Like No One Ever Was (Pokemon SI)

[Lillie Jones]

thanks for the chapter

 

[Skyfyre]

Spoiler: Patreons

Thank you so much for the support of my 31 Beginner Tier Patreons and an extra special thanks to Ace Tier supporters, RageLord and Nodal_Gravity!

Blearily, I opened my eyes, feeling like hell. Ugh, what happened- oh, yeah. That. The memories of my clash with the Paradox Pokemon hit me like the loss of Aura. Which was currently making me feel incredibly sluggish and weak.

"She's awake!" A female voice called out, and straining my body to turn, I saw Buffy's face above me. After a second, I realized that was because she was carrying me, easily hefting me in her buff arms. Oh wow.

"You don't have to wake the rest of us up then," Zedd faux-complained. Despite his words, I heard how quickly he shuffled over and saw the worry in his tired face as I wrenched my head over that way.

"Sorry for worrying you. Is the Iron Moth-"

"Bzzt, they are still safely secured. The Rangers have attached a restraining device to the Pokeball to ensure it doesn't try to break out for the time being." Miles floated up and helpfully addressed me. Glancing down at my belt, I saw all my Pokeballs all sitting there, with the newest one with a small circular device attached to the back of it. Four thin wire chains stretched out from it to the center button.

"Iron Moth, cute name," Buffy said cheerfully, and I shook off a small blush.

"Ah, not my choice, blame Heath." That brought them to a stop. Or perhaps it's the fact that we've reached a hospital. The building loomed overhead, and I attempted to extricate myself from Buffy's grip.

"I'm fine, guys, just tired." Trying to stand took a bit more effort than I thought; however, my legs wobbled and had me leaning against Buffy for support the moment I touched down. Sighing, I resigned myself as she picked me up again.

"Guess that 'woosh' took a lot out of you, huh?" Zedd commented. "And who's Heath?"

"Professor Heath? The guy who wrote the Violet Book. Oh, you haven't read it, have you?" It is considered a rather obscure book.

"Ohh, I thought that 'Iron Moth' looked like a UFO I read about in a magazine," Buffy cheerfully provided, scooping me back up again. They walked into the building proper, a quick flash of their badges at the front desk getting me checked into the hospital rapidly.

It turned out I wasn't just dealing with tiredness but also had several tiny shards of glass embedded in me. Thankfully none of them deep and some careful application of the doctor's Grumpig Psychic powers highlighted all of the shards still stuck in me and let him carefully pull each one out.

The Rangers got looked at as well, and they actually seemed worse off than I was, with a few burns they'd been covering up and some toxins in their system. Nothing serious, and they'd already administered some first aid like Antidotes to themselves, but the doctors warned them to take it easy.

I only barely overheard that from the other room, lying down in a hospital bed, still too tired to really get up and move. Everything feels so muffled, like I'm blind and deaf. I hadn't realized how much I relied on Aura every day, and now drained, I was forcing myself to not use any and hopefully speed up my recovery.

Left alone with my thoughts, I took the time to gather myself mentally, or at least attempt to. This is bad. Or at least, I think it is? How long in the game canon was Iron Treads active? Probably a while… but I don't think six years. Though that's based on nothing - given how remote the desert is, I suppose it's entirely possible that a Paradox Pokemon could escape and hang out there for six years. Of course, further questions would be raised about why only that one escaped… argh.

"Miles, could you send a message to my parents letting them know what happened? Uh, sanitized, of course." They looked at me from where they floated by my side, plasmic eyes scrunched together in thought. "Just mention that I assisted some Rangers in subduing a wild Pokemon and got a few cuts but am otherwise fine."

I won't hide such events from them any more, but I don't need to get into the details and worry them further about 'what could have been' with things like mentioning how much the Rangers got hurt. That kind of stuff doesn't matter. Even as I thought that, my eyes drifted down to the locked Pokeball on my bedside table.

"I'm going to need some help handling that one," I said more to myself than Miles. Paradox Pokemon are really cool, but this was a clear sign of the dangers they represent. And of how I need to step up my plan. I thought… I thought I had more time.

Groaning, I said without thinking, "I'm going to have to talk to the Professor about this." I hadn't expected a response, but one came anyway from Buffy as she opened the door to my room, Zedd slinking in behind her.

"Heath?"

"Gah! No, Heath is long dead. I meant Turo. Who did you think I meant?" I caught myself as soon as the words left my mouth. "Actually though, Friede would probably be a great person to call too. He's started that video series… In Hoenn last I checked, but maybe he could swing by…"

"Well, looks like you've got that all sorted out then," Zedd declared, earning him a frown from Buffy. "Alright, alright, guess we have a few more things to discuss."

The buff girl pulled out the chair beside my bed to sit closer to my level. "You did a really brave thing out there, fighting that Pokemon and saving us," she said in a soft voice. "I know you care a lot, but you don't have to train that Pokemon if you don't want to. We can take them in and make sure they have a proper place to live in, comfortable without hurting anyone else."

A small part of me was tempted to agree - I was on a (nebulous) time crunch, and this would eat into it further. On the other hand, as much as she might really want what she said to be true, I don't think it is. If Area Zero couldn't contain this Paradox Pokemon, where in the world could?

Slowly, I shook my head. "No, thank you. I'm going to give this a try. See if I can get to know them and make a bond. If things don't work out or they don't want to travel with me, I'll give you a call." With a weak gesture from me, Miles exchanged my number with her Rotom Phone.

"I'm surprised you didn't just demand to take Iron Moth away from me for safety or whatever." Zedd snorted at my words.

"'Safety or whatever,' yeah, definitely sounds like the job some days." Then he leveled a serious stare at me as he slumped into a chair in the corner. "That's a very complicated issue. Words can't describe how little Trainers like Pokemon they've caught being taken away from them. Especially rare ones like your Iron Moth, was it?"

Buffy continued. "Nemona, you seem to have a good head on shoulders-"

"And a powerful team at your side with at least two Pokemon Professors on speed dial," Zedd interjected.

She carried on as if he hadn't said anything. "So we're going to trust you with the care of this potentially dangerous Pokemon. Don't hesitate to reach out to us if you need help or are looking for advice, but for now, yes, we're trusting you."

"If you need a more immediate hand, you can ask any of the Nurse Joys around. I hear that one of the ones stationed on the northern edge of town is pretty keen on helping Pokemon like that."

I thanked them for the advice before they left, then sent out a quick message to Friede, trusting he'd respond quickly. For Turo, I left a message and called, though my call went straight to his mailbox.

"Turo. I caught an Iron Moth out in the Asado Desert. We need to talk. Soon." Ending the message, I sighed. Hopefully that gets his attentio- Miles rang immediately.

"Nemona," The man said stiffly. He was standing in one of his bunker labs down in Area Zero, though I couldn't tell which one, the Rotom Phone positioned such that Turo's torso took up most of the screen. "I just received your message."

"Yes, I- uhn," I groaned as I tried to prop myself up slightly. Still very tired and hurt. Instead of moving further, I directed Miles to show Turo the locked Pokeball. "I can't release them at the moment, but they were causing problems in the Asado Desert after they escaped from Area Zero."

He frowned but said nothing more. I want to tear into him right here and now for everything he's doing. But I don't have the right words, or leverage, yet. I'm off-balance and way too tired for this. "I'm sorry, I'm still rather tired from the whole ordeal, but I'll need to talk to you about this more later. For now, could you authorize me to carry them with me, beyond the usual limit? I need to get them acclimated to life here."

My wording was deliberately vague. With my Miraidon slip-up those months ago, I was certain he suspected I knew something, and this would only deepen those. Hopefully that will give me some more credibility when I directly address this later.

For the moment, Turo agreed. "I can do that. Now if you'll excuse me, there's much work to be done here." He hung up before I could say anything else. I can only hope that the 'work' he's talking about isn't more to be done on the Paradox Machine.

***

Waking up after a long rest, I found that I was in Alfornada, a fact that both made me happy and vexed me. Happy because I'd get the chance to see Dendra and Tulip (and apologize to them for my behavior before) but vexed because of a sneaking suspicion that was confirmed when I got out the next day and saw the same Nurse Joy I had argued with before.

She startled at my approach, jolting as she saw me before frowning and drawing her arms in behind the counter defensively. "Hello, is there something I can do for you?"

Her tone was clipped, but I gave her points for being professional and calm with me despite our previous interaction. "Yes, actually. Ranger Captain Zedd directed me here for… some advice."

His name was clearly familiar to her. "Yes, I know, cousin- I mean, Captain Zedd." Huh, they don't really look alike. Then again, even the 'predominant Joy clan genes' are a bit overexaggerated, and he could easily be a cousin on the other side of her family. It hardly mattered for the issue right now.

"What do you need help with?" She asked with slight trepidation. Didn't think I made that big an impact on her last time, but I'll take it if it means she's not going to be making accusations or the like.

Taking a deep breath, I began. "Under the guidance of Ranger Captain Zedd and Ranger Captain Buffy, I caught a previously unknown Pokemon- err, barely discovered Pokemon," I corrected, both for accuracy's sake and because of the kind of Pokemon called 'Unown.' "They are quite aggressive, and I was looking for tips on how to better understand them and create a peaceful relationship with them."

The lady looked gobsmacked. "You? Out of everyone, you're asking for help in reining in a dangerous Pokemon?"

"Everyone else on my team became my friend before I ever caught them!" I pouted, stomping my foot for a second before wincing. "Look, I just want some help in making sure they fit in well and there aren't any problems." I didn't add on the 'isn't that what you want/what you're here for?' In a show of restraint.

Given what she quickly fired back, I didn't feel like it was unheard or appreciated. "You should release them back in their natural environment if you feel incapable of training them."

"I'm not saying that. And even if I did, the Rangers wouldn't have anywhere good to put them! Where are they supposed to drop a Pokemon that even Area Zero can't contain?"

My words caused her to pause and take a step back. With a deep breath, the nurse centered herself and swung open a latch behind the counter. "I can see that this will take more consideration than I realized. Would you like to follow me so we can discuss the matter privately?" She pulled up the hatch to the underground bunker beneath the Pokemon Center. I forgot they had these things.

Nodding, I followed her down. The shaft was narrow, with the space underneath feeling rather cramped even when it opened up. My childlike size helped a bit with that, but I saw with how the Nurse Joy had to squeeze around the one desk to shake the other nurse awake in one of the bunk beds nearby that it wasn't designed for long-term habitation. The walls and most of the features were gray steel, with two dim lights illuminating the space.

"C'mon, I need you to cover for me up there for a bit," the first nurse said to the one still trying to sleep. "You can have my break later," she added when the former grumbled.

Sleepily, the other nurse rolled out of bed with a yawn, picking up her pink wig and shimmying out of the room. The first one sat at the small desk, turning to face me as I sat down in one of the beds, careful not to clip my head on the bed above. "So, you got a name beyond Nurse Joy? Feels weird to think of you just like that."

She sighed but said, "My first name is Amelia. Now, do you have any plans for how to acclimatize your Pokemon? And what kind of Pokemon are they? You've been evasive about that."

It was my turn to frown. Oh yeah, love coming for advice just for her to tell me everything wrong I'll do. But hopefully she'll actually give me something actionable too. "The Pokemon is, near as I can tell, an Iron Moth." At the blank look on her face, I placed the locked Pokeball on the desk and smugly added, "They're a Pokemon that was seen once by a Professor two hundred years ago."

Amelia sputtered, shooting back in her chair as if afraid to be near the Pokeball, an action that caused her to bang her head against a bedframe. "Oww oww oww. Yo-you brought a Legendary Pokemon here?!"

"I mean, I'm not sure they qualify as a capital 'L' legendary or anything like that. Actually, how does a Pokemon get counted as such-"

"Focus!" She shrieked, though she seemed to be calming down slightly realizing that the powerful and dangerous Pokemon wasn't liable to pop out any time soon. "First off, can you actually handle such a powerful Pokemon on your team? Even for non-Legendaries, adding a Pokemon that is vastly stronger than their current team can unbalance the dynamic they have, to say nothing of the potential accidents that can occur if the newly caught Pokemon lashes out."

"Please. Of course we can handle Iron Moth. The biggest issue when we ran into them was the fact that they kept on attacking me, so my team had to divert attention away from that." Well, the fact that it was so boosted when we first ran into it was a problem too, but not one that should be relevant now. "I'm pretty sure at least half of my team could take them on one-v.-one."

Too many area attacks and enough speed and power to match Phantasm while being tougher than her to boot. Same for Athena, and with a Type disadvantage on top that would make me leery of using her to fight them even with Mega Evolution. Bahamut is a little too inexperienced to win a fight, at least, so long as it knows to stick to Poison Type attacks against him, as the rest of their repertoire wouldn't be too effective. For everyone else, though? They'd win.

"Yet it took you and two Ranger Captains to take them down before," Amelia pressed.

"Not really. Iron Moth had mostly defeated Buffy and Zedd by the time I got there."

The young woman just intently stared at me, to the point where I shifted uncomfortably. "What?"

"Little kids shouldn't have that much power." Her voice was whisper-soft, and I didn't think she intended for me to hear her.

"Well, I do. So are you going to help me or what?"

"I'm sorry."

Huh?

The confusion was clear on my face, so she explained. "I haven't treated you the best from the beginning. I had my reasons, and you jumped to conclusions, but-" The Nurse Joy cut herself off before she could carry down that train of thought. "I am truly sorry for how I behaved before."

"Well, thank you."

"Now, I might have some ideas about how to help you, but if I could get some details about your plans here and what this 'Iron Moth is like, that would be helpful."

Relaxing my guard a tad, I explained what Iron Moth was like, an overview of our battle, and my ideas.

"I have a Psychic friend in town who might be able to help us communicate." Shaking her head, Amelia struck my first idea down.

"You said they're a Poison Type? Then don't start out with Pschic or the like. They'll likely take it as an attack. What else?"

Oof. I get the reasoning, but that does eliminate my best option. "Well, I could try talking the old-fashioned way. Miles might be able to help translate until I get a handle on their body language."

"And if they're still violent and disinclined to listen upon being released?"

"I figured I'd challenge them to fight one of my team, one on one. Figured it would establish dominance, prove the desert wasn't a fluke." Assuming they're even willing to listen to me that much, admittedly. If not… I don't know. In that case we might need to pin the Paradox Pokemon down and force them to listen.

A considering 'Mhm,' came from the nurse. "That can work. Not always, of course, but if you're sure of your team-"

"I am."

"Then it could appeal to some Pokemon. Hard to say if it will work with this one, though. From your description, the closest Pokemon to it would be a Volcarona, and those are rare enough themselves that they were considered Legendaries for some time, so the behaviors of wild ones aren't well documented. From what is known, most of them are used to being treated with great respect. You don't have to roll over for them, but bowing and treating them with courtesy won't hurt. Giving them time before you engage them wouldn't hurt. The state of stasis inside the Pokeball will mean they won't feel the days passing as clearly as you do…"

Amelia went on to explain how near to the Passage entrance might serve as a good spot to release them, as it was similar enough to how some Larvesta would spend their time in caves. She also gave me a list of berries that they were generally known to like that I could leave out when I released them.

The rest of the advice, like giving it time, being patient, and not trying to force them to do something they didn't want to (as long as it wasn't dangerous to other people), was fairly basic, but I listened to it regardless before departing.

On the way to Dendra's, I checked my messages, seeing a reply from Friede. He was eager to help me and see this new Pokemon I'd found, but he was over in Sinnoh at the moment, so it'd take him a week to fly over.

When I questioned if he was riding by Charizard, his response was a slightly ominous 'you'll see soon.'

Dendra had sold her old home and moved into the dojo full time, with the blessing of her teacher. I always want to check if that enigmatic 'Chuck' is the same as former Jhotoan Gym Leader but never seem to find the right opportunity to, then I forget about it with whatever new thing is up.

Whoever they were, I was sure they'd be impressed by what she had done with the place. A new coat of paint, a clean yard, some new fancy topiary in the shape of different Fighting Types (courtesy of Tulip), and a large, colorful sign boasting of the dojo's nature did much to attract and retain new students. From inside, I could hear a bustle of powerful exertions and heavy breathing.

Opening the sliding door, I saw a full class of twenty-plus students sparring or watching matches from the sidelines. A few stopped and turned to wonder who this person intruding was, Dendra herself brightening up as she caught my eye.

She didn't say anything until she called the latest round over, but when she did, the young woman bounded over. "Nemona! Osu!" She cried, wrapping me in a tight hug.

"Urk! Great to see you too…" I wheezed before she released me.

"We're partway through the class, but do you want to join in?"

"Sorry, but I don't think the doctors would approve," I said, showing off the many bandages covering my flesh. More to the point, I don't think my parents would. I promised them I wouldn't take unnecessary risks, and while I think this one is minor, it definitely fits. "Let's talk after, though, okay?" She looked so eager I hated to turn her down, but she bounced back quickly, and with a quick cheer, got back to running the class.

She's really doing well with them all. I can see how she could become a great teacher at Uva. Wonder if that will still happen after everything? I wasn't worried if that didn't turn out to be the case here; she was clearly doing great right now, in her element.

Watching the class did bring me a slight pang, realizing how my own skills were getting rusty. I also recognized some of the other students. While I had practiced a bit with some of the new students she had taken on after my tournament victory, preparations for my journey and album release took up much of my time, and I wasn't able to practice too often with the newer students. No matter what life you're in, it feels like there's just never enough time to do everything.

Class finished not too long after, though the wrap-up took a fair bit of time. The students would laugh and talk with each other, hanging out for a while. Some also had questions for Dendra, so I waited until they were all finished before she called me.

"Sorry about that, Nemona."

"No worries. I'm the one who should be sorry for dropping in on you like that. And for… how I left things last time."

"It's o-"

"It really isn't. I was in a bad headspace, but that doesn't excuse just ditching you and Tulip like that. I'm sure I must have worried you both." From the look on her face, I could see that I'd hit the mark. "I should go and apologize to her too. Do you know when she'll be home?" I asked, knowing that Tulip had a busy and erratic schedule and that her best friend likely had a better picture of it.

"She's out at a shoot right now, but she should be back home in time for dinner. Uh, our place, not her parents." The martial artist's face grew scarlet quickly, but there was an undeniable joy that came through her tone as she spoke the words.

"Your place, huh? Congrats, I'm glad for you two."

"Thanks," she squeaked before clearing her throat. "So why are you back here? Did you finish your journey and collect all the badges in one Treasure hunt?"

"Not quite, still have to go for my eighth badge. Besides, it's not like I started at the start of the hunt - or am even a student of Uva - for that to matter. No, I ended up back here after a minor misadventure and figured I should clear the air. And maybe get some advice from my sensei?" I asked hopefully.

She beamed widely in response. "Lay it on me! Sensei Dendra is happy to help!"

Spoiler: A/N:

Sometimes the direction of a story really surprises you. Other times, it just dips in slightly unexpected ways. This was one of the latter. Not a huge shock for me and I always planned on Nemona reconnecting with these characters, but the vague plans I had before involved them meeting elsewhere and having it happen later, but as I got to this chapter I just sort of realized what needed to happen. Tbf, I left a lot of plot threads to tie up here, so I guess I shouldn't be too surprised.

For anyone wondering, Iron Moth won't be added onto the team list until at least next time when Nemona gets the chance to talk to them and work things out.

If you liked the chapter feel free to leave me a comment, here or on the Discord. And if you're enjoying my stuff and want to toss me a bit of money, I have a Kofi and a Patreon, subscribers to the latter get early access to the next ten chapters. Thank you, and I hope you have a great day.

 

[Lillie Jones]

thanks for the chapter

 

[Skyfyre]

Spoiler: Patreons:

Thank you so much for the support of my thirty five Beginner Tier Patreons and an extra special thanks to my Ace Tier Patreons, RageLord and Nodal_Gravity!

Dendra and I chatted for a while before I let her go, promising to fill her in on more of my adventures when I met with Tulip. For now, I have an unruly Paradox Pokemon to rein in. Or at least get to not violently attack anything in its vicinity; I'd settle for that.

There were some small markets in Alfornada where I was able to grab the berries Amelia had suggested before going to a spot beside the Dalizapa Passage, just a hundred meters away from the entrance. Close enough that Iron Moth can see it, but not so close that they can easily slip away.

For the moment I wasn't going to have them be released inside a barrier but had half of my team placed strategically nearby before pressing the button. At my touch, the bindings snapped back, reeled back into the restraining device as the Pokeball snapped open. In a flash of light and fire, Iron Moth materialized above the open field. The Paradox Pokemon was conscious now, but still battered, a few of their metal plates dented from our prior battle. Nothing that couldn't be healed quickly at a Pokemon Center, but enough to make them think twice about attacking me.

Apparently I underestimated how quickly they could think. What's that meme about being wrong faster? I mused to myself as the Pokemon rushed towards me, slamming into an invisible yet impenetrable field. At least, invisible to their eyes; mine were clear from the illusion Phantasm had thrown over Dun and the others, letting my starter Protect me with ease.

"So, my name is Nemona, and I'd really appreciate it if you calmed down." I began, hoping that they would take a less aggressive stance.

Instead, they took a slightly smarter but no less violent position. Darting back, they began to pelt me with ranged attacks. Notch blocked them fairly easily, and with a wave of my hand, Dun jumped up and Body Slammed the Paradox Pokemon down.

The pained and pitiful mechanical-sounding wail they gave upon being hit tugged at my heartstrings, but I quickly shoved that down. If they don't want to be attacked, they shouldn't be attacking me.

Iron Moth tried burning Dun with their wings, but unable to spin them, Dun simply Roosted atop their back. They gave up after a few moments of realizing they couldn't hurt him. Instead, they chose to affix me with a glare (at least, I assumed it was that from the way their crosshair eyes narrowed and stretched out to face me).

"Don't look at me like that - I wouldn't be doing this if you weren't attacking me." There was a pause as their eyes resumed their usual round shape. Then, they made an unmistakable mechanical sound, like grinding gears.

What it meant, I didn't know, but I decided to give them the benefit of the doubt. At my direction, my starter hopped off their back and returned to my side (Phantasm didn't bother keeping them covered in an illusion anymore, but she maintained it for the rest of my team). "Would you like some berries?" I asked, gesturing down at the pile I'd gathered for them.

They looked down at the food and slowly shook their body. Then they gestured with their wings toward the horizon, an odd motion that I had to puzzle out for a second. "You run on solar energy?" A 'ding' sound was emitted from them, which I took to be a 'yes.'

"Interesting. Your predecessor was often called 'The Sun God Pokemon' for they were revered as such. Or maybe the inspiration for you; I'm sorry, do you remember how you came to be here?" They jabbed one of their wings in my direction, causing my Pokemon to bristle up even though it was nowhere near me.

"Ha. Ha. Yes, I did release you here. I was talking about how you got to be in the desert. Or beyond that, how you ended up in the Great Crater- uh, that big pit," I explained realizing they might not know it by its proper name. If that got their attention, my next words definitely captured it. "Or how you ended up in this time."

A pause, a moment of complete stiffness, then an explosion of fire erupted all around them. I raised a hand, holding the others back while Notch blocked the flames. As they died out, Iron Moth fully dropped to the ground, propped up on four of their six wings, looking exhausted.

"You need to stop lashing out like that. For your own sake as well as everyone else's. I don't think you were meant to drain yourself this much." They made a scraping sound that I hoped was merely them grumbling but made no further moves against me/the surroundings.

After a minute I said, "I'd like to get to know you, for you to travel with me and explore the land. I think we could become good friends." They looked incredulously at me. "It's true! Things were a bit bumpy when I met Nightwing - that's uh, the Gliscor that knocked you out - but we quickly became allies, and now we're the best of buds."

It was hard to tell what they thought of all of that, but they didn't respond, so I just continued. "For now, how about we get to know each other better?" I sat down to show that I was trying to speak on the same level with them. "Personally, what I love most in the world is discovering new things. From studying books to exploring the land, there are so many incredible things to learn here."

One of their vents let loose a whistle sound as air escaped it. "Are you alright? No? Yes? Yes, ok, good to know. Is that a regulatory function or an attempt at communication?" We went back and forth like that for a few minutes. There was obviously a message they were trying to get me to understand, but it wasn't clear what it was until they released another burst of air. Slowly, so as to not be mistaken for an attack, but it still hit me in the face. At least, not a physical attack.

"You're saying I'm full of hot air?" I deadpanned to some digital beeping sounds, mixed in with a few huffs and chitters of laughter from certain members of my team. "Yeah, yeah, yuck it up," I groused before more seriously addressing the Paradox Pokemon once more. "But I stand by those words. This world is fantastic, with adventure and friendship around every corner. And I think we could have a good relationship in spite of the rocky start because of that. Also, because there may be no person other than me who better understands what it's like to lose your world and be caught in a strange, unfamiliar land."

There were more digital and mechanical sounds, whines, intermingled blaring alarms, and shrieks. "Calm down, calm down. Let me explain. If you let me, I'll tell you my story of how I came to be here and what I know about Paradox Pokemon like yourself." That shut them up, and they listened intently as I began explaining my story.

"I was running out the door of my house a few years ago when suddenly everything hit me, and I remembered my past life…"

***

"Nemona! It's wonderful to see you again," Tulip said as she opened the door to her apartment. "Please, come in."

"Thank you," I said. It was a cozy place, warm colors for the floral-patterned wallpaper. The living room had a large TV in the corner opposite a small couch with a large circular coffee table in between it and a couple of other plush chairs.

The living room led directly into the kitchen, which was a little crowded due to the table in the center of it letting it pull double duty as a dining room. I remember Dendra said her parents always made her eat dinner in the dining room, not in front of the TV. While the decor is mostly Tulip, there are some things, like the speed ball hanging in the corner that just scream the other girl.

As if conjured by my thoughts, the other resident of the house came around the corner from the hallway past the kitchen. "Nemona, great to see you. We were wondering when you'd show up."

Sheepishly, I scratched the back of my head. "Sorry about that, Radiance has been a handful. Still, we're making progress."

"If you need any help, we're always happy to assist," Tulip said, her hazel eyes glowing slightly.

"Reading my mind, huh? That's a new trick." Not that I'm surprised; she was always skilled in that way with her Psychic powers, and the training she did with me must have boosted her proficiency there.

Dendra groaned. "I know, right? So annoying, I can't surprise her at all anymore."

"Oh? You didn't seem to mind when I found out exactly where to-"

"Tulip!" Dendra's voice caught, her eyes shooting over to me. The model remembered me and cleared her throat awkwardly.

"Ah, right, sorry about that. You always feel much older mentally than I'm used to." Carefully, I didn't think anything about that and instead directed the conversation back to my newest Pokemon.

"It's fine. I appreciate the offer for help, but Radiance is prickly enough, even just around me." To be fair, I haven't really been able to test out how they'd react to other people yet, but given their initial reaction to the Rangers… well, best not to risk it yet.

"Radiance huh? That's a nice name," Dendra commented.

"Given how close they are in appearance to a Volcarona and their skill with Fire and even a fair few Electric attacks, it seemed fitting. That, and it was better than 'Most Effervescent Emperor of the Rotten Flame."

Dendra snorted. "Did they really want to call themselves that?"

"Yes. That, or Miles was playing a really good prank on me, in which case, kudos." The phone in question floated up to respond.

"Bzzt, sadly I can't take the credit there… It was Phantasm's idea." Tulip let out a few peals of laughter while Dendra guffawed loudly. "Though when I brought it up, they did seem happy with it, and 'Most Effervescent Monarch of the Rotten Flame' was their own idea."

"Ugh, yes, I know; I was there. You're the worst," I said, without any heat in my voice. Miles grinned cheekily at me before simply sliding back in my pocket.

"Sounds like you've been having fun - the oven's about to go off - why don't you have a seat and tell us about it?" The elegant young woman offered, right before the timer did indeed go off. Dendra rushed ahead, slapping on a pair of oven mitts and pulling out a large homemade pizza.

"Thanks. Yeah, it's been good. Working with Radiance has been my latest project, though they're a bit prickly. Oh, and I know I messaged you about possibly helping me communicate with them but I won't need your help there." Which is a polite way to say that Radiance has vehemently refused it. Which is frustrating, because I don't know why they're doing that, in no small part because communication with them is still difficult. Still, I'll have patience. Some progress is better than no progress, and that's what we're making right now.

Dinner was a fun, relaxed affair. I had plenty of time to catch them up on all of my adventures (and they admitted they'd watched all the videos of my other Gym fights), and they told me about all of their stuff. Dendra's classes were getting bigger, and she was considering hiring another teacher, while Tulip was being given more responsibilities within the Gym.

"It's odd how much Oberon has retreated from the spotlight ever since, well…" Tulip trailed off awkwardly, and I took that as my opportunity.

"Ever since Raifort stole one of his Pokemon, and I left abruptly. I wanted to apologize for that."

"And for chasing after a dangerous criminal by yourself, ignoring my instructions to the contrary?" Tulip asked in a voice that was far too sweet.

"Uh oh," Dendra 'helpfully' warned, and I grimaced.

"I- yes, I shouldn't have run off alone like that." Tulip narrowed her eyes, clearly not missing how the only part I agreed with was the 'alone' part and that next time I simply would have dragged her along with me. After a second, we both broke out laughing.

"Oh Nemona, never change."

"I think we're always changing in little ways. But I believe the core of who I am will stay the same for as long as I'm alive." The conversation carried on from there, but my mind stuck on it as I slept, spread out in the guest room the couple had prepared for me.

Will I be the same me in the next life? Will I remember what came before next time? What world will I end up in? Pokemon-Earth has been fantastic, but I can't help but wonder if the next will be as good or worse. Or even, why me? What did I do to deserve this? Did I simply slip through the cracks in whatever metaphysics make up the afterlife and Arceus didn't care enough to consign me to oblivion, or is this all part of a grander purpose I simply can't perceive yet? Gazing out the window at the starry sky above, I pondered these questions, but no answer came from the cosmos. A giant purple head within the room did stick out over mine and cut off my view of the stars, though.

"WHA-!" My exclamation of surprise was cut off by a grunt of pain as I bumped my head against the headboard and then fell off the bed, clutching my head. The small dark figure in the room stood still, not bothering to move in response to my scramble to get away and regain my bearings. My scramble was cut off by a sudden force that prevented me from moving back further.

From the dim starlight illuminating the room, I caught how my shadow was entangled with that of the small intruder's. They were only two feet tall, with a humanoid body that almost looked like they had twintails and were wearing a dress. Turning to face me, the Gothorita waved a hand back and forth, and I felt myself following them.

"You- you're the Gothita from before, the one who extended her ribbon out," I puzzled aloud while trying to figure out what was going on. Why is she here? Is she trying to kidnap me?! I'd heard the tales but never expected it myself. It's not like I feel hypnotized; my thoughts are clear; I just can't stop myself from following her. Shadow Tag can't force someone to follow, only to stop a retreat. Wait, the way she's moving her hand, why do my eyes have to track it!

"You learned Follow Me, didn't you? Wow, that's incredible! And you evolved too, very nice. But uh, please stop using it to drag me away?" After how I acted the last time I saw her, I don't want to hurt her, but I also really don't want to be kidnapped either!

Thankfully, I didn't need to do anything else, as my shout caused Tulip's Gallade to slam the door open, staring down at the little intruder. Her face said it all. Busted.

***

Tulip and Dendra had woken up from the commotion and were on the couch in their nightgowns (a silky sheer thing for Tulip and what looked like a onesie for Dendra), staring down the Gothorita who was sitting down, pouting in the corner. Well, Tulip was staring her down, and Dendra was still rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

"So, what's going on again?"

I tried to explain to my sensei as best I could. "From my understanding, she managed to pick the lock, maybe with a Confusion? Then snuck into my room to force me to leave. Gallade sensed an unfamiliar Psychic presence, and when he heard my raised voice, he came rushing in to save me."

"From here I'm a little unsure; I didn't catch all of the Psychic byplay between her and Gallade. But from what I understand, she first asked him to let her go, then tried to bribe the Fighting Type with a Twisted Spoon, before begging, and now finally was pouting that she wasn't allowed to steal me."

"You missed the fact that she pointed out that 'Gallade already had two humans and was just being greedy to keep you too,' but yes, that's the general gist of the situation." Tulip said, still staring unimpressed at the Gothorita, the poor Pokemon's Fake Tears not moving the Psychic Type expert in the slightest.

"You really do run into the craziest stuff, don't you?" Dendra commented, but I shook my head.

"Nah, this is nothing. I'm sure there are Trainers out there who have all sorts of insane adventures on a weekly basis." Then again, perhaps Ash isn't the best example of what the average Trainer goes through. I turned my attention to Gothorita.

"Look, if you wanted to be on my team, all you had to do was ask." The girly Pokemon instantly dropped any pretense of feeling sad, jumping up and down in joy before directing the smuggest smile I've ever seen at Tulip, who just raised a thin eyebrow. As the Pokemon raised her hand, I cut her off. "Joining my team is different than kidnapping me to whatever den you have in the wilderness."

The look of shock on her face was just as exaggerated as the smug smile she had presented before. What, were you Anya in a past life? At least you're a Psychic Type unlike Bahamut. Though he's gotten far more reserved since evolving. He still cares and all, but he's more focused on being 'cool' and is showing more of that pride Dragons are infamous for when he spars with the others. A snippet of that thought tangent garnered a confused look from Tulip before she shrugged it off. The Gothorita, on the other hand, blinked slowly and shook her head, looking deep at me.

It's said that their line often looks intently for something only they can see. Could she know that I- Once more, I cut off my thoughts before they could venture into dangerous territory nearby a bunch of Psychics. That was easier said than done, but aided by directing the conversation away.

"I'm flattered you like me, but I need to be a Trainer, fight epic battles, and explore the world. If that isn't what you want, then that's fine, but I couldn't be me without following my dreams." As the tears started welling up again, I finished by saying, "You saw something in me that made you want to be around me. That's an intrinsic part of what makes me special."

The Gothorita stopped her forced sad display and instead had a more honest, unsure expression. Her head would dart back and forth, looking one way or the other into empty space. Perhaps she's literally seeing where each path would take her. Or rather, could take her. The future is not set in stone, at least not here. I've read a few studies on it, though the physics of it still elude me.

Glancing over at the human couple, I saw them give me encouraging smiles but staying out of it. It was quite kind of them, but I didn't know what to do here. Should I push her to join my team or not? Though… I don't have to make this choice right now, do I?

"I can't say what you'd be losing by leaving here; you would know that far better than me. But I might be able to show you what life on my team would be like." That brought her back to the moment. "Many of my matches get filmed so people can watch them later."

Miles floated up, expanding their phone until it was more like a tablet. Then, they began playing a clip showing off Athena's battle against Ryme's Pokemon. She blinked and looked entirely bewildered by what she was seeing, pointing rapidly at the me on the screen and then back to me in person.

"Haha, yeah, it's just a recording. An image of a past event. You won't get my thoughts or feelings from it directly, but it'll give you another piece of the puzzle for you to decide. Uh, that is, if some kind and generous young ladies would be willing to host you for a week or so until I finish up my Gym Run and Champion Challenge?" I asked with a hopeful grin on my face.

"Sure we… would discuss and consider such a thing," Dendra exclaimed awkwardly. Heh. Must be a bit of an adjustment, living with someone else. You can't just decide things for the home all by yourself.

Thankfully, Tulip didn't seem to mind. "We could do that; it shouldn't be a problem."

"Really?" I asked.

"Really. The Gym season is wrapping up, so even with Oberon giving me more work, I'm sure at least one of my team could watch over her during that time. But are you certain you can beat it that fast? The Eighth Gym Badge is usually the hardest to earn, to say nothing of the Elite Challenge."

"I'm sure. With how strong my team is, nothing's going to stop us. I've booked my challenge with Larry online and will head to Medali tomorrow. After that, it's just a matter of how much last-minute training I want to get in before taking on the Champion Gauntlet." Larry will be a good measure of how tough the Elite Four will be. I've blown through the Gym Leaders thus far, and my team's only been getting stronger. But even if they're stronger than I anticipated, we have to do this soon. I'm not worried though; this is just another step to the top. I'll reach for the stars, no matter how far.

Speaking of which, I saw Gothorita gazing at me with stars literally twinkling in her eyes. She nodded her large head (nearly falling over) before hopping onto one of the chairs and motioning for Miles to show her more. The Pokemon also seemed mildly fascinated by everything else in the house, unused to furniture and appliances.

"Wait what? You're taking on the Gauntlet?" Dendra asked, shocked, while Tulip looked confused.

"Is that different from an Elite Challenge?" She asked her partner, and Dendra nodded vigorously.

"Oh yeah, it's an entirely different way to try and reach Champion rank, hasn't been used in ages."

As Dendra explained, Tulip rolled her eyes. "She always gets like this when she happens to know something I don't. Quite annoying really," the model said. I'd believe you more if the tone wasn't wistful and you weren't staring up lovingly at her.

My sensei carried on. "A Champion Gauntlet has a contender take on the entire Elite Four and Top Champion - if they get that far - in a single day. Hasn't been used since the founding of the League." Tulip stopped fawning after her girlfriend at that and looked at me concerned.

I cleared my throat. "Hasn't been completed successfully since the early days. They've made some adjustments since then, like only fighting four Pokemon from each Elite Four, and getting the right to challenge the Champion so long as I win at least two battles against the Elites."

"That's still a tall task you burden yourself with," Tulip said. Or more likely guessed. I think she's still a little sleepy to comprehend all the differences between a Gauntlet and regular Elite Challenge or why the former is considered so much harder even with the adjustments made over the years.

Shrugging, I said. "Gotta aim for the top, right? Besides, like I said before; I'm ready. I can do this." I need to be able to do this. I need something dramatic, something so big that it'll force Turo to listen to me. And if he won't, can force the rest of the League to do so.

The two of them exchanged glances, and there were volumes spoken in those looks that I couldn't even begin to fathom. A pang of jealousy struck me, and Tulip's head whipped around to face me before I could bury it.

She gave me a sad smile, and said, "We're always willing to lend an ear if you need it."

I paused, then chuckled. "Damn, you're really getting good at this Psychic stuff, huh?" Most people would have thought the jealousy I felt was towards one or the other, a puppy crush, not towards just the bond you have. I kept those thoughts loud enough for her to easily hear, while hiding the indistinct ones thinking up ways I could better conceal what I felt buried down below.

"I know, and I appreciate it. And sorry for imposing upon you guys like this. I know this is sudden and-" Tulip held up a hand.

"It's fine; you don't have to worry. Nor do you have to feel so bad about asking for help."

"Especially for things that worry you," Dendra added, looking down at me with concern.

"..." I stalled out, unsure of what to say for a minute. I debated whether I should tell them, and what, back and forth in that time, until the flapping of paper caught my attention. Ah, better tamp down on my Aura.

Slowly, I calmed down, looking at their worried faces (worried for me, not of me, at least), then to Gothorita. The Pokemon tilted her head towards the pair, which I wasn't sure if it was unconscious or not, but I decided to take as a good sign.

Hesitantly, I began. "It's… I'm not sure how big a problem it will be. No, that's not quite right. It's binary. Either it won't be a problem or it will be one so big I barely even know how I'd deal with it."

Dendra frowned. "Can't be bigger than taking on all the Elites and the Champion, right? Oh. Oh crud, it's bigger than that?!"

I gave her a thin smile. "Might be. I'm prepared to handle it, if need be. But if it does turn out to be a big deal, I'll let you know, see how you can help." They're both excellent Trainers, but I don't want to throw them directly into the fray. "And sorry for being so vague about it, I just-"

"You're worried about hurting someone else. If things don't turn out to be a 'big problem?'" The model asked, the slight humor at my understatement overshadowed by the concern in her voice.

"Yeah. Thanks for understanding." I wrapped them up in a quick hug.

"Urk, your training… paid off," Tulip wheezed to her lover.

"Thanks!" The martial artist girl cheered back.

That noise was the straw that broke the camel's back, as one of the neighbors banged on the walls and shouted, "Stop making such a racket!"

"Whoopsie. Uh, we should probably go to bed now anyways. Sorry for keeping you up." I let them go, and we went back to our beds. The future, whether Gothorita would join my team, if I could convince Turo to halt his plans, and if I was truly ready to face what was supposed to be the greatest challenge of an entire region, all weighed heavily on my mind. As I drifted off, though, all I could think of were the incredible friends I'd made thus far.

Spoiler: A/N:

Radiance joins the team! Volcarona is one of my favorite Pokemon, but this is an SV fic, and with Iron Moth having one of the best designs out of all the Paradox Pokemon (imo), I decided I'd add one of them onto the team. There's still a fair bit of work to do before they'll be joining in battles on a regular basis, but they've agreed to travel with Nemona and not burninate everything - for now.

In related news, Gothorita is interested, but still on the fence. Not all wild Pokemon want to leave their homes, even if they grow attached (or fixated in this case) to certain people.

And with this arc wrapped up, we're heading ever closer to the Elite Four. Just one Gym Leader left (and maybe a mini-adventure inbetween) and then on to the greatest challenge in the land. But before any of that, an Interlude, coming up next update. If you liked it feel free to leave a comment here or on the Discord. And if you're enjoying my stuff and want to toss me a bit of money, I have a Kofi and a Patreon, subscribers to the latter get early access to the next ten chapters. Thank you, and I hope you have a great day.

 

[Spearow]

Would love to have an interlude of what they actually picked up from her head, be it by accident or on purpose.

 

[Lillie Jones]

Thanks for the chapter

 

[Skyfyre]

Spoiler: Patreons:

Thank you so much for the support of my thirty nine Beginner Tier Patreons and an extra special thanks to my Ace Tier Patreons, RageLord and Nodal_Gravity!

Raifort POV

Slipping past a guard, I hid behind a shipping container, waiting for his partner to finish their loop. From what I'd seen of them, they were sloppy, and tonight proved to be no different, with the other guard continuing along around the bend without waiting for their partner to be covering them. A good thing, as they'll be hauling these crates out by first light.

That time frame still gave me plenty of hours in which to get the items for my mysterious buyer. Ducking ahead through where the gap in the guard's surveillance was, I made my way deeper into the maze of crates and containers that made up this wharf.

Sticking to the shadows, I avoided any prying eyes as I made my way to the target. Despite the lack of light, I had no problem making out the label I was looking for. Crate number 104, aka, the one holding the 'rare book' the client wants.

A small part of me couldn't help but wonder what my 'client' wanted with it. Not how I usually operated, but a historical artifact like this was intriguing to my own sensibilities. Pah, 'usually' I'd simply snatch such a find for myself (even if I'm more interested in treasure and lore of history, not millions of years pre-history). But that was a few months ago.

I was paused outside the crate, waiting in my hiding spot as I tried to figure out how to go from here. Cautiously, I pulled out one of my Pokeballs and released Haunter out in front of me.

"Hauuuunter," they wailed, and I waved for them to be quiet.

"Shhh! Look, we've been over this. Help me with this score, and I'll be able to feed everyone for a good while, ok?" He clapped his hands once before quieting down at my glare. We waited a minute for any sign of a guard walking by before I spoke up again.

"You just need to slip past the door, then open it from the other side. Simple enough, no?" He eagerly agreed, his body shifting to squeeze through the crack in the crate door. Perhaps some Moves could have been better in opening it up, but the Porto Marinada security wasn't a joke. They had plenty of security Pokemon that could detect such things. It was why I kept my partner in her ball, despite how useful illusions would be for sneaking around.

The door creaked open, the hinges a little rusty but nothing so noisy as to attract attention from down the dock. Before I could breathe a sigh of relief, though, alarms started blaring from around the container, a security light at the top flashing.

Haunter, who had been floating there triumphantly a second ago, now shrieked in panic, waving their hands up wildly in the air. Groaning, I pushed past them, rummaging through the container. "Hold off anyone who comes looking!" I released Seviper to help him while I looked through the crates.

I hate this. Stupid technology, giving people warnings. Sure, ancient ruins sometimes have traps built into them, but I know how to spot those better! All these wires and security systems… very much not what I like to deal with. Back in the 'good old days,' I would hire patsies to break through any modern security if I needed to. In my current situation, I was lacking in options.

A flashlight shined through the container, causing me to hiss and shield my eyes. "Is that- it's Raifort, the Pokethief!" The guard holding the flashlight proclaimed. I bit back the urge to correct him. I'm a regular thief! The Pokemon theft was just a means to an end! And I gave them back! An act that ended up screwing me over, but I couldn't regret it, not after remembering how distressed that Klefki had been. Just everything else about that dumb heist I regret.

The guard was accompanied by another one, both of them releasing their Pokemon. From the sounds of sizzling acid on concrete, however, none of the security team was eager to close in on two Poison Types. I used the chance to look through the crates more carefully, prying open a few boxes.

It took a minute to find the long case holding the stone scepter (though along the way I found a handful of specialty Pokeballs and evolution stones, which I shoved into my bag, hoping I could pawn them off for a few extra Pokedollars later). After confirming the crimson bound book was within the long crate, I slammed the lid back shut and hefted it outside. There, I saw another couple of security officers join the standoff, sending out their own Maschiffs to join the ones already hounding my Pokemon.

"Is this some kind of a joke? Haunter, use Dazzling Gleam! Seviper, cover him." My Ghost Type stop belching out noxious fumes with smog and instead gathered a large burst of light above them while Seviper breathed out an Icy Haze over the dock, obscuring their vision. Hmm, they must have buffed themselves up a bit while I was busy.

It did the trick; obscuring their vision for a moment was all Haunter needed to bathe them in the Fairy Type attack, crushing their resistance. What they get for all using the same Pokemon. I don't care how good they are at their job; sharing a critical weak point is the biggest vulnerability you can have. Sir Frances proved that a scant four hundred years ago when he attempted to lead a Kalosan invasion through these very docks- As the dog Pokemon gave pitiful howls, I heard other guards rushing to our location.

Clicking my tongue in frustration, I looked for a way out. Running in between the crates, I soon found myself at the edge of the pier, water in front of me and angry shouts behind. Recalling my Poison Types, I released Grumpig. "Platform, please."

Nodding his head, he created a glowing pink horizontal screen for us to step on. I hefted the crate on top with me, and Grumpig slowly directed it across the water. I need to work out more. Though it would be easier if I could just carry it outside of the case, but the padding will help if anything happens.

As if on cue, a Barraskewda launched itself out of the water at us, narrowly missing me. A small boat turning towards us indicated it wasn't a wild Pokemon being randomly aggressive with us, but a sign of focused opposition. "It seems they still haven't learned their lesson," I said, drawing out Lumineon's Pokeball. "Show them the error of their ways; no one gets between me and my treasure."

Releasing my Pokemon, they splashed into the water, glowing brightly under the dark waves. This made him into an instant target, but since his evolution, he was strong enough to defend himself. Under the water, Whirlpools swirled, battering the ship and all of the aquatic Pokemon sent after us.

The battle was close, however, and I saw that the boat would soon reach me if I didn't do anything to fix it. "Oho? Such persistent fools," I said as I released Scizor. "Bullet punch. Show them that if they haven't learned anything from the failures to catch me so far, they're doomed to repeat their mistakes."

The sight of my Bug Type, his red exoskeleton gleaming in the dim light, earned a yelp of surprise from someone onboard. It was too late for them to recall their Pokemon to defend the ship from our counterattack. Scizor, for his part, flew up, well above the boat… before diving straight down, punching a hole through the bottom. That might have been a bit overkill, but it did the job. I'm sure with their own Water Types they'll live. Right?

Banishing such nusancesome distracting thoughts from my mind, I turned my attention to my Pokemon. Scizor's waterlogged wings and steel-coated body meant he couldn't swim away from the destruction he had caused. Thankfully, Lumineon was able to push him forward to the point that I could return both of them. The coast guard had bigger problems than us to deal with now, desperately trying to escape their sinking ship.

Grumpig and I jumped off the platform as we reached dry-ish land. Running along the beach, I made as much headway as I could. Which was, unfortunately, little, as one final security officer chased after me, hanging off of his Bronzong as it floated through the air.

"We've found them! Sound the alar-"

"Night Slash," I called out, tossing my Pokeball up so it bounced right off of the enemy Psychic Type, releasing Zoroark above them. My starter slashed down with vicious glee, sending the hunk of metal crashing to the beach, the man on his back landing with a nasty crunch.

As his howling got annoying, I asked Zoroark, "Can you filter him out?" She gave a quick nod of her head, and suddenly blessed silence took hold. Only an illusion, but at least it gives me some peace of mind. Now, let's take some away from them.

"Set multiple fires around the containers. Let's craft an image of destruction and terror as great as the end of the envious King Jeharis," I stated grandly. Zoroark smirked, knowing as well as I did the tales of the monarch his splendour and the magnificent jewelry he wore which drove his enemies to burn his city to the ground, and needing no further instruction.

Raising a hand as if she were composing a melody. What rang out was not music but the snap and crackle of burning wood, the hiss of flames. The auditory elements were accompanied by the visual ones, great bonfires bursting up at different places all over the docks. She took my instructions to the letter, with the flames occasionally 'leaping' from one stack of totes to another in that same odd motion like a fish surfacing above the waves that had been caught on the ancient tapestry depicting 'The fall of Eldemire.'

Excellent. They'll be busy panicking until we're long gone. We slipped into the shadows, hiding in the cover of night.

***

Medali was too far to walk to. Not and meet my client on time, but there were other methods than walking. Transportation services more… discreet than Flying Taxi or Rent-a-Cyclizar. A legal gray area in how the Paldean League operated, not wishing to quash small businesses directly. And yet, they'd still like to keep a discreet eye on the comings and goings of the people here.

The 'compromise' was that more mainstream travel services simply used the government influences and resources to outcompete any others. Yet there were still those (like myself) who wanted to travel with no questions asked. I wouldn't be giving anything up if they did talk, however.

By the time I stood at the empty spot in the field I'd arranged for our transport to arrive in, I had changed my appearance entirely. Gone were the blue jacket and pants, replaced with a silky black dress. My hair was short and red, with plain (ugh) emerald earrings. No sign or trace of the accessories bearing mythological iconography I used to wear.

My regular clothes were in my bag, along with my 'acquisitions' from the auction house storage. My wig as well, having cut and dyed my hair rather than trying to wear a wig full time publicly and hoping no one found out. I suppose that one could say it's folly for me to cling onto my past and dress up like how I was pictured in every wanted poster before enacting a heist, but it feels like the only time I can be me.

I checked my ID and saw the name Gabriella Witherspoon. Bland and forgettable, one of half a dozen different fake identities I'd grabbed when the full attention of the law turned its eyes on me.

A soft breeze drew my attention upward. "I'll admit, I hadn't expected this," I stated aloud as the Pokemon and pilot descended down. There was no need to raise my voice, as this Flying Type didn't flap his wings heavily to fly but simply floated down. "I didn't realize Jumpluffs could carry people." Not a common or wild trait, to be sure. No book I've every read has hinted at the possessing such.

The reedy man remained hooked to the odd harness attached to his Pokemon even as he stood on the ground. "He's a surprising fellow, this one. But don't worry, he can carry you jus' fine." Tossing me another harness, he motioned for me to strap myself in. "Oh, you'll probably want to put your Pawmo in the ball. We'd hate for anything to happen to the little lass." He sounded like he could not possibly care less about the fate of my 'Pawmo.'

"Don't worry, little one; I'll be fine." I said, recalling my disguised Zoroark. I honestly have no idea, but at this point, I'm almost too tired to care. At least my team will tear them to shreds if they try anything.

Before my 'public debut' at the hands of that wretched child, I'd always skirted the edges of the darker side of society, but even that was enough to know that other criminals rarely wanted to throw down with each other unless they were sure of the outcome (or suicidal fools). In a Pokemon battle without any rules, both Trainers could easily become liabilities or even casualties, unless the strength gap was vast.

Hooking up the harness was awkward in my current attire, but I got it done and soon enough we were lifting off. The Jumpluff wiggled his cottony arms, conjuring a powerful wind at our backs, and began to rise. The harnesses seem to be made of a special material, which might contribute to some of it, but it still feels like a miracle that this Pokemon can fly while carrying us. I didn't know the specifics, nor did I care to imagine why.

A few cotton spores drifted around us, and I said, "Don't let those touch me."

"What? Too precious to mess up your clothes a little?" The driver said. Is 'Hecklen Transportation' indicative of his name? There's no historical significance to it, just another service some of my less-than-legal contacts passed along to me. Before I became too 'hot,' that is. No honor among thieves, and no one willing to risk Martha's wrath to hide me.

"Hardly," I bit out, shivering in the wind as we flew across the night sky. "But I've heard tales of what those spores can do to someone's skin. Horrible coughing fits, rashes, and worse."

"Pluff pluff pluff," the Pokemon in question chortled, and I could just imagine the malicious glee in its beady red eyes as it did so. Still, the spores drifted just enough that they avoided landing on either one of us.

Silence fell afterwards, neither of us having any desire to fill the air with meaningless chatter. Down below, I could see countless ruins calling out to me. This stretch of land is filled with them. What ancient texts might they hold? Do safeguards and traps from the past remain for me to test my mind and might against?

My daydreams of having the means and opportunities to explore them ended as we neared the city. The man started taking us down, well outside the city limits. "Wait, what's going on?"

"Sorry, can't make it into the city proper. A few… bureaucratic disputes between myself and them. There's only a kilometer left." Easy for the one not wearing heels to say! I seethed but said nothing as we landed, unstrapping from the Jumpluff. Releasing my disguised Zoroark, I began to walk away before he stopped me.

"Hey, where's the other half of the payment?" I had paid him half up front, and I was sorely tempted to tell him to screw off, but I had a better idea.

Adopting a slightly ditzy voice, I said, "Oh, my bad, totally forgot. Here you go," I said, handing him a wad of Pokedollars. He greedily grabbed the paper, counting it for a second before stuffing it in his bag.

"Pleasure doing business with you; feel free to call me again," he said before floating off. I very much doubt I'll be doing that. Especially since that was a bunch of Pokeopoly dollars that Zoroark was making look like real money. My only regret is that I don't get to see the look on your face when you find out, mwhaha.

The joy of messing with him and saving a few more Pokedollars didn't change my situation, and so I trudged up the hill towards the city. I can deal with the dangers, the risks, and the thrills that come with searching for lost treasure, but this? The discomfort that permeates every step of my travels, stops me from getting a good night's sleep… These details never made their way into the historical texts, and I see why now. It's a constant nuisance but with none of the excitement.

***

Getting into Medali late and exhausted made the scant few hours of sleep I got in my hotel room all the worse, but at least I got some sleep that night. I walked in the light of day through the bustling streets, grabbing a quick breakfast from the stalls that dotted the streets. Along the way to my meeting point, I took in the sights, from the Oinkologne amphitheater to the well-worn tiled streets. This city might not be considered the most energetic of the major cities of Paldea, but it has a rich history all its own.

As a child playing a video game bumped into me without looking and barely muttered 'sorry' as he blithely stumbled along, I was reminded of what I didn't like about Medali. History has its hold on this place out of inertia, rather than pride, and it shows in how technology blends with it.

In little ways, I saw how certain buildings obviously had more stories added to them, giving more space for the people but ruining the original design. People playing with handheld gaming consoles. Pah, what a fad. I just can't see the value people find in ridiculous video games. You don't need fantasy to find something interesting! History has its own…

My thoughts trailed off as my eyes caught on a bunch of televisions in a storefront. What irked me there was not the technology but the images displayed. It was an Elite Challenge from about a year ago, showing Martha. Her challenger had been a promising woman who had actually managed to win the two elite battles before this. But against Martha, she was crushed, the Dark Type Elite showing no mercy as she tore apart the woman's tactics.

I turned away, continuing down the road. I hardly needed to watch it in the first place, but then again, how could I not? I feel like I'll always be Shadow Tagged to my mother, until the end of days. My decision to strike out on my own may have been a tad impulsive, but despite the hexes and fruitless searches, I hadn't regretted it. Not until now.

Amidst the other sites of the city, there were of course posters. Easily filtered out, to the point where even I barely noticed them. But the ones with my face on them nearly made me stiffen and wonder if this would be the day I was caught. The amount of them and the push the League had been making was unusual, to say the least.

Mother would hardly sweep my misdeeds under the rug, but she wouldn't be this aggressive either, not towards me. She wants me back, not in jail. So is this the work of that Glitterati brat, or some other factor that's been making my life hell?

It didn't truly matter, but as I found myself in front of the building I was to meet my client at, I hesitated. Why carry on like this? I could go to Mom and throw myself at her feet. I wouldn't be slipping away or escaping punishment, but she'd make sure it wasn't too bad. There would be no chance of escaping her watchful eye, not as long as she lived, though. In a way, it would be a sentence worse than jail - eventually I would escape or be set free from jail.

The grumbling of my stomach reminded me of how much I'd exerted myself today, pairing perfectly with soreness in my feet. While I would never admit it aloud, either option was seeming better than carrying on as I was.

As I looked at the small tech repair shop in front of me, I muttered to myself, "Fuck it. I've come this far; might as well complete the job. We'll see how I feel after this." Despite the door having the closed sign up, my client had assured me it would be open and did indeed swing in at my touch.

The front of the store had an assortment of scattered parts and pieces for everything from computers to flashlights. There was a thin path between the tables and books to the front desk where I rang the bell. No one came, but a woman's voice shouted from the back, "Just a minute!"

This isn't a trap, right? There's no way the League could have prepared something like this here, in the middle of a city. And if it were, they would have sprung it by now. In spite of the reassurances I tried to tell myself, fear (and impatience) took hold of me, and I strode ahead, determined to find out what was keeping her. Going around the desk and through the backdoor, I found more projects she was working on and a set of stairs leading up.

Walking up to her residence, I opened the door and saw an odd collection of items. From a cave painting relief dominating one side of the room, to ancient telescopes, to a small pile of Gimmieghoul coins, to a mock-up of the theoretical 'Treasures of Ruin' that had me practically drooling.

In one corner sat one of the large home aquariums sold for those Pokemon who needed aquatic living space. I had one of those for my Fineon, before I had to go on the run. Now I just have to release him out by rivers and oceans whenever I get the chance. Within this one slowly drifted a dull brown Pokemon, its rocky scales the only distinction marking them as a Pokemon and not simply a large fish.

Much like the shop below, the entire space was rather disorganized, or perhaps scattered and organized in a pattern I couldn't see. Amidst these curiosities were the standard pieces of furniture and appliances necessary for living.

Sitting on a chair was an attractive, tanned woman, her hair a pale brown and very messy. She was wearing a matching set of orange crop and short shorts. The torn and jagged nature of her clothing matched the fanged belt and necklace she wore, as well as the vicious look in her cyan eyes as they snapped to me.

"Mom? Everything ok?" Came the voice from the tablet sitting on the coffee table, and in an instant her aggression melted away.

"Of course, sweetie, I just have some business to attend to. I promise I'll call you back soon. Love you."

He mumbled something back, which could have been interpreted as the same, but was very deliberately uncertain. "Trouble at home-"

"I told you to wait!" Sada snapped, standing up and taking a step towards me until my hand dropped to my belt on instinct, hovering over a Pokeball.

"It was more than the minute you said it'd be. Besides, I thought you'd wish to see the item I brought you. Unless I should keep it for myself?"

The woman relaxed a bit, the desire for the item clearly outweighing the annoyance she felt. "No, though since you're offering, I would like your expertise on the matter as I study that book. I picked you for a reason, you know?" She also muttered something about 'not interrupting her reconnecting with her son,' or whatever, but I didn't care.

My own curiosity piqued, I pulled the crate out of my Silph bag, placing it down on the coffee table. Opening it, I unveiled the scarlet red book within. "Excellent…" She whispered with glee, carefully raising the book out and feeling it. "You have a few hours to spare on this, yes?"

I sighed and almost wanted to tell her off, but the truth was I really didn't have anything better to do today. And damn my curiosity which gets me into these messes, but I can't deny that I wish to know more about this artifact as well. "Yes, but make sure you pay me first. And are you going to be studying it like that?" I asked, my eyes darting up and down at her state of dress.

"Ah," a slight blush dusted her cheeks. "Forgive me, getting a call from my son so early left me a bit discombobulated." She grabbed a lab coat with a fur collar that was hanging off the side of her couch and tossed it on top of her shoulders, making no moves to button it up. "There we go."

"So what is this 'Scarlet Book' anyway?" I asked as I sat down beside her as she handed me the agreed-upon sum of Pokedollars. It was a hefty amount, 50,000 all told, yet still only half what the starting price of the book would have been at auction.

The Professor smiled mysteriously. "I think I'll let you come to your own conclusions first, before presenting my own hypothesis." She cracked the book open, taking care not to damage it as she flipped it open to the first page.

"Author Professor… Heath?!" I read aloud. "This can't be right; the only untitled book Heath wrote was the Violet Book." I continued reading aloud as she turned the page. "Set out with the Area Zero Expedition today… Progress was slow, but one of the Trainers caught a glimpse of a rare Pokemon they swear they've never seen before. From accounts, it appeared to be a Donphan, but with odd mutations… will have to sketch later if I get the chance."

My mind turned over what I was reading, flipping through the pages as my voice died out. It felt like some puzzle designed to twist my brain into knots. Each piece seems like it fits except by their base premise is wrong!

After several minutes: "This must just be a fake, a copycat," I eventually concluded. "There's no way I wouldn't have heard of another book by the great Professor Heath." Those were at once some of the most intriguing and frustrating parts of historical discoveries.

To see how people of the past would mimic the great designs of their times grants a degree of insight into what the common man thought at the time that is often missed in historical accounts of the famous. Yet for all that value, the famous people are interesting because of their greatness, and to realize that what you'd hoped is not a piece of the grand tapestry of history.

"What makes you think that?" The Professor prodded, not seeming upset.

"For starters, the very color of the book. Scarlet, not Violet. It's old, but given the coloration of the pages, I'd estimate it's merely a hundred years old, not two hundred like the original. Then there's the Pokemon depicted within. 'Great Tusks?' 'Brute Bonnet?' Nothing like what the true Violet Book said Heath saw. While some of the Pokemon appear to share similarities with regular Pokemon, they're twisted but in a very different bent than how Heath depicted them. The only Pokemon that appears truly the same is the one at the end of the book, and much like all the Violet Book copies, it's too obscured to be worthwhile for study."

"That's unusual. Why keep that one the same? Also, you said that it's only the copies of the original book?"

"Yes. The original has some further details; pages in the end that were obscured are clear, supposedly." Not that that bitch Briar will publish it. I don't care if she wants to 'wait for proof to vindicate her great-grandfather's name'; it's a part of history nonetheless!

Breathing out heavily, I pushed that errant, annoying thought aside. "The details are, admittedly, unusually accurate for a copy," I continued. "For everything but the Pokemon involved, this fits perfectly with the wave of copies that were made a hundred years ago after people stopped decrying Heath's work as the ramblings of a madman. In some ways, prehistoric Pokemon being discovered there would make more sense than the futuristic ones Heath described, but- I don't get it."

If one is looking to sell a fake, why look through the details so carefully, get the little points right, but screw up the big ones? It makes no sense, unless you're looking to push a different narrative.

"It's very unusual," Sada commented, standing up and going through a stack of books before pulling out a Violet covered one from the pile and tossing it down. "A gift from my ex-husband," she said, her tone indecipherable but carrying some weight to it. Flipping the new book open, she matched it to the Scarlet one on the same page. The exact same page.

"Word for word, stroke for stroke, this is… Heath's handwriting! But how?" I hadn't realized it at first without seeing them side by side, but I've plumbed enough historical texts to match handwriting. There are simply too many similarities and too much effort put in for this to be a mere forgery, but too many inconsistencies for it to be genuine.

She gave me a wild grin, grabbing an academic journal and whipping it in front of me. "This should explain everything."

I squinted, reading it closely. "'Mitochondria form and function in class-C type Ghost Pokemon across various regions-' I don't see the connection." Sada blushed, tossing it aside.

"Ah, sorry about that. I was doing a bit of light reading before bed last night." The eccentric Professor rummaged around through her stacks of books once again before pulling out a magazine. "This should explain everything!" She declared triumphantly, one hand on her hip as she presented it to me.

I crossed my arms, somehow less impressed than before. "That rag magazine? What could 'Occulture' possibly tell us?" In response, Sada flipped it open, pointing to an article within.

"Sohdayo was the one who uncovered this story, the one that sparked the auction in the first place. The story explains how this book came from a parallel universe."

Scoffing, I snatched the magazine out of her hands, reading closely. "There's nothing in here to support his theory," I objected after finishing the article. There was some stuff about the 'mysterious circumstances' by which it found its way into the hands of the man's family who auctioned it off, but nothing to back it up. The trio of explorers with legendary Pokemon that supposedly happened upon his ancestor sound even less believable.

Sada sat back down. "I'm aware. However! There's nothing to say that it isn't true either. And from your inspection, I'd say that theory fits the bill fairly neatly. Think of what we could discover!"

"I'm interested in the past of this world, not other timelines, even if that were true." My defense was half-hearted; however, my mind was already ensnared by thoughts of how similar it was to the copies of the Violet Book.

Slowly, the other woman nodded, losing some of her excited energy. "I am as well. The secrets of the past, all the history we've lost… Paldea has some of the most intensive records out of all the known regions in the world, and there are still entire centuries that our knowledge of is relegated to a few sentences in a textbook. And that's only going back a few thousand years."

The Professor waved a hand over at the block of cave paintings standing against one wall. "We have scant details but definitive evidence on certain parts of our world millions of years ago. All our technology and advancements are looking forward and so little to the past. It's like no one gets it." The frustration and longing in her voice were emotions I'd heard pass my own lips many times, from deep sighs to impassioned speeches on the importance of our past. I felt a deep kinship with her in that moment, which was why her next words reached me so easily.

"I don't know how exactly we'll be able to determine what happened from this book, but depending on how close the world it came from was to our own, we might discover things that never could have been found through ordinary means. Would you be willing to help me with this quest?" The question was quiet, nervous. From the state of her apartment and store, it was clear she was like me and had very few others close to her. I get how lonely and scary that can be.

Still, she delivered the question with surety, and when she held out her hand to me, I took it without a second thought. "I'd be delighted to unravel the enigmas of history with you." Oho, what secrets we will uncover! What splendid historical facts await to be examined from this new lens? I wasn't entirely sure about the strange Professor yet, but nonetheless, I couldn't wait to see where our burgeoning partnership would go.

Spoiler: A/N:

Just gonna drop this here, nothing to worry about from this team up… for now. Also, I really like the idea of Relicanth being Sada's pre-Paradox Pokemon, just like Proygon Z was Turo's.

Let me know what you thought of this down below or on the Discord. And if you're enjoying my stuff and want to toss me a bit of money, I have a Kofi and a Patreon, subscribers to the latter get early access to the next ten chapters. Thank you, and I hope you have a great day.

 

[Lillie Jones]

Thanks for the chapter