When Lucas came back to professor Rowan's room, he was met with the expected sight of the older man trying to convince the nurses to discharge him from the hospital.
A pre-emptive sigh left the boy's lips as he and a nervous-looking Saturn entered the room, stealing everyone's attention toward them. Rowan's eyes narrowed, and he seemed to come back to himself at the sight of his protégé. He cleared his throat and sat back on his bed, unconsciously reaching to adjust a tie that was not there.
"I was told you were causing trouble, sir," Lucas frowned.
"…I did not intend you to see that," he muttered to himself. "That will be all, miss. Sorry for any trouble."
The young nurse smiled and told him it was no problem, then bowed and left the room, leaving the professor alone with the two of them. Rowan leaned to rest his shoulder against the frame of the bed, shaking his head.
"Good grief…"
Lucas figured that, for a man of his drive, being stuck in a hospital bed when he wasn't all that worse for wear –at least compared with the others that'd participated in the fight atop Mt. Coronet– irritated him to no end. He kept mumbling under his breath about how this was all completely unnecessary and that he only had a few scratches and bruises and that someone else probably needed the bed more, but the hospital and the Association would have none of it. They wouldn't let their precious professor go until he was all healed up.
It was understandable for the professor to find the whole thing bothersome and humiliating. But since everyone was worried about him, he'd have to put up with it for the time being.
"…Hm. Perhaps I am getting in on age slightly."
Rowan hung his head and stared at the floor, pensive. Lucas felt a pang of fear and wrongness at what he'd just heard; of course that wasn't true. Rowan was plenty young, in the way that mattered at least. Even if he was getting older…
Before that anxious thought could go on any further, Rowan turned to look at him and Saturn, and smiled.
"To think I had to be saved by my granddaughter and my assistant. In my prime I never would've let those Machoke get the better of me, I assure you."
"You… did plenty by yourself, sir. And I'm just glad you came back unharmed; that's… all that matters to me, really."
Rowan's mustache twitched up in an exhalation that was almost a laugh. "Perhaps I shouldn't view it so negatively. You're right, our safety is what is important right now." He pushed himself up from the bed and faced them. "You all did an incredible job, and rose to the occasion like only determined youths can."
Lucas felt a blush rise to his face. "S-sir…"
"This doesn't mean we old folk should be relying on you to solve our messes, of course. The Association and I have much to answer for, putting young trainers into unnecessary danger due to our negligence being only part of it. But it'd be simply wrong not to acknowledge your bravery and cunning."
He raised one of his big, heavy hands and let it rest on Lucas' shoulder, gripping it affectionately. The smile and nod he gave were contained, but noticeable.
"I couldn't be prouder of you, Lucas."
Lucas felt himself choked up. He looked down and raised his hands in front of his chest meekly, then wrapped his arms around the mountain of a man before him, hugging him as tight as he could and squishing his cheek against his chest. Rowan froze for a moment, surprised. Despite their close relationship, Lucas had always been hesitant to act this warmly toward him, fearful that it might be overstepping some bounds. But he clearly didn't care about that now.
"I just… wanted to bring you home safe," he whispered, voice shaky.
Rowan's expression softened in a way that no other person had seen for a long time, and he wrapped his own arms around the boy as well, taking care not squish him too hard. It was a gesture Rowan wasn't very familiar with, but he did it for Lucas.
"You kept all of us safe," he whispered, patting the boy on the back. "Sinnoh can never thank you enough."
He looked up past Lucas then, and toward the man behind him. Saturn froze under the weight of that gaze, friendly though it was, and unconsciously shrank into himself.
"The same goes to you… Saturn, yes?" he said. "Regardless of the sides we took before, I'm grateful for all you did for me, and for Lucas."
Saturn looked away, down at the floor, at the bed, at anything that wasn't the professor. He gripped his arm with his other hand, face tightened.
"You… shouldn't thank me. I'm part of the reason why this all happened."
That was enough for Lucas to let go from Rowan's embrace and turned to look at him, frowning. Saturn could only shrug in response. They'd had this argument plenty of times before.
"You didn't know–" Lucas started talking, but Saturn was quick to cut him off.
"I didn't know about the eruption of Mt. Coronet, or that Team Galactic would go after you, professor, but I knew everything else," he admitted. "I… can't ever apologize enough. If I'd realized sooner, if I'd done something…" He looked up at Rowan, eyelids shaking with guilt. "I'm the highest-ranked member of Team Galactic left, and from what Lucian said I might not even get to pay for all I did, all the people I hurt... even your Pokemon, professor. Your Alakazam. I know what Asta did, and I know I could've stopped it if I really wanted to. I'm… I'm sorry."
The mention of his oldest Pokemon made Rowan's face go taut, and a flash of anger and sorrow crossed his eyes, though the former was not directed at Saturn. He stayed silent for a moment, then cleared his throat.
"I will not excuse your actions, nor do I want any kind of apology or retribution from you. You don't need to seek my forgiveness, though you may seek yours, if needed," he told Saturn. "The government's actions… or perhaps more their inaction, and on a lesser degree mine and the Association's, contributed in igniting the anger that led you and so many others to join Team Galactic. And though Cyrus may have deceived you all, I know you and your past comrades still believe in the ideals that brought you together. That's why you continue using the name Saturn despite it all, is it not?"
Saturn didn't reply, but the look on his face was answer enough. There was a small glint of pride amidst the guilt; that was the one thing he was unwilling to take back. Rowan saw this, and nodded.
"You are not the first young person whose had their rightful anger exploited in order to put it to nefarious use, and you won't be the last. Regardless of whether the Association decides to punish you or not, the only person you should seek forgiveness from is yourself, if you so choose. You might be bound by laws, but you are under no obligation to hang your head to those you despise."
But Saturn didn't look up. He kept his head hung, although the look on his face wasn't as conflicted anymore.
"I… know all that. There are those I would spit upon even if it meant being thrown in jail. I'll never stop fighting for what I believe in, no matter my past mistakes, or the consequences they'll bring," he said. "But… you're not one of those people, professor. I… all of us in Team Galactic, and even Cyrus, respected you. And knowing you're the man who helped make Lucas into who he is today… it makes me respect you even more. So I will hang my head to you, and I will apologize, because it's what I want, and what I think is right."
Rowan was slightly taken aback, though surprise soon gave way to a smile, pushing up the corners of his mustache. He nodded toward the bowing Saturn.
"In that case, your apology is accepted. I look forward to working alongside you and Lucas in the future, if you'd have me," said Rowan. Then, he looked down at Lucas and let out a deep chuckle. "Quite the partner you've found yourself, Lucas. I wouldn't expect any less from my best protégé."
Lucas shrank into himself, face going red from embarrassment. "I-it wasn't… I mean, it was mostly luck that we met…"
With no hesitation, Saturn reached to grab one of Lucas' hands with his own, making the boy freeze in place, eyes wide. He then smiled and chastised him.
"You're wrong. It was fate."
Lucas could have very well been eaten alive by the floor right then and there and he would've gone happily. A bunch of stammers and embarrassed whispered followed between the two. There was a hint of reproach to Lucas' voice, but since he never let go of Saturn's hand, it wasn't very believable.
A reassured smile formed on Rowan's lips as he saw this. His gaze wandered for a moment, mind lost in thought.
"…Fate, eh?"
Lucas stopped his faux-arguing with Saturn and looked at Rowan. "Professor?"
Rowan said nothing for a short moment. Then he nodded to himself, seemingly having decided on whatever he was deliberating on. Without saying a word, he turned around and walked toward the large bag next to his bed, containing some of his belongings. Lucas blinked in confusion. He knew one of the professor's other assistants had sent it to him from the lab, but what…?
"Perhaps it's time, as premature as it might feel," Rowan whispered to himself, placing the bag atop the bed and riffling through it. "Tell me, Lucas. How long have you been under my tutelage?"
A stutter left his lips, mouth opening and closing without saying anything. "I-uh… four years, sir. Five this, uh… summer."
Rowan paused, eyes widening in surprise. "I see… time really has slipped by me. You've become such a central part of my life I suppose I forgot you haven't always been there by my side."
"P-Professor?" Lucas gulped, unsure of how to feel at those words.
"A lot can be learned in five years, and though due to your circumstances you joined at a much younger age than any other of my protégés… you've no doubt surpassed them all, despite your youth. You have the qualifications, and you have what it takes, I believe. Yes… I feel it's time indeed."
Rowan finally seemed to find what he was looking for, because before Lucas could offer a response, he pulled from the bag something long and billowy, something pristine and stark white. He flapped it in the air once to straighten it out, then turned toward Lucas holding it in front of his chest. The long coat was unmistakable, as emblematic of famous Pokemon professors as the half-Pokeball symbol was of distinguished trainers. For a second, Lucas didn't know how to react, or what was happening. But then realization dropped on him with the weight of a hammer, and the air inside his lungs seemed to vanished. Beside him, Saturn gasped, realizing as well.
"Wh-HUH!?" Lucas took a terrified step back, eyes going wide. "P-professor, y-you can't mean…!"
"Don't worry. The last thing I intend is to retire and live the rest of my days in leisure. It's about time we old folk pave the road for the youngsters that will come after us," said Rowan. "But you've earned this right regardless, and far be it from me to keep it from you just because of redundancy."
Rowan placed the long coat over his arms, and presented it to a shell-shocked Lucas, a proud smile on his face.
"Lucas Reinford, with the authority placed upon me by the Association and the nation of Sinnoh, I now declare you a junior Pokemon professor," he declared, his voice filling the entire room. "You may now pursue whatever investigation you desire, as well as handle the care and distribution of starter Pokemon to new trainers. And, in time, you will receive the full title of Pokemon professor and be able to take on disciples and assistants of your own.
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
"It is an honor to present this title to you. Wear it with pride; as you have most certainly earned it."
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Maylene was in the middle of her 76th one-handed pushup against the floor of her hospital room when she heard the door open behind her, and froze midway up, gulping.
"T-this is not what it looks like," she muttered. "I'm-uh…"
The person behind her snickered, and it was with a flood of relief that Maylene realized it wasn't Candice or any of the nurses.
"Looking for the T.V. remote?" Reiko offered. "You can have that as a freebie, in case your girlfriend catches you next time."
"That's mighty kind of you, I think I will."
With one strong push, Maylene knelt up then rose to her feet, arching her back and rolling her neck around to get rid of the kinks before she turned around. Reiko stood under the sill of the door, one hand against the frame, the other deep in her pocket. She wore her usual outdoorsy outfit instead of a gown like her, and only a few bruises and band-aids could be seen on her skin, which meant she hadn't been injured badly during her mission. Maylene breathed a sigh of relief.
"You're looking pretty pristine, all things considered," she said with a smile.
"Wish I could say the same about you." Reiko approached, stopping in front of her. "Though I expected worse, from what I'd heard."
Maylene raised an eyebrow. "Yeah? And what did you hear?"
"That you fought through a small army of people and Pokemon and got shot in the neck and shoulder," Reiko recanted. "You're not one to half-ass things, huh."
Maylene shrugged. "Says the girl who traversed an active volcano and fought two legendary Pokemon back to back. And won."
They stared at each other for a moment, then smiled and raised their hands in unison, bringing them together for a high-five that echoed in the walls of the room. Maylene immediately flinched, pain exploding in her shoulder, but she didn't regret it one bit. Just another bag of ice to hold against the wound later.
"How's that shoulder treating you?" Reiko asked, noticing her flinching. "Sorry, I didn't hold back on that high five 'cause I thought you were mostly healed. I mean, that scar on your neck is just a tiny dot. That healing light back then…"
She raised a hand to gesture it was okay. "Yeah, wounds closed up no problem thanks to Candice and… them. Darkrai and Cresselia." She spoke the names with a clear sadness in her voice. "But that didn't extract the pieces of shrapnel in my shoulder. I'm supposed to have a small surgery tomorrow to get rid of them."
Reiko pursed her lips and exhaled, placing her hands on her hips. "Well… let's get a drink after that and toast to good health and a mission well done, how about that? Just you, Candice, Percy and me. We can make it a double date night."
"Ha… that does sound tempting. I doubt Candice is in the mood for that, but I'll see if I can convince her," she said. "We could have our sparring match after that, while we're drunk. Should make it more fun."
"How could I say no to that?"
Maylene frowned suddenly. Now that Reiko was close up, however, she did notice something odd about her appearance. All across her clothes and part of her skin, there were smudges and splotches of dark brown, and there was an earthly scent about her, like she'd been doing some gardening.
"…What's with the look?" she asked, glancing up at her. "Were you rolling around in mud?"
Reiko blinked, then looked down at herself, raising her arms slightly, and let out a defeated laugh. She shook her head. "Ah, yeah… I actually left the hospital for a while. No one noticed, thankfully. But I…" A sad look crossed her face. "There was something I… had to take care of."
Maylene raised an eyebrow. "And… what would that be?"
"It's…"
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2 hours prior
High above the bustling streets of Jubilife City, a red-haired girl knelt perched on the balcony of a dilapidated-looking building, her sharp eyes following the movement of vehicles below. One hand held a pair of Pokeballs tightly, while the other pressed a small receiver against her ear.
"It's coming in through Tacoma avenue. Thirty seconds until it turns." Hao's voice came through the receiver, crackly as usual. "You'll see it."
"And are we sure this is the one?" she whispered.
Percy was the one to reply. "The Interpol files were clear. Get ready. It's not a very populated street, but you'll attract attention quickly."
Reiko squinted at the street below, the passage narrow and the asphalt cracked and dilapidated, more a connection between two bigger avenues than an actual street. No people or Pokemon could be seen around, as most of the buildings in this street were abandoned. It made it the perfect spot to lay an ambush.
"Don't worry, hon," she whispered to the receiver. "I'll be in and out before they know it."
And she saved the device in her pocket, standing up on the edge of the roof, gaze set and body ready. The rumble of a loud engine could be heard approaching. She squinted, and saw it there on the other side of the street, turning inwards, slowing down for just a moment before it sped up toward her. It was a large, armored Association-owned vehicle, like the kind banks used to transport their valuables.
Reiko's lips pursed with a mix of anger and eagerness. She waited, breathing in. Then, when the vehicle approached the spot right below her, she jumped and opened one of the Pokeballs.
"Knives, down!"
The burst of light materialized into the form of a Fearow upon whose back she landed without trouble, as though they'd done this a million times before. The avian creature folded its wings and fell like an arrow toward the back of the speeding vehicle. Reiko waited for just an instant. Letting go of the breath she'd been holding, she threw the other Pokeball just as they were approaching the ground, and a couple things happened at once.
Knives veered up at breakneck speed to avoid crashing, which would have given Reiko some nasty recoil had she still been riding atop his back. But she'd jumped the second before, this time landing on the back of her second Pokemon, which had materialized only a few yards behind their target.
"Gamatetsu; Frenzy Plant!"
The drivers inside the vehicle barely had time to gasp at the sudden massive figure appearing behind them, as the next second the asphalt exploded underneath and all around them, large chunks of rock pelting the houses on each side. Long vines as thick as trees emerged like tentacles in a large circle, rising several feet into the air before slamming down against the vehicle. One of the men inside screamed and tried to grab his gun, but he was thrown against the door as the vehicle was lifted up like it weighed nothing.
"W-what!? What is…" The other man tried to look behind him, but the vines covered the windows completely. "Call the Association! Tell them we've been–!"
"I wouldn't do that if I were you."
A loud shattering sound boomed at either side of him, and the front seats were showered with glass. He raised a hand to protect himself, but heard another sudden movement. And when he opened his eyes again, he saw with horror that one of the large vines had pierced inside the vehicle, and its sharp, thorn-like tip was pointed straight at his neck. The whimper behind him betrayed that his companion was in the same predicament.
"W-wh…"
Footsteps approached from outside. Then, a girl's voice, anger bubbling under its calm surface.
"Still. Don't try anything and I won't hurt you." The steps were heard approaching the back of the vehicle. "You and your Association friends took something that wasn't yours… and I'm here to take it back."
There was another shattering boom, and the doors at the back of the vehicle flew open.
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1 hour, 30 minutes prior
Three figures stood at the bottom of a small, flower-covered hill on the outskirts of Jubilife, overlooking the city itself. Reiko knelt with a shovel in hand in front of the hole she'd just dug, while Percy stood at her side, one hand resting on her back. Behind them, Reiko's Venusaur held up something in front of him with his vines. Another human-sized figure, wrapped up entirely in a white cloth. The vines held it gently, expectantly.
Reiko pressed her forehead against the handle of the shovel, breathing hard. "It's… it's done. Should be deep enough."
"This is… one of the most insane ideas you've ever had, mon chou," Percy told her. "It won't be long before Lucian discovers who did this."
A laugh left her lips. "That bastard owes us too much to really go after us. And I'm sure liked the Association taking hold of that thing as much as we did." She took a few more quick breaths, looking down at the hole. "Besides… I couldn't let them. It's not right."
"…On that, we are of the same accord."
She planted the shovel on the ground with a strong shove and stumbled back a step, resting her hands on her hips. Sweat and dirt painted brown splotches across her skin. It hadn't been a demanding act, but now without Moltres' strength flowing through her, digging that grave exhausted more than it would have previously. In a way, though, she was happy to have parted ways with it. There was a sense of finality to the goodbye. Her duty, her goal, finally fulfilled.
Or… it would be, soon.
She looked over her shoulder, and gave Gamatetsu a quick nod. "Lower him."
She and Percy stepped aside. Then slowly and carefully, the body wrapped in white was carried toward the hole by the Pokemon's vines. It hovered over it for a moment, and was then lowered until it gently touched the bottom, resting perfectly across the length of the hole. The Venusaur then pulled the vines back, leaving the figure there.
Reiko took a step forward, resting a hand on the grip of the shovel as she looked down at it. It… almost looked good. Whole, presentable, like corpses were supposed to be. However, the diagonal separation of the body across the chest was hard to ignore, even wrapped up in cloth as it was, and so Reiko couldn't help but gulp back a mouthful of shame, her expression souring. She'd done this. She'd…
Gentle fingers gripped at her shoulder. She didn't dare steal a glance back, but felt Percy's eyes on her, understanding.
"Um…"
She couldn't just bury him already. At least a few words needed to be said, it was only proper. Reiko swallowed the knot in her throat and steeled herself, hand slipping off the shovel's grip as she stepped closer to the open grave. Percy followed behind her, never leaving her side. From this close, it was even more apparent just how badly the body had been mutilated before death. Splotches of strangely-colored blood were appearing all over the cloth. There wasn't much time to spare. As she parted her lips to speak, she felt them terribly dry.
"… I'm sorry. What happened wasn't personal. But I guess saying that doesn't make it better, it probably makes it worse." The words flowed without any input from her brain, gaze set on M3's corpse below. "You didn't ask for this… but neither did I. Neither did any of the people who suffered because of Charon. I… had to end it. I wish I could've done it without killing you, but…" She bit her lip and shook her head slightly. "I had to put an end to this long, horrible curse. But to sever a chain, I guess its last link has to be broken."
Out of breath. She swallowed, but felt her throat terribly dry, and just ended up scrunching up her nose in discomfort. The air felt more stinging and humid in her lungs. She looked down at the ground for a few long seconds, then up over her shoulder at Percy, whose expression remained as calm and supportive as ever. Unconsciously, she raised a hand to touch his resting on her shoulder. Then she looked back at the grave, and breathed out.
"As long as they are spoken with sincerity, even the prayers of a Caterpie will reach the heavens." She recanted her father's saying, speaking it in Kantan. "I don't know if you even have a soul. But if you do, I hope it finds rest, whether in this world or the next."
And with that, she turned around and grabbed the shovel. This was a loose end that needed to be tied at last, and she couldn't be feeling sorry for herself all day. That wasn't what she'd risked her life for.
Burying the body took a lot less time than digging the hole had. Maybe it was the difference in effort needed, or maybe the sudden weight that had slipped off her shoulders, like sweat off skin. Like red past red.
Reiko grunted, and with one last pull, she raised the remaining dirt and placed it atop the bumpy mound that had formed above the now buried grave. She patted it with the back of the shovel until it was nice and uniform. Then she threw the tool aside and rested for a moment, before raising her arm before her, palm open and fingers grasping at air.
"Are you really going to leave it here?" asked Percy.
"Yes. Weapons are made with a purpose in mind, and when said purpose is fulfilled, the weapon needs to be put to rest too," she explained. "Besides, it was damaged beyond repair during our battle."
He harrumphed. "Still… teleporting sword. I imagine it's hard to say goodbye to it."
"I won't deny it. But I knew this was coming. I'll just have to forge myself a new one later, more suited to my future endeavors."
Reiko took a deep breath, then focused her sight in front of her hand and called to her blade, expecting it to appear from nowhere.
Nothing happened. Her eyes went wide.
"What…?"
She tried again, but nothing. Once more, same result. It was only at her fourth attempt to summon the sword that something occurred. An electrifying shiver ran through her body, and she felt a powerful presence beside her, before a familiar voice spoke inside her mind.
"Wait a moment. Please."
"M… Mewtwo?"
No response. She waited, arm raised, fingers stretched, for a whole minute, occasionally glancing back at a very confused Percy, before the weapon unceremoniously appeared in front of her. Reiko yelped and jumped to grasp it, not having expected it at that moment. She managed to grab it by the pommel, and pulled it back up, but the tachi felt slightly heavier than usual. No more than a few grams, but definitely enough for her to pick up on it.
And as she looked at the weapon, she saw why. There was something wrapped unceremoniously with string around the scabbard. A bouquet of flowers.
"W-wow…"
They were not professionally picked, clearly, and the flowers themselves didn't look very vibrant, its petals small and curling inwards. Judging by the cold blue hue and slight luminescence, she figured they were flowers which grew deep within caves, which only made sense, considering who had sent them.
For the first time that day, a warm, easy smile found her lips. She grabbed the bouquet of flowers, and pulled it closer to smell the petals. Sharp, earthly and cold. The scent of someone's home. Reiko looked up at the horizon, toward her former home, and her smile widened.
"Thank you," she said. "These are perfect."
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"…nothing," Reiko finished saying, accompanying the word with a shrug. "Wanted to spend some time outdoors."
"…Ah." Maylene nodded, picking up on her tone. She did not press the issue. "Well, anyway… I figure there's a reason you came over, other than to look out for me. Isn't that right?"
Reiko blinked, seeming surprised. Like she'd forgotten that's why she'd come here in the first place.
"Oh! Right…" She passed a hand through her hair, looking toward the door. "It's Lucian. He's… gathering up some people in the empty on-call room. He asked us to come, and told me to come get you if you were well enough to walk."
Maylene raised an eyebrow. "Gathering… some people? I'm guessing these are the same people that participated in yesterday's mission, yeah?"
"Heh. Got it in one," Reiko smiled. "You're probably smart enough to put together what the topic's gonna be."
"I can imagine," Maylene frowned. "Though… I wasn't expecting you to be interested in attending. I always got the impression you didn't think this was your… mess to deal with, I guess."
Reiko let her hand fall to her side, and breathed out a defeated sigh. Though her expression wasn't near as resigned as she'd made herself look.
"I don't think that excuse applies anymore," she said. "Besides… I've had a lot of time to think. Percy, too. There's I guess an idea we'd like to present to Lucian, if this meeting is what we think it is." She shone Maylene a conspiratorial smile, eyebrows raising slightly. "Actually, I was thinking about discussing it with you on the way there… if you're interested."
A curious glint shone behind Maylene's eyes, and she sprung up to her feet, not a sign of weakness or pain on her. "Well, how can I say no to that?"