he said. He took a step back from the bed before he sat back down on the floor, one knee up so he could rest his arm on it and the other crossed below. His Leafeon was quick to return to his lap, resting on his leg and staring up at Airi with a curious expression.

Airi took a moment to carefully shift positions, rotating her full body so she didn’t have to keep turning her head to look at him. Now sitting cross legged near the edge of the bed, hands resting in her lap while fidgeted with her stone. She couldn’t meet the man’s eyes, staring down between them instead. “Um… Can —... I… I don’t know your name,” she finally admitted, quiet shame filling her. He was talking to her like they were familiar, but she didn’t know him, didn’t know his name — he knew hers, didn’t he? They kind of remembered telling him, but she couldn’t remember if he had told her his. If he had, that meant they’d forgotten… 

“... That’s embarrassing for me.” He chuckled just a bit, enough to ease Airi’s shame, her worries that it was their fault for not knowing. “If you want my full formal title, it’s Adaman, leader of the Diamond Clan. That’s a bit of a mouthful, though — I don’t need the honorifics, you can just call me Adaman.” 

“... Adaman,” Airi repeated, quiet and under her breath. “Okay. Okay…” Diamond Clan was a new concept to her, but if he was the leader of it, he must’ve been pretty important, right? If he was an important person, maybe she should use some kind of honorific… He said not to call him his full title, though… Would Leader Adaman be fine? Or Mister Adaman, maybe. Yeah. Something like that was polite enough. She nodded to herself, affirming it in her head. She set the stone down next to her, instead fidgeting with her hands, trying to frame her question in their mind before she tried to speak. “Um — can, I, um. Where — where am I? I don’t…” She trailed off. Talking was still proving difficult — it almost hurt… She shook her head again, “I didn’t… Recognize where I was, when you found me, I don’t…” 

“...” Adaman was quiet for a moment, and she could feel his eyes on her, but she still wouldn’t look up to meet his gaze. “... We’re in the Diamond Settlement right now, in the Crimson Mirelands of Hisui. I found you in the Shrouded Ruins a little north of here.” … She balled her hands into tight fists, nails biting her palms — that heat in the back of her throat again. She didn’t recognize any of those places, not one word. He must’ve picked up on her poor reaction, because he was quiet for a moment before he murmured, “None of that meant anything to you, did it?” Tears welled in her eyes. She shook her head, more desperate this time, brought her hands up to her face in a desperate attempt to hide the fact she was about to cry, or else already crying. 

“... Hey, it’s okay — I was kind of expecting that! You fell from the sky, after all,” he assured, but he only confused her further. Another shake of their head while she processed what he had said: she’d fallen from the sky..? Is that what their dream was? They were falling in her dream, but… How could that even be possible..? Adaman didn’t elaborate, instead said, “Let’s switch directions here: can you tell me where you came from?” 

… Where she came from? … She sniffled, dropped her hands back into her lap, though tears still hung in her eyes. They didn’t bother with them anymore, just tried to think through his question. Where had she come from..? The only thing she could remember before waking up in the ruins was her dream, with Arceus. That wasn’t where she was from — definitely not the right answer. But… She shook her head. She couldn’t remember anything before their dream, couldn’t remember even a name of a place that might’ve been home. “I — I don’t, I can’t — I —... I don’t… I don’t remember,” she stammered, her voice ending on a weak whimper in her admittance. “I — I rem’ber — rem’ber falling, and — and light, but —”

“Hey, hey, it’s alright, don’t stress yourself out,” he consoled, but she just shook her head again to dismiss it. She felt a weight on her hand, startling her enough to look up — Adaman had leaned closer to her, had placed his hand over hers, like an attempt to ground her. “It’s alright, really. We… We don’t need to worry about your past right now, alright? What matters is the present.” He pulled away. Was it silly for her to miss the contact? “You’re probably not from Hisui, but that’s fine, there’s plenty of people all around Hisui who’ve come from other regions. Though… I guess none have fallen from the sky, huh?” He ended on a lighter tone, like he was trying to make a joke, but they didn’t really know if it was funny. It did calm her down, though, just… Just a little. Just enough for her to nod back, to take a deep breath in. 

… She didn’t want to keep talking, really. It was hard. Harder when they didn’t know the answers to most of what Adaman was asking, even though they knew she should. She should have known where she was from. She should be able to say how they were feeling. But they didn’t, and they couldn’t. They had a feeling that no matter what Adaman asked her, their answer would be I don’t know. That was… Frustrating, almost. She squeezed one of their hands in the other, a desperate attempt to ground themself before her uncertainty consumed them further.

She looked up, glanced at the door a moment before they actually had a reason to do so — a knock at the door didn’t sound through the building until after she’d already fixed her eyes on it. A moment later and the door opened. A young woman wearing clothes similar to Airi stepped in, with black hair tied back into a ponytail. Airi didn’t recognize her, but she remembered what Adaman had said earlier: when Martia gets back. Was this Martia? The woman’s eyes went straight to Airi, making them flinch. “Oh, good, you made it! I wasn’t expecting to see you awake yet, that’s good.” The woman stepped up from the entrance while Adaman stood from the ground. He took a step back so that Martia could step in front of Airi, lean down, and press the back of her hand against Airi’s forehead — the cold of her hand made them flinch. “Mmm, still pretty warm…” she commented in a hum and pulled her hand back. “I’m Martia, ‘s nice to meet you.”

… Oh! Airi was right, then! They nodded, realised quickly that Martia probably didn’t know her name, so she stumbled to introduce herself, “I — um, I’m — I’m Airi.” Her voice came out very quiet, enough that she worried if Martia even heard them. To their relief the healer nodded back, stepped away from Airi and over to the shelves on the other side of the building. 

Martia crouched down, grabbed a pouch from a bottom shelf, asked “Adaman, did you make them take anything?”

“No, I was waiting on you, since they were awake and talkative. Though it’d be better just to let them adjust a moment.” Adaman stepped back to the bed, leaning on the post closest to Airi, hands tucked into the pockets of his coat.

“Good call. Hey, Airi,” she said, turning her head over her shoulder to look at the girl. “How much pain are you in? Scale of one to ten, one being none and ten being about to black out. Five would be, like, starting to prove actually detrimental, and pretty distressing.”

“... Um…” They didn’t really know, but they hurt a lot. She didn’t know whether it was detrimental, though… Then again, when they’d tried to walk the day before, her pain had made them black out — that’ll be my ten, then, I guess..? Such a hard question… “Um… S — six? I — I don’ know…”

“Is most of your pain in one place, or not really?” Airi shook their head — it was mostly just… Everywhere. Her head might’ve been a little worse, but not enough to change her answer. Hard to tell, though… Martia nodded, turned back to the shelves, “Alright, thank you! I should be able to help with that, and your fever.” She grabbed the mortar and pestle Airi had noticed earlier. “... Uh, how fine are you with really bitter medicine..? I can sweeten it, but, I mean, it still won’t be good. If you can take it bitter it’d be easier.” 

Another question Airi didn’t know the answer to. They couldn’t remember ever taking anything bitter before, so how were they supposed to know how she’d react..? Again her lack of answers frustrated them, and she squeezed her hands tightly shut. “... Dunno… Um, I’ll — I can… I’ll try?” She felt so ashamed by their lack of confidence, tears biting the corners of her eyes. This is a silly thing to cry over. It’s just medicine. But that wasn’t really what they were crying over, was it..? 

“Alright. Don’t feel too guilty if it’s too much, yeah?” Martia grabbed one more container off the shelf before she walked over to the stove in the center of the room, sat down beside it and put her things at her side. She looked over to Airi with a bit of a smile, said in a teasing tone, “Even Adaman struggles with bitter things.”

“Hey!” Adaman’s cry of protest just made Martia chuckle as she lit the stove. Adaman sighed, shook his head, muttered something about having gotten over it. 

Airi managed a small smile, though their gaze fell to her hands as Martia set a kettle on the stove. Didn’t say anything, just quiet. She felt something nudge her arm, which startled her enough to jolt. When they looked over, though, it was just the Eevee from before. The brown pokémon looked up at her with big, sleepy eyes, yawning before it came to settle in Airi’s lap.

“Looks like Eevee’s fond of you!” came Adaman’s voice at her side — she glanced over to him, had to look up to see his warm smile — she hadn’t really realised earlier, since he’d spent most the time sitting down, but he was much taller than them. “She’s one of my partner pokémon, along with Leafeon. She’s a good judge of character, so the fact she likes you must mean you’re a pretty good person.” … Really? She looked down at the fluffy normal type. Brought a hand up to its head and scratched under its chin, to which it made a happy little vee! sound and leaned into her hand. Again she smiled to herself, what a good pokémon. They could tell Adaman was still looking at her, paid it no mind until he spoke up again, “You seem pretty comfortable around pokémon, Airi.”

The statement caught her off guard, confusing her enough to look back up towards Adaman. “... Is, um — is that unusual? Eevee are really social pokémon, so…” She looked back down at the normal type, started petting it along its back, earning a content purr. “They’re really good starter pokémon for trainers, since they can evolve in a lot of different ways, and they’re usually pretty kind towards people… Eevee can evolve into more different forms than any other pokémon, it’s neat… Oh, um — sorry, you probably already —... Nevermind.” She hadn’t meant to ramble so much, she just… They didn’t know. What Adaman had said had thrown her off enough that they felt desperate to try and explain herself.

“... Not sure what you mean by trainer, but, yeah, they’re great partners. You know a lot, huh?” … She didn’t really know how to respond to that, didn’t look up again, just nodded while she pet the Eevee. “I didn’t mean anything bad by you being comfortable, it’s just that most of the people who immigrate here are pretty distrustful of pokémon. It’s refreshing to meet someone who’s at ease with them, is all.”

… Distrustful of pokémon? That felt strange to Airi. She couldn’t imagine not caring for pokémon — sure, there was some value in wariness, but not to the extent she felt Adaman was implying. Not to the extent of being afraid of an Eevee who was clearly already socialized… Adaman also seemed confused by the word trainer, but when Airi opened her mouth to explain, she couldn’t find the words. They didn’t actually know what the word meant, not in this context. But… She should have. It was a word they knew, one they thought might have even applied to them. What was it, though..? Based on what she said, maybe it just meant someone who had a partner pokémon? No, it’s more than that. But what? 

Lost in their thoughts, they hadn’t noticed what Martia had been up to until she felt a tap on her shoulder. They looked up, saw the woman holding a cup, which she held out for Airi to take. “Here. Drink the whole cup if you can,” Martia instructed as she stepped back, crossed her arms. “If you can’t bear the taste, I’ll figure something out.” 

“‘Kay,” Airi replied in a murmur, looked down at the cup — it felt warm in her hands, and the liquid inside was a sickly shade of desaturated green. It didn’t smell like anything, though, which was a comfort. She felt both Martia and Adamans’ eyes on her, the weight of their stares making her skin crawl. Just ignore it. You can do this much. She took a deep breath to shove their anxiety down enough to bring the cup to her mouth. Immediately she cringed from the taste, wanted the medicine out of her mouth, but she pushed through — she didn’t want to inconvenience Martia any more. By the time the cup was empty, her eyes were watery with tears and her breathing heavy.

“Good!” Martia took the cup from their hands, said, “That should start kicking in within the hour, give or take. It’ll help with your fever and your pain. If your pain is still super bad in a couple hours, though, let me know and I’ll try something else. That sound okay?” Airi nodded, returned her attention to the Eevee in her lap while Martia turned to address Adaman, “I need to go out and forage a bit today. Weather’s good for it. She’ll be fine on her own from now, so don’t stress too much, you’ve got enough on your plate already.” 

“Alright, thank you for your work,” Adaman responded with a nod, “Be careful out there, okay? Those distortions have been popping up more and more often as of late.”

“I’ll be careful. I’ll check in with you and Airi when I’m back.” Martia turned and stepped back to the entrance, opened the door. Before she stepped out, she looked over her shoulder, said, “Airi, make sure you let someone know if you start feeling worse, okay?” Confused, Airi nodded — she didn’t really understand why Martia was telling her that, but they didn’t say anything. Martia returned Airi’s nod before she stepped out of the building and closed the door behind her.

… Something bugged Airi about what Martia had said to Adaman, ‘ You’ve got enough on your plate already.’ Was Adaman that busy..? Of course he is, he’s the leader of the Diamond Clan. Even if they didn’t really know what that meant, she wasn’t stupid — the Diamond Clan was likely the name of the group taking care of her. She didn’t know how many people that meant, but even if it was a small amount, being a leader meant a lot of responsibility. A lot of work, work Airi was only adding on to by being as much of a burden as they were… She cleared her throat, looked up at him, said, “Um, if — if you’re busy, I’ll… I’ll be okay on my own. I, um, I don’t — I don’t want to — don’t want to inconvenience you any — any more than I already…” It was frustrating how much they were tripping over their words, her stutter just seeming to get worse instead of better the more they talked. The frustration almost boiled over enough to make her cry again. Almost. Not quite, though the heat burned in her throat. 

… Adaman looked over her for a moment, the look in his eyes more critical than Airi had seen before. She had to quickly drop her eyes from his before he actually responded, “You don’t need to worry about that. Did Martia saying I was busy worry you?” … Shame flooded Airi. She couldn’t find their voice, so they just nodded back. “Don’t think too much about it, yeah? You’re not any inconvenience, she was just letting me know I’d be alright to step out if I need to for clan matters. I was pretty worried about you last night, it’s why I stuck around — she was just reassuring me. You don’t need to worry.”

“... S — still, though, you —...” You’ve wasted enough time on me, she wanted to say, but the words stuck in their throat, caught by their shame. 

“... Do you not want me here?” What? No! She looked up at Adaman, desperate to explain herself, but again her words caught in her throat. Mute. Unable to speak, she just desperately shook her head. “I’ll stay, then. I at least need to feed you, don’t you think?” … His tone was equally as teasing as it was reassuring. Airi nodded, though… They didn’t know. She just —... She didn’t know. They were a terrible inconvenience onto Adaman, they knew that. What other choice did she have, though..? She didn’t remember anything else. Didn’t have anywhere to go. She looked back down at the Eevee in her lap, fighting tears. She didn’t even have any pokémon. Alone, completely and utterly. 

… Adaman must have picked on her growing distress, because they felt his hand on her shoulder, startling her enough to flinch. She didn’t look up again, though. Couldn’t bear to, didn’t want him to see how close she was to crying. “Hey, I mean it. I’m… I’m not sure what you’re thinking, but you’re going to be alright. We’ll figure something out for you, yeah?” … Again Airi nodded, slow and uncertain. He sighed, pulled his hand away — again she missed the contact, though she didn’t have the strength to admit it. “Guess that’s… Hard to believe, given everything.” 

“... ‘S not that,” Airi managed to murmur, so quiet she almost wondered if Adaman could even hear. They didn’t continue for a long moment, just staring down at the Eevee nestled in her lap — not even petting it anymore, hands at her sides, fidgeting with the blankets around her. “Just… I don’t know. I don’t know, this is — I’m…” … Deep breath. Don’t cry. You’ve already been annoying enough. “... Sorry, just… Just upset. Sorry. I’m sorry, I’m…” 

“Don’t apologize,” Adaman asserted. He stepped in front of Airi, crouched down so he was looking up at her sitting still in bed — she couldn’t avoid his eyes like this, soft with worry. “Anyone would be upset in your shoes. I know I would be. You’re allowed to be upset, or frustrated, or whatever else you’re feeling. And you absolutely do not need to apologize, for any of what you’re feeling.” He stood back up, and this time Airi did look up at him, following his eyes. He was quiet for a brief moment before, “And you’re not a burden to me, if that’s what you’re worried about. I don’t mind helping you out. It’s the right thing to do.”

… He’d seen through her, then. That was frustrating. Everything was frustrating: her lack of memories, her pain, being a burden, not knowing answers. All of it. Everything was just… Frustrating. Overwhelming. She wanted to go back to sleep, wanted never to wake up. Or maybe, when they woke up the next time, this will have all been a dream. She’d wake up and go back to whatever life they had lived before. They’d remember who they were, where she’d come from. Where home was. She would have answers. 

Or she’d wake up here again, just as ignorant as they were now. That was more likely, wasn’t it?

… She didn’t want to think about it any longer. Maybe everything would turn out okay, or maybe it wouldn’t, she didn’t know. For now, she murmured back, “Okay,” if nothing else to acknowledge that Adaman had spoken — he was trying to reassure her, which she appreciated, it was just… Hard. She didn’t know. “I, um… Sorry. Thank you. Sorry.” 

He sighed again, said, “What’d I say about apologizing?” But he didn’t actually sound upset, and when Airi glanced up again, he was smiling. Just a little. “We’ll figure something out.” 

… Right. They would. She didn’t have much of a choice, did she?

♪ Again and again, my memory of today will disappear like a shooting star

Again and again, I will silently forget only the things most precious to me ♪

Chapter Text

The rest of Airi’s first day in the Diamond Settlement passed uneventfully, which honestly they considered a blessing. They didn’t think they could handle anything major happening for as fragile as her current state was — she was… Somewhat in a daze, throughout the day. Everything felt so heavy in a way that had her fighting to stay awake, let alone present and aware. Adaman helped, though — he stayed with her for as long as he could, though he had to step out for a little while here and there. Having him around kept Airi grounded in an odd way. She couldn’t hold conversation much — talking had grown painful, so she’d given up — but he didn’t mind. He just sat with them while she grappled with reality. Martia came and checked up on her in the early evening, gave her some more medicine. Luckily, the medicine did seem to be helping: she didn’t hurt nearly as badly anymore, at least.

She insisted she’d be alright on her own overnight — Airi really didn’t want to subject Adaman to another night of sleeping on the ground sitting up. The Diamond Clan leader had been a little hesitant, though. Only agreeing on the stipulation of leaving his Eevee with her. He made Airi promise to send the pokémon to fetch him if she needed him for whatever reason. “Even if it’s something small,” he had said. “Even if you just don’t want to be alone.” She had agreed, though she had no intention of following through. She didn’t want to be any more of a burden. 

She regretted her insistence later, though. While it was relatively easy for her to actually fall asleep on account of their lingering fever and terrible exhaustion, she couldn’t stay asleep. Every time she’d drift to sleep she’d wake with a pounding heart and tears in her eyes after hardly an hour. Frustratingly, though, they couldn’t even remember her nightmares. Just the dread, just the fear. She would wake up, cover her mouth to prevent her cries from escaping, and curl into the smallest ball she could manage under the blankets. Pray for sleep to find her again — each time it did, though, the cycle would repeat. Fall asleep, startle awake, try not to scream. Try not to make any noise at all. Try to make herself as small as possible, because maybe if they were small enough, they’d disappear entirely. 

The third or fourth time this happened, the Eevee at the foot of her bed must’ve gotten sick of her, because Airi felt it shifting by her feet. Airi froze, hands covering her face, robbing her ability to see what was happening — was Eevee going to get Adaman? Airi didn’t want that. They didn’t want to be alone, but she didn’t want to be a burden, either. She would be fine, right? A little nightmare was nothing. Right..? But Airi didn’t hear Eevee jump off the bed, instead felt it stepping through the blankets, stopping near her head. She felt soft fur against her arms as the Eevee pressed its head against Airi. “Brreev?” it mewed, shoving its head against Airi in an attempt to get under their arm. When Airi lifted her arms to comply, the Eevee quickly settled in the crook of her chest, purring against the girl… Is it trying to comfort me..? Maybe it wasn’t sick of her, then. Maybe it was just… Worried. Another flash of frustration, you keep worrying everyone, even the pokémon. But… Despite her frustration, despite how much they hated herself for being a burden, they longed for comfort. The fluffy normal type’s attempt to soothe Airi was working, because as she hugged the soft pokémon, she found herself calming down. She was so tired… 

… She didn’t startle awake again after that. No more nightmares — or, more accurately, she was able to move past them easier. If she woke up in any regard, she would just curl a little closer to the Eevee besides her and drift back to sleep. They didn’t wake up until late morning, nearly midday. Part of her still wanted to keep sleeping, but… She was sick of waking up afraid. Staying awake seemed the less distressing option, and even though they were still tired, it wasn’t nearly as bad as it had been the previous day. They rolled onto her back, stared at the wooden slats of the bunk above her. Wondered if it was worth trying to get up. Wondered about herself. About what the future had in store for her.

… Seek out all pokémon, huh? She hadn’t fully processed the task yet, had been sick enough she couldn’t think clearly — it was only now, fever broken and mind clear, that the full weight of it was beginning to settle within Airi. She turned her head towards her side, saw the Eevee curled against her arm. All pokémon… Just in this region, I hope. Surely Arceus didn’t intend for her to travel the world to capture a thousand-odd creatures. Assuming she was right with that conclusion… Most regions will have around 300 pokémon native, give or take, depending on the size and ecosystems present… Adaman had mentioned being in Hisui, which wasn’t a region name she recognized. Of course she blanked on any region names she did know, but she pointedly ignored that for now, focused on what she actually knew — and what she knew was that they absolutely did not have the means to catch every pokémon in a region right now. She didn’t even have pokéballs. Actually, scratch that, she didn’t have anything, not a dollar to their name, no items except her stone and the Arc Phone. Where do I even start..? 

… Recovery comes first, that was her first priority, but they were actually recovering pretty well . Laying there, eyes fixed up, she didn’t feel hardly any of her earlier pain. When they raised her hand and laid it over their forehead, she didn’t feel the uncomfortable heat of fever against it, and her hands didn’t shake nearly as much as they had before. Was she recovered, then? Had they achieved wellness? If that were the case, then they had little excuses not to start on her task. Why was she so scared, then..? 

They sighed and sat up. No pain from the movement this time, nor any dizziness from being vertical. At her side, Eevee mewed with discontent, mourning the loss of contact without Airi laying down. They smiled to themself and pet it idly to soothe it, thoughts wandering again. The fact that she could sit up without any pain or dizziness was a good sign, maybe. Maybe they could even stand..? She didn’t want to try yet, though. Just sat in place, petting Eevee with one hand while she brought their other to her head, brushing their hair out of their face. The attempt to tuck her hair behind her ear was thwarted by thick tangles throughout their hair. They cringed with the sensation. She guessed it made sense that their hair was a mess, but feeling the tangles under their fingers made her squirm with discomfort. She’d have to deal with that later, they guessed, putting their hand back into their lap. Their attention drifted to the door of the building, staring blankly at the entrance, vision growing fuzzy as she zoned out. 

The door opened after probably a full minute of her zoning out staring at it, the sound and movement bringing her back to awareness. Voices filled the building as people stepped in — they watched the group step in, trying not to stare too much. There were three people coming in: Adaman and Martia she recognized, but the third person, she didn’t. A woman wearing an outfit similar to Airi and Martia, but absolutely covered in embroidered designs — Airi could make out what might’ve been an Ursaring design on her shoulder, or something else bear-adjacent, and maybe a Stantler on her leggings. The rest of the designs on their outfit just seemed to be patterns and shapes that didn’t mean anything to Airi. She had her head turned, talking to Martia, so Airi couldn’t see her face. Just the black of her hair tied into a high bun at the back of their head, and some kind of red-and-white hair clip on one side of their head. Two pokémon followed behind the group: the Leafeon she’d come to recognize as Adaman’s, and a smaller, dark teal pokémon waddling about on two legs, its fur long enough to obscure all but its feet in a vaguely triangular shape. Its coloring and pointy on the top of its head told Airi it was a Munchlax. Maybe it belonged to the unfamiliar woman? 

The three were talking amongst themselves as they came in, not paying Airi any mind for a moment. She couldn’t make out much of their conversation — too many voices to really follow. They wouldn’t have much time to think on it, because Adaman turned towards her after closing the door behind the group. He smiled as they locked eyes, said, “Oh, you’re already awake! Are you just waking up?” 

Airi nodded as Adaman approached her, the other two women still chatting as they came to hover by the shelves on the other side of the room. Airi’s gaze followed the woman she didn’t recognize for a moment before they realised how rude it was to stare and she looked down at her hands. Leafeon hopped onto the bed beside Airi, but the pale yellow grass-type seemed more interested in Eevee than it did Airi, nudging the still-laying pokémon to get it to fully wake up. Airi cleared their throat and risked trying to speak, “Um, how — how late is it..?” … Speaking didn’t seem as hard as the day before. That was good, wasn’t it? 

“Just about midday, but you don’t need to worry about that — how are you feeling?” 

Airi hesitated to answer, almost thought she might jinx herself if she did, but… “Better. Okay, actually, um — I don’t… I don’t really hurt anymore, and — and I think my fever’s broken.” She looked to her side, at Adaman’s two pokémon nuzzling each other and mewing a conversation she couldn’t understand. Something about that felt… Odd, almost. Why? … It felt like she was missing something, but… She couldn’t remember. Of course she couldn’t. She couldn’t look at the pokémon anymore, instead turned her head to look up at Adaman.

She was met with his smile, warm and bright. “Yeah? That’s great, then! Maybe you’re well enough to walk around and get a feel for things.” His smile and words eased whatever worries of Airi’s that still remained, and she managed to smile back. Small, reserved, hardly a shadow compared to his, but a smile all the same. Maybe she really would be well enough for that, though the idea kind of intimidated her.

“Mhm,” she hummed. She turned fully in the bed so her feet hung off the edge, almost, almost contemplating trying to stand. Instead she looked across at the shelves on the other side of the room, where Martia and the woman she didn’t know were discussing things and packing supplies. “Um — who is..?”

“Oh, sorry! I forgot you were still asleep last time she visited. Mai,” Adaman said, looked over his shoulder, “Come meet Airi!” 

The woman — Mai — looked over her shoulder towards Airi and Adaman, looking between the two of them. Airi couldn’t really read her expression, but something about the look in her eyes felt… Critical? It made Airi anxious, glancing down as the woman stepped in front of them. Her hand entered their vision as she held it out in introduction, “Hello there, it’s nice to see you awake. I’m one of the Wardens here, you may call me Mai.”

Warden was another new word for Airi, but she tried not to linger on their ignorance, just accepted the woman’s handshake and looked up at the woman. “I’m Airi, it — it’s nice to meet you.” Maybe Airi had looked too much into things, Mai seemed nice enough — they still couldn’t read their expression, even up close. She had dark teal eyes, and her hair was parted to her left, partially covering that eye. When her expression softened to a small smile at Airi, they noticed a mole underneath her bottom lip on the same side of her face her hair was parted to. Airi just wished she’d been able to introduce herself more confidently — their stutter and small voice made them feel a little pathetic, really. Meek and tiny. 

Whether or not she came off as pathetic as they felt, she wouldn’t know, because Mai only nodded to acknowledge her introduction before pulling her hand back. She stepped to the side after introductions. To Adaman, she said, “We can’t spend too much time here, or we won’t get what we need done in the Fieldlands.”

“I know, I know.” Adaman sounded exasperated — Airi imagined Mai’s scolding wasn’t unusual to him, a thought that she would’ve found amusing if it weren’t for the dread she felt at Mai’s words. He’s busy. Of course he was. She was naive to hope he would be able to spend any time with Airi — worse, he was actively in a hurry, which meant Airi was being incredibly burdensome. She tried to hide how upset they felt while Adaman came in front of her to address them, “Airi, I’m going to be out most of the day with Mai and Martia. Do you think you’ll be alright on your own? I can have someone stay with you.”

“I’ll be — I’ll be okay, it’s fine,” Airi stammered, as fast as she could manage. She didn’t know if she was telling the truth. They wanted to be. She didn’t meet Adaman’s eyes, had a feeling that he would see right through her if he could see her face. 

The silence that followed her rushed assurances was uncomfortably long. She heard Mai sigh to herself before she stepped away, rejoining Martia at the shelves while Adaman stayed with Airi. Quiet another moment. “... Alright, if you think so. If you’re feeling up to it, you can explore the settlement and meet some folk, if you want.” The idea of being alone scared her, but Adaman’s suggestion was worse — she couldn’t imagine going to talk to strangers right now, not without someone with them. “We should be back by dusk, but that’s entirely dependent on how things are in the Fieldlands. If not… If not, we’ll be here tomorrow morning.”

How things are in the Fieldlands..? Had something bad happened? It kind of sounded like it, based on how Adaman and Mai were speaking, and the fact that Martia was going with them… I wonder what happened. Maybe it was related to the distortions Adaman had told Martia to be careful of the previous day, another word unfamiliar to Airi. Bad time to be ill… If she was healthier, maybe they could have been helpful. Then again, she had no idea where she was, still — she didn’t even know what they meant by the Fieldlands. Probably wouldn’t be any help, then… She frowned to herself. Hoping Adaman didn’t notice her worry, she nodded, acknowledging what he had said. “Okay. Um… Be — be careful, I think.”

He smiled again, though a little more… Resigned, it felt like. Raised a hand and ruffled Airi’s hair — she didn’t know whether to protest on account of their already-tangled hair or accept the affection without complaint. “We’ll be careful, don’t worry. Eevee?” Airi heard an excited mew from the normal-type behind her. It shoved Airi’s arm in an attempt to get onto her lap and see Adaman, who chuckled at the sight. He knelt down to scratch under the pokémon’s chin, “Do you want to stay here with Airi or tag along with me and Mai?” It immediately and rather aggressively laid down in Airi’s lap — pretty clear response, earning another chuckle from the Diamond Clan leader as he returned to standing. “Alright. Eevee’ll keep you company, then!” 

Airi nodded again. She slipped an arm under Eevee’s front legs in order to lift the little normal-type up so she could hug it, resting her chin on its head — Eevee didn’t complain in the slightest, even purring from the affection. Leafeon hopped off Airi’s bed as soon as Eevee wasn’t returning its attention, coming to Adaman’s heel and nudging his leg. Almost like it was herding him to the door. Adaman sighed, said, “Fine, fine, we’re going.” Finally he stepped away from Airi, towards the entrance — Martia and Mai were quick to follow his lead. They beat him there, though, as Adaman hesitated. Looked back at Airi, “You sure you’ll be alright?” 

“Mhm! I’ll be okay with Eevee.” She settled the fluffy pokémon back into her lap while she spoke, “You don’t need to worry, I’ll be okay! I — I have to get used to it eventually, right?” She smiled towards Adaman. They could only hope it was as assuring as she wanted. “It’ll be fine.”

“... Alright. Alright.” Adaman sighed, repeated one more time under his breath, “Alright.” Maybe he was trying to reassure himself..? Airi must not have been very convincing, then. That was… Frustrating, almost. Everything was. “We’re off, then. Take care.” 

“Bye, Airi! Don’t push yourself too much!” Martia smiled at Airi from across the room before she opened the door, let Mai leave ahead of her. Adaman followed behind both women, hesitated by the door for another moment. Finally he sighed and followed the other clan members out of the building.

“Mhm!” Airi waved as the group departed, kept her smile for as long as the door was open. It was only when it shut behind Adaman did she let their smile fade, settling into the now-familiar dread of being alone. She looked down, made eye contact with the Eevee in her lap. “… Sorry for making you stay with me all the time. You must be bored all cooped up in here, huh..?”

“Vee!” the fluffy pokémon chimed. It pressed its head against Airi, nuzzling her — Airi could feel it purring against her. 

“… Guess you’re not too bothered,” she murmured, more to herself than the pokémon. They sighed and looked up from her lap. She wanted to do something. Anything, really — maybe I’m the one cooped up. What could she even do? Not like she could start on her task for Arceus yet, and she was too scared to actually leave the infirmary like Adaman had suggested. A walk sounded nice in concept, but somewhere completely unfamiliar, where she knew she’d have to interact with strangers? Not happening. Not yet, anyway… Annoying. She resented their anxiety in that moment. She wanted to explore, they wanted to meet people, they wanted to start catching pokémon — but she was absolutely terrified to leave the infirmary. It felt like they were trapped. She needed someone with her, she needed guidance, she needed permission. They didn’t know what to do on their own. 

… Another sigh. She stretched her arms over their head, I can at least try standing. Being able to stand was probably a good start towards what she actually wanted to be doing. Even if they didn’t leave the infirmary, it’d be good to try walking around a little bit on her own, wouldn’t it..? … Hesitation kept her sitting down another moment, though. She was scared. What if they couldn’t even stand? They hadn’t been able to last time… Try. Trying is all you can do for now, isn’t it? Just try. If nothing else, if she tried, then she’d know for certain. She carefully lifted the Eevee off of her lap and onto the bed next to them, earning a dissatisfied yip from the normal type. They ignored it. Planted the palms of their hands next to themself. Just try. 

She pushed up, forcing themself to standing — dizzy, immediately grabbing the bedpost besides them and fighting for balance. Their vision blacked out for a moment, but faded back in before she could collapse — still, everything seemed to be through a haze of static around Airi for a long moment. She bit her lip as they fought for balance, for breath. After what felt like years, the dizziness subsided, and her vision cleared. She could stand. She could stand. That was good, wasn’t it? She was… Weak, still. Legs shook a bit under their weight. But she was standing, and she didn’t feel like they were going to pass out. After another moment, she let go of the bedpost, let themself fully support their own weight. Shaking a little worse, now, but… Manageable. Manageable, she could do this, she could stand. Even if they were weak. She managed a small, self-satisfied smile — maybe things wouldn’t be as bad as they thought. Probably another day of rest and she’d be up to walking around! Then she could start her task for Arceus in earnest, and —

The sudden slam! of the door flying open practically made Airi jump out of her skin, ripping them out of their thoughts. They whipped their head towards the door, made eye contact with the woman who had come in — a redhead with wider hips and small shoulders, giving her a defined pear-shaped body type. She was dressed kind of similarly to the others that Airi had seen, but her outfit was the most unique, save for Adaman’s. Really the only similarity was the emblem on the front of their top. The shirt she wore was closer to a proper hoodie than Airi’s, and it was much baggier, with red stitching on the sides. Airi was somewhat frozen as the woman stared at her before she beamed and said, “Oh, look who’s up! I heard you were bedridden! Oh this is perfect!”  

Before Airi could even fully process what was happening, the woman had rushed in front of her, firmly in Airi’s personal space. They startled and stumbled backwards, falling back into bed, but that didn’t stop the redhead from just leaning over Airi. Examining her, almost? That’s what it felt like. Her face was unsettling close to Airi’s — they could see a twinkle in her bright red eyes, framed by long, defined eyelashes. Her face was framed by short red hair and messy bangs. She hummed to herself, seeming satisfied. Finally she leaned back away from Airi as she said, “This’ll do nicely, you’re adorable! I was worried you’d be some old guy, like what Melli said ‘bout the Pearl Clan fella.” Another grin from the woman as she extended her hand to Airi, “I’m Arezu. ‘S nice to meet you!”

Airi looked between Arezu and her offered hand before their mind caught up to her and she accepted the handshake, more hesitant than she wanted to be. “Um, I’m — I’m Airi. Um, why are..?”

Arezu didn’t release Airi’s hand and ignored the girl’s obvious discomfort, “Mai told me a bit about you! I got curious, so I decided to check you out on my own, since she’s off doing stuff in the Fieldlands. Not my territory. Oh — I’m a Warden as well, by the way. Did Mai tell you she was one? Did you even get an explanation on Wardens? You know what, nevermind!” The woman was speaking a mile a minute, not giving Airi any time for pause or to even answer her questions. She just stared up at Arezu, confused and dumbfounded as she rambled on, “Anyway, I’m a hairdresser! Trying to be, anyway, I love messin’ around with styles and such. So — onto my real motive!”

Arezu brought her other hand to Airi’s, cupping their hand with both in a pleading motion. “Can I do your hair? Pretty please? You have such long hair, and it’s such a pretty color, like snow! I’ve never seen hair so light, it’s gorgeous. I promise I won’t screw it up, you’ll be happy with it, really. Please? Please? Pretty please?”  

“I don’t really…” Airi trailed off with a frown. I don’t know. She didn’t really like the idea of someone messing with their hair, but… Arezu seemed really excited. Like really excited. And… With her free hand, Airi tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, felt the tangles in it when they tried to run her fingers through it. This would kind of solve that issue, wouldn’t it..? She hadn’t really had the energy to even think about their hair — just feeling the tangles made them cringe… They sighed, murmured, “Um, okay, but — but don’t — please don’t cut it? I don’t — I… I know it’s tangled but I —”

“Of course! I wouldn’t dream of cutting it short, that’d be such a waste!” Arezu finally let go of Airi’s hand, let the girl pull their hand back while she pulled her bag off their shoulder. “Oh this is so perfect, you’re going to be adorable, just you wait. Here, come sit on the ground so I can be behind you, yeah?” She took a step back from the bed and dropped her bag onto the ground with little regard to it and sat next to it, pulling a floor cushion in front of her for Airi. 

“... ‘Kay.” Even though Airi had just been standing, they were… Almost nervous, to try again. She ignored her worry and pushed herself off the bed, standing on trembling legs — still, a relief to stand at all, she supposed. They stepped towards Arezu and sat in front of her, crossed legged. Eevee hopped off the bed and settled in Airi’s lap nearly immediately, which she was grateful for — petting the soft normal type gave them something to do with their hands other than pick at her nails. She felt Arezu’s hands in their hair, the sensation of it making their skin crawl. It was almost enough for them to ask Arezu to stop, to change her mind about this, but then she heard the woman happily humming behind them as she sectioned their hair out. 

“Hm… It is pretty tangled, but it’s not as bad as I figured. You must take care of it!” … Do I? Wasn’t like Airi could remember it, she just… She didn’t know. She didn’t like the tangles. She felt one of Arezu’s hands leave her head, and after another moment they felt her brushing a section of their hair out with a comb. She was gentle with it. Didn’t tug too hard to get the tangles out, just teased any stubborn knots with her fingers until they were loose enough for the comb to pass through. At some point she brushed against Airi’s neck while sectioning their hair, making them flinch, a pathetic squeak almost like a whimper falling from their lips. They felt Arezu freeze behind her. “... You okay?” 

“... Fine,” she assured, but her voice came out strained. It didn’t… It didn’t hurt or anything, just —... They brought a hand up to her front and tugged the neckline of her top down, now uncomfortably aware of the fabric near their throat. She didn’t like it. “Sorry, I —” 

“You don’t need to apologize, I get it.” The Warden went back to their hair, quiet for a moment. She didn’t acknowledge the sound Airi had made otherwise, instead switched topics, “Does everyone where you’re from have such fluffy hair?”

“... I don’t really —”

“Ah, right, amnesia, sorry! Just thinkin’.” A contemplative hum from Arezu as she moved to the next section of Airi’s hair. “You really do have gorgeous hair, I see why you want to keep it long. Do you usually style it at all?”

“... Don’t know,” Airi murmured. Shame again in their ignorance. She’d come to terms, maybe, about having amnesia about her past, but not even knowing how she wore her hair? That was ridiculous, wasn’t it..? “M — maybe, maybe that’s why I keep it long, but I… I don’t…” She trailed off, frowning to themself. 

Another thoughtful hum from Arezu. “Well, you don’t like things on your neck, right?” … A cautious nod from Airi. “We’ll try a few different ways to put your hair up, then!”  She didn’t really sound upset with Airi’s lack of real answers. If anything she sounded… Excited? “Not knowing how you used to do it just means we can try a bunch of stuff until we land on something you like!” Ah . That explained it. Arezu was just looking forward to trying stuff out on Airi — they were starting not to mind the idea, though. After her unease faded and her skin stopped crawling at every brush of contact, she stopped really minding Arezu messing with their hair. It almost felt nice, after a little while. 

She chatted with Arezu while the woman finished brushing out all the knots in their hair. Meaning, of course, that Arezu did 90% of the talking and Airi managed a stuttery response every once in a while. It was nice, though. Airi didn’t have much to talk about on their end, what with their lack of memories, so Arezu took the lead. Finally giving Airi an explanation on what the Diamond Clan was, even: a group devoted to the worship of who she called Almighty Sinnoh, guardian deity of time. The word Sinnoh gave Airi pause. It almost felt like a word she recognized. Enough to feel like Arezu wasn’t using it in the proper context. But, she kept it to herself — who was she to correct someone on the name of their god? It’s not like they had the memories to back up their claim regardless. 

Arezu also gave her a very brief description on Wardens while trying a few styles on Airi, but her explanation was interrupted by constantly asking Airi how she liked their hair. Through various styles of updos, Airi managed to gather that Wardens were respected within the clan as protectors, but she missed what it was they were looking after. Maybe just the region in general? Or zones? Arezu had mentioned the Fieldlands not being her territory, but Mai had gone with Adaman, so maybe that was the area Mai was the Warden of. That made sense to Airi. 

“Okay, how’s this?” Arezu held a small hand-mirror in front of Airi, showing them her handywork. They didn’t really… Like looking at her reflection, not their eyes anyway — something about the deep blue of their own eyes made her uneasy — so they focused on her hair instead. Turned to see herself in profile — Arezu had tied some of Airi’s hair into a bun in the back of their head, the parts that would fall over their shoulders and front of their neck normally, but left the rest down. The bun didn’t feel as tight on their skull as some of the other styles Arezu had tried, didn’t hurt as much. She faced the mirror head-on, ignored their eyes and studied their hair. The hair around their face was a bit too short to tie up, so it framed their face instead, including the bangs falling to the left side of her face. They didn’t really look like how they imagined herself, but… She liked it, maybe. She was okay with it, at least. They smiled, just a little, earning an excited squeal from Arezu behind her, “Oh, you like it?!”

They nodded as Arezu took the mirror away. Carefully ran their fingers through their bangs — no tangles. It felt soft in their hands, and being able to still fidget with the hair around her face brought them some amount of peace. “Mhm, I like it, it’s — it’s really pretty. Thank y —”

“Perfect!” Arezu practically shouted, jumped up to her feet with an excited hop. “You’re so cute! This is amazing, absolutely perfect — come on, I have to go show you off!” Show me off? A spike of anxiety from Airi, who looked up at Arezu with wide, scared eyes. “Oh, relax, it’ll be fine! I’ll be with you the whole time, you don’t even hafta talk, I just wanna show you off to some of my friends.”

“... Um…” She looked down at her hands, shaking and scared. Was she even ready to be around people yet? … Well, you’re doing well around Arezu, aren’t you? Even though they’d only just met, they could talk okay around her. Didn’t feel too scared. Maybe she was ready to be around other people… And, for as silly as it was, maybe Adaman will be happy if I try. He’d suggested she try getting out while he was away. She didn’t want to keep being this terrible burden on him… “O — okay, but — are — are you sure I don’t — if I can’t talk..?”

“‘Course! I don’t mind a bit, I can talk enough for both of us.” She stepped over towards the side of the building where the shelves were, grabbed a pair of shoes that were tucked away into the corner. Glanced between Airi and the boots for a moment before nodding to herself and walking back to Airi and dropping the shoes besides them, said, “Lemme know if those aren’t the right size.” They nodded, carefully pulled Eevee off of their lap. Much to the normal type’s despair — it huffed as soon as Airi had placed it on the ground, sat indignantly at her side. She pet Eevee’s head to soothe it before they grabbed the boots and pulled them on while Arezu bent down to put her hair supplies back into her bag. 

Arezu slung her bag back over her shoulder just as Airi finished tying the back of the second shoe on. The Warden turned towards Airi and extended her hand to help pull them to standing. They hesitated for a moment before they sighed, quiet and to herself. She took Arezu’s hand and let the Warden pull her upright — a brief wave of dizziness threatened them off their feet, forcing her to stumble a step back, but Arezu’s firm hold on their hand kept them from collapse. They squeezed their eyes shut as the world spun around them — they could hear Arezu’s voice, though it sounded distant against the rushing of their blood, “You okay?”

“F — fine,” she managed to squeak out. You’re fine, this is nothing compared to before. They took a slow, steady breath in. You’re fine… “Just a little dizzy. Sorry to — sorry to worry.” She opened her eyes, immediately met with the sight of Arezu’s worried frown. It was the first time Airi hadn’t seen Arezu smiling. The sight stabbed them with shame, stop worrying everyone… “I’m fine, really.” She smiled, a desperate attempt to sell their words.

Maybe her smile was more convincing this time around, because Arezu sighed, said, “Okay, but if you feel sick at all while we’re out, you have got to lemme know, and I’ll take you straight back. Promise you will, okay?”

“‘Kay —” 

“Promise, say the full thing.”

“... Okay, I promise, I’ll let you know.” 

“Great!” Arezu adjusted her hold on Airi’s hand so that she was instead holding their wrist before promptly tugging them towards the door, “I’m holding you to that. This is your first time up an’ about, yeah?” When Airi murmured a weak affirmative, Arezu continued, “Alright, well, lemme know if you need a break. Martia would probably be sour with me if I made you push yourself too far and land yourself bedridden again.”

Arezu opened the door, letting Airi’s wrist go to let them leave first and holding the door for them. Eevee was the first to leave, darting off into the settlement without them. The sight of bright sunlight outside was almost overwhelming, and she could already hear people outside, but… Come on. You’re fine. You can do this. She had to try. Only a half second of hesitation before she stepped out of the doorway and outside. 

Arezu was right behind, taking their wrist as soon as she’d closed the door — Airi, though, was frozen in place. She wasn’t sure what she was expecting the settlement to look like, but there were… There were more people than she expected. Than she had hoped. Clan members milled about, talking, playing, trading items and goods — most of the people she saw were dressed in what she was coming to understand as the Diamond Clan outfit, but there were a couple of people in a different uniform. Traders of sorts, it seemed, dressed in bright blue with yellow accents. The settlement wasn’t huge by any means, not enough for Airi to call it a town, but big enough that she felt the all-too-familiar dread of anxiety sink into her. She stood out. Even just standing outside, a couple people looked over to her — to their horror, one of the traders locked eyes with her for a brief moment, only to turn to the person they were talking with and whisper something. You don’t belong here.

You don’t belong anywhere.

A tug on their wrist pulled them out of their dread — Arezu had grown impatient with their stillness, it seemed, was trying to pull her along. Airi murmured an apology before finally following after the Warden, hoping that Arezu couldn’t notice how bad their hands were shaking. She looked around for Eevee, but the normal type had vanished. Maybe it really was cooped up… She worried for the Eevee, about losing Adaman’s pokémon, but she tried not to linger on her anxieties. Didn’t stop her from constantly looking behind her to see if the fluffy pokémon was following behind, though. 

Arezu more or less dragged them all around the settlement, showing Airi around and talking to quite literally everyone she passed. Seemed Arezu was popular — watching the Warden smile and flow through conversations with such ease almost made Airi feel a bit of shame, being that she could hardly manage to introduce themself half the time. Though… True to her word, Arezu did most of the talking, sparing Airi from having to try. For the most part, Airi just listened in on the conversations, tried to follow along as best as she could while looking around. On more than one occasion she just completely zoned out, though — focusing was… Hard. Unpleasantly so. The Warden didn’t seem to mind her poor attention span, would just gently tug at Airi’s wrist to get them moving again whenever they’d zoned out for too long. 

Airi didn’t really know how long they spent outside with Arezu — it seemed the longer they were out, the worse her attention span got, to the point that she was hardly even aware of conversations happening, much less able to follow them. Maybe she was tired…? They didn’t really feel tired, but she couldn’t find another explanation for their zoning out. Maybe Arezu reached the same conclusion, because after she pulled them away from a small group of other Diamond Clan members, she turned to look over Airi and said, “Okay, I think we’re good to head back now —”

“Arezu~!” Someone called the Warden’s name from behind Airi, and they watched the woman’s face fall. Was it not someone she was friends with? But Arezu had seemed like she was friends with everyone, and whoever was calling for her sounded happy to see her. Airi turned to look over their shoulder, saw a tall man with long, periwinkle hair, waving as he jogged over. He was certainly acting like he was Arezu’s friend… When Airi turned back to the Warden, she had pointedly turned her head to avoid looking at the approaching man.

He came to a stop besides Airi, which made her nervous enough to take a step to the side — he wanted to be in front of Arezu, apparently, because he quickly just took Airi’s spot without so much as acknowledging them. Instead just addressing Arezu, “Don’t ignore me! You’ve been so busy it feels as though it’s been ages since I last saw you!” 

“I am still busy, thank you. I was just showing Airi around.” Arezu grabbed Airi’s wrist and pulled them to her side, linking arms with them — maybe Airi’s nerves were showing. Whoever this man was, his speaking voice was loud and borderline overwhelming. It seemed Arezu pulling them besides her finally forced him to actually look at Airi — he looked her up and down with critical slate eyes. Airi had to look down to avoid his eyes, felt their skin crawl as he looked down on them. He towered over her…

“This is the one who fell from the sky?” From their periphery they saw Arezu nod. The man scoffed, “Some sickly little kid? Are you joking?”

… Little kid? Wait, he meant Airi? “‘M not a kid,” she protested, though her voice came out a weaker murmur than she wanted. Almost sounded like she was pouting, which absolutely did not help her case.

“Oh please, you’re tiny, and pathetic. What else could you be?” 

“Melli, for the love of the Almighty, can you just lay off. Yeesh…” Arezu sighed, turned to look at Airi, “Don’t listen to him, he’s just pouty ‘cus he’s worried you’re gonna take his job.” Airi could hear the man stutter in shock, but Arezu continued without giving him time to talk again, “Anyway, this is Melli, he’s another Warden out in the Highlands.”

“I am not pouting! I have legitimate concerns, I’ll have you know!” 

“Sure, sure, and those concerns are ‘She’s going to take over as Warden like that Pearl Clan guy,’ right?”

“I wouldn’t have such trivial worries, I’m fully confident in my abilities as a Warden.”

“Uh-huh, sure.” Arezu’s sarcasm was as pointed as a knife, and when Airi looked up at Melli to see his reaction, he was seething. He really was pouting — cheeks blown up, face red. For how intimidating Airi found him initially, the way he was acting came off so childish to her that it dispelled any of her anxieties about the tall man. He was just insecure, she guessed. Airi still had little idea of what a Warden even was, though, let alone wanted to take over as one. He was worrying for nothing. 

Airi watched him clench his fists, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath in through his nose — like he was trying to regain his composure. After a moment to breathe, he looked at Arezu and continued, “Regardless , it’s my job to worry about the well-being of the clan! And taking on an extra person considering everything with the distortions and what-not —”

“So, you’re openly going against Adaman, then?” Arezu unlinked her arm from Airi’s to fold her arms in front of her chest. “Adaman thinks taking Airi in is the best course of action for the moment. I can pass along that you disagree, of course —” 

“NO!” Melli’s shout was loud and sudden enough that Airi flinched, and a few people milling about nearby looked over at him. He quickly covered his mouth, shame turning his face an even brighter red. “... No, that won’t be necessary. I only wish to help Adaman and ease his burdens — right now, this child —” he put extra emphasis on the word as he smirked down at Airi, seeming to take some joy in her pouty frown back, “— is only adding to his troubles.”

“Well by that logic, you should be helping out with her. If you’re so worried about the strain of having them around, then you could ask Martia if she needs any help. Have you even offered?” Arezu’s turn to look smug as Melli’s smirk faded away to a troubled frown. He just stared at her for a long moment, like he couldn’t come up with a retort. Taking that as a victory, Arezu said, “Well?” 

“... Whatever,” the man muttered. He glanced at Airi again, scoffed at the sight of her, “Fine, little leech, so long as it doesn’t trouble Adaman.” He turned his attention back to Arezu, “I’ll leave you to your little babysitting job, then. Unlike you, I have places to be. Come talk with me when you have the time, yes?”

“I’m not a baby!” Airi’s voice was a bit more confident now that she was less intimidated by Melli. “I’m an adult. You don’t need to worry about me being a burden because I’m some kind of kid.”

“Yeah, right.” He rolled his eyes, gestured vaguely at Airi, “Look at you. You’re a teenager at best.”

“Am not!”

“Are too!” 

“You two are both acting like little kids,” Arezu muttered — Airi felt the heat of shame in her cheeks, and Melli looked away from her with another hmph under his breath. “Didn’t you say you had somewhere to be?”

“Lord Electrode calls to me~” Melli replied, extending his arm in front of him dramatically to match his tone. Airi heard Arezu mutter something under her breath while Melli continued with his theatrics, “I simply must away, you understand.”

“Yeah, yeah. Be safe in the Highlands, we’ll hang later.” Arezu gave a half-hearted wave. Melli returned it with a proper performer’s bow before he turned to leave, making Arezu roll her eyes. As Melli stepped away, the woman called in a teasing tone, “I’ll be sure to let Martia know you’re willing to help out!” 

“Go fuck yourself~!” Melli chimed back — Airi was almost shocked by the rudeness before she heard Arezu snort at her side. When Airi turned her head to see her face, she had a smug grin on her face. Maybe that’s normal for those two. She wasn’t about to question anything, Melli had already ruffled their feathers enough as it was. 

“Sorry ‘bout him, Airi — you okay?” Arezu turned to face them, her smugness falling away in exchange for worry. “I know Melli can be a lot, I was hoping we’d dodge him. He means well.”

“I’m okay,” Airi assured, desperate to ease the woman’s worries. They were so used to seeing Arezu smiling that they felt a deep guilt for being the reason she wasn't. “He, um… Yeah. ‘A lot’ is the best description. But, it’s fine!” Airi smiled, and to their own surprise she found it to be genuine when she said, “It was kind of, um… I don’t know, funny, I guess? He wasn’t so scary after he started pouting.”

To Airi’s relief, Arezu’s worry faded after they smiled, and she grinned back. “Yeah, he has that effect. Always tryna’ come off confident when really he’s just a big baby. I’m glad he didn’t scare you too bad.” She took hold of Airi’s wrist again, gently tugging them back into walking at her side. “You’re talkin’ pretty well now. You feeling a bit better?”

… Airi hadn’t even realised, but her voice hadn’t come out as quiet as before. Her hands didn’t shake as much, either… “I think so. It’s, um… I don’t really know how to put it, it’s hard to tell. I think so, though. Better than yesterday, at least.” 

A pleased hum from Arezu, despite the uncertain nature of Airi’s words. “I’m glad, then! Hey, hey, when you’re better and all cleared by Martia, maybe I can show you ‘round the Crimson Mirelands! There’s a lotta cool stuff if you know where to look. ‘Course, I’m sure any Warden would say the same about their own territories, but I think the Mirelands are the coolest, ‘cus it’s where home is!” 

… Home, huh? The thought came with a sting of grief to Airi — they didn’t know where home was for her. Not yet. But, well… She hummed to agree. “Okay, sounds fun!” Maybe that would be a good start to her task for Arceus — she was pretty sure she had achieved wellness like they wanted. She was up, walking and talking like a normal, functional human being. She was even able to handle how rude Melli had been with little upset. When Martia said she was healthy enough, she could start in earnest, she supposed. Need to figure out how to get pokéballs, though… Maybe she’d ask Adaman when he came back, he and Mai were the only people she had seen with partner pokémon. They’d probably know. Melli had mentioned a pokémon too, something about an Electrode, but Airi wasn’t about to willingly talk to that man again. Not alone anyway. She wasn’t scared of him, but his insistence of her being a child annoyed her.

The walk back to the infirmary was short and uneventful — Arezu kept rambling on about the Mirelands, but Airi was struggling again to pay attention, kept zoning out, staring at their hand and at Arezu’s holding their wrist. Right up until Arezu let go, startling them back into awareness — they were in front of the infirmary. Arezu opened the door and held it for Airi to step in. However, Eevee darted in ahead of them, running straight in front of her feet and nearly making them trip — she heard Arezu laugh behind her as they stumbled a step, “Welcome back, Eevee!” 

Despite nearly tripping over the pokémon, Airi felt an incredible relief at seeing Eevee again. After regaining her balance and stepping past the entrance of the infirmary, they crouched down to pet Eevee, murmured, “I’m glad you’re back.”

“Eevee’s the wandering sort, likes explorin’.” Airi heard Arezu close the door behind them, turned her head over their shoulder to lock eyes with the Warden — she was smiling more properly now. “Looks like Adaman’s got competition, it seems awful fond of you! ‘Specially considering it stayed here instead of running off to the Fieldlands with him.” 

“… I just… I feel bad for having her stay with me all the time,” they admitted in a murmur, turning her attention back to the evolution pokémon. It purred at her, leaning its head into her hand as she scratched behind its ears. 

“I wouldn’t worry.” Arezu stepped to Airi’s side and knelt beside them and Eevee. “If Eevee wanted to leave, it would. The fact that it's still with you means it enjoys your company enough to stay.” 

“… Mhm,” Airi agreed in a half-hearted hum. Not entirely convinced, really. Sure Eevee could leave, but if it was listening to Adaman, it probably wouldn’t. “... I don’t know. Just… Just worried she’ll get restless staying with me so long. Eevee are really energetic pokémon, that’s part of why they’re such amazing partners — ‘course, an Eevee will usually adapt to its trainers energy levels, so they can be mellow, too, I just… I don’t know. Don’t want to be a bad influence on her, in that case — she’s Adaman’s partner, not mine.”

“… Wow.” Airi flushed bright red at Arezu’s blunt reply to their rambling, shame flooding every ounce of their being. That was the second time she’d done that… She pointedly kept their eyes on Eevee to avoid Arezu’s when the woman spoke up again, “You’re… Man, okay, I can see why Adaman’s fond of you — what, you some kind of Eevee expert?” 

“No, not just Eevee, just — I don’t know.” Not just Eevee, she had said, before they could even fully process why. So, what, were they an expert on other pokémon? … It almost felt like they were close to remembering something, but their mind drew a blank. “… I don’t know. Maybe, I guess.” 

“Well… For as bad as your memories seem to be, looks like you kept your know-how, huh?” Arezu’s tone was pleased enough that Airi finally turned their head to look at her — a familiar grin on Arezu’s face. “If you’re the smart type, you might actually do pretty well in Jubilife. Hear they got some scholarly fella with the Galaxy Team nowadays.” 

Jubilife? That was the first place name Airi had heard since falling that sounded even remotely familiar. She couldn’t quite place it – a town, maybe? Or a city? But in what region..? It didn’t make sense for them to remember a city name but not the region it was in — Hisui was still a new word for her, she knew. So why would she know Jubilife..? They pushed the thoughts away, instead asked, “What’s the Galaxy Team?”

“Some group tryna’ study Hisui, I think — they’ve been building Jubilife Village for something like two years now. Buncha’ people from overseas. I haven’t dealt much with ‘em, but they seem alright.” Arezu stood up, stretched her arms over her head with a hum. “You’re not from Hisui, right?” 

“Um… I don’t think so, no, but… I don’t remember where I am from, so I… I don’t think it really matters.” Airi didn’t stand up, just shuffled a bit closer to the bed and sat down properly with her back to the bed frame. This came as a delight to Eevee, who hopped into Airi’s lap as soon as she was settled. Airi liked having the pokémon around, gave them a way to fidget easily by petting it. It clearly liked the affection, Airi could feel its pleased purring under her hands. 

“I mean it might matter, but yeah, probably not.” Arezu bent down to pick up her bag off the ground, slinging it back over her shoulder before coming to sit on the bed beside Airi. “You curious of Jubilife?”

… Was she? She was more curious in that it sounded familiar, but… They didn’t have enough details in their memory to compare to, but from what Arezu described, it didn’t really sound like how she remembered — or, maybe imagined was a better word. Still… “I, um… Maybe? I don’t know. It’s — so far that’s — that’s the only word anyone’s said at me that I actually recognize, so… But, I don’t remember —” 

“Wait, seriously?!” Arezu’s excitement raised her speaking volume enough that Airi cringed. She must have noticed, because her volume dropped when she continued, “That’s huge! Maybe someone in Jubilife knows you!”

“... Maybe,” they murmured, quiet in uncertainty. She… She doubted it. If she was meant to be in Jubilife, they would have remembered it better. Same went for Hisui as a whole — if this was somewhere she was meant to be, she would’ve recognized the words. They didn’t. Just had the vaguest instinct that Jubilife was a town or city of some sort, and even then, Arezu had proven them wrong near-immediately by calling it Jubilife Village. 

“Either way, might be worth it for you to check out when Martia’s cleared you — maybe somethin’ there’ll catch your interest. ‘Specially if you’re curious at all of the Galaxy Team.”

“... Right.” Honestly… A group dedicated to studying the region would probably be a pretty solid launchpad for catching all the pokémon present there. Plus… She thought about the stares of the Diamond Clan members when Arezu was showing her around, the whispers behind their back. She didn’t belong here. Too much of an outsider. If Jubilife was built by people from outside of Hisui, maybe they wouldn’t stand out as much. She didn’t know. She didn’t know anything. 

She felt contact on the top of her head, startling them enough to flinch. They looked up and at her side towards where Arezu sat on the bed — she’d put her hand on Airi’s head. She smiled at them, pulled her hand away and said, “Honestly, I wouldn’t mind you stayin’ here. I think I like you — I see why Adaman does, for sure. You seem sweet, and you’re smart. Memories or no. So, don’t feel too pressured about rushing to run off or anything — I know Melli’s a bit pushy, I’ll try an’ convince him to lay off, so you don’t have to worry.”

… Arezu’s kind words caught Airi off guard. They could only stare at her for a moment, mouth slightly agape in shock. They looked down, at Eevee, quiet for a moment. If… If nothing else, Arezu didn’t mind her being there, didn’t mind them not belonging or being a burden. “... Thank you,” they murmured. Arezu hummed in answer, sounding pleased with Airi’s gratitude. 

Even if Airi didn’t really belong in the Diamond Clan, maybe that was alright. Arezu liked her, maybe. Adaman didn’t mind them, and she didn’t think Martia did, either. They weren’t hated… Still, some part of them knew she was more trouble than they were worth… No, not a worry for now, not for today. They had enough to think about. To settle with, process. She’d think about next steps when they were healthier, when Martia said they were clear to leave. They’d think about Jubilife, and the Galaxy Team, and the Diamond Clan. About her task. And they’d continue to ignore her memories, at least for now — they were too lost to her. Lingering on her amnesia made them nearly sick with anxiety. Ignoring was the best she could do for now. 

Arezu stayed with Airi for most of the afternoon. She gave them a comb and showed her how to do their hair on her own in the style she’d done, and also just… Talked at them, just rambling on about hairstyles and the settlement and the Mirelands — whatever thought crossed the woman’s mind, she said aloud. Airi conversed back as best they could, but more often than not she would just sit with a quiet smile while Arezu rambled on. It was nice, maybe. Chatting with the Warden, Airi could hardly remember their earlier pain, and they certainly couldn’t focus on her anxieties. Just… Nice. An odd comfort, just to listen to the passionate ramblings of a woman she’d only just met. To sit in safety, warm and pain-free. To be able to smile, for it not to be forced. Was she happy, maybe..? She didn’t know, but… But, they were well. That was enough for now, wasn’t it? 

♪ I’d like to know why you are all alone while I’m lost at sea

Maybe we’ll be there when you want ♪

Chapter Text

Despite having woken up so late in the day, Airi found herself exhausted by the time dusk rolled around. Arezu had left around sunset after eating with Airi, leaving them alone with Eevee. She wanted to stay awake a little longer, in case Adaman and Martia came back, but the deeper into evening it got, the more tired they grew. They fell asleep probably an hour after dark, not even under the covers, just curled up on top of the bed around Eevee. Their sleep wasn’t nearly as fitful as the night before. She only stirred a handful of times, and whenever they did, they’d either just hug Eevee a little tighter or roll over and easily fall back asleep. By the time morning came around, she actually felt rested, which was… A first, maybe. A first since arriving in Hisui anyway. 

It didn’t seem like Adaman and Martia were back yet by the time they woke up, so they took the time to actually try to be productive somehow. Wasn’t much she could do, but they at least made the bed and tidied up a little bit. After that, she just sat on the bed with her back against the wall adjacent to it and Eevee curled next to her. They took to fiddling with the Arc Phone. There wasn’t much she could do with it, though: it didn’t seem to have many functions besides a map. Just the map was enough to entertain Airi, though. She spent a long while just zooming in on the surrounding area — the Diamond Settlement was the only thing labeled, but she could see the terrain of the surrounding area. True to the name Mirelands, the areas around the settlement looked mostly to be wetlands. The northern section of the map, where the settlement was settled, looked to be more mountainous than the rest of the area, and there was a large lake to the east. Nothing about the terrain looked familiar, but it was interesting just to see. This was their first proper glimpse of what Hisui contained. Some part of her wanted to leave the infirmary and run off and explore, a deep-seated desire to travel, one that made them restless — she wanted to get moving, wanted to start hunting pokémon in earnest. Alas, she was trapped until Martia got back and cleared her. 

The longer she sat in the infirmary and had time to think, the more she desperately wanted to learn about Jubilife, and the Galaxy Team Arezu had told her about. Something about the name was just eerily familiar enough that she wanted — needed — to learn more. The idea of a team interested in the study of the region interested her, too, and what Arezu had said about her doing well there because of her intelligence intrigued them. She liked the idea of studying, of researching. Maybe when she was cleared, she could ask someone to take her there..? She had no idea where it was, though. If there’s a Warden for every territory, there’s probably a Warden stationed near wherever Jubilife is… Maybe she could ask whoever that would be to take her. She only hoped Jubilife wasn’t in the Highlands, then — she didn’t want to deal with Melli.

She’d probably been awake for about an hour, maybe closer to two, before they glanced at the door to the infirmary. Staring at it for a long moment before a knock at the door actually gave her interest any reason, the door opening only a moment later. Martia was the first to step into the infirmary — Airi brightened with recognition, even more so when she saw Adaman following after. Both looked a little tired and were carrying armfuls of bags. They went straight to the shelves to put things away while Airi scooted across the bed to stand and greet the two, Eevee staying in its spot, apparently too comfy to join Airi in greeting its partner.

When Adaman turned to face Airi and saw her standing, he froze, looked shocked for a brief moment. Then, he just beamed at her, said, “Well, look at you! You must be doing better. You do alright with us gone?”

“Mhm!” Airi smiled back, bright and genuine, “Miss Arezu hung out with me and showed me around the settlement. She’s really nice!” 

“You’ve been up walking around?” Martia asked, joining the two of them in standing near the bed. When Airi nodded, the healer smiled, though it looked small with her evident exhaustion. “That’s good. Anything obviously wrong? Pain, vertigo, that kind of thing?” 

“Oh, um — I was dizzy yesterday, but not really anymore, I don’t think.” 

Martia hummed in acknowledgment. She took a step closer to Airi and raised the back of her hand against their forehead to check their temperature — Airi kind of wanted to step back from how close she was, but they stayed put. “No fever,” the healer murmured as she pulled her hand back, kind of under her breath. She stepped back from Airi, gave that same tired smile, said, “You’re doing a lot better than I thought you would by now. Keep taking it easy, of course — no pushing yourself, but honestly you’re probably good to go.” She paused, glanced at Adaman, said, “You can stay in here for a little while longer, though, I don’t know if we have anything planned for you long term.” 

… Now would probably be a good time to mention wanting to go to Jubilife, wouldn’t it? She’d gotten the all-clear from Martia like they had wanted. They hesitated for a moment too long, though, and it was Adaman who spoke next, “I’ll talk about that with her in a little while, let’s get everything sorted so you can get some rest.” 

“Right.” Martia stretched her arms behind her with a quiet sigh, muttered something under her breath that Airi couldn’t quite hear before turning back towards the shelves. She seemed so exhausted… Maybe I can help? Martia crouched down besides the bags the two had brought in, started opening them all, examining the contents. Airi couldn’t quite see what was in them from her position — supplies, she imagined. 

“Sorry for being so late, by the way,” Adaman said, pulling Airi out of her thoughts. She looked up at him while he explained, “Things were a little more… Hectic, than we were expecting.” He must have picked up on Airi’s worry at the statement, because he quickly continued, “We got it all sorted for now, though. It’s nothing you need to trouble yourself with, just clan matters. Mai stuck around to keep an eye on things. Let me help Martia sort out the supplies we got, and we can talk a little more, okay?”

“... Okay.” Nothing you need to trouble yourself with… She wanted to, though. Couldn’t help the worry. If things were somehow bad… What could I even do, though? It’s not like she was particularly useful… “Um, can I help with sorting..?”

Before Adaman could reply, Martia groaned from across the room, “ Please, there’s so much to do. Here, come here, I’ll show you what I’m doing, if you can just process these for me it’d be a huge help.” Airi glanced at Adaman, who nodded — permission. She smiled, just a little, happy to be of use as she went to Martia and knelt beside her, Adaman following behind them.

Martia showed Airi how to properly separate herbs into component parts: leaves, stems, flowers, sometimes even roots, all of which had to be packed and processed separately. She complained that it was one of her least favorite tasks because of how tedious it was, but Airi was absolutely delighted by the prospect of such a repetitive task, letting Martia focus on the more involved processing work. Adaman joined Airi in sorting things, the two sitting quietly beside each other as they worked. Quiet except for Airi’s soft humming, anyway — songs she couldn’t really remember, the lyrics lost to her, but some part of them remembered the melodies. It didn’t take them all that long to separate out what she’d been given, so Martia gave Airi more things to do. All repetitive, menial tasks. Filtering out ‘bad’ herbs and ingredients from containers, measuring things out, taking stock. She finished all of her tasks before Adaman finished his share, so they just helped him finish, too. She didn’t even realise it, but they were smiling as they worked. They liked being helpful. 

“... Hey Airi, if you want to stay in Diamond Clan, I want you as my assistant. You just saved me, like, hours, thank the Almighty .” Martia rotated how she was sitting to face Airi, then fully knelt down, like either praying or apologizing. Airi immediately started panicking that she’d done something wrong before she heard the woman murmur under her breath, “Bless the Almighty for sending someone who likes doing the menial tasks I hate. I will never be ungrateful again.” 

Adaman laughed at Airi’s side, leaned over and put his hand on Martia’s shoulder, “You’ve done a lot recently, I think you’ve earned a bit of a blessing, huh?” He pulled away as Martia sat back up, though she still just stared at Airi in apparent awe. “Go get some rest, you’ve done enough.” 

“... Right,” the healer replied. She stood up, stretched her back out with a groan. “Airi, thank you. Really.” She paused, returning her arms to her sides and looking down at Airi. “... I mean it about you being my assistant, truly, if you’d want that.”

“It’s no worries! I’m just happy to help.” Airi smiled up at the healer. “I’ll think about it, thank you! That sounds fun.” That same look of astonishment on Martia’s face at Airi calling the work she’d done fun, but Airi just glanced down at her hands. When she spoke again, it was… Quieter, “And, um… Thank you for taking care of me, too.”

“Nah, don’t thank me for that, it’s my job.” Airi felt contact on her head, prompting her to look up — Martia had knelt a little to pat their head, smiled at them. “I’m just glad to see you recovered. Take it easy, okay?” They nodded as the healer pulled her hand away. “I’m gonna go sleep for the next year, wake me up if you need me.” She turned towards the entrance with a half-hearted wave over her shoulder.

Adaman chuckled at Airi’s side, said, “Sleep well, you’ve earned it.” Martia only hummed in response as she opened the door, leaving without another word. Quiet fell over the infirmary for a moment before Airi heard a quiet sigh from Adaman. She turned her head to look at him as he leaned back against the wall — he looked tired, too… Before Airi could comment, he said, “So Arezu showed you around, you said? You get to meet everyone?”

“Mhm!” Airi’s gaze returned to her hands as she thought through the question a little more. Picking at her fingernails, she explained, “Um, I was kind of… Zoning out, a lot, so I didn’t really —... I wasn’t too social, Miss Arezu did all of the talking. The only person I really talked to was Melli.”

“... Ah. That went about as well as I’m imagining, then?” Airi nodded, earning another sigh from the Diamond Clan leader. “Yeah, figures. I’ll talk some sense into him later. Lemme guess, he was on about ‘easing my burdens’ and so-on?” 

Another nod from Airi, who then muttered in pout, “And he kept calling me a little kid. I’m not a kid!” 

That earned a proper laugh from Adaman, the low, warm sound of it making Airi smile. She didn’t look up until she felt his hand on her head, ruffling her hair. They turned to see his bright grin. “Don’t mind him, really.” He didn’t pull his hand away, just rested his hand on her head, but she didn’t mind. The contact was… Nice, maybe. “Have you thought any on what you want to do now that you’re better?”

“Oh, um…” She trailed off, gaze falling away from Adaman and across the room — she’d left the Arc Phone on the bed, but just the sight of the white among dark blankets reminded her of her task. “... Miss Arezu told me a little bit about the Galaxy Team, and about Jubilife. And, um…” They looked back down at her hands, a small frown to herself. Did she admit that Jubilife was even a slightly familiar word to her..? She didn’t want to get Adaman’s or even her own hopes up, but… “I don’t know. Curious, I guess. It’s —... Jubilife is the first place anyones mentioned that sounds even remotely familiar to me, but… I don’t know. I don’t want to get too hopeful.”

Adaman didn’t reply immediately, an odd silence falling between them. Long enough that Airi regretted saying anything — maybe she really shouldn’t have mentioned the familiarity. It was too vague to count on, really… “I think it’s a good sign that you’ve recognized anything, even if it’s only by a little bit. Jubilife is full of people from other regions — someone might recognize you, you never know. It’s a good idea to check out, at least.” He finally pulled his hand away, settled it in his lap instead. “If things don’t work out, you can always stay with the Diamond Clan as long as you need. Seems Martia would like having you around.”

Airi responded with a quiet, contemplative hum. “... What’s the Galaxy Team like?” 

“Headstrong folk. I’ve met their founder, Commander Kamado, a handful of times — intimidating man, but a good leader, from what I’ve seen. He keeps his team out of clan business as much as possible, seems to respect both our group and the Pearl Clan evenly. They’re doing survey work and developing camps around Hisui. I think they’re doing research into the pokémon living around here, too — they use odd capsules to contain pokémon, it’s interesting.”

… Odd capsules? “Like pokéballs?” 

“...” Adaman went quiet, but she could feel him looking at her — when she looked over to him, she couldn't read his expression. Shocked, maybe? Or maybe baffled was a more apt term. “... I think that's exactly what they call them. You’ve… Heard of them?”

His reaction confused Airi even further. Were pokéballs not commonplace here? But Adaman had partner pokémon — Airi didn’t see Leafeon around, so she had figured he had returned the pokémon to its ball, but if he didn’t use pokéballs at all… Confusion deepened Airi’s frown. “I, um… I was gonna ask you about where to get them, since — since you had a pokémon, but…” She sighed and shook her head, stood up so she could walk to the bed and grab the Arc Phone. Her stone, too, clutching the round gem in her other hand as she walked back to sit at Adaman’s side. The Arc Phone lit to life in her hands, and she pulled the message from Arceus up, showing the screen to Adaman: Seek out all pokémon. “It’s been saying this since I woke up. I figured pokéballs were kinda necessary for seeking out all pokémon in Hisui, so…” 

Adaman stayed quiet, staring at the phone in astonishment. “What — what is that, exactly? I’ve never seen anything like it, even when I’ve been in Jubilife.”

Never seen anything like it? She looked between Adaman and the Arc Phone, quiet in contemplation — to Airi, it was easily recognizable as a phone, at least. An odd phone, but a phone. But Adaman couldn’t even recognize that aspect of it… “Um, when I first turned it on, it said it was called the Arc Phone.”

“Arc… Phone..?” he murmured a confused repetition, staring at the device. “... Mind if I see it?” She nodded and passed the device to him, letting him examine it. He opened the map on the phone’s display, mouth falling open in shock as he saw the map. “Incredible…” he whispered, zooming out to display the entire Mirelands. “... Was this a blessing from Almighty Sinnoh?”

… Airi wasn’t really sure if the question was directed at her, or if he was just speaking aloud. Either way she considered the question: it was a gift from Arceus. Were Arceus and Sinnoh one and the same? Different names for the same pokémon, the same deity? … Maybe. It seemed more likely than anything else, and if that were the case, she didn’t want to confuse Adaman by saying a different name. “I, um… I think so.” 

“Incredible,” he repeated in quiet awe. He passed the device back to Airi, who murmured thanks. “... Tell you what, tomorrow I’ll take you to Jubilife, if you’re up to traveling. I’ve been wanting to go anyway, need to ask the Galaxy folk some questions. The more you tell me, the more I think it’d be a good idea, especially considering you know what their ball-things are. I know you don’t want to get your hopes up, and I agree, but I think your best chance of recognizing anyone or anything will be in Jubilife.”

Airi brightened when Adaman said he would take her — and tomorrow! That was soon! “Really?! Thank you!” She couldn’t help the excitement in her voice, earning another quiet chuckle from Adaman. She put the Arc phone down at her side, the screen dimming as she did, instead pulled her knees up to rest her hands against them. Staring at her stone, running her thumb over the wire. “... Oh, um — you did this, right? The wires? I was — I never thanked you.” 

When she looked over to Adaman, he didn’t seem too offended, had a soft smile on his face. “I’m just glad you don’t mind, was worried I had overstepped. Just… Well, you seemed attached to it, and I needed something to do. You can probably have it as an accessory or something more easily now.” 

Airi nodded, smiling back at him before looking back at the stone. Humming to herself as she studied it. “It’s silly, I don’t really… I don’t remember what it is, but I know it’s mine. Know it’s important. Does that make sense?”

“Makes sense to me,” Adaman assured. “I’ve never seen any stone like it, but… Even I thought it was important. Who knows, maybe it’s another gift from the Almighty, or something of yours from whatever your life was before.” Airi hummed in agreement, didn’t respond otherwise, just staring down at the stone. After a moment of relative quiet between them, she heard shuffling to her side, looked over to see Adaman getting up. “If you don’t mind, I’m gonna go rest, probably for a couple hours. Don’t feel like you have to stay here, you can get out and talk to folk if you want. Try not to wander too far from the settlement alone if you go out, Leafeon’s resting and Eevee doesn’t have the strength to look after you.” 

“Okay!” Airi smiled up at him, said, “Rest well! Thank you for everything.”

“Of course, you don’t need to thank me.” He knelt partially to ruffle her hair again, earning a pout in protest this time — now she had to brush her hair again! He just chuckled, though. Straightened back to full height, said, “I’ll be back. Remember not to push yourself, alright?”

“I won’t!” Airi promised. Their bright tone and smile made her much more convincing than she’d been the past couple days, so Adaman didn’t hesitate to leave as he had before. She watched him go, didn’t make any attempt to get up for a short while, just stayed on the ground and stared at her stone, lost in thought. Finally she smiled to herself, said, “Hey Eevee, wanna go on a walk?” 

“Vee!” The normal type yipped. It stood from its spot on the bed, took a moment to stretch before hopping off the bed beside Airi. She took another moment to get ready, combing her ruffled hair out so she could tie it back, humming all the while. Another moment to put her shoes on, then grabbing her stone and the Arc Phone and putting them into her left and right pant pockets respectively. She didn’t really like having the stone out of sight, but she lacked any sort of belt to tie it onto. Or anything to tie it with. Pocket would do for now, she just wanted it with her. Eevee came to her heel as she approached the door.

“Adaman said not to go too far, but that lake on my map doesn’t look too far. I just wanna explore a ‘lil.” They were talking to themself more than they were to the Eevee, but the Eevee gave an affirmative yip back anyway, like reassuring her. They hesitated by the door a moment, took a deep breath… It’s okay. You’ll be okay alone, and you don’t have to worry about people staring. Just a little walk’ll be good for you. Nerves settled, she pushed open the door, let Eevee step out ahead of her. 

Eevee didn’t run off this time, stayed right at Airi’s heel while she closed the door behind them. It was comforting to be able to look behind her while they walked through the settlement and see the normal type following. Though… Something about the sight made her heart hurt a little, too — like she was expecting to see something else there instead of the Eevee. She pushed the thought away as she wandered onto a path leading east of the settlement. If there’s a path, it’s probably safe. The path she was following winded a bit north and was mostly uphill, which was an interesting challenge for her stamina. It wasn’t too steep, though — not enough to make her quit. Just enough that she was a little out of breath. It mostly leveled out before she could get too tired. She rounded a few short, jagged cliffs —... Wow. 

Ahead of them was the lake she had seen on her map. An incredible expanse of deep blue water, framed by forests and cliffs. She could see pokémon swimming through the lake, occasionally jumping out of the water — Whiscash, mostly, it seemed. In the center of the lake was an island with what was probably a cave entrance. The sight left Airi speechless — it was completely and utterly foreign to her, as were the surrounding mountains, but… Wow. This was a good first glimpse of Hisui. Everything she saw around the lake made her want to explore further — there were mountains everywhere, tall and looming. The restless part of her wanted to climb each and every one, wanted to see the views from the peaks. Instead she came to the edge of the water, waves gently lapping on dark soil, stared out into the expanse of the lake. She took a step back before sitting down near the water’s edge. Eevee settled at her side while she stared out into the lake, purring contentedly. Airi found themself zoned out, almost. Lost in the sights, in the expansive blue water, in the mountains beyond. Wow… 

After having spent so long in the infirmary, just getting to be out and see the vast expanses of nature Hisui contained… It was nice. Nice to be out and about. It made her excited for the future, something she hadn’t felt since falling from the sky. Hisui was definitely unfamiliar to her, but that just meant she had a whole new region to explore, didn’t it? The thought was enchanting. How many other beautiful sights did Hisui contain? Were the mountains she saw climbable? What would she be able to see from the tops? What kind of pokémon would she meet, what kind of people? She smiled to herself with the thought. Maybe I’ll be alright here, after all. Maybe she didn’t need her memories — she wanted them, sure, but maybe she didn’t need them. Right now, what she really wanted was to explore. Maybe that’s why Arceus picked her for its task: in that moment, Airi’s curiosity of the world around her dwarfed any of their anxieties from before. 

Curious, she rummaged through her pocket to pull out the Arc Phone. They pulled up the map — sure enough, the lake was labeled now, “Lake Valor, huh..?” Not really a familiar name to her — it almost was, but not really. It felt more like a name she should have known than one she actually did. She put the phone down beside her, looked back over the lake. Valor… Courage. A wide, shining, blue expanse of bravery. Fitting first sight, isn’t it? A lake named for courage, for valor? She smiled again, murmured, “Good name.” 

Her and Eevee sat by the water’s edge for a while. The normal type didn’t seem to mind Airi’s zoning out, was happy to just sit at her side while time faded around them. Eventually, though, Airi did stand up and put the phone away — not ready to head back to the settlement yet, but she wanted a chance to get Eevee’s energy out. Even if it was happy to lay with her, they didn’t want to come all this way without getting a chance to play with it! Her and Eevee looked around for a minute for a good stick, something good for fetch. Eevee found one before Airi, running up to the girl with its tail wagging in excitement. 

She spent a while tossing the stick for the Eevee. Smiling every time the small pokémon would attempt to grab it out of the air before having to run and chase it anyway. Throwing was a bit of a challenge — they didn’t have the best control of their hands, it seemed, but the longer she spent playing fetch with Eevee, the better she was getting. It was a relief for the stick to end up exactly where she was aiming rather than a few feet to the side. They played until Eevee got tired, coming back to Airi with the stick before flopping over by their feet. Its tail wagging and bright eyes let Airi know it had enjoyed the game, though. A soft smile as she knelt down to scoop the fluffy pokémon into her arms, saying, “We’ll head back, then.” A content mewl from the Eevee as she nuzzled into Airi’s hold. 

The walk back to the settlement was easier than the walk there, since it was downhill coming back. Airi wasn’t even a little out of breath by the time she stepped back into the settlement, despite carrying Eevee the whole way back. By the time she got to the settlement, things seemed to be… Hectic. People running about, general confusion — borderline chaos. Did something happen..? Airi frowned with the thought as they walked towards the center of the settlement, back towards the infirmary — 

Something small and fast barrelled into her, knocking them backwards onto the ground with a startled squeal. Eevee tumbled out of their arms as they fell back, immediately standing in front of Airi and growling at whatever had attacked her. Was attacked even the right word? It hadn’t felt like an attack, just felt like something running into her — regardless, Airi was on the ground, so Eevee seemed to interpret it as an attack. She heard Adaman’s voice calling from behind them, “Airi! Are you alright?” 

They mumbled a reassurance Adaman probably wouldn’t hear as they sat up. They took a moment to rub their arms before they turned her attention to their assailants: ahead of them and Eevee were three pokémon. They didn’t seem violent — curious, maybe. They kept trying to get closer to Airi, but Eevee would growl and swat at them to get them to back off. “Eevee, it’s okay, I’m alright,” Airi assured. She leaned forward to pick the disgruntled pokémon up, pulling it into her lap while she studied the other three — they got closer as soon as the threat of Eevee’s violence was no longer prevalent. Three pokémon she recognized as common starter pokémon, though not usually from the same region… What regions are they from, though..?

“What in the world..?” she heard Adaman mutter from behind them. She glanced over at him while he came to her side and knelt down. He stared at the pokémon, quiet for a moment. “... I’ve never seen pokémon like these before. Are they from Jubilife..?” 

He doesn’t recognize them? Airi did, though… “They’re not dangerous,” she said. She pointed at the one directly ahead of her, a small yellow and teal mammalian pokémon with a long snout, “That one’s Cyndaquil, a fire type. The spots on its back produce flames, but if it’s comfortable or idle, it won’t normally have flames active — it’s mostly defensive, they’re pretty mild-mannered,” she explained. The fire type shuffled a little closer to her, letting Airi lean forward just a bit more to pet it — though another of the three pokémon quickly shoved its head under Airi’s hand, earning a small smile from the girl. An otter-like pokémon with a light blue body, white head and arms, and dark blue feet and ears. “This one’s Oshawott, a water type. Oshawott are very protective of the shell on their stomachs, they use it for combat.” She turned to her side, towards the last pokémon — a small, round owl. It was primarily a beige color with a white face and belly, and two leaves on its center, almost like a bowtie. She only stared at it for a long moment. “And this is Rowlet,” she began, “It’s..,” only to trail off before she could explain. The Rowlet was the most familiar of the three to her, enough that she wondered maybe if it could be one of her pokémon, but… No. “... Rowlets are grass and flying, dual types, though their typing changes when they evolve. They tend to be nocturnal, and they can fly completely silently.” 

Adaman had been quiet through her explanation — her ramble, really — and Airi was too lost in thought to realise how much she’d over-explained. She just wanted to prove they weren’t dangerous. They were all common first partner pokémon for young trainers, so they trended towards milder natures. She had her gaze fixed on the Rowlet up until Adaman spoke up, “Well… They seem pretty interested in you, Airi. They were beelining it straight for you.” She looked over towards him, met his eyes. Couldn’t really read his expression, though… “Are they yours? You know a lot about them.”

“No, I don’t think so,” they murmured, turning back to face the Rowlet. “... I know what they are, but they don’t —... I don’t know. I don’t think so.” She turned towards the Oshawott and Cyndaquil, frowning. “... None of these pokémon are from the same region, but I can’t…” 

She heard Adaman sigh at her side, but she didn’t look over again, gaze fixed on the pokémon ahead of her. “In that case, they probably belong to someone in Jubilife…” His voice dropped to a mutter that Airi couldn’t quite hear, finally getting her to turn to face him again. He wasn’t looking at her, though, staring at the Cyndaquil. When he did turn towards her, he looked almost a little worried, brow furrowed and a subtle downturn of his lips in frown. “... I know I said we would go to Jubilife tomorrow, but… Do you think you’d be up to it right now? We should get these guys back, lest they wreak any more havoc on my clan. At the very least, we can get to the Galaxy camp in the Mirelands — I doubt these guys went far from their partner.” 

  Really? Now?! Airi gave Adaman a wide-eyed look of astonishment before she beamed. With an excited nod, she chimed, “Yeah! I’m up to it!” She thought so, anyway — she hadn’t felt sick at all on her walk with Eevee earlier, so she was probably fine. And now was even sooner than tomorrow! That same excitement she had felt at Lake Valor settled into her, that desire to travel, to explore. 

Adaman’s worry faded with Airi’s excited tone. He managed a small smile back. “Alright.” He stood to full sight, let Airi scramble to do the same, picking Eevee into her arms as she did. The three pokémon crowded around Airi, with the Rowlet even flying up off the ground to perch on her head. Adaman stared at her for a moment, clearly baffled. “... Okay, give me a few minutes to talk to some folk — do you think you can handle watching all three of them..?” 

“Mhm!” Airi wasn’t sure why the three pokémon were so attached to her, but they didn’t want to leave her alone. Just to test that they’d stay close, she took a step to the side. By her feet, Cyndaquil and Oshawott followed, glued to their side. Huh. “I don’t think they’ll run off anymore, at least.” 

“... Right.” He hesitated another moment, looking between Airi and the pokémon around her. Finally a short sigh before he said, “Make sure you grab your things, I’ll be right back.” He only left after Airi nodded, leaving them alone with the three starter pokémon, plus his Eevee — four starter pokémon, she supposed. 

She took the few minutes of Adaman talking to other people in the settlement to return to the infirmary, just to grab the comb Arezu had given them. She had to put down Eevee for a brief moment to readjust her pockets, telling it, “Be nice to the others, okay?” It just huffed in response and glared at Oshawott and Cyndaquil while Airi grabbed the comb, tucked it into the same pocket she had her stone in. Since she already had her phone and stone on her, she was basically set otherwise. Can’t believe I only own three things… They didn’t dwell on the thought, just picked up Eevee and returned outside, loitering by the door of the infirmary while she waited for Adaman. 

He didn’t keep her waiting long. After double and triple checking with Airi that she was alright to travel, he finally led her out of the settlement onto a path leading south. “The Galaxy Team has one of their camps set up west of here, by a path through Coronet to the Fieldlands. Jubilife is west of Coronet, near the coast, so we’ll need to cut through the mountains. Hopefully whoever these pokémon belong to is at that camp, too, they’re probably worried sick.” Airi figured that Coronet must’ve been the name of a mountain range, though the cliffs surrounding the Diamond Settlement prevented her from seeing that far west for the first part of the walk.

She was pretty distracted for the southern portion of the walk – mostly downhill, and the path was well-worn and flanked by torches. The only pokémon on the path were a couple rogue Geodudes and Graveler, though one glance at Adaman and the Leafeon walking at his heel and they made themselves scarce. Airi had about a million questions about her surroundings, but she tried to keep themself at least a little contained. Only asking Adaman the names of the locations they were walking — Bolderoll Slope, towards Scarlet Bog, he told her — and keeping her questions on the surrounding area to herself. She did put Eevee down to walk at her side with Cyndaquil and Oshawott, just so she could pull out the Arc Phone and peek at the map on occasion. Rowlet hopped off her head to instead fly at her side above the two starters it had arrived with, while Eevee hugged her other side, pointedly avoiding the others. 

Keeping her questions to herself meant Airi kept getting very distracted. So absorbed in looking in their surroundings that she’d continue walking straight even if the path curved. Adaman would always gently say their name to get her focus back, though after the third time he carefully suggested she hold onto his hand so she didn’t wander off — Airi felt so incredibly guilty for annoying him that she wouldn’t meet his eyes, murmured a promise that she’d focus better, but… He didn’t seem too annoyed. Just worried, maybe. Still… She didn’t take him up on his offer until she zoned out again and he had to get her back on track, at which point they finally relented. Adaman took hold of her wrist for the rest of the walk down the slope, promised them that he didn’t mind when she wouldn’t meet his eyes. Him leading her along meant she could look around more easily, humming to herself as the two of them followed the sloping path down. 

“Stay close to me in the bog,” Adaman instructed as they reached near the bottom of the slope. “There’s a lot of pokémon here, I don’t want you separated in case we need to run. Try to stay focused if you can, okay?” Airi nodded, looked beyond Adaman and towards what lay ahead: a large bogland. Even from where they were, Airi could see more pokémon in the bog than she’d seen the entire time on the slope. Stunky and Skuntank and Hippotopotas, mostly — Skuntank would be a problem for Leafeon… She frowned to themself, came a little closer to Adaman’s side as they came off the slope. There wasn’t a true path through the bog, either… She stayed more or less glued to his side, the four starter pokémon staying glued to hers in turn. He stuck to the right side of the Scarlet Bog as much as he could, keeping to dry land and dodging a majority of the pokémon she had seen. 

None of the pokémon in the bog bothered them as Adaman led her towards a slope right of the bog: north. As they came around a corner of short cliffs, she caught sight of an Onix blocking the path ahead, joined by a couple more Skuntank. She frowned as Adaman came to a stop, heard him mumble something under his breath. The Onix probably wouldn’t be an issue for him, given Leafeon’s type advantage, but Airi could tell he was more worried by the Skuntank. “... Airi, we’re gonna just try to sneak by, but if it fails it’ll be better to run than to fight. Alright?”

They nodded to agree, let Adaman drop her hand. He crouched low to the ground, Airi copying his shift in posture. Though, with Airi surrounded by four small pokémon, she still stood out a little against the terrain… Should be fine, if we’re quiet. She followed Adaman like a shadow as he crept around the Onix and surfeit of Skuntank, hugging the cliffs framing the path. She kept stealing glances behind her, making sure all the pokémon were still with her — if she was Adaman’s shadow, the starters were practically part of her being for how close they stuck to her. Adaman only stood back to full height when the wild pokémon were a good distance away from them, down the slope. 

“We should be good from here,” he said. He led them a little further up the slope — ahead was a maze-like path through cliffs, offering shelter from surrounding pokémon. Safe spot to regroup, Airi supposed. He seemed to agree, coming to a stop before he spoke again. “We’re pretty close now. Wanna show me your map real quick?” She nodded and pulled her phone out from her pocket, showing the map to Adaman. He pointed at a spot to the west, where Airi could see what looked like a cut through the mountains, at the very edge of the map. “That’s where we’re heading. There’s a lot more plant coverage in the Golden Lowlands, so it’s easier to get around undetected — pokémon are weaker around here, too.” 

Another nod from Airi. She studied her map for another second before putting her phone away, said, “Okay — and, um, sorry if I’m making this annoying —” 

“Don’t apologize,” Adaman cut her off, voice firm. “I don’t mind. Just want to make sure you don’t get hurt, yeah? Plus, it’s not really you I worry about.” His eyes fell to her feet, where the starter pokémon were gathered, refusing to leave her side. “... Though I guess this is easier, considering they’re practically stuck to you. I’d hate to have to wrangle three wild pokémon through this whole trip.” 

She almost mentioned wishing she had pokéballs before she remembered Adaman didn’t use them. Kept the thought to herself, instead saying, “Mhm, I’m glad they’re sticking close. Though…” She trailed off, attention falling to the pokémon. “... I wonder why they like me so much.”

“We’ll ask their partner when we find them, yeah?” Adaman smiled when she looked up at him. When she nodded, he said, “Alright, let’s get going. Time wasted is time lost!” 

“Okay!” She let him take her hand again, leading her through the maze of cliffs. When they got through the last of the hills, it opened up into another wetlands — the Golden Lowlands, Adaman had called them. True to his word, there were a lot more plants growing here than anywhere else she’d been in the Mirelands. Tall grass came up past their knees as Adaman led her around tall, leafy trees, pulling Airi along while she looked around. She could see ruins dotting the terrain — white, crumbled pillars and arches. Kind of like where I woke up the first time… The memory was hazy, but she remembered similar pillars of white. Where had Adaman said he found her again? The something-ruins? Shadowed..? Shrouded? The Shrouded Ruins — they were probably from the same era as the ones she saw now among the Golden Lowlands. Cool… Maybe later, she could check them out!

Adaman led her west, through the lowlands and towards a river. A log bridge was built across its thinnest point, where Adaman was leading. On the other side of the bridge were crumbled pillars like she’d seen elsewhere. He let go of her hand to let her and the pokémon cross first, taking her hand again when he rejoined them, while Airi studied the ruins. Marble, maybe..? She only pulled her gaze away from them when Adaman pulled her forward, instead looking around, to her right —... 

Airi stopped in her tracks, frozen, gaze pointed north-west. One mountain towered far above the rest of the mountain range, a behemoth of snow-topped stone, but that wasn’t what caught their eye. What they noticed instead was what lie above the mountain. A massive storm of dark clouds and violent thunder circled above the peak, and in the middle, a bright-white crack spanned across the sky. Something about the sight made them uneasy, and yet she couldn’t tear her eyes away. 

“... That’s Mount Coronet, and above it is… Above it is the space-time rift,” Adaman said, pulling Airi out of her trance. She looked over to him — he had his eyes fixed on the rift as well. “That’s… That’s what I saw you fall from. It first showed up about two years ago.” 

Airi didn’t respond for a long moment, just looked back at the rift. Anxiety pooled in their gut, thick and heavy, enough that they felt almost sick. I fell from that..? How had they survived..? She frowned to herself, squeezed Adaman’s hand and turned back towards him, quiet. He seemed to get the message and gently pulled her back into motion  — she didn’t want to look at the rift anymore. Better to ignore it. Though, now that she was aware of it, the sight of the tear in the sky hovered in her periphery. She kept her gaze down to avoid it, staring at her feet as Adaman led her along in silence. 

“We’re here.” Airi looked up with Adaman’s words — ahead of them was a small camp, flanked by white scrolls bearing a gold emblem of some sort. It was definitely small: a couple of tents, a large crate, and what seemed to be a workbench were all that Airi could attribute to the camp. The two of them walked the short way up the slope towards it while Adaman explained, “The Galaxy Team has a small camp in all of the major regions in Hisui, sometimes more than —” 

“Are those my pokémon?!” A loud voice cut Adaman off — both him and Airi turned towards the source. From the camp, a man was sprinting towards them, skidding to a stop in front of them with panting breaths. He was taller than Airi by a few inches, but still shorter than Adaman, had dark skin and stubble. He wore pretty professional clothes, trousers and a vest with a bowtie, and a white lab coat with the same emblem she’d seen on the scrolls by the camp embroidered onto the front pocket. Her eyes went straight to his hat, though — deep purple with white markings and a giant pom-pom. She couldn’t help but find it silly while the man caught his breath. 

Eventually the man composed himself enough to speak, “Oh, thank goodness, I was so worried about them! Wherever did you find them?” He knelt down by Airi and extended his hand towards the pokémon by her feet. They shied away from him, hiding behind Airi’s legs. This is their trainer..? He sighed, muttered, “Blast and bother,” as he stood back to full height. 

“They practically attacked my settlement,” Adaman informed the man, sounding unimpressed — not mean or anything, just… Stern, almost? “Are you their partner?”

The man’s face fell with Adaman’s words, grey eyes widening in shock. Quiet for a moment before he said, “You don’t happen to be the Diamond Clan leader..?” 

“Adaman, yes.” He sighed as the man’s face shifted more to despair, quickly said, “I’m not picking a fight, I’m more annoyed than upset. You’re with the Expedition Team, I assume?”

“Indeed!” The man tried a smile, extended his hand in greeting, “I’m Professor Laventon with the Survey Corps. These little runaways are mine — I do apologize for any trouble they may’ve caused.” Adaman returned the handshake but not the smile. When he pulled his hand back, Laventon explained further, “The little rascals just ran off a few days ago, I haven’t a clue why! I’ve been chasing them all across Hisui, but, ah… I haven’t the best stamina. Couldn’t keep up, to put it plainly. And my aim with a pokéball is simply dreadful, so I couldn’t get them contained, either…” 

“... A few days ago?” Adaman asked for clarification. With the man’s nod, he frowned, glanced at Airi. His glance towards her had them connect the dots: that’s when I fell… And the pokémon were so attached to her… Were they looking for her the entire time? “... Well, no harm done. They seem rather attached to Airi here, so we were able to get them back relatively easily. You don’t happen to know her, do you?” 

Airi looked up at Laventon with the question, hopeful, but… He didn’t seem at all familiar to them. He looked at her in turn, expression falling to a confused frown at the sight of them. “... No, I’m afraid not — I don’t know too many people from the Diamond Clan.”

She risked speaking, “I’m, um, not…” … Her voice failed them, petering out into a murmur. She dropped her eyes from Laventon, towards her feet — Eevee looked up at them with worried eyes. Why was she upset, anyway..? She knew it was unlikely, but… 

“Airi’s not from Diamond Clan,” Adaman explained in their stead, “She… She came from the rift, and they’re suffering from amnesia. We’re hoping someone in Jubilife may know them.” They nodded with his explanation, stayed quiet, staring down at Eevee. 

“Amnesia? Oh, you poor thing!” They didn’t look up, just nodded again, mute. “From the rift, you said?” In their periphery, she saw Adaman nod. “... Before my darling pokémon ran off, we were near Jubilife, and we saw a strange light near Mount Coronet — I almost thought it may’ve been a meteor of some sort. That’s when they darted off. It was as if they were wanting to go towards wherever it was landing. Perhaps that’s why they’re so attached to you, Miss Airi — you’re what they were curious of!” 

Laventon’s tone was bright enough for Airi to finally look up at him, meeting his smile. “I personally don’t know you, nor do I recall anyone in the Galaxy Team mentioning your name, but that doesn’t mean there’s no hope! Plenty of interesting folk call Jubilife home, there’s a very real possibility someone recognizes you.” 

Airi nodded again, but stayed quiet. It was Adaman who spoke, “That’s our hope as well. Would you mind if we join you in heading there, now that you’ve got your pokémon with you again?” 

 “Of course not, I don’t mind in the slightest! There’s strength in numbers, you know!” Laventon hummed, glanced down again at the pokémon, still hiding away from him. Airi might’ve worried they truly didn’t like him for how they were acting, but she got the feeling they were more so just interested in causing problems for the professor. “... Miss Airi, I know we only just met, but in light of their attachment of you, may I ask a favor?” She tipped her head to the side, curious but unwilling to try speaking again — it was enough to get him to elaborate, “Do you think I could trouble you to help me get these three back into pokéballs, to make the return trip to Jubilife a little easier? I’ve an embarrassing aim.” 

… Oh. Just catching pokémon? She nodded — as she did, the three pokémon at her feet scattered, leaving the professor stammering in shock. They didn’t run far, though, not even leaving the camp. Eevee stayed with Airi, huffed as the others darted off and pressed against their leg. Laventon groaned, said to Airi, “I do apologize, I don’t know what’s gotten into them! Even though they were so attached to you…” He sighed, rummaged through the pockets of his coat, pulling out several pokéballs — or… Well, Airi recognized them as pokéballs, but they didn’t quite seem right to her. It was enough to get them confused again as he held them for her to take — she accepted, held the capsules in their hands while Laventon explained, “Oh, but I suppose I should explain a little more, shouldn’t I? Pokéballs are a recent invention — quite the marvel, they are. All pokémon are able to shrink down to miniscule size, so when you throw a pokéball at one, the pokémon will shrink into the ball, comfy as can be!” 

“I know,” Airi responded on instinct, turning one of the balls over in her hand. It felt… Heavier than she imagined — the base of it looked to be made of wood, while the red lid was cool to the touch, like stone. She didn’t even realise how odd what they had said was before she looked up at Laventon, staring at her in shock. Only then had part of his words caught up to her: he had said pokéballs were a recent invention. That doesn’t make sense… They were too familiar to Airi, one of the only things she actually remembered, enough to want to ask Adaman about them. How could she have such firm memories of what Laventon seemed to imply were a new, uncommon device? “... Oh, um — sorry, I —... Sorry…” She glanced at Adaman, desperate for some kind of save, but he looked almost as shocked as Laventon. Airi could feel heat in their cheeks, knew she was turning bright red, so she quickly looked down again before her shame could consume them any further. 

“You… You know? Have you — you’ve used pokéballs before?” Laventon asked, his confusion making him trip over his words. Airi gave a slow, cautious nod. “... Well, I suppose anything may be possible of someone who fell from the rift… I suppose that saves me quite the effort in explaining them!” … His tone felt light again, like he was trying to reassure Airi — she glanced up again. He wore another smile, smaller this time, said, “I appreciate your willingness to help!” 

“... Mhm,” came Airi’s weak hum in agreement. She looked again at Adaman. He still looked confused, but after a moment, he nodded back: permission. She nodded back and darted off towards the first pokémon she saw, leaving Adaman and Laventon back at the entrance to camp. She could hear them talking, but didn’t pay attention to the words, instead more focused on the pokémon: ahead of her, perched on a low branch of a tree between the tents, was Rowlet. She adjusted one of the pokéballs in her right hand. Locking eyes with the grass quill pokémon before she tossed the ball at it. 

The ball collided easily with the round bird pokémon and then fell to the ground below the tree, where it began to rattle. A familiar sight to Airi, who subconsciously counted under their breath, one — but after only one rattle it stilled, a small burst of firework-like sparks emitting from the top. That didn’t feel right — not the only one shake, nor the sparks to confirm a catch. These were definitely different from the pokéballs she was used to, but… She couldn’t remember her own frame of reference. She sighed to herself, stepped to where the ball had landed and picked it up, turned it over again in their hands. It didn’t shrink any further in her palm. Was it meant to? She thought it might, but… 

… She ignored the thought and turned to scan the camp for the other two pokémon. Across the camp, on a higher ridge of stone, was Cyndaquil. How it had climbed up there, Airi wasn’t sure, but she supposed it didn’t matter much. She readied another pokéball in her dominant hand and stepped about halfway across the camp before stilling — she didn’t want to startle the pokémon into running further into the cliffs. Instead she planted her feet and launched the ball towards the fire type. Her game of fetch with Eevee earlier was paying off — the ball hit its mark exactly , bouncing off of the fire type and coming to rest below the rockface while it rattled. Again, the ball only shook once before the crackle of fireworks confirmed the catch.  And again Airi found it odd. What was meant to happen, though… Was it meant to shake more? She couldn’t remember… 

She picked up the pokéball without another thought, once again scanned the camp: where had Oshawott gone? She couldn’t see it anywhere. She looked around, peering behind the tents and boxes around the camp, finally returning towards the entrance – there, down in the Golden Lowlands, by the first pond closest to the entrance. Oshawott had gone the farthest of any other pokémon, she guessed, out of a desire to be near water. She didn’t feel confident enough in her throwing abilities to hit it from so far away, so she stepped down the slope towards the pond, crouched down as she did — Oshawott hadn’t even noticed her yet, was wading through the shallows of the pond. Closer, closer… Now! Oshawott turned towards her right as she threw the ball, but it didn’t have the time to prevent the collision. The ball shook once before — snap! as it broke in two, Oshawott reappearing in a flash of light. It glared at Airi, but didn’t otherwise move. 

She only had two more empty pokéballs… Should I weaken it? She didn’t want to hurt any of Laventon’s pokémon, though, seemed incredibly rude… Instead she just gritted her teeth and readied another ball. Oshawott didn’t run or anything, so she supposed it wasn’t really trying to avoid the capture. Maybe pouting? It didn’t try to fight as she tossed another ball at it. One shake — no snapping back open this time, just a little pop of fireworks before the ball stilled in the water. She stepped closer to pick it out of the pond, shook the water off the smooth surface. That’s all three… Of them, Oshawott definitely seemed to be the trouble maker — thinking on it, was that the one that ran into me back at the settlement? A quiet chuckle to herself with the thought, and it had been so desperate for attention, too… She didn’t loiter on the thought, just turned to head back up the slope towards the camp entrance, darting up to Laventon and Adaman. 

“You’ve quite the knack for this, haven’t you, dear girl!” Airi smiled with Laventon’s praise, held the pokéballs out for Laventon to take, two in each hand — including the empty one she hadn’t used. He only took the three containing his pokémon, though, “You can keep that one if you’d like to catch a pokémon of your own. Proper useful skill to have out here, you know.” Airi hummed in thanks, tucked the remaining pokéball into the same pocket as her Arc Phone while Laventon continued, “You don’t seem to have any fear of pokémon, either — unusual, but a wonderful thing to see! Many people are too afraid to even approach wild pokémon, nevermind catch them.”

Adaman nodded along to his words — he had said something similar, but… Her response to Laventon was much the same as it had been to Adaman when he had commented on it, “Your pokémon are all really friendly, though. That’s why they make good first partner pokémon. Your Oshawott seems kinda mischievous, though —” 

“You know what pokémon these are?” … Ah. Right, Adaman had found that odd, too. She nodded anyway. “All three of them?”

“Airi actually told me more about them than you did, Professor,” Adaman remarked. She looked at him, saw his soft smile. “She’s got quite the head on them, it seems.” 

“... Indeed! You’re truly incredible, Miss Airi!” Incredible..? Airi beamed with the praise — she’d been so worried about their knowledge making her come off as strange, it felt nice to be complimented. “Such a natural with pokéballs, too — I suppose that makes sense, given you’re already familiar with them!” She almost protested, wanted to explain that the pokéballs he had given her didn't quite line up to what she thought a pokéball would be, but… Well, a pokéball was a pokéball, wasn’t it? It worked the same. Wasn’t like Airi could remember what a pokéball was even supposed to be anyway, so there wasn’t really a point in acknowledging the discrepancy. Instead she nodded with a quiet, pleased hum. 

Laventon tucked the pokéballs containing his pokémon back into his pockets as he looked between Airi and Adaman. “... Pardon me if this is a rude question, but have you any long term plans for staying in Hisui? Do you intend to stay with the Diamond Clan?” 

“Oh, um…” Plan was a strong word, she had a task and an idea. Task was probably a good enough place to start, though. “No real… No real plan, but, um — I’m — my goal is to seek out all pokémon, I think. That’s what the Arc Phone says to do, so…” She intentionally neglected to mention Arceus, but when Laventon gave her a look of confusion, she realised he didn’t know what she meant by Arc Phone. Whoops, maybe they should keep that a bit more of a secret, just to avoid having to constantly re-explain themself. She pulled the device out of her pocket, showing it to Laventon. The message from Arceus flashed on screen as soon as it lit up, Seek out all pokémon. “I, um, this fell from the rift with me, so…” 

“Seek out all pokémon..,” Laventon read aloud, quiet in astonishment. “This object is an… Arc Phone, you called it?” With Airi’s nod, he continued in a murmur, “How curious…” She put the phone away, but the professor didn’t say anything else, just stared at a point fixed in space, expression hard to read. 

The silence after his shocked murmurings stretched long enough that Airi wondered if she should speak up, try to get Laventon’s attention back. Before she could, Adaman said, “You mentioned wanting to study all of the pokémon in Hisui, didn’t you, Professor?” 

The grab at the man’s attention worked — he startled, stammered, “Oh, yes! Apologies. Airi, may you indulge me a moment?” At her nod of permission, he began, “I have a dream, you see: I’d like to compile a complete record of every pokémon living in this region, the first of its kind for Hisui.” 

A dot connected to Airi, who interrupted in question, “Oh, like a pokédex?” 

… Must’ve been another odd thing to say, because once again Laventon gave her that same look of pure astonishment. However, this time, it melted into pure and utter delight. A wide grin from the man as he exclaimed, “Yes, exactly! You’re already familiar, then?” Another nod from Airi. “Oh, wonderful! How perfect! A proper pokédex is an incredible feat of research, you see, and a massive step towards better understanding a region. Being able to complete one for Hisui would be spectacular. However, given your knowledge, I’m sure you’re aware where my difficulty lies: in order to properly be able to document pokémon, one must first capture them.” 

Wait, this is perfect! Airi couldn’t help their excitement from showing as Laventon continued, “Given how recently pokéballs have been invented, not many folk are adept in their use — not to mention the general wariness of pokémon among the population. Enter you — a person with a clear talent for catching pokémon, and a good deal of know-how about related topics! Not to mention your task: you wish to seek out all pokémon, and I wish to have all pokémon caught so that I may better study them.” He beamed at her, said, “A situation ripe for teamwork! If you would like, I would absolutely adore for you to join me in the Survey Corps of the Galaxy Team so that we may better work together. I’d be more than able to get you sorted with lodgings in Jubilife so you have somewhere to stay, and you’d be compensated for your work, of course.” 

Airi almost didn’t even let Laventon finish, already buzzing with excitement, “Yes! I’d love to — I was, um, I was gonna ask about joining the Galaxy Team thing, but, I — I didn’t know how to start, and — yes, please!” 

She heard Adaman chuckle — when she looked towards him, his smile was brighter, warm with an emotion Airi couldn’t place. He looked pleased, though. “Seems taking you to Jubilife was the right move, huh? It’s nice to see you so excited.” Airi beamed back at him with an enthusiastic nod. Something about working on a pokédex sounded exactly up her alley! “In that case, shall we be off for the village? I’d hate to waste time.”

“Of course, wonderful call!” Laventon smiled, said, “Normally, I’m escorted by a member of the Security Corps, but I left in such a hurry after my pokémon, I came all this way alone. It’ll be a relief to have someone as capable as you joining us back, Adaman! Leader of the Diamond Clan and all that.” Adaman nodded to acknowledge the professor’s words, so he turned towards the camp — at the back end was a canyon. Must be the cut through the mountain Adaman told me about. “If you both would please follow me, I’ll lead us through the Fieldlands back to Jubilife!” 

“Alright.” Before Adaman followed, he turned to Airi — the same soft smile as he brought his hand to ruffle her hair, “You seem like you’re focusing a bit better, but do you still wanna stick close with me, incase you get distracted?” 

… Airi wasn’t really worried about zoning out anymore, though her head was full of thoughts of the pokédex and Galaxy Team and the starters she’d met and other pokémon and pokéballs and —... Hm. Okay, maybe she should be worried about zoning out. She couldn’t help their thoughts from getting away from her, she was too excited! Still, she nodded. Adaman took her hand again with their confirmation, though he didn’t have to pull her along to follow Laventon — she just walked at his side, humming. His pokémon walked a step behind Airi, the Leafeon and Eevee walking side by side. 

Laventon told her a little more about Jubilife while he led through the canyon, into a cave he explained would cut through into the Fieldlands. The Galaxy Expedition team was separated into multiple different divisions and corps, including the Survey Corps — that was the one Laventon belonged to, and what Airi would be joining. They were tasked with exploring and documenting Hisui. The Security Corps were another central pillar of the team, he said, tasked to defend Jubilife and other Galaxy members throughout Hisui. There were also the Medical, Supply, Agriculture, and Construction corps — Airi got the impression the Galaxy Team was both well organized and under good leadership. No wonder they managed to put together Jubilife in only two years… She hadn’t seen Jubilife yet, but from what Adaman and Laventon described, it seemed impressive. That same nagging feeling in the back of Airi’s brain, that she should have known Jubilife better, but she ignored it. 

Airi only really started zoning out when they got through the cave and entered the fields to the east. Much like on the walk through the Mirelands, she was quickly absorbed in her surroundings — vast expanses of grass and ponds and nature and pokémon, everywhere. Laventon tried to talk to her more, but she was basically gone. She paid attention just enough to hear his explanations of her new surroundings. This was the Obsidian Fieldlands, he told her, explained that he was leading them through the northern end of the area to reach Jubilife. After crossing some natural bridges to cross a wide river, they ended up in the Horseshoe Plains, as Laventon called it — a wide expanse of meadows dotted with a number of uniquely shaped ponds. Guess that’s why they call it the Horseshoe Plains. She could see a number of pokémon milling about — mostly Wurmple and Bidoof, and she also spotted some Buizel loitering near the ponds and Starly flying overhead. All lower level pokémon, she could tell — especially considering any they got near fled at the sight of Adaman’s Leafeon. 

After crossing the plains they came up on a hill, eventually coming onto a path leading up it. “This is Aspiration Hill,” Laventon told Airi, “And just at the top is the Fieldlands Camp, which’ll lead us quite handily back to Jubilife! Not long at all, now.” He glanced upwards — the sun was getting closer to the horizon, casting the sky in warmer shades of pale blues and yellows. “When we make it to the village, I’ll have to speak with the Captain to give a report about my three pokémon, at which point I’ll mention your joining the Survey Corps. She might take a little convincing, considering your origins, but I’m certain all will be well.”

Airi hummed to acknowledge his words as he led them up towards another camp. Another one of those large white scrolls with the golden emblem, which they were assuming now was for the Galaxy Team. Laventon passed it without so much as stopping, continuing on through the path — up ahead, Airi could see a large wooden gate, blocking the rest of the path. The gate was open, and as the group came up the path, Airi could make out the sight of buildings on the other side of the fence. Is that Jubilife? There was a man in a red outfit and straw hat guarding the gate — when he caught sight of the group, his eyes widened and he sprinted over, calling out, “Professor! Are you alright?”

“Quite alright!” Laventon called back, but that didn’t stop the man’s racing over, coming to a stop in front of Laventon and looking over him with borderline panic. “Truly, I’m fine. I was able to get my pokémon as well, thanks to the help of Miss Airi here!” Laventon stepped to the side and gestured to Airi behind him, the other man’s eyes following the movement and settling on her, critical. The weight of his stare felt heavy in a way that forced Airi to look away, staring down at her feet. Laventon continued without acknowledging or even noticing her discomfort, “I’m hoping to take her into Jubilife with me, if you’d pardon the intrusion! I’m intending to speak with Captain Cyllene about her joining the Survey Corps.”

“... Some Diamond Clan girl? In the Survey Corps?” Airi wasn’t deaf to the skepticism in the man’s voice — it made her flinch, stealing her voice again. Eyes glued to her feet as she spiraled further into worry, maybe this wasn’t a good idea. Maybe this wouldn’t work out after all, maybe she didn’t belong here, maybe — 

“She’s not with the Diamond Clan, and I can assure you they are more than capable. They caught all three of my pokémon all on her own, and in quick order, no less!” … Laventon’s assurances towards the other man pulled them out of their spiral, at least a little. He was helped by Adaman’s Eevee pressing itself against Airi’s leg as she stared down, looking up at her and meeting her eyes. The sight of the pokémon was an odd reassurance, an odder comfort. It was enough to fully pull them out of their anxiety.

The guardsman didn’t say anything to Laventon’s explanation, though when Airi finally glanced over to him, he was frowning. Eventually he just sighed and said, “You’re the one convincing the Captain, not me. I’ll allow her in.” The man stepped to the side, allowing the ground past him to the gate.

“Thank you kindly, good sir!” Laventon looked over his shoulder at Airi and Adaman, smiled at the two of them, “Follow me, friends!” Airi nodded back, but didn’t move until Adaman did, staying close to his side and holding tight onto his hand as they stepped past the gate and into the village. 

On the other side of the main gate was a central road, lined by buildings on either side. Laventon led down the street, occasionally greeting other people as he passed, while Airi just looked around. Jubilife definitely wasn’t familiar to her — her knowing the name must’ve been a fluke. That didn’t mean she wasn’t interested, though, looking around in wonder. On the right side of the road, there was some sort of photography studio, maybe? There were a number of pictures of people and pokémon on display. On the other side of the street, a bit further down, there was a clothing shop. It was displaying some kimono designs out front, and Airi could see racks of colorful fabric inside. The building next to that seemed to be some kind of hair salon, if the signage was to be believed. There were people loitering about the main road, chatting amongst themselves, but Airi didn’t really see many pokémon… Laventon and Adaman mentioned that most people are afraid of pokémon, so that was probably why, but the sight still felt strange to them.

Laventon came to a stop in front of the most impressive building in Jubilife. Just the sight of it struck awe into Airi, and she would’ve stopped in her tracks if Laventon hadn’t already. A huge, brick behemoth of a building, easily the largest in Jubilife. The center section of the building was the tallest, three stories tall, while the wings of the building were each two stories – wooden scaffolding built around each wing implied it was still under construction, but Airi figured it must’ve been for finishing touches, because it certainly looked fully constructed. On the front of the building, above the entrance, was that same emblem Airi had seen at the camps. 

“This is Galaxy Hall!” Laventon said, turning to face Airi. He must’ve noticed her wonder, because he smiled, said, “Truly an impressive build, isn’t it? It’s the headquarters for the entire team!” Airi nodded, turning back towards the building, staring up at the Magikarp statues on either wing. Laventon continued even without her attention fully on him, “I’ll go speak with the Captain — it may be better for you to wait out here, Miss Airi.” She focused on him again at the sound of her name as he continued, “I’m sure Captain Cyllene is going to give me quite the earful for running off, I wouldn't want you caught up in that!”

“I’d like to go in and speak with the Commander as well.” Adaman dropped Airi’s hand to turn toward her. He looked worried again — she felt a bit bad for it. They didn’t want him to be worrying about her so much… “Will you be alright on your own for a bit?” 

“Mhm!” Airi smiled in an effort to look convincing, “It’s fine! I can wait. I promise I won’t zone out too much!”

“... Alright.” 

“You can wait for us at the canteen!” Laventon pointed out another building across from the Galaxy Hall. “The Wallflower, it’s called. You can tell Beni I’ll be joining you shortly.” 

Airi happily agreed, which seemed to convince Adaman enough to lessen his worry. While he and Laventon walked up the steps to enter the Galaxy hall, Airi went the opposite direction, towards the building Laventon had pointed out.

As she approached, a man stepped out from the building — he wore a simple kimono and an apron, and a white headkerchief obscuring much of his hair. He stared at Airi for a long moment, eying her up and down. Eventually saying a blunt, “Well aren’t you suspicious. What business have you Diamond Clan lot here? The Wallflower serves the Galaxy Team.” 

“Oh, I — I, um, I —” Airi stammered, tripping over herself in a desperate attempt to explain. “I’m — I’m not — um, Mist — Mister — um…” 

“What, Glameow caught your tongue?” The man scoffed and rolled his eyes, said, “If you don’t have business here, then move along. We don’t have seats for outsiders. ” He practically spat the word. He turned and went back into the building without giving Airi any more chance to explain herself, leaving her standing awkwardly outside, eyes burning and hands shaking. Outsider. Even here, she stood out… Her eyes fell to her feet, again settling on the Eevee at her heel. She hadn’t realised Eevee had stayed with her instead of Adaman until then… It was a comfort, though. She knelt down to pet the normal type, trying to fight off her growing anxiety and urge to cry. I’ll just wait until Mr. Laventon comes back — 

From behind her, she heard someone say, “Now who in the world are you?” She looked over her shoulder to see the source of the voice. The boy approaching her wore a dark slate outfit with the Galaxy emblem on the sleeves, and a bright red scarf and hat. He looked just as critical of Airi as everyone else she had seen. His expression just made the anxious pit in Airi’s stomach all the heavier. She carefully scooped Eevee into her arms as she stood back up, finding herself a little taller than the other person — his frown only deepened at that. “I saw you come in with Professor Laventon. What business does the Diamond Clan have with him, anyway?”

“... ‘M not —” 

“Forget that, how in the world is Laventon even alive?” The boy sighed, voice dropping to a mutter, “For being such a scholar, he’s hardly the reliable sort, letting his pokémon run off and vanishing for days. If I wasn’t on bedrest I would’ve gone with him, but apparently he didn’t even give the Security Corps time to follow. Reckless, honestly. He won’t last if he keeps up with that.” 

… Is he just venting? Am I meant to respond..? Airi just stared at the Galaxy Team member, confusion temporarily overriding her anxiety. She still couldn’t find her voice, even if she wanted to respond. She didn’t know what she would’ve said regardless. It kind of just felt like he was rambling — 

“It’s just as Rei says.” Airi watched the boy’s — Rei’s — expression fall to complete and utter shame as he turned behind him to see the source of the voice. Laventon had just come down from Galaxy Hall, stepped besides Rei to join the conversation. 

“P — Professor!” Rei stammered, “I — I’m so sorry, I didn’t —”

“Not to worry, my boy! After all, you were telling the truth — it was rather careless of me to run off. But, no matter! Everything worked itself out with the help of Miss Airi here!” The professor stepped over to Airi with a bright grin, put a hand on her shoulder while he addressed Rei, “She’s agreed to help us with our pokédex!” Airi nodded, tried to smile at the other Galaxy member, but he only glared at them.

“As in, she’s joining the Survey Corps?” Rei’s skepticism showed both in his voice and his glare. With Laventon’s nod, his frown only deepened, “You must be joking. We can’t just let anyone join, much less some anxious little Diamond kid — look at them, they’re shaking like a leaf just ‘cus Beni turned them down. She doesn’t stand a chance in the wild, a pokémon would rip them apart in a heartbeat! She’s not fit for the Survey Corps.”

“I’m allowing it.” Airi could see the woman who had spoken approaching from Galaxy Hall. She was dressed similarly to Rei, minus the red accessories, so they assumed her to be another member of the Galaxy Team. Airi brightened at the sight of Adaman walking next to her. Rei, though, looked borderline desolate at the interruption. He turned to face the woman as her and Adaman joined the group, murmured an apology as he fixed his gaze at his feet. The woman continued without acknowledging him, “Laventon has assured me they are capable enough to contribute, though of course I can hardly take him at his word. I’ll be the judge of her abilities myself.” Her eyes settled on Airi. “I am the Captain of the Survey Corps, you may call me Cyllene. Airi, correct?”

 Airi nodded. She wanted to introduce themself more properly, but her voice failed them when she attempted to speak. Cyllene didn’t seem to care, though her eyes narrowed as she looked Airi up and down. Eventually the Captain asked, “How old are you? I don’t care for the idea of another child joining the Survey Corps.”

“Rei was nearly eighteen when he joined, that’s hardly a child,” Laventon said, “Not to mention it having been a year already — you don’t have to worry about another child.”

The shock of the assumption gave Airi her voice back, protesting, “You don’t have to worry about a child at all, I’m not a kid, I’m fully grown!”

Cyllene just frowned. Giving them another once over before she said, “You’re around sixteen, then? Or seventeen?”

Why does everyone keep assuming I’m so young? “I’m not a teenager!”

“How old are you, then?”

Airi opened her mouth to reply, only to realise she didn’t know the answer. She truly didn’t even remember her own age..? Shame crept its way into her cheeks, burning hot below her skin. All she could do was weakly insist, “I’m not a kid, I’m an adult…” 

“...” Cyllene sighed, said, “Alright, I’ll take you on your word. Regardless, you’re old enough to work your keep, I suppose. Tomorrow, I’ll set up a test to prove your worthiness in joining the Survey Corps.” 

“A most reasonable decision, Captain!” Laventon was beaming — despite the looming uncertain nature of having a trial, he seemed confident. “And Rei? Does this idea soothe your worries at all?” … Rei just looked between the professor and Captain, muttered something under his breath before nodding. “Wonderful!” Laventon chimed, “Simply joyous! Oh, Captain, do you care to join us for a meal? I’m sure you’ve quite a few questions for Miss Airi, correct?”

“That’s quite all right. While I appreciate the offer, I prefer to eat alone. Have a good evening.” With the quick farewell, Cyllenne stepped through the group and entered the Wallflower.

“Aloof as always,” the professor commented with a headshake. “How about you, Clan Leader Adaman? Care to join us?”

“Just Adaman is fine, thank you,” Adaman said — it was only then that Rei seemed to notice him, staring at him in shock while he continued, “I’d love to, but I need to meet up with Mai before it gets too dark.” He turned towards Airi, smiled, said, “No matter what trial they throw at you, I’m sure you’ll ace it.”

His faith in them made it easy for her to beam back. “Right! I’ll do my best.”

“I know you will. I’ll be off now — if, for whatever reason, things don’t work out with the Galaxy Team, we’ll find a home for you back at the settlement. I’ll be back in a couple days to check up on you. Okay?” 

Airi nodded and knelt down to put Eevee down. But… Instead of joining Adaman’s Leafeon at his heel, the Eevee stayed firmly next to her. She stayed knelt down, said, “Come on Eevee, you’ve gotta go back now.” She gently pushed the normal type in Adaman’s direction. It huffed in reply and hopped away from Airi’s hands, walking behind them instead. Still refusing to join Adaman. “Eevee…” 

“... I think Eevee would rather stay with you, Airi.” Airi looked up at Adaman, confused. He just smiled down at her and Eevee, said, “I think I would rather she stayed with you, too. She can look after you, yeah?”

“B — but, but, she’s your partner, I can’t just —” Before Airi could protest any further, Eevee hopped back in front of her and into her arms, forcing them to tumble backwards. Firmly nestling into Airi’s arms, aggressively purring all the while. “But…”

“She’s chosen you.” Adaman knelt in front of them, reached to pet Eevee while he continued, “Don’t worry too much, there are other Eevee in the settlement I can raise. And, well… I’d like you to have her with you, it’ll help me feel better about knowing you’ll be okay.” Again he smiled at them. “Plus, Eevee’s the curious type — she likes exploring and seeing new places. When you join the Survey team, you’ll probably be traveling all around Hisui! I’m sure Eevee would love to go with you.” 

“But… But I…” Her protest trailed off as they realised she didn’t have any argument. She just frowned and looked down at the Eevee. It looked up to her in turn, affection shining in its dark eyes. It stood on its hind legs and planted its front paws on Airi’s chest, nuzzling up against their chin with a content vrrrp! “I…” 

“Seems to me you haven’t a choice, Miss Airi!” Airi looked up again — Laventon had stepped to Adaman’s side, smiled down at her. “Looks like you’ve got a use for that extra pokéball, haven't you?” … Airi only frowned again, looked back at Adaman, but Adaman doesn’t use pokéballs… 

Her worries must’ve been pretty evident, because he just reached to pat the top of Airi’s head, “I don’t mind Airi, truly. Eevee wants to stay with you, and if you trust those capsules, then I don’t mind you using one for her. I mean it. I want you to take her with you.”

“... Okay,” Airi finally agreed in a murmur. She still wasn’t convinced, but… She pulled her hands up to pet Eevee and scratched it behind the ears, earning a pleased mewl from the normal type. Keeping one hand petting the normal type, she moved her other to the pocket where she’d stashed the pokéball Laventon had given her. A bit hard to pull the ball out of her pocket while she was on the ground, but she managed. She pulled out the pokéball, held it up for Eevee. “... Are you sure you —”

Before she could even finish the question, Eevee pressed its head against the pokéball, triggering the latch. The ball absorbed the pokémon within a moment before snapping closed in Airi’s hand. They felt it shake once before it clicked. She held it out further in front of them before the sparks to confirm a capture could fire, let the sparks rain down onto her hands as she stared at the pokéball… Guess I have a partner pokémon now. The thought was enough to get her to smile, just a little, staring at the pokéball while she turned it over in her hand. I’ll have to name her… She looked back at Adaman. “Thank you, I’ll — I’ll take care of her, I promise.”

“I know you will. And she’ll take care of you, too!” Adaman’s smile was even brighter as he stood back to full height. Airi was slower to follow in standing up, just looking back down at the pokéball in her hand. When she did stand up, she flipped the latch on the ball to release Eevee. The pokémon materialized at their side and ran in excited circles around Airi, earning a laugh from Adaman. “Seems someone’s excited! I’ll leave her with you, then.” Airi looked up to meet his eyes — was he talking about Airi or the Eevee? Suppose it doesn’t matter. “Alright, I’m off. Take care of yourself, yeah? Remember what Martia said about not pushing too much. Good luck tomorrow!”

“Okay, I will! Thank you for taking me here!”

“Sure.” He hesitated just another moment before he ruffled Airi’s hair, said, “I’ll see you in a few days.” She smiled with the affection and nodded back. Adaman turned and left with a wave over his shoulder, called as he stepped away, “Thanks again for the offer, Laventon! Have a good evening.”

“To you as well, Adaman!” the professor called back. Airi turned to him — he wore a bright smile as he watched the Diamond Clan leader leave. “Lovely fellow, shame he couldn’t join us. No matter, the three of us will enjoy a meal together, yes?” He stepped towards the Wallflower — Airi was quick to follow, but Rei stayed rooted in place for a long moment, just staring blankly at Airi. Laventon noticed before Airi did, looking over his shoulder towards the other Galaxy member and saying, “Is something the matter, Rei?”

Airi turned her head right as Rei jolted at the professor’s words. He quickly shook his head and darted to join her and the professor at the table outside of the Wallflower, with Rei coming around to sit on the professor’s side, pointedly ignoring Airi. Does he not like me..? It certainly seemed that way, from what he had said to Laventon about her not being capable enough to join the Survey Corps. But it almost seemed like he was nervous around her now, more than annoyed — why, though..? She didn’t say anything, just sat across from the two, Eevee hopping up next to her. A moment later, Beni came out from inside the shop, looked visibly annoyed at the sight of Airi sitting at the table, but when Laventon joyfully ordered potato mochi for three, the man didn’t complain. Just returned inside without another word. 

… Rei was staring at her, Airi noticed. Every time she glanced in his direction, his eyes were glued to her — the way he was staring made their skin crawl. She fixed her eyes down at her hands on the table, a silence settling for a long moment. Airi found it uncomfortable, but she didn’t know about the other two, didn’t look up to read their expressions. Eventually Rei finally spoke up, “So, what’s your deal, exactly? You, like, Diamond Clan royalty, or what?”

“... Huh?” Airi looked back up, confusion washing over her and replacing any of her discomfort. Locking eyes with Rei with a soft frown. “... I’m not in the Diamond Clan —” 

“Oh please, like I’m believing that.” Rei scoffed, gestured at Airi, “I mean, you’re wearing their clothes, and you just waltzed up here with their leader. He even gave you a pokémon. So, again, what’s your deal?” 

Airi’s frown just deepened. She looked down at her side, locking eyes with Eevee. Honestly, it made sense for Rei to think she was in the Diamond Clan, but… Well, no amount of sense would change the fact that it wasn’t true. How in the world did they refute it, though..? Did she say she fell out of the rift..? How believable is that? She truly had no idea — Laventon had been quick to believe it, or at least he hadn’t really questioned it, but he had also seen her fall. Rei probably hadn’t seen what Laventon had: Airi remembered, vaguely, him mentioning being on bedrest during his ramble earlier. She couldn’t imagine falling from the sky to be a particularly common occurrence… But, then, hadn’t Arezu mentioned something about someone from the Pearl Clan..? Still, two people is hardly common. 

Eyes locked with Eevee, she hadn’t realised how long she’d been silent until Laventon finally spoke on her behalf, “She’s telling the truth — in fact, our new friend isn’t from Hisui at all!”

She looked up at Rei to see his reaction to Laventon. He was just staring at the professor, doubt furrowing his brow. “... Okay, where is she from, then?”

“Ah, well…” Laventon trailed off with a hum, like he was considering his words. “Well, you know the hole in the sky above Coronet? The space-time rift?”

“... You’re joking.” 

“It’s the truth! I saw them fall with my own eyes, I’ll have you know.” 

Airi finally spoke up, “It’s true. I, um — the… The Diamond Clan has just been taking care of me, while I recovered and tried to figure out what to do next.” 

Rei was properly frowning now, staring at Airi with critical eyes. Before he could say anything, though, the door to the Wallflower opened. Airi looked to her left as Beni stepped to the table, carefully balancing trays of dishes on his arms, which he set on the table without a word. Laventon thanked the man profusely before he stepped away — not without a lingering stare at Airi, which she noticed but didn’t comment on. Something about the man made them anxious — probably just lingering fear from him turning them away, but… Well. Nothing she could do to stop his suspicions. 

As soon as Beni was gone, Rei resumed his skepticism: “So, okay — this kid just… Fell straight out of the sky? And they didn’t die?” 

“I’m not a kid,” Airi muttered in protest. He just rolled his eyes, didn’t respond back.

“I think by nature of them sharing dinner with us, it should be quite obvious that she’s alive.” There was a hint of a teasing tone in Laventon’s response, one that made Rei huff. “I understand your doubt, but truly, I saw them fall. Come on now — I’m a scientist, after all! My concerns are solely on the facts. And the fact of the matter is Miss Airi has fallen from the rift — and now she’ll be joining us on the pokédex project!” 

“And you know she’s qualified because..?”

“I caught all of his pokémon.” Airi’s tone was firm, more confident than she actually felt. She was sick of Rei talking like they weren’t even there, asking questions about her to Laventon. Talking around her, almost. “And I already know about pokéballs and the pokédex. I even knew all about his pokémon, even though they’re not from Hisui.” 

“All true!” Laventon chimed. Rei only huffed again, prompting the professor to say, “Come now, my boy — you know full well our work is more than cut out for us. Another pair of hands would be a true blessing at the moment, especially when those hands belong to someone as capable as Miss Airi. She was able to catch three pokémon, and in quite short order! No one else in the Galaxy Team is capable of such a feat.” 

Airi frowned with the comment, thought, that’s not that impressive, is it? Rei’s jaw practically dropped right off, though… He stared blankly at the professor, dumbfounded. “ Three?! Back to back?” When the professor nodded, he turned back to Airi, shock overriding whatever contempt he held towards her before. “... Alright, fine, maybe you have a point. We struggle enough to catch one…” 

She tried a smile, now that Rei seemed a little less critical. “Well, to be fair, the professor’s pokémon were all pretty tame. Wild pokémon are obviously a lot more wary of people, but it shouldn’t make too much of a difference, if you know what you’re doing.” The lack of apparent catching skill in the Survey Corps got her curious, and she turned towards Laventon to ask, “How much work have you gotten on the pokédex so far?”

“Ah, well…” Laventon trailed off, avoiding Airi’s eyes — sheepish, almost. “... Truthfully, we’ve made little progress. The Survey Corps is the smallest division by far, and we simply don’t have the resources nor manpower to dedicate to the pokédex — we’ve been focusing on making detailed maps of Hisui and recording potential hazards, as that’s of far more use to the people of Jubilife and further development of the region.”

Airi mused over the answer with a hum, “Makes sense. Could I see your maps later? I want to see what kind of environment Hisui is, what kind of ecosystems are around. Should help me baseline roundabouts how many pokémons’ll be around.”

“Of course! As soon as you’re a formal member of the Galaxy Team, I’ll show you all of our progress thus far.” Laventon smiled at them, bright and confident. “Now, let’s eat, before Beni’s splendid cooking goes cold!”

Conversation was a lot more sparse after that, though Airi did hear Rei mutter about how the plural of pokémon was still pokémon, correcting her on her saying pokémons. She just rolled her eyes and didn’t offer a response. More focused on dinner — she didn’t think they’d ever had potato mochi before, but it was as delicious as Laventon praised. Much as Beni made them anxious, she couldn’t deny his culinary abilities. Even the side dishes were incredible. Her hands trembled just enough to struggle with chopsticks, though — she caught Rei’s snicker as they repeatedly dropped her mochi, but Laventon was empathetic. Apparently he was from a region that didn’t really use chopsticks. That got the dinner conversation towards origins, and Airi had to quietly admit she had no idea what region they were from. Not Hisui. That’s all they knew. Rei seemed skeptical of that, and of her amnesia as a whole, but Laventon shushed him before he could say anything too rude.

Overall, despite Rei’s clear dislike of Airi, she had a nice time chatting with him and Laventon. Most of the discussion was with Laventon, of course — Rei continued to talk around Airi instead of to them, but she took to just ignoring him altogether. By the time everyone finished their food, the sun had long set. The bright moon and stars overhead prevented it from being too dark, casting Jubilife in soft silver. Airi found herself enchanted by the sky as Laventon chatted with Beni as the man took their dishes. She didn’t even realise she’d zoned out, really, eyes fixed at the stars. There were so many… 

She only came back to awareness when she became aware of Laventon and Rei standing up. She was quick to follow their lead as they stepped away from the Wallflower, finally tuning back into Laventon’s words as he said, “Beni is truly a splendid cook. And to think, Airi, after you pass your trial, you can indulge in his culinary delights whenever you’d like! The Galaxy Team provides for all of its members' needs.” 

“... That’s great and all, but… You do remember she has to actually pass the trial, right?” Rei crossed his arms as he continued, “She’s not a member yet.” 

“Not to worry, I have complete faith in Miss Airi’s abilities!” 

Airi noticed Cyllene walking to join the group a moment before she joined the conversation, “Let’s hope your confidence is not misplaced.” Laventon only smiled at the woman, bright and confident, while she turned towards Airi. “For tonight, at least, we will provide you a place to sleep.” Cyllene pointed down the street towards a line of buildings adjacent to Galaxy Hall, “I’ll have Rei show you to an empty quarters. If you pass your trial tomorrow, you may continue to live there, however, should you fail… You will be expelled from Jubilife. We do not have room for people unable to contribute.” 

… Harsh. Despite being confident in their abilities and knowing they would have a place in Diamond Clan if things didn’t work out, the Captain’s words weighed heavy on Airi. And yet… She looked towards Cyllene, hoping she looked as determined as she wanted to be, “I’ll do my best.”

Cyllene looked them up and down. Airi couldn’t quite tell, but they thought they might’ve caught the barest hint of a smile on the woman’s face, the slightest upcurl of her lips. “I will look forward to it. Until then, goodnight, rest well.” The woman nodded towards Rei and Laventon before walking back towards Galaxy Hall. 

Airi heard Rei sigh behind them. “Captain Cyllene can be pretty harsh sometimes, huh?”

She almost protested that Cyllene just seemed practical rather than harsh, but before she could, Laventon responded with, “I don’t think so! She certainly has a stern side, but I believe she’s just working to keep us all safe.” Airi turned towards the professor, met his smile. “Much as I’d love to continue chatting with you, I suppose I ought to let you get some sleep before tomorrow, yes?” They smiled back, nodded with an affirmative hum. “Rei, may I ask you to escort Airi to their quarters for the night?”

“... Sure. Cyllene said to, so…” 

“Wonderful! Thank you kindly, my boy!” The professor clapped his hand on Rei’s shoulder, said, “I’ll be turning in, then! You two sleep well, yes?” With both Rei and Airi’s nod, the professor separated from the group and headed towards Galaxy Hall. 

As soon as the two were alone, Rei sighed again. When Airi turned her head to look at him, he wasn’t looking at Airi at all. Instead his gaze was pointed beyond the Galaxy Hall, towards Mount Coronet. Airi followed his eyes, joined Rei in staring at the rift in space-time, silent. That familiar dread building in her gut as she stared at the hole in the sky. Eventually Rei broke the odd silence, said, “Did you really fall from that?”

“... Yeah.” 

“...” Another sigh from the Galaxy Member. “Let’s go.” She nodded, followed Rei as he stepped down the road, eyes falling to her feet. 

Not a long walk — apparently the empty living quarters were the ones closest to the Galaxy Hall. Rei stopped in front of the door, wished her a quick goodnight and left abruptly, rushing to the quarters adjacent to hers and practically slamming his door shut in his haste. Airi didn’t really mind. She really didn’t have it in them to talk anymore today — too much had happened, too much had changed. She breathed a heavy sigh of their own before they slid the door to their quarters open, letting Eevee dart in ahead of them before stepping in herself. 

The building opened into a sandy entrance area. Eevee took to rolling in the sand while Airi pulled off her boots, humming to themself while they looked around. There was a large, heavy chest in the entrance area for storing things. Once her shoes were off she looked inside — empty, though. Guess if I end up living here, I can use that. She stepped up onto the wooden floor past the entrance area — a sunken hearth sat in the middle of the room, with a rack hanging above it to allow things to dry. There were shelves on the wall adjacent to the entrance with dining and cooking ware, mounted above a wash basin, small table, and large jug of drinking water. Behind her, across from the entrance and behind the hearth, there was a solid wooden dresser — empty. She rummaged around for a short while, just trying to get a feel of her surroundings, before coming to the last area of the building. 

Bedroom area, seemed like. The sliding door separating it from the rest of the building was wide open for Airi to wander in. There were tatami floors and a futon folded up by the wall, next to a full length mirror and underneath a framed wall scroll. That caught Airi’s eye first. She stepped to the scroll to examine it: Our Five Principles, it read. Of the Galaxy Team, they imagined? Maybe these acted like rules? She read over them with that assumption. One and two, ‘Behave with courtesy to others’ and ‘Superiors are owed your respect’ both felt like common sense to Airi. The third principal gave Airi pause: ‘Likes and dislikes are a luxury ill afforded.’ That seemed… Harsh, almost. They didn’t know. The final two rules again seemed like common sense: four read ‘Those who are weaker must be helped,’ and the final principle was ‘Difficulties must be faced head on.’ Airi spent another long moment re-reading the principles, committing them to her memory. Finally she stepped away from the scroll and focused their attention elsewhere, at the mirror in the corner of the room. 

… It was really their first time seeing her full reflection in Hisui. She’d seen her reflection when Arezu was doing their hair, but she’d made it a point to avoid looking at their face, and she hadn’t been able to see their body. Seeing their reflection in the mirror felt… Strange. Bad. Even in the bulky clothes of the Diamond Clan, she still looked pathetically small — she wasn’t short, taller than the mirror, at least, but every other aspect of them just seemed tiny. Her shoulders, her arms… She spent a while staring at their own hands, small and shaking at their sides, before their eyes drifted up towards their face. She locked eyes with herself in the mirror, zoning out in the deep blue of their own eyes. Strange. Bad. Wrong. She frowned, grabbed either side of the mirror and turned it towards the wall. She didn’t want to look at themself anymore. Better to avoid the mirror altogether. Instead she focused her attention on the back wall — there were cabinets framing either side, and a shelf under the window. All of the cabinets and drawers were empty, of course. Their hands trembled as they closed the last drawer… 

A whine behind them dragged their attention back and forced them to turn away from the back wall. Eevee pawed at the futon by the wall, trying to unroll it. When it failed, it turned its head back to Airi, ears drooping. They chuckled as they stepped to the pokémon’s side and grabbed the futon. She didn’t say anything as they pulled it to the center of the room and unfolded it. As soon as the futon was set up, Eevee hopped onto it and crawled under the duvet. 

“Tired, huh..?” Airi mused, though their own voice was hardly audible under her exhaustion. Eevee responded with a quiet whine. It poked its head out from the duvet, looked up at Airi. It tipped its head to the side a bit, like asking something. “... Just a sec’,” Airi murmured, rummaged through their pockets for a moment. Their comb and Eevee’s pokéball they set on the shelf under the window, but their stone and Arc Phone they kept with her as she laid down in the futon. She placed the Arc Phone at the side of their bedding before she turned onto her side, back to the window, held their stone in their hands and turned it over as she settled. Eevee was quick to curl up at their side, nuzzling under their arms and against their chest, purring happily. 

“... We’ll be okay, right?”

“Vee!” 

Airi hummed back, set her stone down in front of them before looping their arms around Eevee, hugging the pokémon close. “I think so, too.” She hoped so, anyway. She wanted to be okay in Jubilife — in Hisui as a whole, really. Despite how… Cold, some of the people she’d met had acted, she was still excited to get exploring. Just have to get through tomorrow. And then after tomorrow, she’d just have to get through the next day, and then the day after that. One day at a time. For now, she had completed one more day — exhaustion settling into them as she held Eevee close. Soothed by the normal type’s purring and lulled by their own fatigue, they drifted to sleep. One day at a time… 

♪ Floating, tired and lonesome like I promised to be 

Lost out at sea ♪

Chapter Text

Airi only barely managed to sleep through the night in the Galaxy Team living quarters — nightmares ensured she was up nearly every hour, but she was so fatigued from the trip from the Diamond Settlement that she was quick to fall back asleep each time. Still… Waking up so often, tears in their eyes — it was draining. Almost, almost enough to make them give up entirely. The Eevee snuggled up near their chest made them resistant to actually getting up, though. That was really the only thing encouraging them to return to sleep each time they woke up. 

By the time morning came around, she barely felt any more rested than she had the night before. Not exactly the best set up for whatever trial they’re about to give me, they thought, rolling onto their back with a frustrated sigh. They fixed their eyes on the wooden ceiling above them, tracing patterns in the wood grain out with their eyes. The pale morning light fading in through the windows of the building served as their only sign of time passing. What time am I meant to get up..? Laventon and Cyllene hadn’t mentioned when her day would begin. The thought was enough to get them to frown, what if I’m running late? She sat upright and grabbed the Arc Phone from their side — no clock, though, just a little display in the top corner of their map showing the weather. She hadn’t had a chance to check the map since arriving in Jubilife — to their surprise, there was a… Marker, of some sort, above what she could easily tell was the Galaxy Hall. Was it trying to tell her where to go? 

… Well, guess we’ll find out. She put their phone back at her side and stretched her arms over their head with a quiet groan. At their side, Eevee whined as it started stirring. Must’ve noticed I got up. They put their arms down and brought one to Eevee, petting the fluffy brown pokémon to soothe it while it woke up. She didn’t say anything, though — not even thinking, just zoning out. They felt so tired… They weren’t going to let a little grogginess spoil their day, though. Today was far too important. After another minute of petting Eevee, they got out of their futon and stood up, leaning on the wall in anticipation of the wave of dizziness that hit. Even then she stumbled a little. Was she worse than yesterday..? That was annoying. Maybe just because I’m sleepy, they reasoned — she’d probably be fine after some time to fully wake up. Surely, right? 

The dizziness wasn’t severe, thankfully. Just enough to make them a little unsteady for a moment. When it passed, she stretched their back out with a hum and stepped towards the window. She grabbed their comb off the shelf under the window before sliding it open a crack, welcoming in more of the light and crisp morning air. Even though it was a little chilly, the fresh air was welcomed. She sat at the base of the window while they combed her hair out to put back up, humming a little as she did. When their hair was sorted, she forced Eevee out of the futon so she could fold it back up. Instead of putting it back against the wall where she’d found it, she elected to place it in one of the cabinets built into the wall framing the window — considering she had the window cracked, she’d hate for it to get dusty. The simplicity of the morning routine was enough to dispel any of their lingering exhaustion. They actually felt well, and this time, she knew it for certain. Well enough to feel genuine excitement for the day ahead of them, even considering the looming uncertainty of their task. 

Just as she had the thought to maybe head to Galaxy Hall to see if Cyllene was ready for them, they glanced at the door of their lodgings, only a moment before a knock sounded through the building. She brightened as Rei’s voice called out, “Hey, wake up, time to work!” 

“Coming!” she called back. Eevee scrambled to their side as soon as it realised what was happening: it was time for their day to really begin! Airi grabbed their phone and gemstone, shoving both in their pants pockets. She grabbed Eevee’s pokéball from the shelf below the window and knelt down next to Eevee, promising, “I’ll send you out later, okay? I want to make a good impression on Cyllene!” Eevee nodded and pressed against Airi’s hand for pets, purring against her right up until Airi returned it to its ball. She put the pokéball in her pocket and then rushed to the entrance area and pulled their boots on as fast as she physically could, excitement and nerves combining enough to make their hands tremble. I wonder what my trial will be? Maybe she had to battle someone? Or battle another pokémon. Oh, or maybe she had to catch something specific? That would make sense, considering the purpose of the Survey Corps! I’ll find out soon. Shoes on, she came to the door and stepped out of the building.

Rei was standing a bit away from the quarters. He turned to face Airi as she darted over to him, said, “Took you long enough.” She resisted the urge to roll their eyes as Rei looked over them. “… You sleep okay?” 

… They blinked back at him, confused. They hadn’t, of course, but she didn’t think it would be obvious. Then again, it’s not like they checked. They probably had dark circles or something. She felt fine, though! So she nodded and tried a small smile, in hopes of coming off reassuring. “Mhm, I’m fine!”

“… Alright, whatever. Let’s not keep Cyllene waiting, then.” When Airi nodded back, Rei turned and started walking towards Galaxy Hall. Airi stayed only a step behind him. She took the brief walk from the quarters as a chance to see Jubilife in proper daylight. They wanted to explore the village more, maybe even talk to people, but she had to stay focused. At least this time. Next time, she’d wander around.

She followed Rei up the stone steps leading to the entrance of Galaxy Hall, letting him hold the door open for her — an action they found uncharacteristically polite, but she didn’t comment on it. The building opened into a wide, circular foyer with red flooring and the Galaxy emblem in the center. There were stairways to their left and right, and halls leading down to either wing of the building. Rei stepped in after them, closing the door behind him while he spoke, “Welcome to Galaxy Hall! What d’ya think? Pretty cool, right?” He walked in front of them and turned to face her with a grin, said, “I bet wherever you’re from didn’t have anything nearly this grand!” 

Airi’s response that she wouldn’t remember either way didn’t have the chance to leave her mouth before a scream rang through the building — Rei and Airi both flinched at the noise. Instinct had Airi cringe and cover their ears with her hands. Mercifully, this blocked the powerful shout that followed the scream — a different voice, maybe, a woman barking a command. If there were words in the order, Airi was deaf to them. The final muffled sound to reach Airi was that of a door slamming shut to their right — she could feel the reverberations through the floor. What just happened..? 

They exchanged a wide-eyed stare with Rei, her own worry reflected on his face. Silence fell between them. Only when it loitered long enough to assure Airi that no loud noises would follow did she slowly lower their hands. They cleared their throat, tried to speak, tried to ask what had happened, but —... No sound. Their voice failed with a barely-perceptible whimper. Too loud… 

The silence between Rei and Airi quickly grew awkward — Airi’s inability to form a reply worsened it. Rei shifted his weight between his feet while Airi brought their hands together, scratching at her palms, anxious and uncomfortable. The few moments before Rei finally spoke up felt more like hours, agonizing and tense right up until he cleared his throat. “I, uh… That — that was from the infirmary. It’s… It’s dangerous out there, you know?” His eyes went past Airi to the right wing of Galaxy Hall, frowning. “Pokémon are terrifying things. People get hurt a lot. Even… Even with a partner of your own, going out is always a risk. Keep that in mind, yeah?” 

… Dangerous. Someone had gotten hurt? Hurt to that extent..? A lump in Airi’s throat prevented their reply — all they could do was nod to acknowledge Rei, eyes fixed down at their hands, nails digging into their palms. Dangerous. 

They could feel Rei’s eyes linger on them for another moment, felt it stretch on and on into what felt like infinity. She didn’t dare look up to catch his eye, dreaded any possibility of eye contact. He sighed. His hand entered Airi’s field of view to grab one of her hands, pulling her toward a set of double doors directly ahead of the entrance. “Come on. Lighten up — I’ll be with you the whole time. You won’t get hurt that bad unless you’re reckless or stupid.”  

Airi finally mustered up their voice enough to reply — all she managed was a weak “‘Kay…”

He dropped their hand in favor of knocking on the heavy wood doors. He pushed them open without any response, called, “Captain Cyllene, I’ve brought Airi!” 

“You may enter.” Airi recognized Cyllene’s voice as she answered. Rei stepped into the office, again holding the door for Airi — only then did they realise he was probably just trying to look good in front of the captain rather than actually be polite. She walked in after him, looking around and staying at Rei’s side as they came to a stop in front of Cyllene’s desk. Her office was certainly… Busy. Her desk was absolutely covered in books, papers, files — even more were scattered in piles all throughout the room. There were tables on either side of the room with printing supplies and papers hanging up to let the ink cure, and glass-faced cabinets of books and files. An Abra floated in the corner of the room, idle and pleased. Behind Cyllene’s desk was a map of Jubilife village, and underneath a window to the right was a chalkboard of notes. There were doors on either side of the room, both closed at the moment, preventing Airi from peeking into the adjacent rooms. 

Cyllene put down a stack of files she’d been browsing onto her desk before standing. She rounded in front of her desk to address Airi, saying, “Let’s get straight to the point.” She stopped in front of them and crossed her arms behind her back. “If you wish to prove yourself capable of joining the Galaxy Expedition Team, then you are to travel to the Obsidian Fieldlands and capture pokémon of three different species: Bidoof, Starly, and Shinx.”

Airi nodded along. Brightening just the slightest degree at the mention of the last pokémon, Shinx. Something about hearing that pokémon’s name excited them somehow — she was happy it was present. Beyond that odd excitement, they were relieved about the extent of their trial. Bidoof, Starly, and Shinx were all typically low-level pokémon, and all relatively common in the… What region..? It felt like the name was on the tip of their tongue, so close to remembering something. In the Hisui region, they supposed, though their mind still nagged at them. Not the word she was looking for. Regardless, it shouldn’t be too hard to catch all three. She’d actually seen plenty of Starly and Bidoof on the walk from the Mirelands. 

Airi’s perception of difficulty levels must’ve been unique to them, because at her side, Rei stammered, “Three species? Right away?! None of us have ever managed that, don’t you think that’s —”

“Did she not accomplish this very feat only yesterday?” Rei went quiet with Cyllene’s interruption. When Airi glanced at her side, he was frowning. “My trial is perfectly reasonable for them, considering what the professor told me of their abilities. So long as he wasn’t exaggerating, this should prove quite simple.” Cyllene turned her head towards Airi, staring down at them with critical eyes, “The Galaxy Team does not have the means to provide for those who only take without giving. If you truly wish to join us, you must prove beyond any doubt that you will be an asset, not a hindrance.”

Airi was beginning to understand why Rei had called Cyllene harsh the night before. Still, she found logic in the woman’s words: if Airi weren’t cut out for the Survey Corps, not only would she hinder their work, but she’d probably put herself or others in danger. Based on what she’d overheard from the infirmary… Well. It was good for the captain to be so cautious. “I understand. I’ll do my best.”

“Good.” Cyllene stepped back around her desk, where she took to searching through the drawers on either leg. “I will lend you a satchel to carry whatever you may need while in the wilds,” she said, pulling a small yellow bag and matching belt out of the drawer. She closed it and walked back in front of Airi, holding the objects out for them to take. They accepted the satchel, studying the bag for a moment — the Galaxy Team logo was pressed into the flap of the bag. Copying how Rei wore his, they took a moment to tie the belt around the narrowest section of their waist and secured the satchel on their back. While she did, Cyllene addressed Rei directly, “Rei, I’m trusting you to step in if anything goes awry.” 

“Yes ma’am.” Rei bowed in respect to the captain, with Airi quick to mirror him — she didn’t want to come off rude. He straightened, turned to Airi, said, “Come on, let’s —” 

“Pardon a second, you two!” Both Airi and Rei turned towards the voice — Laventon was hovering near the entryway on the left side of Cyllene’s office. He smiled at the two of them and said, “Come with me a moment, if you don’t mind!” Airi glanced at Rei, who simply shrugged his shoulders as Laventon crossed through Cyllene’s office and out the front door. Rei followed the professor with Airi only a step behind him. 

As the three came into the entrance area, Rei questioned, “What did you need, Professor?” He folded his arms with a frown. “We’re kind of on a time crunch.”

“Cyllene didn’t give Airi any time restrictions. You’re simply impatient, my boy!” Rei grumbled something to that while Laventon continued, “In order to complete our pokédex, I consider it a necessity that Airi pass this trial. While I’ve no doubts she’ll be more than able to succeed, I have something of an ace up my sleeve!” He fumbled in his lab coat’s pockets for a moment, pulling out three familiar-looking pokéballs. Wait, don’t tell me — 

Before Airi could even finish the thought, he opened all three capsules, releasing the starter pokémon Airi had helped him catch into the foyer. They stood proudly in front of him for a moment before noticing Airi and rushing to her feet. Oshawott remained as demanding as ever, the blue otter pokémon slamming its head against Airi’s legs, desperate for attention. Rowlet and Cyndaquil were just as needy, just not as demanding about it, pressing against her legs and staring up at them.

As they knelt down to give the three starter pokémon their desired attention, Laventon said, “I want you to have one of these pokémon. It should give you a real edge on your trial! You can pick whichever one strikes your fancy — all three are rather fond of you, so I’m sure they’ll be happy no matter which you pick.” Airi looked up at Laventon, mouth agape in shock. He chuckled, said, “Not to worry, Airi. These pokémon are very dear to me, but it’s plain to see how curious they are of you. What, with forcing me all the way out into the Mirelands just to track you down and what-not!” 

“… But… I — I already have a pokémon, I don’t —” 

“Yeah, she already has a partner! She doesn’t need another,” Rei cut in, not even letting Airi finish their protest. “You never gave me any pokémon, and I’ve been in the Survey Corps for as long as you have! I’ve managed just fine with Pikachu. They’ve got their royal Diamond Clan Eevee or whatever, they don’t need one of yours.” 

“I never said they needed another pokémon.” Laventon knelt down in front of Airi — she’d stopped petting the pokémon in their surprise, so Oshawott waddled to the professor for more attention. He smiled as he pet the water type, continuing, “Only that I’d like them to have one. Even if they already have a pokémon, having another can’t hurt, yes?” He looked up, locking eyes with Airi and smiling. “So, which would you like to keep as your own? You’re already more than familiar with all three, yes?” 

She hummed to acknowledge him, looking back down at the remaining two starters by their side. Cyndaquil nuzzled against their leg, whining for their attention. The orange spots on its back that would normally produce flames were inactive, showing Airi that the pokémon was completely at ease. She brought a hand to scratch the underside of its snout while her gaze drifted to the other pokémon — Rowlet. The familiar bird pokémon turned its head to the side as it looked up at Airi, curious. Was it waiting for her decision? She locked eyes with the owl pokémon. Looking at the round beige grass-type, Airi felt what was almost recognition. Cyndaquil was sweet, yes, but… But Rowlet was familiar. Maybe she’d had one before, too..? She didn’t know. Regardless, her choice was made: “May I keep Rowlet?” 

“I had a feeling you’d pick that one!” Laventon chuckled to himself as he stood up, scooping the needy Oshawott into his arms as he did. In front of Airi, Rowlet chirped happily and hopped closer to her, spreading its wings as it did to reveal green inner feathers. Airi smiled and stopped petting Cyndaquil so she could instead lift the excited owl into her arms, mirroring the professor in standing up. “That was the first one you caught, after all! I thought you might be fond of it.” He supported Oshawott’s weight in one arm and used his free hand to pull Rowlet’s pokéball back out from his pockets, holding it out for Airi. 

“Yeah, it’s —...” Did she admit she found the Rowlet familiar? It wasn’t really enough to count on. Her finding the owl pokémon familiar felt in the same vein as them finding the name of Jubilife familiar — too vague, too conceptual, not anything helpful. “… Just feels right,” she landed on. She wrapped one arm around Rowlet to hold it close to their center and free up their other arm, accepting the offered pokéball as soon as she did. 

At their side, she heard Rei mutter, “This is ridiculous. She doesn’t need another pokémon.” … Was he pouting? It certainly sounded like it. She turned her head towards the Survey Corps member, but he was pointedly looking away from them, arms crossed in front of his chest. He really was pouting. Jealous, maybe..? Maybe I should’ve protested more, she hadn’t meant to upset him… 

Laventon must’ve reached a similar conclusion, because after a long moment, he sighed. “Would you like a pokémon as well, Rei?” The young man perked up in an instant, looking over at Laventon with wide, hopeful eyes. “You’re right, I suppose it is a little unfair for Airi to get a new pokémon when you never got the same treatment. Much as it pains me to let another darling of mine go, I know you’ll take care of them, yes?” Laventon smiled, said, “You’re welcome to pick as well.”

“Really?!” Rei beamed, an excited hop in place as he thanked the professor profusely, “Thank you, I’ll take good care of it, I promise!” He knelt down on the ground, holding his hand out for the pokémon remaining on the foyer ground — Cyndaquil turned towards him, curious. It sniffed at his hand before nuzzling his hand. “I’ll take this one, then! Cyndaquil, right?” 

“Indeed!” Laventon held a pokéball out for Rei. He accepted, flipping the latch to return the Cyndaquil a moment later — not wanting to spend time with his new pokémon right now as much as Airi did, she supposed. “Oshawott will be my little assistant, then! It seems the most attached to me anyhow. I suppose life has a way of working out like that, yes?” The water type in his arm made a pleased squeak and nuzzled against him.

Airi neglected to remind him that Oshawott was not only the neediest of the three, but also the most mischievous, based on their experience with it the day before. It did seem happy in the professor’s arms. That’s all that mattered, she supposed. She smiled back with a nod, looking down at the Rowlet in their arms. What do I name her… Archer, maybe? Since it evolved into Decidueye? No, too on the nose… She still hadn’t even come up with a good name for Eevee, and now she had another pokémon to name! They were never good at this… 

“With that settled, onto business,” Laventon began, pulling both Rei and Airi’s attention back to the professor. “Cyllene has tasked you with catching three pokémon, correct? Bidoof, Starly, and Shinx?” At Airi’s nod, he continued, “Smashing! All three of those species can be found quite handily in the Obsidian Fieldlands. You remember the Fieldlands from our little trek yesterday, I hope? Should be quite familiar to you! Not to mention that you’ll have Rei to guide you.” Rei hummed in confirmation, but he was so absorbed in the pokéball he was holding, Airi wondered if he was even paying attention. “Ah, but you haven’t any empty pokéballs left… Wait here just a moment, I’ll fetch you some! Can’t very well go catching pokémon without pokéballs.” 

“Okay!” She was glad the professor brought it up, she had nearly forgotten to ask. Laventon was quick down the left hall, entering the door just after Cyllene’s. That room must be his office. Considering it was connected to Cyllene’s, that made the most sense to her. Oh, or maybe even a lab? He was a professor, after all. She’d probably find out later.

“Hey newbie, let me show you something,” Rei said, pulling them out of their thoughts. She didn’t have the time to find the word newbie annoying, because when she turned to Rei, he was holding up his Cyndaquil’s pokéball and some thick red string. “If you want your pokéballs to be easier to grab, you might want to string them on your belt.” Under his breath, he muttered about how he should have done this before while he released the Cyndaquil again. The fire-type sat confused at his side while Rei explained, “When a pokéball is empty, you can loop a string in the hole at the top like this.” He shuffled closer to Airi and showed her the inside of the top lid of the ball. He looped the string onto itself to double the width before threading the loose ends into the ball, where he tied a thick, double knot. When he tugged at the top loop, it didn’t budge. “Easy as. You can just tie a thick knot at the top to keep it on your belt, or do somethin’ more fancy, so long as it’s still easy to remove.”

“Oh, neat! Thank you for showing me!” Airi smiled at Rei as he returned his Cyndaquil again — he didn’t return the smile, but he did nod back . Airi knelt down to place Rowlet on the ground, flipping open its pokéball to study the inside. Would it be rude to ask for string..? She wanted to loop Rowlet’s ball to their belt — Eevee’s, too! She glanced at Rei, hoping they didn’t look expecting. He must’ve predicted she would want some, because he held a few cords out for them to take. “Thank you so much! I’ll pay you back sometime,” she said, taking the string from him.

“Nah, don’t worry about it, it’s just string. You can get your own later, just thought you’d like some for now.” Airi nodded back, smiling to herself as she looked down at Rowlet’s pokéball to repeat the process Rei had shown her. Maybe he doesn’t hate me. She didn’t think he liked them yet, but he wasn’t actually being mean — he was being nice, if anything. He didn’t have to show them how to string up their pokéballs, but he did. Even if he was a little patronizing about it, it was still a nice gesture. Maybe they could be friends after a while..? Optimistic, isn’t it? She wasn’t even in the Survey Corps yet, and here they were thinking about befriending her potential coworker. It’d just be nice to have friends in Jubilife, she thought. 

Laventon rejoined the two of them just as Airi finished tying the string and returning their Rowlet to the ball. He smiled at her, bright as he handed Airi a small cloth sack that rattled when he moved it. “Here you are! Had to scrounge a little, but hopefully this’ll be enough for now. You’ve a solid aim, so you likely won’t need nearly this many, but… Well, better safe than sorry!” Airi nodded, accepting the pouch of pokéballs. A glance inside showed at least a dozen capsules, maybe closer to two. Perfect! Unless their luck was utterly atrocious, that should have been more than enough. She tucked the empty pokéballs into her satchel. Laventon beamed at her, said, “You’ll have this trial cleared in no time, I’m certain!” Airi smiled back with a firm nod. She was feeling more and more confident by the moment, despite their earlier anxiety when they entered the Galaxy Hall. Having the professor’s support just made them even more certain: she could do this. 

“Let’s be off, then!” Rei said. He smiled at Airi, the first time she could recall him doing so, said, “I’ll meet you at the gate to show you to the Fieldlands. Don’t be long!” When Airi nodded, he left the Galaxy Hall without another word, a visible skip to his step. 

“If I had known giving him a pokémon would make him so much more agreeable, I would’ve offered him one ages ago,” Laventon commented with a chuckle. “He’d never admit it, but he’s probably excited to have someone new in the Survey Corps to show the ropes. I know you’re something of a prodigy, but, well… Humor him a little, will you?” Airi hummed in agreement, looking over Rowlet’s pokéball, teasing the string between their fingers. Show me the ropes, huh? It made sense. Maybe that was the reason for his change in attitude — he’d realised he could be something of a mentor. She could probably humor that a little, or at least try to. “Well, I won’t keep you. Good luck out there!”

“Mhm, thank you! I’ll do my best!” they chimed back. Laventon smiled and nodded before he turned and went back to his office-and-or-lab. Airi took a moment to fasten their pokéball onto their belt before she left Galaxy Hall. Since she had doubled the string before tying it, it made it easy to loop onto their belt, though she went about it differently than Rei had: she threaded the strings underneath their belt and around it, then threading it through itself. Tugging at the loose end of the string tightened the loop so that the ball was close enough to their belt not to really move, but tugging at the ball would easily release the loop. Perfect. Rei had just tied a thick knot on the other end of the string to keep it from sliding off his belt and called it done, but Airi didn’t want the ball to be hanging so loose, especially if she had more than one. 

… Oh, right, Eevee’s ball! Hopefully Rei didn’t mind her taking another moment. She pulled Eevee’s ball out of her pocket, flipping the latch to release the fluffy brown pokémon. It looked up at her with bright, excited eyes before running in circles around the foyer. Airi giggled, said in a quiet voice, “Take it easy, okay? We’re not outside yet, I just wanna do something with your ball real quick.” Eevee stopped running just long enough to yip back before returning to zooming around Airi. They didn’t stop it, just hummed to themself as they tied the other string Rei had given them to Eevee’s ball. She’d introduce the two pokémon more formally another time. As soon as the string was tied, she returned Eevee (not without petting the pokémon a little bit, of course) and looped its pokéball next to Rowlet’s. When she took an experimental step, the capsules didn’t clack together in any way, snug against their side. Perfect! 

She had the brief thought to loop their stone to their belt as well, so it’d be in sight, but… Her stone was heavier than a pokéball. She’d have to tie a pretty tight knot to keep it in place on her belt, and she’d probably need multiple strands of string to prevent fraying. String would wear down pretty fast if she had to keep tying and untying a knot every day. Something like fabric would probably be better for that, wouldn’t it? It could wait — she was fine with the stone in their pocket. She would just like to be able to see it, that was all… Likes and dislikes are a luxury ill afforded, the words from the framed scroll in their quarters reminded them. It could wait, she supposed. 

Pokéballs secured, she stepped out of Galaxy Hall and raced down the front steps, turning left as soon as she was down. Excitement had her all-but sprinting down the main street towards the gate of the village. She spotted Rei as she ran up to the gate — he was talking to another man, a much taller blond dressed in blue and yellow. She’d seen people in those clothes in the Diamond Settlement, hadn’t they? Traders, right? He boasted a large bag as well, and a white apron donning a yellow emblem. The man turned as Airi approached, looking down at them. “Oh — you must be the talk of the town, then!” 

Airi stopped in her tracks as she locked eyes with the man. He truly towered over them, probably nearly a foot taller, but that wasn’t what caught them off guard. He seemed… Familiar? Almost. Almost familiar, that same vague sense of not-quite-knowing she had gotten about Jubilife. She didn’t recognize him, not really, just… She didn’t know. His blond hair was parted to completely cover his left eye, and it was tied into a low bun underneath his hat, which was blue except for the front and brim being yellow. His uncovered eye was a striking silver set on a narrow face. Beyond his odd familiarity, something about locking eyes with him made them… Anxious, maybe? An odd pit in their stomach, their fear enough to make them tense. 

Before she could speak in any way, before they could even think to ask the man if she knew him somehow, he took a step towards her and extended his hand in greeting. Flashing what she could only describe as a salesman’s smile, he introduced himself, “I’m Volo, a merchant of the Ginkgo Guild! I’ve heard much of you — fell from the sky, didn’t you?” Airi looked between his face and his hand for an awkward moment, nerves slowing their reaction time. She nodded as she took his hand — his hands absolutely dwarfed hers, only worsening their anxiety. “Now that’s quite the tale! You’ll have to tell me about it sometime.”

“Mhm,” Airi managed a weak hum back, confusion mixing with their nerves. “Oh, um — my name is Airi, it’s… It’s nice to meet you.” The fact that Volo was introducing himself must’ve meant he didn’t know Airi. Whatever vague resemblance she found in him must’ve been a fluke, then — the same situation with Jubilife and Rowlet, she supposed. Their anxiety was more easily explained: she just wasn’t really used to meeting new people yet, she reasoned. It made sense for them to be a little nervous. Volo seemed nice enough, at least, though she wouldn’t meet his eyes anymore.

“The pleasure is all mine, Miss Airi!” He let go of their hand, looking over them. His eye went straight to the pokéballs on their belt. “Oh, you’ve got a pokémon — two, even! How wonderful. You’re certainly full of surprises, aren’t you?” … Was it that unusual? She nodded. Volo grinned again — maybe Airi was reading too much into things, but it seemed a little more genuine. “I’ve got an idea! How about you and I have our pokémon battle?”

She brightened in an instant, a battle! That would be so fun! Maybe it would be a good way to get her nerves out, too — battling was always a good way to befriend someone. Oh, but… She glanced at Rei, said, “I’d love to, but, I, um — I don’t know if I have time —” 

“Nonsense, it won’t be long at all,” the blond assured. He turned his head towards Rei while he explained, “Rei here already informed me of your trial! If you’d like my opinion, it’d likely do you good to spar with me before you away: consider it a warm-up! You never know what you may encounter in the wilds.” He paused, then said, “Of course, if you two are truly in a hurry, I’ll let you be. I’m just curious of you — I’d like to test the abilities of the faller I’ve heard so much about!”

… It didn’t bode very well with Airi that she was apparently a source of gossip, but she supposed it made sense. Falling from the sky would certainly lead to talk. She nodded with his explanation, again looking towards Rei — he had been the one so insistent on making good time, she wanted his permission. 

Rei looked between Volo’s expectant expression and Airi’s more pleading one, ending on Airi, locking eyes with them. With a heavy sigh, he said, “Fine, fine. I guess I’d like to see if you’re cut out for battling anyway.” 

Airi grinned, couldn’t stop her excited little hop, “Thank you!” She looked back at Volo, finally meeting his eyes again — another spike of anxiety, but her excitement made it easy to ignore. “I accept, then!”

“Truly? Wonderful!” In a quick motion Volo grabbed a pokéball from the left side of his bag, said, “Is this your first battle? I’ll go easy on you.”

“First in Hisui, but you don’t have to go easy on me.” Airi grabbed one of the pokéballs on their belt — Eevee’s — and tugged it. The loop came undone easily, just as she wanted. She felt the briefest satisfaction about that before she grinned up at Volo — she had no reason to feel as confident as they did, but she was certain battling wasn’t new to her. She flipped the latch on Eevee’s pokéball, the pokémon materializing in front of them in a flash. “Are you up to a battle, Eevee?” An excited bark from the little pokémon as it got into a battle posture, its front pressed low to the ground and ears pressed back against its head, cream-tipped tail lashing behind it. 

“Confident, aren’t you? I think you and I will get along quite well!” Volo mirrored Airi’s confident smile with his own crooked grin, adjusting the brim of his hat before he tossed his pokéball ahead of him and releasing his own pokémon — a tiny, round pokémon, looking almost like a cracked egg. The white of its body was decorated in blue and red triangle patterns, and its face and limbs were a pale yellow. Togepi, a fairy type. Not an awful match up for Airi — no type advantage on either side. Might be in trouble if it knows Metronome, though, the inherent random nature of the move made it unpredictable. Though, truthfully, if the baby pokémon was a high enough level to know Metronome, Airi was probably outclassed anyway. Volo settled his hand on his hip and called, “You can have the first move!”

“I thought I said not to go easy on me!” Airi replied in a teasing note. But, she wasn’t going to miss her chance: “Eevee, cut in close and use Tackle!” The fox-like pokémon barked in affirmation and lunged towards Togepi, closing the distance between them within an instant. It hopped to the side before it tackled the baby pokémon. 

Togepi was left stumbling from the force of the attack, but Volo didn’t waste a moment, “Tackle it right back — we won’t lose this easily!” Togepi squeaked back, planted its little feet firmly to the ground to prevent itself from toppling. Airi smiled to herself — something about the sight of this overbearingly tall, confident man with such a cute little partner pokémon was almost endearing. 

Not enough to distract them, though. Togepi launched itself towards Eevee at Volo’s command, but Airi just ordered back, “Jump over Togepi and get behind her, then Tackle again!” When Volo’s pokémon rushed at Eevee, the normal type leapt clean over it. It lashed its tail as it pivoted behind Togepi to carry its momentum before jumping at the pokémon again.

“Roll out of the way!” Togepi pulled its limbs into its shell and rolled to the side. When Eevee lunged, it landed on empty space. Feeling the impact on the ground near it, Togepi popped back out of its shell and rushed towards Eevee to attack. By the time Eevee pivoted to face the smaller pokémon, Togepi had jumped towards it, barrelling into Airi’s pokémon. It didn’t have time to dodge the attack this time — it took the brunt of the force and stumbled back a few steps, tail lashing behind it. 

“You okay?” Airi called. When she heard Eevee bark back, she smiled, said, “You’re doing great! Tackle again, all you’ve got — don’t give her time to counter.” Eevee was quick to obey, a low growl emanating from the fluffy pokémon before it leapt towards Togepi. 

Togepi couldn’t dodge Eevee’s Tackle, still stumbling from the momentum of its last attack. Eevee hit head on and forced the round pokémon to tumble and fall backwards. It squeaked and tried to roll itself upright but to no avail — too weak to overcome its center of gravity. At least, not until Volo commanded, “Come on, you can do it, just a little more!” Hearing its trainer seemed to incite a second wind in the pokémon, almost — another little squeak from the pokémon as it rocked itself forwards with enough force to flip onto its feet. “Tackle!”

“Dodge, towards me!” Eevee darted towards Airi. When Togepi launched itself towards her pokémon, its momentum prevented it from changing directions, while Eevee ran in a wide semi-circle to get behind the fairy-type again. “Let’s finish this, one more time!” Eevee jumped towards Togepi without any hesitation. When the fairy-type turned to face Eevee, it was in the air — Togepi had no time to react before it landed, tackling the little pokémon to the ground. 

Togepi was left toppled over and dazed, rocking on its back in a feeble attempt to get upright. No chance of success this time — even Volo seemed to know it. When Airi glanced across the field, he was shaking his head while he pulled out his Togepi’s pokéball. “Good work, Togepi!” he called. Airi heard a weak little whine from the pokémon before he returned it to its ball. 

Eevee ran up to Airi, tail wagging behind it, yipping and yapping for attention. She chuckled and knelt down to pet it. “Nice one, Eevee! You’re really good at this,” she praised. Eevee purred and leaned into her hand while she pet its face. 

They heard footsteps approaching her, and when she looked up, she caught Volo’s eye. He smiled and knelt beside them, holding a container in his hand — a potion, maybe? “Let me heal up your pokémon,” he offered. She nodded and carefully nudged Eevee towards him. It padded up to the man, sniffing his outstretched hand in curiosity. When it trusted him enough, he opened the container and spread some of the salve within onto his hand to apply to the Eevee. Any signs of damage on the pokémon faded as it absorbed the medicine — certainly seemed like a potion, but something about it didn’t quite line up with Airi’s idea of what a potion was meant to be. That same nagging feeling she got about pokéballs, almost — something wasn’t quite right, but she couldn’t remember her own frame of reference. Weird.

Volo speaking pulled her out of her thoughts, “You’re really something! It's rare to meet someone who finds battling as fun as I do — so few people around here even have pokémon, let alone wish to compete with them.” He stood up when he was done with Eevee and smiled down at Airi. “And you’re quite good as well!” 

Airi found themself smiling with the praise, nodding along to Volo’s words as her attention went back down to her Eevee. She checked over the fluffy pokémon while it purred under their hands — sure enough, no more injuries. It didn’t even seem fatigued. She ruffled the fluffy cream fur around the pokémon’s neck, said, “It’s Eevee who’s strong, I’m just here to guide her!” Eevee yipped back, like in agreement, nuzzling against Airi. “Rest up for a ‘lil, okay?” they told the pokémon. When it nodded, they returned it to its pokéball and stood back to full height — didn’t stop her from having to crane her neck to look up at Volo, though.

“Well said! And the more you battle with her, the stronger she’ll become.” A closed-eye smile from Volo — or maybe he was winking? Having one eye completely covered meant Airi wasn’t positive. “I certainly look forward to seeing how strong you become. In the meantime, here’s a gift from me.” He pulled a pouch off of the right side of his bag and held it out for Airi. “Potions! Hopefully they serve you well on your trial.”

“Oh — thank you!” Airi accepted the pouch, peeked inside to confirm the contents. True to Volo’s word, within were several more containers like the one he’d used on Eevee. Guess I was right, these really were potions. “Are you sure I can just have these without paying you? Aren’t you a merchant?”

“Consider this a free sample!” An affirming point of his finger accompanied Volo’s beaming attitude as he continued, “Should you run out, you know exactly who to find! Making sure you succeed on your little trial means I get a new customer — not to mention a potential battle partner!” Airi smiled back. It’d be good for her to have a merchant friend, probably, and having a battle partner appealed to Airi just as much as it did Volo, if not more. Volo definitely had some skill battling, she could tell. 

“Mhm!” Airi put the pouch of potions away into their satchel, said, “I’ll do my best, then! Can I expect a rematch next I see you?”

“Of course, if you’re willing — that is, assuming you pass your trial into the Galaxy Team. You’re confident, then?” Airi nodded — she was really confident, more than they had any right to be, considering the state of their memories. “Wonderful! With battling skills like yours, I’m sure your confidence isn’t misplaced. Even still, I wish you good luck!”

“Thank you!” Airi chimed back. Despite his assurances and the smile she wore when they met his gaze, their anxiety lingered — her hands trembled at their sides, chest felt just tight enough to notice. They hoped Volo didn’t notice. They didn’t think he did — he nodded back with another closed-eyed smile before he turned to the gate and walked off, waving over his shoulder. 

“… I think I underestimated you.” Rei’s voice nearly made Airi jump — she’d almost forgotten he was watching, he’d been so quiet the entire battle. She turned towards him as he continued, “If you can battle that well, you’ll… You’ll probably do fine in your trial. I know you’re meant to be catching rather than battling, but they go hand in hand, you know?” … Was he upset? There was an odd, low tinge to his voice, like he was… Disappointed, maybe? Laventon’s words played in Airi’s mind: ‘Humor him a little, will you?’ Rei had been so excited to show Airi the ropes, only for her to prove quite handily she already knew what she was doing.

… She nodded, pushed down her guilt in favor of smiling at Rei, “I hope so! I don’t remember battling before, so I’m glad I got the chance to practice. I probably just got lucky.” Definitely not the case, they were confident in their abilities and knew full well their victory was rightfully theirs, but, well. This was her humoring Rei as best as she could. Seeing the Survey Corps member perk up made it worth it.

“It’s more than luck!” he assured quickly, “You’ve got real talent, then! Laventon was right about you.” He smiled, turned back towards the gate. “Come on, let's head to the Fieldlands, I don’t want to dawdle any longer.” Airi nodded, quick at his side — he didn’t immediately move, though. Instead he gestured to the man guarding the gate and said, “Anytime you head out, you need to let Ress with the Security Corps know where you’re going. Just in case things go wrong and you need help.” Airi nodded along to the explanation, expecting Rei to start moving. He didn’t, though. Quiet for a moment, like he wanted to say something else. 

He was quiet for long enough that Airi frowned to herself. Breaking the silence, “Rei..?”

“Nevermind, let’s go.” Finally he got moving, walking over to the guardsman — Ress — with Airi only a step behind him. Rei spoke with the Security Corps member for a moment, explaining Airi’s trial and their destination. She was thankful he was taking over talking for them. She realised, looking at the other man, that it was the same guardsman she had encountered the previous night. The stare he gave Airi felt just as heavy as before. She didn’t have anyone to really defend her this time, nor her pokémon to comfort them, so she just shifted their weight from foot to foot while Rei dealt with him. When he secured permission to leave, he walked away from Ress and out of the gate surrounding Jubilife. Airi darted to his side and walked in pace with him.

She knew from the night before that it wasn’t far to the Fieldlands camp, but the silence between her and Rei still felt a little odd through the short walk. She wanted to break it somehow, but Rei had dismissed her when they tried before… Did they try again? Or just let it be..? It really wouldn’t be far —

“Hey, why do you want to join the Survey Corps so bad?”

She flinched with the sudden question. For as much as they had hated the silence, they hadn’t expected Rei to speak so suddenly. She thought over the question, quiet a moment. “I want to meet every pokémon in Hisui.” Want was maybe a stretch: she had to meet every pokémon in Hisui, but did she truly want that?

Rei echoed their internal question with his own, “Why in the world would you want that?”

She pondered the question, both Rei’s and her own. Did she truly want to meet every pokémon, or did she just feel obligated to..? It was her task for Arceus. The only thing she was certain about, the only semblance of a goal she had. Did she want it? … She thought of Laventon’s excitement over the pokédex, how happy he had been when she’d caught his pokémon. Even happier when he realised they already knew about them. She thought of how natural a pokéball felt in her hands, how pokéball and pokédex were some of the only words relevant to Hisui that she already knew. Some part of her was meant for this task. More than that, though, she thought of how she felt when she saw Lake Valor for the first time. Her excitement, that restless desire to see the world, to meet everyone and every pokémon she could find. That was her answer: she did want to meet every pokémon, that was her true desire. It felt like what she was meant to do. As for why..? 

“… I like pokémon,” she landed on in response. That much she knew to be true. She liked pokémon, and battling, and traveling. She wanted to see all Hisui had to offer, including all of its pokémon.

“… Yeah, I see why Laventon likes you so much,” Rei muttered. He sighed as he led Airi into the Fieldlands camp. Not giving her answer any more acknowledgement, he pivoted completely, “This is our base camp, it’s where we start and finish our surveys. You’ve been here before, right?” When Airi nodded, he continued, “Good, you should get familiar with them, if you’re going to be in the Survey Corps. All of the camps are set up somewhere safe, so if you get tired or need help, you should find your way back to camp. Try not to stray too far from them, yeah? The farther out you go, the more dangerous it is.” 

Makes sense. “Is this the only camp in the Fieldlands?”

“For now, yeah. You won’t be going far for your trial, thankfully.” Rei stepped to the edge of camp, explaining as he walked, “Bidoof, Starly, and Shinx are all pretty common near here, you probably won’t even have to leave sight of camp.”

“Very true!” Both Airi and Rei jolted with the sudden voice, turning to see the source — Laventon..? Why was he here? The professor smiled at both of them as he joined them at the edge of camp. 

“Professor? Is something wrong?” Rei asked — apparently just as confused as Airi. “I thought you were staying in Jubilife and letting me handle this.”

“I intended on it, yes, but, ah…” The professor crossed his arms in front of him with a sigh. “Well, Captain Cyllene gave me quite an earful for that idea — seems she figured I was going to be looking after the two of you. She instilled on me that I bear full responsibility for whatever happens to Miss Airi. I’m the one who invited them, after all! It makes perfect sense.”

“Man, she’s so harsh…” Rei sighed, kicked the dirt under his shoe with a scoff, “You’re hardly even useful out here. How exactly are you even meant to help?”

“Blunt as ever, I see.” The slight tease in Laventon’s voice made Rei mutter something under his breath. “Truthfully, I don’t intend to lift a finger. I have full faith in Miss Airi’s abilities! She hardly needs a chaperone.” 

“… So what you’re saying is, she’s still my responsibility.” Another frustrated sigh from Rei. This time his mutter was loud enough for Airi to hear: “Lotta good you are… Whatever.” He scoffed, picking up his tone to address Airi, “Let’s just get started. We’ll start with the easiest of the bunch: Bidoof are total pushovers. Come on, follow me.”

Seems the reality of Rei’s responsibility had soured his mood again, but that was okay. Airi grinned back with an excited nod, “Okay!” Maybe her excitement rubbed off on the young man, because Airi thought he might’ve just-barely smiled. She didn’t have time to know for sure, though — as soon as Airi confirmed they were ready, he turned and darted off to the true crest of the hill. What had Laventon called it? Aspiration Hill? Something like that, they thought, following after Rei as fast as she could. 

Rei stopped at the top of the hill, looking down over the steep sloping path downwards while Airi came to his side. “Bidoof are pretty common here… Ah, there —” He pointed down the path. Only a little ways down the hill was a small pokémon, brown and rodent-like, with prominent buck teeth and short legs. Bidoof! “Bidoof are real mellow. As long as your aim is worth anything, you should be fine. Shouldn’t even have to sneak up on it or anything. They’re a bit too stupid to fear us, I’ve noticed.”

“Not stupid,” Airi corrected, “They’ve just got nerves of steel, honestly. Takes a lot to bother a Bidoof. They are pretty agile if you manage to spook one, though.” 

“… Huh.” 

Why do I keep doing that?! She didn’t need to be giving an impromptu Bidoof lecture right now! Embarrassment rose to her cheeks, so she just quickly stammered, “Anyway, just — just go for it, then?”

“… Yeah, just go for it. Aim steady and you’ll be fine,” Rei instructed, not commenting on her weird Bidoof-related knowledge. They nodded, took a moment to pull a pokéball from their satchel and readied it in their hand before stepping down the path towards the Bidoof. 

The Bidoof turned towards her at the sound of movement but didn’t make any move to flee. It just stared up at Airi with beady black eyes, tipping its head to the side in curiosity. She just smiled at it before she tossed their pokéball towards the wild pokémon — again, no move to flee, the pokéball easily colliding with its back. She watched the normal-type shrink into the capsule, waited a beat for it to rattle — she wasn’t surprised when it only shook once this time. Didn’t take that long to get used to that oddity, she supposed. They picked up the pokéball as soon as the sparks fired off to confirm the catch before running to meet Rei.

He met them halfway with a slight smile, “Nice one. That’s the easiest of your catches done — now, on we march! Come on!” Without letting Airi get a word in, he bolted further down Aspiration Hill, leaving Airi scrambling to follow. He came to a stop about halfway down the slope, near some knee-high grass. When Airi joined him, he crouched low to the ground. 

“Look there,” he whispered after Airi crouched at his side. He pointed through the grass — a little ways through the grass was a small bird pokémon. Most of its body was a light brownish-grey color, save for its white chest, and its head and wings were a darker color. The white mask-like marking on its face was a little small, telling Airi that this Starly was probably female. “There’s your next target. Now, Starly are really skittish, they’ll dart off at the drop of a hat. Just stay quiet and out of sight until you’re close enough to throw a ball, okay?” 

Airi hummed an affirmative. Rei stepped back while she crept closer to the starling pokémon. They kept the little flying-type fixed firmly in their vision while she readied another pokéball. Closer, quiet… Closer… She kept her breathing as steady as possible as she crept through the tall grass — the feel of it against their hands as she pushed it away made their skin crawl. Ignore it. They were probably close enough now, the Starly probably about ten feet away — Airi could probably throw that far. It was standing in a clearing, out of the grass, so she couldn’t get closer without risking alerting it. Deciding to take the chance with throwing the ball, she aimed as well as she could and launched the pokéball towards the Starly. 

The bird pokémon squawked in surprise as the ball collided with it, its cry abruptly cut off as it was absorbed into the pokéball. Feeling just the slightest bit overconfident, Airi approached the ball while it was still rattling — she’d startled it well enough that they didn’t think it would break free. The sparks went off just before they knelt to grab the pokéball off the ground. 

“Nice!” Rei half-jogged through the grass to meet them. “That’s Starly, too — maybe the professor was onto something about you, you really do have a knack for this.”

Do I? She nodded along as they tucked the pokéball away. “You normally don’t see Starly so solitary — I would probably have struggled a lot more if it was in a flock. More chances to get spotted.” When Airi looked back at Rei, he was staring back with a tight-lipped frown of confusion. You’re doing it again.  “… Nevermind.”

“… Yeah, okay. So —... Next is Shinx —” 

Whatever embarrassment Airi had for rambling vanished in an instant, traded for pure delight — Shinx! They weren’t positive why she was so excited about catching the pokémon, but they absolutely were. Excitement had them rocking on their heels, “Right! I’ll follow you!”

“… You’re weird,” Rei muttered, but he abided. He took a slower pace than before as he led Airi down the rest of Aspiration Hill. At the bottom of the slope, the terrain levelled out into a riverbank, framed by rocks and boulders. This certainly looks like Shinx territory! She almost bolted right off, but Rei put his arm in front of them, blocking their path. His gaze was fixed at the riverbank. When Airi followed his eyes, she spotted a group of small, primarily blue feline pokémon —... Well. Small except for one. The Shinx in the center of the pride was easily double the size of the next-largest. It turned towards Airi and Rei — the moment between it glancing at them and Rei dragging her behind a nearby boulder, out of sight, was just long enough for Airi to notice the glowing red of its eyes.

“Shit…” A shaky exhale left Rei, like he’d been holding his breath. “Awful luck…” When Airi glanced at him, she noticed him shaking all-over. Was he scared? Why? It was big, but it was still just a Shinx. “Come on, let's go find another group.”

“Why? We’re already here.” Airi leaned around the rock to see the pride of electric-types again. Without waiting for Rei’s word, she hovered a hand over Rowlet’s pokéball and took a step forward —

They squeaked in alarm and discomfort as the neckline of her top was suddenly yanked against their throat — Rei had grabbed her by the hood of their top, yanking her back behind the rockface, sending her tumbling to his side. “Are you out of your mind?! That’s an alpha!” 

… An alpha? What did that mean? Is that why that Shinx was so large..? A whimper of acceptance from Airi as she desperately tugged her neckline down, away from their throat. It felt like the fabric was still there… Ignore it. “W — what’s..?” … Their voice came out strained and small. 

Rei gave her a glance, looking only briefly guilty before his gaze hardened. “Alphas are no joke. They’re massive, strong, and violent. You don’t stand a chance catching one at full strength.” 

… Hm. “Could I catch one if it was weakened, then?”

“Do you have a death wish?!” Rei grabbed at her wrist to pull her upright, saying, “Come on, let’s just find a different Shinx. They’re already an aggressive species, the last thing you need is to pick a fight with an alpha.”

But Airi just yanked her hand out of his hold, frowning. “Wait. Just wait a second, let me think.” Ignoring Rei’s grimace, they stepped back to the edge of the boulder and peeked around, fixing her eyes on the giant Shinx in the center. It was surrounded by the rest of its pride, who circled around it. Protecting it..? If alphas were as powerful as Rei claimed, then that Shinx should have been leading the group. But… She watched its movements carefully. It was subtle, subtle enough that they probably wouldn’t have noticed if she didn’t have such an odd familiarity with the species, but the alpha was just-barely favoring one of its front paws. Hm… 

“She’s injured,” Airi murmured. “Here, come look.” She didn’t tear her eyes away from the blue electric-type as Rei came to her side, joining them in staring at the alpha. They pointed out its front paw, said, “She’s not putting her full weight on that leg. It’s subtle, so it’s probably mostly healed, but the rest of her pride is still protecting her. See how they’re circling her? She’s not at 100% battle capacity.” 

“That doesn’t change anything, it’s still an alpha . If you’re wrong, you’re going to end up in the infirmary, if not worse.”

“I’m not wrong.” Airi sounded as confident as she felt. “Even if she’s powerful, she’s still just a Shinx — she hasn’t even evolved. Can’t be too high level. I have two pokémon, and she won’t be able to move at full speed with her paw like that.” Finally she turned to meet Rei’s eye, countering his deep frown with a confident grin. “I want to catch that one! I’ve never seen a Shinx that big!” … A nagging thought reminded them that they couldn’t remember ever having seen a Shinx period, but she felt so familiar with the pokémon, she knew they must have before. She wanted a Shinx! And they wanted that Shinx!

“You’re insane. You’re insane! Insane and suicidal!” Rei threw his arms up in exasperation, “Fine! Fine, whatever, go pick a fight with a fucking alpha, see if I care!”

“Awesome, thanks!” Airi beamed — they knew full well Rei wasn’t being genuine, but that didn’t stop her excitement in the least. She grabbed Rowlet’s ball from her side and tugged it free from their belt, stepping out from behind the rockface —

Once again she was tugged back, but this time by her sleeve, not triggering any distress from them. She just looked back at Rei, annoyed. “Airi, I’m dead serious, be careful. If you’re really going to do this, you have got to run the moment things get bad. I’ll step in if I think you’re in danger. Got it?”

… Huh. Was he worried about Airi, or just worried about taking responsibility if something happened? She supposed it didn’t really matter. They nodded and agreed, “Okay, got it. Don’t worry, I’m not needlessly cocky — I’ll be fine.”

“I hope you’re right,” he muttered. He dropped their sleeve with a sigh, said, “I’ll watch from here. Don’t die, it’d be trouble for me and the professor.”

“I won’t!” Another bright, confident smile from Airi. Now that she knew Rei wouldn’t get in their way again, she darted out from behind the rocks, directly towards the group of Shinx by the riverbank. The alpha turned its head towards her, its glowing red eyes meeting Airi’s. It should’ve scared her, maybe. Instead they grinned, readied Rowlet’s pokéball, and said, “Let’s do this.”

A loud, piercing roar left the massive blue pokémon, sending all the surrounding Shinx scattering — good. Makes this easier if it's just a one on one! Before it could lunge directly at Airi, she tossed their pokéball onto the field. Rowlet popped out with a flash of white. Rowlet was arguably a bad pick here: being a flying type, it would be weak to whatever electric moves Shinx may’ve had, but its ability to fly gave it a unique edge on the injured alpha. Mobility and ranged attacks would probably matter more here than a type disadvantage. She took a moment to study the massive Shinx as it glared at her and her Rowlet. Beyond its size and red eyes, it looked normal — a blue front half save for rings of yellow on its front legs, a black collar of fur around its neck, and the yellow star-shaped markings on its large ears. Its back half was entirely black except for its blue back paws: that’s how Airi knew it was female. The yellow star-shaped tip of its tail crackled with static as it lashed behind it. Getting ready to attack. 

Rowlet hovered a few feet in the air in front of the alpha, waiting for Airi’s command. They didn’t immediately offer any, just stared ahead at the Shinx, directly into the glowing red of its eyes. Eye contact between Shinx was normally a sign of aggression, so Airi was deliberately picking a fight here, but… Keeping its eyes on her meant it was looking away from Rowlet. It wouldn’t move until Airi did, but Rowlet wasn’t involved in this stalemate. Only a slight problem: Airi wasn’t positive what moves Rowlet knew. Leafage, probably? “Attack while I’ve got its attention,” they ordered under her breath, loud enough for Rowlet to hear but not enough to reach the Shinx. 

The move the grass-type used was not Leafage, she could tell as soon as it flapped its wings and sent sharp blades of air to barrage the alpha. Gust. Flying type move, not ideal — Shinx would resist it. Shoot. No need to panic, though. This was fine, they’d prepared for this. If she panicked, she’d just trigger more of a reaction out of her opponent – they had to stay calm. The move didn’t seem to do much damage to the alpha other than anger it further and make it aware of Rowlet’s presence. It ripped its eyes away from Airi to focus on her pokémon, the yellow markings on its body glowing and sparking more by the moment. “Get ready to dodge!” 

A flap of Rowlet’s wings sent it higher into the air just in time — electricity practically exploded up from the massive Shinx, arcing to reach Rowlet and failing. Thunder shock, figures. As long as we keep dodging, we’ll be alright. “Keep your distance and keep up the pressure! Gust again!” Since Rowlet hadn’t defaulted to Leafage, she had to assume it didn’t know the grass-type move yet — a shame, but workable. Gust would work for now, just to stay out of range.

Rowlet glided behind the Shinx before following Airi’s command, sending powerful Gusts to strike the much-larger pokémon. A horrible, annoyed growl emanated up from the beast, so loud it rumbled Airi to their core. It lashed its tail to pivot back to face Rowlet, getting low to the ground before — Shoot, “Get down —!” 

Too late. A Quick Attack had the giant pokémon launching through the air towards Rowlet, and without enough warning, the grass-type could do little more than take the hit. The brunt force of the move sent the small bird flying back, landing with a heavy thud a few feet away. Shinx gave absolutely no time for the poor owl to recover, either, its yellow markings sparking. “Get up, come on! Up, up, up!” 

A bright spark of electricity cast the entire field in blinding light — Airi squeaked, screwing their eyes shut out of instinct. No, focus! Instinct was irrelevant, they had to focus. They forced their eyes open and ignored the spots obscuring their vision, looking towards Rowlet — oh thank Arceus, the bird was hovering high above Shinx. It looked relatively unharmed — Airi’s desperate pleas must’ve worked, it seemed to have dodged the Thunder Shock. Airi let out a shaky breath they hadn’t realised she’d been holding in relief. A Thunder Shock from this thing would probably knock out Rowlet completely. The pure force of Shinx’s last attack told Airi it was probably at a higher level than their own pokémon were. But, it was still a Shinx, so it couldn’t have been too strong. We can do this. Airi had been right about its paw, she could tell — it wasn’t moving about the field much except to attack. She’s avoiding unnecessary movement and conserving her energy for combat. On top of that, it wasn’t able to move as fast as a result of its injury. This was definitely doable. Airi couldn’t help their confident grin up at her Rowlet. “You’re okay, you’re doing great! Just keep up the pressure! Attack again, keep your distance!” Rowlet screeched back, soaring even higher above the alpha. What’s it doing? Gust wouldn’t hit from that distance, the air would disperse —

Rowlet spread its wings further open, the green inner feathers within sparkling to form sharp leaves and thorns. It let the attack rain down on Shinx — leafage! Did it just learn that attack?! That was huge! Knowing an attack that could deal full, unresisted damage gave them a much-needed edge. “Perfect! Good job!” Airi called out in praise, earning a pleased trill from her pokémon. 

The Shinx, though, was less than pleased – apparently feeling an attack do more damage than before just sent it further into its rage. That same awful, rumbling growl from the electric-type. Airi watched it crouch low to the ground — was it planning on lunging again? Rowlet was still a good distance above it, it surely wouldn’t hit… They frowned, watched static building in its yellow markings. Oh, it was going to aim straight up and let the shock arc to the nearest object in the air — i.e., Rowlet. 

“Swoop to ground level!” they called out — this time, she’d noticed in time for her order to be helpful. Rowlet abided and dove down just as the Shinx discharged its electricity in a particularly violent Thunder Shock. The spike of electricity shot straight up where Rowlet had been only a moment before. Its quick movement to return to ground level protected it and gave it a promising opening — it had swooped just behind the alpha. “Leafage, hit it hard!” 

Another barrage of violent grass-type energy hit the Shinx from behind. The blue feline staggered forward a step, cringing — she’s taken a good amount of damage! The slight stagger was proof! Was it enough for a successful capture, though..? It was still in fighting condition, Airi could tell by the way it pivoted back to try and face Rowlet. Their pokémon seemed ready for the movement and flapped its wings to send itself up. When Shinx lunged forward to Bite, it landed only on empty space.

“Just a little more, you’re doing amazing!” This truly was the final stretch. They fumbled for a moment to grab an empty pokéball, just in preparation. For this being Rowlet’s first battle, it was handling itself amazingly, better than Airi even thought — she had originally thought she would need to use Eevee to give Rowlet a break, but the way things were looking — no, don’t look too far ahead. Focus on the present. “You’re doing great, just keep up the pressure.” 

Rowlet trilled back as it flew straight over the Shinx. It sent wave after wave of Gust to hit the pokémon’s back as it flew, staying firmly out of its line of sight, no matter which direction the Shinx tried to turn. Airi could tell the electric-type was getting frustrated by the intense lashing of its star-tipped tail, and the sparks bouncing off of it. “Be careful, it’s going to shock again! One more Leafage!” 

Rowlet beat its wings to fall back, away from the Shinx. Just in time, it seemed, because an explosion of electricity launched off the alpha only a moment later. Stray sparks managed to find its way to Rowlet, though — even though it didn’t bear the full force of the attack, just the stray electricity was enough for the little owl to cry out in pain. “Hang in there!” Please! Airi still had Eevee to fall back on, but —

A confident screech from Rowlet showed that it wasn’t done fighting yet. It spread its wings and fired off another Leafage. When the Shinx whipped back to face the Rowlet, it was hit head-on by the grass-type energy. It staggered back a step — her legs are shaking. Now was their chance, while it was weak but not fully downed. They readied the empty pokéball in her dominant hand and launched it, ignoring the slight tremor of their hands. She was close enough for their slightly-poor aim to not prove detrimental.

The ball collided easily with the massive pokémon and absorbed it within a moment. Rowlet came to hover at their side while she watched the ball with baited breath. It rattled once, is it going to break..? Another half moment before the pop! of sparks from the top of the ball triggered. A successful capture! A successful capture! She did it, she really did it! 

They raced to the field to grab the pokéball, her hands shaking from nerves and excitement in tandem. Absolutely beaming as she stashed the ball in her pocket to properly thread up later. She practically snatched her Rowlet out of the air for how fast she hugged it, pulling the little grass-type into their arms, “Oh, thank you! That was so amazing! Even though Shinx was bigger and stronger than you, you did so well! And you only took a full hit once!” 

A pleased little trill from the grass-type at the affection and praise. It didn’t even seem to mind the tight hug as Airi hopped and spun in place, too happy with themself and their pokémon to even consider staying still. They did it! They passed their trial, and they got a massive Shinx out of it! “Hey, hey, I think I’ve come up with a nickname for you!” they said. They stopped hugging the Rowlet and instead held the little bird with outstretched arms above them, beaming. “How about Leaf? Since you learned Leafage in that fight!” 

Rowlet hooted back in what Airi considered excitement. Leaf was an even more on-the-nose nickname than Archer would’ve been, but it fit better! “Leaf it is!” They pulled the owl back into their arms to hug again. “You did so amazing, I’m so proud of you! I’ll let you get some rest now, okay?” An affirmative trill from Leaf while Airi adjusted their hold to support its weight in one arm, using her now-freed hand to pull out the Rowlet’s pokéball. She returned their starter to its ball, looped it back onto her belt as fast they could, and darted off towards where Rei was hidden.

The Survey Corps member was just staring at them with wide eyes of astonishment, mouth agape. He didn’t even say anything as Airi raced in front of him with her delighted smile. “See! I told you it’d be fine! I know a lot about Shinx, it’s my favorite pokémon, so —”

“You did it. Holy shit, you actually —... Wow, okay, wait — you… Okay —” It seemed Airi had shocked him so bad he couldn’t actually form a proper sentence. She rocked on their heels while he took a deep breath to compose himself. “Alright, okay — well… You did it, I guess. Congrats? Anyway, you —... Man, okay, looks like Professor Laventon was right about you, you really are some kind of prodigy. I guess that’s — you got all three pokémon. You got all three pokémon and an alpha — …” He trailed off with a sigh. “Sorry, just — man, I didn’t even believe the professor’s story. Like, what, you just fell out of the sky and caught three runaways in his eleventh hour? Not a chance. But… Nevermind. Your trial is complete and then some, so — let’s… Let’s go report back to Laventon, okay?”

Airi didn’t mind his astonished ramblings, or even his inability to finish a thought. Their pure and utter elation from successfully catching the massive Shinx was more than enough to dwarf whatever annoyance they may’ve felt. They just kept their pleased grin and nodded back, “Okay!”

Rei gave them another once-over glance before he sighed. He mumbled something Airi couldn’t make out before he got moving, turning back towards Aspiration Hill and beginning the walk to the top. Airi was right behind him. Her delight had her humming while they walked, occasionally skipping a few steps ahead of Rei only to spin in place to let him regain his lead. Maybe she was annoying him, because she heard him sigh again. “What were you even talking about before, anyway? With Shinx being your… favorite pokémon?” 

“Shinx is my favorite pokémon!” she repeated easily. When Rei looked over his shoulder at her, she just grinned at him again. “I don’t really remember why, I just know it's true! That’s why I was so excited when Cyellene tasked me to catch one — I didn’t see any when the professor was taking me here, so I didn’t know they were native to Hisui. Oh — I can keep her, right? Cyllene isn’t going to, like, take her or anything?”

“… Yeah, you can keep it.” Rei looked back forward, preventing Airi from even attempting to read his expression. “Having a favorite pokémon is kind of… childish, isn’t it? Pokémon are dangerous creatures, there’s no reason to like them so much.”

“I don’t think so! You can learn a lot about someone based on their favorite pokémon.” Airi skipped forward a few steps to walk in-line with Rei, staying right at his side as they walked the path up the hill. “Pokémon are dangerous, sure, but… Well, if you come to understand them, they’re not so scary! Like that Shinx — she was probably the strongest in her pride before she got injured, but since she couldn’t move as freely, she couldn’t dodge any of my attacks.” They hummed to herself in thought before they added, “When we get back, I’ll take a better look at her paw to see if I can help. Once she’s feeling better, she probably won’t even be aggressive anymore! She was just hurting.” 

“… You’re insane,” Rei muttered back. When Airi only hummed again, he sighed, said, “Is everyone where you’re from such a freak?”

“Not like I remember.” Normally a question like that would upset Airi, maybe, because it brought with it the uncomfortable reminder about their amnesia. She didn’t mind now, though. Too excited about her successful capture. A teasing thought had her nudge Rei’s arm with their elbow, “Hey, hey, what’s your favorite pokémon?” 

“I don’t have one.” 

His tone was curt, but that just made Airi feel more inclined to egg him on, “Come on, you’ve gotta have something! If you don’t tell me I’m just going to start guessing.” Rei didn’t answer and turned his head away from Airi to avoid her smug grin. “Okay, how about Starly? Oh, or, or, its evolution? Staraptor? A cool loner pokémon like that seems your type!” No response. Airi thought about the pokémon she had seen so far in Hisui before they continued, “Hm, okay, what about Bidoof? It is pretty cute with its dopey little face. Ooh, or Buizel?”

An annoyed sigh from the young man rewarded Airi’s efforts. “You’re insufferable. I can’t believe out of all the people to fall out of the sky, it was you. ”

“You’re dodging the question~!” 

“If I give you an answer, will you leave me alone?”

“We’re coworkers now, so no. But, I won’t ask again!” 

“Fine, whatever, if it gets you to stop bugging me. Let me think,” he finally relented. Airi nodded back with a pleased little hum, crossing their arms behind her back. After a moment of consideration, he finally gave Airi his answer: “Pikachu, I guess? It’s my main partner pokémon, and I guess it’s pretty cute…” 

“Pikachu is a really good pick! They usually live in forests, away from people, but when they bond with a trainer, Pikachu can be incredibly strong and loyal partner pokémon.” Airi darted in front of Rei and walked backwards so that she was facing him, forcing the Survey Corps to see her bright smile. “That means we both have electric-types as our favorite pokémon!”

Another sigh from Rei as he shook his head, but Airi thought she might’ve caught the hint of a smile from him. “Yeah, yeah, whatever,” he dismissed. He picked up his pace to walk again at Airi’s side, forcing her to turn forward again. They were just about at camp now, Airi could see the flag bearing the Galaxy emblem peeking over the hill. “Let’s go tell the professor the good news, then.”

“Yeah!” Airi wasn’t patient enough to wait for the short rest of the walk — as soon as their response left her mouth, she practically sprinted the remaining way uphill. Only a little out of breath when she skidded to a stop in front of Laventon, but that didn’t stop her bright smile or cheery voice, “Mr. Profess —” 

… Their childish form of address didn’t even fully leave their lips before she froze , an awful sinking feeling of grief washing over her before she could so much as blink. The emotion was so sudden and painful that she physically flinched, her smile vanishing within a moment. What was that? Why did saying that hurt so much..? Laventon looked back at her, clear in his worry. She heard Rei’s footsteps behind her as Laventon asked, “Everything alright, dear girl?”

She quickly nodded — whatever just happened to her didn’t matter. Just ignore it. The sinking pain in their chest remained, even as she tried another smile — not nearly as bright as before. “Mhm! I — I got all my pokémon, so I, um — I’m done!” … What is wrong with me right now? She was trying to ignore the odd emotion as best as she could, but when they looked into the professor’s worried grey eyes, it just returned in full force. 

An odd silence briefly fell as Rei stepped to her side. He looked between Airi and Laventon for a moment — Airi could only imagine he was confused by Airi’s sudden change in attitude. She knew she was confused by it. “… Hey Airi, why don’t you show Laventon the Shinx you got? Just to prove that you succeeded.” 

… Oh! Right, their Shinx! Some of her excitement managed to beat the odd, heavy feeling of grief, enough that she just-barely brightened. She nodded and pulled Shinx’s pokéball out of her pocket. This would be a good time for her to string it up, too, she still had enough string from Rei for one more pokéball. She missed the smug look Rei gave to Laventon as she flipped the capsule open. The pokémon materialized at her side within a moment.

Laventon’s jaw dropped at the sight of the Shinx at Airi’s side. “… Airi, is that an alpha?”

“Yeah!” Airi crouched down beside her new pokémon — it looked apprehensive, taking a cautious step back. They didn’t mind. She extended her hand to the pokémon to let it get more familiar with them. The cub pokémon was well over three feet tall already, maybe closer to four — crouched down, Airi actually had to look up at it. “Wow, you really are huge. You’re already bigger than a Luxio, huh?” The electric-type came forward to sniff Airi’s hand. After a moment, Airi cautiously moved her hand to pet the Shinx, smiling to herself when she was rewarded with a quiet purr. She looked up at Rei, saying, “See, I told you she wasn’t mean! She was just scared and in pain.” 

“Doesn’t change the fact that you’re out of your mind for fighting it.” Rei shook his head, murmured something Airi couldn’t hear before he crossed his arms over his chest. While Airi busied themself with petting their new friend and checking over it for injuries, Rei told the professor, “I’ve never seen an alpha this close to camp. I was going to lead her to a different area to find another Shinx, but she insisted on fighting that one, for some reason. When they sent out their Rowlet I about had a heart attack.” 

“Leaf has better mobility than Eevee does, and ranged attacks! I knew taking a direct hit would be bad for either of them,” Airi explained. Shinx seemed to be in pretty good condition, considering how hard it had battled — it was a little battered, but nothing too bad. She held her hand out, palm-up to the Shinx, instructed, “Paw.” The electric-type looked confused for a moment, its bright yellow eyes shifting between Airi’s face and their hand. Oh, her eyes are normal now! When Shinx obeyed and put its front paw into Airi’s hand for them to check over, she asked, “Her eyes are normal, what does that mean? Is she not an alpha anymore?”

“… Truly, Airi, you’re the first person in any division of the Galaxy Team to capture an alpha pokémon,” Laventon admitted, his voice quiet in astonishment. Wait, really? Airi looked up at him for a brief moment — the shock in his voice was mirrored in his eyes. “I didn’t even know it was possible.”

“… Hm.” No wonder Rei had been so against her trying — in his eyes, they were attempting to do the impossible. Airi looked back down at their pokémon. They carefully examined its front leg — a gentle poke at a spot near its wrist joint had the pokémon tense up and try to pull back. Must’ve sprained the joint. No wonder it hadn’t wanted to move around much. They released their hold on the limb and let her Shinx stand on its own. “Rei said alphas are aggressive all the time — maybe the red eyes are a sign of that? She seems tame enough now. Maybe when they’re defeated or captured, they don’t have that rage anymore.”

“Certainly a plausible theory,” the professor agreed. Airi ruffled the pokémon’s fur around its cheeks, and when Shinx looked up at Airi, purring, they met its eyes and closed her own — a sign of trust for the feline pokémon. “I suppose we’ll have to see if you manage to catch more alphas in the future. Do you intend on keeping this Shinx as your own, Miss Airi?”

“Yeah, if I can!” Airi opened her eyes again to look up at Laventon, her smile considerably more genuine now. “I really like Shinx. This one’s got a paw injury, so I’ll help her regain her strength!” She looked back over the large electric-type with a hum. She stopped petting it so she could tie a cord onto its pokéball while she spoke, “I think I’ll call her Star, ‘cus of her tail!”

“You’re awful at nicknaming,” Rei commented, “Didn’t you call your Rowlet Leaf? What’s your Eevee named, Vee?”

“I haven’t named her yet,” Airi muttered in pout. “Fine, if I’m so bad, what’s your pokémon’s name? If you’re so clever, you’ve surely come up with something better.” To Star, she murmured, “Get some rest, I’ll help with your paw when we’re home, okay?” When the Shinx nodded back, she returned it to its pokéball and stood from the ground, facing Rei with a smug grin. Just in time to watch his face flush red with embarrassment as he avoided her eyes. Airi was right, then, he probably hadn’t even nicknamed his own pokémon! “Hypocrite.” 

“As nice as it is to see you kids getting along, I suppose it's time for us to report back to Cyllene,” Laventon said, before the two of them could get any further in their bickering. 

In perfect unison, Rei and Airi retorted, “I’m not a kid!” Airi flushed bright red, and when she glanced at Rei, he was similarly flushed — and even worse, he had glanced at her in the same moment. Locking eyes with him was almost as embarrassing as speaking in sync.

Laventon stared at the two of them before he burst out into hearty laughter, “I suppose not! My apologies, you two. Now, come on — I’m sure Cyllene is bound to be impressed by your speedy completion, Airi! Let’s make our way back to Jubilife.” 

When Airi nodded, the professor started walking up to the path to the village, with Rei and Airi walking just behind him. Despite her lingering embarrassment and that odd ache of grief in Airi’s heart, she found herself smiling as they walked back. She hoped Cyllene was impressed by them — both for being able to complete her trial, and for managing to catch an alpha. That was more than enough to prove herself, right? 

♪ Think I forgot a couple things, my brain is still at home, home’s far away

I really thought that life was one big race, but now I see it’s one big chase ♪

Chapter Text

“Man, I can’t wait to see the captain's reaction when you tell her you caught an alpha.” Rei’s comment came just as he, Airi, and Laventon crossed through the gate into Jubilife. Laventon took a moment to speak with Ress while Rei continued, “There’s no way she doesn’t accept you into the Survey Corps after that!”

“What happened to me being insane?” Airi’s smile betrayed any actual annoyance in Rei, but seeing him roll his eyes made it worth the tease. 

“Oh, you’re definitely still insane, but if whatever is wrong with you makes you that good at pokémon battles, all the better!”

Airi scoffed, but they didn’t have the time to retort before Laventon rejoined them and said, “Rei, it’s rather rude to say there’s something wrong with your new colleague, don’t you think?” 

“Man, you should’ve seen them battle, Professor! I mean it, I’ve never seen anyone command their pokémon so well — even when they fought Volo, and that was their first battle!” Apparently Airi had impressed Rei enough that he was borderline giddy as he continued his ramble, “And they even beat that Shinx with a flying-type!”

“Type disadvantage didn’t matter so much as mobility.” They crossed her arms behind her back as the group stepped through Jubilife to Galaxy Hall, continuing her explanation, “I’m lucky my Rowlet learned Leafage when she did, though — I probably could’ve won with Gust, but having a full-damage move with stab gave me a huge advantage.”

“… Stab?” Rei echoed what was clearly an unfamiliar term to him. “What do you mean? Leafage isn’t even a contact move.”

Rei’s confusion about the word just confused Airi in turn, because they quickly realised they didn’t know what she meant, either. Something about attacking with the same type provided a damage boost — … Same type attack boost. S.T.A.B. Stab. Boost didn’t feel quite right, though… If they were right about the acronym, what else could the ‘B’ stand for other than boost? Bonus? Same type attack bonus… That felt true. Was it? They couldn't remember… 

She hadn’t realised how long they’d been quietly puzzling out the meaning of their own vocabulary until they found themself already at Galaxy Hall. Laventon held the door for her and Rei to file in ahead of him. Airi explained herself as they both stepped through the foyer, “It means same type attack bonus, I think? I don’t remember the acronym for sure, but it's basically when your pokémon do more damage if the move they’re using is the same typing as them.”

“Huh. Guess that makes sense.” It kind of sounded to Airi like Rei wanted to continue, but he didn’t have the opportunity — they were already at Cyllene’s office. Without another word he opened the front door to her office and held it open for Airi and Laventon, calling, “We’re back!”

“That was rather fast.” Cyllene looked up from her desk as the group stepped in — Airi at the center, with Laventon and Rei at either side of her. “You all seem in good spirits. Can I assume success, then?”

Part of Airi wanted Rei or Laventon to speak on their behalf, almost too anxious around Cyllene to answer, but… This seemed important to do herself. She nodded, responded, “Yes, um — I was able to catch all three pokémon you tasked me with.” 

Cyllene’s eyes went to Rei, who rushed to confirm, “She did, I saw all three captures. They were even able to catch an alpha, her Shinx — they’re more than capable of joining the Survey Corps.” Airi wasn’t blind to the way Cyllene’s eyes widened at the word alpha.  They weren’t surprised this time. Considering what Laventon had said about her being the first person to catch an alpha, the captain’s reaction was perfectly reasonable. 

“Is that so?” Cyllene’s critical blue eyes came to meet Airi’s, who could only nod back to confirm Rei’s words. “I suppose I must commend you, that is quite the feat.” The captain rose from her desk and stepped around it, coming to stand in front of Airi. She extended her hand and said, “In that case, allow me to formally welcome you to the Survey Corps.”

Shock had Airi’s mouth fall open as they glanced up at Cyllene’s face before back down to her hand. An odd beat before she smiled and returned the handshake. “Thank you!” Part of her remembered to be polite, and they added, “I’m honored to be a part.”

“And we're honored to have you.” After a firm handshake, Cyllene retracted her hand and crossed her arms behind her back. “I must admit you’ve impressed me. I set a high hurdle, and not only did you clear it, but you exceeded even my furthest expectations by catching an alpha pokémon. It seems the professor did not exaggerate your abilities in the slightest.” 

“I wouldn’t have brought them here if I didn’t find them capable,” Laventon said. “I would never exaggerate something so important.”

“No, I suppose you wouldn’t.” Cyllene paused for a moment, looking over Airi in a way that almost made them anxious. “We can’t very well have you meeting the commander dressed as a member of the Diamond Clan. Report to Anthe at the clothes shop down the street, near the gate — you’ve seen it, I assume?” At Airi’s nod, the captain continued, “I’ve told her to prepare a uniform for you. She will tailor it to your specifications when you arrive. I’m giving you two hours until you report back. Take this time to do as you please, but I expect you in uniform upon your return.” 

“Right!” Two hours was actually a lot of time — maybe they could explore Jubilife some, like she’d wanted to that morning! This gave her a good excuse to check out the shops on the main road, and explore the parts of the village they hadn’t even gotten to see yet. A nudge on her arm from Rei’s elbow dragged her back to the present and reminded them that they were talking to an authority figure, and she was quick to add, “Yes ma’am!” 

“Good. You are dismissed.” Cyllene rounded her desk to sit back down as Airi nodded back.

Her and Rei both turned back to the front entrance of the office, but Laventon’s voice caught their attention and prompted them to turn back, “Before you head out — Airi, would you come with me a moment?” He didn’t give either Survey Corps member a chance to respond before walking to the door on the left side of Cyllene’s office. He held it open for Airi with a smile and gestured inside. Rei entered with Airi and loitered by the door while she looked around the room.

If Airi thought Cyllene’s office was messy, Laventon’s was a complete disaster. Papers and books were scattered across the room, covering every inch of usable work surfaces and littering the floor. The left wall was lined with bookshelves that were packed full save for the books around the room, and there were a number of chalkboards on display throughout the space. A large area rug covered much of the hardwood floor, making a comfortable home for a small couch and a kotatsu table. Overall, despite the untidiness, the room felt very… Cozy, almost. It was clear to Airi that the professor spent a lot of time here. Laventon was quick to approach one of the chalkboards — presently, a large sheet of paper with a drawn map of Jubilife was covering the surface, but there were other papers hidden behind it. He rifled through the papers for a moment as Airi stepped to his side, curious. 

Rei spoke up as Laventon was busy with the board, “Hey, I’m gonna head out, I promised Zisu I’d meet her for training today.” 

“Alright — tell her to go easy on you this time!” Laventon teased, earning a scoff from Rei. 

Airi turned her head over her shoulder, hoping to say bye to Rei, but he was already at the door by the time she glanced over. Rushing out of Laventon’s office before Airi could even manage a goodbye. Rei was so odd, why had even followed Airi in? Does he hate me or not? She genuinely couldn’t tell. He seemed nice enough on the walk back… 

She turned back as Laventon flipped most of the papers behind the board, revealing the paper at the bottom: a large, hand-drawn map of the entire region of Hisui. Any emotions Airi felt regarding Rei vanished the instant she laid eyes on the map, mouth falling open in wonder. Though hand-drawn, the map was still detailed enough for Airi to glean a good deal of information. The region looked to be a large island, with what Airi recognized to be Mount Coronet lying in roughly the center of the landmass. 

“I have more detailed maps of all of the sub-regions of Hisui, but I thought this might interest you first,” Laventon explained. He pointed towards the center of the map, “Coronet divides the region roughly in half. You’ll actually find differences in some species across the eastern and western halves of the region, I’ve noticed, but I haven’t had the means to truly study them yet.” 

“Interesting,” Airi murmured — for species variants to exist across different halves of the island spoke well to its biodiversity. Maybe a higher total species count, then..? But, looking over the map, there didn’t seem to be many different climate zones. “Can you tell me about the sub-regions?”

“Of course! Jubilife is closest to the Obsidian Fieldlands.” Laventon pointed out Jubilife on the western coast of the map. The Fieldlands seemed to cover what was south of Jubilife, stretching as far east as the Coronet mountain range. There seemed to be a large lake situated south of Jubilife — a glance at where Airi knew the Mirelands to be confirmed a similar lake there, that one’s Lake Valor. The lakes seemed nearly identical in size and shape. Interesting. Laventon further explained the Fieldlands as she studied that section of the map, “Your trial was there, of course. The Fieldlands is typically more mild in climate, which is why it was chosen as the base of operations for the Galaxy Expedition Team. Across Coronet from the Fieldlands is the Crimson Mirelands, which should also be familiar to you.” He stepped to the other side of the board, gesturing over the Mirelands — it matched up pretty well with Airi’s map on her phone, speaking to the accuracy of Laventon’s maps. “This is where the Diamond Clan is settled. It’s primarily wetlands, and it's the most humid region of Hisui. There is some rougher, mountainous terrain as well, but most of that environment is reserved to the Coronet Highlands.” 

“That being the mountain range?”

“Precisely.” A warm smile from Laventon before he gestured to the easternmost region of the map. The peninsula he pointed at almost reminded Airi of a hand reaching into the eastern seas. “This is the Cobalt Coastlands. Most of the beaches here are still rocky, but less so than the rest of Hisui. There’s actually an island off of the coastlands with volcanic activity. I imagine it to be home to many fire-types, but I’ve not had the chance to explore it.” He tapped on a small island drawn near the Coastlands on the map to show what he meant. Then he pointed towards the northern section of the map — another large lake was nestled in the northern tip of Hisui, Airi noticed, similar to the other two in the Fieldlands and Mirelands. “Finally, the Alabaster Icelands. It’s named as such for a reason — it experiences constant snowy weather and harsh, cold climates. Somehow, the Pearl Clan has formed their settlement up there, but I haven’t the foggiest idea as to how they can bear the cold. Hisui is chilly enough as it is, even here in the southern sections.” 

Airi nodded with a contemplative hum, staring over the map as she considered what they’d been told: five subregions with different climates. Fields, wetlands, coastal, mountainous, and arctic… Plus the volcanic island, though it wasn’t large enough to boast too much biodiversity. The whole island seemed to trend towards cooler weather —... Man, what season is it? She kept the question to herself, didn’t want to seem too silly in asking it and instead ignored it altogether. The region lacked any sort of tropical zone, nor any desert area, which would be a hit on its numbers. Most of the forests seemed to be small and isolated, too… 

Murmuring aloud as she puzzled the information together, “Most regions have around 300 pokémon present, but without a tropical or desert region and with such small forested zones, we’re probably looking at less than that for Hisui — closer to 200, maybe..? The volcanic island could make up for it, but it's too small to have that much impact — but, having an arctic zone in the north is huge for ice types that wouldn’t be comfortable otherwise. Maybe around 250, then..? Or a little less, since the region is overall cold…”  

She hadn’t even realised they’d spoken aloud until they noticed Laventon staring at her, eyes wide with astonishment. Airi just blinked back at him, confused — right up until she processed that they were, in fact, saying what she was thinking, and that she had once again rambled an obscene amount. This realisation crept into them in the form of blush on her cheeks, the heat of embarrassment welling within her. A terrible, awkward silence fell between her and the professor as they stared at each other. 

Right up until Laventon started laughing. 

Confusion did little to ease Airi’s embarrassment — if anything, her cheeks got even redder as Laventon burst into hearty laughter — but before she could even think to defend themself, he managed to break his laughter enough to say, “You just keep on impressing me!” He wiped an amused tear from his eyes as he continued, “You caught me off guard, is all! You’re quite right, my girl — many of the neighboring regions have between 200 and 250 pokémon, and given the environment around Hisui, I predict it to bolster similar numbers. Quite clever, aren’t you?” 

Airi let out a breath she hadn’t realised they’d been holding in a relieved exhale. “I’m just glad you agree, was worried I was totally off-mark,” she explained. Their smile came a little more sheepish, bringing a hand up to nervously tug at the neckline of her top, “I’m, um, sorry for rambling like that so much, I don’t know what’s wrong with me —” 

“Nothing at all wrong with being knowledgeable, Airi!” Laventon matched his assurances with a bright grin. “Truthfully, the fact that you can match me in pokémon-related knowledge is of huge value to me. I’m the only scholar in the Galaxy Team at the moment — while we certainly have plenty of talent here, I normally earn odd looks for my know-how. It’s quite the reprieve for me to be able to share in my knowledge so easily with you!” 

… It was… Almost odd, to Airi, for Laventon to find so much joy in their strange ramblings. But, for as unusual as it was, his assurances came as a huge relief. He didn’t seem to find her too weird, at least — that was nice. Laventon was nice in general, really. Considering how strangely Airi had acted upon meeting him (and continued to act since), it was comforting that he was still kind to her. 

“I guess we’ll see if we’re right when we start working on the ‘dex in earnest, then!” Airi’s smile came a little brighter now, more genuine.

“Right you are, dear girl! Now that you’re officially a member of the Survey Corps, we have much work to do together. Ah, but first, you have your orders from Captain Cyllene, yes?” Laventon folded the papers back over the chalkboard, returning it to the state it was in when Airi arrived — the map of Jubilife. “I won’t keep you any longer! When you’re equipped in proper uniform, I’ll have to bother you and Rei for a photo to commemorate your joining, but that can wait until after you meet with the commander.” 

“Okay!” Airi had gotten so absorbed in Laventon’s maps that they’d briefly forgotten what they were meant to be doing. Honestly, meeting the commander was a pretty intimidating thought — but, she had time! Two whole hours to go explore (and get her uniform)! “I’ll be off, then! Thank you for showing me the map!” 

“Of course!” He turned towards Airi with a bright smile. “I’m looking forward to working together with you!”

“Me too,” Airi agreed in a hum. “‘Kay, bye for now, see you soon!” Not giving the professor a chance to respond, she darted to the door, too excited to wait — plus, if she stayed any longer, she’d probably end up rambling. They didn’t have time for rambling! They wanted to explore Jubilife now that they had some free time — uniform first, though. 

They hurried out of the Galaxy Hall as fast as they could without bothering anyone. She was practically sprinting out of the front door to the building. Using their momentum to their benefit, they launched herself off the top step up to Galaxy Hall, clearing all six stairs in one leap and landing hard on the dirt path below. A smug smile traced their face as they landed before they pivoted to the left, sprinting down the main road with a smile. 

The clothes shop was near the end of the main road, close to the gate out to the Fieldlands — Airi remembered it from the day before. They slowed to a walk as they got closer, peaking into the building. The sliding doors at the front of the shop were pushed open, allowing Airi to see into the interior from the road. Racks of fabrics and kimonos made isles throughout the store, with the prettiest fabrics facing the door for display. No shopkeep out front, though… They hovered by the door and called into the store, “Hello?”

“Just a moment!” came a woman’s voice from deeper into the shop, out of sight from Airi. The voice sounded distant — maybe its owner was in a back room? Airi couldn’t see anyone on the shop floor. “You can come in!”

“Thank you!” Airi called back. The permission was appreciated, honestly — they probably would’ve loitered outside otherwise. They stepped past the threshold into the store and wandered to the closest rack of kimonos to examine them. They didn’t know a lot about clothing or fashion, but they did know that the kimonos on display were gorgeous, all vibrant colors and elaborate patterning. Airi wandered in front of one particular kimono: deep purple with gold floral designs. Pretty… How were the patterns done? Embroidery? Or maybe the fabric was painted? Either way the craftsmanship showed in how clean the patterning looked, not a single line out of place. Airi didn’t dare to touch the display to examine further, though, too afraid of potentially damaging something. They just stared over it, utterly entranced. 

“Sorry for the wait!” came a chipper voice from right next to Airi, making them jump. She was quick to face the woman who had spoken — she stood at about Airi’s height, wearing a plum-colored kimono with a golden gradient on her shoulders, and a matching gold sash. The sleeves on her kimono were tied back and she wore an apron, fit for working without her clothes getting in the way, and her black and blonde hair was tied into a tight bun. She smiled at Airi, purple eyes shining with warmth through her circular glasses. “How can I help you, hon?”

Airi blinked back at the woman with a blank expression while her mind fought to keep up — they’d been startled so thoroughly it was taking them a moment to remember why they were here. An awkward beat before Airi stammered, “Oh, sorry! I’m Airi, I’m here for my uniform — Miss Cyllene sent me?” 

“Oh! You must be the new Survey Corps member, then?” At Airi’s nod, the clothier clapped her hands together in delight. “Wonderful! I’ve been expecting you — come with me, let’s get you all fitted!” Another nod from Airi as the woman turned to walk deeper into the shop, leading Airi through isles of kimonos towards one of the side walls. A countertop was built parallel to the wall, shelves and racks mounted behind it. The woman rounded the counter and crouched to grab something hidden out of sight with a hum while Airi came to stand in front, looking around the shop more. In the back corner of the store, sharing a wall with the counter, was what seemed to be a designated changing area — foldable partitions gave the zone the potential for privacy. 

“Hm… All Cyllene told me was that you were about Rei’s size,” the woman murmured — Airi only barely caught the words, so they didn’t think they were actually meant to respond. She grabbed a pile of neatly-folded clothes from a shelf hidden under the counter and stood to full height, placing it on the countertop. “My name is Anthe, I prepare all the uniforms for the Galaxy Team. Do you have any special requests for yours?” She turned to face the back wall, browsing the shelves behind the counter as she continued, “I’ll have to tailor it to you regardless, but if you want any additional adjustments, I can certainly do that.”

Airi hummed to acknowledge the question as they thought it over. Far too vague a prompt, really. Was her uniform going to be like Rei’s? They couldn’t really visualize it, not without seeing it on. They liked how Rei’s looked in their memory, but she couldn’t fathom what it would look like on her. “I don’t really know,” they admitted, “Can I try it on first?”

“Of course!” Anthe pulled what looked to be a black shirt off of one of the shelves. She turned to face Airi with a smile, setting the shirt on top of the pile of clothes she’d set there earlier before pushing it across the counter towards Airi. They couldn’t glean much detail with the clothes all folded up, but the uniform was the same deep grey as Rei and Cyllene’s — makes sense. Maybe all the different divisions of the Galaxy Team wore different colors? The man from the Security Corps at the front gate wore red instead of grey. Neat… Airi gathered the outfit in their arms while Anthe instructed, “You can try it on here, so we can see what needs adjusting.” She gestured to the back corner of the shop, where the partitions Airi had noticed earlier were set up. 

Airi nodded before walking to the designated area. She set the clothes down on a small side-table against the wall while they adjusted the folding partitions for better privacy. There was a mirror against the wall, too, one Airi pointedly ignored in favor of examining the outfit she’d been given. 

Already they could tell they were going to have an issue with it. Specifically with the undershirt they’d been given — it was a black thermal button-up, which wouldn’t be an issue, except that it was a turtleneck. They stared down at the shirt in her hands with a frown at the realisation. It was long sleeved, too, which just made it worse. Maybe I could ask for a different shirt..? Something with a lower neckline? Would that be allowed? Just the idea of fabric that tight against their skin, especially their neck, made their skin crawl. She pushed the thought away with a quiet sigh and put the shirt down. Resigning herself to just… deal with it. At least the rest of the uniform seemed fine — the kimono top was made of soft, heavy fabric, with fur lining the collar and sleeves. It looked nearly identical to Rei and Cyllene’s, making Airi believe that to be the more important part of the uniform. The bottoms were pants like Rei’s, made of a similar deep grey fabric as the top, fading to a lighter grey below the knees. Everything seemed perfectly nice to Airi except for the undershirt… 

… She guessed she could try it. Maybe. Probably. It would probably be fine, they were just being dramatic. 

Electing to ignore it until necessary, she got to changing out of the clothes the Diamond Clan had given them. They pulled off their boots and set them against the wall — probably no point putting them back on until they were fully done here. Slipping off their belt and satchel and placing it on the side table, then pulling their top over their head. She’d miss the hood on the jacket, but… Small price to pay for fitting in, they supposed. The pants of their uniform turned out to be a bit too big for them — on legs and hips, anyway, they were long enough for her legs. They had to tie the drawstring of the pants’ waistband pretty tight to keep it on — that would probably need to be tailored, she imagined. She couldn’t ignore the shirt anymore, she supposed. Grimacing the entire time she put it on — they felt heat in her throat and eyes the moment the shirt was on. Am I really about to cry over this? It was just a shirt. A really, really tight shirt — tight on her throat to the point she couldn’t stop squirming. Tight on her arms, too, she hated how it felt on their upper arms. This is stupid. It’s fine, she told themself, gritting their teeth. It’s just a shirt. It’s fine. They shoved down their discomfort and growing need to cry and put on the kimono top over the undershirt. At least that fit them well, but… Even the kimono felt off to her. The sleeves hardly reached past her elbows, and each time she moved her arms, the fur on the sleeves hit their arms in a way that made them uncomfortably aware of their arms. They didn’t like it, wished the sleeves were longer. But, they looked how Rei’s did, so that was probably uniform-standard. She definitely couldn’t ask for that change, that would be way beyond entitled — the rules in their quarters reminded them, likes and dislikes are a luxury ill afforded. She could probably put up with this, right..? Right? Right. With a resolute deep breath to steady herself, Airi folded the partition closed and stepped out of the changing area — they didn’t even bother with the mirror, knew she wouldn’t like what they saw.

Anthe had busied herself at the counter while Airi changed. She turned her head towards Airi at the sound of the wooden partitions sliding against the floor, brightening at the sight of them in their uniform. “It suits you!” she chimed, rushing over to Airi to examine them further — the woman suddenly being so close to Airi had them take a nervous step back, desperate for their personal space. Their skin crawled with discomfort the longer she wore the uniform. She wanted the undershirt off, or at least off of her neck — it was getting hard to breathe. They knew it was subconscious, knew the shirt wasn’t actually constricting their breathing or anything, but — 

“You seem unhappy,” Anthe remarked, the bluntness in her tone making Airi tense. That obvious, huh? She squirmed as Anthe walked a small circle around them, distinctly and uncomfortably aware of their shaking hands and shortening breath. “What can I do to make you more comfortable, hon? I’d hate for you to be upset while you’re working — and I’m sure Cyllene wouldn’t be too pleased with me, either.” 

Airi’s hand immediately went to her neck. She tugged the turtleneck’s collar away from her throat, desperate for even the slightest relief from the fabric on their throat. They wanted it off. Immediately. Trying not to freak out, she mustered her voice enough to respond, “I, um — can I…” Their voice came out tiny and strained — a fresh wave of heat to Airi’s eyes. Come on, no crying, this is stupid. Just ask. It’s fine. Trembling deep breath, calm down, “Can I maybe — can I get a different shirt? With, um — with a lower neckline?” 

“Oh, of course! You poor thing, I wish you’d told me — wait just a moment, hon.” Anthe darted back behind the counter. She took a moment to rummage through the shelves behind the counter, then crouching to see the ones underneath it with a mutter that Airi couldn’t understand. All while Airi stood rooted in place, shifting their weight from foot to foot and gently tugging at their collar — not too harsh, she didn’t want to stretch it… 

“Here we go,” Anthe said, standing back to full height with another black shirt folded over her arm. She raced back to Airi and practically shoved the garment to them, said, “Try this, okay?” 

“Mhm.” Airi took the new shirt and returned to the changing area, folding the partitions back into place. Examining this shirt filled Airi with considerably more confidence — a simple, short sleeved shirt, with a round neckline. Perfect. And Airi hadn’t even mentioned the sleeves issue — maybe Anthe only had short sleeved shirts with their desired neckline. It didn’t really matter, she supposed. She was quick to change out of the turtleneck and into the new undershirt. Even smiling as she re-tied her kimono on top of it. The relief they felt about having their neck freed was immeasurable — their hands weren’t even shaking anymore! She even let herself glance at the mirror after her top was sorted. Avoiding their eyes, still, just examining their uniform. She still wasn’t obsessed with the sleeves of the kimono — it looked a little silly without a long sleeved shirt underneath it, really — but it was much easier to ignore that bit of discomfort when her nerves weren’t screaming that they were suffocating. Pants were definitely a little too big on their waist, they noticed in the mirror. The fabric folded in weird ways from how tight she’d tied them to overcompensate. Still, though… This is much better. 

Again she stepped out from the changing area, meeting Anthe’s eyes with a small smile. Even the clothier looked relieved at Airi’s appearance, commenting, “There! Much better. I doubt you’ll want the scarf, then?” The woman’s smile, light tone, and twinkle in her eye told Airi she was just teasing, but still they felt a little sheepish when they nodded in confirmation. “As long as you’re comfortable! Hold your arms out for me?”

Airi held her arms out straight to the sides as Anthe walked a small circle around her, studying again how the uniform fit on them. “Hm… You’re quite a bit skinnier than Rei, aren’t you,” she murmured. Still behind Airi, she gently grabbed their arm, moving it to her liking. “I’ll take in the pants, unless you care for a skirt and leggings instead?” Airi shook their head without hesitation — leggings sounded like their own personal hell, really. “I worry for how cold you’ll be with the shorter sleeves…” Letting go of Airi’s arm, Anthe stepped in front of Airi with a contemplative hum.

Taking a chance at being bold and potentially very, very entitled, Airi risked adding, “Um, maybe you could — can the sleeves on the uniform be lengthened?” She pulled her arms in and balled their hands in front of their chest, staring down at her hands out of equal parts fear and embarrassment. “That would help the cold, I think? It’s fine if not. though! I don’t want to break any rules, I just —” 

“Wonderful idea!” Anthe exclaimed, cutting off Airi’s anxious ramblings. They risked a glance up to meet Anthe’s eyes. The clothier just smiled at them again, said, “I can definitely do that for you! I think that would suit you.” 

Airi couldn’t help the way they perked up. They were lucky Anthe was so nice, they supposed — or maybe lucky that the dress code wasn’t that strict. Regardless, this was going way better than they’d thought. “Thank you!”

“Of course, hon! Let me get you something casual to wear while I alter your uniform, alright?” At Airi’s nod, the woman stepped away to flip through some of the clothing racks near the back wall of the shop. Airi followed at a slower pace, looking over the clothing — since these racks were further from the door, they didn’t contain the elaborate display pieces in the front of the shop. Instead, most of the clothing Airi saw on the back racks were simple, casual outfits, in comfortable fabrics and plain colors. More everyday pieces, she supposed. Anthe pulled an outfit off the rack and walked to Airi, holding it against them, a contemplative look in her eyes. With a nod, she shoved it into Airi’s arms, said, “These should fit in the meantime.”

Airi accepted the clothes with a hum, draping them over their arm. It seemed to be a light grey everyday outfit, with a simple kimono top and plain trousers. No fancy designs or color gradients like their uniform, but the overall outfit was similar. The fabric felt nice in their hands. “Thank you!” At Anthe’s nod back, Airi darted back to the changing area. The grey trousers of the casual outfit did end up fitting them much better on their waist, and the top already had longer sleeves. Airi hummed, pleased, as she pulled their boots back on. Then her belt and satchel — how quickly she was growing to think of these things as hers, they realised. That was kind of a nice thought, wasn’t it? Look at them go, owning more than just three objects! 

She draped her Diamond Clan clothes over one arm and her new Survey Corps uniform over the other, to hand to Anthe. She figured they could probably keep the Diamond clothes — or, well, unless Adaman wanted them back. Either way she could probably keep them at their quarters for now. Now their dresser wouldn’t be empty! Smiling as they stepped back to the front counter, where Anthe was waiting for her. They gently placed down their uniform on the counter for the clothier to take, saying, “Thank you for doing this, sorry for um… Freaking out, I guess.” 

Anthe slid the uniform closer to her side of the counter with a hum. “That was nothing, dear, you don’t need to apologize. I’m just glad you spoke up! I’d hate for you to be uncomfortable on the field because you didn’t think to ask for adjustments.” The woman smiled at Airi, warm and reassuring. “The modifications shouldn’t take me too long. Why don’t you drop by again in an hour or so — unless Cyllene needs you back sooner?”

Airi shook her head, said, “No, that’s fine! Miss Cyllene gave me two hours.”

“Wonderful! I’ll get started, then. Oh — you haven’t had the chance to explore Jubilife yet, have you?” Anthe asked. When Airi shook her head again, the clothier said, “Could I trouble you with a favor while you’re off exploring?” 

“Sure!” Airi smiled back with her response of, “Feels like the least I can do, considering how much I’m asking from you.”

“Oh hush, it’s of no trouble to me,” the woman scolded. She turned again to the shelves behind her. “I’ve been meaning to run down to Choy’s to drop a request off for him, but I haven’t had the time. Just keeps slipping my mind!” She slipped a wooden box off of a lower shelf into her arms. Sliding the lid of the box open, Anthe checked the contents within — they must’ve been to her standards, because she nodded and shut the box. She put it onto the counter and slid it towards Airi. “Choy runs the general store just down the road,” she explained, “The one with the red sign over it, you can’t miss it.” 

“Okay!” Airi draped her Diamond Clan clothing over the box and slipped it into her arms. Red sign, they repeated internally, ran by Choy. She could remember that! “I’ll make sure he gets it.” 

“Thank you very much, dear! Now, you go explore, don’t let me keep you.” Another warm smile from Anthe, accompanied by a friendly wave. “Drop by again in a little while, I should have you all sorted by then.” 

Airi gave an excited nod back. A quick, “‘Kay, be back soon!” before she darted off — not quite running yet, running indoors was rude! As soon as she breached the threshold of the doorway, though, she broke into a full sprint.

She stopped briefly at her quarters, just to tuck her old outfit into their dresser. She swapped the things in her pockets at the same time, moving her Arc Phone and odd stone to her new trousers. She took the chance to readjust her belt, too, tightening the strings of her pokéballs — still she wished she could hang her stone the same way, but she still lacked the means… Oh! Maybe I can ask Miss Anthe for fabric later? To tie her stone onto! She’d already asked Anthe for quite a lot, though, considering the changes to her uniform… Well, that was a decision they could make later, she supposed: for now she had to run Miss Anthe’s errand! 

She didn’t run down Main Street this time. She still walked fast, just by nature of her long legs, but she at least paced herself in a way that she could better look around. Not that it was a long walk, really — the shop Anthe had described wasn’t far at all from their quarters. It was built in a similar manner as both Anthe’s shop and the apparent hair salon in between the two: a small, two story building, with the first story seeming dedicated to their shops. Airi presumed the shop owners lived upstairs. That made sense to her, at least. The front of the general store was much busier than the front of Anthe’s — Choy seemed to keep merchandise outside and ran the store from the front of the building. There was a nice display of bowls of various produce, and another of pokéballs. The sign above the shop was bright red, featuring an emblem of a lidded pot in the middle. This had to be the shop Anthe meant. 

Airi stepped up to the person manning the shop — a man dressed in a teal kimono, about Airi’s height, with short purple hair and glasses covering his small eyes. The apron he had tied around his waist bore the same emblem as the one on the sign above him — Airi had to assume this was Choy. He smiled at her as she approached, his eyes briefly darting to the box in her arms. “Hello there! Now, who might you be? You’re new around here, yes?”

They were kind of hoping that not being in the Diamond Clan clothes would make her stand out less, but Choy still clocked her as a stranger. Guess it makes sense, though, Choy and the other shop owners in Jubilife probably knew nearly everyone in the village. “My name’s Airi, I just joined the Survey Corps,” Airi introduced. “Um, are you Mister Choy?” 

“Indeed I am! Pleasure to meet you. Feel free to look around, if you’d like!” Choy gestured to the displays around him and said, “Let me know if anything catches your eye.” 

Unfortunately, Airi didn’t have money — they felt the briefest surge of panic for that, what if I’m supposed to pay for my uniform..? Hopefully not. Surely Cyllene wouldn’t set her up for failure like that, right? Maybe that’s why Anthe was having her run an errand — oh, right! Airi shook her head at Choy and explained, “Sorry, um, maybe later. I have something for you from Miss Anthe? She asked me to deliver it to you.”

“Oh, splendid!” Choy accepted the box from Airi when they held it out for her. He slipped the lid open a crack. Satisfied, he lit into a bright smile. “Wonderful work as always, I’ll have to pay her my compliments.” He shut the box and turned to step up into his building. Placing it down just past the entryway of the shop, he explained, “I commissioned a new kimono for my wife, you see. Anthe does truly incredible work — a small village like ours is lucky to have such a talented seamstress. It’s no wonder the Galaxy Team hires her to make the uniforms!” 

Airi nodded along with a small smile of her own. While Choy rambled, her attention had been kind of drifting to the tall dresser lining a wall of his building — maybe that was spare stock? She didn’t really know. It was a pretty small shop, though, not a lot of selection — less than Airi figured a general shop should have, even considering how small Jubilife was. Realising she’d been quiet for an odd stretch, she added, “Yeah, I saw some of the kimonos in her shop, they were really pretty! I hope your wife likes hers.” 

“I do, too!” Choy turned back to smile at Airi again. “Thank you for delivering this to me, I appreciate it. Give Anthe my thanks when you report back.”

“Will do!” Another lingering glance at the displays of Choy’s shop while another person stepped besides Airi to talk to the shopkeep, stealing Airi’s chance at saying a proper goodbye. Probably for the best, Airi thought — she’d hate to take up too much of his time while he was busy. With that thought in mind, Airi stepped away from the shop, hands crossed behind her back while she walked. 

Two hours was a lot of time to not really have anything to do, Airi realised. She wasn’t too sure how to use it. A small part of her wanted to go back to her quarters and rest — starting to feel the effects of her poor sleep, she supposed — but that seemed a waste. Guess I really do have time to explore. They hummed while they walked down the road, not really acknowledging anyone she passed. A small nod in greeting was the most she’d offer whenever they accidentally made eye contact with someone else. Past Choy’s shop was an intersection down another road — a glance down it showed Airi a bridge over a small stream, and rows of houses lining the street. Residential area, looked like. Airi didn’t turn down that road and instead continued forward: past the intersection was the restaurant Laventon had taken her to the night before, the Wallflower. She picked up her pace just the slightest as she walked past it — Beni wasn’t outside, but she wasn’t about to take chances. 

Past the Wallflower seemed to be some kind of workshop. Piles of wood were stacked out front, alongside what looked like a small workbench. The signpost outside the building had an anvil design on it, adding to Airi’s suspicions. There wasn’t anyone out front of the shop, but the door was open — when Airi peeked in, she could see a large furnace and a ton of tools. A man was working with the furnace, tending to the fire. Guess it makes sense for a village like this to have a smith, but the sight was pretty foreign to Airi. She didn’t think she had ever seen a craftworks shop like that before. What would you know? It’s certainly not like they’d remember.

… Nevermind that. They didn’t let themself linger on the thought — they couldn’t let themself linger on the thought. Shaking their head to clear it, they stepped away from the workshop and continued down the street — the road steepened following the workshop, leading up a hill. Maybe Airi really was tired, because even the slight uphill walk winded them. At the top of the hill was a training ground with a small battlefield. Airi’s first thought was that this is probably where Rei was, but she didn’t spot him — just two Security Corps members sparring. Or, at least, they were probably Security Corps, if Airi was right about the uniform colors. Airi watched the battle for a minute or two before turning to their left and continuing on. No longer a proper road, though, just a path. Seemed this area of the village was dedicated to farmland and development. Not a lot of people, just a couple people tending to the fields. 

The path she was following curved back into the village down a slope, leading Airi near a large entrance gate into the village. Airi had never been to this part of Jubilife, so they didn’t really know where the gate led. The road leading from it was the residential road Airi had noticed before, intersecting with the main street after the bridge she’d seen. Galaxy Hall loomed at the very end of the road. It truly was a marvel, Airi thought — taller and more intricate than anything else in the village. 

She turned her focus back on the gate. From what she’d seen on Laventon’s map, there wasn’t anything south of Jubilife except some cliffs. She remembered an ocean to the west, though… Maybe this leads to the sea? The path beyond the gate looked like it curved through the cliffs, so it was possible. Since Jubilife was populated mostly from immigrants, from Airi’s understanding, it would make sense for there to be a port nearby. That was probably another reason Jubilife was established here. Easy access to the sea, relatively isolated, in a milder climate zone… Makes sense. Was Airi allowed to go out the gate..? She hadn’t been told if they could leave the village yet. They kind of wanted to see the ocean… 

… She spotted a man on the other side of the gate. Dressed in a red kimono that was quickly growing familiar to Airi, they recognized him as a member of the Security Corps. A guardsman… Maybe I can ask him where the gate leads? She really was curious. But, the idea of talking to strangers was a little nerve wracking… She’d already talked a lot that day, and they still had to meet with the commander later — they were a little scared to push themself too far, in terms of talking. But, well, surely it wouldn’t be a long conversation? They just wanted to know what was past the gate. Maybe it’d be fine. Anxiety had them bunch their hands together in front of them, and they glanced down at their heel —... 

… There wasn’t anything beside her. Why did they look down? 

Nevermind. They shoved their worries away — they didn’t have a lot to lose by asking a simple question. Only another moment of hesitation, paired with a deep breath, before Airi stepped through the large wooden gate. “Excuse me,” they said as they approached the guardsman, “I’m, um, new to Jubilife, and I was wondering what’s past this gate?” 

The man looked Airi up and down, clearly confused. A long moment before his eyes widened and he said, “Oh, are you that girl that fell from the sky?” That was not how Airi wanted to be known, but… Well, it was true. When they nodded, the man gave a contemplative hum and crossed his arms over his chest. “This road leads to a small field, and then down to Prelude Beach. Usually new folk come in by the pier there.” 

Airi was right, then, this was a port. Prelude Beach… “Can I go see the beach?”

“Sure,” the man said. “It’s pretty safe around here — no wild pokémon, after all.” 

Huh. That was interesting — not even at the beach? Airi nodded and said, “Thank you!” When the guard gave a short nod back to acknowledge Airi, they turned and continued down the path past the gate — a well-worn dirt road, packed down from frequent use. The whole path was flanked by low cliffs and hills — it was probably something like a canyon. It certainly curved like a river might. As soon as Airi was out of sight from the gate, they broke into a sprint. The scent of salt water hit them even before they caught sight of the sea. They smiled and picked up her pace. 

Airi sprinted through winding paths until finally turning through a curve that opened out onto the beach, giving Airi their first glimpse of the sea. Awe had her slow her pace. Slow steps onto the sand, feeling her boots sink into the ground as she approached the water. The salt smell of the sea surrounded Airi, comfortable and… familiar. This time, she was certain. She knew nothing, but she was certain they knew the sea. Ahead of her, deep blue water stretched as far as the horizon, curving in the distance. On their right side, near the edge of the beach, was a solid wood dock, a single small boat tied to it. Airi stepped through the beach onto the pier — the gentle sound of waves lapping against the shore was as rhythmic as it was soothing. Standing on the pier, they were utterly surrounded by the sound of the waves, the smell of the sea. Chilly ocean wind gusted past them. They shivered despite their heavy clothing. Water must be freezing. She didn’t really mind the cold, though. A little bit of cold air was well-worth getting to see the ocean in their mind. Curiosity got the better of them and she crouched down at the edge of the pier. Cautiously, she lowered her hand into the water — immediately flinching back, cold! Colder than she expected, even! Practically ice-water against their fingers. Even when she shook the droplets away, their fingertips still felt chilled. Maybe we’re coming out of winter? She hummed as she contemplated the season and sat down cross-legged at the end of the pier. The sound of the waves hitting the wood below her felt familiar and calming. 

Prelude Beach… It was probably named that because of the docks: people moving to Hisui began their new lives here. This was the prelude to the new chapter of their lives. Airi imagined that was why the guardsman was surprised when they didn’t know what was past the gate — most of the village probably arrived here. Even if this wasn’t her true start to Hisui like most people, she still enjoyed it here. She liked the beach. It was nice to live so close to one. If she was right about it being early spring, this would probably be a nice place to spend time in the summer… Thinking too far ahead. They had no idea how long they’d be spending in Jubilife. For all they knew, someone would recognize them before long and whisk them away to wherever home might be. It was… probably a little naïve, to assume she’d been staying in Jubilife for any length of time. Right? But, Laventon wanted her help with their pokédex, and Arceus wanted her to seek out every pokémon. Those were both things that would take some time, right? So they probably would be spending quite some time in Jubilife with the Galaxy Team. It wasn’t that much of a reach. 

They sighed. They scooted backwards on the pier and pinned her arms behind them to support their weight. Leaning back on their arms and stretching their legs out, they tipped their head back to look at the sky. The clouds floating lazily across the sky provided the backdrop to Airi’s wandering thoughts. If she did end up spending the foreseeable future in Jubilife, then she was thankful for the beach — something about being near the sea felt… right. Maybe wherever she was from had a beach, too? If she lived by the ocean before they fell, it would make sense for them to find it so pleasant. So familiar. They tried to probe their mind for any real memories, but every attempt came up blank: whenever they tried to remember something, all they could think of was their dream. The empty expanse of cold, dark space, and Arceus. That was all. Without their memories, they could only guess as to where home was. Somewhere near a beach, maybe, or maybe not. Somewhere that wasn’t here. 

Eventually she fully laid back against the wooden dock with her arms crossed behind their head for cushioning. They tried to imagine shapes in the clouds overhead, but the longer Airi looked, the more abstract everything looked to them. They couldn’t focus long enough to make out any shapes. Their mind kept drifting back to that strange idea of home, no matter how much she tried to ignore it. Eventually it became easier to just… empty their mind entirely. To zone out and lose themself in the clouds and the ocean ambience. It’s nice here.

They had no idea how long they spent like that, probably half an hour or more. Way longer than she meant. There went her plans for exploring Jubilife in their free time… Well, it’s probably fine. She sat up from the pier and stretched their arms over their head with a sigh. Had it been an hour since leaving Anthe’s shop..? The sun was nearing the center of the sky — getting close to midday. Well, worse case scenario, I’m early. She stood up from the pier and started walking back up the trail to Jubilife. They waved at the Security Corps member guarding the gate as they passed through, and he nodded back, not a word shared between them. 

 She turned right after passing through the gate — the road ahead of her would lead straight back to the main street, she knew, but it was all residential. She hadn’t explored the east end of the village yet, and that interested them more than houses. Less people this way, too. There was another road drawn out and many construction materials on either side of it. Probably dedicated to building more houses and expanding the living areas of the village. On the far east of the village were large, fenced-in pastures. Airi could see a few pokémon milling about, mostly pokémon they’d seen in the Fieldlands. Bidoof, Starly, a few Wurmple — even a Ponyta. She walked parallel to the fence back north towards the main road, eyes fixed over the fields. Finally she came to a large wooden sign in front of the fences, next to a gate leading into the fields: Village Pastures, it read. There was a woman in the pastures breaking up a large pile of hay, wearing a black kimono with the sleeves tied back. Were those all her pokémon? Or maybe they belonged to people within Jubilife. That made more sense. Maybe this is where people keep pokémon they aren’t carrying with them. It was difficult to carry too many pokémon at once. 

 She wasn’t about to bother the woman working by asking, so they just moved on. A bridge over the small river running through the village was built only a few meters from the entrance to the pastures. It crossed onto a short path connecting to the main street — Airi was back at the village gate that led to the wilds. Which also meant she was now right by the clothing shop! A left turn back onto the main road led her straight there. She didn’t hesitate before stepping inside this time. 

They heard Anthe before they saw her, “Oh, you’re back!” They turned their head to see the woman on the left side of the shop — Anthe was laying out fabrics with gradients dyed onto them. The large vessels marked in different colors led Airi to believe that was where she dyed most of her fabrics. She was probably laying out something to dry. Anthe took another moment to straighten out the strip of fabric she was working with and said, “You’ve got good timing, I was just wondering about you.”

“Oh, um, sorry, I must’ve lost track of time.” Had it been that long? Airi must’ve been zoned out for longer than they thought. That was embarrassing…

“Don’t worry, hon, I only just finished your modifications!” Anthe walked towards Airi with a smile. Gesturing for Airi to follow her to the right side of the shop, she continued, “It wasn’t too difficult — I had spare fabric ready for the sleeves already. I think you’ll be pleased.” 

Airi followed through the shop and nodded along. It came as a pretty big relief that she hadn’t greatly inconvenienced the woman, honestly. “Thank you for doing this for me,” they said. The brief guilt they felt about not being able to repay Anthe reminded them of their errand, and she quickly added, “Oh — Mr. Choy sends his thanks, by the way! He says he likes it.” 

“Ah, thank you! I’m glad he does — hopefully his wife appreciates it.” Anthe rounded the counter on the right wall and pulled a set of clothes off of the shelves behind it. From the grey coloring, Airi assumed that to be their uniform — this was confirmed by Anthe turning and placing it on the counter, sliding it towards her. “This should fit you better,” she said. “I modified the collar a little, too, since your shirt isn’t as warm. Don’t want you freezing out there! Go try it on, I want to see how it suits you!” 

Anthe seemed more excited than Airi, based on the way she practically shoved the uniform towards them. Airi beamed as she accepted the clothing. Anthe was being so considerate of them, she wasn’t used to it. “Okay!” Airi darted to the changing area, just-barely managing to avoid sprinting — still rude to sprint indoors, but she was too excited to walk at a normal pace.

Changing didn’t take long, especially considering that the outfit actually fit her this time — the pants fit comfortably around their waist and hips without the drawstrings needing to be tied to a comical degree.The top had already fit them pretty well, if a little loose on their shoulders, but Anthe seemed to have solved even that minor issue while she was adjusting the sleeves. And the sleeves were perfect. The fur-lined cuffs hit just under their wrists instead of barely past their elbows, covering their whole arm. The shape of the sleeves widened at the end and draped nicely off of their arms. She stood in front of the mirror and folded their arms into various positions, watching the way the fabric fell with a smile. Anthe had sewn the Galaxy Emblem patches near the shoulder seams of the sleeves rather than near the bottoms, like they had seen on Cyllene’s uniform. Airi couldn’t tell what was different about the collar — maybe it was a little higher, if they had to guess, but it wasn’t high enough to bother them by hitting their throat. The whole uniform was sewn of soft, heavy fabric, warm and comfortable. She liked it, they decided. Enough to put their waist belt and satchel back on, alongside their boots, without checking with Anthe first — they were near-positive they didn’t need any more adjustments. Again transfering the objects in her pockets to her new clothes, too. When she looked at herself in the mirror again, fitted with their accessories, they recognized themselves as a Survey Corps member. The thought earned a bright smile from Airi.  

They stepped out of the changing area to an excited gasp from Anthe, “Oh, you look perfect!” When the woman stepped in front of Airi and firmly into their personal space again, they didn’t jolt back — they just held her arms out so Anthe could see. “You look good with the longer sleeves, good call. Your arms looked so skinny with the short ones!” Anthe gently grabbed their arm and folded it to see how the cuff would move. Seemed she was satisfied, because she dropped their arm with a hum. “You look like a proper member of the Galaxy Team now!”

“Really?” Airi was positively beaming — if Anthe thought so, it must be true! “Thank you! I really like it — the sleeves are really nice.”

“I’m glad, hon!” Anthe smiled at them while she stepped away from her. Her eyes went up and down over Airi’s form before she nodded to herself, satisfied. “Well, I must say, you’ve been quite the delight to work with!” she said. Humming as she returned to the counter. She pushed a red bundle of fabric across the counter towards Airi as they approached, said, “In case you change your mind about the scarf. It gets rather cold here in the winter, you might be grateful for it.” 

Airi doubted they would change their mind on that front, but she accepted the scarf anyway. As soft as the red fabric felt under their hands, she still squirmed at the idea of something around their neck. She’d rather be cold than face that reality. “This is, um, gonna sound really stupid, but… What season is it?”

Sure enough, the look on Anthe’s face was… incredulous at best. Airi blushed nearly as bright red as the scarf in her hands, eyes quickly falling to the counter. Fidgeting with the scarf while Anthe carefully responded, “It’s spring, hon. Surely you’re not from so far away that the seasons are different?” 

“Well, um, I don’t…” I don’t remember. How was she supposed to know? Spring made sense, though, that meant they were right earlier when they were at the beach. “… Nevermind, thank you for answering. Guess I won’t have to worry about winter for a while, then, right?” They spoke a little lighter, trying to dispel the heavy mood they’d created with humor. 

Their attempt worked, because Anthe chuckled at that. “I suppose that’s true. Well, then, if there’s nothing else you want changed, I’d say you’re good to go! I’m sure Cyllene will be pleased to see you all prim and proper in uniform.” 

“Mhm!” There wasn’t anything else she could even think of changing, really — they liked their uniform. She gathered the scarf and the grey casual clothes into her arms and nearly turned to leave before they were struck with the thought of her stone. “Oh, um, actually —...” Wait, I’ve asked enough from Anthe for one day. They were just going to ask for a strip of fabric for her stone, but, well… Anthe had done a lot for them. Even given them another set of clothes. And they couldn’t exactly pay the woman, so she didn’t want to ask for anything else. She shook her head to dismiss her own thoughts and said, “Nevermind. Thank you for —”

“No, no, what were you going to say, dear?” Anthe interrupted their own dismissal. “Is there something else you want done?”

“No, nothing like that! It’s just…” Airi trailed off with a sigh. They put the clothing in her arms back onto the counter to rifle through their pockets. They pulled out their gemstone and held it out in her palm for Anthe to see — the woman gasped at the sight of it. “I, um — Mister Adaman made a pendant out of my stone, and I really want to wear it on my belt like my pokéballs, but, um… It’s a lot heavier than a pokéball, so I didn’t want to risk using string, and —”

“It’s gorgeous,” Anthe murmured, interrupting their anxious, rambling explanation. “Do you mind if I hold it?” … Truthfully, yes, Airi did mind, but they gave a hesitant nod anyway and let Anthe remove the stone from her hand. The spike of anxiety they felt the moment it left their palm made them flinch. She kept her mouth shut, though, just watched the woman in silence as she examined the gemstone. “I’ve never seen anything like this before,” the woman whispered in awe. “Where did you find this?”

“Oh, um… I had it with me when I got to Hisui,” they explained. “I… I don’t know what it is, it’s just — it’s important to me, so… I don’t know, guess I’d just like to be able to see it more easily than if it were in my pocket.” She didn’t like having the stone out of sight. They didn’t like having it out of their possession, either — that was quickly growing clear by their anxious stuttering getting worse the longer Anthe held their stone. 

Anthe hummed in contemplation. To Airi’s vague horror, she kept the stone in her hand while she turned away from Airi towards the shelves behind her, removing the stone from Airi’s line of sight. She flinched again, hands shaking at their side while Anthe hummed and browsed the shelves. Apparently not finding what she wanted, she crouched down to browse the shelves under the counter. All while Airi lost her battle with anxiety to the point of bringing her hands in front of her, scratching at her palms. Still shaking… 

When Anthe popped back up from behind the counter, she was holding a red strip of fabric in her other hand. The red of the sash was the same color of the scarf, or maybe a touch lighter. She threaded Airi’s pendant onto it and then held the sash by the edges, watching how it handled the weight of the stone. Satisfied, she held the stone and the fabric it hung on towards Airi. “This should work,” she said. “If I had more warning, I’d make you something a little fancier, but I imagine you’re more concerned with practicality.”

Airi brightened in an instant as she accepted her stone back. She ran her thumb over the fabric — it felt soft, but still heavy. The weave of the fabric seemed sturdy enough not to fray, and the edges had a sewn finish. Perfect. Smiling, they said, “This is perfect, thank you — oh, but, um, is this — is this really okay? I can’t pay you or anything —”

“Hush, dear, it’s just some scrap fabric,” Anthe dismissed. “It’s no trouble at all. That stone is gorgeous, it’d be a shame to have it hidden away all the time!” 

Airi nodded with a pleased hum. She slipped one end of the sash under their waist belt on their left side, opposite of her pokéballs. After tying a tight knot to create one loop of fabric, she let go of it, letting the stone hang onto her side, a comforting weight near their hip. She took an experimental step forward to see how the stone would move — jostling made the stone hit their side, but not in a way that hurt, or even felt uncomfortable. The fabric of their trousers was thick enough to pad it out. She beamed and looked back at Anthe. “It’s perfect!” 

“And it completes your outfit!” Anthe smiled back, commenting, “It suits you, matches your eyes. You truly don’t remember what it is?”

“No, just that it’s important.”

“Hm… Well, who knows, perhaps you were simply fashionable before you fell from the sky!” A teasing smile from Anthe accompanied her words, “I do hope you’ll shop from me more often in the future, in that case. Perhaps your fashion sense remains, yes?”

Airi wasn’t sure if that was the truth to begin with — the stone felt a lot more important than a simple accessory. And, once again, Airi was reminded of her… notoriety. Even Anthe had heard of them falling from the sky… Oh well. That was just something she was going to have to get used to, wasn’t it? “Mhm! I’ll look forward to it — your kimonos are really, really pretty.” 

“You flatter me, hon.” Anthe stepped back from behind the counter, ending in front of Airi. They were more ready for the invasion of personal space this time, only tensing slightly. With a hum, Anthe adjusted the collar of Airi’s uniform the slightest bit, straightening out the fabric on their shoulders. “There — you should straighten your hair up a little bit before you see Cyllene, I’m sure she’ll be happy to see you looking your best.” She stepped back from Airi with a warm smile.

“Okay!” Airi smiled back at Anthe. She gathered her spare outfit and scarf, draping them over one arm while she said, “Thank you so much, really. I’ll make it up to you!”

“No need to worry about that, Airi, it’s been a pleasure.” Anthe stepped past Airi towards the other end of the shop. As she passed Airi, she patted their shoulder and said, “Give Cyllene my regards when you see her, yes?” 

Airi nodded and promised she would. After a quick goodbye, not wanting to distract Anthe from working any longer, she stopped by her quarters again to put away her extra outfit. Felt just a little smug for now owning three sets of clothes. Today was a big day for gathering possessions, she supposed. It was a silly thing to be so happy about, but they couldn’t help the smile as she folded the casual clothing and placed it into her dresser. They spent a few minutes fixing their hair up after that. Anthe was right, it had gotten a little messy during their trial and from changing clothes. She wanted to make a good first impression to the commander — it was important to look their best! She didn’t check the mirror, of course, just took their hair down to brush it out and then tie back again. Even if she couldn’t actually see how their hair looked, it certainly felt neater than before. 

She knew she still had some time before they had to report back to Cyllene — she wanted to be early, sure, but it hadn’t been anywhere near two hours yet. So, they decided to check on their Shinx. She pulled its pokéball off of her belt and sat on the bedroom floor while she released it. The massive Shinx appeared in front of her, blinking, looking around in clear confusion. Giving the feline a moment to adjust to its new surroundings, Airi took out a potion from her satchel, one that Volo had given them. “Here,” she said, patting the space in front of them. “Come lay down, I wanna tend to your paw.”  

Star looked back at Airi with complete and utter suspicion shining in its eyes. Slowly, it obeyed, lumbering closer to Airi before laying in front of them with its front legs outstretched. “This might sting a ‘lil, just bear with it, okay?” Airi instructed. The Shinx grumbled, but didn’t protest. Airi scooped some of the medicinal salve out from the potion jar and carefully applied it to Star’s wrist joint. The Shinx tensed at the contact, a low growl bubbling in its throat. Airi murmured soft reassurances to soothe it. They kept their movements slow, deliberate, making sure not to startle the pokémon while it was in pain. When they were done tending to its wrist, they moved on to the injuries it had obtained in its battle against Leaf, quietly humming while she worked. 

Star truly was massive. Easily twice the size of the average Shinx, probably even bigger than any Luxio, now that Airi was seeing her up close. I wonder how big she’ll be when she evolves? Luxray weren’t exactly small pokémon — if Star kept the trend of being twice the size of its non-alpha counterpart, then Airi was in for a truly massive Luxray some day. Neat… Well, she’d just have to wait and see whenever Star evolved!

“There, all done,” they said, shuffling backwards away from the Shinx. “Try walking around, and tell me if it still hurts, okay?” The alpha grumbled back and slowly rose to standing. Wearily, it placed down its injured front paw, easing its weight back onto the joint. After standing a moment, it took a cautious step forward. Airi studied it while it risked walking a small circle around the room, studying it for any signs of pain or discomfort — the longer the Shinx walked, though, the more confident it grew. Airi could even hear it purring from where she sat in the middle of the room. Another circle around Airi before the Shinx practically lunged at them. Airi was shoved to the ground with a soft oof of alarm before Star took to aggressively nuzzling her, loud purring floating up from the feline. 

Airi chuckled, raised her arms around the pokémon’s massive head to pet it. “Guess you’re feeling better, huh?” Another firm nuzzle against Airi — they had to actually fight to sit back up so she could hug the pokémon. “I’m glad! You’re a sweetheart, aren’t you?” 

Star was proving awfully affectionate — Airi was going to have to straighten out their uniform again at this rate. But, well, she had time — might as well let the Shinx do as it pleased for now. Airi shuffled to the wall of the bedroom to lean back against it and let Star lay across their lap while she checked their Arc Phone. The strange marker on their map was still settled over Galaxy Hall, and the time told her it was nearly midday. There was a new button she hadn’t noticed before on her display — when she tapped on it, it popped up with a display showing their current party. Huh. Showed their rough levels, typing, movesets — all information she would expect to see on a… On a what? Her mind blanked. She knew this kind of display wasn’t unfamiliar to them, but they couldn’t remember having seen one like it before. Frustrating… Well, it was still helpful. Airi spent some time flipping through the information on her pokémon, learning that, interestingly, Star already knew Thunderbolt. That’s probably what she attacked Leaf with, when the stray electricity had hit Leaf — not Thunder Shock. It was pretty unusual for a Shinx of such low level to know such a powerful move. Maybe that was another trait unique to alpha pokémon? Stronger moves? Seemed possible… 

After a short while of playing with their Arc Phone and petting their Shinx, Airi gently coerced the pokémon off of her lap and returned it to its pokéball. Another minute or two spent straightening their appearance out before she left the living quarters. Just about midday now, Airi reasoned — probably not quite two hours since Cyllene sent her off, but it had to have been close. They didn’t mind being early. Would probably just make a better impression! She hummed the whole short walk to Galaxy Hall, too pleased to keep quiet. 

When they opened the door to the foyer of Galaxy hall, they were met with the sight of Rei — he looked surprised to see them. She watched as his eyes went up and down over Airi’s appearance, commenting, “Look at you, finally in the Survey Corps uniform. Now you actually look like you belong here!” He folded his arms in front of him, said, “Though, I was expecting you to be closer to the standard uniform. Anthe really spoiled you. What’s with the stone, anyhow?”

“Oh, um — is it a problem? Miss Anthe said it was okay, so —”

“If Anthe allowed it, then there is no problem.” Cyllene’s voice startled Airi — the woman was stepping down from the stairs to their left, joining them and Rei in the foyer. She looked over Airi for a moment before nodding. “You look as you should. As you are properly a member of the Galaxy Team, you may continue to use the accommodations you stayed in last night. You may also have this.” She presented to Airi something in her hand: a small, diamond-shaped metal pin. The design engraved into it reminded Airi of a four-petaled flower — the same design that hung over Cyllene’s door from the hallway.

“This will mark you as a member of the Survey Corps,” Cyllene began. She stepped directly in front of Airi, firmly in their personal space. They tried not to cringe back. Instead they stared up at Cyllene, confused. Carefully, Cyllene fixed the pin over Airi’s chest on their left, over their heart. When she set it in place, she stepped away from them. After looking them up and down, she nodded, pleased. “Wear that badge with pride. You are now fit to present yourself to the commander. He resides on the third floor of the building — you’d be wise not to keep him waiting.”

Airi was practically glowing. Utterly delighted by their new badge, by their official acceptance from Cyllene. Now just for the commander. Giddiness nearly had them reply with a simple okay, but the smarter part of her kicked in quick enough to change her reply into, “Yes ma’am.” Taking her warning to heart, she started up the stairs without another word. She could feel both Cyllene and Rei’s eyes on them as they stepped upstairs, right up until they reached the second floor landing. They hadn’t been up to the second floor before — curiosity had her look around as she walked to the next staircase, but the doors to all the rooms she passed were closed. The most they could perceive were the symbols above the doors: one had a purple backing, and the logo looked a little like a house. Maybe that was the Construction Corps they had heard about? The other door she passed had a red backing and a more simple symbol design, a diamond with lines at the top and bottom — Airi couldn’t imagine what that one could mean.  There was a third door down the hall, past the staircase to the third floor, but Airi couldn’t trouble themself with it right now. She had to see the commander, she couldn’t waste time here.

Every step up the stairs to the third floor seemed to add a weight onto Airi’s anxiety — by the time she reached the doors at the top of the stairs, her hands were shaking at her side, and her heart pounded in her chest. Why was she so scared..? Adaman had said he’d met the commander before, and that he wasn’t a bad man — Airi didn’t need to be so anxious. This was her new boss. She had to make a good first impression, she couldn’t let her nerves get in the way. With a resolute deep breath, they pushed the doors open to the commander’s office. 

The commander stood in front of his desk in his office — hearing the door open, he turned to face Airi. He was immediately intimidating: he stood taller than Airi, with wide shoulders and a strong build hidden behind his full-length kimono. His kimono was primarily black, but the bottom had intricate patterning on it, and he wore a thick coat over his shoulders. The Galaxy Team logo stood proud as a badge on his coat collar, the metal catching the light as he turned to face her. He had black hair combed back, showing his prominent widow’s peak. His critical expression was bolstered by his mustache and prominent sideburns, moreso by the furrow of his thick eyebrows settled over critical grey eyes. “I have been waiting for you,” he stated. His eyes settled over Airi in a way that made them squirm. “I am Kamado, commander of the Galaxy Expedition Team. Present yourself.”

“I — I’m Airi. It’s — it’s an honor, sir.” She was shaking, she realised — even their voice trembled. Calm down. Calm down. Calm down.

He frowned with her stutter. He stepped in front of them, arms crossed in front of him, staring down at her. “I’ve been briefed on your situation, including your… origins. ” He said the word like it was something filthy. Heat caught in Airi’s throat, sealing away their voice. Calm down. “Memories or not, you passed your trial. You now represent the Galaxy Team, and by extension, Jubilife. However, do not expect a warm welcome: regardless of your performance in your trial, your past is uncertain. Many will be slow to trust someone who fell from the rift — the particularly superstitious may even see your arrival as a portent for disaster. Do you understand?”

 Airi opened her mouth to respond, but her voice failed. She balled her hands into anxious fists and instead nodded back at the commander. Calm down, please, come on. 

Kamado’s eyes narrowed. A scoff from the man as he turned to step back to his desk, “Odd as you may be, you are now part of Jubilife Village. Work hard and keep your wits about you, and I don’t expect you to have any issues. You are dismissed.”

“Th — thank you, yes sir,” Airi managed to stammer, her voice hardly even a whisper compared to the authoritative tone of Kamado. Airi bowed as he sat at his desk before turning to rush out of his office before her nerves worsened any more. She closed the door behind her as quietly as she could. Walking down the stairs in silence, breathing deeply, trying to wrangle her fear in. At the bottom landing of the stairs, she leaned against the railing with her head in her hands, desperately trying to regulate her breathing. Just calm down. That went okay, you’re fine. You’re fine. Calm down, come on… Something about Kamado just… scared her. Maybe it was his tone? His voice was deep and commanding, rattled her to the core. Or maybe it was just the suspicion in his eyes, the way he treated her background like it was something they had to be ashamed of. She didn’t know — she never knew. Calm down. Calm down… 

… Do not expect a warm welcome, he had said. Many would be slow to trust her by nature of her uncertain origins: did that include the commander himself..? … Work hard and keep your wits about you. That was all she could do for now. The more work she did, the more she proved she was trustworthy — that was her goal now, she supposed. She had to prove herself. She had to. I can do this, just calm down. 

Calm down. You can do this. 

You can do this. 

♪ The beach; I remember the beach

Tiny rocks, re-shaped and re-washed by the sea ♪

Chapter Text

Airi gave themself a minute or two to steady their breathing before she returned downstairs. The rest of the Survey Corps had gathered in Cyllene’s office to meet her: Cyllene, Rei, and Laventon, the last of whom beamed at Airi as she entered the office. His bright smile hopefully meant Airi was hiding how rattled they were okay — she didn’t want the others to know how much the commander had scared her. 

“So the commander has also accepted you,” Cyllene began. Her gaze lingered on Airi’s face for a moment, like she was studying them — maybe it was just the lingering anxiety they felt from meeting Kamado, but it felt like the captain was judging them, somehow. “The Survey Corps uses a rank system based on stars: as you have just started, you begin with no stars. In other words, you have no rank at all. Perform well as a member of the Survey Corps, and you will move up through the ranks.”

“Indeed!” Laventon chimed — his cheery voice was in large contrast to Cyllene’s more serious, flat tone. “The more you add to the pokédex, the higher your rank will become. Pairs nicely with that goal of yours, doesn't it? To seek out every pokémon?” Airi hummed an affirmative note and managed a small smile. She’d have to work for a higher rank, but that was fine. All for her task for Arceus, she supposed!

“Rei,” Cyllene addressed. When she had Rei’s attention, she continued, “You’re an expert in crafting, so I am leaving it to you to teach our new recruit what they need to know. Understood?” When Rei responded with a yes ma’am and a small bow, she stepped up to Airi and said, “Take this.”

Airi held out her hands and let Cyllene place something in her hands — a small pouch that jingled a little. When Airi peeked inside, she saw some money. Not a lot, but Airi wasn’t expecting money at all, so it caught her off guard — she hadn’t even officially started working yet. Confused, she looked back up to Cyllene. 

“You will need this to buy the necessary materials for crafting pokéballs,” the captain explained. “You can also find materials commonly in the wilds. You will earn more money as you complete work for your pokédex.”

“Before we head to the craftworks,” Laventon interjected, “Cyllene, can I trouble you to join us for a picture? I’d like a photo to commemorate Airi joining the team, and it simply wouldn’t be complete without you!” 

When Cyllene sighed and looked ready to say no, Rei quickly jumped in, “Please, Captain? The professor’s right, we need a photo of the whole Survey Corps together! You took a picture when I joined, remember?” 

“Yes, and I regret it.”

“I fear your aloof nature won’t get you out of this one,” Laventon teased. Cyllene’s scoff back didn’t stop him from continuing, “It would be remiss not to have a photo of the four of us ready when we publish the pokédex, don’t you think? And with Airi around, I expect us to make quick progress! Better to get a picture now, before you’re overrun with work, I would say.” 

This seemed pretty important to Laventon and Rei, so Airi risked joining in trying to convince the captain, “I, um — I would like a picture, too, if it’s not too much trouble.” When Cyllene’s eyes returned to Airi, quizzical, they tried to smile at her. “It’d be nice to have something to remember today, you know? A little memento of being recruited.” 

Cyllene sighed again, though this time she sounded defeated more than anything. “I suppose if this is that important to the three of you, I’ll allow it.”

“Splendid!” Laventon clapped his hands together in delight, said, “Let’s be off, then!”

“… You’re not going to wear something more… befitting?” Cyllene questioned — Airi caught her eyes flitting to Laventon’s hat. More specifically to the giant pom-pom. 

“No need for that,” he dismissed, leading the group out of Cyllene’s office. He held the door of Galaxy Hall open to let Rei, Airi, and Cyllene file out before he continued, “Photos are meant to capture us as we are, after all!”

“You can at least lose the hat,” Rei said. “It’s kind of silly.”

“Blunt as ever.” Outside of Galaxy Hall, Laventon took the lead, with Rei and Airi walking side-by-side behind him and Cyllene filing at the back of the group — probably for the best. If Airi was the last in line, they’d probably get distracted and wander off. Already her attention was drifting to the surrounding buildings as Laventon said, “Does it really matter if I look a little ‘silly’ for this photo?”

In unison, Rei and Cyllene replied, “Yes.” Airi couldn’t help the short laugh that escaped her — they both sound so curt! 

Laventon heaved a dramatic sigh. “Alright then, I suppose I can forgo my hat. I wasn’t aware you all were so opinionated about practical fashion!”

… Practical, huh? Again Airi’s eyes went to his pom-pom. Yeah, very practical. They kept the thought to herself, just smiling to herself. A sigh at her side turned her attention to Rei, who muttered, “There is no way that is practical.” Seemed Airi and Rei were in agreement — him being much less polite than Airi amused them enough to giggle. Laventon just sighed, exasperated, as he pulled his hat off, revealing a head of dark brown curls. He tucked his hat into his coat’s pocket as he led the way down Main Street. 

Airi had noticed the photography studio the day before, but hadn’t given it much thought, and she’d skipped it on her little tour of the village earlier. Laventon leading them there gave Airi the chance to examine it more closely: another two-story building in a similar style to the clothier and other shops, the photography studio boasted yellow decorations and flowers out front, likely to match the warm orange shingles on the roofs. There were a number of photos framed on display out front — one of Commander Kamado, Airi noticed. Even a picture of the trader she had battled, Volo, alongside his Togepi. They let you take photos with pokémon here? Certainly seemed that way; there was even a framed photo of a Murkrow — no trainer, just on its own. Maybe the photographer wasn’t as wary of pokémon as other people in Jubilife. It’d be cool to get pictures of my pokémon later… Maybe Airi could make a little photo album? That’d be fun! It’d help her keep track of everything in Hisui — and maybe, whenever she remembered wherever home was, she could take her photos as a memento. Kind of depended on how long she stayed in Hisui, though… We’ll see, I guess.

The sound of the wood door to the studio sliding open pulled Airi out of her thoughts before they could zone out any further — she realised a little late that if Laventon had said anything, they absolutely had not heard it. He just smiled as he gestured her into the studio, though. Maybe she hadn’t missed anything..? Who knows. She stepped inside alongside Rei and looked around — the building’s interior was largely reserved for a large screen, serving as a backdrop for any photos. A few seats were propped against the side wall alongside a rack of differently colored background screens, near where a man dressed in green casual clothing stood. He glanced over as the group filed in. “Hello, Laventon, pleasure seeing you,” the man greeted. “Pressured your captain into another photo, I take it?”

“Indeed I have! We’re celebrating our new recruit.” Laventon threw his arm over Airi’s shoulder, earning a small squeal of surprise. “This is Airi, she’ll be helping us in the Survey Corps from now on! I thought it only right that we get a new photo of our full group, so to speak.” Airi shyly raised her hand to half-wave at the photographer. 

The photographer was an older fellow with short, dark hair and heavy smile lines. He studied Airi for a moment before he smiled, said, “Nice to meet you, miss. My name is Dagero, I’m in the business of photographing folks — even with their pokémon.”

“Nice to meet you,” Airi returned the greeting. Her voice came out a bit small — a little shy, still — but it didn’t waver like it had with Kamado, and she didn’t feel even a fraction of their earlier anxiety. Made sense, though. Of course she’d be anxious to meet her boss: he would decide her fate in the Galaxy Team! Dagero seemed perfectly kind by comparison, she had no reason to be afraid. It was nice to see someone who didn’t seem scared of pokémon in Jubilife. 

"Oh, Airi,” Laventon began, slipping his hand off of Airi’s shoulder. “You were wanting a copy, yes?” When Airi nodded, he glanced at Rei and asked, “How about you, my boy? Care to have a memento of your new friendship?”

Airi expected Rei to protest the implication of being friends with her. He certainly acted like he didn’t want to be close to her. To her surprise, he nodded back. Really? He actually wanted a photo with Airi? “It’d be nice to have another photo with the captain, especially without your stupid hat in the middle.” Ah. That made more sense.

“Wonderful! We’ll have four copies made, then.” Laventon smiled and offered, “Why don’t you do the honors of deciding on our background color, Airi?” He gestured to the colorful rack on the side wall, said, “It’s only fair for you to pick, considering we’re here to celebrate you! Dagero and I will discuss filters and the like in the meanwhile.” 

“Oh, um… Okay, sure!” She glanced at Rei and Cyllene — Cyllene had wandered away from the group to admire a number of photos on display on the other side wall, but Rei just rolled his eyes when Airi looked at him. I’ll have to choose something he’ll like, if she wanted to win him over. She stepped closer to the rack of screens to admire the color options. Dagero had quite the selection to choose from, honestly — Airi’s attention automatically drifted to a screen colored deep purple, shuffling through the rack to see it better. Probably not the best for this — 

“Purple, huh?” Rei’s voice behind them made Airi jolt. She glanced over her shoulder to see him standing behind them, arms folded over his chest. 

“Well, um, I figured you and the others probably wouldn’t like it, so, um —” She shuffled through the rack to instead expose a blue background, a nice mid-shade. “This would probably be better.”

“… But you wanted purple?”

“Well, um… Kinda? It’s — I don’t know, I like it, but I think blue would be better for a photo. It’ll look better with our uniform color, I think. Oh, or maybe yellow..? To match the emblem…” Airi’s voice turned to a mumble as they rifled through the colorful screens, murmuring to herself about what color would be to everyones’ liking. She didn’t want to pick purple just because she liked purple. She wanted to make everyone happy. “What do you think?”

“I think if you like purple, then you should pick it. I’d pick blue, personally, but —”

“Blue, then,” Airi decided, intentionally ignoring Rei’s first comment. 

“Pushover.”

“Hey!” 

“Bickering again?” Laventon teased, stepping between Rei and Airi. “Have you made your decision?”

“Mhm,” Airi confirmed, “I think the blue’ll look nicest.”

“She wanted purple.” Rei walked next to Airi and flipped through the screen options again, showing the purple to Laventon. “She’s just picking blue because I said to.”

“No, I really do think it’ll look nicest! Purple would be selfish, I want everyone to like the photo, so —”

“So you’re a pushover.”

“Now, now,” Laventon scolded, “be nice, Rei. Though, I am inclined to agree, Airi — I told you the color was up to you, after all! I’m rather fond of purple, and I’m sure our captain doesn’t mind either way. Isn’t that right, Cyllene?”

Cyllene glanced at the group at the sound of her name. Nodding as she walked to rejoin the rest of the Survey Corps, she said, “I have no preference. I would like this over with as soon as possible.” 

“Well, that’s that, then! If we’re all in agreement, we’ll use the purple background.” 

“But…” Airi’s protest petered out before she could even fully form it. “… Okay, if everyone’s okay with it.”

Laventon clapped his hands together with a grin, said, “Wonderful! Now, would you kids be so kind as to help Dagero set up the background screen?” 

After protesting that they weren’t kids, Airi and Rei agreed to helping — Dagero wasn’t exactly young, so he was rather pleased with their help to change the background screen out. Only took a minute or two to change the white screen out for the purple Airi had chosen. Despite her reservations, she smiled when the background was all set up, pleased. Dagero set up the camera while Laventon got everyone into position. Him and Cyllene stood in the center of the group, Laventon’s arm looped around Rei’s shoulder to his right. Cyllene stood next to Laventon with straight posture, arms crossed behind her back, while Airi stood to her left side. 

“Airi, get a little closer to the captain,” Dagero instructed — apparently Airi’s anxiety had created some distance between them and Cyllene. Shame had them blush as she took a step closer to Cyllene’s side. Not close enough, apparently, because Dagero urged, “Closer.” Another step to her right, now standing partially in front of one of Cyllene’s arms. “Perfect. Now, everyone smile!” 

Airi gave a shy smile to the camera and hoped her blush didn’t pick up. On instinct, she raised her left hand into a peace-sign about level with their shoulder. They weren’t consciously aware they had made the hand sign until Dagero told the group to come look at the resulting photo, and Rei asked, “What’s with the weird pose, Airi?”

“Weird?” Airi frowned at Rei, said, “It’s just a peace-sign. How is that weird?” She paused, glancing at the photo again — maybe her pose just wasn’t ‘serious’ enough..? But Laventon had a bright grin in the photo and his arm around Rei. Not exactly formal poses, either. 

“A what-now?” 

… No, okay, Rei just actually didn’t know the hand sign. Airi recreated it, her pointer and middle fingers forming a ‘V’ with her other fingers curled into her palm, save for her thumb, which she had outstretched. “Y’know, like, peace. Victory or whatever.” After a beat, she curled her thumb over her other fingers, said, “This is more right, I think.”

“Must be a sign from where you’re from, Airi!” Laventon remarked. “I certainly don’t recognize it.” 

“… Oh.” That… That hurt, somehow. Something so instinctual to Airi was completely unknown to those around her. She relaxed her hand and let it fall back to their side, looking down at her feet. Should she apologize for being weird..? Laventon didn’t seem to mind, but… 

“We’re done now, yes?” Cyllene’s tone was… uninterested at best. “If everyone is content with the photos, I’ll be getting back to work.” 

“I like it. Even Airi’s weird pose is kind of cute,” Rei said, taking one copy of the photo from Dagero. 

“… Thanks?” Airi didn’t know whether to be offended or not by that. 

“And I find it charming! It suits you. I’m pleased with this.” Laventon took his own copies from Dagero, who then turned to Airi to pass them their own copy. She smiled as she accepted it before studying the photo. It really was nice, she thought. The purple made her happy, and she liked how the other three Survey Corps members looked — she didn’t look at themself, didn’t care to. 

“If that’s the case, I’m leaving.” Before anyone could protest, Cyllene was gone, had slipped away the moment she spoke up. She must really be busy. Or she must have really hated having her photo taken — she didn’t even take a copy, leaving Laventon with two.

”Why don’t you two head to the craftworks? I’ll meet you for lunch in a short while,” Laventon said, a warm smile directed at Airi and Rei. “And do try to get along, yes?”

“We get along fine…” Rei retorted in a mutter. He grabbed Airi’s wrist before she could think to protest, said, “Come on, let’s get going.” 

“Oh — okay, yeah.” Airi resisted Rei tugging her to the door just enough to be able to say goodbye to the others in the studio, “See you later Mister Laventon! And thanks for the photo, Mister Dagero!” 

“It’s my pleasure. Do come again!” The photographer called with a smile as Rei pulled her through the entrance door. 

As soon as the door to the studio was closed behind them, Rei dropped Airi’s wrist to let them walk on their own. She crossed her hands behind her back while they walked. “So, what do you know about crafting?” 

“Um… Nothing, I guess.” 

“Well, crafting means you craft items from scratch —” 

“I know that!” Airi pouted — Rei had taken a patronizing tone to her, and her offense was clear in her protest. “I’m not that stupid. I just meant I don’t think I’ve ever, like… done it before. I don’t know, don’t remember.”

“Well, it’s a good skill to have.” Rei tucked his hands into his pockets as the two walked down Main Street. “You can buy things from the general shop, but it’s good to be self-sufficient — most everything you’ll need for survey work, you can make yourself. Pokéballs, potions, the like. We’ll start with pokéballs — most important. Hopefully you’re half-decent with this.”

Well, here’s hoping. Airi just hummed in response. Rei led her towards the craftworks she’d noticed earlier, next to the Wallflower. There was a man out front now, leaning against one of the pillars on the front of the building — the same man Airi had seen tending the furnace earlier, they imagined. He waved to Rei as the two Survey Corps members approached, said, “Hey, Rei, nice seein’ ya.” 

Rei came to stand in front of the man with Airi at his side, greeted him with, “Hello!” He smiled at Airi and gestured to the man and said, “This is Anvin, he runs the craftworks shop. If you ever need to buy new crafting recipes or materials, he’s your man. Anvin, this is Airi, she joined the Survey Corps today.” 

“Nice to meetcha, Miss,” Anvin said. He stood a little taller than Airi, wore a deep blue kimono covered in patches, and a white handkerchief around his neck. His brown hair was tied into a tight high-ponytail — probably to keep it out of the way while he worked, Airi imagined. He held his hand out for a handshake, which Airi returned — his hands were larger than hers, rough and calloused from work. 

“Nice to meet you!” Airi echoed with a smile. He didn’t return the smile, just gave a neutral hum and glanced back at Rei. 

“I’m here to teach Airi to craft pokéballs,” Rei explained. “See if she’s fit for it and all.”

“Well, I’m sure she’ll be fine, with you teachin’ her. I’ll let you two work.” Anvin and Rei nodded at each other, a nonverbal agreement to… something, before the smith turned to head into the craftworks building with a sigh. 

“Here, have this.” Rei shoved a slip of paper into Airi’s hands. An examination showed her written instructions for how to craft pokéballs. She scanned it while Rei rummaged through his satchel, said, “I’ll give you some materials, too, so don’t worry about buying stuff for now. Consider this a present to congratulate you on your trial — you can use the money the captain gave you on whatever you want.” 

“W — wait, are you sure? But —”

“Positive. Come on, let’s get crafting.” Rei dragged Airi towards the workbench at the front of the shop and had her sit down in front of it. He sat next to her and set his satchel between them, showing a pouch full of red stones and odd, brown… fruits? He pulled one of each out and showed them to Airi, “These are the materials for pokéballs — tumblestone and apricorns. You can find ‘em both pretty commonly in the wilds, and your pokémon can help you collect stuff.” He set them both onto the workbench, said, “You can use this workbench whenever you’re in Jubilife, and there’s one at every Galaxy camp, too. Now, roll up your sleeves and let’s get to work.”

“Right!” 

Rei spent the next half-hour or so teaching Airi how to craft. Showing her all the tools the workbench was equipped with, how to carve and process apricorns and tumblestone to make the halves of the pokéball, and how to connect the halves together using the metal hinges provided at the bench. Airi… wasn’t great, at crafting. Her hands shook a little, making carving a bit troublesome. Rei stayed shockingly patient with her. He didn’t even make any mean comments, just kept guiding her. Their first pokéball wasn’t perfect, but she was proud of it. Rei praised her a little and encouraged her to keep crafting.

By the time Laventon approached the two of them, she had made about ten pokéballs, spurred on by Rei’s encouragement and occasional praise. They had tucked their first crafted pokéball into her pocket, but stashed the rest in her satchel. Laventon stepped behind the two of them just as Airi was finishing up another pokéball, said, “Now that’s some fine craftsmanship! You’re a natural, my girl.”

“I wouldn’t say that,” Airi replied sheepishly. Her and Rei both grabbed their satchels and rose to standing. “I’m kind of bad at it, but as long as the pokéballs, like… work, I think it’s fine.”

“They’ll work,” Rei assured, “I checked. You’ll get better with time, but honestly, you did alright. My expectations were low, so.”

“Gee, thanks.” Her tone was lighter than her words implied, a small smile on her face as they stretched their arms in front of them. “Mine were, too. Just happy to make anything even half-functional.” 

“Well, sounds to me like you achieved fully functional!” Laventon smiled at Airi. He had his arms behind his back, hidden from view, but Airi only had a brief moment to register it as an oddity before the professor took to launching into a short ramble. “With the pokéballs we craft, we can capture pokémon for our research! All so that more pokémon species can be duly recorded in a pokédex. And on that note…” 

Laventon brought his arms in front of him, revealing that he had been keeping something hidden: a thick notebook. It had a heavy purple cover with metal protecting the corners, and it was bound together with thick cord. Airi accepted it in silent awe — the label on the top of the front cover read Pokédex, and there was an empty label on the bottom right to sign a name. Is this meant to be mine..? She flipped it open — the contents were empty at the moment. There was a spot reserved on the inside front cover that seemed to be for their information, like their name and rank, even space for a photograph. She looked up at Laventon, wonder shining in her eyes. 

He smiled at her, warmth in his expression, said, “I prepared this volume just for you! I hope it aids you well in your aim to seek out all the pokémon there are in this grand region. I do hope you don’t mind me taking some liberties on the coloring — the standard shade is blue, but I thought you might enjoy something different! I was inspired by your preferences for our photo. I figure you’ll be using it for most of your survey work, so having it in a color you enjoyed more might make you more inclined to take care of it!”

Airi just stared at him with wide eyes. Then she lit up as his words settled on her — this was her pokédex! For her to keep all her notes and pokédex research in! And he had gone through the extra effort of making her a purple one, just because she liked purple, and — “Thank you so much! I’ll take good care of it, I promise!”

“I’m sure you will, my girl!” Laventon crossed his arms in front of his chest, pleased. “You can record all of your findings on various pokémon in there, and then pass it to me at the end of your expeditions, and I’ll use and refine your findings into a proper pokédex entry. I’ll assign you various research tasks to help study pokémon as you work.”

“It’ll take plenty of research tasks to complete the pokédex,” Rei said. “I’ve got to get going on those myself. We’re in this together from now on!” Airi smiled at him, gave an excited nod. Still giddy about having her own pokédex. And it was purple! 

Excitement had her rocking on her heels, earning a warm chuckle from Laventon. “How about I tell you a bit more about your work over lunch, yes? I’m sure you’re peckish!” 

Rei and Airi both happily agreed — Airi hadn’t even realised they were hungry until Laventon offered lunch. She had run around so much that morning, it was hardly a surprise. They went to the Wallflower to eat again, Airi happily kicking her feet under the table while the three chatted and ate. Laventon explained to her a bit more about research tasks: apparently, the research she needed to conduct would depend on the pokémon. Tasks could include catching a certain number of pokémon, catching pokémon of specific sizes, observing them in their natural habitat, watching them use specific moves in combat… Laventon cheerfully informed her that, after lunch, the three of them would return to the Fieldlands and Rei could show her more of the ropes. The thought excited Airi and Rei enough to speed through their lunches. Airi really wanted to get to work and start proving herself! 

After lunch, Airi and Rei were both practically buzzing with energy, ready to get moving. Laventon, ever the voice of reason, managed to calm them down enough to keep them from racing to the Fieldlands. “Make sure you’re prepared for a longer expedition this time, Airi! I think you should aim to get your first star on this outing. Meet me in the Fieldlands whenever you’re ready, okay?”

“Okay!” Airi cheerfully agreed. She beamed at Laventon while he turned to head to the main gate, thinking to herself if she needed to make any preparations: her pokémon were all rested and healthy, she still had a handful of potions, they had plenty of pokéballs… I’ll stop by my quarters and put some stuff away, like her copy of the Survey Corps photo and the first pokéball she had crafted — 

“Excuse me —” 

The sudden voice startled Airi enough to jolt. She whipped her head to the source of the voice — a man standing by the stairs leading up to Galaxy Hall, dressed in the Security Corps outfit. He looked apologetic for startling Airi. He raised a hand to the back of his neck, sheepish, said, “Sorry to spook you, I couldn’t help but overhear. If you’re going to the Fieldlands Camp, would you mind taking care of a request from me? I can’t leave my post.” 

“Oh, um… Sure!” Airi walked over to the man, standing in front of him with a smile. The man stood about Airi’s height, though the straw hat he wore made him appear taller. He had dark eyes and hair with very prominent mutton chops framing his face. He still avoided Airi’s eye. “My name’s Airi. What can I help with?”

“Ah, right — my name is Beauregard, with the Security Corps,” he introduced, extending his hand for a handshake. After she shook his hand, he explained further, “So, there’s this pokémon called Wurmple — have you heard of it?” Airi nodded, bit her tongue to keep her from informing the man of whatever Wurmple facts were crawling through their brain. “Great. Well, you see, I was having a chat with Professor Laventon, and he was telling me all about pokémon evolution, and it got me curious. So, I decided I want to raise a Wurmple myself and have it evolve.” He finally met Airi’s eye with a smile. “You’re the new Survey Corps girl, right? If you end up catching a Wurmple in your work, could you let me have it? There’ll be a reward in it for you, of course.”

“Oh, sure! I can do that.” This would probably be a good step to earning a more positive reputation in Jubilife, beyond just ‘girl who fell from the sky’. And the idea of a reward was pretty enticing. If she helped locals with pokémon-related tasks, people might start trusting her more easily. 

“Great, thank you in advance. No time limit, just whenever you’re able. Good luck out in the Fieldlands, stay safe.”

“Thank you, I will! I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.” Airi smiled at the guardsman before stepping away from Galaxy Hall. Handled that conversation pretty well. Seemed they were getting a little more used to talking to strangers — they hadn’t even stuttered interacting with Beauregard! Pleased, Airi hummed to herself as she walked to her living quarters. Curiosity and habit had her take her phone out of their pocket to check it while they walked — to her surprise, a new button had popped up on their map. When she tapped it, it showed a Requests tab. There was a nearly-empty list on display, save for one: the task Beauregard had given her. There was a little description of what she had been asked and who requested it. That was pretty helpful, they guessed. Kind of weird that her phone knew she’d been asked something, but they supposed it was a phone from Arceus. Maybe it had some weird divine powers or something. I should be grateful I have a list of what I need to do, Airi would probably forget otherwise. 

She tucked her phone back into their pocket as she came to the door of their quarters. A relatively quick stop inside, just to put her photo and pokéball on the shelf under the window, by their comb. They’d hate to lose them. It was a little silly for them to keep the first pokéball they had crafted — it was meant to be used. She was certain Rei would tease her if he knew they were keeping it to display. But, well… Call Airi sentimental, but they wanted to keep it! She was so proud of it, proud of her ability to craft their own pokéballs. That was such an insane concept to them! The fact that she could just… make a pokéball to keep a new partner in was astounding. The wonky little pokéball now sitting proudly on her shelf was proof that Airi could make things with their own two hands, even if they shook, even if she didn’t have great control. Proof that Airi was capable of making something real, of doing something. Of having an impact. 

In a way, it also served as the first sign of a new start. Airi was officially in the Survey Corps — the badge she wore reflected it, sure, but crafting pokéballs and catching pokémon for the pokédex would be the real proof. New start, huh? … Part of her still wished she didn’t have to have a new start. Grief tugged at their heart — she was coming to realise that Jubilife was a fresh start for a lot of people, but those people had chosen to start anew. Airi hadn’t. They’d just been tossed here without memories, and now she had to figure out her new life. Maybe for the best… For all Airi knew, their life was awful before. Maybe Hisui was a welcome reprieve from their past. Or the opposite, and she’d left behind a perfect life only to be thrown into the stress of earning their keep in the Galaxy Team… Don’t think about it. 

Don’t think about it. She gave the pokéball a lingering glance, managed a small smile at herself. Let’s get to work. Back to the Fieldlands!

art done by: cyli

♪ This nest of bones reveals my parchment heart 

Inkwell eyes have tried and failed to pull it all apart ♪

Chapter Text

Airi actually had to talk to Ress herself this time — it was their first time leaving Jubilife on their own, they realised. Whatever confidence they had in talking to Beauregard had faded: their voice came out tiny when she asked Ress for permission to head to the Obsidian Fieldlands. If Ress minded Airi’s clear anxiety, he didn’t show it. He just flashed her a warm smile and told her, “Be safe out there, kid.” Maybe he had warmed up to her, or maybe he hadn’t been as scary as Airi first thought. They didn’t know. Frankly, they didn’t care. They were just happy to smile back before racing through the gate. 

Laventon waved her over as soon as she caught sight of the Fieldlands Camp — Rei was standing at his side, flipping through his own pokédex. Airi darted to join the two of them, still smiling. Excitement having them want to dart down Aspiration Hill immediately. Laventon greeted them with a bright grin, asked, “All set, my girl?” An excited nod from Airi. “Wonderful! Now is where your work really begins. Open your pokédex for me — Rei, care to show her an example?” 

Airi opened her pokédex as instructed while Rei stepped to her side. The page he was on seemed to be an entry on Pikachu. It contained a drawing of the pokémon, including a note on gender differences, a record of height and weight, diet, preferred environments, and some written notes about its behaviors. Tucked into the center of the notebook was a loose sheet of paper. Rei pulled it out, revealing a checklist of sorts — these are research tasks. He had already checked some of them off for Pikachu. “This’ll be how you should format your stuff,” Rei explained. “We gather our information through research tasks and take notes in our pokédexes, and then Laventon will refine all of our stuff into the final copy.” 

“Exactly true! Here, Airi,” Laventon said, turning Airi’s attention back to him. He held out several sheets of paper for her to take. A glance at the top sheet revealed research tasks for Bidoof. “These should get you started on some of the more common pokémon around here, those easiest to study. If you encounter pokémon outside of these, please take whatever notes you see fit until I assign you tasks!”

“Okay!” Airi happily agreed. She scanned the checklists to start formulating a plan before tucking them into her notebook. Laventon passed her a handful of pencils, most of which she stashed in their satchel, keeping two in their pocket. “Can I go now?”

Laventon laughed, said, “Eager, aren’t we?” Airi flushed bright red and nodded, sheepish. “That’s a good thing, don’t worry. I think you’re just about ready to head off.”

Rei hummed in agreement. “Just make sure you don’t get hit out there, alright? Taking a hit from a pokémon is bad news, so try to avoid it — just roll or jump out of the way, whatever you can do. Even with my skills,  I still got knocked out by a gang of Shinx in some field — I would’ve been done for if the Security Corps hadn’t found me when they did.” Airi’s apprehension must’ve shown on her face, because Rei quickly added, “But, don’t worry! You’ve got some brains in you, plus me to give you tips. With me helping you, you’ll be fine.”

“Right as always, dear boy! Staying safe is the most important thing in the wilds,” Laventon agreed. “I trust you to keep an eye on our new member, yes?” 

“Sure. Ready, Airi?” At Airi’s nod, Rei smiled — still an uncommon sight to them, honestly. “Alright, let’s head off! See you later, Professor!”

“You two stay safe out there, I’ll be here if you need me!”

“We will!” the two chimed in embarrassing unison. Airi felt her face heat up — they were near-positive Rei was blushing, too, but she didn’t bother checking. She just turned and sprinted away from camp before Laventon could laugh at her. Why do we keep doing that?! It was embarrassing! 

Rei caught up with her at the crest of Aspiration Hill. He playfully shoved their side, said, “You gotta stop copying me, we’re gonna earn an awful rep’ at this rate.”

“How do I know you’re not copying me, huh?” 

“Why would I want to copy someone as weird as you?”

“And why would I want to copy someone as rude as you?” Airi rolled her eyes with a huff, said, “Barely known me a day and already calling me names.” 

“Whatever,” Rei cut back. “Do you want to work or what?” No amount of Rei bickering with her would have distracted her from working. Even with the teasing, she found herself excited to begin. She nodded, already planning ahead — Bidoof’s tasks will be the easiest to complete, I bet. 

Rei seemed to agree: he turned away from Airi to look over the hill. Pointing at a group of Bidoof near where Airi first encountered one during her trial, he said, “You’ve got a task to catch multiple Bidoof, yeah? And defeat some more. It’s not enough just to catch or take down one or two, you’ve gotta get multiple, ‘specially if they’ve got different forms.” He turned his head back at Airi, said, “Do you want to try on your own for a while? We can meet up at the base of the hill after you do some tasks, I’ll check your notes for you.”

Brightening, Airi gave an excited nod. “Mhm! I’ve got this,” she assured. “I’ll be good on my own!” 

“Right. Good luck, find me or Laventon if you need anything, yeah?” Rei instructed. When Airi hummed back in confirmation, he smiled at her — only for a moment, just long enough for them to register the smile before he raced down Aspiration Hill. Lucky Bidoof are so unbothered or he would’ve scattered the whole group. 

She could probably take advantage of that, huh? Humming, Airi pulled out her pokédex and tucked it under their arm as they walked towards the group of normal types. When she approached a couple of them, they tilted their head at her, curious, but unwary. Perfect! It’d be easier to sketch them if she could see them so close! She cautiously lowered herself to sit in the grass beside the Bidoofs. Pencil in hand and determined to make Laventon (and, to a lesser extent, Rei) proud, she opened her notebook. Let’s get to work! 

She left a few pages at the front of her notebook blank for now. She wanted to be able to record Eevee on her first page, since it was her first pokémon — seemed fitting. Following that pattern, Rowlet and its evolutions would go next, and then the Shinx line. Eevee had too many evolutions to save pages for at the front, so she decided she’d record those in the very back instead. That way, her notebook would begin and end with Eevee! With a couple pages reserved a game plan for how she wanted to tackle this, she roughly blocked in how she wanted to format her little pokédex entry. How cool, I’m writing a pokédex entry… She started with blocking out a space for a drawing of the Bidoof on the left side of the page, leaving room to the right to jot down notes on territory, habits, and diet. 

Sketching wasn’t too bad. Airi worried briefly that they would be awful at drawing, but she must have had some experience. Sketching out a simple little Bidoof was easy enough to prove that. Below the main full body sketch of the pokémon, she sketched details of the difference between genders: male Bidoof had bigger, fluffier tails than females, so she sketched both, and a little note of the difference. Satisfied with their art skills, she moved on to other notes. Clearly, Bidoof lived in the Obsidian Fieldlands, so that was easy to jot down. Typing was also a given — she knew off the top of their head that Bidoof was a normal type. Stuff like its average size would have to wait for her to catch a bunch. Speaking of… Task time! She studied the list Laventon had given her for Bidoof: number caught, number of heavy specimens caught, number defeated, number of different forms… Doable. There was even a task to evolve one, but that was a little out of reach. At least for now. We’ll focus on catching and defeating, and then check in with Rei. After that, she could focus on completing the rest of the tasks. Seemed as good of a plan as any!

They closed their notebook and tucked it away for the moment, pushing herself to standing. She knew from checking their phone earlier than their Rowlet and Shinx were currently the strongest in their party. So if she was going to be defeating pokémon for a little while…Smiling, they pulled the first pokéball off their belt. She faced one of the Bidoof with challenging eyes and tossed the pokéball onto the field. With a flash, her Eevee appeared ahead of her. “Ready for some training, ‘Vee?” Airi called. Eevee barked back, tail wagging in excitement as it faced its opponent — or… opponent s , it seemed. Two Bidoof stood shoulder to shoulder facing Eevee. 

Airi wasn’t worried — they had a trick up her sleeve. That trick being, “Quick Attack!” Before either Bidoof could react properly to Eevee, it cut in close and lunged at the Bidoof on the left. Eevee tumbled with the Bidoof, knocking it out of line. “Good hit!” Airi praised. Eevee yipped appreciatively. It leapt backwards, out of the way of the Bidoof it had attacked just in time to dodge a Rollout from the other normal-type — narrow dodge, though. “Tackle, now that it’s close!” 

Eevee lunged at the uninjured Bidoof, sending it tumbling back to join the other. Again Eevee leapt back out of the way of the two normal-types, now united again. A glaring contest between the three pokémon. Eevee lowered its front half closer to the ground, tail lashing behind it, growling to intimidate its enemies. Neither Bidoof attacked again. They were just staring… Waiting for an opening, maybe? 

Airi wouldn’t let them get one. “Quick Attack,” she commanded, fixing the Bidoofs in the center of her vision. She saw Eevee cut in close and throw its full weight against one of the Bidoof — the one that had used Rollout earlier. As soon as Eevee made contact, Bidoof cried out, tumbling to the ground. Airi didn’t waste any time in feeding Eevee another command, “Quick Attack the other, don’t let it get a hit in!” Fast to obey, Eevee lashed its tail to allow the momentum for a faster pivot. As soon as it was turned towards the other Bidoof, it threw itself at it in a powerful lunge. Eevee easily knocked down the other normal-type. “Perfect!”

Neither Airi nor Eevee moved for a moment — both Bidoof were still collapsed. Eevee took a cautious step towards its trainer as they waited for a second, then two, then three. Finally both the Bidoof slowly rose to standing before darting off in opposite directions — fleeing the battle, totally spent. Well, there’s two defeats! Airi crouched down to pet her Eevee with a smile. “That was great, ‘Vee! Are you —” She cut herself off with a sudden frown, studying her pokémon. Eevee just tilted its head up at her, confused. “I can’t call you Vee, Rei will make fun of me. We’ve gotta come up with a better nickname for you…” Airi sighed, shaking their head. “Nevermind, worry for later. You wanna keep going? You can just stay out of your ball and tag along while I catch stuff.” Eevee barked up at Airi, seeming pleased with the suggestion. Airi hummed and scratched her pokémon behind its ear, said, “Alright, stay close to me, okay?” 

Airi focused on catching after that, managing to catch another two Bidoof — a male and a female, which meant that Airi got to tick two tasks off her checklist! Catch three Bidoof and catch one of either form! Catching them finished off the group of Bidoof currently residing on Aspiration Hill, spoiling her from filling out any more tasks. No matter, just meant she could focus on making entries for her other pokémon! She had Eevee pose for a sketch, humming while she drew her partner pokémon. Trying desperately to think of a good nickname, but they kept coming up blank. All she could come up with was Vee. Rei would tease her for that! Airi could not afford to give him ammunition, she’d never hear the end of it. Nope, she’d just have to think of something else… 

Eevee’s gender difference was shown in their tails, just like Bidoof. Airi’s Eevee was a female, so its tail had a rounded pattern at the tip, whereas a male’s would be spikier. Was she allowed to record that difference? She’d never technically encountered a male Eevee… Better to wait, I bet. They didn’t want to accidentally falsify evidence! 

Rowlet next. Leaf seemed happy to see Eevee, but the latter pokémon just acted annoyed. Guess they kinda got off on the wrong foot… Maybe Eevee still hadn’t forgiven Leaf for ‘attacking’ Airi back at the Diamond Settlement? “Be nice, you two,” Airi instructed. “We’re all friends now, okay?” Eevee huffed, sitting next to Airi and pointedly ignoring Rowlet. Airi decided not to press it — they’d get along eventually. For now, she sketched Rowlet into her notebook. Much easier to draw, honestly — and Rowlet didn’t have any sexual dimorphism, making her notes much cleaner. Since Airi had promised Eevee that it could stay out of its pokéball, she regretfully returned Leaf. Not that the owl pokémon seemed to mind. If anything it seemed excited for the chance to continue resting. Fair enough, she had such a busy morning. 

Finally, Shinx! Star hadn’t met Eevee yet, so when Airi released it and it saw the normal-type at her side, it tilted its head curiously. Despite Star’s massive size, Eevee wasn’t afraid in the slightest. It took a brave step towards the Shinx and raised its head, nose pointed up at the Shinx. Star cautiously lowered its head to touch its nose against Eevee’s in greeting. Airi smiled at the display before getting to work sketching Star. As a female Shinx, Star had noticeably blue back paws and shorter fluff on the top of its head, both of which Airi noted. She didn’t sketch the male differences yet, even though she’d seen them that morning — she would wait until they caught a male Shinx to record it. Seemed more proper. By the time she was done taking notes on Star, it was lounging in the sun next to Eevee. Aw, they’re friends! That was good, Airi was glad their team was getting along. Well, minus Eevee’s grudge against Leaf. It kind of pained them to separate the two pokémon. When Airi gently told her Shinx it was time to be returned for now, it nuzzled Eevee before padding up to nuzzle Airi’s hand. Such a sweetheart, Airi thought, returning the pokémon to its ball. And to think, Rei had been scared to the point of shaking at the sight of it!

 Satisfied for now, Airi decided to track down Rei and ask him how her notes were looking. She didn’t want to get too far ahead of herself with note taking only for everything to be wrong. Eevee trotted at her heel as she stepped down the slope of Aspiration Hill, humming as she walked. She didn’t know what melody they were humming — she couldn’t remember the name of the song, or even the lyrics. Just bits and pieces of the tune. Kind of annoying, she thought. To have a song stuck in their head that they’d probably never remember. Disheartening, too, really… Whatever. Rei wasn’t immediately in eyesight from the end of the path, so Airi decided to wander the riverbank. He said he’d meet her here — surely he wasn’t far. 

They caught sight of him up river, loitering in the fields there. She raced up to him, waving and calling his name. They panted for breath when they reached him, muttered, “You said at the base of the hill…”

Rei laughed, because of course he was laughing at her complaints, he was so rude! “Sorry, got distracted. You can find Buizel around here — they’re aggressive, like Shinx. I was trying to study the moves they use in battle. You’ll have to do that, too, you know!”

“I wanted to show you my notes before I got too involved,” Airi explained. “Just to make sure I’m, like… Doing it right, I guess.”

“Sure. Show me your pokédex,” Rei instructed. Airi nodded and pulled her pokédex out, holding it out for Rei to take. He opened the notebook with a hum — Airi watched his eyes move through the pages, scanning what she’d written. “Why did you leave blank spots?”

“For evolutions,” Airi answered. “Rowlet and Shinx will both evolve twice, and since they’re gonna be on my permanent team, I wanted their info at the front.” 

“… Sounds kind of hard to keep track of, don’t you think? Are you going to do that for every pokémon?”

“Um… Well, can’t I? I don’t see a reason not to.”

“Well, whatever. Weird, but whatever. It’s your notebook.” Rei didn’t complain anymore, focused on reading what she had recorded for Bidoof.

 “I think you’ll call me weird no matter what I do.”

Ignoring her, Rei remarked, “Your notes are really good. Formatting is nice, and your notes on behavior are great — kinda feel like what Laventon would write. Guess it makes sense, considering you already know everything about everything. Freak.” 

“I don’t know everything. Just, uh… Just a lot.”

“Yeah, yeah, sure. As long as your notes are verified by your research and not just whatever nonsense you’ve got in your head, you’re good — and I can tell you were careful about that with Eevee, right?” Rei didn’t continue until Airi nodded, “That’s good, keep that habit up. Laventon’ll be happy with this.”

“Really?!” Airi let a bit too much of her genuine excitement slip. Rei’s praise served as amazing reassurance to them that they weren’t doing anything wrong, that was all. Still, with her bright tone and smile, Rei could easily tell how happy his words made her. Whether he cared was yet to be discovered. “Can I keep going, then? I’m having fun!” 

“Yeah, sure. Tell you what — why don’t you and I have a little competition?” This time, when Rei smiled, it felt… mischievous. A wide, cocky grin as he pitched his idea, “You and I see how much work we can do before the sun starts setting. Who knows, if you win, you might get something nice!” 

“What’s our win condition? Research tasks completed?” 

“Yep. I’ll give you bonus points if you do some of the harder ones, like getting pokémon of specific sizes and the like.” Rei held their pokédex out for them. “So? You interested?”

Airi hummed in consideration as she accepted her pokédex back. The idea of a competition sounded pretty fun. And they were pretty curious about whatever prize Rei had in mind… “Okay, sure!”

“Perfect!” Rei chimed. “Okay, we’ll meet at the foot of Aspiration Hill around sunset, by the bridge.”

“You promise you’ll actually be there this time?”

“Yeah, yeah. Promise,” he assured with a chuckle. “Alright, let’s do this in five, four… three-two-one-go!” He sped up counting down, bolting off the moment the go left his mouth, leaving Airi stammering.

“Cheater!” she called after him. Well, fine, whatever. He could have his little head start. Airi would still win! She opened her pokédex and looked through the lists of tasks Laventon had given them. He’d given her quite a few for pokémon she saw commonly nearby. Buizel, Bidoof, Starly, Wurmple, Shinx… Plus her two pokémon she had started with, Eevee and Rowlet. She wanted to finish her tasks for Bidoof, then maybe do Starly’s… She glanced up at the sky — how long before sunset? Few hours, maybe? There was no way she could finish all the tasks Laventon had given her before then… Was she not supposed to do all of them? How were they meant to prioritize? Some of these she couldn’t even do, at least not right now… Should’ve asked more questions. 

Technically, they could go ask Laventon. He would probably be happy to answer. But visiting camp would take valuable time that she could be using to complete tasks and beat Rei! She closed her book with a determined nod, said, “Okay, gameplan: finish as much as we can for Bidoof, and then do a handful for all the other ‘mons on the list. Sound good?” At her side, Eevee barked affirmatively. “Perfect, let’s get going!” 

Airi ran with the assumption that she was no longer restricted to just Aspiration Hill and took to wandering the plains. There were more pokémon here, she noticed. Rei was right, there were a lot of Buizel. Ton more Bidoof, too. She focused on Bidoof, but caught a couple of Buizel, too — a male and a female so she could record the differences. Catching both required a battle. Once again, Airi found herself agreeing with Rei: Buizel were awfully aggressive… She ended up having to battle several more in her Bidoof studies, using it as a chance to use Leaf more in battle. Couldn’t let Eevee have all the spotlight!

In order to completely finish her Bidoof tasks, Airi had to catch a dozen Bidoof, and defeat another ten. Of the ones she caught, five were to be heavy. She’d already caught three before, none of which she would describe as ‘heavy,’ so she focused only on catching the biggest Bidoof she saw in the wilds. Any smaller ones she saw, they battled instead. Eevee stayed by their side except to battle — it even helped Airi gather materials, like apricorns and tumblestone! She was burning through pokéballs quickly, so having the materials to make more was a comfort. Alongside hyper-focusing on Bidoof tasks, Airi caught a handful of other pokémon: several Starly, which she focused on stealth-capturing, a handful of Wurmple (putting one of the Wurmple pokéballs in her pocket to give to Beauregard later), a couple more Shinx (including a male one, so she could officially record the gender differences), even a few more Buizel. By the time they ran out of pokéballs, she had done a lot. There was still time before sunset — probably enough time to head to camp to craft more, honestly. Maybe if they weren’t so completely and utterly spent they would have. Her legs hurt from so much running around, and all of their time brushing away tall grass had left their hands red and burning. Not wanting to go craft at camp, they scouted around for a peaceful spot to rest up and take notes on the pokémon she’d encountered. She ended up resting in the shade of a small boulder by the riverbank, sitting with her back to the stone. Eevee rested against her side while she worked on drawing pokémon and scribbling notes. 

Completing all of her Bidoof tasks might’ve been outside of her reach for now. Besides being out of pokéballs, she hadn’t actually seen any more Bidoof. Hopefully Laventon isn’t disappointed… She got a lot done, though! Reviewing her notes, she’d caught six Bidoof, including three heavy ones, and she’d defeated another four. She tallied out all of her tasks, including non-Bidoof ones, and determined that she’d completed about thirty. No way Rei had done more than that! … Well, maybe he has. He had more experience than her. 

She finished writing her notes and reclined against the rock with a sigh, hands in her lap, idly scratching at her reddened palms. Tipping their head back, Airi fixed her eyes up at the sky. The blue near the horizon was beginning to fade in favor of soft golds and pinks — time to go… She was so comfortable, though… Oh well. Exhaustion tried to pull her down when they pushed herself up onto shaky legs. Their poor sleep had definitely caught up to them, they felt utterly drained. Her legs hurt, too… Were they that out of shape? They cursed their poor stamina as they patted the dirt off of their trousers. Eevee stood and stretched alongside Airi, nuzzling her leg affectionately. Yawning, Airi said, “Okie-doke, let’s meet up with Rei.” 

Walking back to the foot of Aspiration Hill was a pain, between her sore body and their utter exhaustion. Despite both, she was smiling the whole time she walked back, pleased with how their work had gone. She caught sight of Rei and broke into a sprint to meet him — bad idea, she realised quickly. When she reached him, they were once again panting. Doubled over with their hands on their knees while they caught her breath. 

“Man, you look beat,” Rei remarked with a snort. “It’s no wonder you’re out of breath, you’re so scrawny!” 

“Sh — shut up,” Airi muttered between pants. “Maybe I — maybe I just did more work thank you, did you — did you consider that, huh?” She was attempting that to be a jab at Rei’s abilities, or at least a tease, but considering they could hardly breathe, she doubted it had the intended effect. 

Sure enough, Rei sounded entirely unbothered, “Well, we’ll see about that.” His voice was light and teasing. When Airi glanced up, he wore an amused smile. He offered her a hand, said, “Come on, let’s sit down while we compare notes.” 

Airi’s eyes flitted between Rei’s face and his offered hand, confused by the kind offer. She murmured agreement and accepted his hand, letting him pull her to standing properly. After dropping her hand, he led her to the rocks surrounding the river bank, ducking behind some of them — ironically, the same place he had dragged her to hide from the alpha Shinx that morning. The two of them sat side-by-side against the rocks and pulled out their pokédexes to trade. Eevee curled up at Airi’s side to rest while they looked over each others’ pokédexes.

Examining Rei’s pokédex more closely, Airi pointed out a few differences in how the two of them took notes. His sketches were a little messier than hers, but his handwriting was neater. His notes on pokémon behavior weren’t as detailed as Airi’s, but he actually drew a little map at the bottom of his pages to show where the pokémon lived — Airi didn’t have nearly that kind of spatial awareness. Cool. After reading some of his pokédex entries, she focused more on the research tasks he had finished and recorded. He didn’t seem to battle much, she noticed — he had only defeated a couple of pokémon. That felt odd, almost, considering how much battling Airi did. He got a lot of other work done, though. Airi tallied up all of his completed tasks, coming to a number in the twenties. Does that mean I won? She closed his pokédex and turned her head to look at Rei.

It seemed he was already done checking her notes. He had her pokédex closed in his lap, smiling at her. “I stand corrected, you did do more work than me. Congrats! You’re pretty good at this, ‘specially for some weirdo who fell from the sky.” 

“Wait, I really beat you?” Airi asked, shock making it easy to ignore his backhanded comment. “I mean, I hoped I did, but — but you have more experience, so I —” 

“You’re much more confident in battle than I am,” Rei explained, interrupting her. “I, uh… I don’t know. Battles are beyond me right now. That’s where you’ve got me beat.” 

“Oh.” Huh. That explained why he hadn’t defeated many pokémon, didn’t it..? An awkward bit of silence between them before Airi murmured, sheepish, “I, um… Well, you’re still better at catching and stuff than me, you got more pokémon.” 

“You don’t have to make me feel better, Airi. It’s just fact. I’ll catch up to you in time, I’m sure. Zisu’s helping me out as best as she can, although…” He trailed off, staring at Airi — they couldn’t read his expression. Just squirmed anxiously at the prolonged eye contact. “Nevermind, don’t worry about it. I promised you a reward, didn’t I?” 

Airi brightened in an instant. He held out their pokédex for them first, so she scrambled to pass his back, said, “Are you sure? You don’t have to —”

“You say that, but you perked up like a pokémon being offered a treat.” They blushed at his teasing. Rei laughed, warm and light, said, “Besides, I promised. Here.” He pulled out a small wooden box and held it out for Airi to take. 

They accepted it gingerly, opening the lid to peek inside. It contained some smaller hand-tools, rope and string, a mortar and pestle, metal hinges for pokéballs… Crafting stuff? Airi looked up at Rei, who smiled. “It’s a crafting kit,” he explained. “There’s a written recipe for potions inside, too. Now you can craft stuff whenever you need, even if you’re far from camp! I thought you should have one.”

“Are — are you sure?” They shut the box and stared at Rei with wide eyes, said, “I don’t — this seems important, I’m okay going to the camps, I don’t want to intrude —”

“I’m sure. I made it just for you, after all!” Rei must’ve seen Airi’s look of bewilderment. He chuckled and explained, “When you went to talk to Beauregard before we came out to the fieldlands, I took the chance to prepare it for you. You did well enough during crafting lessons that I considered it useful, and now you’ve impressed me with your research skills. It’s yours, Airi. No skin off my back, promise.” 

Airi still just stared, shocked. The sentiment of Rei’s words settled with them after a moment, making her smile. “Thank you, then. I’ll take care of it!” He hummed to acknowledge her while she put her kit into their satchel, tucking their pokédex away as well. 

“I’m sure you will. If you ever lose it or whatever, just let me know, okay?” Rei packed away his own pokédex before standing up with a sigh. “You ready to call it a day?” 

“Mhm!” Airi stood up — she stumbled forward a step, off-balance and… dizzy, almost. Ignore it. Rei stared at her while she gathered herself and regained balance — they could feel his eyes on her, critical. Ignoring him, Airi stretched their arms out in front of them with a low sigh. Asked, “D’you think Laventon’ll be happy? I didn’t complete any of the lists…” 

“You’ve done more than enough for one survey. Should be enough for your first star.” Rei took the lead in the trek back up Aspiration Hill. Airi quickly returned Eevee to its pokéball — the normal-type was still dozing, she didn’t want to bother it by making it walk back to Jubilife. Fastening the pokéball back onto her belt, Airi trailed after Rei at a slower pace. Her legs hurt… “You don’t need to worry about completing any of the lists, that’s not really the point. They’re more like a guideline for our studies, y’know? You’ve done more than enough research for some completed pokédex entries.” 

Airi hummed to acknowledge that she’d heard him. Internally, they were ignoring him: Airi had been assigned a list. Several, in fact. It was her duty to check off every task on every list! That’s what lists were for! She’d finish everything the next time she went out, they decided. 

At the crest of the hill, Laventon was standing by the tents at camp, chatting with a member of the Security Corps. Hearing approaching footsteps, he glanced towards Rei and Airi. After saying something else to the Security Corps member, he jogged over to greet the two of them, beaming. “Welcome back, you two!” he greeted, slowing to a stop in front of them. “Good to see you both intact! How was your first expedition, Airi?”

“It was fun!” Airi delightfully informed. “I didn’t get to finish any of your lists, I ran out of pokéballs, but Rei gave me a crafting kit, so now I can craft on expeditions and stay out longer and do more work and —”

Hearty laughter from Laventon cut off Airi’s excited rambling — she heard Rei snort at her side, too. They flushed bright red in embarrassment and shut their mouth. Laventon clapped a hand over her shoulder, said, “For Rei to have given you a crafting kit, you must have done well! Excellent work, my girl — and I’m glad you found it fun! May I see your pokédex?”

They nodded. They pulled their notebook out of their satchel and passed it to Laventon. At her side, Rei explained further, “I decided we’d have a little competition on who could do more research tasks. Airi actually won — she takes good notes, they remind me of yours.” 

Laventon examined her pokédex and her completed research tasks with a hum. “Indeed she does! I suppose I shouldn’t be shocked, given their knowledge. You truly are incredible, Airi.” He closed their notebook with a smile, held it out for her. “I do believe you’re ready to move up the ranks. Why don’t we head back to Jubilife to tell Captain Cyllene the good news?”

“Really?!” Even despite her exhaustion and sore legs, excitement had Airi hop in place. “Yay! Okay!” 

Rei snorted a laugh. He playfully pushed Airi’s side and teased, “For someone so insistent on not being a kid, you sure act like one.” 

Too pleased for Rei’s teasing to damper her mood, Airi just jabbed back, “Well I think you’re just a hater!” 

“A hater?”

“Alright you two, if you’re both ready, we’ll return home,” Laventon said. Trying to prevent the two from bickering, Airi imagined. She nodded with a content hum and stepped to Laventon’s side, Rei at hers. The professor shut Airi’s pokédex and tucked it under his arm before he led the group to the gate — guess he still needs it. “Once Cyllene confirms your promotion, you’ll be allowed to explore more of the Fieldlands,” he explained as they walked, “We restrict new members of the Galaxy Team to this side of the river for safety reasons. Eventually, as you gain more ranks, you’ll be allowed to travel in more of the sub-regions of Hisui!”

“Are the other regions more dangerous?” 

“Some of them boast harsher conditions and stronger pokémon, yes, but that restriction mostly exists so newer members don’t stray too far from Jubilife. The further from the village you travel, the harder it is to send help your way in the event of an emergency.” 

Oh. That made sense. They hummed in response, crossing her arms behind her back as the group stepped into the village. With the sun setting, it seemed people were getting ready for the night — shopkeepers were putting away displays and closing up for the night, and there weren’t many people milling about as there had been earlier in the day. No one paid Airi any mind this time. Not even a stray glance thrown her way while the three of them walked up to Galaxy Hall. Should that have made her as happy as it did? Probably not, no. But, it did; they smiled with the realisation. Maybe she didn’t stand out anymore..? Probably naïve. She’d earn a better reputation within Jubilife in time, just like Kamado had told her. Maybe doing more jobs for people like Beauregard will help — 

… Oh, right, Beauregard! “Is it okay if I talk to Mister Beauregard before we meet Cyllene?” Airi asked. Laventon looked over his shoulder at her, curious. “He asked me to catch him a Wurmple, and I made sure to save him one!” 

“Oh, you took on a request? Splendid!” Laventon smiled at them and said, “Go ahead, dear girl, we’ll meet in Galaxy Hall!”

With permission granted, Airi nodded. She sprinted to the stairs of Galaxy Hall ahead of Laventon and Rei. Beauregard was right where she left him, guarding the stairs. He must have heard her running over, because he turned to meet her, smiling. “Welcome back, Miss Airi. Have you got a Wurmple you could give me?” 

“Yep!” Airi chimed. She pulled a pokéball from her pocket and presented it to the Security Corps member. “It should be close to evolving already, this is one of the stronger ones I got!” He accepted the pokéball and turned it over in his hand. Seeming satisfied, he nodded to himself and flipped the latch. 

A Wurmple appeared at his side in an instant — a large, red, caterpillar-like pokémon adorned with a few yellow spokes to match its eyes. It looked up at its new partner and blinked, confused. Beauregard beamed at the sight of the pokémon. “You really brought me one! And so quickly, too — you must be as good as the rumors say. I’m glad I asked you to do this.”

The warm sentiment caught Airi off guard. She stared at the man with widened eyes as the words settled in her, alongside his smile: he was happy with her. She’d done good, and he was glad he had tasked her instead of anyone else. She lit up with a smile, quickly assured, “It was no problem! I’m just happy to help. I hope you take care of Wurmple!” 

“I intend on it. In fact, I think I’d like to name it right away.” He crouched down in front of the bug-type and held out his hand for it to investigate. “I heard Wurmple evolves into a pokémon called Beautifly, so perhaps I should name it with that in mind… Ah, this is tough…” He looked over his shoulder and asked, “Which of these do you like best: Beauticia, Beautifred, or Beaugene?” 

… Unique nickname choices. Not like Airi had any room to complain, considering the state of the nicknames on their party. Calling his nickname choices odd in any way would be throwing stones from a remarkably glass house. She hummed in contemplation, looking between the man and the Wurmple… “I think Beaugene?” He was banking on Wurmple evolving into a Beautifly, though, “Oh, you should probably know that —” 

“I agree, I like Beaugene, too! That’s that, then.” Beauregard returned to standing, beaming at Airi. “I’ll raise Beaugene to be a splendiferous Beautifly. Wait and see!” 

… She was going to mention the inherent random nature of Wurmple evolutions, bring up the possibility that it would evolve into a Dustox instead, but… He seems really excited. She’d hate to crush that. They smiled back at him and replied, “I’ll look forward to it. Good luck!” Hopefully he doesn’t end up disappointed. 

“Thank you! Ah — your reward, I nearly forgot.” He rifled through his pockets to reveal three small jars of what appeared to be honey. Airi accepted them, already pleased. “I know you’re only just getting settled here, I thought honey would be nice to have. You can use it however you please. Apologies that I couldn’t offer more.”

“No worries at all!” Airi quickly assured. “I’m just glad to help! Thank you so much, I appreciate it.” 

“Of course. If you ever need anything, please let me know. Have a good evening.”

“Same to you!” They smiled again at Beauregard before walking away, letting the man bond with his new pokémon in peace. They tucked away the honey into their satchel for now — she’d put it in storage in their quarters later. Time to see Cyllene. They skipped up the stairs to Galaxy Hall, humming. 

Rei and Laventon both waited in the lobby for them. After greeting the two, they all stepped into Cyllene’s office together. The captain was seated at her desk, mulling over paperwork — she barely glanced up at the intrusion to her office. “Do you have progress to report?”

“Indeed! I do believe Airi has done enough work for their first star.” Laventon stepped forward to Cyllene’s desk and placed Airi’s pokédex down. She slid it closer to herself and opened it to flip through Airi’s pokédex entries. It seemed she was scanning every single detail, poring over every page, every note, every checked box off of their research tasks. Airi brought their hands to their center and scratched at the backs of their hands. Their nerves prevented them from keeping still; this was all she could do to keep from being a visible nuisance. 

“Hm…” Cyllene turned over the last filled page of their notebook. “You have made progress. It seems you have earned yourself a star.” She flipped to the front of their notebook to reveal the front cover. Airi couldn’t help but stare as the captain rifled through her desk drawers to pull out a stamp. They flinched at the sound of Cyllene punching the stamp into their pokédex. Closing their pokédex, Cyllene said, “With this, you have officially attained the rank of First Star in the Galaxy Expedition Team. You’ve done well.” She opened another drawer in her desk and pulled out a few sheets of paper. Stacking the paper on top of Airi’s pokédex, she slid it across her desk for her to retrieve. “Take these crafting recipes. This should allow you to craft heavy balls and revives. Hopefully they prove useful to you.” 

Airi took their pokédex back and scanned the recipes Cyllene had given her. Maybe I should get another notebook to keep crafting recipes in… She could probably remember the most important ones — pokéballs were simple enough to remember — but if she was going to keep getting more recipes, it might be worth looking into… While Airi pondered another notebook, Cyllene stood from her desk and stepped in front of them. They looked up at the captain, confused and nervous. Had they done something wrong? 

“That a stranger like you should fall from the sky and yet flourish among us is a testament to your native talent and hard work,” Cyllene began. She extended her hand towards Airi. Confused, Airi tucked their pokédex under their arm to free up a hand to shake Cyllene’s. “People are often wary of what they do not understand — you are not exempt from that. However, proving your worth by climbing the ranks is something simple enough for anyone to understand. Keep at it. You are doing well already.”

Cyllene’s handshake was as firm as her words. When she let go of Airi’s hand, they were so shocked they just stared at her, dazed. Processing the words. The praise. Cyllene thought they were doing well. Despite the captain’s harsh exterior, there was just the slightest hint of kindness in her words to Airi — or, Airi saw kindness where there wasn’t any. They didn’t know. Regardless, they smiled at the commander, soft and small. “Thank you. I’ll keep doing my best.” 

“I look forward to seeing your results. Laventon, Rei, thank you for guiding them. I hope you continue to do so. You are all dismissed.” 

A chorus of thank you ’s and yes ma’am ’s left the group before they filed out of Cyllene’s office. As soon as Laventon closed the door to Cyllene’s office behind them, Rei grabbed Airi’s wrist in excitement and said, “Man, it takes a lot to earn Cyllene’s praise like that, she’s so cold usually! You’re incredible.”

“I still don’t think she’s that cold,” they said. “Just looking out for us. She’s being nice ‘cus I did okay for my first survey, so she doesn’t have to worry about me anymore.”

“Don’t undersell yourself, Airi,” Laventon chided. “You did a splendid job, especially for only being your first survey. Cyllene is proud of you. As am I!” 

Proud of me..? Airi could believe it from Laventon, but Cyllene, too..? No, he’s probably just being kind. Even if it wasn’t true, the praise made Airi giddy. They blushed, smiling like an idiot. When she tried to reply, the only sound they made was a pleased little humming noise. Embarrassing.

“How about you and Rei stop by the pastures to drop off your catches?” Laventon suggested. The three reached the bottom of the stairs outside Galaxy Hall. “I’ll meet you at the Wallflower and order for the three of us.”

“‘Kay!” Airi happily agreed. Their voice came out high and childish — embarrassing again, but she was still too giddy to find shame. She expected Rei to tease her somehow, to bully them about their childish tone. 

Rei shocked Airi with his mercy — no teasing, just him laughing. Grabbing their wrist, he pulled them away from Laventon back towards the gate to Jubilife. “Alright, come on. You haven’t been to the pastures yet, right?” They shook their head. She’d noticed them on her little walkthrough of the village earlier, but hadn’t paid them much mind. “Didn’t think so. You can keep the pokémon you catch on surveys there — Laventon has access to them, too, so he’ll borrow pokémon to study or take photos of sometimes.”

“M’kay! Makes sense.” 

Rei led her down the main road — which, he informed her, was actually named. Floaro Main Street, apparently. Supposedly there was a sign at the bridge that said as much. Not like Airi would know — she had yet to even cross the bridge or walk down the road it connected to (Canala Avenue, according to Rei). He teased her for her obliviousness and remarked that she should have learned the road names by now. She reminded him that she had been in Jubilife for exactly one day, which shut him up pretty quickly. Seems he had forgotten how new Airi was to Jubilife — to Hisui as a whole, even. 

At the pastures, Rei introduced Airi to the woman taking care of the fields, named Marie. A kind, middle-aged brunette wearing a dark kimono with a red sash. Her sleeves were tied back and her hair pulled into a high bun to make it easier to work. She seemed nice enough, greeting Airi with a warm smile and a soft handshake. Despite her gentle appearance, the woman’s hands were rough and calloused from hard work — Airi could tell she was strong, too. She explained to Airi how the pastures were handled and promised them to take good care of any pokémon they left there. Airi and Rei both passed a plethora of pokémon onto Marie. She laughed when she accepted all of the pokéballs, praising both members of the Survey Corps for their hard work. From the corner of their eye, Airi caught sight of Rei’s smile — guess he likes the praise, too. 

Airi still wasn’t sure if Rei liked her or not, but… He seemed friendlier now. Still relentless in his teasing, but every time Airi cut back, his eyes twinkled like he was pleased. Maybe they earned his favor by doing so well at their work? Or maybe this was just… tolerance. Either way, Airi was happy he didn’t openly dislike her. They were beginning to think of him as a friend. Hopefully, he thought the same of her… 

They tried not to linger on the thought. Rei led them back to the Wallflower — just in time, it seemed. Beni placed down a platter of dishes onto the outside table just as Rei and Airi approached. When the man looked over at the two of them, his eyes settled on Airi in a way that made their skin crawl. Why did he hold her with such… contempt? The coldness in his eyes froze Airi in place — all she could do was stare back with wide eyes. The eye contact between the two felt so uncomfortable it hurt. A painful lump in their throat and a tightness forming in her chest, choking her out. It probably only lasted a second or two, but to Airi, it felt like hours. Beni broke eye contact with a scoff before he turned away from Airi, entering his restaurant without another word. 

“Man, what was that about?” Rei’s question made Airi jolt. “Did you do something to him or something?” They opened their mouth to respond, but their words caught in their throat. Not now, come on… “Airi? You okay?” 

… Deep breath. Slow breath in through their nose and out through their mouth to steady herself — nothing bad had happened. Just some eye contact. She could take that much, right? She reassured Rei with a small nod, avoiding his eyes. They sat across from Laventon at the table, not blind to the worried frown the professor wore. “Are you alright, my girl?”

“… I’m fine,” she murmured — her voice worked again. Good. She didn’t need to lose her voice right now, it’d be annoying to Laventon and Rei. It felt a little hard to speak, but she was able to push through it to say, “Sorry, just… Don’t like how he looks at me. Dunno what I did…” 

Rei startled Airi by sitting next to them. The night before, he sat next to Laventon — what had changed? “… Yeah, I’d probably be shaken up if someone looked at me like that, too. It’s weird, Beni’s usually pretty nice.” 

“Hm… Well, I say he likely doesn’t quite trust you, Airi.” Laventon’s offered explanation did little to ease Airi’s nerves. “You fell from the sky, after all. Quite unusual circumstances. He doesn’t know what to do with you, I imagine.” 

“… Does the whole village know about that?”

“Ah, well… Probably. Cyllene informed me that rumors had reached here within a day of you falling, before I even brought you here. A member of the Ginkgo Guild passed the news on from the Diamond Settlement.” 

They groaned in reaction with the news, covering her face with her hands. That sucks. Here she was, thinking they were starting to be accepted… 

Contact on her shoulder made her flinch and turn her head, peeking over her hands — Rei had placed his hand on her shoulder. He smiled at her, said, “Don’t worry, Airi. I’m sure you’ll get a better reputation over time! It’s like Cyllene said, people don’t trust you if they don’t understand you. So, you’ve just got to work hard, climbing the ranks. I bet doing requests around Jubilife’ll help, too. You finished Beauregard’s, right?” 

“… Yeah, but…” 

“Rei is right! Requests are the easiest way to bolster your reputation.” Airi turned her attention back to Laventon while he continued, “People around Jubilife will often need help, and they’ll come to us in the Galaxy Team to ask. Especially when that help is related to pokémon. You can find some requests in my lab, but the best way to help people is by speaking to people in the village and asking what they might need!” Airi’s horror must’ve shown too plainly in her expression — Laventon’s frown returned. “Is that a problem, Airi?” 

“I —... No, not… Sorry, just — talking to strangers randomly is… Odd, isn’t it? And — and really hard.” 

“… Well, I don’t find it especially odd. If it’s difficult for you, though, you can certainly stick to the ones posted in my lab for the time being. I’m sure your confidence will grow in time.”

“I don’t think you need to worry about it, honestly,” Rei remarked. “You’re already odd enough. It’s not like talking to people is going to hurt your reputation any more.” Airi flinched at his words — it was true, but… “Come on, you’re so confident in battling and fieldwork, but you can’t even talk to strangers? You did fine with Marie!” 

“Rei,” Laventon gently scolded, “be nice. We all have our weaknesses, no?” 

“This is a stupid weakness.” 

“Rei —”

“No, it’s… It’s fine, he’s right,” Airi murmured, stopping Laventon from scolding her coworker any further. “I’ll… I’ll get over it. I’ll try talking to people tomorrow.” 

“… Well, if you insist, I won’t protest. Don’t push yourself too much, alright?” Laventon smiled at her. “As I said, I keep a blackboard in my lab with posted requests for members of the Galaxy Team to claim. That’s as good of a place to start as any, I would say. Any request completed, no matter how you take it, is a point towards your reputation!” Airi nodded mutely, eyes falling to the table. “Speaking of which, you were approached with a rather interesting request recently, weren’t you, Rei?” 

“Ah, yeah…” Defeat tinged Rei’s tone, confusing Airi enough to turn her head towards him. His turn to stare at the table. With a sigh, he admitted, “That one might be a better fit for Airi than me, honestly… I don’t think I’ll be able to pull it off any time soon. Not unless I get better at pokémon battling overnight.” 

A battling request? Airi frowned and turned back to Laventon, confused and curious. “Airi, have you met Mai of the Diamond Clan?” … Oh, Mai! The woman with the Munchlax! She nodded. “Rei’s request is from her. She came by a few days ago to post it. You know, the people of the Diamond Clan have lived here in Hisui since long before the Galaxy Team. Completing requests for them will establish good relations — I’m sure there is much we might learn from them. Perhaps even about local pokémon…” 

“… Y’know, with Airi already knowing Mai, it might be good for her to just take the request from me. She’s better at battling anyhow.” 

“We can discuss that more tomorrow. We’ve dampened the mood quite enough for one day — this is meant to be a congratulatory dinner!” Laventon smiled and grabbed his cup off the table, holding it towards the center. “To Airi’s successful promotion, yes?” 

Airi scrambled to grab her own cup, Rei doing the same. Rei cheered, “To Airi!” and the three of them clink! ’d their cups together as a toast. It seemed to have the intended effect of lightening the mood at the table. Airi even managed a small smile as she pulled her drink back to herself. 

The lighter mood stayed throughout the rest of dinner. Airi still wasn’t super talkative, but Rei and Laventon more than made up for it. Despite Beni’s clear contempt at Airi, dinner tasted just as amazing as it had the night before. Their appetite had died a little when he glared at them, but she still ate her full portion — hungry enough from working so hard, they guessed. After dinner, Laventon passed Airi a pouch. Her wages for the day, he explained. She got paid based on the number of pokémon she captured and the number of research tasks she completed. He smiled and wished both her and Rei a good night and left them to walk to their living quarters in peace. 

Airi thought the walk would be silent, but Rei proved her wrong; as soon as the two were alone, he asked, “Hey, you didn’t sleep last night, did you?” 

His question startled Airi enough to flinch. She didn’t answer. Bringing their hands together to scratch their wrists, she murmured, “Um… Not really, no.”

“… Any reason why?”

“Nothing you can fix,” she assured. “I’m fine, I’ll… get over it. Don’t worry too much.”

“… Well, if you need anything, I’m next door, so.” The two were outside of Airi’s quarters now. He playfully hit Airi’s shoulder, said, “Don’t let your stupid weakness keep you from asking me for help if you need it, alright?” 

“… Yeah, alright,” they agreed, their voice hardly a murmur. She looked up at Rei and tried to smile, to reassure him. “I’ll be fine, really. Thanks for worrying. Have a good night.” 

“Yeah, you too. Sleep well.” 

… Hopefully. She hummed back and let Rei step away, leaving her to open the door to the living quarters — her living quarters, she reminded themself. She stepped inside and slid the door shut behind her, the sound of it making her cringe. Sighing, they knelt down to pull off her boots. 

… It’s quiet. Unsettling silence filled the living quarters. Airi heard their own heartbeat. Heard it getting faster the longer she focused on it — ignore it. It hadn’t bothered her before, so why..? Another quiet sigh from Airi. They pulled their belt and satchel off, setting the latter on top of the storage chest in the entry area. I’ll sort out my items tomorrow, they were too tired for now. Right now, she just wanted to collapse into bed. She stepped into the back room of their quarters, uncomfortably aware of their own breathing. They placed their belt and the item looped onto it on the windowsill shelf, just in case she wanted access to her pokéballs or stone during the night. Same for her Arc Phone.

She changed out of her uniform, electing to just wear their Diamond Clan clothes to bed — she didn’t have any sleepwear, but the idea of sleeping in just their undershirt and shorts made their skin crawl. Better this than to wrinkle her uniform by sleeping in it. Now that I’ve got some money, maybe I should get some more clothes from Anthe’s… Something comfortable to sleep in would be nice. 

They took their hair down from its style and sighed at the relief of tension off their skull. Just about ready for bed — unfortunately, her bed wasn’t ready for her. They pulled their futon out from the cabinet on the back wall and unfolded it onto the floor, humming to keep the silence away. Finally, they were able to crawl into their futon and close their eyes. With how tired she was, sleep surely wouldn’t be a fight. Right..?

… Wrong. Airi spent the next hour restless, tossing and turning. The silence in her quarters suffocated her, tightening her chest and making it a fight to breathe. Come on. This is stupid. Why was the silence bothering her so much..? 

Finally giving up, she crawled out of her futon and to the windowsill, where she’d placed her three party members’ pokéballs. They grabbed Eevee’s and flipped the latch. The dark of their quarters made it a struggle to see the fluffy normal type, but she heard a curious whine and felt soft fur brush against their hand.

Airi couldn’t speak anymore, too upset and tired. She carefully felt around for Eevee and lifted the pokémon into her arms, hugging it tight. Soothing vibrations carried into Airi when Eevee started purring at the affection. At least she’s not mad… Still holding Eevee, Airi shuffled back to her futon and crawled into it, curling onto her side with Eevee tucked into her chest. Sleep found her quicker after that. Having Eevee purring at her side kept the silence away enough for them to drift into sleep — this time, she hoped, without any nightmares. 

♪ Distant thoughts become cluttered mind, what is a drop in the ocean?

Far and few, but long behind; we’re spun by the heavenly motion ♪

Chapter Text

Well. She had less nightmares, at least!

For once, Airi slept solidly enough to feel rested when they woke up in the morning. They only woke up a couple of times throughout the night. Each time, she’d snuggle closer to Eevee and let the normal-type’s purring lull them back to sleep. When she woke up for good in the morning, it wasn’t from a nightmare. She just blinked awake to soft morning light filtering into their room. Quiet, calm. 

She rolled onto her back with a sigh, ignoring the mewl from Eevee at the loss of contact. Fatigue still weighed on them… Should I go back to sleep? What time is it..? Like eight, maybe? Too early… She wanted to sleep in… 

A knock at the door made it clear that wouldn’t be possible. Airi groaned and sat upright. They wanted to take a moment and rub the sleep out of her eyes, but another knock interrupted her. “One second,” she called, their voice weak and groggy. They pushed herself to standing and stumble-stepped out of her room towards the front door. 

When they slid open their door a crack and Rei caught sight of her, he snorted. “Wow, you look awful. Should I come back later?”

Pouting, Airi muttered, “Rude…” They rubbed their eyes with another groan, said, “Gimme, like… ten minu’es to get changed…” 

“Nah, take your time. I was just wondering if you’d be willing to spar with me before I meet Mai.” Rei crossed his arms over his chest. “Zisu said it might be a good idea, so…” 

Airi stared at him for a moment, expression blank. Not processing his words even a little bit. A very awkward beat of silence between the two while their mind caught up to them. “Oh… Oh! Oh, yeah — sure, I’d love to!” 

He laughed at their delay, said, “Great. I’ll be at the training grounds for another hour, so feel free to take your time. At least be a little awake for me.” 

“Yeah, yeah…” Airi yawned, said, “I’ll see you in a lil’ bit.”

“Great, thanks! I’ll treat you to breakfast after.”

Airi hummed to agree and slid their door shut. Battling sounded fun… She stretched their arms out in front of them while they walked to their dresser to change. She didn’t want to make Rei wait, even if he said she could take her time. 

She realised why he had said she looked awful. Her hair was an absolute disaster, a mess of tangles all out of sorts from her normal style. After putting on her uniform, she sat down under the back window to comb out their hair. At least it wasn’t hard to brush out. Whatever tangles she encountered put up little resistance against the comb. A few minutes of gentle brushing and her hair was right as rain. They tied part of it into a bun to keep it out of the way and put her comb down, trying to convince herself to stand back up. She was comfortable, though… 

… Airi definitely wasn’t a morning person in their past life. 

Eevee had to encourage her up again — it had woken up while they were brushing their hair and sat at Airi’s side. When Airi didn’t move after putting their comb down, it whined and gently headbutted her. “Fine, fine,” Airi mumbled. “Just a few minutes…” Eevee did not accept that answer. It huffed and bit Airi’s sleeve to tug on it. Not hard enough to puncture the fabric, just enough to grab hold. They sighed and pulled their sleeve out of Eevee’s mouth, finally standing up. “Happy now?” 

A pleased yip from Eevee. While Airi meandered over to her storage chest to sort through her items, Eevee ran in excited circles around her. Someone’s energetic. Maybe it had heard Rei invite Airi to battle. Unfortunately for Eevee, Airi wanted to give some of her other pokémon a chance to shine. She hadn’t gotten in a serious battle with Star yet, they were curious of its abilities. Is it fair to Rei to battle with an alpha, though..? Hm… Maybe not… Well, she could try. Not like Rei wouldn’t let her know if he found it unfair. He’d make some rude comment and Airi would switch out, easy as. 

Sorting through their satchel, Airi moved some of the extra crafting materials she had gathered to storage, alongside the honey Beauregard had given her. She was fresh out of pokéballs, I’ll need to craft some before heading out today . Only had one more potion to her name, too. Then again, she’d gotten some money. Choy sold pokéballs at the general store, didn’t he? Don’t be lazy, they scolded themself. They could spend some time crafting after she met with Rei. She shouldn’t rely on buying stuff, they should be self sufficient! (… Plus, she still wanted to buy clothes. Had to save her money for that!) 

With her items sorted, Airi carried her satchel back to her room to finish getting ready. She fastened their belt, looped her pokéballs back onto their right hip and tied their stone back onto their left, and slipped her phone back into her pocket. Feeling much more presentable, Airi risked facing their mirror towards themself so she could check her appearance. Just to make sure she didn’t look like a disaster anymore. The figure reflected in the glass looked fine, respectable. No obvious wrinkles in their clothes, and their hair looked fine. They didn’t really look like themself, though… 

… That’s silly. She was just being dramatic. They looked fine. She turned the mirror back to the wall to avoid lingering on the thought. Folding up her futon to store didn’t take long. By the time she was done with her morning routine, Eevee was waiting impatiently in the entry room. Airi joined it, sitting on the little ledge between the main lodgings and the sandy entryway to pull on her boots. “Okay, ready?” 

Eevee yipped and bolted towards the door. Tail wagging, it stood on its hind legs and placed its front paws on the door in a desperate attempt to open it. Chuckling, Airi said, “Guess that’s a yes, huh?” She stood up to slide the door open for her excited pokémon. Eevee darted out of the building ahead of Airi, letting its trainer follow at a slower pace. She squinted in the bright sunlight. Yeah, definitely not a morning person.

When Airi could finally see again, she slid her door shut behind her and turned towards Galaxy Hall. Training grounds are at the end of Main Street — 

She froze in place after hardly a step. Eevee had run ahead into the central plaza and now circled a tall man in a rather familiar blue coat — is that Adaman? Sure looked like Adaman. He faced away from Airi, but the back of his coat had that pentagon-shaped emblem on it that Airi recognized, and a familiar Leafeon stood at his side. Brightening, Airi broke into a sprint to greet him. “Mister Adaman!” 

Adaman turned around at the sound of his name. Airi was right! He lit up with a bright grin and stepped to meet Airi. “I thought I said no honorifics,” he scolded. His light tone and smile let Airi know he wasn’t really upset. “Look at you, all done up in uniform! I’m guessing you have good news, then?”

“Mhm!” Airi couldn’t help but excitedly bounce on her heels, immediately rambling a mile a minute, her drowsiness forgotten: “My trial went really well! I even caught an alpha, it’s a Shinx, her name is Star! And Mister Laventon gave me another pokémon — remember all his pokémon I helped catch? He gave me Rowlet, her name is Leaf! And I did so good yesterday that I already got my first star, and Rei is starting to be nice to me, and Mister Laventon says he’s proud of me, and that Miss Cyllene is, too! And working on the pokédex is really fun and —” 

Adaman interrupted her with a laugh and a tousle to her hair, said, “Woah, slow down!” They blushed bright red and shut their mouth. They hadn’t meant to annoy him! “Sounds like you’re doing well, then.” Airi smiled up at him and nodded. “That’s good! I’m glad, it’s nice to see you happy. You seemed real gloomy before.”

“That’s not ‘cus of you or the Diamond Clan!” Airi quickly justified. “I just, um… I don’t know, it’s kinda hard to explain. It’s nice being good at something, I guess.”

“Sounds like you’re better than good, Airi. Catching an alpha is incredible!” Adaman’s praise made Airi even happier than all the praise she’d received the night before. They beamed up at him, utterly delighted, giddy enough to bounce on their heels again. “You can tell me more later, if you want. I just need to check in on a request Mai put in a few days ago.” 

“… Oh, Rei took that request, I think!” Airi crossed her arms behind her and said, “He said he’d go see her in a ‘lil bit, but we’re meant to spar first. I think he wants to practice battling against me, since he knows I’m good at it.” 

“Confident, aren’t you?” he teased. When Airi blushed again, he just ruffled her hair with a smile. “In that case, mind if I watch you two? I can chat with Rei after.” 

“I don’t mind! You can meet my pokémon!” Airi couldn’t help but hop in place in excitement. She got to battle with Rei and show off to Adaman, all in one go! “Training grounds are at the end of the street!” she said, pointing west. “Up on that hill. I’ll go tell Rei!” Not even giving Adaman a chance to reply, she darted off towards the training grounds. 

Rei stood in the center of the battlefield, speaking with a tall woman dressed in the colors for the Security Corps. Tall being really, really, tall. When Airi ran over to see Rei, she realised how truly towering the woman was. At least a foot taller than Airi, she had long, curly red hair and a bright smile. Is this Zisu? Airi gazed up at the woman in what could only be described as awe. Beyond just her overbearing height, the woman had broad, strong shoulders and strong musculature — Airi could tell even through the bulky fabrics of her clothes how large her arms were, not to mention the muscles of her legs and thighs. She could probably toss Airi like they were a ragdoll. 

If the woman or Rei noticed Airi staring, neither commented. Rei just smiled at Airi and said, “Well, you certainly seem more awake. Airi, this is Zisu, she’s the captain of the Security Corps. She runs the training grounds.” 

“Nice to meetcha!” Zisu chimed. She extended her hand for a handshake, and when Airi returned it, the woman shook her hand so hard they worried their arm was going to snap in half. Jeeze, she’s as strong as she looks… “So you’re the new recruit everyone’s talking about!” They nodded as Zisu released their hand. “Well, I’m lookin’ forward to seein’ what you can do! Don’t let me stop you two.” 

Zisu stepped to the back of the training grounds to let Rei and Airi talk. Gingerly rubbing their arm, Airi smiled at Rei and asked, “Can Adaman watch us battle? He asked!” 

“… Adaman?” Rei echoed in question. She nodded. “Like, leader of the Diamond Clan Adaman?” Another nod. “He’s here?”

“Mhm! He said he was checking in on Mai’s request.” 

Color drained from Rei’s face. “Oh. Uh… Sure, I guess he can.”

He doesn’t look very excited. Maybe he was worried Adaman would be mad about Mai’s request not being completed yet..? Airi hummed an appreciative note and looked over her shoulder — Adaman had just stepped into the training grounds, right on time! Airi’s Eevee walked at his side, along with his Leafeon. The moment Eevee caught sight of Airi, it ran straight to her and leapt up into her arms. They scrambled to catch the fluffy normal-type, stumbling back a step. 

“Looks like you and Eevee are getting along,” Adaman commented as he joined Airi and Rei. “Have you named her yet?” 

“No,” Airi admitted, voice low with shame. “I can’t come up with anything good…” 

“I thought its name was Vee,” Rei said. 

“You’d bully me if I did that.”

“Of course I would, it’s a bad nickname.”

“Bad nickname is still better than no nickname at all! Hypocrite.”

A laugh from Adaman kept Rei from forming a comeback. “Looks like you two are getting along, too! This is Rei, I assume?” Rei gave a sheepish nod, avoiding Adaman’s eye. “Airi tells me you’re the one who took Mai’s request. Is that right?”

“… Yeah.” 

“Well, I’m sure you’ve got it handled. Mai said she was meeting you today anyway, I just needed an excuse to stop by and check in on Airi.” Adaman smiled, said, “You don’t mind me watching your battle, I hope?”

“… Right, that’s fine.” Still doesn’t seem happy about it. 

“Great! I look forward to seeing how you two battle.” With a casual wave, Adaman stepped away from the two of them, joining Zisu at the edge of the training grounds.

As soon as he was gone, Rei sighed — frustrated..? “Airi, can I be straightforward with you?” Confused, Airi cocked her head to the side. “It’s just… I don’t know how anyone can handle taking on pokémon in battle. I know I’m a Survey Corps member, and I’ve got my own partner pokémon, but… I just can’t. And seeing you so confident is…” He shook his head, said, “This is pathetic, isn’t it? I haven’t had the courage to battle since I got hurt. Even my own partner pokémon freak me out. Zisu’s been trying to help, but I just… Freeze. I don’t know how you do it.” 

“… Can I see your pokémon?” Airi asked. Rei frowned, confused. “Just trust me.” 

“… Yeah, okay.” Rei pulled two pokéballs out from his pocket and released the pokémon they contained — Cyndaquil, Airi recognized from before, alongside a Pikachu. “I’ve had Pikachu for a long time, but I still… I don’t know. During that Shinx attack, I should’ve had it fight at my side, but… my mind just went blank. And — and when you get right down to it, pokémon are terrifying, right? Why should this thing be able to fire electricity? That’s horrifying! What if it decided to attack me, just like those Shinx? What if next time, I end up a lot worse than just being on bedrest? A pokémon can kill us so easily, so why…” 

Airi crouched down to the pokémon’s level and placed Eevee onto the ground. They held their hand out towards Pikachu — Cyndaquil already knew and trusted her, but Pikachu was a stranger. The yellow mouse-like pokémon looked up at her curiously. It sniffed their hand before shuffling closer, allowing itself to be pet. “… Your pokémon are safe,” Airi said, “I’ve never met Pikachu before, and look how tame he is with me.” She moved her hand under the pokémon’s chin to pet it there, earning a pleased squeak from the electric-type. “The first step in being confident battling is having confidence in your partner. You have to trust that your pokémon will do well, no matter the circumstances. Trust that they won’t attack you — and they won’t. If your Pikachu wanted you dead, he wouldn’t have let you catch him. Wouldn’t have stuck around this long. Your pokémon trust you to guide them — you need to trust them, too.” She moved her attention to Cyndaquil, petting the top of the fire-type’s head. “Might be worth spending some time with your pokémon and getting to know them, y’know? If you can see them as your friends, you’ll have a better time trusting them as your partners.” 

“… I don’t know if I can. But… I want to try.” He took a deep breath and stepped to Airi’s side, crouching down next to her. He didn’t hold his hand out for Pikachu yet. Just stared at the electric-type for a long moment. When Airi glanced at him, he wore a small frown, his eyebrows furrowed. “… If I want to do my Survey Corps work well, if I want to keep pace with you, then… I need to try. My pokémon and I have to be a team, like yours.”

“First step to being a team is to face mine.” Airi grinned at Rei, more than a little cocky. “Hey, are you up to battling against Star? I think it’d be good for you to battle a Shinx, given your… history.” 

“Are you joking?” They shook their head; they were being entirely serious. “Airi, if you throw that alpha Shinx at me, I’m going to freak out.”

“You’ll never get over your fear if you don’t face it. Besides, Star is a total sweetheart!” 

“Yeah, says you.”

“If Star was gonna have a grudge on anyone, it would be me, wouldn’t it? She loves me! She’s super sweet,” Airi insisted. “If you really think you’re too scared, I’ll use Leaf, but… I dunno, I think it’d be good for you!” 

“… Promise to switch out if I freak out?” 

“Of course!” Airi hopped to standing with a little ‘up!’ and patted the dirt off their trousers. “If I use Star, I won’t use any other pokémon, and I won’t use her super strong moves. I know she’s strong, but she’s not so strong as to easily beat you in a two-v-one. Sound fair?”

“… I hate you.”

“Taking that as a yes!” Airi smiled, reassured by the lack of any real ire in Rei’s voice. The glare he shot her was just as half-hearted. “You got this!”

“Shut up,” he muttered. He pushed himself up with a lot less enthusiasm than Airi. With a defeated sigh, he said, “Let’s get this over with. You promise you’ll —” 

“I’ll return Star the moment you tell me to.” She held up her hand to Rei, pinky out. “Pinky promise.”

“… You really are a kid.” He linked his pinky with hers — Airi caught the sight of a small smile on his face. “Alright. I’ll hold you to it. Now get to your side of the field before I change my mind.” 

“Okie doke!” Airi waved her hand in an easy salute and sprinted across the battlefield, her Eevee trailing behind her. “Eevee, we’re giving Star the spotlight today, okay? You can sit with Adaman if you want!” Ignoring her, Eevee sat down next to Airi’s leg. That’s fine. Airi looked across the battlefield towards Rei, wearing a bright grin. “Ready?” she called.

If Rei responded verbally, she didn’t hear it. They saw him nod and point forward — Pikachu bounded onto the field. Leading with Pikachu. Both Shinx and Pikachu were electric-types, but Star had a pretty diverse moveset — Airi didn’t know about Rei’s pokémon. I’ll let him take first move and go from there. With a plan in mind, Airi grabbed the third pokéball off her belt and tossed it onto the battlefield. 

Compared to Pikachu, Star was a behemoth. It had to have been triple the size of the other electric-type, at least. It yawned and stretched out its back while Rei stared at it with wide eyes. Even from across the battlefield, Airi could see him shaking. She didn’t call out a command yet. Waited for Rei to do so — or for him to tell her to return Star. The Shinx seemed confused at the lack of action and turned its head back to Airi with a questioning head tilt. “Give Rei a second to decide if he’s too scared of you,” Airi instructed softly. “Let him attack first, okay? I want him to win.”

Star’s sound of affirmation was in the form of a short rumble. It faced Rei’s Pikachu, tail lashing behind it, all while Airi stared at Rei for a reaction. Risking speaking, she called, “You get the first move!” … No reaction from Rei. He stood frozen in place, his eyes locked onto Star. Airi wasn’t sure if he heard her. Maybe I should switch out. She frowned, reached for Leaf’s ball off her belt —

Before she could call Star to return and send out her Rowlet, Zisu called out to Rei, “You got this, kid! Don’t hesitate, just move!” 

The woman’s words seemed to wake Rei out of whatever trance he was in. His voice shaky, he called, “Quick Attack!” His Pikachu lunged into action, leaping towards Star as quick as it could. 

Star, ever the team-player, let Pikachu land the attack. The smaller electric-type collided with Star’s side and sent it stumbling a step towards Airi from the force. Its tail lashed behind it — she’s ready. Rei hadn’t backed down, so neither would Airi. Even if she wanted him to win, they would still put up a fight — a win wasn’t worth anything if she didn’t fight back! “Use Bite while he’s close!” 

Her Shinx pivoted to face Pikachu. Fangs bared and crackling with dark sparks, it lunged for Pikachu. The smaller pokémon couldn’t escape Star’s path — as soon as Shinx’s fangs met its yellow fur, Airi heard Rei cry out in alarm, “Are you okay?” Pikachu leapt backwards from Shinx, shaking out its fur. Star’s attack had hit hard — Pikachu was already panting, exerted and pained. Probably down in the next hit or two… Star really was strong. Pikachu squeaked back at Rei, electricity sparking at its cheeks. Not ready to give up yet. They could barely hear Rei sigh a relieved breath before he called, “Quick Attack, as strong as you can!” 

Airi could tell Star wanted to dodge. It probably would have succeeded if Airi didn’t interrupt, but she wanted Rei to stand a chance: “Jump towards me!” The command, to anyone else, seemed like a dodge command. In reality, moving towards Airi put Star directly in Pikachu’s path of travel — Star understood instantly what was happening. It didn’t move at full speed as it bounded to Airi, letting Pikachu barrel into it. It cried out and tumbled to the ground at Airi’s feet. Not enough to faint her. “Come on, we got this! Just a bit more!” they cheered. “Thunder Shock, keep your distance!” Pikachu would resist the attack — gave it a better shot of lasting two hits over one. Electricity sparked in Star’s tail as it pushed itself back to standing. With a loud roar, it fired off a ferocious ball of sparks towards Pikachu. Hope it doesn’t have Lightning Rod, this would be awkward if it did. Lightning Rod was a rare enough ability that Airi felt safe banking on it not being present in Rei’s Pikachu. 

Sure enough, the ball of electricity did actual damage — Airi could tell by the shrill shriek of pain and alarm from Rei’s Pikachu when the attack landed. It stumbled back a step, faltering — is it fainting..? Come on buddy, hang in there for Rei! After an agonizing moment, Pikachu stood stable again. Rei had frozen, though… He didn’t bark any commands for Pikachu, just staring in shock… Right. Rei had been hit with a Thunder Shock from a Shinx before. Shouldn’t have used that move… Airi cleared their throat and called out, “Rei! Do you want me to switch?”

“Don’t switch!” Zisu called to Airi. They nodded back at the woman while she addressed Rei, “Come on, kid, you’re doing great! Snap back into it!” 

“R — right! Quick — Quick Attack, come on —!” Rei finally managed.

Airi didn’t protest Star dodging this time, letting her pokémon leap out of the way of Pikachu. Getting a successful dodge was Star’s reward for being patient with Rei, and Rei’s penance for freezing up like that. “Good work!” she praised her pokémon, earning a pleased howl from the pokémon. “Quick Attack right back at ‘em!” 

Star lunged towards Pikachu with its claws outstretched. The smaller electric-type was too fatigued to dodge — all it could do was let Star collide, sending Pikachu tumbling back. This time, it landed on its back rather than its paws. “Pikachu!” Rei called. “Are you okay?!” … A weak whine from the electric-type. It rolled onto its paws and padded up to Rei, too tired to continue fighting. Airi couldn’t hear what Rei said to his pokémon, but to her pleasant surprise, he knelt down to cautiously pet Pikachu. He didn’t return the pokémon, just let it sit at his side and rest while he commanded his Cyndaquil to take the field. Not giving up yet! That was a good sign! “Ember!” Rei called, not giving Airi nor Star any real break. 

“Dodge!” Airi ordered. Cyndaquil is probably a lower level than Pikachu was, considering Rei had been avoiding battles. Really, Airi should have let the Ember hit. The fighter in her still wanted to win, and she could tell Star felt the same — the pokémon lunged clean out of the way of the encroaching ball of flames. “Thunder Shock!” 

“Circle around it!” Rei learned quickly — not an ounce of hesitation in his voice. Airi couldn’t help their excited little fist pump while Cyndaquil dodged her pokémon’s attack. Cyndaquil zipped on the outer edge of the battle field to come behind Star while Rei commanded, “Ember, again! Don’t let up the pressure!” 

Cyndaquil attacked faster this time, not giving Star any time to dodge. The fire-type move hit the Shinx from behind. A startled, pained cry from Shinx when it skittered back. It wouldn’t put its full weight on its back leg — burned. Not good. Having an injury like that would impede its physical attacks. Perfect for Rei, I suppose. Part of Airi felt upset and disappointed at the idea of losing, but the rest of her knew this would be good for Rei. We’ll lean into it. “Quick Attack!” 

Despite its injury, Star was still fast. In the blink of an eye it was in front of Cyndaquil to knock it to the ground. To the fire-type’s credit, it recovered remarkably fast. It was only down for a moment before leaping to its feet. “Again! It’s weak!” 

Rei was right: Star was weak. Poor thing was panting for breath when it turned to face Cyndaquil, watching in narrowed eyes as the fire-type charged up another Ember. “Not that easily!” Airi called. “Thunder Shock!” She refused to go down just yet. Star just barely managed to skirt out of the way of Cyndaquil’s Ember this time. Keeping distance between it and Rei’s pokémon, it let sparks gather throughout its coat, culminating in its tail. With a violent lash of its tail, a violent ball of sparks was launched towards Cyndaquil. 

The small pokémon squeaked in alarm when the move made contact. Static covered its form. Not even desperately shaking out its fur got rid of the sparks — paralysis? Was that lucky or unlucky, considering Airi was trying to let Rei win? Beyond just the paralysis, it looked like Airi had done way more damage than she intended. Cyndaquil fought to stand this time. Oh no, come on, hang in there! She still wanted Rei to win! 

“Can you keep going?” Rei called out to his weakened partner pokémon. The little fire-type yipped back, angling itself towards Star. “End this with one more Ember! All you’ve got!” 

Airi watched Cyndaquil gather a ball of flames in its maw. This attack seemed… stronger. The flames were brighter, the orb bigger — does Cyndaquil have Blaze? It made sense, Blaze was a common ability for Cyndaquil! Come on! You can do it! Airi cheered her opponent internally, though she couldn’t hide her bright grin when Cyndaquil launched the powerful Ember attack. Just to save face, she commanded, “Dodge — !” 

Star knew Airi wanted Rei to win. And besides, it was too tired to get out of the way. It gave a half-hearted leap to the side before the ball of flames collided with its side, knocking it to the ground. “Star!” Airi called, racing to her pokémon’s side. She knelt beside her collapsed pokémon and carefully brought her hands around its head, petting its cheeks. “You did amazing, thank you so much. I’m so proud of you!” she praised. Star purred and nuzzled into her hand. The sound of footsteps had her look up — Rei was approaching her, looking anxious. “… Do you wanna pet her, Rei?” 

“No!” he rushed to say. “No, just —... Did I really..?”

Airi smiled up at him. “Mhm! You won, fair and square! I told you you could do it! How d’you feel?”

Rei just stared at her in mute shock. More footsteps — Airi turned her head enough to see Zisu joining the two Survey Corps battlers while Adaman walked towards Rei’s pokémon, still on his side of the battlefield. “That was a good battle,” Zisu said. “Rei, you did great!”

“… I…” Rei trailed off as soon as he began with a frown. His gaze turned from Airi to her Shinx, which was slowly pushing itself to its paws. “… The way you fight, you’re — you’re not even one bit scared of pokémon. I don’t get it.”

“… Well, think about it this way,” Airi began, “did you feel scared of your pokémon?” 

“No, but —... I was scared of them getting hurt. And I was scared of yours.” 

“Well, that’s already an improvement! You said you were freaked out by Pikachu earlier.” They were about to reach into her bag for a potion before Zisu held one out for her — the color was different than Airi’s, maybe it’s stronger? She read the label on the jar. Full Heal, wow, “Thank you!” 

“Of course! Adaman and I’ll tend to Rei’s pokémon as well.” Zisu smiled at them, added, “I’ll let you do the talkin’ for now.” 

“Right!” Airi returned Zisu’s smile, grateful, before turning her attention to her Shinx. “Here, Rei, come here. Help me apply this Full Heal.”

“I — I can’t —”

“If you’re too scared, I won’t push it. But… Well, Star’s really sweet. And she did really well in that fight, don’t you think? I’m sure she’ll be happy if you pet her some!” She opened the jar and gathered some of the ointment on her hand to apply to her Shinx. “It’s normal to be scared of your pokémon getting hurt. Or even you getting hurt. That fear is important, because it means you’ll prioritize your team.”

Rei cautiously knelt next to Airi. With trembling hands, he joined Airi in gently applying the medicinal ointment to Star. “So… You’re afraid, too..?”

“Of course I am.”

“But — but you battle so confidently, and you’re so in sync with your pokémon —”

“That’s because I trust them.” Airi gently guided Shinx into turning around so they could tend to its burn wound. Star tensed when she touched its hind leg, but made no sound — she’s being so mindful not to scare Rei.  “You know, for as scared as you are… Your pokémon probably are, too. That’s why it’s so important to stay calm and guide them. You have to trust that they’ll follow your instructions, and they trust you that your instructions are best.”

“… What if my instructions aren't the best? I’m awful at this, I’m not even half the battler you are.”

“You’ll get better! Making mistakes is part of the process.”

“Why are you so good, then? You don’t even remember battling, this is ridiculous, I —” Rei cut himself off with a gasp when Airi flinched. “I’m… I’m sorry. That was mean.”

Airi chuckled, the sound of it hollow, said, “It’s fine, you’re right. I don’t know. Part of me remembers, I guess.” 

“… You’re trying to help me and I just said something really mean, and you didn’t even call me anything back.” 

“You’re lashing out ‘cus you’re frustrated.” Airi finished applying the ointment to Star and let it turn around to face her and Rei. Purring, Star nuzzled against Rei’s hand, seeking more affection — Rei tensed. Fear in his eyes for a moment before he cautiously pet the giant electric-type. Airi smiled, said, “See? She’s a sweetheart.” 

“… I don’t get you,” he murmured, moving his hand to pet under Shinx’s chin. “You’re not afraid of pokémon, but you say you are. You waltzed into a battle with an alpha Shinx and won, just because it was your ‘favorite.’ I don’t get it.”

“… I like pokémon. I want to learn more about them, befriend more of them.”

“… Yeah. I don’t get that, either.” Rei took his hands away from Airi’s Shinx with a sigh and rose to full height. “But… Even if I don’t understand you, I won’t fall behind. I’ll catch up to you. I’ll learn.”

“You’re already learning,” Airi replied. With one last ruffle of the fur framing Star’s cheeks, she stood up and returned the Shinx to its pokéball. Said, “You just not only battled my Shinx, you won! And you pet her!”

“And you’re not afraid of Pikachu anymore,” Zisu added — Airi looked over as her and Adaman rejoined the group, Rei’s Cyndaquil and Pikachu at Zisu’s side. Cyndaquil bounded up to Rei and nuzzled its leg, but Pikachu seemed a little… standoffish. “Rei, that was the best I’ve seen you battle in months. Don’t sell yourself short, you’ve got some real fight in you!” 

“Same goes for Airi,” Adaman said. He grinned at them and praised her further, said, “Even if you lost, that was an amazing fight! I see why you were so confident earlier.” Airi brightened with the praise and nodded back. 

“… Hey, Airi,” Rei started. He didn’t continue until Airi made eye contact with him — he looked serious. “I want you to come with me to meet Mai later today.”

“… Wait, really? But that’s your request.”

“I’m sure. I’m… starting to think you should take it. I want to talk to Mai about it, and I want you there.” He glanced towards Adaman and asked, “Is that fine?”

Adaman shrugged, said, “That’s between you and Mai, honestly. I don’t have a problem with it. I just wanted to ask you how it was going to make sure there was progress.”

“Well, you just saw the progress.” Rei’s eyes settled on Airi again. “If you don’t want to, you don’t have to. But… I’d appreciate it.”

“… Well, it would be nice to see Miss Mai again,” Airi agreed. “I’ll tag along, but I don’t know if I’ll take the request from you. I don’t even know what it is. ” 

A small smile from Rei when he said, “I’ll fill you in later. I promised to treat you to breakfast, didn’t I?” Another glance at Adaman, Rei invited, “Uh… Do you want to join us? You said you’re here to check in on Airi, right?” 

Adaman hummed in consideration. “Well, yes, but I’d hate to intrude on you two spending time together. It’s good for Airi to make friends here.”

“… Well, I don’t mind either way. We probably don’t have much to talk about anyway, I’d just rush her to eat so we can work sooner.” Rei crossed his arms over his chest and added, “Up to you, Airi.”

… Rei isn’t really comfortable around Adaman, but… Airi really wanted to catch up with him! She wanted to show him her pokédex and talk about survey work and — “Um, I’d like that, if it’s okay!”

“Well, that settles it, then!” Adaman smiled, tucked his hands into his pockets. “Leafeon and I will join you two. I’m sure you’re wanting to tell me more about your work, right Airi?” 

They agreed with an excited nod. They ignored their instinct to grab Adaman’s hand and pull him along — she didn’t want to be annoying! (Truthfully, she was about to be much more annoying over breakfast.) When Rei led the group down to the Wallflower from the training grounds, Airi had a visible skip to her step. Maybe she was thinking too much, but Rei seemed brighter, too. 

Rei ordered breakfast for Airi — maybe he noticed the way she flinched when Beni approached, she didn’t know. Adaman certainly did. She caught the sight of his worried expression, but she didn’t give him a chance to ask, instead took to excited ramblings about the day before. They told him all about their trial — her battle with Volo beforehand, all the pokémon they had to catch, her battle to catch Star… Eating took second priority compared to showing Adaman her pokédex and all the progress she had already made. He praised their drawing abilities and commented on how nice her Eevee sketch looked — that went straight to her head, kicking their feet at the praise. They were in such a bright mood throughout breakfast that she couldn’t stop smiling. Rei added details here and there — over time, he grew less apprehensive of Adaman. Airi could tell by how his shoulders relaxed and how he genuinely smiled while he teased Airi’s handwriting. Of course Airi jabbed back, and the two bickered for a short while (much to Adaman’s clear amusement.) 

At the end of breakfast, Adaman tousled their hair and promised them he would see them again soon. He had to meet up with Mai before Rei did, apparently. With a warm smile, he told her how proud he was of their progress, and how happy he was to see her doing well. He sounded so genuine, how could Airi not choke up? With watery eyes but a bright smile, she promised him to keep doing their very best. She wanted to keep making him proud! 

Rei left for the Fieldlands before Airi — “We’ll meet with Mai at midday, at the base of Aspiration Hill. Feel free to do whatever in the meanwhile,” he had explained. Basically giving permission for Airi to spend the next few hours doing what they would like. Her first stop was Laventon’s lab — he wasn’t there, it seemed. Probably already at the Fieldlands..? She checked the board in his office for any requests, finding none. 

Tragically, Airi had to talk to strangers.

They only spoke to people that looked… troubled, in one way or another, to ask if they needed help. She encountered one woman hemming and hawing over the selection at the general shop, who remarked about Airi being ‘the newcomer who fell from the sky.’ Airi tried not to grimace when they confirmed the information. The woman asked for some information about Starly as a request — she wanted to see the finished pokédex entry for it, apparently. That went straight into Airi’s request log on their phone when they promised to return with a completed entry whenever they wrote it. One request started… If she started as many as possible, she could work on them at the same time. Hopefully, they would remember to complete at least some of them. She picked up and promptly completed another request to show a man a Shinx. Airi forgot alphas were frankly terrifying and showed him Star — after he recovered from nearly fainting from shock, he remarked about how much easier it was to see the Shinx’s markings given Star’s size. He complimented Airi on how apt the nickname Star was, considering the shape of its markings, and that was that request done. That was about the end of Airi’s social battery — at least with strangers. Any more than that and they would explode. They didn’t even want to go shopping anymore, too rattled from social interactions. Sleep clothes would have to wait.

With a slightly better reputation (hopefully) and the newly gained inability to speak, Airi finally left for the Fieldlands for the day. Despite not wanting to waste time crafting, she figured it would be a good thing to do while they waited for their voice to come back. Then she could do some more work before midday! But… It was odd, the moment they stepped out into the Fieldlands camp, she felt… wary? An odd anxiety swirling in their gut. Like something was happening. Confused, they turned their head to peek over their shoulder —

… Only to see Volo crouched a short distance away, clearly creeping up on her. They blinked at each other, Airi confused and Volo sheepish. “Ah —... Boo?” With an embarrassed chuckle, he rose to full height and approached her properly. “Apologies, Airi! I was intending on surprising you, but you caught me red-handed. You’ve got good instincts!” 

Why would he want to surprise me? They just frowned up at him. Despite knowing it was just Volo the whole time, their anxiety wouldn’t leave — her hands trembled at her sides. Annoying… Wasn’t making it any easier to speak, either. 

Volo must’ve felt awkward about their lack of reply. After a moment, he cleared his throat and explained, “I was going to teach you a little trick of mine. I figured giving you a little scare would be a good lead in — I wasn’t expecting you to notice me so easily! I suppose that instinct of yours is what allowed you to catch an alpha, isn’t it?” He grinned at her. An affirming point towards her when he finally got to the point, “There’s a secret technique to catching pokémon, you see! If you sneak up behind them and throw a pokéball, you’ll catch them off guard. It’ll even give you an advantage if you start a battle. Useful, don’t you think?”

“Mhm.” Airi cleared their throat in hopes of getting their voice back. “I, um — I think I did that when I caught Starly, I didn’t even realise. Thank you for the tip, Mister Volo!” 

“You don’t need to be so polite with me, Airi! Unless you’d like me to call you Miss Airi in return?” he questioned, a teasing note in voice. When she shook her head, he said, “Then just Volo is fine! How could I expect my favorite customer to be so formal with me?”

“I’ve never even bought from you.” 

“Hmm, is that so?” That bright, salesman’s smile from Volo as he pitched, “Care to change that?” 

 Airi laughed at the blatant attempt to get her to buy. Fortunately for Volo, since she didn’t go clothes shopping earlier, they had the money to spare for pokéballs — they did not want to spend an hour crafting right now. She wanted to go out and work on her pokédex! They bought twenty pokéballs, completely clearing Volo’s stock. He laughed at that, said, “Well, if you keep up with that attitude, I’ll have to keep up my stock for you! You’re already working quite hard on that pokédex of yours, aren’t you?” 

“Yeah! I wanna meet every pokémon in Hisui,” Airi explained. She felt a little more at ease now that she knew Volo was just trying to sell stuff. Enough to smile at him. Some of that earlier unease still loitered in their gut, but it was easy to ignore in favor of light conversation with Volo.

“How ambitious!” he remarked. “I’m already looking forward to the day you accomplish that! Ah, but don’t let me keep you — you’re probably busy with your work, yes?” 

“Well, kinda, but —” 

“I’ll be off, then.” Volo smiled, readjusting the straps of his bag over his shoulders. “Our rematch will have to wait for another time, I’m afraid. I wouldn’t stand a chance against that alpha of yours.” 

“Aw, but you promised!” Airi’s pout was entirely a joke — even Volo could tell, based on his chuckle in response. “Okay, I’ll look forward to it. Thanks for the pokéballs!”

“And thank you for your patronage! I’m sure Ginter will be pleased with my sales. Good luck on your outing!”

“You too!” Well, now I really have to work. That was most of Airi’s money spent just because they were feeling too lazy to craft. But, having a head start on pokéballs would make this day much easier. She still had plenty of time before they had to meet Rei. Let’s get to work! 

A few people milled around the Fieldlands Camp. More requests for Airi to take, it turned out. She was really getting quite the list at this point, which was probably good. However, every single person they talked to gasped and went ‘Oh, you’re the girl who fell from the sky!’ which was quickly becoming Airi’s least favorite series of words. This couldn’t be worse. (It could.) At least she was being helpful, they guessed. Two more requests filed in their Arc Phone: gather some mushrooms for some weird recipe, and finish Kricketot’s pokédex page to show someone. Doable. And now Airi really couldn’t talk anymore — she hoped getting a better reputation was worth it, because the anxiety they felt every time they approached someone they didn’t know made her want to cry. At least she had a few hours before her meeting to get it together. 

She did, tragically, burn through all of her new pokéballs in like an hour. Such is life. But she got some good work done! She even finished most of her Bidoof tasks — all that was left was evolving one. She kept the highest level Bidoof she had on their party to hopefully complete that task by the end of the day. They really wanted to present Laventon with a finished list. She also caught some new pokémon — some Ponyta, another Eevee (male, so she was finally able to record the gender difference), even a couple of Mime Jr. The massive alpha Rapidash she saw in the distance of the Horseshoe Plains was decidedly not their problem. They may have been cocky, but they knew better than to pick that fight. Despite how quick she used all their purchased pokéballs, they didn’t regret buying them — being able to start off their workday catching pokémon meant she could craft when they were ready for a break! 

They still didn’t want to craft, mind you. So, of course, they procrastinated. Writing down dex entries for the new pokémon she had encountered, jotting down better notes on others, checking over their research tasks to see what they had completed. Many battles to try and train up a Bidoof meant that she had finished nearly thirty tasks! Nice! Seemed a good note to have a break on. She let Leaf, Star, and Eevee all out of their pokéballs while she took the time to craft — hopefully the three would get to know each other and become friends. Eevee still didn’t care for Leaf, they could tell. She hoped that changed after they had the chance to get to know each other. 

Rei is so much faster at this than I am… Maybe she’d get better with practice? Their slow speed frustrated them — they were distinctly and uncomfortably aware of every single mistake they made. She couldn’t get her hands to work like she wanted. The more frustrated they grew, the more their hands shook. She gave up crafting after making another twenty pokéballs. With a defeated sigh, she closed their crafting kit and flopped back to lay down. She’d continue after a little break, they decided. Give their hands some time to steady. She scanned the other recipes she’d gathered in the meantime. Potions seemed easy enough, revives were a little more involved. The recipe for heavy balls required a material Airi hadn’t encountered yet, black tumblestone. Maybe I can find that across the river? They hadn’t explored that way yet — she wanted to stay close to Aspiration Hill to ensure they wouldn’t be late meeting Mai and Rei later. She doubted Cyllene would give her a useless recipe. 

They returned the recipes to their crafting kit. Laying in the meadows near Aspiration Hill, Airi found themself remarkably comfortable. The grass around her felt soft and plush, the sun’s light covering her as warm and comforting as a blanket. All around her, their pokémon were running and playing. Bonding, hopefully. With her pokémon looking out for her, surely she could close her eyes for a little, right? She was so comfy… Just for a little while, then she’d get up and do some more work on her dex… Yeah, that was a good idea. They let their eyes fall shut and rolled onto their side, perfectly at ease. 

Surprising absolutely no one, Airi dozed off. 

♪ Want to live like an animal? By the skin of your teeth? 

Put your good face on, you’re foolin’ no one, you’re a jackrabbit underneath ♪

Chapter Text

Arceus only knew how long they were asleep for. Definitely longer than ‘a little while.’ She most assuredly would have continued on sleeping, if not for her Eevee taking the initiative to ram itself directly into her back. 

They startled awake with an alarmed squeak, jolting upright far too fast. Their head screamed in protest and the world swam around them as they fought dizziness. They whined a quiet, “Ow…” If her Eevee noticed their struggling, it didn’t care. As soon as Airi could hear over their blood rushing, all they could hear was the panicked yapping of the normal-type. “Wha —..?” Confused, Airi squinted up at the sky. 

The sun hung proud directly overhead. Midday. Why was that important again..? They were comfy… Another yip from Eevee as it headbutted Airi’s legs. Why was Eevee so panicked..? Was something —? 

… Mai! Shoot! They’d overslept, they were going to be late and keep everyone waiting and do bad on her request and —! They scrambled to her feet, stumbling from lingering drowsiness. At her side, Star and Leaf were peacefully dozing — only Eevee seemed to realise what was going on. “Thanks, Eevee! I’ll let you all back out later,” they hastily explained. They returned her pokémon to their balls as fast as possible and tied them back onto their waist. Packing up her satchel with just as much haste — Airi could only hope her hair wasn’t a mess, they thought, straightening out their uniform. They didn’t have time to loiter on it. Go go go! 

She sprinted back to the base of Aspiration Hill. Heat built up in their throat and eyes, overwhelmed with guilt for being late. They spotted Rei and Mai across the bridge at the base of the hill — please don’t be mad please don’t be mad please don’t be mad —

By the time they reached the two, Airi could hardly breathe. The anxious tightening of their chest combining with their poor physique made them pant for air as she crossed the bridge. “I — I’m so sorry,” they gasped when they reached the group. Doubling over with their hands on her knees, she continued between pants, “Didn’t mean to be late, sorry, I —”

“Woah, you’re fine,” Rei quickly assured. “You alright?”

“Ran straight here,” they explained. They sucked in a deep breath before standing straight. Meeting Mai’s eyes, she felt again like they were going to cry, an awful lump in their throat. They fought through it to apologize, “S — sorry, hope — hope you weren’t waiting long —”

“It’s quite alright. We haven’t waited long.” The woman smiled at them, soothing their guilt. “Hello again, Airi. Have you been faring well in Jubilife?”

“Y — yeah! I like it there, I, um… I just hope people start to like me more.” Airi picked at their fingernails and cautiously asked, “You, um — you have a request, right? I don’t actually know what it is.” 

“Indeed. Rei and Adaman informed me of your battling abilities. Quite gifted, aren’t you? I was originally intending on battling you myself, but Adaman told me of your battle with Rei this morning. Besides, you already have an alpha pokémon to your name.” She crossed her arms over her chest and explained, “You see, I need someone to deal with an alpha pokémon causing trouble upon Deertrack Heights. Alphas are particularly fearsome foes. No one has been able to best it, and many have been injured trying. We have enough difficulties on our hands as it is.” 

“What kind of pokémon is it?”

“A Kricketune.”

“Kricketune, huh…” An evolved pokémon… Kricketot evolved at a low level, but Airi had no way of counting on an upper bound of strength for this opponent. With her Shinx, she knew it was likely low level, since it hadn’t evolved. That didn’t apply here. For all they knew, the alpha Kricketune was an absurdly high level. Hm… 

Mai pulled Airi out of her thoughts by asking, “Are you willing to challenge it? No one else in that Security Corps of yours was up to the task.”

“… I can check it out, but I might need to train up a little bit if it’s super strong,” Airi answered. “Does this need to be done today?”

“No, but I would like it dealt with as soon as possible. The area this alpha is loitering in is one of deep importance to me and my clan. Would you like me to take you there so you know the area, perhaps to scout out your foe?” 

Guess it can’t hurt to check out the area. Maybe the Kricketune was weaker than they were imagining, and she could take it on with relative ease. “Sure!” 

“Thank you.” Mai turned to Rei with a quizzical expression and asked, “Will you be joining us?”

“I’ll catch up,” he answered. “I’m gonna check in with the professor and let him know Airi is taking over for me. I don’t think Airi’ll have any trouble with an alpha.” 

“Alright. In that case, Airi, come with me.” Abiding, Airi stepped to Mai’s side and joined the woman in walking up to Deertrack Heights. A curious glance at her Arc Phone showed Airi a new marker on her map — showing the device to Mai confirmed that it marked their destination. Interesting. The path Mai led her up was well-worn and flanked with torches — similar, somewhat, to the path up to the Diamond Settlement. Makes sense, considering Mai had mentioned their destination being important to her clan . Airi had to resist the urge to catch every pokémon they walked past. Even the Kricketot, a new encounter to Airi. Later. 

“… I must ask,” Mai began, breaking the silence between them. “Do you already know about Almighty Sinnoh? I’m uncertain how much you gathered in your time in our settlement.” 

“Uh… I know a little, but not much. Miss Arezu told me a ‘lil. Sinnoh is the guardian of… time, right?” They hesitated before saying time because some part of Airi disagreed. Some unsettling sense that this wasn’t true. She knew it was the answer Mai was looking for, but… 

“Indeed, Almighty Sinnoh steers all time. It’s said to have created the very universe using its power over time’s flow, and Hisui was born in the process. It is by the grace of Almighty Sinnoh that pokémon can live and thrive here.” Mai sighed to herself. With a sideways glance at Airi, she said, “Adaman seems to believe you have been blessed by the Almighty. However, the Almighty stole away from the world long ago. It is rarely seen by humans, if the old tales are to be trusted.” 

“… Oh.”

“… I suppose that is beyond your memory or comprehension,” Mai remarked, a stab at Airi’s gut. “It doesn’t matter. There exist pokémon in Hisui with connection to the Almighty — it is the duty of Wardens like myself to attend to their needs. The pokémon that graces Deertrack Heights is one of those honored few. It is directly descended from a Pokémon that was blessed with Almighty Sinnoh's protection.”

“That’s why you want to deal with the alpha?” Airi asked. “To help the pokémon you look after?”

“Indeed. I am a rather capable battler myself, but even I didn’t stand a chance against that Kricketune.” A frustrated sigh to herself as the woman led Airi up a makeship set of stairs. Ending in what seemed to be ruins, Mai announced, “Welcome to Deertrack Heights.” She leaned to the side, looking behind Airi. “… It seems your professor decided to join us.” 

Airi turned her head — sure enough, Laventon and Rei were both sprinting up the path, the former visibly lagging behind. By the time the two caught up, Laventon was panting. “Whew… Thank goodness,” he managed in between breaths, “I got here in time…” A heavy deep breath before he straightened, smiling at Airi. “I missed your last encounter with an alpha! It’d be woe of me to miss an opportunity to research one up close.” 

Rei nodded along with the professor. “Yeah, I’m curious how you do against a full-strength alpha, too. Plus… Well, if you need backup, I’ll be here.” 

“… I suppose that is your business… Fine — as long as you both stay out of the way,” Mai said. Another short sigh from the Warden as she turned to look over the clearing ahead. “This is Deertrack Heights. I’ve long come here to pay tribute to a blessed pokémon, one most important to my clan. And that —” she pointed out a massive Kricketune running around the rocky terrain, “is not it. That is only a troublemaker, here to disturb the peace with its racket.” 

Perhaps the Kricketune took notice of the group near the stairs, or perhaps it just knew subconsciously it was being insulted. Regardless, it let out a deafening cry — despite the musical nature of Kricketune’s sounds, the sound was utterly grating, making Airi cringe and cover their ears. Far too loud. There was an odd… distortion, to the sound. A low grit on what would normally be a beautiful musical cry. The cricket pokémon turned towards them, revealing its glowing red, piercing glare. 

“Do not be intimidated. It will not strike unless you get near,” Mai said — Airi could only partially hear her through their hands. “That is what you are here for, Airi: to drive that interloper from this place. Do you feel ready for the battle, or would you like more time to prepare yourself?” 

“Let — let me think,” Airi stammered. They pulled their hands off of their ears and fixed their gaze on their opponent. It’s huge. An absolutely massive pokémon, the Kricketune stood at easily double the height of a non-alpha counterpart. Maybe eight feet tall? Even at a distance, Airi could tell it dwarfed them. Don’t be intimidated. How strong was it? Size was not demonstrative of power — if Airi could figure out around what level it was, she would know if they were ready. 

“My word, what a massive specimen! Little wonder alpha pokémon are feared across the land if they’re all as oversized as this one,” Laventon remarked. His voice laced with awe and fear in equal measure — Airi caught sight of a slight tremble in his hands. “Airi, I know you’ve faced an alpha before, but do be careful. If you must face it, please make sure you are well equipped. Better to be over-prepared than under.”

“… Right.” She studied its movements, brow furrowed in concentration. She was locked into a staring contest with the massive bug-type. Every time it stepped to the side, Airi mirrored the action in a more subtle manner. It didn’t edge any closer. It’s intimidated by me. A truly powerful pokémon wouldn’t see Airi as a threat — the fact that the alpha held any wariness towards Airi meant it didn’t know if it was strong enough to fight her. Lower level, then? It was evolved, but maybe freshly so. Its steps seemed uncertain — it wobbled on every step to the side, like it was unused to its size. Hm… Airi’s pokémon were still on the low-end of levels, and none had evolved. Despite that… 

“… I can win. It’s not that high of a level,” Airi murmured. “It doesn’t know how to use its body at this size. I bet it only just evolved from a Kricketot — I can’t imagine it was that tall before it evolved.” 

“… You are quite perceptive, aren’t you?” Mai replied. “That may be true, but stay cautious. Alphas are granted with strength beyond their level and powerful moves that others in their species may not have access to. They’re naught to be trifled with. Nevertheless… If you are confident, then I will not stop you. Will you battle it now?” 

“… Yeah. I’ve got three strong pokémon and a lot more confidence than that thing’s got.” They didn’t tear their eyes away from the alpha. The Kricketune raised its arms in an attempt to make itself look larger, more threatening. Airi didn’t back down. Responded with her own show of strength — grabbing a pokéball off their belt. “Rei, if I scream, can I count on you to back me up?” Finally they risked glancing at Rei, stood behind her left side. “Or are you still too scared to —” 

“I’ll back you up,” he promised. “Teams are about trust, right? You can trust me.”

Airi couldn’t help their grin at that. He’s already so much more confident. “Alright, I’m holding you to that. Hopefully we won’t need it.” Deep breath… Readying their pokéball, Airi darted ahead onto the rocky clearing of Deertrack Heights. Behind her, she heard Laventon call for them to be careful, and Rei wishing her good luck, but their voices were quiet behind Airi’s pounding heart. We’ve done this before, she reminded themself. We’ve already won against an alpha before. We can do this. The Kricketune roared as Airi drew near. It reared back, wings buzzing with a horrible whirring sound that made their skin crawl — ignore it. Before Kricketune could lunge, Airi tossed her pokéball onto the field.

The moment her Rowlet burst out from its capsule, it soared high into the air. Another deafening cry from Kricketune showed its frustration — Airi cringed at the noise, balling her hands into such tight fists her nails dug into their palms. “Gust, strong as you’ve got!” they ordered. Super effective attacks are huge here. Stack up as much damage as possible.

Leaf dove closer to the Kricketune as it pounded its wings to generate a powerful Gust attack — it hit head-on, Airi could see the Kricketune stumble backwards from the sheer force of the attack. “Great!” Airi cheered, “Fall back —!” 

Too little too late. Kricketune recovered faster than Airi could have predicted, lunging towards Rowlet. Its blade-like forearms glowed with a threatening brightness. It slashed at Leaf faster than Airi could even blink, sending the grass-type flying towards the other end of the clearing. “Leaf!” Airi cried out. Not giving it a moment of reprieve, the Kricketune darted towards Leaf with its arms reared to strike again. “Get up! High as you can —!” 

In the mere milliseconds before the Kricketune’s attack collided with Leaf’s tiny body, it flapped its wings and sent itself upwards. Kricketune’s attack still grazed the Rowlet’s lower body and legs, making it cry out in pain — its flight was weakened, Airi could tell. It was hurt. So early on in the battle, and Leaf was already nearly spent. What attack is that?! Something fast, something super-effective to Leaf, something dangerous. With a dawning sense of horror, Airi connected the dots: Aerial Ace. Shoot. Shoot, shoot shoot shoot. Not good. Not good not good not — “Gust again and come back to me!” she commanded, darting across the battlefield to get behind Kricketune and retrieve Leaf’s pokéball. 

Scooping the pokéball into her hand, Airi turned her head back to the battle just in time to see Rowlet’s attack make contact. A swirling whirlwind of harsh air temporarily stunned Kricketune — the half-moment of stillness was enough time for Airi to return Rowlet into its pokéball. Whispering to the pokéball, “You did great, rest up, thank you,” as she hastily tucked it into her pocket. With no pokémon on field for Kricketune to target, it focused its eyes on Airi. They didn’t have the time for the thought of ‘that’s not good’ to fully form before the bug-type rocketed towards her, the blades of its forearms catching the light. 

She squeaked and jumped out of the way. They managed to roll back onto their feet and recover quickly, though they panted for breath, her lungs aching from fear and exertion. Ignoring it, she readied another pokéball. Logically, Star was the right choice here. It was strong — an alpha in its own right. But Airi’s hands ignored logic and ripped Eevee’s pokéball off her belt instead, tossing it ahead of her with the command of, “Keep your distance, use Swift!” 

They could hardly hear their own voice over her heartbeat. She hoped Eevee heard them. Watching the Eevee bound across the battlefield before lashing its tail and sending a barrage of star-shaped blades of light at Kricketune, Airi could barely breathe. Again she squeezed her hands shut, felt her nails digging into her palms. Piercing the skin. Hardly mattered, when their pokémon was in such a perilous situation — Kricketune blocked a majority of the Swift attack by crossing its arms in front of it. When it lunged towards Eevee, its blades were glowing an awful green color rather than its earlier off-blue. A different attack, but what —? Doesn’t matter, “Dodge!” 

Eevee leapt out of the way of the Kricketune’s offense. It bounded in a wide semi-circle around Deertrack Heights, forcing the alpha to pivot to keep its eyes locked onto it. But Eevee was too fast — she’s making it dizzy, Kricketune stumbled as it rotated in place. “Quick Attack, now!” 

Not wasting time, Eevee flung itself at its opponent. It barrelled into Kricketune’s side before the massive beast could recover its balance. It stumbled, collapsing onto its side — still not over, “Swift while it’s down!” Eevee hopped backwards to create distance between it and its foe, then lashed its tail and sent another starry barrage of light at its opponent. On the ground, Kricketune let out a low, howling wail. It took everything Airi had not to cover her ears — she gritted her teeth and stared at the beast, heart pounding, chest heaving. Is it going to get up..? Silence fell through the clearing. Nearly as haunting as Kricketune’s earlier cries, just as terrifying. She watched in horror as the alpha planted its arms at either side and pushed itself up — 

Only to collapse back onto the ground, utterly spent. Airi let out a shaky exhale and stepped closer to the Kricketune, Eevee bounding to her side. She heard footsteps come beside her — muffled behind her still-pounding heart and the ringing that lingered in her ears. In her periphery, she saw Mai join her in looking over the massive Kricketune. The beast started to stir, though it didn’t have the strength to battle — it scrambled enough to run away, leaving Deertrack Heights in a panic. It shouldn’t come back after a fight like that . 

At her side, Mai commented, “You really are impressive, aren’t you?” To Airi, her voice sounded underwater. Faded and distant. They had to focus all her energy into understanding the woman’s words, “You act as one with your pokémon. Rather like the legendary hero of old — from the stories we learn as children.” Brief pause — Airi felt the woman’s eyes on her. “How are you faring? You’re shaking.” 

Fine, Airi tried to say, but the only sound they made was a squeak. Deep breath. Come on. Slow, steady breath in, the air a solid mass in her aching lungs. Then, out. Again she tried to speak, and again they failed. Annoying. Come on. Another deep breath, one she nodded through — she didn’t want Mai to think they were ignoring her. She knelt down to pet Eevee, scanning the normal type for any injuries. Nothing to note — Eevee hadn’t gotten hit, miraculously. Unable to verbally praise the pokémon, she treated it to a flurry of pets before returning it to its pokéball.

“… Airi?” Rei’s voice this time. Still muffled. She turned her head to look up at him — he wore a little frown and a furrowed brow. “You alright?” They nodded. They cleared their throat in a desperate attempt to get some of her voice back, but… This isn’t going to work. She stood up and gestured at her mouth, then made an ‘x’ sign with their arms. They couldn’t speak. 

“Wait, you can’t talk? Did you get hit?!” Rei’s voice rose in its panic — Airi cringed at the volume. Desperately shook their head and pointed at their ears. His frown only deepened, “Can you hear us?” She nodded. That was the problem, she wanted to say — everything was too loud. Rei sighed, said, “Sorry, I don’t think I get it.” 

Another deafening cry interrupted the half-conversation between Rei and Airi. She squealed, desperately blocking their ears — vaguely they heard Laventon shout something, but they didn’t stand a chance at understanding him. She felt a tug on her sleeve from Rei. As soon as he had her attention, he pointed up to the cliff overlooking Deertrack Heights. 

Atop the cliff stood a pokémon that Airi had never seen before. A large, deer-like pokémon with glittering silver fur, longer around its head to form a mane. It boasted large, golden antlers in geometric shapes, adorned with black orbs in the center of each antler. It almost looked like a Stantler — at least, its antlers did. A delta, maybe? It was unfamiliar to Airi, the first pokémon they had encountered in Hisui that she didn’t recognize. The pokémon was as breathtaking as it was intimidating. She heard Mai call something and managed to focus just enough to hear one word of her sentence: “— Wyrdeer!”

Wyrdeer? That wasn’t a name Airi recognized. Was that the name of this pokémon? She stared at the cervine pokémon in awe as it bounded down the cliff. When it approached the group in Deertrack Heights, its eyes were fixed on Airi. She took an apprehensive step backwards when it edged closer to her. 

“Do not be wary,” Mai instructed, stepping to Airi’s side. Mercefully, they could hear enough to make out her speech, though it still sounded muddled. “He looks upon you with kindness, Airi… Perhaps he is grateful for your efforts here.” 

The pokémon held eye contact with Airi for a long moment before it turned and trotted away, leaving Airi shaking. She knew the pokémon wasn’t going to harm her, but… She was scared. Terrified, even. Her lack of recognition left them with a deep-seated dread — she didn’t like the unknown. Even the one word her brain provided in possible explanation, delta, it didn’t hold any meaning to her anymore. The context forgotten, leaving only a meaningless bit of vocabulary. Just another sign of what they had lost.

“I’d say the great Wyrdeer has taken a liking to you. That is fortunate,” Mai remarked — whether she was ignoring Airi’s fear or didn’t notice it, they didn’t know. “He is an esteemed pokémon to those of the Diamond Clan, capable of dashing across the vast expanses of Hisui, unbothered by a human rider. He is a blessing to us all.”

… A blessing, huh? Airi stared at the space where Wyrdeer had been. It felt like the pokémon had been judging her before — they wondered if Mai was right. If it liked Airi. Or if it just saw her as an outsider, like everyone else in Hisui did… 

“Now that the alpha is cleared out,” Rei began, “I heard we’re building another base camp out here.”

“Ah, yes, about that…” Laventon sighed, turning to address Mai directly, “I know this was a joint decision by Adaman and the commander, but still — is it truly fine for us to set up more base camps like this?”

“I trust Adaman’s jugement.” Mai’s eyes settled on Airi with a smile. “Hisui is a land created by the Almighty Sinnoh for the sake of its pokémon. As long as you seek to coexist and thrive together with the pokémon here, then I see no issue with you using this land. It seems the great Wyrdeer agrees, if his liking of Airi is any sign. Perhaps Adaman was right about you.” Airi didn’t answer. They couldn’t even return the woman’s smile — all she could do was nod along to show she was listening, show she could still hear. 

“In that case, we’ll set up a camp in the next few days. On behalf of the Galaxy Team, we thank you for your kindness!” 

“And you have my thanks as well. Airi, I’ll inform Adaman of your efforts — I’m sure he’ll be pleased to hear how helpful you’ve become. I’ll come to show my appreciation with a more proper reward as soon as I can.” Another smile from Mai — this time, Airi managed a small mirror of it. They hoped Adaman was pleased… “I’ll be taking my leave. Be good in Jubilife, won’t you?” Be good? Mai talked a little like she was family to Airi. It confused them, but not enough to prompt any protest — they just nodded in agreement. “Wonderful. Take care.” 

Laventon and Rei both wished Mai farewell while Airi stood in silence between them. They could tell their muteness was making things awkward. They just hoped she was dismissed soon. Everything remained far too loud — she wanted a chance to rest. At her side, Laventon sighed, said, “Are you certain you’re alright, my girl? Are you still unable to speak?” Airi nodded, shame dragging her eyes away from Laventon. 

“… I don’t get it, did something happen? It didn’t look like you got hit.” Rei stepped in front of Airi, staring her down with a frown. 

“I think I may understand. Airi, were you trying to tell us that things were too loud? Is that what you meant by pointing at your ears?” … They didn’t know if they were glad Laventon understood her, or ashamed. She nodded regardless. “Ah. Makes sense — Kricketune are already an awfully loud species. Even I must admit that alpha’s cry was rather overwhelming.”

“Wait, so… She heard a loud noise and now they can’t talk? That’s ridiculous.”

“Probably a culmination of the noise and the stress of the situation,” Laventon explained. “That was quite the dangerous battle — Airi herself was even targeted! I’m sure you would be just as rattled in their shoes.” 

“Yeah, but —”

“Be kind, Rei. Airi, do you care to return to Jubilife?” Laventon offered — she remained unable to meet his eyes. The idea of being around people was daunting, overwhelming enough to make her flinch. A slow headshake served as her answer. “You’d like to continue your work? Are you certain?” A nod. “… Well, if you’re positive. I need to return to Jubilife and organize with the Construction Corps for a new camp, as well as update Cyllene on your success. You’re welcome to stay out as long as you’d like, though I do hope you’ll join us for dinner, yes?” 

“Wait, we’re just leaving her when she’s, like, weird and mute?” Rei’s words earned a frown and a soft punch against his arm from Airi. “Hey! I’m just worried about you! If you can’t talk, you can’t call for help or —”

“I’m sure Airi knows their own limits,” the professor reassured. “Just because she can’t speak doesn’t make them incapable. You quite deserved that punch.”

“Fine, fine, whatever. Last time I try to worry about you, yeesh.” 

Ignoring Rei, Laventon told Airi, “Be safe out there. Don’t push yourself too much, yes?” At Airi’s nod, he gently pat their shoulder, said, “You did wonderfully today. Take care now!” His praises eased Airi enough to finally meet his eye. She gave a shy nod in acknowledgement. He stepped away, Rei trailing behind him — the latter kept glancing over his shoulder at Airi. 

Finally alone, Airi heaved a heavy sigh. She covered her face with her hands and wandered, largely blind, to the edge of the clearing. When she felt the transition from dirt to grass below her feet, they practically collapsed onto the ground. Drained. For all of their battle experience, the way they felt now… Something about being in real, palpable danger in a fight was incapacitating. Had they ever experienced that before? They couldn’t remember, just knew they felt sick with exhaustion and lingering nerves. This is what Rei meant, about the danger of Hisui. If Airi hadn’t dodged that attack… 

She didn’t want to think on it. She sat up and grabbed Rowlet’s pokéball from her pocket — poor thing needed healing. She released Rowlet into her lap and grabbed a potion from her satchel — I’ll need to craft more after this. In her lap, Leaf trilled a weak note. Sorry, buddy. Airi didn’t know Kricketune would have a flying-type move, hadn’t predicted it. She wouldn’t have sent Leaf against it if she’d known… They frowned. Carefully applying the potion to the battered grass-type. Didn’t say a word. 

She let Leaf stay out of its pokéball, cuddled next to Airi, while they took to crafting some more potions. A much easier process than crafting pokéballs, they noticed. Just crushing up oran berries and medicinal leeks and combining them into a salve. The process was methodical and soothing. A welcome, soothing measure against their anxiety. She applied one of the freshly-made potions to Leaf before letting it rest properly. Kept crafting for another half hour, if not longer. She made more potions than they needed — they zoned out in crafting, the process calming her near-completely. When she finished crafting, she laid back into the grass. Fixing her eyes onto the clouds drifting overhead, Airi wondered. Wondered about Wyrdeer, about alpha pokémon — about the things in Hisui that were so utterly foreign to Airi. She didn’t like not knowing things. Her brain had been so eager to provide them information on every pokémon up to this point, but now she was faced with a blank. They wondered about the word she remembered, too. What ‘delta’ could mean. Did it relate to ‘alpha’ pokémon? The words were related, both letters of the… 

… What, can’t even remember the name of an alphabet? 

Nevermind. Nevermind what they had forgotten. Who cared about the name of some historical alphabet? Who cared about the pokémon Airi didn’t recognize, the words she didn’t have meanings for, the life she had forgotten? It didn’t matter. It didn’t matter, it didn’t matter, it doesn’t matter. Maybe if she kept repeating that, it would hurt less. 

At her side, Leaf trilled and nestled closer to Airi’s side. Maybe it knew she was upset, Airi didn’t know. She rolled onto her side and pulled Leaf into her arms, hugging the little owl pokémon. Rowlet was familiar — Airi wondered why. They wondered why they were so attached to Shinx, why they knew so much about nearly every pokémon they encountered. The familiarity she felt here and there was nearly as painful as their amnesia. It just… It felt like proof, somehow. Maybe if Airi didn’t find anything familiar, they’d be able to pretend she had never had a life before to begin with. But she did. 

Nevermind. Nevermind , nevermind, just… Just stop. Hugging Leaf a little tighter, she murmured her first words since their battle, “Keep an eye out, okay..?” She didn’t want to fall asleep, they just wanted to lay down for a while. Needed to get herself together, to rest. Leaf chirped in affirmation and squirmed out of Airi’s arms to stand guard. Comforted by the knowledge her partner pokémon was looking after them, Airi let their eyes fall shut and tried to clear her mind enough to relax. We’ll get some more work done later, when they didn’t think they were going to explode. She still had to finish her Bidoof tasks and fill out a pokédex entry for Kricketot and… 

… Well, that could wait. She’d earned a little break, hadn’t they? 

After an hour spent laying down, Airi forced herself to get back to work. She needed something to do, some way to keep busy. She let Leaf stay out of its pokéball while they explored the area surrounding Deertrack Heights — the company was nice, really. The bird pokémon either flew alongside Airi or sat patiently on her head when they were still. They spent a lot of time just observing local pokémon and jotting down notes, catching a handful here and there. Conserving pokéballs for once. Seemed to be a lot of new pokémon on this side of the river: Graveler, Stantler, Kricketot, Abra, Paras… She caught at least one pokémon of every new species she discovered. The trick Volo taught her about came in handy in catching a Staravia — she even managed to catch a different alpha Kricketune without a fight using a back strike. She’d been intending on running away if it had broken out of the ball, not willing to battle another strong opponent so soon. After checking the Arc Phone for her list of requests, she made sure to pay special attention to writing Kricketot’s dex entry. Laventon hadn’t assigned her research tasks for that pokémon yet. They just had to use her best judgment in what was best to study. Hopefully this works for now… 

Whenever they battled, they used the Bidoof on her party. Her own pokémon were strong enough for now, and they were desperate to finish Bidoof’s tasks before she returned to Jubilife; her last task was to evolve one. After a battle against a particularly powerful Buizel, her Bidoof was overcome by bright light — lucky Bidoof evolves so early, Airi thought, crouching beside the pokémon with a smile. She watched as it grew bigger and bigger beneath the glow. If she wasn’t still so rattled from her fight, they probably would’ve showered the newly-evolved Bibarel with far more praise. But, well… She still couldn’t speak. Not well, anyway. She would have to settle with physical affection instead. Showering the pokémon in pets and giving it a handful of berries from her satchel as a reward for working so hard. Drawing the Bibarel into their pokédex was fun — because of its newly-gained water typing, Bibarel had webbed feet and a large, flat tail, all fun to draw. When she was finished recording new data, she gave Bibarel a few more treats and returned it to its ball — one list done… Hopefully Laventon was happy with her. 

Maybe I should report back. Was she ready for that? Spending some time working had calmed her down quite a bit, but… It’s okay. We’ll be fine. Laventon seemed pretty understanding of her issues. She could at least check in. If talking to the professor went poorly, she could go back out and do more work and continue avoiding other people and… 

… This is pathetic. She had battled before without any issue. Why were they so shaken up? Just because the battle was a little scary? She fought Star without freaking out! Star was already injured, though. Still, this was… 

Whatever, let’s just head home. Maybe she could just lay down in her dark quarters for the rest of the day. That didn’t sound too bad… 

She trudged back to the Fieldlands camp in slight agony, legs dragging, fatigue settling as a heavy weight over her body. The exhaustion was frustratingly unexplained — what had Airi done to warrant feeling like this? She’d already taken a nap that day! And it’s not like they had pushed herself that hard! It was her pokémon who had been working, all Airi had done all day was take notes and freak out over nothing. Annoying… 

Laventon wasn’t at camp by the time Airi made it back — there were a few people milling about, but they just ignored everyone and walked past the camp into Jubilife. A polite nod to Ress at the gate was the most socialization she was willing to do. Where would Laventon be? Was he still busy..? Airi wanted to show him her completed list so she could crawl into a corner for the rest of the day, but if he was busy, she would hate to bother him… Maybe she could check his lab at Galaxy Hall? Yeah, that seemed a good plan. 

She ignored everyone she could on the walk down Floaro Main Street. She’d completed a handful of requests, but she wasn’t willing to deal with talking any more than they had to. Requests could wait (hopefully). The moment she stepped into Galaxy Hall, she heard what they recognized to be Laventon's voice, alongside Cyllene’s, both through the open doors to the captain’s office. Oh. They’re busy. Just as Airi turned back to leave, she heard Cyllene call out, “Airi, are you here to give your report?”

They flinched, her hands hovering over the handle of the door outside. They looked over her shoulder and gave a cautious nod. “Alright. You may enter,” Cyllene said. Airi took that more as an order than permission. Another slow nod as she stepped through the foyer of Galaxy hall and into Cyllene’s office. The captain was seated at her desk, Laventon at her side, both of them looking over something Airi couldn’t see. 

“Welcome back, my girl! How are you feeling?” Laventon greeted with a smile. He rounded the desk to stand in front of Airi, who avoided his eyes and didn’t reply. “Still not conversational, then?” 

“… Finished list,” Airi managed to mumble. They fumbled for their pokédex and thrust it into Laventon’s arms before he could ask any follow-up question. The sooner she got this done, the better… 

“Ah, is that so? Splendid!” Laventon accepted the pokédex and flipped it open — Airi had tucked the sheet of paper with her Bidoof tasks in between the front cover and first page, so the completed task list was the first thing Laventon saw. An odd silence from the professor followed. Airi glanced up, confused — Laventon was usually so talkative… Did she do something wrong? He was frowning, too — his mouth a tight line across his face, brow furrowed. “Airi, did you truly complete this whole list?”

“Finished list,” Airi echoed. “‘S why I stayed out…”

“Airi, my dear girl, you’re not meant to complete every research task immediately, that is far beyond the point.”

Airi’s turn to frown up at him, confused. Rei had said something similar and she’d ignored it. “List,” they repeated. “Point of list is finish.” She didn’t know much sense they made, but with their limited ability to speak, that was the best they could do. 

“… Well, I suppose that would normally be the case, true, but…” Laventon sighed. “Airi, may I hold onto your pokédex and research tasks for a time? I’d like to read through the rest of your progress in better detail! I’ll return it before tomorrow.” 

… I did something wrong. Was this some kind of punishment? What if all of her notes had to be scrapped? Or she lost her star? Or —

“Allow me to see,” Cyllene said. She stood from her desk and walked to Laventon’s side, peeking over his shoulder at Airi’s pokédex. Eventually she took the pokédex for herself and flipped through it. The silence in the office wrapped itself around Airi, sickening and heavy. She couldn’t move, could hardly breathe, the air feeling as heavy as lead in her lungs — 

“You are progressing well.” Cyllene shut Airi’s pokédex but didn’t offer it back to Laventon or Airi. Instead, she took it to her desk. “I must admit, I am impressed. It seems you have earned yourself another star. So quickly after your first is… unprecedented, but not unwelcome. Your effort shows in your work.”  The woman stamped another star into the front cover of the pokédex while Airi stared, eyes wide in shock and confusion. Was she being punished or not..? They didn’t understand. If they were gaining another star, that meant she was doing well, right..? Right? Did she do good? 

After Cyllene stamped her pokédex, she closed it and slid it across her desk to Laventon. “Do remember to fill out the front cover,” she instructed. “Your name and photograph are still absent. Should you ever lose your pokédex, that information will help us return it to you.” They mumbled a weak agreement, shame rising to her cheeks. She’d forgotten… 

“Well said! Though, I doubt Miss Airi will let her pokédex out of her sight enough for that to be an issue.” Laventon smiled at them, said, “Jolly good work on your promotion. Already making splendid progress, aren’t you?” … I guess. She should have been happier about this, but… “Is something troubling you?” Airi shook their head in a desperate attempt to lie. “… Are you positive? You seem rather glum.”

“… Did I mess up..?” Their voice warbled like they were going to cry. Despite getting another star, Laventon’s reaction to her completing her list freaked her out. Watery eyes when she whimpered, “‘M sorry…” 

“Oh heavens no! Not to fret, my girl, you did wonderfully! I only worry that you’ll overwork yourself,” Laventon quickly assured. “You mentioned you stayed out surveying because you wanted to present a finished list, is that correct?” Airi answered with a weak nod and a quiet, affirmative murmuring. “I do not want you to feel obligated to ever ‘finish’ a set of survey tasks for a pokémon, but if that is how you work best, then I would like to tailor your tasks to better suit you. That is the only reason I’m hanging onto your pokédex for now.” 

“… Okay…” Airi’s agreement was half-hearted at best — clearly not convinced. She stared resolutely downward, focused on her feet and shaking hands and not on Laventon. She heard a heavy sigh and took it as confirmation: she really had messed up. She messed up, she —

A hand on her shoulder startled her into flinching. They glanced up, panicked and overwhelmed —... Only to see the warm, reassuring smile of the professor. “Airi, truly, you’ve done nothing wrong. If anything, I admire your work ethic! You’re quite talented.” He let go of their shoulder and continued, “I would like to put that diligence of yours to better use, so I’ll be modifying your tasks. I’ll finish before tomorrow — until then, why don’t you take it easy? You’ve had quite the busy day! Between your survey work and your request from Mai, you must surely be drained.” A hollow nod from Airi. “Here, come with me a moment and I’ll divy your wages for the day.”

“M’kay,” Airi mumbled back. She followed Laventon through the door into his office, hovered near the corner while Laventon rifled through his things. The fact that she was getting paid was a good sign, they guessed, but… Come on, he’s telling you it’s fine. Just believe him. Her anxiety wouldn’t listen to rational thought. Nothing could convince her they hadn’t done something wrong. Worry sat heavy in her gut like a stone — she felt nearly sick with it. Despite Laventon’s reassurances, despite her promotion and Cyllene’s words, she couldn’t shake the weight. 

“Here we are.” Laventon’s words pulled her out of her spiral enough to glance up. He stood in front of her, took her hands and placed her wages for the day in her palms. “Apologies, I’m rather disorganized at the moment! I need to tidy in here, but I’ve not found the time.” Another warm smile from the professor. “I know you’re still a little rattled, but I do hope you’ll still join me and Rei for dinner this evening? I’d certainly understand if you’re not up for it, but perhaps it’ll cheer you up some. We’ll celebrate your success!” 

“… Right,” Airi murmured. She tucked the money into her pocket, said, “Um, th — thank you, sorry for — sorry for being weird.”

“Not to worry, my girl. I’d likely be similarly rattled in your shoes. Take it easy, yes?” 

Airi hummed in assent and gave a weak farewell before leaving his office through the front door, not wanting to see Cyllene again. She didn’t want to see anyone, honestly. But… Well. She’d gotten a bit more money. Maybe they could finally go clothes shopping like she had wanted before..? Could she bear to talk to Anthe right now? Miss Anthe was really nice before when you freaked out. That was true, but… Worth trying. You can leave if it’s too much. Right… It’d be nice to have something more comfortable to sleep in. Her clothes from the Diamond Clan were nice, but they were a bit too warm for her. She walked out of Galaxy Hall and down the main street without another thought or word to anyone she passed. 

When she came to the clothing shop, Airi realised they still didn’t fully have their voice back. They couldn’t call for Anthe like they had before. Could they just walk in..? That seemed scary and rude. They hovered awkwardly out front for a moment before resigning herself to risk it. Crossing the threshold into the shop, she looked around for Anthe. 

The clothier sat on the left side of the building, sewing together a garment with soft green fabric. Airi entering must have caught her attention — she glanced towards them and brightened in an instant. “Oh, Airi! Welcome back! How’s your uniform treating you? Any complaints or changes you’d like made?” They quickly shook their head. Her uniform was perfect. “Oh, good! What can I do for you today, hon?” 

… Ah. Here came the talking part. They cleared their throat, tried to script out what to say. “I, um, wanted house clothes..?” 

“Oh, like loungewear?” Anthe clarified. Airi nodded, relieved that she was understood. “Check the rack by the back wall, let me know if anything catches your interest!” 

They nodded and wandered into the back of the shop. She spent some time browsing through the racks of clothes in the back — seemed mostly casual wear. At one end of the aisle were looser outfits made of a soft, light fabric, with loose stitching for breathability. She gravitated towards a muted purple set and pulled it off the rack to examine it. She pinched the fabric of the sleeve between her fingers to feel the texture. Satisfied by its softness and the feel of it against her hands, she draped the outfit over her arm.  She browsed for a little while longer and picked out one more set of purple casual clothes, another set of underclothes, and a pair of sandals. Satisfied, she approached Anthe with her items — hopefully she had the money… 

Anthe seemed pleased with her choices, commented on all the purple. Apparently it was her favorite color, too. She smiled while she totaled out Airi’s cost. Luckily, well within their budget. Airi couldn’t speak much, but after she paid, she managed to murmur genuine gratitude towards the woman. Anthe responded with another kind smile and told Airi, “Of course, hon, come by any time.” 

Airi stopped at home to put her new purchases away into her dresser. Really moving up in the world, they thought — now they had three outside outfits and two inside outfits! And two sets of shoes! That thought got them to brighten just a little. It was nice owning things… With her shopping done and new outfits tucked away, they went into their bedroom to lay on the floor for a bit. Floor time would fix them. Surely. Just a little time laying down, and she’d be right as rain again. Able to talk and socialize and not freak out about a situation that was probably-maybe-hopefully not true. 

The longer they were laying there, the worse she felt. Her whole body felt sore and heavy and awful, not to mention the heavy anxiety in their gut making her feel sick to her stomach. Maybe I should skip dinner… But Laventon wanted her there… Frustrated and overwhelmed, Airi rolled onto their side and curled into a tight ball, her knees near her head. Went too far today. They’d been too eager to be helpful, and now she was a mess. Annoying… Maybe Laventon was right to change her tasks. She really couldn’t fathom returning from an expedition without finishing at least one list, but now she felt awful… Maybe just because of the alpha fight? Either way… 

… She laid there until the light streaming in through the window above her started dimming. Cast in golden hour light laying on her bedroom floor, Airi felt pathetic and awful. You should eat. She didn’t want to. Not eating will make you feel more sick. But she didn’t want to socialize… Maybe she could just zone out and let Rei and Laventon chat amongst themselves. That’s basically what had happened the night before anyway. With a resigned sigh, Airi rolled to her back and sat up. Stared at her hands in her lap for a while. Tired… 

Before she could convince herself to stand up, a knock at her door rang through their quarters. They flinched with the sound and instinctually covered their ears. Why..? It wasn’t even that loud. They were freaking out over nothing. She pushed herself to her feet and darted to open the door before whoever was outside could knock anymore — Rei, it turned out. He looked over her in what Airi barely registered as worry. “Woah, you alright?” 

She nodded. She was fine, just being dramatic. Unconvinced, Rei frowned. Pointed out, “You look awful.” She mirrored his frown in pout and gave an insistent headshake. “… Well, Laventon was wondering if you’re joining us for dinner. Are you up for it?” She nodded. Retreated a few steps into her quarters so she could put on her shoes, all while Rei just stared at her. “… Well, okay. I’ll meet you there.” He slid the door shut before Airi could react. 

That was fine. Just meant less dealing with other people. Get over yourself. With her boots on, she left her quarters. Walked to the Wallflower with her head down and her hands shaking. Only glancing up when she knew she was close, revealing to Airi that Rei was sitting next to her spot again. She didn’t want to sit next to anyone… Well, better than being stared at by two people. She could cope with this. 

“Glad you could join us, my girl!” Laventon chimed. She sat at her spot without reply, trying to put as much distance between her and Rei as she could. “How are you feeling? Any better?”

“… ‘M fine,” she murmured. 

“You’re not convincing anyone,” Rei said. They tensed, freezing in her seat. “Did something happen, or is this still because of the alpha thing?”

“… Still,” they echoed. “Nothing. I’m fine.” 

“I’ll believe you when you say a full sentence.”

“Rei! That’s cruel,” Laventon chided. 

“What? I’m just proving a point. They can pretend all they want, but —”  Airi, unable to form a verbal protest, punched Rei’s arm to cut him off. Harder than she had earlier, a true warning to knock it off. The scoff she got in response made her flinch. “Fine, fine, whatever. I’m just worried about you, you know that?”

“You’re not showing that well. You’re being unkind,” Laventon said. “Come on, lighten up, the both of you. We have a lot to celebrate! With Airi taking out that alpha, we should have a new camp set up in Deertrack Heights in the next few days. Not to mention their speedy promotion to two stars!” 

“… Wait, they’re already promoted? They joined literally yesterday.” 

“Indeed! Quite impressive, isn’t it?” 

Despite Laventon’s praise, Airi couldn’t ‘lighten up’, much as she wanted to. She just felt heavy. Words faded to meaningless noise around her — all she did was stare down at her hands, balled into fists atop the table. This is stupid. She didn’t look up until she heard and saw food get set down in front of her. She finally tuned back into the world around her in order to listen to Beni’s retreating footsteps, ignoring Laventon and Rei talking around her. The sooner she ate, the sooner she could retreat into their quarters. They were talking about some kind of lord, maybe? Airi heard every other word as she ate, not paying enough attention to piece together their conversation. Something about lightning and a cleaver? She didn’t know. Didn’t really care. She should have cared, probably. 

She didn’t have enough appetite to eat her full portion, but she pushed through anyway. They didn’t want to waste food. Even if it meant she felt horrible as a result. She wanted to curl up and disappear, but she barely had the willpower to stand up. She’d wait until the other two were done — she didn’t want to interrupt them with her nonsense. She picked at the skin near her fingernails and waited for someone else to stand up. Someone to lead, to set the precedent. To give her permission. 

That someone turned out to be Rei. He nudged their arm to get their attention. When he turned her head to look at him, he said, “Hey, we’re done, if you’re ready to go.” A murmur of acceptance from Airi as her and Rei stood from the table. 

“Airi, my girl, please feel free to rest as much as you might need tomorrow,” Laventon instructed. “I’d hate for you to overwork yourself. If I remember correctly, Adaman instructed you not to push yourself — I’m certain he’d be sour with me if you fell ill from exertion. You haven’t any obligation to conduct surveys every single day. That’d be quite impractical.” 

Guilt flooded every ounce of Airi’s being. Laventon was worrying. And worse than that, he was right, Airi had pushed herself too hard. And now she felt awful. Adaman would be upset if he found out, not to mention Martia… She nodded her head, keeping her eyes down out of shame. 

He seemed satisfied with their answer. “Rest well, then. You two have a good night!” 

“… Yeah, you too, Professor,” Rei murmured back. He grabbed Airi’s wrist to pull her into motion — she murmured protest at the contact, but really, they were grateful. She still wouldn’t look up from her feet. She just let him drag them back to their quarters, content with mindlessly following. Was that reckless and stupid? Maybe. Did she care? Not really —

“Airi,” Rei said, dropping their hand. She glanced up, confused — they were standing outside of her quarters. “… Hey, uh, I… I got something for you.” That just confused her further. A baffled little frown at him while Rei rifled through his pockets. What, like, a gift..? He’d already given her a crafting kit, and she still owed him for the string for her pokéballs. From his pocket, he procured something made of black fabric, folded neatly into a square. He held it out for Airi. 

Confused, she accepted it. She didn’t unfold the fabric, just stared at Rei. Waiting. They needed permission. Only at his nod did she carefully unfold the fabric — finding it to be two pieces, not one. Gloves..? Plain, black, fingerless gloves, made of light and soft fabric. Even more confused now, she looked back at Rei. He wouldn’t meet her eye. Tugging his scarf to cover his mouth, he mumbled, “I, uh… I noticed you’re kind of weird with your hands. I thought maybe this would help. You don’t have to wear them or anything, but, well… I don’t know. Consider this my apology for being so rude today.”

Tears flooded Airi’s eyes in an instant. He — he really cared about them enough to notice her hands? Enough to get her gloves..? Even with how weird Airi had been all day? She’d even punched him! Twice! And he still..? She sniffled, held the gloves in one hand so she could wipe the tears out of her eyes with the other. If she weren’t crying, she would put them on. Instead she clutched them tight and murmured to Rei, “Th — thank you, I — I’m sorry —” 

“Sorry for what? You don’t have anything to apologize for.” Rei crossed his arms over his chest. “Unless you mean for punching me. Even then, I deserved it, so apology not accepted. Just take the gift, alright?” 

“‘Kay,” Airi responded, her voice weak from crying. “I, um… Th — thank you. For everything.” 

“That’s more like it.” The tiniest smile from Rei. He mock-punched their shoulder, said, “Thanks for today, for taking that request from me — you did way better than I would’ve. Now go get some sleep, you look exhausted. Remember, I’m next door if you need me.”

“Mhm… Thank you,” Airi murmured back. “Night.” 

“Night, Airi, sleep well.” 

With their farewells exchanged, Rei left Airi for his own quarters, leaving Airi standing outside of her door. Staring after him with watery eyes. When she finally stepped into her quarters, it felt like a lifetime had passed. Now she was alone in her quarters, just like she wanted. So why did they feel so much worse..? 

… Getting through their nighttime routine may as well have been torture. At least she had new clothes to sleep in. That was the one silver lining as she fought through changing clothes, rolling out her futon, organizing her bag before bed. The moment her bedding was ready, she collapsed into it, the weight on her body finally forcing her down. She squirmed under her blankets and curled into the smallest ball she could, completely hidden by the covers. The smaller she could make herself, the better. Maybe she could sleep like this… Small enough to barely even exist, compressing all the pain out of her body. The thought to release Eevee for comfort occurred to her, vaguely, in the back of their mind. The idea was too hazy to grasp. Shrouded by the fog of Airi’s exhaustion. She didn’t have the energy to act on it — surely she’d be okay alone for tonight. She was so tired… 

… 

……

♪ You should’ve got a better bed

Better for your head

Better heads need shut eye ♪

Chapter Text

Airi should have known better than to assume she could sleep well. Even exhausted to the point of muteness, her nightmares showed her no mercy. 

The name she shouted when she jolted awake was forgotten the moment it left her mouth — the only proof to Airi that they had said anything at all was the lingering echo of her own voice in her ears. She shot upright and clapped their hand over her mouth. A desperate glance to her side revealed nothing but empty space, the sight of it sending her further into an anxious spiral. She was alone. They heaved for breath through her nose, desperate not to make any noise. She had to stay quiet. Had to stay quiet, couldn't risk waking anyone up. Panic overwhelmed all of her senses, blanketing her in a fog of anxiety. She couldn’t see. Couldn’t hear over her heartbeat, couldn’t feel anything besides the burning need to cry. To scream. Her heart pounded in nauseating unison with her head, fear swirling so ferociously in her gut she felt close to throwing up. Come on. Breathe. Calm down. She moved her hands to cover her eyes, pressing her palms into the sockets, hoping the pressure would dismiss their urge to cry. She couldn't help the pathetic little whimper that fell from her lips, couldn't help the shaky hiccup that followed. Come on, calm down, be quiet. They had to be quiet. They had to —

A knock on her door nearly made them scream. The sound she made instead was an awful croak, somewhere between hiccup and sob. Paralyzed, Airi stared at her door in horror. She'd woken someone up. She was too loud, she had to be quiet, she had to shut up and calm down and breathe —

“Airi? Are you okay?” Rei’s voice was accompanied by another knock on the door. Another whimper from Airi when they scooted backwards, out of her bedding and into the corner of her room. She felt safer with her back to the wall. They kept staring at the door — maybe if she stayed quiet, Rei would assume she was asleep, and he'd go away. He disproved her swiftly by saying, “I know you're awake. Are you okay? Can I come in?” 

“...” No, please no, she didn't want him to see her like this. She covered her face with her hands, nails digging into her scalp. Didn't respond. If she ignored him, he would leave. Please leave. Please leave, please leave, please leave, please —

“... I’m coming in.”

That was the opposite of leaving! Horror froze Airi in place. The sound of the door sliding open felt muffled and distant behind the pounding in her head and her rapid breathing, as did Rei’s footsteps as he approached her. She didn't move her hands, refused to. She didn't want Rei to see how scared she was. They knew they weren't hiding it well, but at least with their eyes covered, she couldn't see his reaction. 

“Woah, hey, you're okay,” Rei gently reassured; his voice was much closer now. She felt his hand on her shoulder and cringed at the contact. He didn't pull away, said, “Hey, you need to breathe properly. You’ll calm down better if you do.”

Breathe, right, yeah. Right. Rei was right, she needed to breathe properly, but — but she couldn't. She heaved for erratic, untimed breaths, never able to properly fill her lungs. Come on, you can do this much. Just breathe. She felt sick whenever she tried; the feeling of air in her throat nearly triggered her gag reflex. 

Rei let go of her shoulder. The brief relief Airi felt was spoiled when he grabbed her wrist instead, making her squeal. He held firm and ignored her attempts to yank her hand away. He forced her hand down from her face — he was trying to lock eyes with her, but Airi refused the eye contact, staring adamantly downwards. She couldn't breathe. Too terrified, too —

“Airi, it's just me, you need to calm down.” She shook her head and tried again to yank her arm out of his grasp. Successful this time — Rei finally relented and released her wrist. “... I’m not leaving until you can breathe properly. You can take deep breaths, can't you?” She whimpered in response. “Come on, if you don't start breathing right I’m gonna take you to the infirmary.” 

That idea scared her more than anything else, enough to listen to him. She sucked in as full of a breath as she could and held it, telling herself, come on, relax. Breathe. Counting in her head as she let the breath out, ignoring how close she felt to throwing up. In… Breathing in, holding it in her lungs, out. Rei’s quiet voice behind her racing mind, “There you go. Keep going.” Encouraged, she kept forcing it. In… Out… In… Her heart still pounded even when her breathing stabilized. She felt like her chest was going to burst — it hurt, too, a burning ache over their heart. But the more she kept breathing and forcing herself to calm down, the less it hurt.

Rei shuffled to sit next to her, his back to the wall, a few inches between his and Airi’s shoulder. He stayed quiet while she fought to breathe. Only speaking up when she was calmer, said, “What was that? A nightmare? You shouted.” Airi could only whimper again. She pulled her knees up to her chest and hid her face against them. “... Guess I understand why you didn't sleep much before. Is this what it's always like for you?” More silence from Airi. “Guess you can't talk again, either.”

She expected him to say something cruel again. Some mean comment about her inability to speak, mock her for their weakness. Instead he just sighed. Said, “Do you want me to leave?” … The idea of being alone was horrifying. Even though Airi hadn't wanted him there, having him sit next to her was doing more to soothe them than taking deep breaths ever would. She shook her head. “... Alright, fine. I’ll stay until you've calmed down.” She murmured the weakest possible gratitude. Not even a semblance of words in her noises — they just hoped their tone carried. It probably didn’t. Why would it? She was stupid and useless and dramatic, and now she couldn’t even thank Rei, because her voice wouldn’t work. Pathetic. Pathetic, pathetic, pathetic — 

“You’re breathing weird again.” He was right. They were. Her breathing grew more erratic the more she spiraled. She whimpered, hugging her legs tighter. Come on, just breathe. You can do that much. In… Out… In… 

“... Hey, uh… That fight shook you up pretty bad, I’m… I’m sorry for forcing it on you.” He sighed. Vaguely, Airi heard movement — she turned her head just a touch, enough to see Rei in her periphery. He had raised one knee to his chest and rested his chin atop it, staring forward. “I think I know how you feel. Probably how I felt after getting beat up by those Shinx, I bet. It’s… It’s terrifying, isn’t it? To be a target like that.” Unable to properly respond, Airi just murmured in vague agreement. “You did better than I would, though. You don’t freeze up like I do. You just keep going, even if you’re scared. I think… I think that’s the difference between us. I don’t know.” 

He sighed again and turned his head towards Airi. Briefly caught her eye — he smiled when he did, even though Airi immediately looked away. “Sorry, this is probably weird of me, considering we just met. Just… I don’t know, I can tell you’re really good at all this. Honestly, I’m really jealous of you. But… That just means I’ll work harder to catch up.” A low laugh from Rei, one without any real humor. “Ironic, huh? I’ve been in the Survey Corps for a year, you’ve been here hardly two days, and you’re already giving me trouble. Troublesome junior I’ve gotten. Why couldn’t you be afraid of pokémon like everyone else in this place?”

“... I like pokémon,” Airi mumbled — surprising herself with her own ability to speak again. Her voice was tiny and high-pitched and utterly pathetic, but that was still an improvement, wasn’t it? “Even when scawy…” 

“Yeah, yeah, there you go with that again.”  The hint of exasperation in Rei’s voice made Airi flinch. Maybe she shouldn’t have spoken at all… “You’re a freak for that, but… Well, whatever gets you to work, I guess. Laventon told me he was re-doing your research tasks because you’re too insane about it. Good work and all, but try to leave something for me, yeah?” 

“Sow’ry…” 

“Don’t apologize.”

“Bu’ you’re mad —”

“I didn’t say I was mad about it. I just said you were a freak.” His comeback just earned a quiet, confused noise from Airi. Didn’t insulting her mean he was mad..? “Listen, I already told you before that you don’t have to do all your tasks. You’re gonna overwork yourself at this rate. Or you already have, and that’s whatever… this is.” 

“... ‘M fine…” 

“Airi, you just woke up screaming. That’s far from fine. ” 

They whimpered, pressed her head harder into her knees. “Fine,” they insisted, their voice hardly even a whisper. “‘S fine. Jus’ a dream. Don’ even remember it, doesn’ matter, ‘s fine…” 

“... You don’t remember it?” Rei echoed inquisitively. When they shook her head, he said, “That’s… Huh. Okay. What about whatever you shouted?” 

“... Don’ remember,” she repeated. “Doesn’ matter.”

“Airi…” He sighed, muttered, “Fine, whatever you say.” Planting his palms at his sides, he pushed himself upright with a groan. “You seem calmer, so I’m leaving. Get some sleep, I’ll see you tomorrow. And if you’re still… weird, come tomorrow, I’m gonna drag you to see Pesselle.” 

“... Okay,” Airi murmured. She didn’t raise her head from her legs. They didn’t want to be alone, but… Better that than to bother Rei any more. She’d already woken him up… “G’night, ‘m sorry to wake you…”

“Whatever. I was already awake, so.” She tracked the sound of his footsteps as he walked through their quarters — he stopped by the door. Hesitating for too long just to be putting on his shoes. Confused, Airi glanced up. He stared at her from across the quarters, locked eyes with Airi for the brief moment they made eye contact. “... Night, Airi. Sleep well.” With that, she heard the door slide open and promptly shut. Silence infected the quarters. The moment it hit her, she grew uncomfortably aware of her own heartbeat. Her breathing. How both grew rapid and erratic the moment she was alone — 

Calm down. 

… Right, okay. Just… Breathe. Don’t make any noise. Don’t trouble Rei anymore. She didn’t want to bother him… She just had to stay calm, and go back to sleep. That was all. That was… 

She crawled out of their corner and across the floor to the windowsill, where she’d put her pokéballs. They grabbed blindly at the loose capsules until she managed to get one in her hand, released whatever pokémon it contained without worrying about which ball she had grabbed. Star’s, it turned out — the glowing of the Shinx’s yellow markings served as a comfort. As soon as Star was out of its pokéball, Airi hugged it, whimpered into its fur. Why was this so familiar..? The purring of the massive electric type and the soft yellow light it emanated was as comforting as it was haunting. This had happened to Airi before. Star nuzzled Airi to better soothe her; it worked. Hugging her Shinx, Airi grew calmer, her breathing steadying again. She ignored the sinking feeling that something was… missing. She had to. She needed comfort more than she needed to question her memories. 

Star managed to coerce Airi back towards her bedding. Laying down at the very edge of her futon, the massive Shinx allowed Airi to use it as a pillow. She buried her head in its soft fur when she laid down. No chance of Star getting any space to itself tonight — Airi didn’t want to be alone. She needed the comfort the electric-type provided. Soothed by the feline’s purring and the soft light it cast the room in, Airi finally returned to sleep. Whenever they jolted awake from nightmares, Star would nuzzle her and comfort her with gentle purring and quiet meows until they fell asleep again. Their sleep was restless, but… Well, she didn’t scream again. That was something, wasn’t it? 

She didn’t wake up for good until late morning, nearly noon. Even awake, they were dragged down by grogginess and lingering fatigue. They mumbled with incomprehensible drowsiness and rolled onto her other side, curling into a tight ball. Maybe she could keep sleeping..? Laventon had told her to rest as much as they wanted. Wasn’t that entitled, though? They had to get to work… They didn’t want to be a burden onto the Galaxy Team, especially so early on… Just a little longer, her exhaustion urged. Just lay down a little longer… 

That ‘little longer’ only amounted to fifteen minutes or so. By this time, Star had woken up; with Airi having rolled off of it, it had taken to grooming itself, licking its paws and straightening its unkempt fur from Airi’s stress-induced cuddling. They pushed herself upright with a groan while Star groomed the fur on its stomach. She didn’t want to get up… “Why can’t I just sleep here with you all day?” they mumbled the rhetorical question aloud as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. You kind of can. Laventon said you could. Yeah, but that’d make her useless. She should try to be helpful. That’s why she was allowed in the Galaxy Team: to be helpful. To be useful. Sleeping through the whole day was decidedly neither. 

Her morning routine was easier with Star at her side. Having the Shinx around encouraged her through the agony of changing clothes and doing her hair, because whenever she completed a ‘task,’ she rewarded herself with a couple minutes of cuddling the massive feline. Did this mean her routine took like twice as long? Yes, absolutely. But better that than to sleep all day. She had a number of little tasks around her house to do before heading out: sorting her items, tidying her room… The more she did now, the less she had to do later. Of course, that didn’t mean she was doing any more crafting any time soon. She didn’t want to deal with the frustration of knowing her hands wouldn’t work right. 

… Right, her hands. Her eyes wandered to her dresser — she’d set the gloves Rei had given her on top of it the night before. Stepping to her dresser, the memories of the past night invaded her mind — of her jolting awake, of Rei sitting with her while they calmed down. She’d been so pathetic… She slipped on the gloves, her mind still on the memories. He had been so kind to her and she had been so annoying, so pathetic. Such a burden… 

… The gloves fit her perfectly, soft fabric providing a small bit of compression to her wrists. The sensation of the gloves protecting her palms and wrists was… nice. Familiar, somehow, in a way that stung. Tears burning in the corners of her eyes while she flexed her hands to check the fit. How had he known she would want these..? Airi hadn’t even realised she’d been missing them, but… Wearing the gloves, she felt a little more complete. A little more whole in a way she couldn’t articulate.

She returned to the entrance of her quarters and sat on top of her storage chest while she pulled her shoes on, Star sitting by the door and purring. Belatedly, Airi realised she was crying. She only noticed when she went to rub her eyes and felt dampness on her fingers. Why..? Still that rattled, or just… She sighed. Tied her boots on and leaned her back against the wall, head tipped back. Their hand came to her side to pull her stone off of her belt, holding it in her hands while she got her breathing together. The cool weight of the stone felt odd on her clothed palms, but… Getting to run her bare fingertips over the smooth surface provided her all the comfort she needed. She held the stone up above her, studied the marbling within. Tried to remember what its significance was. Failed. Her mind refused to provide any answer, any explanation, any guess as to what the stone could be. Airi only knew one thing for certain, staring at the stone: it was important. It was hers. 

A whining at the doorway pulled her attention back to her surroundings — Star had stood up, pacing around the entryway and bumping its massive head against the door. Impatient, or maybe just trying to get Airi out of their head. They wiped away the lingering tears on her cheeks and stood up with a sigh, murmured, “I know, I know…” She didn’t want to leave her quarters. Didn’t want to face anyone. She couldn’t even slip away into the wilds without anyone noticing — she had to pick up her pokédex from Laventon. That meant she had to go to Galaxy Hall. She sighed, resigned to her fate, and joined Star at the door. Hesitating before she opened it — maybe having Star out of her pokéball is a bad idea… The alpha Shinx stared up at her and tilted its head to the side, curious and confused about Airi’s hesitation. Most people in Jubilife would probably be afraid of Star, but… It’s fine. People already disliked Airi, what was a little fuel to the flames? Especially if it meant she felt more comfortable leaving her quarters? 

With a resolute deep breath, Airi slid open the door to her quarters and let Star bound outside ahead of her. Her goal: get her pokédex back and spend the whole day in the Obsidian Fieldlands, avoiding other people. Step one to that goal was, unfortunately, to visit Galaxy Hall and speak with the professor. Hopefully he was done modifying her tasks… Star stayed close to her heel on the short walk to headquarters — whatever weird looks the pokémon earned Airi went entirely ignored, she kept her eyes fixed ahead of her. Practically marching forward in an attempt to speed through what they needed to do. 

When she opened the heavy door into Galaxy Hall, the first thing she heard was the low, rough voice of the commander ringing through the foyer — it froze her in place, hardly a step through the doorway. Heart pounding in her chest. Cyllene’s office door was cracked open, allowing noise to filter in through the entrance. And, to Airi’s detriment, allowing line of sight between the foyer and Cyllene’s office. Before Airi could retreat, Cyllene spotted her and called out, “Airi, please come here for a moment.” 

She did NOT want to do that — they could see Kamado by the captain’s desk, and just the sight of him rattled her to their core. But who was she to disobey a direct order? She crept through the foyer into Cyllene’s office, Star at her side, occasionally nuzzling her leg to provide a small amount of comfort. Avoiding Cyllene’s eyes, but especially avoiding the commander’s — she could feel him staring at her. 

“Welcome, Airi. You came to see the professor, I presume?” Cyllene questioned. When Airi nodded, the captain explained, “I’m afraid Laventon is presently overseeing the Construction Corps at Deertrack Heights. He left your pokédex with me to pass along to you.” She slid open a drawer of her desk and grabbed Airi’s pokédex within, placing it on the surface of her desk and sliding it towards Airi to accept. “Are you still unable to speak?” 

Airi took her pokédex back and didn’t reply, trying to muster the courage to try to speak. A deep breath, opening her mouth in an attempt to respond —... Nothing. Her voice failed with a whimper. She slowly shook her head, staring resolutely downwards. She heard Kamado scoff and flinched with the sound.

“That’s quite alright. Kamado and I were just speaking of —”

“I wouldn’t call that alright,” Kamado interrupted. “We cannot have a member of the Galaxy Team running around mute.” He spat the word like it was something filthy, and Airi couldn’t help the whimper she made in response.

“Apologies, Commander, I wasn’t aware speaking was a necessary part of catching pokémon.”  

“She needs to be able to present herself.”

“She can present herself to me perfectly fine, with or without her words. I needn’t remind you that you placed the Survey Corps under my control.” Cyllene slid the drawer shut harder than necessary, making it bang! into the desk. Airi cringed with the noise and fought the urge to cover her ears. “Airi is already completing their tasks to an acceptable level. They do not need to speak in order to work.” 

“... I suppose.”

“Airi, the commander and I were just speaking of your success in regards to the request from Mai of the Diamond Clan,” the captain said, moving the topic away from Airi’s speech troubles. “With the alpha cleared from Deertrack Heights, we hope to have a new camp built there by the end of today. This is good news for the future of the Galaxy Expedition Team, Kamado and I commend you. Perhaps you can go see the progress, should you venture into the wilds today.”

… Airi found it a little hard to believe Kamado was praising them as Cyllene implied. She nodded along regardless. Even Cyllene’s praise did little to ease how hollow they felt, how afraid. Was she dismissed? Could she leave yet? 

“Is that… beast the alpha you caught during your trial?” Kamado questioned, the first time he had addressed Airi directly since she came in. She glanced at Star, sitting patiently by their leg. He must mean her. She nodded. “You should know better than to let such a frightening pokémon wander around uninhibited. You’re going to scare the townspeople.” 

“I doubt Airi would let her pokémon out if she didn’t have complete control of them. Perhaps exposing people to tamed pokémon will do good for folks’ perceptions of pokémon, wouldn’t you agree?” Cyllene countered. The tension between the captain and commander was so thick and palpable, Airi could almost see it, and they most certainly felt it. Hard and heavy over her shoulders like a solid weight of stone. I need to get out of here, just the tension alone had Airi shaking in place, close to tears. She clutched her pokédex in trembling hands, taking deep breaths as quietly as she could. 

“Be that as it may, I still don’t want such dangerous pokémon wandering around the village without restraint.”

“Airi is restraint enough. She can return her pokémon if it starts causing problems. Look at it — it’s been at her heel this entire discussion. Your worries are unfounded.”

Kamado scoffed. “That is hardly the point. Even a perfectly tame alpha is still intimidating. Do you expect to let it walk around the village when it evolves and becomes as tall as us? Or even larger?”

“The point, Commander, is that you need to have more faith in your subordinates. I’m certain Airi would not have her pokémon outside of its pokéball if she considered it dangerous in any way. They will return it if it proves troublesome. Won’t you, Airi?” Still staring down at Star, Airi nodded to Cyllene’s question. “Airi is fully capable of controlling their own pokémon, you needn’t worry.” 

“If you’re wrong, you bear full responsibility for whatever happens.”

“That is a risk I am willing to take.” Cyllene folded her arms across her desk and leaned forward, fixing her eyes on Airi. “Airi, you’re dismissed. If you see Laventon in the wilds, give him my regards. And make certain you have the front cover of your pokédex filled out before I see it again, yes?”

Finally. Airi hoped the relieved sigh she exhaled in response was quiet enough to go undetected by the commander and captain. She nodded and turned towards the door, ready to run and hide from the tension in the room. Before she could escape, Kamado added, “Airi. Despite your work thus far, people remain wary of you. Be careful of your reputation and what you do to… tarnish it, running around with those beasts of yours.” 

At her side, Star whimpered, pressing its head against Airi’s leg. Even she can feel the tension here. Airi risked looking over her shoulder, finally meeting Kamado’s eye — she wished she hadn’t. She wished she had stayed looking down. The look in the commander’s eyes was cold and calculating and cruel. He looked at her like she was below him. Even if that was true, his glare pierced her to their very core. It took everything she had to nod in response.

The moment of silence between them was probably brief, but to Airi, it felt eternal. Locked in an unwilling staring contest with the commander until finally her body remembered to move, and they shuffled out of Cyllene’s office. Frantic hands fumbled with the door leading outside of Galaxy Hall. When she got the door open enough to squeeze through, she broke into a sprint, running away from the headquarters as fast as her legs would carry her. Only stopping when the ground below her turned to solid wood, and she realised she was on the bridge leading south to Canala Avenue. Even away from the tension of Cyllene’s office, she couldn’t breathe, barely managing to pant for breaths. Her lungs ached with the effort, heart thrumming incessantly in her chest. Hurts… She couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t breathe, she couldn’t — 

Her Shinx whined and nuzzled against Airi, a desperate attempt to soothe its anxious trainer. Maybe it worked. It got Airi’s attention, at least. Whimpering, she lowered herself until she was crouching by the railing of the bridge, hiding her face in her knees. Come on. This is pathetic. You’re in public. Even with her head down, she could hear footsteps behind her. Whispering as people took notice of her present state. Come on. Just… Just calm down. She could do that much, couldn’t she? Just breathe. Star sat down at her side and pressed its body against Airi, letting her feel its purring. Soothing… 

“… Sorry,” she murmured. She spoke too quietly to be audible to anyone except her pokémon, and even then… “Still… Still rattled from yesterday, I guess.” Star meowed back and nuzzled firm against Airi’s arm. “Your trainer is pretty pathetic, huh..?” She sighed. Straightening out her legs to sit properly, her feet dangling through the railing of the bridge. 

After a few minutes of getting her breathing together, Airi turned her head towards Galaxy Hall, just in time to see Volo turning at the intersection towards her. He seemed to brighten at the sight of her — a smile crossed his face, and his pace quickened. Waving, he called, “Airi!” 

She half-waved back, barely raising her hand over her shoulder. They returned her eyes to the river through the railing as Volo stepped join her. Star sniffed at him curiously before rumbling and stepping to his other side, putting Volo in between itself and Airi. “You seem awfully down today,” he remarked, coming to stand at the railing next to Airi. “Did something happen?”

“Nothing like that,” they replied, her tone heavier than her nonchalant answer implied. “Just, um… Well. Maybe.”

“I heard of your triumph over the alpha at Deertrack Heights! You have my thanks, that Kricketune was causing me an awful lot of trouble. Loitering right in the middle of a bunch of ruins.” Volo heaved a dramatic sigh. When Airi tipped her head to look up at the man, he leaned over the railing. “You’re incredible, you know? Defeating two alphas in just a few days of joining the Galaxy Team! Quite the feat.”

“… Star was injured when I fought her, doesn’t count.”

“And humble, too!” He smiled down at her. “Star is the name of this Shinx, I take it?” They nodded, returned her gaze to the water. “… Ah, for her markings! That’s a good name.”

“Rei says it’s stupid.”

“Well, Rei was never one for nicknames.” Airi couldn’t think of any answer besides a noncommittal hum. “… For having achieved such an amazing victory, you seem upset.”

“It’s, um… Sorry, I’m just — just shaken up. I’ll be okay, you don’t need to worry,” she murmured back. “Reeling, I guess.”

“I suppose that was your first fight with your life on the line, then,” Volo replied — his tone was… softer, than Airi had ever heard him speak before. It confused her enough to glance up at him — he had his arms folded over the railing, eyes fixed on the rushing water ahead. She murmured an agreement. “I understand. It must be rather difficult for you, thrown into the dangers of Hisui without your memories to shield you.”

“… Yeah.” She sighed, leaned forward to press her head against the lower beam of the railing. Closing her eyes, she asked, “Um, are you — are you one of the ones gossiping about me..? Everyone seems to know about me…” 

“… Guilty as charged, I’m afraid. Rumors are just another item up for trade. The Ginkgo Guild mongers information just as much as we offer wares. And, well… A girl falling from the sky into the Diamond Clan with no memories — that’s quite the story. Interesting stories travel fast.” 

“Right, yeah…”

“Not to worry, Airi! I wouldn’t say any negative word against my favorite customer. I’ve been sure to tell people how capable you are, and all you’ve accomplished in the Galaxy Team in such a short time!” Volo’s words did little to reassure her. All it proved was that they were still a topic for discussion. After no response from Airi, he said, “I suppose that’s little comfort.”

“Not your fault,” she assured, “I’m just… I don’t know. It’ll… It’ll get better with time, I guess. You’re right, I’m an interesting story right now. I guess I’d rather there be positive rumors about me, so… I don’t know. Thanks, maybe.”

“Of course. I don’t find joy in spreading negative information, especially when it’s untrue. I’ll keep telling people how well you’re doing until they stop asking about you, how’s that?” he offered. His tone is cheery again.

“Mhm…” As long as people stopped asking about her sooner rather than later… Maybe I should lay low for a few days. Spend some time dedicated solely to her pokédex — no big requests, nothing. She needed some time to get herself together anyway. “… Hey, um, do you have stories about other members of the Galaxy Team?” She tipped her head up to look at the merchant. “Like Mister Kamado?”

“Trying to get dirt on your boss already? How shameless!” Airi turned bright red, heat all the way up to her ears. She started stuttering in a desperate attempt to explain herself, but Volo only laughed. “I’m only teasing. I’m afraid I haven’t much on the commander — he’s a rather private man. I’ve heard stories of his physical abilities, though. Apparently, he was a sumo wrestler before moving here to Hisui. I even heard a rumor that he once bested a Snorlax in a sumo match!” 

“A Snorlax?!” Airi echoed, utterly aghast. “No way that’s true!” 

“Who knows? He’s certainly got the vibe to him, don’t you think?” 

“Yeah, but a Snorlax weighs like half a ton!”

“Guess that’s why so many of your team are afraid of his physical prowess. You ought to be afraid, too! Tiny as you are, he could throw you a whole kilometer!” 

Airi snorted a laugh and quipped back, “I’m not that small! Taller than Rei!”

“Shorter than me.”

“I think everyone is shorter than you — except maybe Miss Zisu. You’re way too tall.”

“And Zisu isn’t?”

”You’re both too tall. What, you’ve gotta be like…” Airi mumbled some numbers under her breath before giving up trying to measure his height against hers, muttered a defeated, “Whatever, way too tall. Be less.”

“Afraid I can’t help it.” A teasing note in his voice, he said, “I hope my height doesn’t get in the way of us becoming friends?”

“Not unless you keep teasing me for being small.”

“Aw, but you make it so easy!” 

Airi laughed, smiling to herself. Pinning her arms behind her, she leaned back to look up at Volo without craning her neck — he was gazing down at her with his own bright grin. “Seems I’ve done my job well enough, you’re smiling again!” he remarked. “It’s nice seeing you a little cheerier.” 

“Mhm. Sorry for being such a downer, just a long couple of days.” With a quiet sigh, she pushed herself to her feet, wobbling a little from the vertigo of standing too quickly. “Guess I should stop bothering you, you probably have work or something.”

“You’re giving me a wonderful excuse to avoid my boss at the moment, so I’m happy to keep chatting as long as you’d like.” 

Snorting, Airi replied, “Guess your boss isn’t a terrifying sumo wrestler, then? If you’re willing to risk avoiding your job.”

“If he is, he’s kept it much more of a secret than yours! Though, who knows what to expect — leader of the Ginkgo guild and all.” Volo straightened his posture and stretched his arms behind his back with a sigh. “Are you heading into the wilds again today, Airi?”

“Mmm… Guess I probably should,” she murmured. Did she even want to..? Doesn’t matter what you want. She had to get back to work — she couldn’t afford to waste any more time. “I’ll fill out the front cover of my pokédex and then head out.”

“If it weren’t for work, I’d join you. Perhaps next time, yes?” Volo offered. Flashing her that cocky grin of his, he added, “And I do believe I still owe you a rematch!” 

“Not scared of my alpha anymore?” she teased back. As though it knew she was referring to it, Star yipped at her side.

“I’ve got my own tricks up my sleeve~” he chimed. “I won’t let you win so easily.” 

Cocky. Not unwelcome. Compared to how anxious Rei was about battling, Volo’s confidence was more than welcome. It’d be good to have a proper sparring partner long-term. She smiled at the blond, said, “I look forward to seeing your tricks, then. We’ll see if you can keep up with me!” 

“Hopefully I do more than keep up. Though, I suppose being on level ground with the brightest star of the Galaxy Team would be quite the achievement.”

“Brightest star, huh..?” Airi echoed, intrigue softening her tone. That… wasn’t a bad title. Set quite a high bar, though, didn’t it? “Don’t you think that’s thinking too highly of me?”

“Not in the slightest. You’re far too humble, Airi!” He took a step towards her and ruffled her hair, much to Airi’s protest. He ignored the way she pouted up at him and said, “Just make sure not to burn out, hm? Rei mentioned being worried for you. I can’t have my favorite customer working too hard!”

 “Gotta earn my keep, don’t I?” she tried to keep her tone light in her reply, hoping that making her situation a joke would lighten the mood some. “Don’t listen to Rei, I’m fine, just… Yesterday was a long day. I’ll take it easier today.”

“Whatever you say~!” Another tousle to her hair before Volo stepped back. A bright smile, he said, “Good luck with your work today.”

“Mhm, you too.” She smiled back at Volo while he walked away, leaving Airi and Star alone on the bridge. She didn’t loiter long — another lingering glance at the river before she stepped across the bridge, back towards Galaxy Hall. 

Before leaving for the Fieldlands, she stopped at the Wallflower to eat and fill out her pokédex — she needed to look over her new tasks anyway. She ignored the pointed comment from Beni about how late they were getting up, ordered her food, and flipped through her notebook while she waited to be served. Filling out the inside cover didn’t take long. Just needed her name — the photo would have to wait until after they ate. Bafflingly, there weren’t any papers tucked into her notebook for tasks anymore. A frown crossed her face while she flipped through the book. Where were her new tasks? Had Laventon forgotten..? What was she meant to — 

A loose sheet of paper slipped out of her notebook when she lifted it up. Only one? Even more confused, she put her pokédex down and took the paper — it had been folded in half. On the front of it was their name. She unfolded it and read the writing it contained. Within the letter, Laventon praised her pokédex entries for the pokémon she hadn’t been assigned work on, noting how much care she had taken into accuracy and noting down potentially-useful details. The praise had her smiling to herself while she read, their confusion fading to the back of their mind. They’d been so worried about those notes, since she hadn’t had any sort of guidance on what to write. 

Relief briefly kept her from processing the end of the letter: Laventon wasn’t assigning her any more tasks. He just wanted her to keep taking notes as she had. She blinked at the professor’s handwriting, slowly absorbing her new orders. Just… Just come up with her own notes? Off the dome?! But that was so open-ended! Even if she’d been doing that perfectly fine so far, what if she screwed up..? Laventon was placing so much trust in her… At the bottom of the letter, punctuated with a doodled smiling Shinx: ‘Keep up the good work!’ Tears in her eyes as she folded the letter back up and tucked it into the back of her notebook. We can do this. They’d already been doing well. She just had to keep it up, keep writing her own notes, keep making her own choices. Disappointing Laventon wasn’t an option — she had to strive to do better, to make him proud. 

If Beni noticed the tears in their eyes when he placed their food in front of them, he mercifully ignored it — not a word from the man as he stepped away, leaving Airi to their meal. She sped through eating. The less time she spent near the Wallflower, the better. Beni made them too nervous to want to spend time near there. That said, her food tasted as delicious as always, even considering how fast she ate her meal. Laventon was right, they guessed. He really was a great chef. She wasn’t hungry enough to eat her full portion, so she snuck some of the scraps to feed Star under the table — nothing unhealthy, of course! She knew better. She didn’t want her partner pokémon suffering from a tummy ache all day! 

After eating, she resigned herself to getting her photo taken for her identification at the front of her pokédex. She didn’t want to do that — she dreaded having to see their own face whenever they opened their notebook. Maybe she could tuck a piece of paper in the front cover to hide it? That could work. Hm… Well, one thing at a time. Star at her heel, she knocked on the door of the photography studio before cracking it open enough to peek inside. Inside the studio, Airi couldn’t spot anyone else. Cautious, she called into the seemingly-empty building, “Hello?” 

“Just a moment!” came the raspy tone of Dagero. Airi sighed with relief and stepped into the studio, closing the door after Star trotted in behind her. They didn’t protest when their pokémon approached the side wall of seats and props to sniff around — so long as it didn’t touch anything, there wasn’t any harm in letting Star look around. Dagero seemed calm with pokémon. She wondered for a moment about the photographer’s whereabouts before a cough rang through the empty building, originating from behind the background screen. Worried, she sped-walked through the building to peek behind the curtain. 

Dagero waved his hands in front of him, trying to disperse the dust clouding around him, a box set by his feet. “Do you need any help?” Airi offered, desperate to be useful while she stepped behind him. 

“Don’t fret kiddo, I’ve got it under c —” He was interrupted by another coughing fit. “... Alright, can you — tryin’ to get these boxes out front,” he explained through panting breaths, gesturing at a stack of two boxes in front of the one he’d already pulled out. “If they’re too heavy —” 

“I’ve got it!” Airi assured, her voice coming out a lot more confident than she felt. The boxes were crafted of wood — more crates than boxes, she supposed. Either way they looked heavy. But, well, too late to back down! Dagero took a step back while Airi came in front of the box he’d grabbed, kneeling down to lift it up — Great Almighty, OW, that was HEAVY! What was he storing, crates of rocks?! She gritted her teeth and lifted it up using the strength in her legs. 

Probably took her ten or fifteen minutes to get all of the boxes to the front of the studio. Dagero kept attempting small talk, but Airi could hardly breathe while lifting everything, let alone respond. When she got the third and final crate to the front, she knelt over, hands on her knees, panting for breath. Star bounded in front of her and nuzzled her legs, begging for attention. Attention that Airi couldn’t give while they were fighting for their life, jeeze. Ow… 

“Thank you kindly for the help, Miss Airi,” Dagero said, stepping to her side. An emphasized exhale from Airi acknowledged his response — still catching her breath. “What brought you in today?”

“I — I needed a photo for — photo for my pokédex cover,” she managed.

“Ah, yes, I remember Rei came in some time ago for the same thing. Of course, not an issue. Anything else?”

“Um…” One final deep breath composed Airi enough to straighten her posture. Managing an exhausted half-smile at Dagero, “I, um, wanted to ask about keeping a photo album, too. Could I — can I get one from you?” 

The photographer’s eyes lit up at the prospect. With a delighted nod, he said, “Oh, of course! That’s the least I can do for you.” He approached one of the crates Airi had moved — the heaviest of the three, Airi’s sore arms reminded them — and lifted the lid up to check its contents. Must’ve been what he was looking for; he set the lid down as Airi stepped to his side, Star joining her. The box was jam-packed full of books of varying sizes. The ones on top were mostly thinner, about the width and height of Airi’s pokédex. Notebooks? He grabbed one from the top and patted the dust off, revealing a muted blue cover. “This should do,” he announced. He pivoted to face Airi and held the book out to her with a smile. “I should have photo corners around here somewhere, too.” 

“Oh — thank you!” She accepted the book and flipped it open. Sure enough, just a blank notebook. “How much do I owe you?”

“Not a thing, miss. You’ve assisted me more than enough, you can keep it. Don’t worry about paying for your photos, either — I owe you at least that much.” 

“... Are you sure? I didn’t do that much,” Airi responded. “Just moved some boxes.”

“Boxes I’ve been trying to move for months, I’m afraid. I haven’t had the time, energy, or strength.” He smiled up at her, said, “I’m just too old nowadays. Lucky I’ve got young folks like you runnin’ around.”

“Well, yeah, but… I’d feel bad not paying anything,” she protested. “Especially for, like, personal photos outside of work.”

“Hm… How about this, then — any photo you take with one of your pokémon, I can keep and display as well.” He gestured for Airi to follow him and walked to one of the side-walls of the studio, where he had a board pinned full of photos of pokémon. Very few of the photos had people alongside their pokémon. “I’m trying to convince folks around here that pokémon aren’t all that scary,” he explained. “You and that alpha of yours — if I get a photo of you two, I’m sure I’ll be able to convince more people. Most of the townsfolk would be terrified of that thing!” 

… That still doesn’t really equal payment. They had a feeling they weren’t winning this fight. Who was Airi to deny the kindness of a sweet old man? She reluctantly agreed, vowing to keep coming by and doing more work for Dagero on occasion — no matter how much her poor arms protested. Better her than him!

She spent a good while at the photography studio, chatting with Dagero and taking a number of photos. After straightening her appearance out a little, she took her identification photo and slotted it into her pokédex. Now Cyllene wouldn’t scold her! Dagero found his stash of photo corners while she moved Laventon’s letter to the front of her notebook, obscuring her photograph. They then focused on personal photos — she wanted a photo with each of her pokémon, and one with her whole team. Dagero delighted in this. He took more photos than Airi really needed (or wanted), commanding her into different poses and moving his camera around for better angles of all her pokémon. Taking photos like this was… kinda fun, really. She returned all of her pokémon and finally left the photography studio with a stack of photos for her new album. She decided not to put them in place quite yet — she’d procrastinated long enough, she really had to get to work. Sorting all her photos would be a fun activity for one of her days off, or a good way to decompress. If she ever freaked out again like they had the day before, she could ground herself with organizing. That sounded nice. 

Between chatting with Volo and taking her photos with Dagero, Airi’s mood had considerably improved. Enough to talk to some folk about requests she had finished before she left for the Fieldlands. Showing some of the townsfolk her pokédex felt nerve wracking, but the praise she got in response cheered her up. Maybe her reputation wasn’t as bad as the commander had instilled..? People were nice enough to her, if a little standoffish. No one was outwardly hostile. 

A quick stop at the general shop to buy pokéballs before Airi finally set off for the day — already mid-afternoon. Was she allowed to stay out after dark? Surely she was, right? Maybe I should find Laventon and ask. There were certain pokémon who only appeared at night, so if she was locked to only working daylight hours… Well. That’d be silly, wouldn’t it? Cyllene had told her Laventon was overseeing things at Deertrack Heights, so Airi decided that to be her destination. She took her time walking there, though. Stopping often to crouch down and take notes of local pokémon, capturing and battling a few here and there.

By the time she made it to Deertrack Heights, hours had passed, setting the Obsidian Fieldlands in the warmth of late-afternoon. If Laventon weren’t at the heights, Airi would have to turn around and head straight back to Jubilife to get there before dark… She stepped up the path to the heights with vague apprehension — wind carried voices downhill to her ears, sounds like a lot of people. ‘A lot’ meaning more than, like, three. If it weren’t for her lightened mood, she would’ve avoided such a ‘large’ crowd. Instead she climbed the steps leading to Deertrack Heights, humming to herself. 

Over the large clearing that had served as Airi’s battlefield against the Alpha Kricketune, a camp was being constructed — or, was already finished? A handful of tents dotted the flat dirt. People lingered around a small fire pit in about the middle of the camp, all dressed in a purple version of the Galaxy Team uniform. Construction Corps, maybe? A banner bearing the Galaxy Team logo had already been posted at the edge of camp. Airi scanned the people loitering in the clearing before finding the man she was looking for — Laventon chatted away to one of the presumed Construction Corps members. 

She intended on letting him finish his conversation before approaching, but he must’ve spotted her. He rushed to say something to his conversation partner before half-jogging over to Airi, waving at her. “Airi! How wonderful to see you,” he greeted. “How are you feeling? Any better?”

“Mhm, much better. Sorry to worry you —”

“No apologies necessary, my girl! I’m only glad to hear that you feel better.” He beamed at her and stepped to her side, clapped a hand over her shoulder. Gesturing at the camp in front of them, he announced, “Welcome to the newest post of the Galaxy Team! We’re calling it the Heights Camp. Since this is in roughly the center of the Obsidian Fieldlands, it’s quite the convenient location. Feel free to avail yourself of anything here! We’re just about done setting up — I do believe we’re set to return to Jubilife for the night. The lovely members of the Construction Corps are quite adept!” 

“I, um, had a question about that, actually,” Airi began. Laventon pulled his hand off her shoulder to turn towards her, but she avoided his eye. “Am I allowed to stay out at night? There are pokémon you can only find at night, and I —”

“But of course, Airi! Why, that’s exactly why we’re working to set up more camps.” Laventon’s answer came in a light, confident tone. It eased Airi’s worries enough to meet his eyes, and by extension, his bright smile. “You’re exactly correct, pokémon come out at all sorts of hours. Having you only survey in daylight wouldn’t result in a full pokédex. You’re allowed to survey at any hour, and stay away from Jubilife as long as you’d like — our camps are meant to serve as a resting point for you on longer travels. You can access supplies here and make use of the tents to sleep whenever you’d like.”

“Oh.” Airi looked over the camp while she processed Laventon’s words, letting them sink in. “So I can stay out for, like, multiple days?”

“If you would like, yes!”

“Huh. Okay.” Well, her worries were dismissed. “I’ll be, um, missing dinner, in that case.”

Laventon chuckled and replied, “I figured as much. Not to worry, stay out as long as you’d like. Be safe out there, alright?” She nodded, rocking on her heels, already planning out where she wanted to explore after dark. Probably stick near Deertrack Heights — the hillier terrain probably made good homes for nocturnal species! “Did you receive your pokédex back? And my notes to you?”

“Yeah, I, um…” She trailed off. How could she express how much his praise had meant to her? His confidence in her? She brought her hands in front of her, tugging at the fabric of her gloves. Murmured, “Thank you for — thank you. I’ll do my best to keep it up.”

“Of course, my girl! Genuinely, I was impressed with the quality of your notes — you have a keen eye! Exactly the type of researcher I want to have around.” His praises warmed Airi to the core, a smile creeping onto her face. “I look forward to seeing more of what you come up with. You’re off into the wilds, I presume?” 

“Mhm, if you don’t mind.” 

“Not at all. Enjoy yourself and don’t push yourself too far! Remember to check by camp if you ever need to rest for a while.” He tucked his hands into his pockets, said, “As for me, I do believe I’ll return to Jubilife for the moment. Rei and I are set to head for the mirelands tomorrow — if you return to Jubilife when I’m not there, speak with Cyllene about your payment, I’ll speak with her ahead of time. Understood?” Airi nodded. “Well, don’t let me keep you!”

“‘Kay! Bye for now, have a safe trip back!” Airi chimed. So Rei is allowed to survey the Mirelands? What star rank was Rei..? I’ll ask next time I see him. With a bright smile at Laventon, she darted off, waving farewell over her shoulder. So much of this area remained unexplored to Airi; she hadn’t really ventured far after the Kricketune incident. It’d be good to explore and get some real work done, especially with her being in a better mood. And she could stay out at night, and avoid the people in Jubilife — Kamado included — for as long as she wanted. A lot to do. Pokémon to catch, notes to take, and places to see. Skidding to a stop in front of a relatively tall cliff face, all Airi could think of was, let’s see what’s at the top. In front of her wasn’t an obstacle, only an opportunity. 

All Airi had to do was make that climb.

Airi worked without pause through what little remaining daylight she had — a few hours, all told. She (predictably) ran out of pokéballs halfway through, but that was alright. Just meant she could focus on sneaking around the Fieldlands and taking notes. She didn’t stop to rest until the sun breached the western horizon, at which point Airi decided there was no better time to rest her tired legs and craft some pokéballs. A small clearing atop a short cliff served as her resting point after she clambered to reach it. She sat with her legs dangling over the edge of the rocks, overlooking the Fieldlands as the sun set. She had a good vantage point of the sea from here, of the delta between the two rivers that met the ocean. 

Seeing the whole fieldlands like this, they were… almost overwhelmed, by how much there was. From here, she could even see the lake she had noticed on Laventon’s Map — or, at least she could see the cliffs surrounding it. The body of water itself remained obscured. The way the cliffs curved up around the lake… Was it the remains of a volcano? Or perhaps some sort of crater? Volcano seemed more likely, especially given how mountainous Hisui was as a whole. Maybe I’ll pitch that to Laventon. Knowing whether or not the lake was formed out of volcanic materials might influence research on the pokémon living there. Unfortunately, Airi was never much of a geologist. 

… So what were you, then? 

Nevermind that. With the sun set, darkness started creeping over the cliffs — such rocky terrain would be dangerous after dark. Airi legs were already covered in bruises, last thing she needed on top of that was a sprained ankle. She stood up and stretched her arms over her head with a quiet groan, easing the ache out of her limbs. Who knew that lobbing pokéballs and taking notes all day would be so physically taxing… Other than the dull ache in their arms and the tenderness of bruises on their legs, they felt fine — well. Tired, still. Always. ‘Fine’ enough to continue, and that’s what mattered. She grabbed Star’s pokéball off her belt and released the massive Shinx, figuring its glowing markings would serve as her guide through the increasing darkness. With her Shinx’s soft yellow light to guide her, she made her way down the hill she had perched on — safer to follow the slope down then to try and scale the cliff in the dark. 

… Then again, it wasn’t really… getting all that dark. Even as the sun fully set and all the deep oranges faded out of the sky, leaving only deep indigo, Airi could still see. Was it a full moon? After being certain she had stable footing, she turned her head to look straight up at the sky —

Stars. Thousands, no, millions — entire galaxies in crystal clear clarity, filling up the sky above her with very little room for darkness in-between. More stars than Airi could even fathom. Whatever intrigue she had found in the night sky over Jubilife was miniscule compared to the awe she felt now. In that moment, Airi fully understood the meaning of starstruck in the literal sense, the true devastating power of it . Was this really what the sky looked like..? Every night? She had the privilege of seeing this every night? No wonder it wasn’t really dark — lit with so many stars, it seemed like the entire world was cast in soft, silver light, draping over the jagged cliffs like a sheet. 

She hadn’t realised how long she had stood still until Star tried to grab her attention, gently butting its head into her leg. Reaching down to pet the alpha’s head reassuringly, she murmured, “Sorry, just… It’s gorgeous, isn’t it?” Star tipped its head to the side, confused and curious. She crouched down next to her pokémon and gently tipped its head up towards the sky, pointing out a stream of star clusters cutting through the sky above. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen the sky like this,” she murmured. “It’s beautiful.” 

Her Shinx purred and nuzzled into Airi’s hand, more concerned with the affection than the galaxies above. A breathless little chuckle from Airi as she ruffled the fur on the pokémon’s cheeks. “Guess it’s not all that new to you, huh? You get to see this every night.” Cupping Star’s face in her hands, she gently pressed her forehead to the pokémon’s. Its gentle purring reverberated into Airi, soft vibrations against her head. “... I’ll probably get used to it, too,” she admitted. “But… I don’t want to forget this feeling. It’s so pretty here. Even if it becomes habit, I don’t want to forget that. You know?” 

Her pokémon didn’t know, of course. But it let Airi hold its head and nuzzle it without complaint, just happy to receive affection. She closed her eyes and just… rested there for a moment, blanketed by the silver light of stars and the yellow light of Star. Her pokémon’s light blending into that of the galaxies’ above — she really had chosen a fitting name, hadn’t they..? The thought made them smile, bringing her arms up to hug Star more properly.

I don’t want to forget this.

art done by: cyli

♪ But heaven only knows, where my mind leads, the feeling grows

It knows the consequence of imagination's fear ♪

Chapter Text

Really, Laventon probably should not have given Airi blanket permission to basically do whatever they wanted. Not that she took advantage of it, by any means — she was still working.

That was arguably the problem. Airi was still working — they hadn’t stopped. They had worked through the entire night until the sky lightened to the pale grey of spring dawn, guided by the light of stars. Stars. She still couldn’t get over that, really. A sky so bright at night that Airi could still see and work with relative ease.

She only stopped at dawn because she was, once again, out of pokéballs and other materials. She returned to the Heights camp and spent an hour or so crafting and sorting her items before bed. ‘Bed,’ you know, well after sunrise. With her items restocked and after having something to eat, she tucked herself into one of the tents around camp, happy to sleep for a few hours. Having learned from the night before, she kept Star out of its pokéball to lay with Airi while she slept; they found it much easier to drift off when they cuddled the massive electric-type. Their heavy exhaustion meant it didn’t take them long to fall asleep. 

For once, she slept through the night (or, well, morning) — no nightmares. Shockingly. Maybe it was a result of the change in environment, or otherwise Airi’s fatigue from working non-stop for well over twelve hours. She didn’t wake up until well after noon. Honestly, they could have slept longer, but some part of them itched to get back to work and urged them to wake up. Despite how much they had traveled the previous day, so much of the Fieldlands remained unexplored. So much left to discover. And so, after a quick breakfast and double-checking their items, the cycle started anew, and Airi was off into the wilds. They had zero intention of returning to Jubilife unless they had to, which was… doubtful.

Eevee joined her throughout her workday, trotting at her heel, tail wagging in visible delight. Seemed it enjoyed exploring the Obsidian Fieldlands just as much as Airi did, joining her in scaling cliffs and trees to get better views (both climbing trials of which Eevee had a fairly strong advantage, compared to Airi’s cumbersome and aching human form. Woe that they weren’t born a pokémon.) The normal-type also served as Airi’s primary battle partner for the day, wanting to give Star a break from the night before. In the back of their mind, Airi considered how their Eevee might evolve in the future. Should they look into finding an evolution stone..? Leaf and Star were their only other team members; plenty of room to grow, leaving practically infinite possibilities of type weaknesses. Waiting to decide for Eevee’s evolution might be best, to see what suited Airi’s inevitable team… 

Well, worry for later, they supposed, watching as Eevee defeated another Paras. They’ve had a lot of trouble with that particular species. Awfully aggressive, and with its high speed and seemingly insatiable desire for violence, they’ve struggled to outrun encounters with the bug-type. Gave them good notes, though. Easily the worst aspect of Paras encounters were their numbers: Paras were typically found in swarms. If Airi encountered one of the mushroom-covered insects, more were nearby. Nothing they couldn’t handle, though the longer she spent in the wilds with Eevee, the more the damage showed on the fluffy normal-type. After a particularly challenging fight, Airi scooped Eevee into her arms and said, “Let’s head to camp and take a little break, yeah?” Airi could use some rest anyway, their legs were killing them. And, surprising no one, they were nearly out of pokéballs again. 

It was late afternoon by the time Airi made it back to the Heights camp, Eevee still in her arms. She set the little normal-type down to explore camp while she spoke with someone she recognized as a Ginkgo Guild trader loitering near the camp. Her savior, really. She was able to buy out their entire stock of pokéballs before the merchant left for Jubilife, and Airi sat down by the campfire to tend to her Eevee and rest for a little while. She hummed to herself while she carefully applied potions to her partner pokémon, keeping the fluffy pokémon in her lap while she worked. When Eevee was all healed up, she took to brushing out its fur. Might as well spend some quality time grooming their pokémon while they rested their legs, she figured. 

Before Airi could finish brushing out Eevee’s mane, the pokémon perked up. Its ears pointed straight upwards, alert, eyes fixed at the entrance to camp. “What’s up, ‘vee?” Airi asked. “Something wrong?” They looked up towards whatever had gotten Eevee’s attention, but before she could process the people approaching camp, Eevee leapt out of her lap. Airi had to scramble to follow the normal-type as it darted away, calling, “Hey, wait up —!” 

— … Welp, that explained Eevee’s eagerness pretty well. Approaching camp were Adaman and Mai walking in tandem, Eevee running in excited circles around the leader of the Diamond Clan. He laughed at its antics and tried to avoid tripping on the small pokémon. He caught sight of Airi as she half-jogged to meet the two, waved at her. “Hey! Just the person I wanted to see,” he greeted when Airi slowed to a stop in front of him. Before she could catch her breath to respond, he reached and ruffled her hair, said, “How are you feeling? I heard you weren’t doing too well.”

“I’m okay,” Airi quickly assured. After he tousled their hair, his hand rested on their shoulder; when they looked up at him, he looked… worried. Tired, too, circles under his eyes. “I’m fine, I just — um, the — I got a little overwhelmed, is all. Just needed to rest.” 

“... Well, I’m glad. Mai filled me in, told me all about how well you did against that Kricketune. I’m actually here to repay you.” He smiled, though it came off small with his evident exhaustion. He let go of them and turned towards Mai, said, “Care to demonstrate for me?”

“Still can’t play for yourself?” Mai retorted in a teasing voice. Before Airi could question what she meant, she pulled an object out from her pocket — a slender white instrument of sorts. She brought the mouthpiece to her lips and readied her hands, closing her eyes. With a deep breath, she blew into the instrument and played a simple melody. The flute’s tone had an… eerie quality, almost. The simple song raised the hair on Airi’s arms and made her shiver from goosebumps.

A silence passed after that. Was something supposed to happen..? Just as they opened their mouth to ask what was going on, a cry rang through the distance — Airi recognized it quickly as that of Wyrdeer, flinching at the sound. The sound was followed by the thuds of approaching hoofbeats. Airi’s head swiveled around, desperate to spot the pokémon before it approached — its white fur made it plainly visible against the rocky terrain around Deertrack Heights, but that didn’t make her any less apprehensive as it bounded to join the trio on the outskirts of camp. 

“The melody Mai just played holds special value to our clan and to the pokémon we revere,” Adaman explained, stepping to Airi’s side. Wyrdeer came to a stop in front of the two of them, staring down at Airi in a manner they could only describe as piercing. Like the pokémon could see her down to her soul. Adaman’s hand returned to her shoulder as though to reassure her, his other hand outstretched towards Wyrdeer. “It’s alright. Wyrdeer is fond of you, I know. I told him about you and about how hard you’re working, and he’s found you worthy.”

“Worthy..?” they echoed, confused. They looked up and finally met the cervine pokémon’s eyes. It huffed as though in confirmation. All Airi could do was stare up at the pokémon, a small frown on their face. “... I don’t understand.”

“I didn’t demonstrate the flute for nothing,” Mai said bluntly. While Wyrdeer stepped closer to Adaman and allowed him to pet it behind its ears, Mai joined Airi at their other side. “Wyrdeer and I have decided you are fit to have a flute of your own. I trust you appreciate it.”

… What? She turned her head towards Mai, utterly baffled. Why her..? That seemed a high honor. Adaman let go of her shoulder, and when she turned to face him to ask what Mai meant, he had procured another flute from his coat pockets. He held it out towards Airi with a smile. “This is a Celestica flute,” he began, gently putting the instrument into Airi’s hands before they could protest. “It’s said that they used to be bestowed by the Almighty Sinnoh itself. And now, this one is yours. It seemed only fitting.”

“... W — wait, but — I can’t possibly take this, that’s too important, I —” 

Adaman cut off her protests with a casual shrug of the shoulders and insisted, “It’s not that grand of a gesture, really. I can’t play the flute for the life of me. Trust me, I won’t miss it.” 

“If you play the same melody as I did,” Mai said, “Wyrdeer will heed your call, should you be somewhere within his territory. He has rather sharp hearing. Anywhere in the Fieldlands, he will lend you his aid.” 

“It’s — it’s fine, this isn’t necessary,” Airi stammered. “I don’t want to burden Wyrdeer or anything. I can handle myself, it’s not —” 

“I know you can, but things are getting more and more dangerous lately.” Adaman sighed, tired and heavy. “Honestly, this is as much for me as it is for you. I don’t like the idea of you being out on your own in the wilds without some sort of safeguard. I didn’t think the Galaxy Team would leave you to your own devices so soon, especially when you’re still weak.” 

Airi frowned. Unable to articulate a valid protest to Adaman’s genuine care, she just stared at him, opened and closed her mouth. “... Are you sure? It just — this seems really important, and — and I’m not even in your clan or anything, so —”

“I want you to have it.” He smiled at them, said, “Wyrdeer will help you whenever you need, so don’t be afraid to call him. After you learn the song, anyway.” 

Not knowing how else to protest, they nodded slowly, tipping their head down to study the flute. They ran their exposed fingertips over the surface of it; it was crafted of a lightweight, off-white material, perfectly smooth and cool to the touch. She rested her fingers as though readying to play — despite her small hands, her fingers rested perfectly in position over the holes carved into the flute. “... I, um — I don’t know how to play,” they admitted, looking back up at Adaman. 

Adaman chuckled, earning embarrassment from Airi. Their cheeks went red while Mai tapped their back to get their attention. “I’ll show you,” she offered after they turned to face her. “Come, let’s sit together, I’ll teach you how to play the Song of Sinnoh.” 

She obeyed, joining Mai in sitting near the firepit of the Hearth camp. Adaman joined as well, taking over Airi’s duties of brushing out her Eevee. Despite having chosen Airi as its new trainer, it seemed the normal-type was still awfully attached to Adaman. Airi didn’t mind. Made them feel less guilty about focusing entirely on learning to play their new flute. Wyrdeer came to lay at the edge of camp, its eyes fixed on Airi. She couldn’t shake that feeling that she was being… studied, by the noble pokémon. She wondered what typing it had. It looked similar enough to Stantler, so maybe normal-type? … Well, didn’t matter, she supposed. 

Truthfully, Airi didn’t have an ounce of musical talent. She had no idea what she was doing in terms of what notes they were playing, how it worked, nothing of the sort. However, she got the hang of the song after Mai showed them the hand position a few times — not out of understanding of its composition, but through the power of sheer willpower (and memorization). Airi didn’t need to understand the intricacies of it. All they needed to do was memorize the hand positions and how to move her fingers! The first time she played the melody correctly, Wyrdeer raised its head — she’d succeeded in getting its attention. 

“You’re quite the quick learner,” Mai commented. Wyrdeer rose to its feet and wandered away while she further praised Airi, “Already much better than Adaman, and after only a little teaching.” 

“I figured she’d be better than me. I just can’t move my fingers like that!” 

Airi smiled to herself and hummed in response to the praise. “So Wyrdeer can hear that from… anywhere?”

“Anywhere in the Fieldlands, so long as you play to your full capacity,” Mai responded. “Do not fear annoying him — he has a kind demeanor, I’m sure he would be pleased to help you in many regards.”

“But what if he’s busy with something else? I don’t want to bother him if it’s not an emergency.”

“That’s not anything you need to worry about. Emergency or not, the great Wyrdeer is a protector of all — a true blessing.” It was clear in Mai’s voice how much she revered Wyrdeer. Airi almost felt ashamed of how uncomfortable she still felt around the unfamiliar pokémon. “If Wyrdeer is busy, he will not heed your call, but that is rarely the case.”

“Still, though, I don’t —”

“Airi,” Adaman interrupted, his tone firm. She flinched and looked over to him. “Mai and I discussed this thoroughly with Wyrdeer before we came looking for you, I promise he doesn’t mind helping you. You don’t need to worry so much.”

“... Right,” Airi murmured their acceptance. “Sorry, it’s just… I don’t know. I’m a stranger here, it feels weird to have such an obvious privilege.” 

“You’re getting it because you deserve it, and all of us know you won’t abuse it. Seriously, don’t overthink it.” They nodded along to Adaman’s words, eyes falling to their hands and to their flute. “... Can you promise me you won’t be afraid to call Wyrdeer when you need to?”

Voice soft, she reluctantly agreed, “Mhm. I promise.” 

“Seems Wyrdeer has something else for you,” Mai remarked, prompting Airi to look up, confused. Sure enough, Wyrdeer was approaching Airi with something in its maw. Mai stood up as it grew nearer, Airi quick to follow her example. Adaman followed slower, having to usher Eevee out of his lap before he joined the group, Eevee at his heel. 

Airi couldn’t help her apprehensive half-step backwards when Wyrdeer stepped in front of them. Despite knowing the pokémon was kind in nature, they couldn’t shake their anxiety around the noble pokémon. Adaman’s hand settled on her shoulder to steady and reassure them. The contact forced Airi to ground themself enough to breathe properly. They looked up at Wyrdeer and held out their trembling hands. Wyrdeer lowered its head and dropped the object in its mouth into her awaiting palms — some sort of… tablet..? They didn’t recognize the object. A roughly rectangular slab, a little beat up around the edges but otherwise perfectly shaped, its hue a deep pink that brought to mind tulip flowers or ripe persim berries. The material of it felt cold under their fingers. It had a slightly rough texture from wear, but the indented parts were perfectly smooth, like stone. As she turned it over, she caught sight of something engraved into the stone. Text, maybe? She didn’t understand the language… She looked up at Wyrdeer in wonder, but before she could question what she had been given, the pokémon turned and bounded away from her. 

Mai stepped to Airi’s side to study the object alongside them. Intrigue laced her voice, “I’ve never seen such an object before. How curious… Wyrdeer must see something special in you to bestow such a unique gift, Airi.”

“... I don’t know what it is,” Airi admitted. She turned the object over in their hands, running their thumb along the groove of the outer bevel. “I’ve never seen anything like it, either.”

“Well, that makes three of us,” Adaman remarked. He leaned over Airi’s shoulder to look at the object, and she held it up for him to see. “Must be important, if Wyrdeer went through the effort of fetching it for you.”

“Mhm…” Something about the object felt… She wasn’t sure. It almost had the same feeling as their stone, some sort of hidden power. “It’s important,” she decided. “It means something. Can you read the text on it?” 

“Mind if I hold it?” Adaman asked in reply. When they nodded, he took the tablet from them. He squinted at the engraved text, brows furrowing in concentration. “We’ve got texts like this back home, but I don’t know how to read it,” he admitted. He held the stone for Airi to see and pointed out a section of the text. “This word here, it's referring to the Almighty. And this one,” he moved his finger to the end of the string of text, “refers to the world, I think? Or the whole universe. I’m not sure about the rest. Maybe it says something about the legend of creation?” 

Airi hummed back in contemplation, taking the object back from Adaman when he passed it to them. “It’s important,” she repeated. “I’ll hold onto it and ask around, maybe someone else can translate it fully.”

“There’s an elder of the Pearl Clan, a warden out in the Mirelands. When you get that far, perhaps she can assist you, if you’re still in need,” Mai informs. “Though, I’m not sure if she would be too… willing, to assist you. She is rather uncaring of outsiders.”

“You mean Calaba?” Adaman asked. At Mai’s nod, his nose scrunched with his grimace. “I don’t think she’d ever want to talk to Airi, to be honest.”

“She doesn’t like the Galaxy Team?” they asked. 

Adaman sighed, “She doesn’t like anyone outside of the Pearl Clan. You’d have a better time talking to a rock than you would with her.”

Mai gave a thoughtful hum in response. “That may be, but she is wise. She may have the answers you are looking for.”

“... Well, if I ever meet her, I’ll ask,” Airi said. She looked over the slab for another long moment, studying the engraved text. Finally she put it away into her satchel and tucked her flute into her pocket, the opposite one she kept her Arc Phone in; she figured it would be easier to access in a pinch if it were in her pocket. Despite her promises to Adaman, she still only considered the flute as a last resort.

“Hey, Airi, can I see your map for a second?” Adaman asked. She tipped her head at him, confused, but obeyed without question. She pulled her Arc Phone out of her pocket and opened the map of the Fieldlands, showing it to Adaman. Leaning over them, he pointed out a section of the map and said, “Stay away from this area, to the south-east. There’s a giant tree, you can’t miss it — just keep your distance.” 

The section of wilderness Adaman pointed out remained unlabeled on their lap — they hadn’t explored that far yet. “... Okay, but why?” they asked, tucking their phone back into their pocket. 

“... It’s…” A low, tired sigh from Adaman. “It’s just dangerous right now. There’s a strong pokémon in a violent frenzy — a lot of people are getting hurt, I don’t want you caught up in that.” 

“... Maybe I can help?” Airi offered. “I took down that Kricketune, maybe —”

“No.” Adaman’s interruption caught Airi off guard. They turned to face him, staring at him with wide, confused eyes. The expression he wore was more serious than Airi had ever seen him before — his lips were tightened into a frown, eyes dim. “That Kricketune was nothing compared to the pokémon near the arena. Just… Just stay away from the Heartwood for now, okay? I know you want to help, but it’s just… It’s too dangerous.” 

“But —”

“No.” Another sigh from the leader of the Diamond Clan before he settled his hands on her shoulders. “Listen. I’m glad you want to help, and I appreciate it. But I’d feel better if you just avoid that area for now. Got it?” She nodded back, hollow, eyes falling to her hands. A moment of silence from Adaman before he asked, “Can I hug you?” Once again caught off guard, Airi just nodded in reply. Adaman slipped his arms around her back and hugged her tight, said, “I’m proud of you for how much you’re doing, I just don’t want you to get hurt.”

… They leaned into the hug, wrapping her arms around Adaman to return it. It felt… nice. To be held like this. She had to stand on her tip-toes to lean her head onto his shoulder, but she didn’t mind. She wasn’t used to the affection. “... Okay,” she agreed. Adaman loosened the hug and let them pull away, settling his hands back on her shoulders. “I won’t go that way until it's safe.” 

He smiled, apparently satisfied with her relenting. “Good.” He fully let go of them to instead ruffle their hair. “Just keep doing what you’re doing for now. Don’t push yourself too much, and remember to call for help if you need it, okay?”

“Mhm!” She beamed up at him, too pleased by the affection to hide it. “Thank you for warning me. Maybe I can help when I’m a little stronger!”

“... Well, we’ll see.” Clearly apprehensive of the idea. A moment of hesitation before he admitted, “I know you’re probably capable, just… Well. Like I said, a lot of people have gotten hurt because of this. Stay out of trouble for now, yeah?” Airi nodded back with another hum. “Alright, we’ll get out of your way. Be safe out there.”

“Right, be good,” Mai seconded. “Please do not be afraid to call upon Wyrdeer should you ever need help.”

“Mhm. I’ll be fine, promise,” Airi insisted. “I’ve got all my pokémon looking after me!”

“That you do.” One final tousle of Airi’s hair before Adaman said, “Goodbye for now, take care.”

“See you later!” Airi smiled while Adaman and Mai took their leave, waving goodbye as they stepped away from camp. A self-satisfied hum to herself while she took her Arc Phone back out to scan her map and her current requests. As soon as Adaman was out of sight, Eevee returned to her side, running in excited circles around her. She chuckled, said, “Alright, let’s get back to work.” Eevee yipped back in excitement. So much for her nice brushed coat, Airi was certain its fur would be tangled by nightfall. 

Oh well. What’s the point of looking nice if you aren’t going to ruin it with hard work? They still had daylight to spare and pokémon to catch. Let’s head back west. If Adaman wanted her to avoid the south-east corner of the Fieldlands, she wouldn’t disobey — there was still plenty to explore across the river! “Come on ‘vee, let’s get going,” she said, returning her phone to her pocket. “I’ll race you to the bridge!” 

Eevee barked back, tail wagging in clear excitement. It crouched at Airi’s side, just waiting for their word. “Three… Two… One… Go!” And the both of them took off out of camp, Eevee quickly gaining distance on its trainer. Airi didn’t mind, though. They were just happy to be running — the feel of cold air on her face, the wind in her hair… Trusting her footing and her ability to land safely, she leapt, and for a moment she felt like she was flying. She loved this, she decided, laughing as soon as her feet were back on the ground. She would lose her race, but that was alright, winning was never the point. Running was. Having fun besides her pokémon was. Through the race, whatever worry in her that lingered after talking to Adaman faded away into pure joy at their own freedom. 

♪ Take a little time to watch the sunrise

Maybe we can find answers that we’ve all been looking for

Nothing ever feels so right ♪