Bell Benson, that is your name. Remember it, and never forget it. This is one of the few things you will remember when you wake up. I'm sure you will have many questions when you awake. But it is in your best interest that I don't answer them. But what I can tell you is this. I saved you from a situation that would have meant certain death and brought you here. To a place you have never been, with people you have never met. It is a fine place, and the people are kind. But they are not the ones I worry about. I wish only the best for you, child. You could lead a peaceful life devoid of any danger if you so wanted. But I feel it wouldn't be enough, not for you. So instead, I offer you another option. There is a song that hinges in the back of my mind but will never fully form. I have spent centuries searching for it, and I am strong enough to admit that I am at the end of my rope. You are my final hope. Please, find the song for me child. Find the song, and perhaps those sepia-toned memories will be yours again. Find it, and you will find me. Now wake up.

----

Act 1 - Prelude to Winter

Chapter 1 - We'll Meet Again

Is this what it feels like to have your life flash before your eyes? Only, instead of dying, it's like I'm being rebirthed. Images of smoky Kalosian cafes and bustling jazz bars flashed in my mind. A million different things were running through my head. And they all had one thing in common. A girl. She had jet-black hair and a different hat and hairstyle every time I saw her. And boy, did I see her a lot. Always surrounded by other people of course, but she was always the focal point. One second we were posing for a selfie in front of the Ferris Wheel in Nimbasa, and the next we were driving at criminally rapid speeds away from something; I couldn't tell what. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and there I was, in the middle of a café.

It made me realize something: I think I like jazz.

The café was bustling with people. Just about every table was filled with people and Pokémon. It was illuminated only by a few hanging lanterns that worked surprisingly well for looking so old. There was also a singular Lampent floating around the café, greeting those who entered, and thanking those who were leaving. I couldn't focus with everything going on in the background, but somehow I managed. My mind refocused on the girl. We were the only two on the dance floor. She smiled and grabbed me by the hands, pulling me closer to her.

"Wanna dance?" She asked.

I shook my head. "No, not really."

She frowned, "That's a bummer."

She hummed a simple tune as she stared at something playing on the TV in the distance. It was hard to make out through the jazz, but I could swear I recognized that song. She refocused on me and said,

"I guess this is goodbye then."

"Goodbye? I don't even know who you are." I said, somewhat unfeelingly.

Somehow that felt... untrue.

She winced. "I guess it's working already." She said somberly, "I'd hoped you still had a little more of... you, left inside."

I am me. Aren't I? The music in the background paused momentarily as a man walked up to the microphone to introduce a Kricketune who would be playing next. It took a bow.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

She sighed, "That's alright; you don't have to. It's only goodbye for now after all. We'll meet again, somewhere, someday."

The sentiment felt hollow like she didn't believe it. She looked so familiar. Like that nostalgic feeling you get when you smell something from your childhood, but it seems so far away, that you can't even remember why it made you nostalgic in the first place. Even if in the grand scheme of things, it was not that long ago.

"I hope we do," I said. I really did hope it was true, for some strange, unknown reason.

She smiled sweetly and pulled out a rugged and worn Pokémon from her pocket. It looked hazardous. I wasn't even holding it, and I could tell it was about to fall apart. She pressed it into my arms and said, "Take this; you'll need it."

"What's in it?" I asked.

"You'll see." She giggled.

I held the Pokéball to my chest. It felt warm. Everything felt warm. You know how some people who've had heart attacks say they had a sense of impending doom right before it happened? Well, I think that's what I'm feeling. My legs felt wobbly; I could barely stand straight. Then, they gave out. She caught me before I could hit the floor. My fingers twitched uncontrollably.

"What's about to happen?" I asked.

She looked into my eyes, "I don't know, but-." She cut herself off. "Wherever you go next, whoever they say you are... just know I'm rooting for you, okay?"

I shivered, "Okay."

I agreed, but it didn't feel true. She smiled again, but it was different this time. It wasn't happy or sad. It was longing. Longing for something that was, but will never be again. I can't put a word to this feeling. It's also like longing, only I don't know what for. I wanted to hold onto this moment for as long as I could, but alas, it wasn't meant to be. I felt my body go limp as she whispered one final thing into my ear.

"I love you, Ja-

She was gone. So was the café, but the music remained. It's a strange feeling to not remember anything about yourself. It's like floating in a black void, where you can make out objects, places, and people in the distance, but they'll never fully come into view. Actually, that's the exact situation I'm in right now. Only, I wasn't floating, just standing there on no perceivable ground. I held the Pokéball to my chest as if my life depended on it. I called out for anyone, anything. But to no avail. There wasn't even an echo to keep me company. Was I alone here? I hate silence; I hate it so much. I'd surely go insane in this place. I closed my eyes, waiting for something to happen. That's when I heard her. The woman's voice cut through the chaos in my mind like a soothing melody in the middle of a war zone. Her voice was crystal clear; my mission was crystal clear. My eyes fluttered open at her command. I took a breath; it felt unnatural.

My mind went black, and then-

Above me was a grey sky. I wasn't in Kansas anymore, whatever that means. The sudden change in atmosphere startled me immediately. I shivered; it was so cold. What kind of manic wears a t-shirt in weather like this? Me. I am the maniac. I felt... broken. As if something about me wasn't right. That woman, she said my name was Bell. But that doesn't feel true. Not at all. Everything feels wrong. This place, this feeling. Whatever, problems for later. I attempted to shake off these feelings of confusion and focus instead on my surroundings. In front of me was an altar. Both I and it were surrounded by a creek on all sides except directly behind me. It looked old, like really old. Parts of the stone arch had broken off and fallen into the creek or onto the surrounding area. Vines grew through the cracks in the stone and drooped down onto the shrine below it, or was it a tomb? I don't know the difference.

There were two, what I assumed to be names, inscribed onto it. But the stone was so worn out I couldn't understand it. There was, however, one part of the altar that seemed virtually untouched by time. The pedestal directly below the shrine was made of smooth, unbroken stone. It looked very out of place. Upon further inspection, which I was doing for some reason, there were two depressions in the stone, one in the shape of a sword, and the other a shield. Part of my mind wanted to keep looking. But the other, more rational, and frankly less fun, part of my brain was telling me to get the hell out of this forest. Unfortunately, I had to agree with the angel on my right shoulder, who wasn't there because I'm not crazy. At least, I don't think I am. Anyway, I stopped associating with that creepy altar and took the path behind me, hoping I wasn't just going deeper into the forest.

The best word I could use to describe this forest was... sleepy. Well, that and cold, but I don't think that's exclusive to the forest. Yeah, it's not an adjective you would usually give to a collection of trees and rivers, but it's honestly the most accurate thing I could think of. It was just so... quiet. Besides the sound of the creek, it was dead silent. I hadn't seen a single Pokémon. And speaking of Pokémon, it took me an embarrassingly long time to realize there was a Pokéball in my pocket, along with what appeared to be an alien space rock. I promise you that is exactly what it looked like. Alien space rock aside, I examined the Pokéball. It was rugged and worn; it felt like it was about to fall apart just from holding it. I silently prayed that it was both a fire type and friendly. I could use some warmth right now. Figurative or literal, but literal would be much preferred.

The button in the middle of the ball was hanging on by a tenuous thread, and by that, I mean a spring. Admittedly, it was much harder to get the damn thing to work than I'd like to admit. Eventually, after some finnagling, I managed to get the button to press down. The Pokéball was reduced to a pile of mechanical junk as it disintegrated in my hands. The Pokémon inside was released in front of me in a flash of crimson red that blinded me for a moment. When I looked back it was... a Dwebble.

"Ugh," I said.

Oops, I probably should not have said that. But come on, this was my one chance to find warmth, and it's a Dwebble. He didn't take kindly to my reaction. He rolled his eyes, and raised a small rock from the earth and threw it at me. It hit me right in the stomach, and it hurt. More so than I thought it would.

"Ow—What the fuck?" I said, throwing the rock back at him. It bounced off his shell harmlessly.

He snickered and shrugged at me.

"Alright, fine, maybe I was being a dick." I conceded. "I'm sorry."

He nodded his head, accepting my apology. Or I hope he did; I'm not very well-versed in the language of Dwebble. Unfortunately, he was, and proceeded to talk non-stop for what I assumed to be a few hours. I think he thought I could understand him. And I think I was accidentally enabling him by nodding along and agreeing with everything he said. Eventually, he shut up, and I could finally get a few words in. I explained to him my current situation, and by association, his as well. I told him about that woman who spoke to me before I woke up and how I couldn't remember anything.

He did not care. All he did was look at me like I was crazy and kept talking.

So, back to the alien space rock. It had sharp edges and pieces of stone sticking out. The pieces sticking out were shaped like pentagons, and the spaces in between them were triangles. A dim red light emanated from inside of it. The only thing I could tell you for certain was that it was not a normal rock, which is an assumption anyone could make. Unless, of course, this particular person was blind and couldn't feel anything. Then they might think that it was a completely normal rock. Although, I would think they would have bigger problems than a silly-looking rock. Anyway, enough about the stupid rock. Let's talk about the stupid forest.

As much as I tried to ignore it, the shifting atmosphere was really fucking with me. I think it needs therapy, it's having some pretty bad mood swings. When I first arrived, the air was freezing, and the sunlight struggled to make it through the clouds, not to mention the trees. Since then, it's gone from foggy to dim to straight-up darkness, to the brightest lights imaginable beaming right down onto me and Dwebbles faces. Thankfully those lights also happened to be fairly warm, so I was rid of the cold; that was until the forest decided I was having it too nice and decided to dim the lights and turn the AC way up. I also had my fair share of accidents along the way, mostly due to a few stray tree branches and once to my poor shoe-tying skills. So on top of freezing my ass off, I also have a gash on my elbow. Although, it's so cold that the pain is getting more manageable with every passing minute.

If you decide to factor in what a shitty companion Dwebble is, you can start to imagine how torturous this walk is. To distract myself from this hell of a hike, I asked Dwebble,

"Can I name you?"

It feels weird just calling him Dwebble, It would be much better if I could call him by a name.

He stopped yapping for a moment and shrugged, which I took as a yes. Alright, the first thing that comes to mind...

"What about Rocky?"

I'll admit, it's not very original, or creative, or interesting, or literally anything other than bland. But- look at a Dwebble and tell me Rocky isn't a fitting name. He deadpanned, probably because of my lackluster naming skills, but then shrugged. So, maybe my name isn't bad after all?

---

I was starting to think I would never get out of that hellhole of a forest. Thankfully, I would soon be put out of my misery. I was starting to see signs of life. I couldn't exactly see the Pokémon, but I could hear them. That's got to mean something right? Sure enough, I found the exit a little while later. Relief washed over me as I spotted the sprawling grass fields in the distance. My relief soon turned to terror, however, when I realized it was much colder out here than in the forest. Also, the sky was as overcast as it could get, so what the hell was all that shit going on in the forest? Whatever, I won't get much out of thinking about this right now.

Like I said, the forest led me into what looked to be endless fields of grass. I could see a town in the distance, but man, is it far. Unluckily, I had Rocky to keep me company. He thought the sound my chattering teeth made was the funniest thing he'd ever heard, so much so that he decided to imitate it himself. How is he not cold? It's probably pretty warm inside that rock.

"Y-you think this is f-funny?"

I shouldn't have said anything. Now he's making fun of my stutter. I could not have asked for a more annoying Pokémon as a starter. To make matters worse, he hated grass, for some fucking reason. He refused to walk on it, and since his Pokeball was currently a pile of junk a few miles back, my shoulder had unwillingly become his designated seat. If it were any other Pokemon, I would've thought it was cute, but he's got to weigh at least ten pounds. So I continued this grueling hike with a ten-pound rock on my shoulder. The more I think about it, it probably weighs a lot more than that. But who am I to complain? I'm just the one freezing his ass off. On the way to the town, I came across a few farms. They always had these adorable sheep-looking Pokemon that bayed at me as I passed by. I had to physically restrain myself from petting them. It's probably best not to touch a species I know nothing about.

Eventually, we reached a path paved with gravel, and I swiftly kicked Rocky off my shoulder. It looked like the path would take us to the town. Also, I still have not put any thought into where the hell I am. It's not Unova, that place is a never-ending heatwave. That also rules out Alola, in which you are never more than a few feet away from a Yungoos. I guess it could be Kanto or Johto, which are more on the foresty side of things, but something in my gut tells me that's not it. I'm leaning towards either Sinnoh or Galar, both of which are at least semi-cold all year round.

Man, my amnesia is oddly selective. I can remember random geography facts, but not my life before today. Whatever, more problems for later. If the last few hours have taught me anything, it is that the cold is not conducive to a productive thinking session. The two thoughts currently vying for control over my mind are 'I'm cold' and 'Is it getting warmer? Or am I going numb?'

Eventually, I made it to the town. Upon getting there, I wondered if I had somehow traveled through time and space a few hundred years back because this place looked medieval. The houses were made of stone, not stone bricks, just stones. The roofs were painted red, and all of the roads were paved with dirt, and not well-maintained dirt. Arceus, that sounds silly, but it's true. It was bumpy and uneven to walk on. Can you even drive on this? Well, I guess you can, but it's not going to be very pleasant. Come to think of it, I haven't seen any cars around here. Also, not a single person was out and about. Is it still morning? I was in that forest for hours. So either I had woken up much earlier than I thought, or that place doesn't care about the laws of time, and spit me out in the damn 1800s. Which is just as likely considering my current situation. My suspicions were furthered by my discovery of an ancient-looking newspaper machine in front of an old rustic building that looked important. Do people even read these anymore?

I can't buy a newspaper, broke as a joke as they say. But the machine was kind enough to let me read the first page without needing to pay. I was grateful, even if it was probably just a tactic to get people to actually buy the thing. It told me a few things. One, I wasn't in the 1800s; this town was just old. Two, this town's name is Postwick, which was in Galar. I subconsciously let out a groan. It's not that I hate Galar; it just wouldn't be my first choice for an all-expenses-paid vacation. Plus, they aren't exactly known for having the tastiest cuisine, especially to foreigners, which I very much am. Three, Wedgehurst was the name of the neighboring town, and much to my delight, it was home to a Pokemon professor. Maybe they can tell me what's going on with me. I bid the newspaper machine adieu; yes, I spoke to a newspaper machine. It's been much more helpful than Rocky, who had been pretending to understand the words on the paper and nodding along as I was reading it.

"Oh, so you can understand this?" I asked.

He nodded.

"Okay, so can you tell me what the Professor's name is?"

He stayed silent. "Yeah, that's what I thought."

Then he started throwing a big fit, and I once again wished I hadn't said anything. I ignored him and went on my way.

Postwick was a tiny little town. I was only walking for about 30 minutes, and I had already reached the 'You are leaving Postiwick' sign. There was another dirt road leading out of the town; hopefully, it'll lead me to Wedgehurst. The terrain was so flat, so it was surprising that I wouldn't be able to see it from this distance, which had me a little worried if I was being honest. I was also starting to get hungry, which I'm surprised didn't happen earlier. I ignored all of these worries and kept trudging. I mean, what else could I do?

The road eventually led us to a sign that said 'Route 1 Ahead.' I'm not sure about Galar, but I know other regions don't allow you to go on routes without at least one Pokémon, so, I guess Rocky is good for something. I followed the sign that pointed towards the aforementioned route. Hopefully, it's not too long or filled with Pokémon that want to kill me. I had anticipated both of these things. What I hadn't anticipated, however, was the yellow tape blocking the entrance to the route. I also didn't anticipate the girl staring down the route as if she'd just been locked out of a concert she'd paid to go to. My very specific analogy aside, I called out.

"Hey!"

I didn't have a plan. I was just hoping she could provide some insight. Maybe she can tell me how to get to Wedgehurst since this path seems to be out of order.

I don't think she heard me. She was muttering under her breath just loud enough for me to hear.

"Stupid storm..." She fidgeted with her fingers. "Close the route... mess up my plans."

I walked up to her and tapped her on the shoulder. "H-

I only saw her face for a split second before her fist met my face, and I found myself on the ground. Rocky cackled and lost his footing laughing at my pain. My face felt warm, which was nice. What wasn't nice, however, was the searing pain in my nose, which began bleeding incessantly. I sat there for a few seconds, processing what had just happened before I spoke up.

"What the fuck?"

"You scared me." She said.

"No shit." I stood up. "You punch everyone who scares you? I called for you."

"I didn't hear."

"Clearly," I said.

I attempted to stop the bleeding by pinching my nose together. When that proved too painful, I tried using my shirt to stop it from getting everywhere. However, it was already too late for that. I guess she took pity on me, for an injury she inflicted. She tossed me a handkerchief, I guess Galarians still use those.

"Use it." She said.

"I was planning on it."

She was wearing a green hat. I want to call it a beret, but I don't think it is. She was also wearing a gray hoodie that looked much warmer than this stupid T-shirt.

"I'll forgive you if you let me wear that hoodie."

This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

She laughed. "And get blood over it? Hell no."

That's... reasonable actually. Luckily, I don't think she broke my nose, I think it would hurt a lot more if she had. I spent a moment cleaning all of the blood from my face. It wouldn't be a good look if I just waltzed into town with my face painted red. Although, I would still be walking into town wearing a blood-stained shirt, so I'm not sure how much this is going to help. I was planning on waiting for Rocky to stop laughing, but apparently, his crab lungs can hold infinite amounts of air. I gave him a good kick. It wasn't enough force to hurt him, I doubt I could do that even if I tried, but it was enough to get him to shut up.

"So-

"Goodbye." She cut me off.

What?

"What?"

She pushed past me and began walking back to Postwick. Very normal interaction I'm having here. Galar sucks.

"Wait! What the fuck? You can't just punch me in the face and then leave." I exclaimed.

"Why not?"

Why not? Why not?! I can think of a lot of reasons why not. Unfortunately, I am better at thinking than I am at speaking. So instead of standing up for myself, I ended up sounding like a little kid trying to justify to their mother why their brother was at fault. Except in this case, the metaphorical brother actually is at fault.

"Well, um... well, it really hurt, first of all,"

That was lame.

"It was supposed to." She said, still not looking at me.

"And second, you're being a real dick- and," I added before she could retort, "I am very lost."

"Lost?" She turned around. "In this place? With two routes and two towns?"

I don't think I could have been more clear. I'm starting to think she doesn't like me.

"I'm a little new around here," I said.

Understatement of the year.

"Sucks for you." She said. "I'm not helping you. Just use your phone."

"I don't have one."

"I'm still not helping you."

Man, this girl is cruel. She isn't doing anything to sway my already negative opinion of Galar. In fact, she's actively making it worse.

"I think you owe me," I said before she could turn around and start walking away again.

"Owe you? I've never met you."

I'm not sure what that has to do with anything, but whatever.

"You just punched me in the face. This is the only shirt I own, you know." An unfortunate truth that may work in my favor. "I think you can do me one small favor."

She stared daggers into my soul. I didn't budge, even if her stare was kind of scary.

"What do you want?" She yielded.

That's what I like to hear. Ew, that sounded creepy.

"Professor Magnolia, take me to her."

She looked dejected. "What? Why do you need to see her?"

Oh great, she knows what I'm talking about. I was afraid she would have no idea who I was talking about, or where to take me. That's one problem out of the way, unfortunately, a new one has just been created. Why do I need to see her? Do I tell her the truth, or do I lie? It's a tricky question to be sure. But I'm going to lie.

"Oh you know, we just need to talk about... tea."

Great lie. Good lie. Really Amazing lie. I could not have told a better lie if I tried. And I really should have tried.

"Tea?" Even though it was a question, she didn't seem all that confused.

"Yes. tea, can you take me to her or not?"

With such a convincing lie. I don't think any human alive could say no.

She sighed, "You're lucky I was going to see her today anyway."

Fuck. Yes.

"Really? Because it looked like you were going to give up." I jabbed.

Alright, maybe I was the one being a jerk now. But, I think I'm entitled to a few rude remarks, especially after my masterclass in the art of deception.

"Shut up." She said. "Route 1 is closed, it's a long walk."

"Oh joy, I love walking."

She groaned. I'm not that annoying, am I?

---

She was right, the walk was long and tiring. But compared to the hike I've been on since I woke up, it wasn't too bad. At least there was gravel for Rocky to walk on. Speaking of him,

"A Dwebble, where'd you find that?" She asked.

She hadn't spoken since we started walking, this was the first thing she said.

"He was a gift." I lied. Well, it could be a lie. Truth is, I have no idea where the little shitball or his Pokéball came from.

"Hm."

That was the extent of the conversation she was willing to initiate. Unfortunately for both of us, silence, as I am now finding out, makes me uncomfortable.

"So." Her fingers twitched, but she didn't say anything. I took that as my cue to continue. "Is it always this cold?"

She shook her head. "Not this time of year."

So I just happened to show up on the coldest day of the summer? Coincidence? Probably. But maybe, just maybe, I was somehow responsible for this storm she was talking about. But how? Whatever, add that to the list of problems for later. Right now, I want to know this girl's name.

"I'm Bell-" I coughed. "By the way."

That felt wrong.

"Bell? That's your name?"

I can't tell if she's making fun of the name, or genuinely asking if that's my name.

"I think so."

"So it's a nickname."

"No, it's my name."

She turned to me for the first time since we started walking, "So then why'd you say I think so-

"It's complicated."

She turned back. "If you say so."

...

"And?"

"And what."

"You're not gonna tell me your name?" I asked.

I thought it was common courtesy to say your name after someone introduces themselves. Granted, it wasn't much of an introduction, but it was still more information than she was giving me.

"I don't have one."

I involuntarily laughed, "You don't have one?"

"Nope!"

That can't be true. Unless Galarians have some strange tradition I've never heard of, which may very well be the case, considering I've never heard of most things, and Galarians are the weirdest people on the planet. Unless you count those people who put ranch on every food imaginable, in which case, those guys take the cake and it's not even close. Anyway, back to Jane Doe.

"So can I give you one?"

She frowned. "No, absolutely not."

Bummer.

"So-

"It's Stella, Arceus." She said.

"Nice name."

"If you say so." She said again.

...

More silence. I should say something stupid.

"So do you always talk to yourself or-

"Do you ever shut up?" She asked.

Maybe I shouldn't have said that. "Is that a hypothetical question or..." I trailed off.

"No. It's me telling you to shut the hell up. You're lucky I'm even doing this for you. Keep talking and I'll leave you here and walk back to Postwick without a second thought." She finished.

"Jeez, tell me how you really feel- alright alright I'm sorry," I added that last part when she began to turn her head at me slowly. That couldn't possibly end well. "Can I just say one more thing?"

"Make it quick."

"I like your hat."

She tripped. On what, I have no idea. She managed to catch herself before she could fall., which, I gotta say, is a real shame.

"I hate this hat."

"Then why wear it?"

She didn't respond to that. She only shivered.

---

The walk took a lot longer than both she and I had anticipated. Most of that, however, was due to a rogue Dubwool who had somehow escaped one of the nearby farms. As such, the rangers had taken control of the area and halted any on-foot travel. Stella had some very specifically worded feelings about them. I'll tell you this much: she really has a way with words. By the way, Wooloo, (those sheep-looking Pokémon from earlier) feel every bit as fluffy as they look. I had the chance to pet one when the Rangers stopped us in front of one of those farms. I already like them more than Rocky, who has contributed absolutely nothing except a few headaches. Stella's Scorbunny had been infinitely more helpful. She had released him from a Pokéball she kept in her hoodie's pocket after about the tenth time I had asked, 'Are we there yet?'. He didn't magically remove all of the cold from the air, but it was certainly helping, unlike Rocky, who is proving himself to be more of a yapper than I am. At least he had found someone else to annoy in Scorbunny. He threw small rocks at the little guy in an attempt to provoke him. Unfortunately for him, he seemed to enjoy kicking the rocks back at him with much more force than Rocky had initially thrown them. This evolved into some strange competition where Rocky grew increasingly frustrated at his inability to land a hit on the rabbit. It was both entertaining and intensely gratifying to watch.

Unfortunately, after the rangers permitted us to keep walking, it became excruciatingly silent again. And you know me; I had to say something. I figured her threat from earlier was null now, considering we'd waited for the rangers to get that Dubwool under control for thirty minutes and had been walking for god knows how long. Also, my legs are begging me to sit down. Apparently, the me before today wasn't much for staying in shape. Would I change that? Probably not. But at least I had myself to blame it on.

"So, where'd you get him?" I asked. If she's allowed to ask where I got Rocky, I'm allowed to ask where she got Scorbunny. Admittedly, I had semi-lied to her. But she doesn't know that.

"He was actually a gift."

Okay, I guess she does know that.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked.

"I mean, that Dwebble isn't yours, is it?"

Rocky seemed to take offense to this. Don't ask me why, because I have no idea. He jeered at her, attempting to mock her voice. She ignored him.

"And how do you figure that?" I asked.

"Where's his Pokéball?"

Damn, she got me. Kind of, sort of. He is still my Pokémon, but this is not a good look for me.

"It's, well..." I stumbled over my words for a second before realizing it would do me no harm to just tell the truth. "It broke."

She scoffed, "It broke? How?"

Just tell the truth.

"I dropped it." Godamnit. Why did I lie? The truth is arguably more believable than whatever crock of shit just came out of my mouth. It's fine, I can still fix it. I continued, "Into a lake."

River! Why didn't I say river? Then I could just say the stream carried it away. Past me, screw you for carrying around such a shitty Pokéball.

"Yeah, that'll do it." She said.

Wait, is she serious?

"Really?-"

"No!"

"Oh."

"Obviously not, those things are waterproof." She said.

Well. I did not know that. With the gift of hindsight, I guess that makes sense. You wouldn't want your Pokéball breaking on you because your asshole sister pushed you into a lake because she thought it would be funny-

My mind went blank for a moment. What was I thinking?

"Just admit that Dwebble isn't yours. You can only find those in the wild area anyway."

The what?

"Alright, I lied. But only about the lake thing." I made sure to add, "It just wore out. I pressed the button once and the thing just collapsed in my hands."

She laughed. "You are so full of shit."

That's the first bit of actual emotion she's shown so far. I'll take it, even if it is at my expense. Although, why is it so unbelievable? Don't Pokéballs get worn out?

"I'm being serious." I insisted.

"Sure you are." She said. "You know how long it would take for a Pokéball to wear out that much?"

I don't know. A few years?

"A few years?"

"Decades more like." She said. "Even the cheapest ones are built like bricks."

"Uh-huh, and why do you know so much about Pokéballs?" I asked.

I didn't think that was an offensive question. And it isn't, but to her, I guess it is. She followed up my question with a single grunt and went back to not saying a thing. I think I had hurt her feelings with what was probably the most normal question I had asked since I woke up. Besides when I asked about the weather. I didn't want to leave her feeling bad, so I did what I'd been doing this whole time, and kept talking.

"So you believe me now?" I asked.

"No." She hesitantly kept going. "If he really is yours, then where'd you get him?"

Now that one, I don't have an answer for. I doubt I could even come up with a convincing lie. Not that I could do that for a different question. We've already established I'm a terrible liar. But I can't exactly tell her the truth.

Actually, I can. What's stopping me? The fact that it's a ridiculous story, and nobody in their right mind would ever entertain it for even a second? Probably. But I think we've also established that this girl isn't in her right mind. My blood-soaked shirt is evidence of that. Plus, has the fear of embarrassment ever stopped me before? Not that I know of.

I ignored her question and asked, "Can I tell you something that's going to sound like a huge lie?"

"I'd prefer it if you didn't."

I don't know what that means.

"Great! I'm gonna tell you anyway."

She groaned and recalled Scorbunny, a cruel punishment, but I didn't mind. Those are the words of a foolish man, a foolish man who could still feel the lingering warmth for a few seconds after she recalled the bunny. I became increasingly cold as I was telling my increasingly ridiculous story. She re-released Scorbunny; I guess she pitied me, or maybe she just couldn't understand what I was saying through my chattering teeth, although I wouldn't be surprised to learn she couldn't understand what I was saying either way. It all sounded like incoherent gibberish to me, and I was the one talking. Her first takeaway was not what I expected it to be.

"You were in the slumbering weald?"

"The what?"

"The forest." She elaborated. "That's what it's called."

"Yeah, it fucking sucked," I said.

"How'd you get in there?" She sounded bewildered, baffled, or any other words that meant extremely confused/surprised. "The rangers keep that place on lockdown 24/7."

Did I not just tell her?

"I just told you."

"Oh." She said. "You were being serious?"

"Yes, I was being serious!" I exclaimed.

"I thought you were just trying to embellish your story about going into the weald." She said.

"I don't even know what embellish means."

It's true. It sounds like a kind of condiment. Ketchup, relish, and embellish. Sounds good to me.

"So, none of that was bullshit?" She asked

"No," I said.

"Prove it."

Prove it?

"Prove it?" I asked. "Prove it how? Are my fashion choices not evidence enough?"

She shrugged. "I guess."

She's right to ask for evidence, as annoying as it might be. Then it dawned on me. The alien space rock. It's not 'evidence' per se, but maybe having some strange extraterrestrial object will be enough to convince her that I'm not lying.

"I have this thing." I yanked the strangely shaped rock out of my pocket. "Any idea what it is?"

She did a double take on the rock and rushed over to me to get a better look. "Where did you get that?"

"Woke up with it," I said.

"Let me see it."

She yanked it out of my hands.

"You're welcome," I said.

She pulled out a pair of glasses from her inventory and put them on. She examined the rock like one of those pawn shop owners about to give a bar of pure gold a four-dollar valuation.

"So how much can I get for it?"

She looked up. "What?"

Yeah, I didn't expect her to get that one. "Nothing," I said. "Can you tell me what it is?"

She handed the rock back. "It's a wishing star."

A what now?

"A what?"

"Arceus, are you deaf too?" She asked.

"Nono, I heard you," I said. "What the fuck is a wishing star?"

Was I supposed to make a wish? Did I miss my chance? Because if so, gosh darn it.

"Its-" She cut herself off. "Let's just... get to the professors. She can tell you all about it."

"Can't you?" I asked.

It seemed like she was already about to do so.

"No, I can't." She said. "Now let's go."

"Yes, ma'am," I saluted.

She didn't like that one at all.

---

By the time we arrived in Wedgehurst, it was already dark, even though it was only five in the afternoon, in the middle of summer. Galar sucks, hard. On the bright side, Wedgehurst looked like a normal town with normal-looking buildings, unlike Postwick. It had asphalt roads and sidewalks. Sidewalks! Sidewalks and roads, can you believe it? I was starting to think Galar was just a never-ending field of grass with a singular medieval ghost town smack dab in the middle. According to Stella, Postwick only had a population of about 500. She was included in that number. Wedgehurst was the only big city in southernmost galar. I hadn't seen any of the houses yet, but I had to imagine they were made of gold and had toilets with bidets because they're better than toilet paper in every way. Unless you live in Orre, in which case, I imagine using toilet paper is preferable to contracting some awful disease from a bidet spouting water from your local polluted lake. Enough about toilet sprinklers though, let's talk more about the city.

Is what I would say if Stella didn't immediately pull us into some dimly lit, medieval-looking part of town. Seriously, what purpose do these streetlights serve if they're not going to be on at night? And Just when I thought I had reached real civilization.

"Where are we?" I asked. "Why is it so damn dark?"

"Gildtree Avenue," She responded. "The streetlights have been broken for years."

"Why?"

"Don't ask me," She said. "Professors lab is this way."

"Will she still be there?" I asked.

"It's only five," She said. "I don't know why the weather is being like this, but she'll be there."

"If you're sure," I said.

"I am."

The only thing illuminating the street was the moonlight and a few streetlights that still worked, albeit barely. The professor's laboratory stuck out like a sore thumb, even in the darkness. The place was overgrown to hell but looked much more modern than the buildings surrounding it. There was a very suspicious-looking olive tree in front of one of the windows, even Stella thought it was weird, judging from the look on her face when we walked by it. She didn't say anything about it though, like she had been doing all day. The lab looked to be about 2 stories tall and had what I assumed to be a greenhouse in the back. Stella used the knocker on the front door to call for the professor. It was shaped like a small round bird with a few tufts of feathers above its eyes.

It took a moment for her to open the door. Now, I'm not sure what I was expecting her to look like, but I wasn't expecting an old lady. That's not a jab at her, It's just not what I was expecting. I'm sure there are plenty of old professors who do their job just as well as young professors. They probably do it better actually. I wasn't trying to be rude. I swear. I swear on Rocky's life.

"Stella?" She said. "I wasn't expecting you today."

"Yeah, I wasn't either." She responded. "Can we come in?"

She moved to the side to reveal she wasn't alone. I gave her an awkward little wave.

"Oh my goodness." She said, probably noticing my blood-stained clothes. "Yes, come in."

I pushed past Stella and entered the lab. Words can't describe the relief I felt when the cold left my body. I'm never wearing a T-shirt in this Arceus awful region again. You can quote me on that, and please do. The lab was brightly lit, so much so that it momentarily blinded me when I rushed in. There was a small kitchen on the left and a library so tall that I'm sure it blocked any natural light coming in through those windows. The professor's voice went in one ear and out the other for a moment until Stella pulled me back to reality.

"Bell!"

Hey, she used my name. I think.

"Huh?"

She motioned towards the professor.

"Oh!" I said. "Sorry, thank you for letting us in ma'am."

Did that sound polite? I don't think I'm very good at being polite.

"It's my pleasure... Bell was it?" She asked.

This is only the first time someone has asked for my name, but I can already tell I'm going to hate it.

"Yup," I exaggerated the 'Y' a little bit.

"Do you want some tea?" She asked.

Tea? Is this is why my tea lie from earlier seemed so convincing? Was she some sort of tea connoisseur? Or was it just a Galarian thing? Both are equally as likely. Arceus, why am I even overthinking this? She's just offering me tea. Of course I want tea! I haven't had anything to drink all day.

"Yes please," I said. "That would be great."

She walked over to the kitchen and grabbed a kettle from the stove. I thought she was going to start preparing it, but instead, she started pouring it into a small teacup. Is having tea ready at a moment's notice also a Galarian thing? Anyway, she handed me the cup. I was prepared to down the whole thing in one swing, but it turns out tea is served hot, so I was forced to drink it like a normal person. Pity.

"So." The professor started. I could tell Stella wanted to talk to her, but it seemed she wanted to talk to me first. "How did... all of this happen? Was it Stella?"

I swallowed. I didn't want to snitch on Stella, but she's put me on the spot. And as we've established, I am an awful liar. Plus, this woman is supposed to be smart, she's not going to be fooled by some twerpy kid. I'm talking about Stella by the way, because I totally folded.

Stella muttered something under her breath as I admitted to the professor what she had done. She then reprimanded her in a stern voice that I knew old ladies were capable of, but let me tell you, it is much scarier hearing it in person. It was a little satisfying to see her getting scolded, but it's not the reason I'm here. She shrunk like a little kid being scolded by their parents, as did her Scorbunny despite doing nothing wrong. Amused by this, was Rocky. I think he was still upset at Scorbunny for not letting him pelt him with rocks. She issued me an apology as a result of the professor's scolding. I accepted since it sounded like she meant it, and wasn't just issuing a half-assed apology.

As a sort of peace offering, she gifted me a green sweater. She said she had bought it for her granddaughter, but that it didn't end up fitting her. I accepted it graciously. This is the kind of benevolence I'm talking about, not tossing a handkerchief to the guy you just assaulted. Once all of that was done with, we finally got down to business. We both sat down at the kitchen table while Stella stood awkwardly to the side with her arms crossed.

"So why are you here Bell?" She asked. "I'm sure you didn't come all this way just to tell me about Stella's temper."

I sipped on the tea. This stuff is actually pretty good. "You're right about that..." I trailed off.

I had come all this way. Walked all day to get here. And yet, I hadn't prepared any kind of speech. Which, now that I'm on the spot, seems like a pretty big oversight. I let out some strange guttural noise as I struggled to put into words the events of the past few hours. Sure, I had already done it once with Stella, but that was different. It didn't really matter what I told her because I didn't expect her to believe me anyway. But this woman? I have to get her on my side or I'll never figure out what's going on. On the other hand, old people are wise. Magnolia especially, seemed like she knew what she knew to discern what's real, and what's bullshit. I mean, I feel like that's a pretty essential skill to have as a Professor.

"Go on," Stella said, "Tell her what you told me."

"I'm trying," I said.

And try I did. Just like before, it all sounded like incomprehensible gibberish to me. I knew for a fact that I was telling the truth, and somehow it still sounded like a lie. The professor listened intently, hanging onto my sentences as if I were telling the most compelling story ever. Maybe I was, I can't imagine Wedehurst and Postwick getting much action. I was out of breath when I finished. She thought. She thought for a long while. Did she believe me? She probably thought I was full of shit. I mean, who would ever think that a story like that could hold any-

"I believe you." Said the mind reader.

Most of my worries vanished in an instant. Well, except the one about me being stranded in Galar with no memories. That one was still very much there and constantly reminding me of its presence. She finally spoke again.

"But." She said. " I do not know how this could have happened."

Welcome back worries! It's been a while.

"Ah," I said.

"I know you came to me thinking I could answer your questions, but I cannot."

I've heard that one before. Well, there goes my one lead. Where the hell do I go from here?

"Tell me more about this... 'Music Deity.'" She said.

I guess that's one way to describe whoever it was that was speaking to me. I explained to her multiple times what the woman said to me. She also seemed shocked that I had seen that altar. According to her, no one had seen that place in decades. She seemed fascinated by my tale. And who wouldn't? I suppose that's a little vain of me, but let's be honest, I am one interesting guy. Anywho, I ended up telling her the same story three times. It's not a very long story, but it was the message that intrigued her. She broached the idea that a legendary Pokemon may be responsible, for no other Pokemon can erase memories to this extent. She paced around the lab with her hand to her chin, I'd be lying if I said it didn't look like something straight out of a TV show. Stella didn't do much except make snide remarks and mumble to herself and her Scorbunny. I also showed her the wishing star, she told me she could turn it into something called a 'Dynamax Band' if I wanted. I have no idea what that is, so all I said was 'cool' and let that be that. She offered two solutions, only one of which sounded appealing to me. The first was to stay here in Wedehurst until she could either find out what was happening to me or find me a place to live if I so wanted to. Which I don't, by the way. I do not want to live here. I cannot stress that enough. The second, and much more proactive option was to look for this song.

"And how would I do that?" I asked.

"Well, you would already have a head start with a Dynamax band, may I suggest the gym challenge?" She said, "Or, whatever it is they're calling it these days."

The gym challenge. I might have amnesia, but even I know what that is. I don't think anyone doesn't. Unless you live under a rock, or Orre. Putting whatever 'Dynamax' is aside, that's not too bad of an idea. Granted, I know absolutely nothing about Galar. That includes gym leaders, towns, native Pokemon, hell, I don't even know who the champion is. That being said, I'm going with option two. I don't want to sit here in Wedgehurst twiddling my thumbs when my memories are out there somewhere. I have to start somewhere right? Plus, I think it would do Rocky some good to get into a few fights. On the whole eight badges thing, It might be a secondary goal, but that doesn't mean I'm going to half-ass it. Hell, maybe I'll find another Pokemon to balance out Rocky's... Rockyness.

"Yes! That!" I said. "I don't really know anything about this region though."

"Oh, I'm sure that won't be a problem." The professor turned to Stella.

She took her hand out of her palm. "What?"

The professor didn't respond, only tiled her head and widened her eyes as if to say 'You know what I mean'

And, evidently, she did know what she meant.

"No, Arceus no." She stood up. "I'm leaving."

I don't believe her for a second. It's freezing out there, and the walk back to Postwick is going to take her at least an hour and a half.

"Stella-

The door slammed shut. I stand corrected. Scorbunny blew a raspberry at me before following his trainer out the door.

"What's her deal?" I asked.

She sighed. "She just needs time, she'll come around."

"If you say so."

She seems pretty set in not wanting anything to do with me. Although, if that were the case, then why did she lead me here? Maybe it was guilt, maybe it was pity. I'm not sure, but one day I'll get it out of her. She'll end up being my friend whether she likes it or not. Even if that means using my irresistable charm that I was undoubtedly known for in my past life.

My past life, is that what I'm calling it now? It felt wrong. I mean, I estimate at least 15 years of life that I just can't remember. Maybe more. Can I just disregard all of that? No, I can't. But I can certainly try. I felt a knot forming in my stomach. I put those thoughts away quickly.

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A/N: Thank you to everyone who read through this whole first chapter. Especially after reading that it takes place in Galar, since I know some people have very strong feelings about those games. But I promise I've made the story much more interesting and cohesive than the games, or at least I've tried to. If you think there's anything I could improve on feel free to leave a comment. As for updates, probably one every week or maybe more than that if I'm feeling crazy. Also, what's everyone's favorite musical?