Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The station master adjusted his cap as he glanced at the two boys before him. "Station master here. We’ve got your boarding passes. Another two for Reborn City, huh? They sure have been pushing that new League. Let’s see… Which ones were you again? Ah, what are your names and ages?"

The shorter one grinned, his energy practically radiating from his body. "Azumaru, and I’m 15!"

The taller one beside him stood composed, a stark contrast to their companion. "Oppa, 18."

The station master typed their names into the system. "So, Azumaru and Oppa, right?"

"Noooo, impossible! You’ve got the wrong guys!" Azumaru declared dramatically, his smirk dripping with sarcasm.

"Yes," Oppa confirmed flatly, ignoring Their friend’s antics.

The station master hesitated before shaking his head. "...A-Alright, thank you?" He resumed typing. "And for gender, I should put?"

"Azumaru is male," Azumaru answered smugly.

"Non-binary, thank you," Oppa said with a polite nod.

"Right, thank you. So, Alola and Kanto?" he asked, glancing at their travel details.

"Alola is my home, yes!!" Azumaru cheered, bouncing slightly in place.

"Kanto is mine, sir," Oppa responded calmly.

The man chuckled. "Alright, one sec, I’ll handle the rest of this..." After a moment, he leaned in slightly. "There, all set. Just between you two, me, and the ol’ battered fence post... I hear Reborn City’s kind of a dump. Why anyone would wanna go there is beyond me, heh."

Azumaru cocked his head. "Then why are so many people going?"

"Beats me, kid. A bunch of you ambitious trainer-types keep heading out in droves. But off you go now—train’s leaving any minute."

"Byebye, misterrr!" Azumaru waved before dashing toward the train.

"Thank you," Oppa said simply, following after him.

“Oppaaa, the train is moving! Oh, these seats are comfy,” Azumaru ranted, flopping into his seat with exaggerated flair.

Oppa nodded absentmindedly, already flipping a page in their book. "Yes, the seats are very comfortable."

Azumaru stared out the window, his gaze shifting across the scenery. Then, suddenly—

"OPPA, AN ABSOL!!"

His outburst was enough to make Oppa pause, looking up from their book to peer outside.

Standing atop a rocky ledge, an Absol watched the train, its red eyes gleaming against the dimming sky.

Then, as swiftly as it had appeared, it was gone.

"Seems the uncle was right, Oppa," Azumaru murmured, his excitement dampened slightly. He shifted in his seat, reaching into his oversized hat and pulling out a malasada. "Ooh, yummy."

Oppa gave a small nod and returned to reading.

Just then, a voice from the next seat over caught their attention.

"Okay, thank you very much! I’ll see you when we get into the city."

A woman approached, taking a seat across from them with a polite smile. "Alright! Hello there! Your turn now—sorry for the wait. My name is Ame. I’m the manager of the Reborn League."

Azumaru perked up. "Ohhh, a League manager?"

Ame nodded. "You two were looking to sign up as well, right? It would be great if so! We’re finally getting things off the ground again. The truth is, after the incident a few years ago, the whole region was almost completely abandoned… even by the Pokémon."

Azumaru tilted his head. "Uh-huh, but don’t let that worry you—"

"Oh, it won’t! We’re already on the big, uh, train—! Yes, train, haha!" Azumaru laughed, stumbling over his words.

Oppa turned a page. "Good job, Azu."

Ame blinked at the interaction before shaking her head. "Reborn might not be an ideal place, but our Gym Leaders are like nothing you’ve ever seen before! And I think you’ll find Reborn to be a region like no other, too."

She leaned back slightly. "I’m actually coming back from some business out of town, so I figured I might as well introduce myself early and get a head start on everyone’s registration. Ah—could I see your boarding tickets, please?"

They handed her their tickets.

"Thank you… Hmm, Azumaru and Oppa. I guess it’s that time already, huh?" She chuckled.

Azumaru frowned. "What—what time? Oppa, what time is she talking about?" He poked Oppa’s shoulder.

"We’re nearing Grandview Station," Oppa answered without looking up.

"Oooooohhh! Yeaahhh, we’re close! We’re closeee!" Azumaru practically bounced in his seat.

Ame laughed. "Well, okay, I’ve got you two down. Once we’re there, I’ll give you a starter to really kick off your adventure in Reborn."

Azumaru shot up in his seat. "I already have Goomyy, thoughhh!"

Oppa glanced at him. "We’ll be getting new starters since this is a new region. But you can still have Goomy out."

Ame nodded.

"Ohhh! Then okay!" Azumaru beamed.

“Wonderful, now—”

She suddenly stopped. Her gaze shifted past them.

The two blinked at her, then glanced behind them. Nothing. When they turned back, they found Ame looking around anxiously.

“Something’s not right,” she muttered. “Shouldn’t we be decelerating already?”

Azumaru tilted his head. “Huh?”

Oppa’s grip on Azumaru’s wrist tightened.

“Oppa? What’s wro—”

“Oh no—MOVE!”

Ame lunged forward, shoving them both out the window—

Then, an explosion.

“…y! …Hey! Are you two okay?! Pl—WAKE UP!”

Someone was shaking them. Their vision was blurry—pink hair covered one’s eyes entirely, while the other saw strands of blue.

“Thank goodness! You’re awake!”

Loud. That was the only word running through their heads.

Azumaru groaned, sitting up first and brushing his messy blue hair out of his face. Beneath him, Oppa stirred, slowly rising to their full height. He towered over both Azumaru and Ame.

“O-Oppa… My head hurts,” Azumaru mumbled, rubbing his temple.

Oppa didn’t respond.

“Oppa—”

“That train exploded right as we pulled into the station.”

“…Exploded?” Azumaru repeated, his lips curling into a wobbly grin. “Heh… Hehehe… Funny! You can joke too, huh, Ame?”

But Ame didn’t smile.

Azumaru chuckled awkwardly. “Hah, imagine the train thingy exploding on us. Ame’s really good at jokes! Right, Oppa?”

Oppa was silent.

“…Right?”

Ame frowned, then sighed. "I’m just glad I got us out of there in time. But everyone else—"

“Hihii~!”

A voice cut through the heavy atmosphere as a woman came running toward them.

“Julia…” Ame muttered. "Julia, what did you do?"

Ame’s voice was tight with frustration, her anger barely restrained.
“Whaaaaat? I didn’t do anythinggg!” the green-haired woman whined in defense. “I was at the Gymmie-Gym, and then suddenly—BOOOOOOOM! So I came runninggg!

Heh—because, you knowww, if things are exploding, I gotta be there to see it!” She flailed her arms dramatically, her whole body emphasizing her words.
“…Uh-huh.”
Ame looked at her in disbelief before sighing. “Based on the timing, this must have been a deliberate attack.” She turned toward the wreckage of the station.
“It doesn’t look that blown up,” Azumaru muttered.
“Somebody rigged the train to destroy Grandview Station,” Ame continued.
“Or maybe it was—” Julia started to speak, but her excitement made her practically yell.
Azumaru winced. Loud.
“If they did want to destroy it, they could’ve tried a little harder!!” Julia huffed. “I mean, the structure’s still standing! What’s up with that?! This is, like, a six-out-of-
ten job at best!”
Ame pinched the bridge of her nose. “…Anyway. Whoever was behind this could still be monitoring from nearby. I’ll have the perimeter locked down. We may yet catch
them.”
Azumaru tugged on Oppa’s hoodie again.
“… .. .. ..”
Still no answer.
“Hmph. What about us?” Azumaru grumbled.
Ame stopped mid-step, as if she had completely forgotten they were still there.
“R-Right! I’m going ahead. I’m deeply sorry this happened. There’s another trainer who was supposed to register with you two, so find her, okay? Then come see me at
the Grand Hall. And don’t worry about this.”
“I’M NOT WORRIED—NOTHING BAD HAPPENED!” Azumaru shouted.
The next thing he knew, he was in Oppa’s arms.
“Oh? So you’re Azumaru and Oppa, huh?” Julia beamed. “I’m Julia! Captain of cheer, pep, and all things bubbly and bright!”
Azumaru sighed, shifting in Oppa’s hold. “Yeah, yeah.”
“OH! Pop quiz! Are you two going to take on the Reborn League?”
Azumaru grinned. “Yep! Me and Oppa wouldn’t be here if we weren’t!”
Oppa nodded.
Julia clapped her hands. “Correcto~! Then I’ll be seeing you very soon, ‘cause I’m also the Electric Gym Leader!”
Azumaru blinked. “…Wait, what?”
“I’ll be looking forward to our challenge! But for now, go on—get to the Grand Hall already! It’s the biggest building here, straight down the path!” Julia waved them off before turning her attention to the officers.
Azumaru huffed. “Well. That was something.”
Oppa said nothing.

Chapter Text

Oppa, look! There’s something under the rock we fell by!" Azumaru said, excitement bubbling in his voice as he picked up a silverish rock.

"...No. Normal gem," Oppa muttered, Their voice shaky, almost hesitant.

"Hehe, whoa, this place has cool things just lying around? Ohh, Oppa, we should sell the gems we find! We’ll need the money since we’re starting... a new? Yes, a new!!" Azumaru grinned, bouncing with energy as he followed Oppa.

"Yes... Good job," Oppa replied quietly, nodding, but Their voice was distant. They both ignored the officers' words as they walked on, the mood shifting when they saw a man panicking in front of them.

"Damn it! Now how am I supposed to get home?!" The man shouted in frustration, his face twisted in despair.

"Poor guy, huh, Oppa?" Azumaru murmured softly, glancing at the distressed man. Oppa only nodded in silence, Their face unreadable.

Azumaru's attention was caught by something else. "Oh! There’s something on the ground over there, Oppa!" He darted to the side of a small house, where trash littered the floor. He bent down to pick up a Poké Ball. "Ew, it smells bad."

Oppa grabbed the Poké Ball, gently wiping it clean. "Ugh, I wish the water here wasn’t so dirty... Oh, this sucks. At least the train had—"

Before Azumaru could finish, a woman’s voice interrupted them. "You were on that train that exploded, huh? So was my husband." She said with a cold disdain, huffing as she turned away from them.

"Grimm!" The voice of a Pokémon interrupted the tension, and both Azumaru and Oppa looked in surprise.

"Whoa, Oppa, look! Cookie’s worried about you!" Azumaru giggled. "Hehe, should a big, scary boy be worried about his trainer?"

Cookie, the towering Grimmsnarl, grunted, clearly not impressed. "Grimmsnarl… Snarl."

"Wh-whoa, such a big Grimmsnarl! How about you trade it for my shiny Grimmsnarl?" A man in glasses approached them, his voice smooth but insistent.

"No," Oppa said firmly, without hesitation. they continued walking, placing the Poké Ball into his hat.

"Yeah, no way, four-eyes," Azumaru chimed in, sticking his tongue out at the man as he followed Oppa. "My friend will never trade Cookie!"

"Hmph, I can’t believe the nerve of some adults trying to take Cookie away—whoa!" Azumaru tripped on a manhole and would’ve fallen face-first if not for the large Grimmsnarl catching him.

"Grimm?" Cookie tilted his head in confusion.

"Uh, yeah, I’m okay, Cookie! I just tripped... Oh, something shiny!" Azumaru picked up a red shard from the ground. "Is this for a puzzle or something?"

"Keep the shards," Oppa said, Xyr voice a little louder than before, Their tone more insistent.

"Eh, so we’re not selling them? Okay!" Azumaru chimed, stuffing the shard into his pocket before continuing.

They walked up until they saw the Grand Hall. Azumaru’s eyes widened in awe. "WHOAA, it’s SOOO big, Oppa! It’s HUGE!"

Azumaru ran up the steps, with Oppa and Cookie following behind, "Oppa, come on, let’s—huh?" Azumaru paused, looking back at Oppa, who was talking to a girl who handed them a Potion.

"Oppa, hurry!!" Azumaru called out, impatience creeping into his voice.

"Grimmsnarl!!" Cookie barked back at Azumaru, while Oppa slowly walked toward him.

"I—hm. I’m here, Azu," Oppa said firmly, their tone steady.

Azumaru grinned and bounced with excitement. "Oppa’s back! Yippee!" With a joyful squeal, he jumped onto Oppa.

"Yes, I’m back," Oppa replied, nodding as they held Azumaru in their arms and continued walking up the stairs.

"Oh, hey, are you two Azumaru and Oppa?" The girl asked, her voice soft but curious. They both nodded.

"Ah, then! I’m Victoria. It’s a pleasure to meet you. But… is everything okay? I heard what happened a—"

"We’re FINE! Look at us! Do we look hurt? Nooo," Azumaru interrupted, his voice loud and defensive. "Hmph, I swear people just like to talk."

Victoria blinked, caught off guard by his outburst. "Wha—w-well, you’re here, so I guess you’re alright?"

"Then let’s go ahead and get registered. It shouldn’t take long. Let’s go inside, heh!" She said, still a little concerned.

"Uh… th-that Grimmsnarl is VERY big?" Victoria asked, eyeing Cookie nervously.

Azumaru grinned widely, puffing out his chest. "Uh-huh! Cookie is the tallest and strongest Grimmsnarl EVERRR!!!"

Cookie nodded proudly, and Oppa gave a small smirk, both of them somehow in sync. Victoria just stared at them, completely shell-shocked.

"Ah… then follow me." Victoria said, blinking in surprise as she turned and led them into the Grand Hall.

As they ascended the stairs, they saw Ame waiting at the top.

"Oh, you two are here already. Good," Ame said, a small sigh of relief escaping her. "There’s no sign of any suspects yet, but I’ve got several officers out searching the area."

"Suspect? In the station bombing?" Victoria asked, but Azumaru was too distracted to hear the rest.

"Let’s finish your registrations. Obviously, the main event is picking a starter," Ame said with a smile.

"Azumaru and Oppa can go ahead of me. I don’t mind," Victoria offered, stepping aside.

"Thanks, Vicky!" Azumaru said with a grin, bouncing in Oppa’s arms.

"Vicky?" Victoria asked, surprised.

Azumaru nodded, unbothered. "Right this way, then," Ame said, opening the gate. Azumaru, Oppa, and Cookie followed her inside.

"These Pokémon are all set aside for new trainers to choose from—" Ame was cut off as Azumaru rushed to the green table, practically leaping toward a Chikorita.

"I’MMA NAME HER HERO! Oppa, look! Hero looks so cuteee!" Azumaru cheered, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

Oppa smiled and nodded before picking from the same green table, selecting a Rowlet. Xe gently cradled it in their hands and named it Prince. The Rowlet, shiny but with a unique gray color, settled onto Cookie’s head, looking regal.

"How beautiful…" Oppa murmured, admiring the little Pokémon.

"Awwww, how cuteee!" Azumaru beamed, watching the scene unfold. "Cookie, up up!" He cheered, excitedly jumping around as Cookie, the towering Grimmsnarl, gently lifted both Azumaru and Hero into the air, showing off his strength.

Chapter Text

"Settled? All right. Let's not keep Victoria waiting," Ame said, her tone brisk as she led them down the steps.

"Oh, you four are back! Which Pokémon did you pick, Azumaru? Oppa?" Victoria greeted them, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

Azumaru jumped off Cookie and dashed toward Victoria with excitement, holding Hero up like Simba from The Lion King. "Looook at my baby! Ain’t she pretty? Her name is Herooo! She’s a Chikorita, and she’s amazing—look at her, my babyyy!" he gushed, his voice filled with pride and adoration.

Oppa, on the other hand, gave a quiet nod, their usual calm demeanor in full force. They gestured toward the Rowlet perched on their head, using Xyr hat as a nest. "Rowlet. I named him Prince. He’s beautiful," Oppa said softly, their words carrying a quiet reverence.

"Rrrow," Prince chirped, his voice almost as soft as Oppa’s.

"Oh! A shiny Rowlet—how cute!" Victoria exclaimed, her face lighting up with genuine approval. "I already know which Pokémon I’m going to choose, so—" She glanced up at Ame, who nodded in response.

"Well then, shall we?" Ame asked.

Victoria returned the nod. "Okay! Wait here for me, Azumaru, Oppa!" She and Ame walked back up the stairs, leaving the two alone.

Just then, a voice called out, "Heyyy, you're cute."

Azumaru and Oppa turned toward the voice, both looking confused.

"Huh? What did you say, mister? Did you call us?" Azumaru asked, his tone filled with suspicion, though there was a playful edge to it.

The boy scratched his cheek and glanced around nervously. "What? Haha, no—I didn’t say anything!" His eyes shifted uneasily before he added, "Uh, hey, was Ame just here?"

Oppa shook their head, their gaze steady and calm. "She’s with someone else."

At his words, the boy smirked. "Ohhhh, so she’s with someone else. Kay~" He grinned. "My name’s Cain. How about you tw—"

"Azumarruu!!! That’s my name! And Oppa is my friend! Nice to meet yah, Canan!" Azumaru declared proudly, cutting Cain off.

Cain blinked, a faint chuckle escaping him. "A-Azumaru? That’s a cute name. And Oppa… pretty name~" He glanced at the Pokémon beside them, his expression shifting to one of disbelief. "By the looks of it, you two just got your Pokémon." His gaze landed on Rowlet and Chikorita, and then froze. "……Holy Arceus, that is a big Grimmsnarl."

Azumaru burst out laughing. "Yeah-hahaha! Cookie is super duper big and strong! Just like Goomy!"

Oppa simply nodded, their expression unreadable.

Cain blinked, still staring at the massive Grimmsnarl. "A-ah… Are you two going to challenge the league?" he asked, his voice tinged with awe.

"YEAH, we are! Is that why you’re here, Canan?" Azumaru asked eagerly, bouncing on his heels.

Cain shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "I was just coming here to resi—err… to start over." He fumbled with his words but quickly regained composure. "I figured I’d, uh, try taking on this league instead. Sooo, Oppa… how about a battle? If it’s your first time, I’ll be gentle~"

Azumaru gasped dramatically, throwing his hands up in mock horror. "Canan!! Bad! No flirting with Oppa! Xe is innocent!" He lightly smacked Cain’s hand away.

Oppa tilted their head in confusion. "…?"

Cain chuckled, clearly amused. "Oh my, you really are innocent, huh? Oppa, let’s have a battle." He pulled out a Poké Ball, his expression more playful now.

"I will be the Refff! Let’s gooo!" Azumaru cheered, his excitement palpable.

"On one side of the room, we have Oppa!" Azumaru announced with dramatic flair. "And on the other side, we have Cain! This is a one-on-one Pokémon battle—let’s begin!" He gestured grandly as if they were in a stadium.

As soon as Azumaru finished speaking, Oppa gently woke up Prince, while Cain sent out a Nidoran.

"Prince, use Tackle," Oppa said softly, their calmness a sharp contrast to Azumaru's enthusiasm.

Prince fluttered up and dashed toward Nidoran, landing a solid Tackle that knocked the smaller Pokémon back.

"Nidoran, Cut!" Cain called out, his voice sharp and focused.

Nidoran darted forward, using its horn to land a sharp Cut on Prince.

"Cut one more time, Nidoran!" Cain commanded.

"Tackle again," Oppa instructed calmly.

Rowlet chirped and dashed again, but Nidoran struck first with another Cut, making Prince stumble slightly. However, Prince managed to land a solid Tackle in return.

"One more time! Cut!" Cain urged.

Nidoran charged at Rowlet but missed this time.

"Now, Tackle!" Oppa ordered.

Prince swooped in again and slammed into Nidoran harder than before, sending it tumbling across the battlefield. The Pokémon twitched once before finally fainting.

"Nidoran down!! Prince wonnn! Yippee!" Azumaru cheered, jumping around excitedly.

Cain smiled, picking up Nidoran and returning him to his Poké Ball. "Cute and talented~ Very nice! C’mon, let’s get our Pokémon healed up."

"I said no flirting with Oppa!!" Azumaru pouted, crossing his arms.

"Heh, sorry~," Cain teased, undeterred. "There’s a PokéCenter built in right over here."

They followed him to the other side of the Grand Hall, where Nurse Joy was waiting.

"Welcome! Allow me to heal your Pokémon," Nurse Joy said with a kind smile, taking their Poké Balls. After a short moment, she returned them with a bow. "Here you go! We hope to see you again!"

"There you are!" Victoria’s voice called out, and she ran toward them, Ame following behind.

"Sorry~ I kinda stole Oppa and Azumaru," Cain admitted, his grin wide and unapologetic.

"Oh, Cain… right, I forgot you were coming by," Ame said, her tone exhausted but fond.

"It’s okayyyy! While you were gone, I met Oppa and Azumaru. Me and Oppa had some fun~" Cain teased with a mischievous wink.

Victoria’s face flushed bright red. Azumaru immediately stomped lightly on Cain’s foot.

"H-had some fun?! S-so that’s the kind of person Oppa is…?" Victoria stammered, her face as red as a Haban berry.

Ame sighed, clearly unimpressed. "Cain…"

Cain chuckled, unfazed. "Nah, we just had a battle."

"Oh! That does sound fun!" Victoria clapped her hands together, eager to move past the awkward moment. "I wanna try out my new Pokémon, too! Oppa—"

Oppa shook their head, pointing at Azumaru. "Azumaru wants to battle. He’s 15, don’t overlook him because of his height."

Cain froze, clearly taken aback by Oppa’s words. Victoria looked shocked, blinking rapidly.

"He looks five…" she muttered, wide-eyed. "Ah… okay then. Azumaru, you up for a battle?"

"Heck yeahhh!!" Azumaru shouted, nodding so fast he looked like a vibrating machine.

Cain smirked, leaning against a nearby wall. "While you guys do that, I’ll get Cain registered as a challenger. Come with me, Cain." Ame ordered

"Ooh, yes, master~" Cain teased as he followed her, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"…Master?" Ame repeated, arching an eyebrow.

"Nothing~" Cain answered innocently as they left.

Victoria sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Uh… huh. Come on, then. Let’s battle!"

"My sensei said that learning to work and train together with Pokémon would be an invaluable step on my journey of personal growth. Azumaru, let's take these first steps together!" Victoria declared proudly, her tone full of determination and hope.

"Then I'll ref. On one side, we have Azumaru, and on the other, Victoria. This will be a one-on-one Pokémon battle. Begin," Oppa said softly, his voice a calm contrast to Victoria’s enthusiasm.

"Alright, Hero, use Tackle!" Azumaru commanded, his voice full of excitement as Hero dashed forward, ramming into Litten.

"Litten, use Ember!" Victoria countered, her voice steady as Litten launched a small burst of fire.

Litten’s Ember struck Hero in the face, causing the Chikorita to let out a pained chirp and stumble back.

"Ah! Hero, are you okay?" Azumaru asked, genuine worry in his voice.

Hero shook off the pain and chirped back before charging at Litten again with another Tackle.

"Litten, Ember one more time!" Victoria ordered, her voice sharp.

Litten launched another Ember, but despite the pain, Hero pressed forward.

"Hero, finish it! One more Tackle!" Azumaru shouted, his tone fiery with determination.

Hero, eyes burning with resolve, dashed toward Litten and struck it head-on. The impact sent Litten tumbling backward, and with a final twitch, it fainted.

"Litten is unable to battle. Hero wins," Oppa announced, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

"Oh, it’s over already?" Victoria blinked in surprise before smiling warmly. "You two are no ordinary trainers, are you..."

At her words, Azumaru and Oppa exchanged a brief, awkward glance before looking away, both a bit embarrassed.

"Heeey! Ame is waiting for you guys when you're done!" Cain called out, appearing nearby. "I'm all set, so I'm gonna hit the road. See ya~!" He waved before walking away.

"Oh? Was there more to do?" Victoria wondered, a bit confused.

The three of them made their way back to Ame.

"Sorry if we kept you waiting!" Victoria said, her voice filled with apology.

"No worries. I already took care of the documentation while you two were finishing," Ame reassured them. "So, all that's left is to give you these. First, a Pokédex—you know the drill. Second, a Pokégear. This device lets you check the map, listen to music, and access other functions. And finally, as a promotional bonus from Silph Co. take these running shoes." Ame sighed, clearly unimpressed with the corporate branding. "As much as I hate advertising, they are... convenient. And don't worry—you can run inside."

With that, she let out a small laugh. "You're all set!"

"I've got more damage control to run, so I'm afraid I have to leave you be now," she added, looking at them with a faintly sad smile.

"We'll be fine! Thanks for the help!" Victoria said gratefully.

"Good luck out there," Ame said before turning to leave.

Azumaru grinned, his energy back up. "Here we goooo!"

Chapter Text

"Azumaru," Oppa called out to the 15-year-old, who was waiting at Nurse Joy's counter while his Pokémon were healed.

Azumaru glanced over, seeing Oppa standing in front of the TV, where the news was covering Julia.

"We should come up with a plan, just in case something happens," Oppa said.

Azumaru strolled over, his Pokémon safely tucked in their Pokéballs.

"What, like another Sinnoh?" Azumaru scoffed, waving off the concern. "Pft, yeah, like that's gonna happen twice." He paused for a second, then shrugged. "Alright, alright. What's the plan?"

Before Oppa could respond, Azumaru continued, "Also, some guy in a captain's outfit was talking about how his friend saved a bunch of Water-types and put them in a pool. That sounds so cool! I wonder if he has a Magikarp—Oppa, we have to check it out!" Azumaru's eyes gleamed with excitement.

Oppa sighed. "We'll check it out."

Just then, they overheard a conversation nearby.

"I'm telling you, man, they're real," a voice insisted, tense.

"Team Meteor? That's just a stupid conspiracy theory," the other voice dismissed with a scoff.

Azumaru and Oppa exchanged glances before turning back to the two arguing trainers.

Oppa sighed again. "Plan?"

Azumaru crossed his arms, frowning. "Yeah. Plan. Definitely." Both of them let out matching exasperated sighs.

"First, we need to catch up on Reborn's history," Oppa mused as they tried to leave the Grand Hall. "But I have a feeling we’ll learn more than we expect without asking for it."

Before they could step outside, a man with a sketchy grin appeared in front of them.

"Looking for more Pokémon? Of course, you are! Well, have I got a deal for you!" he announced.

Oppa and Azumaru exchanged a skeptical glance.

"What are you talking about, fat mister?" Azumaru asked bluntly. Then he turned to Oppa, tugging on his sleeve. "Brother, what’s mister talking about?"

Oppa sighed, shaking their head.

"I'm not fat, kid," the salesman huffed, then turned to Oppa. "And you, your the big brother—you should really teach your sibling some respect!" He quickly shifted back to his pitch. "Anyway! How would you like to be the proud new owner of one fantastic beast, sir?"

He leaned in, grinning wider. "This Pokémon is so powerful—so utterly bad-ass—it's been heralded among dragons for centuries!" He threw his arms up dramatically. "For you, and only you, I’ll give a special discount! Only 500 Poke-coins! What do you say?"

Azumaru nudged Oppa. "Bad-ass, you say?" he muttered under his breath.

Oppa sighed. "Sure."

He handed over the 500 Poke-coins.

"Heh. Bad-ass, you say?" A new voice interrupted.

A ragged-looking guy smirked as he stepped forward. "Not a bad deal. I think I'll just help myself."

Without warning, he snatched the Pokémon from the salesman’s hands and bolted toward the exit.

"See ya, NERDS!" he cackled, disappearing out the door.

Azumaru and Oppa blinked in stunned silence.

The salesman, however, simply pocketed the money and shrugged. "Well, I got my money. That's your problem now! But hey, if you really want that ultra-rare Pokémon, try looking for that guy. Thugs like him usually hang out at the end of the train tracks in Peridot Ward. Good luck!" And with that, he strutted out of the Grand Hall.

"What a jerk!" Azumaru groaned, whining to Oppa like a child.

Oppa sighed and turned toward the exit, but before they could leave, a distressed voice called out.

"You two, please stay! You're driving me crazy!"

Ahead of them, a girl was struggling to keep her Snubbull and Stufful under control—both Pokémon simply glanced at each other before running off.

"Snubbull! Stufful! Oh, not again!"

She looked like she was on the verge of tears as she chased after them.

"Looks like they lost respect for her as they got older," Oppa commented as the girl disappeared into the streets.

"Aww, the poor girl," Azumaru frowned. "I hope she finds them soon."

"Let’s go to the bridge first," Oppa said, brushing off the pity as they walked ahead.

A kid stepped in front of them, blocking their way. "Hey, the bridge is for trainers! You can’t go up here!"

Azumaru stuck out his tongue. "I’m 15 and a trainer, you meanie!"

Oppa sighed, grabbing Azumaru by the back of his shirt and pulling him away. "Calm down, Azumaru."

Azumaru flinched. "...Sorry, Oppa."

On the bridge, they battled some trainers and earned a small candy as a prize for their Pokémon. But on their way back, they saw three kids surrounding a Zigzagoon and a Pachirisu.

"Hey," Oppa called out, scolding them.

Azumaru stood behind him, nodding smugly and mocking the kids with exaggerated expressions.

After the troublemakers ran off, the Zigzagoon and Pachirisu looked up at their rescuers with hopeful eyes.

"...They want to stay with us," Oppa realized.

Azumaru grinned. "I guess that means I get Pachirisu!"

"And I get Zigzagoon," Oppa nodded.

For now, they decided not to name them, letting the Pokémon get used to them first.

Afterward, they returned to the Grand Hall, sold some items they didn’t need, and healed their Pokémon. Azumaru used the money to buy a ton of Pokéballs.

Then, they made their way to Lower Peridot Ward.

The first road they took led them to a homeless man asking for money. Oppa handed him 150 Pokédollars, and the man slipped into a nearby alley.

Azumaru frowned. "...Should we follow him?"

Oppa didn’t respond—they was already walking behind the man.

They followed him into an empty house—empty except for a traumatized Espurr curled up in a corner.

"...Poor thing," Oppa murmured.

They decided to leave it for now so they could find food for it.

Further down the road, they met an old man who had some PokéSnax lying around. He let them take some, and they rushed back to the Espurr.

Oppa approached it slowly, showing the PokéSnax in their hand. The Espurr hesitated before cautiously taking a bite.

"...You’re Elise," Oppa whispered, gently stroking her head as she ate.

Azumaru blinked. "Elise? Why Elise?"

Oppa didn’t answer, only continuing to comfort their new Espurr.

Azumaru huffed, setting his hat down and brushing his blue hair away from his eyes. "Oppa, we should make this place our little home for now. No one obviously lives here!"

Oppa nodded absentmindedly, still focused on Elise.

Once they settled in, they released all their Pokémon.

"Reuniiii~!" came a chime from Azumaru’s Reuniclus.

Azumaru hugged it immediately. "Goomyy, sorry I didn’t take you out earlier! But you would have smothered me and Oppa."

The cellular Pokémon wrapped its arms around him. "Reee~!"

From their Pokéballs, Grimmsnarl—whom Azumaru called Cookie—and Rowlet—called Prince—popped out, both making themselves comfortable.

Pachirisu and Zigzagoon playfully chased each other on the floor.

Then, from seemingly nowhere, Oppa pulled out a huge mattress from his hat.

Azumaru barely reacted, but their new Pokémon—aside from Prince, who was already asleep—stared in shock.

"This should fit all of us," Oppa nodded to himself.

Elise curled up on the mattress immediately. Oppa smiled before laying down beside her.

"Purrr..." Elise purred, eyes closing.

Oppa followed soon after, drifting into sleep.

Azumaru grinned, stretching his arms before flopping onto the mattress too.

"Not a bad day."

Chapter Text

That night, sleep came easily to Azumaru, but peace did not.

He found himself standing in a vast, empty void—silent, endless, and wrong. The ground beneath him was not solid, shifting like black smoke, sinking with every step. When he tried to move, it curled around his ankles like grasping fingers.

A low, echoing growl vibrated through his chest. His breath hitched.

Then, the world twisted.

The sky shattered like broken glass, revealing something beyond—something vast, something watching. Six glowing red eyes snapped open in the void above, locking onto him. The air grew heavy, pressing down on him like an ocean’s weight. His limbs trembled, his lungs burned—he couldn’t breathe.

A distorted screech tore through the silence, and suddenly, It loomed before him.

Its serpentine body coiled and uncoiled unnaturally, moving in ways that defied logic, as if reality itself warped around it. Its six shadowy wings twitched, releasing an unnatural mist that slithered across the ground, swallowing the world in suffocating blackness.

Azumaru tried to run.

The shadows clung to him. No matter how hard he struggled, they pulled him down, tightening around his body, creeping up his neck.

A deep, hollow voice echoed in his mind.

"Why do you flee?"

The voice wasn’t loud, yet it consumed everything. It echoed inside his skull, gnawed at his thoughts, unraveling him from the inside.

"You are already mine."

It's form twisted, stretching impossibly tall, towering over him. Its mouth did not move, but Azumaru could feel it smiling. The mist thickened, curling around his face, seeping into his nose, his mouth—he couldn't breathe, he couldn't think, he—

A hand shot through the darkness, grabbing his wrist.

A sharp pull.

"GAHHH!! Haa... haa..."

Azumaru jolted awake, screaming and panting. His sudden outburst startled Oppa, who immediately sat up, quickly reaching into their hat for a bottle of Azumaru’s favorite tea.

“Mari, I’m here. Breathe for me,” Oppa said soothingly, handing him the tea.

Azumaru took the bottle with trembling hands, still shaken. Their Pokémon, now awake, huddled close, providing a warm, comforting embrace. The warmth gradually eased the coldness that had settled over Azumaru.

“Thanks Oppa,” Azumaru mumbled softly. He glanced at their Pokémon and smiled weakly. “And you guys too… thank you.”

Once he finished his drink, he set the bottle down next to the mattress. Everyone gradually settled back to sleep, still wrapped in the comforting embrace of their Pokémon.

The next morning, after everyone woke up, the Pokémon returned to their Poké Balls—except Rowlet, who remained perched on Oppa’s hat.

"You ready to go yet, Oppaa!?" Azumaru bounced around like a hyperactive Joltik, his energy seemingly endless.

"Where do you get your energy from?" Oppa mumbled groggily, nearly bumping into the table.

"I have no ideaa! But I heard from the nurse that some guy is coming today to help the people who were in the station when it went KABOOOOM!" Azumaru twirled mid-air before suddenly bolting out of the house. Oppa sighed, stretched, and followed at a much calmer pace, both now in fresh clothes.

"I can't believe that empty house had a working bath, Oppa. It felt sooo WARM!" Azumaru practically sang. Oppa nodded in agreement, enjoying the brief moment of peace.

"Oh! And then some other guy said there's a secret garden somewhere hereee! Sounds awesooome!"

As they walked up from the alleyway, the Gym came into view. A nervous-looking guy in a green hat approached them.

"I wanna give the League Challenge a try, but I dunno if I'm ready," he sighed. "Reborn Gym Leaders are different from most regions' Leaders. Every one of them has six Pokémon."

The man sulked, and Azumaru patted him on the back. "It’s okay, Mister Green Hat."

Just then, Azumaru's gaze flicked past the Gym, landing on a funny-looking box. "Oppa, there’s something behind the Gymmm!!"

Oppa nodded, walking over to pick up the mysterious gift box before handing it to Azumaru. With that, they continued west.

Soon, they arrived at a Pokémon Center.

"A healing box!!" Azumaru cheered, sprinting inside. Oppa followed, catching snippets of conversations around the room.

"Goodness, I got a surprise! A Pokémon jumped out at me from the dumpster!" someone exclaimed.

Ignoring the chaos, they approached the counter, where an old man spoke with the nurse. Suddenly, a woman walked up to them.

"Don't take 'Rare Candy' from people," she warned. "It’s not what you think—it’s a drug."

Azumaru frowned. As soon as she walked away, he whispered, "Oppa, that lady looked like she was on her own 'Rare Candy'..."

Oppa nodded, and they both left, heading west, then south, walking along the railroad tracks.

"It should be hereee!" Azumaru pointed excitedly at a line of people gathered ahead. At the front stood a purple-haired man who looked to be in his thirties.

As they got closer, they counted about five people in line.

"O-ow! Ugh, that stings!" a child at the front cried out.

"Only temporarily," the man responded, his voice strict yet soothing.

Azumaru glanced at Oppa and noticed their eyes widen in recognition.

"The wound must be disinfected before it can be dressed," the man continued.

Oppa was completely absorbed in his words. Azumaru chuckled and whispered, "Oppa, he's too old for you."

Oppa stiffened, pouting. "That’s not why..."

"If you ignore the wound, it will fester. Hold still. You must trust the adults in your life. Unfortunately, they often fail to earn that trust. This is the tragedy between every generation."

Azumaru leaned in again, smirking. "Oppa, he must have a kid. Meaning he probably has a wife. Give up."

Oppa turned red, flustered. "Not why I’m looking, damnit!"

The two didn’t hear the rest, as an embarrassed Oppa walked away, Azumaru laughing beside them.

"Oppa, comeee on! Let’s go to that house over there."

They stepped inside—only for Oppa to smack his head against the doorframe.

"Oh! Howdy, stranger," a man inside greeted. "Any chance you’d be interested in this here Old Rod?"

"YESSIR!!" Azumaru snatched it instantly, sprinting around the house with it.

"Er… thank you?" the fisherman muttered before leaving.

Chapter Text

Outside, Azumaru kept running around until he nearly bumped into a girl, who immediately challenged him to a battle. Azumaru won easily, and the girl handed him a Rose Incense as a reward.

Before exploring the larger buildings, they followed the railroad west and found an Oran Berry. However, a massive building ahead gave Azumaru a strange feeling, so they turned back toward the smaller houses instead.

In the first house, they found an old woman comforting her grandson. The boy was struggling to take care of a baby Skitty.

The old woman approached them. "Would you be willing to help?"

Without hesitation, Azumaru handed her the Oran Berry. She gave it to the boy, who fed it to Skitty. The Pokémon perked up immediately.

The old woman sighed. "My grandson is too young to take care of it properly." She turned to Azumaru. "Would you take Skitty with you?"

“Skitty~” Azumaru beamed. “YES! I’ll name you Opulent!”

The next house belonged to an old man.

“Hrmm… I appear to have misplaced a present I got for my grandson,” he sulked.

Azumaru blinked. “Wait. This gift box…?” He held up the box he had found behind the Gym.

“THAT’S IT!” The old man lit up. “Oh, dear, where did I leave it…?”

Azumaru gawked. “Mister, why was your gift behind the Gym!?”

The old man ignored the question. “I’ll give you a present in return.”

“DEAL!” Azumaru handed over the box. In exchange, he received a Poké Ball.

“…A Poké Ball?” He looked up at the man suspiciously. “Is it a Delibird?”

The old man grinned. “It gives you presents daily!”

Azumaru groaned at the terrible joke. “I’m naming him Sun.”

“Deli~” The Delibird chirped as he emerged from the Poké Ball.

“Puurtyyy,” Opulent purred in Azumaru’s arms.

“They’re so cute, Oppaa~!” Azumaru sang.

Oppa, still deep in thought, didn’t respond.

“Oppa, stop thinking about the married man and answer meee,” Azumaru pouted.

Oppa choked. “I AM NOT THINKING ABOUT HIM, DAMNIT.”

Azumaru grinned. “Suuuure. Hey, Sun, Opulent—whenever Oppa’s face turns red, it means he’s thinking about married men.”

“I’M NOT.”

They entered another house, where Oppa excitedly obtained a Kricketot, naming it Daiancci.

A girl inside introduced herself as Shelly. She looked oddly familiar.

“Oppa, it’s starting to rain.” Azumaru glanced up.

Oppa pointed at the bridge. “Let’s take cover there.”

Under the bridge, they ran into a man who rudely tried to kick them out. Prince quickly won a battle against him.

Just then, a Pansear ran up to them, shivering from the rain.

“Pan, Pansearrr!!”

Oppa pulled a blanket from their hat and wrapped the Pansear in it.

Safe to say, Oppa got a Pansear.

Its name was Cinnamon.

They waited out the rain for two hours. During that time, Azumaru and their younger Pokémon played with scattered boxes. When the storm finally cleared, they continued west, only to be stopped by a fancy-looking guy with slick blond hair who challenged them to a battle. Azumaru won first, followed by Oppa.

The guy, impressed, invited them behind a nearby building into an alleyway, where two more trainers challenged them.

"Oppa, I get the feeling this place is as battle-happy as Galar," Azumaru remarked as he commanded Hero to Tackle once more, securing another victory.

"So much for a place that’s ‘almost abandoned by Pokémon,’" he groaned.

Oppa wasn’t paying attention. Xe was once again lost in thought.

"Oppa, stop thinking about the Doctor!!!" Azumaru’s sudden shout snapped Oppa out of their daze.

"I'm not!" Oppa quickly denied, looking away.

They left the alley and continued forward, soon spotting a massive building with a flashy advertisement.

"The Amazing Agate Circus? Featuring Carnies, Clowns, and Chaos… Oppa, I wanna go there!" Azumaru’s excitement was palpable.

Oppa nodded. "Agate has a Gym, so we’ll go there eventually. Calm down."

Before focusing on that, they entered another building and battled an old man, emerging victorious. As a reward, he granted them access to a hidden garden.

"Oppa, this garden is really sm—oof!" Azumaru’s words were cut off as a Swablu suddenly fell onto his face.

Oppa peeled it off, and the fluffy Pokémon promptly made itself comfortable on Azumaru’s hat.

"Aww, amma name her Hunted," Azumaru cooed.

Oppa gave him a deeply concerned look. "Miss Rubee trusted me with a psycho… great."

After leaving the secret garden, they decided to train, purposely ignoring the eerie building that Azumaru had initially disliked. Instead, they fought several trainers on the rails, then continued northward. Along the way, they passed a road but chose to keep going up, where, to their excitement, both Prince and Hero evolved.

"Awww, my baby has grownnn, Oppaaa!" Azumaru gushed over Hero, while Oppa meticulously brushed through Prince’s new, fluffy feathers.

They paused their battles for an hour, letting the Pokémon adjust to their new forms. During this break, a Budew fell onto Azumaru, drawn in by the scent of the Rose Incense.

"I’m naming her Cheese," Azumaru declared proudly.

Oppa opened Their mouth to protest but stopped when Azumaru shot him a look. "Cheese is a good name. At least I can think of names instead of thinking about a married man all day."

For the first time that day, Oppa sulked. "I am not, damnit Marii!!"

"Oppa, in that house! Let's gooo!" Azumaru excitedly dragged the sulking Oppa inside.

But the house wasn’t empty. Instead, it had that guy—the one who stole the super badass Pokémon.

A battle broke out, and Swablu easily won, but it was a trick. The fat salesman was there too, disguised. Still, since Azumaru won, they had to give the Pokémon back.

Except... the guy didn’t have it.

Some kid had stolen the Pokémon from him.

"Oppa, tie him up," Azumaru ordered.

Oppa immediately stopped sulking, grabbed the raggedy guy, and tied him up using Caterpie silk rope. Then, for good measure, he gagged him too.

They let the salesman go but decided to claim this house as their resting spot.

Meanwhile, their Pokémon played around—with the tied-up guy as entertainment.

"Grimm."

Cookie popped out of his Pokéball and immediately started taking care of the baby Skitty. But the moment he appeared, the raggedy guy took one look and fainted on the spot.

Azumaru burst into laughter.

Chapter Text

Azumaru left the house alone, leaving Oppa behind to care for the baby Skitty. As he walked down the familiar path, he noticed a house near a fountain—one they had passed earlier. Curiosity piqued, he stepped inside.

A woman clutched her Igglybuff tightly, her wide eyes filled with fear. "They're coming back! I know they're coming back!" she wailed.

Azumaru blinked. "Huh?"

"Muggers already took one of my babies, and I know they'll come back for the other!!" She continued, shaking. "Please, get out! I don't want to risk anything happening—please just go!"

Azumaru frowned but stepped back outside, arms crossed. "Hmph! Amma find those stealing bastards and beat 'em up!!"

Determined, he marched on—until he spotted an alleyway. Beside it stood another house that felt suspicious. Without hesitation, he stepped inside.

Inside, two figures cloaked in black were deep in conversation.

"All right, let's liberate the Pokémon and escape quickly," one of them said.

"Understood."

"If this woman figures out we're targeting her, she'll surely flee Reborn..."

Azumaru narrowed his eyes. "HEY, MISTER! ARE YOU THE ONE WHO STOLE FROM THAT LADY?!"

The two figures froze.

"SHIT! We've been found!" the woman panicked, and both turned to run past Azumaru.

"HEY, GET BACK HERE!" Azumaru shouted, bolting after them.

They rushed back to the woman’s house.

"HELP!!" the woman shrieked, cradling her Igglybuff as the hooded figures loomed over her.

"HEY! Let the lady GO!!" Azumaru barked.

The hooded woman sneered. "What? You followed us after all?"

"YEAH, SO WHAT?!"

The hooded man sighed. "Then I'm afraid you'll have to be eliminated."

Both figures took a stance. "This is an attack!"

"So brace for impact!"

"To eliminate this infestation!
To restore the art of God's own nation!
To break apart the world above!
To find what lies beneath truth and love!
Team Meteor!!
Resonating with the eternal light!
Run away now, don't try to fight!
For Justice! That's right!"

Azumaru just stared. "…Team Meteor... Team Rocket?" He shook his head. "Never mind—Hunted, get out here and blow these Team Rocket fakers away!!"

Swablu burst from its Pokéball in a flash of red light, screeching an ear-piercing cry.

"REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!"

It charged at the enemies’ Pokémon—a Cubone and a Duskull.

"HUNTED, use Disarming Voice!!"

A powerful pink soundwave blasted through the house. The two enemy Pokémon immediately collapsed.

Silence filled the room.

"...Uh. Good job, Hunted?" Azumaru muttered, just as confused as the hooded figures.

The man gritted his teeth. "How could we lose so fast…?"

The woman hesitated. "…If we continue, we jeopardize our main objective. Retreat."

With a quick grab of their Pokémon, they fled.

The woman they had attacked burst into relieved tears. "Oh, thank you! Thank you so much for saving my baby!"

Azumaru gave her a thumbs-up, scooping up her other Pokémon before heading back to the house—Hunted still perched proudly on his head.

When he walked inside, the scene before him was oddly peaceful.

Oppa sat on the floor, reading a book while Opulent dozed in their arms. Prince and Hero curled up beside him, and Cheese—the Budew—snuggled into their messy pink hair. The tied-up guy from earlier still sat there, though now he looked even more terrified, eyes darting nervously at Goomy hanging over him.

Meanwhile, Cookie was happily cooking—because apparently, he loved doing that. Pachirisu and Zigzagoon were curled up together, napping.

Azumaru took it all in.

"Uhmm… Oppa?" he mumbled.

Oppa glanced up. "Hm?"

Azumaru smiled. "Ah, I’m back!" But his expression quickly turned into a frown. "The Team Meteor catchphrase is basically just Team Rocket’s."

Oppa’s fake eye glowed.

Azumaru stiffened. The entire building shook.

"Those vines behind the walls are strong," Oppa muttered once the shaking stopped.

"R-right. The vines." Azumaru cleared his throat and held up the new Pokémon in his arms. "Anyway, I got a new baby! Amma name him Iggy!"

Oppa snorted. "Sanest name I’ve heard all day."

The two laughed.

“Ahhh, lunch is the best! Cookie, you are so good at this!” Azumaru praised enthusiastically, stuffing his face with food.

“Grimm~” Cookie beamed at the compliment.

Oppa barely spoke, too focused on savoring the meal. “I agree,” Xe muttered between bites.

After finishing their meal, they set off again, dragging the man they had captured along. Anyone who questioned it received the same deadpan explanation:

“It’s his kink, leave him be.”

The poor man could only nod in resignation.

They continued their journey, battling and winning every match along the way. As they passed a massive building, Azumaru felt an uneasy chill run down his spine. He didn’t like the place at all—but that only made him more curious.

"Let's check the front," he said, running ahead.

When they rounded the corner, they spotted a green-haired guy aggressively questioning a hooded figure. Before they could eavesdrop, the green-haired guy noticed them, giving the hooded man the perfect chance to escape.

“Tch, you idiots scared him off!” the guy groaned, turning to them with an annoyed expression.

Oppa barely reacted, while Azumaru tilted his head. “Well, if you weren’t being so creepy, maybe he wouldn’t have run?”

The green-haired guy scoffed. “Pfft, like you’d know anything, scrub. Name’s Fern, by the way—Reborn’s top dog.”

Azumaru rolled his eyes. “Oh great, he talks like a minor villian.”

Oppa remained silent, seemingly tolerating Fern, which meant Azumaru had to as well—barely. The back-and-forth led to an inevitable battle.

Fern sent out Lotad!

Azumaru grinned and tossed his Pokéball. “Hunted, show 'em how it’s done!”

In a flash of red light, Swablu emerged, flapping its cottony wings and letting out a sharp screech.

“Lotad, Absorb!” Fern commanded.

Lotad shot out a green energy beam, but it barely did anything. Swablu just shook itself and puffed up, unimpressed.

“Hunted, Disarming Voice!”

With a piercing melodic cry, waves of pink energy crashed into Lotad. The Grass/Water-type wobbled before collapsing instantly.

Fern’s eyes widened. “What the—?! Tch, lucky shot!”

Fern sent out Sandile!

Azumaru smirked. “Ohhh, bad choice, dude.”

"Sandile, Sand Attack!"

Sandile kicked up a cloud of dirt, reducing Swablu’s accuracy.

"Smart, but not smart enough—Hunted, round two! Disarming Voice!"

The cry echoed again, and Sandile staggered back before dropping unconscious.

Fern’s confidence wavered. His cocky smirk twitched as he threw out his last Pokéball.

“Whatever, it’s not over yet!”

Fern sent out Rowlet!

Azumaru grinned. “Alright, let’s make this quick—Hunted, use Peck!”

Swablu darted forward, its beak glowing, striking Rowlet square in the chest.

Rowlet barely managed to stay airborne. “Rowlet, Tackle!” Fern shouted.

The little owl slammed into Swablu, but the attack barely made a dent.

Azumaru yawned dramatically. “Boring. One more Peck!”

Swablu delivered the final blow, sending Rowlet spiraling to the ground, knocked out.

Fern stared in disbelief before groaning loudly. “Ughhh, come on! Seriously?! What is this?!”

Azumaru smirked. “That’s what happens when you talk big but can’t back it up, Leaf Boy.”

Their argument continued until a dark blue-haired guy walked past, casually taunting Fern before disappearing. Azumaru immediately didn’t like him.

“Tch, whatever.” Fern turned back to them, clearly irritated. “Meet me at the smaller fenced-off building—don’t chicken out.”

Azumaru shrugged. “Sure.”

As Fern turned to leave, a muffled "HMM HMMM!" interrupted them.

Fern glanced at the bound and gagged man Oppa had been dragging around. His expression twisted in confusion.

“…Did you kidnap someone?!”

Azumaru turned to the man, who immediately started nodding furiously toward Fern as if begging for help.

“What the h—”

Oppa smoothly cut in, tightening their grip on the chain around the man's neck. “Dear, stop moving.”

The man froze instantly.

Fern took a cautious step back. “What—Okay, who are you two, and who is that guy?!”

Oppa spoke with eerie calmness. “My lover, he enjoys this unfortunately, it is the only way to calm him down.”

The tied-up man hesitated before nodding vigorously, eyes screaming for help but body obeying Oppa’s command.

Fern’s face twisted in disgust. “Ugh. Gross, but whatever. Bye freaks.”

He walked off, shaking his head.

“BYEEE, LEAF!” Azumaru called after him with a wave.

Once Fern was gone, Azumaru turned to Oppa, baffled. “Lover? Really?”

Oppa shrugged. “Best way to make him believe me.” Then, their dark eyes flicked to the bound man. “Also, seems like we need to train him more—he tried to escape.”

Azumaru burst into laughter. “You’re worse than me, Oppa~.”

Chapter Text

He had long since ceased struggling. The weight of the chains biting into his wrists, the tight gag stifling his voice—it was suffocating, but not as much as the presence of the two figures walking beside him. Every step, every shuffling sound of his feet dragging against the pavement, only reminded him of how utterly trapped he was. Yet, the worst part wasn’t the restraints. It was them.

Azumaru had been poking him absentmindedly for the last five minutes, each prod feeling like a taunt—a predator playing with its prey. His black eyes gleamed with mischief, a smile curling at his lips that sent shivers down Thorn’s spine. To Azumaru, this was entertainment.

Oppa, on the other hand, was silent. Their boots echoed against the pavement, the only sound besides the distant noises of the city. But it was their presence that weighed heaviest. Oppa’s eyes didn’t just watch him—no, they dissected him, peeling his very soul apart, layer by layer. Cold. Calculating. Terrifying. The longer Thorn walked, the more he realized: Oppa wasn’t just dragging him along—Oppa was waiting. Waiting for something, though Wilde had no idea what. And he wasn’t sure he wanted to.

“Hey, Raggy, what’s your name?” Azumaru’s voice broke the silence, casual as ever as he removed Thorn’s gag with a quick tug.

The fresh air hit Thorn like a wave, foreign and almost too much after so long without it. He gasped, struggling to form words. He was being allowed to speak. Did that mean he had a choice?

“I—haah—cra-crazy. I’m Thorn Wilde,” he stammered, his voice rough from disuse. His eyes flicked to Oppa, whose gaze remained unblinking, piercing, cold. It felt like Oppa was peering into his very soul.

Oppa’s expression didn’t change, but the air around them thickened, the silence growing suffocating. He tilted his head ever so slightly, and a chill ran down Wilde’s spine.

“I don’t like that name,” Oppa said, their voice as calm and dismissive as ever, almost bored.

Azumaru, always eager to offer his opinion, nodded immediately. “Yeah, doesn’t fit him at all.”

Thorn Wilde’s throat tightened. His name—his very identity—had been dismissed with the same effort one would brush off a speck of dust. Just like that, it no longer mattered. He no longer mattered. Panic flared in his chest, but before he could fully grasp the enormity of the realization, Azumaru’s voice sliced through his thoughts.

“Ohhh, how about we name him Smitten? Like Aunt’s Meowscarada!”

Thorn’s stomach turned. They were serious.

They weren’t just taking him somewhere. They weren’t just toying with him.

They were renaming him.

Like a pet.

Panic clawed at his insides, but Azumaru wasn’t done. He rattled off names, each one more absurd than the last. “No, no—what about Stubborn? Or—oooh, I got it! Cage!”

Thorn's breath caught in his throat. It was fitting. Horribly, terrifyingly fitting.

Oppa nodded in approval, the faintest hum of satisfaction escaping them. “Cage is good.”

Azumaru beamed. “Then it’s settled! Your new name is Cage!”

Thorn flinched as Azumaru patted his head, like one might reward an obedient Pokémon. Words rose in his throat—protests, denials—but before he could utter a single sound, the gag was shoved back into place.

“Shut up,” Oppa said, their grip tightening ever so slightly on the chain. “Your voice is annoying right now.”

It wasn’t the words that shattered him. It was the finality in Oppa’s tone. There was no room for argument, no room for a say in his own fate. He wasn’t a person anymore.

He was Cage.

And Cage had no voice. No choice.

His body trembled as they continued to walk, each step a reminder of the reality that was sinking in with every passing second. There would be no escape.

Oppa was his prison.

Azumaru was the warden.

And Cage? He was nothing but a prisoner.

Azumaru rambled beside him, animated and carefree, discussing everything from old battles to Pokémon quirks. His voice was light, playful, almost cheerful. It would have been comforting if Cage hadn’t known the truth.

Every so often, Oppa would nod in acknowledgment, barely speaking, but their grip on the chain never loosened.

Cage was acutely aware of that grip. Firm. Unyielding. Not once did Oppa tug unnecessarily. Not once did xe show any impatience. Xe didn’t need to.

Because Oppa already knew.

Xe knew that Cage wouldn’t—couldn’t—run.

Xe knew he had already won.

The weight of that truth crushed Cage far more than the chains ever could.

Chapter Text

As they arrived at the entrance of the ominous-looking building, Fern was already leaning against the wall, arms crossed, tapping his foot impatiently. The dim streetlights cast sharp shadows on his face, his green hair almost glowing in the eerie light. His usual smirk was plastered on his face, dripping with mockery.

"Well, look at that, you guys actually came. And here I was worried you'd be too busy wetting yourselves or something," he sneered, eyes locked onto Azumaru.

"Hey!! As you can see, we did not!" Azumaru shot back, sticking his tongue out at him. Fern just rolled his eyes and turned back to the building.

"The place is shut tight, but that figures. We'll just have to find some other way in," he muttered.

Before anyone could respond, a voice rang out.

"Flashbang entrance!"

Azumaru barely had time to register it before another voice followed, shrill with excitement.

"Dynamite throw! Gooooo, Electrode! Ka-booooooom!!!"

With a deafening explosion, the door burst open, metal fragments clattering onto the pavement. Smoke curled into the night air as Julia stood there, looking way too pleased with herself.

"Hocus kaboken, the door is now broken~!!" she chimed, grinning from ear to ear.

"What the hell, woman?! Where did you even come from??!!!" Fern shouted, flinching from the blast.

"Ask your sister to tell you when you're older!" Julia smirked, hands on her hips.

Azumaru couldn't help but laugh at Fern’s baffled expression. "I'd rather not, thank you," Fern grumbled.

Before anyone could say more, Fern’s eyes flicked past Azumaru to someone behind him. Azumaru turned just in time to see a tall girl with long, eerily similar green hair approach. Unlike Fern, she carried an air of complete composure, her expression unreadable.

"What are you two doing here exactly?" Fern asked, his tone sharper now.

"Stopping the bad guys! Duhh!" Julia exclaimed.

The girl—Florinia, as Fern would soon introduce—spoke with robotic precision. "Recent police intelligence suggests multiple large-scale destructive operations are being coordinated from within this industrial facility."

Azumaru’s brain short-circuited at the sheer formality of the statement. "Bwah—??"

Fern groaned. "So unfortunately, that's my sister, Florinia."

"...You two are nothing alike. You're a lot more stupid, Leafy," Azumaru said bluntly.

"What?! How dar—"

"Continue what you were saying, Leaf," Oppa interrupted, their voice dangerously even.

Cage flinched at that. He could feel Oppa’s piercing gaze without even looking. It had the weight of something inescapable, something that dug into his very bones. He wasn't sure how long he could take it.

Fern hesitated, visibly unsettled, before scoffing. "Tch. As you can see, she's allergic to words with less than three syllables."

"No such allergen exists," Florinia replied coolly. "This speaker simply understands the importance of maximizing precision and efficiency of language through whatever vernacular is deemed most efficacious."

"Like I said... Some people call her 'Flobot' 'cause of that." Fern snickered.

"Well, I call her Rini, because she's not a Flobot!!" Julia huffed, pouting.

Azumaru nodded, grinning. "Rini sounds cute! I love it. Right, Oppa?"

"Yes, adorable." Oppa agreed.

Julia beamed. "Aha! She's a Rini through and through! And like she said—we got a report saying a group here is plotting to blow up more than just Grandview Station! Like the GYM! MY GYM!" Julia’s expression darkened. "The only one who's allowed to blow up my Gym is me!!!"

Cage wasn’t really listening. His mind was a storm of guilt and confusion, each thought pulling him in a different direction. Oppa’s grip on the chain had slackened, but its weight still clung to him—a quiet, damning reminder that he was bound. Owned. Every word they spoke—so calm, so offhanded, about destruction and breaking into lives like it meant nothing—made his gut twist. He’d stolen too, sure, but it was never like that. He had done it to survive. Not to destroy. Not to enjoy it. And yet, here he was, no different in their eyes. The chain told him as much.

"So I was on the money. As it happens, we were also just coming here to clean up the police's mess. Well, and those two's," Fern muttered, throwing an annoyed glance at Azumaru.

"HEY! It’s not our fault!" Azumaru pouted.

"Despite traditionally 'good' intentions, breaking and entering property without proper warrant and procedure remains punishable by law," Florinia stated matter-of-factly.

"Hey, Flobot, you ever heard of this thing? It's called 'not being a wet blanket'?" Fern grumbled.

"Rini is right! As average citizens, you could get in serious trouble for trying to barge in on private property unauthorized!" Julia added, momentarily serious.

A pause.

"...Luckily, we're both Gym leaders, so consider yourselves authorized! Now let's get in there and get to business!" Julia cheered, spinning back toward the entrance.

Florinia adjusted her glasses. "According to intelligence, this building belongs to a group known as 'Team Meteor.'"

Azumaru twitched at the name, a flicker of something dark in his expression. "Yeah... weird name."

"And why does everything have to be a 'Team' Something? Isn’t that just broadcasting to the world that they’re bad news? Duh-doy." Julia rolled her eyes.

"BUT they’re totally the same ones that blew up Grandview Station! And if we don’t get in here and boom their faces off, they’re gonna cause havoc! A practice I normally approve of—BUT NOT LIKE THIS!" she declared.

"Sooooo, all troops, move out!" With that, she bolted inside.

"Leave it to the Electric leader to steal our thunder... Whatever," Fern sighed, following after her. "Just try not to slow us down, you three."

Florinia trailed after him without another word.

Azumaru exhaled, shaking his head. "Wow, that was a lot." He glanced down, spotting an Ability Capsule near a trash can. "Oh, nice!" He pocketed it before turning back to Oppa. "You know, you could take the chain off Cage’s neck, right?"

Cage’s breath hitched. His head snapped up in disbelief. Was this it? Freedom?

Oppa considered it. "Sure."

Cage’s shoulders slumped as the chain was unfastened. But the collar remained. A silent reminder that even if the leash was gone, the ownership wasn’t.

"Now, let’s go!" Azumaru cheered, dashing inside.

Cage hesitated. Oppa turned their gaze on him, unreadable yet absolute. There was no escape. No chance of slipping away.

This wasn’t freedom. This was just a bigger cage.

With that sinking realization, Cage silently followed them inside.

Chapter Text

As they stepped into the building, a foul stench assaulted their senses.

"Ugh! This place smells absolutely awful!" Julia exclaimed, pinching her nose.

Florinia, unfazed, adjusted her glasses. "The wine-like hue in the water suggests extremely high pollutant levels. Estimated toxicity: 90% or more."

"So they’re polluting the lake and committing arson? Figures," Fern scoffed, crossing his arms. "These guys are definitely the bad guys. Are we actually going to do something, or are we just going to stand here whining?"

"Rather than being an active source of pollution, this facility seems to be gathering data on the water, and—"

Florinia’s explanation was abruptly cut off as the screens in front of them flickered and went black. The data that had filled them just moments ago vanished in an instant.

"Wait—where’d all the tiny words go?!" Julia shouted, pointing at the screens in disbelief.

"Data purge detected," Florinia stated flatly. "Hypothesis: Facility personnel have initiated a system shutdown to prevent the release of collected data."

Fern rolled his eyes. "Great. Let’s stop twiddling our thumbs and get moving. We don’t exactly have the luxury of stealth after someone blew the front door wide open."

"Blowing things up is fun!" Azumaru muttered under his breath.

"What, am I just supposed to NOT blow things up?" Julia huffed, hands on her hips. "Ridiculous!"

"The path ahead diverges," Florinia interrupted, already scanning the area. "The most efficient route for a thorough investigation is—"

Azumaru’s attention drifted as he blinked back to reality, realizing that Julia and Florinia had disappeared, leaving only Fern, Oppa, and Cage standing behind.

Fern scowled. Oppa remained as calm as ever, while Cage looked more traumatized than before, his face pale and eyes darting between Oppa and Azumaru, as if trying to decide which one was the bigger threat.

"...What just happened?" Azumaru asked, confusion clear in his voice.

"We split up," Oppa replied simply.

Fern huffed, flipping his hair over his shoulder. "Looks like it’s just you three and me. Come on, smile! You’re lucky to have me leading the way. Just try not to slow me down, alright?"

Azumaru rolled his eyes, but before he could retort, Fern had already moved on, heading down a long, dimly lit corridor. They followed, eventually reaching a door on the north side. With a deep breath, they stepped inside.

As they entered, they were greeted by more grunts—and even more polluted water.

"So, the esteemed guests have arrived!" A voice echoed from above. The moment Oppa heard it, his gaze snapped to the source. Azumaru and Cage followed his line of sight, spotting the man standing on a raised platform. He looked to be in his late twenties or early thirties, with long dark blue hair tied into a playful ponytail. Azumaru couldn’t help but admire the magician-like outfit he wore.

"I know they say you should knock before entering," the man continued, a laugh in his voice, "but I don’t think they meant for you to knock the door down completely!"

Azumaru had to admit, the man’s voice was captivating. It was a shame he was part of Team Meteor.

"Kind of you to announce your arrival, though! Not that it was really necessary—our little tip-off about the police finding this place gave us a heads-up already. But still, a nice touch!" The man spun around with an exaggerated flourish. "Gave us plenty of time to push a few buttons and—boop!"

He pressed a button, and the screens around them went completely black.

"Data’s out in the wild now. Bye-bye, data!" he cheered. "Oh, and the name’s Ace, by the way—first-rate agent, statistician, system admin, magician, and professional dead end for little vagrants like yourselves!"

Azumaru frowned at the insult but couldn’t resist leaning toward Fern with a grin. "Leaf boy, the magician’s talking about you," he whispered.

Fern shot him a glare, but Ace didn’t seem to notice.

Ace continued, his voice lighthearted yet sharp with irritation. "Honestly, I’m more steamed than a sauna about having to dump all this carefully collected information! Sure, it’s on the network, but still—feels like a waste!" He pouted dramatically before snapping upright. "How could you do this to me?"

"Sorry," Azumaru and Oppa chimed in unison, both grinning.

"And there was so much to delete too! These file transfers are all over the place—two hours remaining! No, wait—two minutes! Uh, nope, three hours?!" Ace grumbled, rubbing his temples. Then he suddenly flashed a sharp grin. "Anyway, if you could just stand right there—yes, right there, with those silly expressions and all—just a little longer, we’d be much obliged."

Azumaru chuckled again and nudged Fern. "He’s still talking about you, Leafy. Your expression is priceless."

Fern looked like he might explode.

Ace sighed, shaking his head. "I suspect you won’t, though. Grunts!" He clapped his hands together. "By the way, what a name. Isn’t that disrespectful? But hey, if you wanted to be called something else, you should’ve done better." His tone was light but his eyes gleamed with sharp amusement.

"Anyway, little grunts, let’s slow our guests down. Buy me enough time, and I’ll keep your wages coming for another day!"

With that, Ace turned his back, and the battle began.

As they fought their way through, Azumaru and Oppa dealt with the defeated grunts in their own way—Azumaru had Oppa drop some of them into the toxic water below, while others were spared with a calm nod from Oppa.

After the last battle, they managed to secure the elevator password: 3179.

Without a moment’s hesitation, they entered the elevator.

Chapter Text

"Looks like there are only two floors. Hit it, Azumaru," Fern said.

Azumaru pressed the "2F" button, and the elevator jolted upward, accelerating so fast it made his stomach lurch. The ride ended with a sharp bump, followed by a crackling robotic voice:

"Second floor—Now arrived."

Suddenly, the lights shut off. The doors didn’t open.

“…I think we’re trapped,” Azumaru muttered with a grin.

"Hey, what gives?!" Fern shouted, frustration in his voice.

A familiar, playful voice crackled through the speakers.

"Sorry, little wannabes!" Ace’s tone dripped with amusement. "I’m afraid the power’s been cut on your little hit-and-rescue operation! The 'trapped-in-a-box' trick gets ‘em every time!" He chuckled. "Be good little fledglings and stay put until the show’s over and we’ve dealt with your Gym Leader friends, will you?"

Azumaru’s admiration for the magician skyrocketed.

"…I wanna be like him… so cool," he whispered.

Oppa silently nodded in agreement.

"Like hell we will!" Fern snapped.

"Oh—awkward," Ace said with a smug hum. "Because, you see… you don’t actually have a choice in the matter."

Azumaru could practically see the smirk through the speaker.

"Cool," he murmured again, eyes sparkling.

"That was one of those rhetorical questions, by the way," Ace teased. "Don’t worry, little one. You’ll figure those out eventually."

That was definitely aimed at Fern.

"Now then! You three are obviously strapping young Trainers with a sense of justice and urgency. Normally this offer comes closer to the climax, buuuut..." He let the word stretch, his voice lifting. "Let’s just get it out of the way now!"

Azumaru leaned forward eagerly.

"Would you consider joining us?" Ace asked with full dramatic flair. "Our methods might not be popular—and that’s kind of the point, you know? But I promise this, little heroes: we’re the ones looking out for this region. We’ve got great insurance and a family plan! Give it a think, yeah?"

Azumaru’s eyes sparkled.

"HELL YE—"

"Let us out of here, and I’ll tell you exactly what I think!" Fern interrupted, completely missing the moment.

Azumaru slumped against Oppa with a tragic groan.

"I wanted to join..." he whimpered, wiping away fake tears.

Oppa wordlessly lifted Azumaru, gently patting his back like a baby.

Cage sighed. He silently pitied Fern.

"Mmmmmmm… NOPE!" Ace cackled.

The conversation continued, but Azumaru was too busy sulking to pay attention. The next thing he knew, the elevator doors opened—and there stood Ace, just a few feet away.

Azumaru quickly wiped his eyes, still clinging to Oppa as he watched his idol in action.

"Double drat!" Ace huffed. "One, I could take. Two’s a fair bout. But three’s a crowd~ And five is right out!" He stepped back with theatrical flair. "Haa~ Consider this a tactical—if temporary—retreat!"

With a smirk, he added, "The commander will have orders, I’m sure. TTFTT—ta-ta for the time! Please feel free to show yourselves out at your own leisure!"

The heavy metal door slammed shut behind him.

Azumaru sighed dreamily.

"So cool…" he whispered.

"Hey, get back here so I can blow your face off!!" Julia sprinted to the door, pounding her fists against it.

"Hah! What a coward," Fern scoffed.

Azumaru and Oppa turned in perfect sync to glare at him.

Cage silently prayed for Fern’s survival.

"Meteor Headquarters confirmed beyond this gate," Florinia stated, ever calm.

"Then it’s just a matter of opening it!" Julia said. "I’m sure Electrode could blow this up too, but I’m running low on Revives..." she sulked.

"This facility’s digital security system is substandard," Florinia continued. "The primary firewall has been accessed. Only a secondary one remains. A brute-force attack should suffice. Please hold."

Azumaru blinked.

"Brute force?" Julia tilted her head. "Rini, I don’t think we can just punch the door open."

"Buuuut," she added with a grin, "they did blow up the station, and were gonna hit my Gym too, right? I bet they’d let us borrow their boomies if we asked really nicely! ...And maybe punched them in the face!"

Her grin widened, manic and bright.

"Then ask nicely again! If we can get those, I can blow this place open no problem-o!"

"Azumaru, think you can find where they keep the explosives?" she asked.

"A facility map indicates a storage room behind a security lock on the northern wing," Florinia supplied.

"There! I knew it!" Julia cheered. "If you get those, we’re in!"

She mimed an explosion with her hands.

"Why is combustion your solution to every obstacle?" Florinia sighed.

"’Cause it’s fun for the whole family!" Julia beamed.

"…Indeed," Florinia murmured, shaking her head.

"Tch, whatever," Fern scoffed. "I’m not standing around while Flobot flirts with the mainframe."

"That’s the spirit!" Julia grinned. "Now shoo, shoo! Quick, Azumaru! To the boom-mobile!"

With that, Azumaru and Fern set off. Oppa and Cage stayed behind.

The storage room required a passcode—4862—and once inside, they defeated two grunts with ease.

Azumaru tied them up and stuffed them into his hat.

Fern blinked.

"What?" Azumaru shrugged. "It’s efficient."

Finally, they found the bombs—glowing green beauties.

Azumaru was ecstatic. He pocketed eight for himself, leaving Fern to carry the rest in a box. They returned to Julia with care.

The moment Oppa saw them, Xe gave Florinia a small nod.

Fern handed the box over, and Julia got to work—

"Wait, what do you mean access granted?!" she shrieked.

The door had opened on its own.

Florinia calmly walked through.

"But we were gonna… THE BOOMIES!" Julia wailed. "The majestic explosions! The heart-racing destruction...!" Her voice cracked with grief. "You can’t just do this to me, Rini! Rini!!!"

"Hah. Leave it to my sister to ruin everyone’s fun," Fern muttered. "Whatever. Let’s get moving."

Julia, still mourning the lost explosion, ran after Florinia. The rest followed.

Chapter Text

As they stepped into the next room, the air felt heavy—thick enough to choke. In front of them stood a man, exuding an effortless coolness, his expression unreadable. Julia wasted no time, venom lacing her voice as she pointed at him.

"You! Are you the one in charge here?"

The man smirked. "And if I am?"

"Then we’re gonna blow your face off for what you did to Grandview Station!" Julia snapped, fists clenched so tightly her knuckles turned white.

The man chuckled darkly, dismissive. "Amusing," he said, tilting his head slightly. "Tell me, what power do you think you have to do so? Two of you are League leaders—certainly a considerable obstacle, but hardly worth worrying about. The other two? Mere smoke in the wind."

Julia blinked, thrown off for a moment. "Wait, there are four of them?" she asked, pointing at her team.

The man nodded once. "One has no Pokémon. The other—what other?"

Oppa remained silent, their presence barely acknowledged. The commander’s eyes flickered toward them, but it was as if Oppa wasn’t there.

"The other ther—huh? Whatever! And just who do you think you are, anyway?!" Julia growled.

"You already know," the man said coolly. "We are Team Meteor. Though few realize it, we are the keepers of history—the true shepherds of this region."

Julia scoffed. "Some 'shepherds' you are! We already trashed your little base!"

Fern crossed his arms, smirking. "Yeah, bet you feel real stupid now, huh?"

The commander’s gaze shifted to Fern, the smirk deepening. "Pat yourselves on the back all you like, but we never had a reason to stop you. Like a toddler who kicks, screams, and cries before tiring out, you've been allowed to do as you please."

Fern’s smirk faltered. Azumaru, however, was intrigued. This guy had a way with words.

"Our purpose here was already forfeit," the commander continued, his voice calm, detached. "Your city has been under surveillance for quite some time."

Ace, standing beside him, grinned. "We’ve got metrics on everything—water quality, Pokémon population, the lives of every single person here! If it exists, we know about it!" He turned to face the group again, still grinning. "And just like that, everything’s off the system!"

"We overestimated you," the commander admitted, a hint of annoyance creeping into his tone. "Time was ample. I grow tired of this little dalliance. Aster."

"Yes, boss!" A young man stepped forward.

"Eclipse."

"Yeah?"

"Deal with the small fries."

The battle erupted quickly, violently. Azumaru and Fern fought fiercely, but it was clear they were being tested, measured. Julia and Florinia clashed with the commander and Ace, the battle dragging on for nearly half an hour. When the dust finally settled, Aster and Eclipse were the first to fall. The commander sighed, disappointment evident.

"Tch. You two lost already? Can't you do anything right?" His words cut sharp. "Those two aren’t even that strong, but all four of you together... well, it was an amusing diversion."

"Ace."

"One smokescreen evacuation coming right up, Commander! The disappearing act is a staple of any magician~ Now you see us—"

With a puff of smoke, they were gone.

"Now you don’t!" the commander’s final words rang out as they disappeared into the smoke. "Do not mistake this for victory. You will be remembered, enemies of the region."

Julia let out a breath. "...Are they gone?"

"Affirmative," Florinia confirmed.

Fern, slightly shaken, quickly straightened up, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Heh. Sent 'em packing with their tails between their legs. No big deal."

Julia smirked. "Now let’s see... mhm, mhm... Got it! Okay, you all should start running now!"

Oppa, already lifting Azumaru and grabbing Cage’s hand, slowly backed away.

"What did you do now?" Fern asked, rolling his eyes.

Julia’s smirk widened. "Kaaaaaaaaaaaa—"

"Oh, shit! Let’s move!" Fern bolted.

Oppa decided the elevator was too slow. With a gleeful laugh, they leapt off the railing, holding both Cage and Azumaru.

"WEEEEEEE HAHAHAHA!" Azumaru cackled in delight, while Cage let out a terrified scream.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU GUYS DOING?!" Fern yelled, but before he could react, Julia grabbed him and Florinia, jumping after the others.

The explosion shook the ground, and the entire building collapsed behind them. Julia cheered. "That’s a wrap! Go team!"

Fern, still pale, waved a hand dismissively. "Yeah, yeah. Unlike Azumaru, I actually have things to do. Later." He walked off, his legs wobbling beneath him.

Back at the house...

Azumaru collapsed into a chair with a dramatic sigh. "YIPPEEEE, WE’RE BACK!"

His hat flew to the floor—and out tumbled two groaning figures.

“Ouch—”

Azumaru blinked. “Oh, oops. Forgot they were in there.”

Ron and Jamie writhed on the wooden floor, blinking against the warm light of the house. As they tried to sit up, they froze—the shadow of a hulking Grimmsnarl falling over them.

The monster’s deep growl rumbled in its throat.

“Cookie!” Azumaru squealed, leaping forward to hug the creature around its thick arms.

Oppa, calmly arranging plates in the kitchen, didn’t even look over. “Cage. Untie them.”

Cage, seated nearby, stood with a glance and sliced the ropes loose. The two grunts rubbed their wrists, disoriented, barely able to process the sudden shift from chaos to... domesticity.

Then Oppa turned.

Their voice was smooth, velvet dripping with quiet intent. “Azumaru, how do you feel about servants?”

Azumaru grinned so wide it almost split his cheeks. “HECK YEAH!”

The two grunts paled.

Two hours later.

The basement was dark. Still. The only sound was the faint drip... drip of something wet hitting the floor.

Oppa crouched before the grunts, long sleeves trailing in the red puddles beneath them. Their smile was gentle. Calm. Terrifying.

“So,” they whispered sweetly, “how about becoming servants again?”

Ron’s mouth trembled. “Y-yes, Master…”

“S-sorry, Master,” Jamie added, voice breaking, head bowed so low his forehead pressed to the cold ground.

Cage stood off to the side, arms crossed. He had seen men cry, beg, even grovel. But this… this was not defeat.

This was worship.

This was the aftermath of something deeper.

Two hours ago.

The basement was quiet. Too quiet.

A single, flickering bulb cast swaying shadows along concrete walls splattered with something red—fresh and sticky. The air was heavy with the stench of iron, sweat, and something fouler. In the center of the room, Ron and Jamie hung suspended by their wrists, ropes digging into torn skin. Their feet barely brushed the floor.

Oppa stood before them, barefoot, humming a lullaby with no melody. Their oversized sweater was stained at the hem—faded pink mixed with dark rust. Their expression was soft, dreamy even, as though lost in a pleasant daydream. One eye sparkled black and warm. The other glowed faintly, pulsing like a heartbeat.

"You’re very lucky, you know," they said, gently brushing bloodied hair from Jamie’s forehead. "I don’t usually get this bored. Or this generous."

A twitch of fingers. A whip curled in the air like a lover's caress before cracking across Jamie’s back. The grunt screamed, throat hoarse. Ron writhed next to him, tears falling freely.

Oppa giggled. “Let’s start over. I want to try something new this time.”

Xe reached into his bag—his hat’s jagged mouth opening unnaturally wide—and pulled out a glass syringe filled with glowing, sickly green liquid. Without warning, they jabbed it into Ron’s neck.

Ron spasmed violently, veins lighting up as the healing agent surged through his body, knitting torn flesh. He gasped, alive again.

And then the knife returned.

Oppa cut slowly, deliberately, humming again. Xe whispered soft apologies with each slice—apologies that grew more loving, more twisted. "Sorry, my sweet. I just want to know what color your soul is."

Xe did it again.

And again.

Xe healed them. Hurt them. Then healed them again. Until their bodies forgot what it meant to rest. Until their pain became a cycle, a rhythm, a lullaby they couldn't escape.

"You're scared," Oppa murmured, crouching eye-level with Jamie, who now only sobbed quietly. "But you’ll see. I’m the only thing that can fix you."

Xe cupped Jamie’s face with bloodstained hands. "The world threw you away. I picked you up. Doesn’t that mean something?"

Jamie couldn’t speak. Couldn’t think.

So Oppa leaned in and kissed his forehead.

Then xe turned to Ron. “Tell me you love me.”

"N-no…"

Oppa smiled kindly. Then drove a nail through Ron’s hand.

The scream was cut off by a hand gently cupping his chin.

“Say it.”

"I—I l-love y-you…”

“Good boy.”

And xe healed him.

Again.

And again.

Until the pain no longer shocked, but comforted. Until each scream was followed by a desperate gasp, not for air—but for Oppa. Until Ron and Jamie stared at Oppa like xe was the only star left in a black sky.

Back in the present.

Back upstairs, Ron and Jamie sat at the dining table. They were clean now. Dressed. Bandaged. Restored.

Their backs were too straight. Their eyes too empty. Every movement was too precise, like puppets waiting for a string to be pulled.

Cage observed in silence. Their food was untouched.

Ron trembled as he lifted a fork, only to drop it when Oppa passed behind him. He flinched, then whispered, “I’m sorry, Master,” without being told to.

Jamie smiled quietly to himself. His hands were folded in his lap.

Azumaru beamed as he skipped around the house, now trying to fish in the bathtub.

“Let’s go fishing!” he shouted.

Oppa passed by his Grimmsnarl, who stood sentinel by the door.

“Rasheel,” Xe said softly, “guard the house.”

The beast growled in understanding.

Ron and Jamie didn’t move.

“Let us serve,” Jamie whispered, his voice barely audible, reverent.

Cage turned to them slowly, his eyes narrowing as he studied their hollow expressions.

“You two…” he murmured, a chill creeping up his spine. “What did xe do to you?”

Ron lifted his gaze, his eyes wide, empty.

“they saved us,” he said, voice distant.

Jamie nodded, a slow, deliberate motion. “We belong to them now.”

Cage stood there, frozen for a moment, the words hanging in the air. Something cold, yet strangely warm, crawled up his spine. He hadn’t been touched. Hadn’t been chosen.

But maybe… maybe that meant something. Maybe it was better that way.

Maybe he was special.

Maybe Oppa loved him already.

His fists clenched, heart hammering in his chest.

He looked again at the two broken husks across from him, and there was no pity in his gaze. No sympathy. Only jealousy.

And something else. Something darker. Something that made his stomach churn and his breath quicken.

Cage’s eyes followed Oppa as they floated out the door behind Azumaru, steps light, the soft swish of their oversized sweater a lingering trace of their presence. Their braid danced behind them like a ghost in the moonlight.

Inside the house, behind the door… Ron and Jamie whispered again.

To the only god they had left.

“Oppa…”

Chapter Text

Azumaru and Oppa walked back down the rails, heading toward the fisherman. As they passed the doctor’s area, only two people remained—but something about them was different.

"Can you stop shaking?" the doctor asked, his calm voice immediately drawing Oppa’s attention. Azumaru smirked, amused by how captivated his friend seemed.

"I—I’m sorry," the woman in front of him stammered. "It just hurts... And I feel just a little panicky after being in, like, an entire trainwreck..."

"It is an understandable anxiety," the doctor said smoothly. "Hold still. I will give you two tonics—one for the pain, one to calm your nerves."

Azumaru glanced at Oppa and could practically see the hearts in their eyes, even though he knew only one of them could truly shine.

"Is that really safe?" the woman asked hesitantly.

Azumaru almost felt offended on the doctor’s behalf. How dare she question him?

"It is safe," the doctor reassured her. "I created both myself. Neither is suitable for long-term use, but if the need arose, I would not hesitate to use them on either myself or my daughter."

Oppa stiffened. Azumaru felt the tension roll off them in waves.

"I told you he had a kid!" Azumaru whispered excitedly, shifting slightly in Oppa’s arms. He had insisted on being carried since his legs got tired.

Oppa didn’t reply. their fake eye glowed faintly, and for a moment, the sky seemed to tremble.

"Roze, calm down," Azumaru begged.

"...Sorry," Oppa muttered, dimming their energy.

"The city, too, has decreed that my medicine is beneficial enough to request my service here. Does this ease your concerns?" the doctor asked, fixing the woman with a steady gaze.

"Y—yeah… sorry," she mumbled. "It’s just... you kind of give off a scary vibe, you know?"

Azumaru scoffed. He knew Oppa was offended on the doctor’s behalf—and so was he. The doctor looked refined, spoke gently, and was nothing but professional. And yet this woman was scared? Pathetic.

"This is not the first time I’ve been told that," the doctor said simply. "It will not be the last. I lost my capacity for a cheerful expression long ago. It was taken from me."

Azumaru grinned. "Oppa, you could get it back for him!" he teased smugly.

Oppa immediately looked away. "Shut up."

Azumaru beamed with pride at his work.

"Those who can still smile should enjoy doing so," the doctor continued, "as long as it is not in delusion."

Oppa nodded, solemnly agreeing. It was funny—Oppa rarely smiled. But Azumaru always figured it was simply because he didn’t want to.

"Um…" The woman’s voice pulled him from his thoughts.

"It seems my stock of painkillers is running low," the doctor noted. "No matter. This last one will be enough for the remaining patients."

"Wait, that’s the last one?" a new voice cut in.

Azumaru turned to see a man stepping forward.

"Shit, no way I’m waiting for it to get used up, then. Move!"

Before anyone could react, the man shoved the woman aside, snatched the medicine from the doctor’s hand, and bolted.

"Ow! Hey!" the woman yelped as she hit the ground.

"I’ll be taking this, pops. Thanks!" the thief sneered, brushing past Oppa.

Big mistake.

"Are you hurt worse?" the doctor asked the woman, unbothered as Oppa gently helped her up, setting Azumaru on theirs shoulders.

"He shoved me pretty hard, but it shouldn’t be too—ow!" she winced. Clearly, the pain was worse than she let on.

"Come. I can still treat you," the doctor said.

Oppa helped her sit on a sizable rock.

"Trainer," the doctor turned to Oppa, his voice steady. "I cannot leave this patient. If you have any inclination of goodwill, I ask you to recover my medical supplies. Time is a key factor—act fast, or it will be too late."

Oppa handed Azumaru to the doctor. "Watch him for me. Please." His voice was cold, sharp. Then, without another word, he turned and sprinted in the direction of the thief.

The doctor held Azumaru securely.

"You’re really kind, you know," Azumaru said thoughtfully, making the doctor pause.

"You are quite brave, young one," the doctor replied. "What is your name?"

Azumaru’s face lit up. "Azumaru Ka'Bue!!" he announced proudly.

"Pleasure to meet you, young Azumaru. You may call me—"

"NO!" Azumaru suddenly clamped his hands over his ears. "Wait! I wanna hear your name with Oppa!"

The doctor tilted his head slightly, intrigued. "Oppa?"

"Your name sounds Alolan, but you just used a word from the Torren Region. Is he your older brother?"

"Nope! But we’re very close! Hehehe~" Azumaru grinned mischievously.

The doctor hummed in amusement.

And so, they waited.

Chapter Text

The thief sprinted through the darkened alleyways of the city, the stolen medicine clutched so tightly in his fist that his knuckles turned white. He glanced back once, twice—no one was following him.

“Tch. That old man should’ve just handed it over from the start,” he muttered, slowing his pace.

Then, the air shifted.

A whisper in the wind. A chill that prickled along his spine. The alleyway stretched longer than it should have, the buildings on either side bending inward as if watching him. The shadows curled unnaturally, their edges too sharp, too deliberate.

Had he taken a wrong turn?

No, that wasn’t possible. He had memorized these streets. But the city around him had twisted, its architecture warping into something grotesque, something wrong.

The thief stopped dead in his tracks.

Before him yawned an abyss. The cobbled street crumbled, swallowed by an endless void that pulsed with a sickly red glow. The buildings around him twisted at impossible angles, reaching toward a swirling sky of deep black and crimson, the stars above writhing like living things.

His breath hitched. “W-What the hell...?”

A slow, deliberate sound echoed behind him—

Footsteps.

He whipped around, every muscle tensed. “Who’s there?! Show yourself, you bastard!”

The figure that emerged from the darkness was impossibly still. His long rose-pink hair drifted, as though caught in an unseen current, and his black eyes bore down with an eerie calmness. But it was the other eye that made the thief’s stomach churn.

It glowed.

A soft, rhythmic pulse, slow at first—then syncing with his own heartbeat.

Thump. Thump.

The light from it coiled and slithered like something alive, something aware. The thief’s throat dried as a whisper slithered through the air, not in his ears, but inside his skull.

Found you.

The world lurched.

The ground beneath him vanished.

He plummeted into the void, the city gone, replaced by endless, churning darkness. His scream was swallowed by the abyss. Then—SLAM.

He hit solid ground.

Pain seared through his limbs, but he forced himself to move, gasping for breath. The world around him was silent—a suffocating, unnatural quiet. No wind. No distant city sounds. Just an endless wasteland of shifting black mist, tendrils of shadow curling like grasping fingers.

And Oppa stood there.

Watching.

The thief scrambled back. “Wh-What the hell did you do?!”

Oppa did not answer. It's glowing eye pulsed again.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

The thief blinked—and suddenly, he was in a cage.

His wrists were bound. His body ached with wounds he didn’t remember getting. A massive figure loomed before him, its form shifting, flickering—faceless, yet staring. A whip cracked in the air, and a blistering heat ripped across his back.

He screamed.

Then he was drowning—icy water filling his lungs, darkness pressing in from all sides. Then he was burning alive, flames crawling up his skin, his flesh blistering. Then he was buried beneath an avalanche of stone, his ribs crushing, his breath stolen.

Pain.

Unrelenting, inescapable pain.

His fingers snapped backward at unnatural angles. His skin peeled from his bones. His eyes were plucked out, yet somehow, he saw everything.

And through it all—Oppa watched.

Still. Unmoving. Waiting.

The thief sobbed, his mind fracturing, his sanity shredding as the agony continued, looping over and over in a kaleidoscope of suffering. No end. No mercy.

“STOP! STOP IT! PLEASE!”

Oppa blinked.

The world snapped back.

The thief collapsed onto the damp alley floor, his body trembling violently. He was back. The city surrounded him once more. The stolen medicine was still clutched in his hands.

But the pain—it lingered.

His bones remembered breaking. His lungs remembered drowning. His flesh remembered burning.

He looked up through tear-blurred vision. Oppa was crouching in front of him, that pulsing eye still watching.

“You’re going to give it back,” Oppa said softly, it's voice devoid of emotion.

The thief choked on a sob. “Y-Yeah—yeah! I’ll—I’ll take it back! I swear!”

Oppa didn’t move. Didn’t threaten. Didn’t speak.

Just watched.

Scrambling to his feet, the thief bolted. He didn’t care how stupid he looked, tripping over himself as he ran as fast as his shaking legs could carry him.

Anything—anything—to get away from that thing.

Chapter Text

The walk back was quiet.

Oppa liked the silence. It felt soft, like snowfall inside his head. But something in that stillness felt missing—like a note in a song he couldn’t hear anymore. He didn’t remember why he missed Azumaru’s voice so much. He never did.

"I should remember."

But the thought sank, heavy and useless.

Then the silence shattered.

"OPPAAA, YOU'RE BACK! The thief came back and gave the doctor the healing tools!"

Azumaru’s voice hit like light through murky glass. Oppa didn’t brace himself—he never had to. Azumaru collided with him, arms thrown around his neck, and Oppa’s arms caught him before he could even think.

"Good."

He said it aloud, but it rang empty. He was happy. He *knew* he was. It was a sensation stitched into him—one he didn’t understand, but followed anyway.

Every time he saw Azumaru again, no matter how brief the time apart, there was a sensation in his chest like his lungs forgot how to breathe. Relief. Overwhelming. Crushing.

Why?

Ba-dump. Ba-dump.

His heartbeat slowed. The false eye behind his bangs pulsed to match. Then—

—it stopped.

His gaze drifted, head tilting slightly. The doctor stood nearby, observing. Calm. Controlled. But Oppa’s stomach turned with something ancient and raw.

I know him.

The thought was too strong to be a mistake, but too distant to hold. Like smoke curling through his fingers.

His eye throbbed.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

It wasn’t just a pulse—it was a pressure, deep and wrong. The kind that curled claws around the back of his skull. He barely reacted. Pain was normal. Pain was nothing new.

The doctor finally spoke.

"As young Azumaru said, our culprit forfeited the stolen goods after all. I understand that was your work. It was acceptably done."

Heat spread behind his left eye, burrowing like a worm.

It always got worse when he felt *seen.*

He didn’t know why the praise mattered. But it did. The way the voice sounded—the tone, the shape of the words—it mattered too much. He said nothing. Just stood there as the heat grew sharp. Blood might’ve been slipping from the corner, but he didn’t care.

"You have both my gratitude, and that of our last remaining patient. Along with it, an introduction. You may call me Corey."

Corey.

The name hit like a hammer wrapped in velvet—soft, then crushing. His thoughts stumbled. Something twisted deep inside him, deeper than thought, deeper than memory.

I know that name.

But when he searched for the truth, there was nothing. Just silence. Just the soft sound of bleeding.

His eye burned hotter.

And the thing inside him stirred.

It wasn’t just pain now. It was hunger. A gnawing, starved ache at the edges of thought. It writhed like it wanted to break out. Like it wanted to remember more than he did. Like it *hated* being forgotten.

He adjusted the fall of his hair, letting it cover the worst of the red spill down his cheek. The warmth slicked down his face, soaking into his collar. But he didn’t move.

It was fine.

The thing inside him whispered again.

"It is regrettable, the circumstances that required us to gather here to treat the injured," Corey continued. "To reduce the influx while allowing departure... to disrupt a necessary supply chain... To remove a lynchpin in the fabric of the city… How many excuses will be used to justify a tragedy that claimed the lives of so many, I wonder?"

Oppa blinked slowly.

He didn’t wonder for long. The world broke. People broke. That was just how things were.

But Corey... Corey *felt.*

Even with all his distance, Oppa could see it—the sorrow leaking between the cracks of his words. The weight in his shoulders. The hollow in his gaze.

He’s sad.

The thought hovered, foreign and unwelcome. Oppa didn’t care about most people’s feelings. But Corey’s sorrow bothered him.

Why?

"... Incidentally, you two were also on that train, were you not?"

Oppa nodded when Azumaru did, like a shadow mimicking light.

"And yet here you are, standing on the other side of that service line. Do continue to carry yourself with respect. There is much that will require decisive action and strong presence of will in the coming days. Until next time we meet."

Corey bowed slightly and walked away.

Oppa watched him go, chest tightening in a rhythm he couldn’t name. His heart pounded too fast now. The eye throbbed again, and red bled into the edge of his vision.

Drip. Drip.

He felt it slide across his skin, warm and wet. He didn’t move.

"Ah."

Azumaru stirred against him.

"Oppa! Your eye is bleeding again!!"

Panic—real panic—in his voice.

Oppa tilted his head, expression barely shifting.

"It’s fine," he murmured. "It’s just heating up."

Azumaru paused, then nodded.

He always did.

He always believed him.

Oppa had never understood why.

The whisper in his mind curled tighter, almost singing.

Azumaru pulled back and beamed up at him.

"Oppa! Onwards to the fishy guy!"

He pointed, and Oppa followed without hesitation.

Like a dog on a leash he couldn’t see. Like something trained to obey.

And inside his skull, something laughed.

Chapter Text

The two entered the dim house, the air stale and heavy with brine. A man stood near the back, arms crossed, face weathered and vaguely annoyed—probably the one they were looking for.

“Mister!” Azumaru bounded up to him, his voice bright with innocent energy.

The man barely looked his way. “What do you want, kid? I’ve got nothing to give you. Unlike the guy behind you…” His gaze slid to Oppa, narrowing. “I can give *him* a battle. That why you’re here, pretty boy? Move the brat if you don’t want him hurt.”

Azumaru flinched, cheeks puffing. “I’m *fifteen*, you jerk! And I *do* want a fight!”

The man snorted. “Sure you are. You don’t even look like you’ve hit ten. Go play with a plushie or something.”

“I *AM FIFTEEN!*” Azumaru shouted, punching him hard in the arm. “You’re the one who looks like moldy bread!”

“Ow! You little—!”

The man swung out without thinking, but he never landed the blow.

Oppa moved without sound, as if gliding. In one hand, he caught the man’s wrist; in the other, he gently lifted Azumaru by the back of his hoodie, pulling him close. His grip was deceptively light, but his fingers sank into the man’s skin like iron.

“Do not strike children,” he said softly. No anger in his voice. Just stillness. “Especially when I’m watching.”

The man froze. Oppa wasn’t glaring—but something in his gaze felt *wrong*. Like staring into a mirror that didn’t reflect your soul. He quickly yanked his hand back.

Azumaru giggled under his breath. People always acted tough until Oppa touched them. Then they turned into statues.

“Azumaru,” Oppa murmured, not loosening his hold, “Next time, just show him your ID. You’re a trainer now.”

That tone. Too gentle. Azumaru shivered, the corners of his mouth twitching down. “Yes, Oppa. I forgot. Sorry.”

He turned back quickly. “Mister, if I show you my Trainer Card, will you fight me?”

The man muttered under his breath but nodded. “Fine. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

The battle wasn’t long. Azumaru’s eyes lit up the way they always did during a fight—glassy with excitement, a little wild. When it ended, the man whistled low. “You’ve got fire in you, kid. Alright, alright—you win. Go on through. Hope you’ve got a rod.”

“Hah!” Azumaru grinned triumphantly. “Sucks to be a jerk, huh?”

Oppa didn’t laugh, but his hand lingered on Azumaru’s head for a beat longer than usual as they passed.

The next room held a wide, glowing pool, gentle waves rippling across the surface. Strange Pokémon flickered beneath the water, gleaming shapes vanishing too quickly to catch.

Azumaru peered in and pouted. “No Magikarp…”

Oppa, wordless as ever, stooped and picked up something at the edge of the room—a Sea Incense. He held it out, and Azumaru took it carefully.

“Thanks, Oppa…” Azumaru’s voice softened. “We should head back. It’s late. We still need to clean your eye again.”

Oppa didn’t answer. He never did, not when it was about himself. But he followed when Azumaru tugged at his sleeve.

“It’s already bleeding again, you know,” Azumaru muttered as they walked. “I mean, it always does—every time we go somewhere new—but it’s only the second day. You didn’t even get in a proper fight yet…”

Oppa remained quiet, but his fingers brushed gently against the back of Azumaru’s head, a silent reassurance. His eye burned, blood soaking slowly into his collar, but none of that mattered. Not when Azumaru was still talking. Still here. Still leading him forward.

And somewhere, deep in the marrow of his skull, the thing nestled behind his fake eye listened too—quiet, hungry, and smiling.

Chapter Text

“We’re back!” Azumaru called as he pushed open the door, his voice bright and eager.

The scent of warm spices drifted through the room, wrapping around them like a soft blanket. Inside, the once-dreary hideout had transformed. Cage was placing utensils on the table with quiet precision, Ron swept diligently along the edges of the room, and Jamie stirred a large pot while Cookie handed him ingredients. The Pokémon played nearby, the oldest—Zigzagoon—dozing curled up at the corner of the room, safe and content.

“Mmm, something smells amazing,” Azumaru said as he kicked off his shoes and rushed toward the kitchen. “What’re you guys making?”

“S-Spore Mushroom Curry, young master,” Jamie answered, his voice gentle, eyes flicking up to Azumaru’s face, then quickly away again.

Azumaru grinned. “That’s perfect! Jamie, that smells incredible. You’re a really good cook!”

Jamie blinked. A pause. Then the faintest of smiles bloomed across his face. “Thank you… young master.”

“Grimm,” Cookie grunted in his usual tone, placing down two glasses of Moomoo Milk at the table—one for Azumaru, the other for Ron.

“Snarll,” he added as he handed out bowls for the Pokémon, then poured a separate dish of creamy chowder for Zigzagoon, who stirred slightly at the smell.

Meanwhile, Oppa had walked past the kitchen and collapsed onto the sofa without a word, pulling off his hat and reaching inside to grab a roll of bandages. A line of blood trailed from his left eye down his pale cheek, staining the edge of his jaw.

Azumaru followed quietly, crouching beside him and pulling out a soft cloth from his pocket. “Hey, lemme help,” he offered, gently dabbing away the blood with care. “You’re bleeding a lot again.”

Oppa said nothing at first, letting Azumaru work. His eye was blank, lips slightly parted in thought. “…It won’t stop this time,” he murmured. “It doesn’t hurt. Just messy.”

“Well, you still shouldn’t bleed all over the furniture,” Azumaru replied with a half-smile, winding a new bandage gently around Oppa’s head, fingers deft and practiced. “Let’s keep it clean, okay?”

From the corner of the room, Cage had frozen mid-step. “Ah…!” He covered his mouth, his gaze locked on the crimson soaking through Oppa’s old bandage.

“Scared?” Oppa asked flatly, not even turning his head.

Cage flinched. “I-I… no, sir, just… surprised.”

Azumaru looked up, frowning. “Cage, you’ve seen worse, haven’t you?”

“…I thought I had,” Cage admitted, forcing himself to breathe normally. “But I guess I’m still getting used to all this.”

“You’ll get used to Oppa bleeding. It happens a lot,” Azumaru said cheerfully, as if discussing the weather.

“...Right.”

Oppa stared at him for a moment longer, then gave a faint nod. “Good boy.”

Cage blinked, the words catching him off-guard. A faint warmth spread across his face as he turned back to his task with renewed energy.

By the time the food was done, the group had settled into something that looked suspiciously like domestic bliss. Plates were passed out, Pokémon fed, and everyone sat together, the small table crowded but not cramped. Azumaru sat beside Oppa, who leaned against the couch with his food in hand, a clean bandage now wrapped around his head.

“Mmm—Jamie, this is amazing! You really outdid yourself,” Azumaru said, cheeks full of curry.

Jamie turned pink instantly. “Ah—thank you, young master…”

“You should meet my Ma sometime. She’d love this. She could even teach you some secret stuff.”

Jamie smiled shyly. “That sounds… nice.”

Oppa sipped from his bowl, glancing around. “Ron,” he said.

Ron looked up with a jolt. “Y-yes, master?”

“You cleaned well today.”

Ron’s eyes widened. For a moment, he just stared at Oppa, the corners of his eyes prickling with tears. Then he lowered his head. “Thank you, master,” he whispered, voice trembling with something like gratitude.

“And Cage. The table’s neat.”

Cage snapped to attention, eyes wide. “Th-thank you, master!”

Azumaru watched the interaction with quiet interest. Oppa didn’t give compliments lightly, and when he did, it wasn’t just reward—it was ownership. And they responded to it. Each word he gave them, each order, each glance, it was sinking in. They were all falling for him in their own quiet, broken ways.

“So,” Azumaru began casually between bites, “how’d you two end up in Team Meteor anyway?”

Jamie glanced at Ron, who nodded silently for him to go ahead.

“We joined because it felt like… family,” Jamie said. “At first, it was good. They treated us well. Then someone new came, and things changed. We don’t know much more. We were just grunts.”

Oppa hummed. “Then the Hoenn Plan’s over.”

Azumaru groaned dramatically. “Booo! That was the *fun* one! It barely had any casualties!”

“You complained less when we dropped Kanto,” Oppa pointed out, stealing a bite of Azumaru’s food without warning.

“Kanto was boring! Rockets had no style! At least Aqua and Magma were dramatic. You even fell in lo—”

“I *did not*,” Oppa interrupted sharply, face immediately coloring with a flush. It was the heat of the fake eye—probably.

Azumaru smirked. “You’re blushing, Oppa~”

“No, I’m overheating. Shut it.”

Jamie and Cage gasped. “In love?!”

Oppa growled under his breath. “No!! I wasn’t!”

Azumaru burst into laughter, the sound filling the room with a lightness it hadn’t known in years.

Once dinner was over, Oppa gathered the dishes silently.

“Ah! Master, I’ll wash—” Cage began.

“Shut up,” Oppa said, not unkindly. “You’re going to bed. Now.”

“Yes, sir.”

Azumaru bounced over to the large open space near the sofa, pulling out a mattress from his hat and spreading it with practiced flair. He added more pillows than necessary, humming all the while.

“Hmm… we need a bigger place soon,” Azumaru commented, flopping onto his back with a grin. “Especially if we’re keeping this family.”

Oppa paused in the kitchen, his expression unreadable. “…Family?”

Azumaru nodded. “Mhm. We’re keeping them. That means they come with us to other regions, yeah? Like back home?”

“…Yeah,” Oppa said quietly.

“YESSS!!” Azumaru shouted, launching himself up and throwing his arms around Oppa.

Ron, who had been quietly drying a bowl, stopped. His hands trembled slightly. “Family…?” he echoed, almost to himself. His throat tightened as he quickly wiped his eyes before anyone noticed.

Cage, who had been adjusting the pillows for the younger Pokémon, froze. Then he nodded to himself once and resumed his task, slower, gentler.

Jamie worked beside Azumaru, setting out the last blankets, his movements a little more confident than before.

The mattress was big enough for everyone. As the night drew in, they all curled together on the floor—humans, Pokémon, and something in between.

Azumaru let out a soft sigh as he pulled a blanket up to his chin.

This was fun.