The elevator doors slid open with a quiet chime, and I stepped into the hotel lobby,my Poké Balls warm at my side. I'd just returned from the Pokémon Center attached to the hotel; it felt less like a public clinic and more like a private ward. Rows of advanced healing machines hummed softly behind glass walls, staffed by multiple personnel attending to the hotel patrons' Pokémon. It wasn't subtle how well-connected this place was. The Joy Clan were usually very exclusive and didn't attach itself to private entities.
Orin had been released to me with a clean bill of health. His pride had been bruised more than anything else.
The lobby itself was bright and open, sunlight spilling in through tall glass panels that framed Cerulean's sky. Marble floors reflected the movement of guests and staff alike. I checked my watch. Still about half an hour before Kailey said the lab's teleport mon would arrive to pick us up.
Plenty of time to relax, I suppose.
I'd already packed most of my things earlier that morning, bag zipped and clothes folded. With nowhere else to be for the moment, I drifted toward the sitting area near the windows. There were plush couches with low tables, and a rack of magazines arranged alongside some refreshments.
I picked one up at random and sank into the couches.
The magazine was all glossy pages featuring models wearing absurdly expensive clothes. Articles about seasonal fashion trends in Celadon and Goldenrod, and luxury accessories advertised danced around stating the price outright. I flipped through it absentmindedly, skimming headlines about limited-run premier Poké Balls, designer hiking boots for trainers who "valued both form and function," and an interview with some idol group I barely recognized.
I thought about the battle last night. Orin had done well, lacking a little in the power department, but that would come with time and evolution. Caesar dominated as usual. I felt a little bad about Daisy's Onix. She had returned her Pokémon and walked off the pitch immediately after I was announced the winner.
I was still turning a page when a shadow fell across the magazine.
"Hey!"
I looked up.
Rei stood in front of me, dressed neatly, rocking slightly on her heels like she couldn't quite stay still. She was wearing a light jacket over a simple dress.
"I don't think we actually introduced ourselves properly yet," she said, grinning. "I'm Rei Kawakami."
I blinked once, then closed the magazine partway. "Arata Ishida."
Her smile widened as she leaned in. "I know. Hard not to after yesterday. Excellent battle, by the way."
I felt a faint warmth creep up my neck. "Right... thanks."
She didn't seem bothered by my reserved tone. Instead, she glanced at the magazine in my hands and laughed softly. "What are you looking at?"
"Nothing in particular, just whiling away the time. " I admitted and then asked, "Where are you from?"
She dropped into the chair across from me without asking. "I'm from Cerulean, same year as Daisy and Lilian." There was a slight emphasis there. "You?"
"Saltwind," I said. "Near Vermilion. Originally."
Her eyebrows lifted. "That's... pretty far."
"I sort of work in Pallet now," I replied simply.
She leaned forward a bit, elbows on her knees. "I know Daisy mentioned you before. Her brother talks about you to her. You're really strong, you know."
I met her gaze, uncertain how to respond.
She waved a hand quickly. "I don't mean that weirdly. Just... watching that battle? Most people our age don't get that strong without years of training Pokémon. Even Daisy didn't see that coming, and she's an Oak."
I gave a small shrug, not saying much beyond that. "I just train hard, I suppose."
Rei studied me for a moment, then smiled again, this one a little more playful. "Still, I'd like to get to know you better, if that's okay."
The realization clicked into place, surprising me more than it probably should have. I'd been flirted with before, technically, but never this directly. Nor were they ever this direct.
"Oh," I said before I could stop myself.
She laughed. "What's with that face? It's fine if you don't want to."
"No, no—just unexpected."
She tilted her head. "So... can I get your number?"
I hesitated for a fraction of a second, then reached for my RangerNav and tapped it awake. "Sure."
She brightened immediately as I passed it over and she entered her contact. When she handed it back, her fingers lingered just a second longer than necessary.
"Thanks," she said. "I'll message you sometime."
"Yeah," I replied, still adjusting. "Sounds good."
She stood just as voices echoed from the elevator area.
Rei glanced over her shoulder. "Looks like the others are coming down."
Sure enough, Lilian stepped out first, laughing about something Gloria said. Daisy followed close behind, expression tight and unreadable. Kailey and the rest of the lab team weren't far behind, bags in hand.
I stood as they reached us.
Lilian's eyes flicked to me, then to Rei. Something unreadable passed over her face before she smiled politely and continued on. Rei gave me a quick wave, then drifted back toward Lilian, the two of them murmuring as they walked away through the main entrance after saying goodbye to Daisy.
Daisy barely looked at me at all, but when she did, it was with a light glare sharp enough I could feel it.
I ignored it.
We gathered near the lobby doors, the air thick with that strange mix of anticipation and fatigue that came at the end of a trip. Kailey checked her watch again, then glanced toward the garden doors.
"Teleport mons should be here any minute. Best we head to the teleport destination area," she said.
Gloria crossed her arms. "Good. I want to go home."
Marlon muttered in agreement.
We moved out into the hotel garden, where manicured hedges lined stone pathways and water features murmured softly. The space was beautiful, but the mood felt off. Daisy stood a little apart from the rest of us, arms folded, her gaze fixed somewhere past my shoulder.
Every now and then, I caught her staring, a slight frustration in her eyes.
No one commented. Then the air shifted.
A faint psychic pressure rolled through the garden, subtle but unmistakable. A moment later, a flash of light snapped into existence near the fountain.
A Kadabra appeared.
Then another.
And another.
They stood in a neat line. These weren't battlers; they were specifically trained for long-distance teleports, trained to remember artificially, physically enhanced spots like the area we were standing on.
Kailey let out a breath of relief. "Right on time."
One of the Kadabra stepped forward, raising a hand and gesturing theatrically, moving its arms to usher us forward.
"Alright," Kailey said. "Everyone hold hands. You know the drill."
There was a brief shuffle as we lined up.
Unavoidably, Daisy ended up beside me.
She didn't look at me as she took my hand, but her grip was firm as she held my hand, as I held Marlon's on the other side.
The Kadabra's eyes glowed.
Psychic energy wrapped around us in a familiar, disorienting shroud. The world blurred at the edges, light stretching...
And Daisy squeezed.
I sucked in a breath, jaw tightening as her nails dug into my hand. I turned my head sharply, but the teleport took hold before I could say anything.
The garden vanished in a flash of light.
The world snapped back into place with a sharp crack.
For half a heartbeat, gravity lagged behind my senses, then my boots hit solid ground, and the smell of grass and clean air rushed in.
We stood on one of the psychic landing strips in front of the main lab building, the kind marked by faintly glowing concentric rings embedded into the turf. Pastures stretched out on all sides, fenced fields dotted with Pokémon grazing or resting under the sun. A pair of Rhyhorn lumbered slowly in the distance. Ponyta flicked their tails near a water trough, enjoying their day.
I yanked my hand back instantly.
My palm stung.
I looked down. Thin, crescent cuts marked the skin where Daisy's nails had dug in, red lines already welling.
I lifted my head slowly, looking at her as I scowled.
She was smiling.
That little....
Just a small, smug curl of her lips as she met my eyes for a second, long enough to make sure I saw it, before she turned away. She flicked her hair back over her shoulder and walked toward the lab building like nothing had happened.
Didn't say a word.
I clenched my hand once, then relaxed it. No point making a scene. Still, the irritation burned hot in my chest.
Leave it. Not worth it.
Behind me, Kailey cleared her throat.
"Well," she said, adjusting her cap and looking at me awkwardly, "that wasn't so bad."
Marlon glanced between me and Daisy's retreating back, then wisely said nothing, as the other hadn't seen it.
Caleb laughed. "I've had worse teleports."
Gloria nodded. "At least nobody puked."
I exhaled and shook my head. "We done here?"
Kailey checked her Nav. "Yeah. You're in the clear. We got it from here, thanks Arata."
"Good." I hesitated, then added, "I need to talk to the Professor."
She smiled, a little more genuinely this time. "Go on. Thanks again."
I nodded once and turned away from the group.
As I walked toward the lab entrance, I took stock of the place. It was noticeably busier than it had been even a month ago. Trainers, aides, researchers, everyone moved with purpose. Crates labeled with League seals were stacked near loading bays, and more baby Pokémon than usual clustered in controlled habitats.
The league season was starting in two weeks.
It was time for me to leave...
I stowed my luggage near the entrance locker, standard procedure for staff, and headed inside.
The sliding doors parted with a soft hiss.
Inside, the lab hummed with its usual sounds. Consoles beeped. Monitors flickered with data streams. Assistants hurried past, carrying tablets or documents. I caught a familiar aide and asked where the professor was.
"He's in the pastures in the back," she said without slowing.
I thanked her and made my way through the building, following the corridor that led to the rear exit. The glass doors slid open again, sunlight spilling in as I stepped out onto the grass.
Oak stood near the far fence line, tablet in hand, speaking quietly with another researcher. He looked relaxed, scanning data even as he talked.
He noticed me almost immediately.
"Ah," he said, lifting a hand in greeting. "Arata. Over here."
I jogged the last few steps and stopped beside him.
"How was the excursion to Cerulean?" he asked, tapping his tablet closed. "Did the research team get what they needed?"
"I think they did," I said. "Though you should check with Kailey."
Oak nodded, satisfied. "Good. Very good."
I was about to bring up what I wanted to talk about when a sound cut through the air.
A shrill, angry trill. A High-pitched, raw, and full of panic and rage.
I stiffened and turned toward the sound instinctively. It came from the left of us, near the building, where reinforced containment structures were partially visible through fencing and rock walls.
"What's that?" I asked.
Oak followed my gaze, his expression tightening just a fraction.
"A Larvitar," he said calmly. "Received from a colleague in Johto."
A Larvitar...? I thought with a little excitement.
Another crash echoed, metal rattling, stone grinding against stone.
I looked back at him sharply. "That didn't sound good."
"It isn't," Oak said quietly.
He studied me for a long moment, then sighed.
"She's a dangerous little thing," he continued. "Extremely unstable. She killed her previous handlers after being rescued from poachers."
"She was to be put down," he said My stomach twisted.
"But," Oak went on, his voice steady, "I asked for one last chance."
I met his eyes, understanding clicking into place.
"You want me to try," I said, excitement growing.
He nodded once. "I want the entire process documented, but remember: This Pokémon has tasted human flesh and blood. It will not be easy."
There was no softness in his gaze now, only calculation.
I swallowed.
A Larvitar. A walking powerhouse if things went right.
But also...
"I can do it," I said quietly.
Oak's mouth curved faintly. "I thought you might say that."
Before either of us could move, a sharp voice cut across the pasture.
"Samuel!"
We both turned.
An elderly woman strode out from the lab building, her cane striking the ground with authority. She was short but carried herself like a force of nature, hunched shoulders wrapped in a dark shawl, sharp eyes gleaming beneath a wild mane of gray hair.
I recognized her instantly.
Agatha.
Elite Four. A living Legend.
She marched straight toward Oak, her scowl deepening with every step. "The Johto brat is challenging for Champion," she snapped. "What are you going to do about it?"
Oak didn't flinch. "Nothing," he said evenly. "Lance is within his rights."
Agatha scoffed. "We don't need another Johto Champion."
"That's a discussion for later," Oak replied.
Only then did she notice me, her eyes locked onto mine.
"And who's this?" she demanded. "Your new brat?"
The air changed.
Pressure slammed into me without warning, heavy, and filled with Death, suffocating. My breath caught. My muscles locked. It felt like standing in deep water while something massive passed overhead.
Her aura, no, her entire being pressed down on me.
For a split second, panic flared, Then instinct took over. I reached inward and pulled my power in tight around myself, letting it settle and circulate.
The pressure snapped.
Agatha recoiled half a step, her eyes widening just a fraction, and then she smiled, as if she saw an interesting toy.
"Well... well," she murmured. "That's new."
Oak stepped closer, placing a steady hand on my shoulder. The gesture was unmistakably supportive.
Agatha clicked her tongue. She opened her mouth to say more.
"GRANDMAAA!!!"
A familiar voice rang out.
Daisy came running across the grass, all irritation gone, arms outstretched.
Agatha's entire demeanor changed in an instant.
Her shoulders relaxed. Her eyes softened, as if she were just an old woman who could do no wrong.
"How's my little ghost flake!" Agatha exclaimed, dropping her cane as she caught Daisy in a tight hug.
I stood there, my brain stalled.
What the Fuck...