Monday, June 19th, 1978, 1815

Vermilion City Citadel

I watched with growing anxiety as Kiriel paced back and forth, processing my concise explanation of the events that unfolded over my journey thus far. I'd kept it minimal, only covering the very basics.

Every so often, she would look up at me, sigh, and then resume pacing with her brow furrowed as if she were stewing on some impossible question.

I wondered what she was thinking. She didn't seem mad at me, nor was she pleased entirely. In fact, I had never seen such an indecisive response from her in all my years of life, and it left me feeling decidedly uncomfortable.

Finally, after five minutes of me awkwardly standing by, she spoke.

"I'm… I'm glad you're alright. I apologize for my rash words when you first arrived; as I'm sure you picked up from Kuon, everything is not okay. When I first heard of the missing civilians, I thought nothing of it and assumed you were simply struggling through the peninsula."

What.

I stared dumbly at Kiriel in complete and utter shock at the first apology she'd ever issued, even after years of unfair treatment and blatant favoritism.

What.

Ironically, I felt panic rise in my chest at her bizarre behavior. I had wanted something like this for so long that I didn't even know how to react now that it was in my hands. My higher functions seemed to cease functioning, as evidenced by the monosyllabic thoughts floating untethered in my head.

What. The. Fuck.

I stared blankly at Kiriel, and she stared right back for a long moment. "Are you alright?" she asked, cocking her head at my lack of response.

"Uhh…" I trailed off for a second before slapping my cheeks roughly to snap myself out of the unbecoming stupor I found myself in.

After a long and shaking breath, I turned to Kiriel. "Thanks, I guess?"

Wow. Very poetic, Mare.

I cringed internally at the paltry words I mustered for such an important event.

Kiriel looked up at me with a sparkle of amusement in her dark eyes. "I daresay 'you're welcome' isn't a tactful reply in this situation, is it?"

I couldn't help but chuckle at her equivalent of a joke. "No, not really. Honestly, you're freaking me out. What's going on?"

She gestured at the empty bench beside her. "Sit down; there's much to catch you up on. Our family is in danger."

I sat, wringing my hands. They were now slick with sweat between the heat and the foreign situation. I wanted to wipe them off on my robe, but it would leave obvious prints on the fine silk I was now garbed in; not a good look when your evening plans include trying to impress the girl you like at a formal dinner.

"Before I begin, is there anything else you need to tell me? Beyond the fact that you were nearly killed in the Fuchsia peninsula by what appears to be one of Kuon's men, who was supposedly working for someone in Fuchsia who was illegally using psychic pokemon to affect the civilian population. Is that about right?"

Kiriel looked at me expectantly. Surprisingly enough, there had been no condescension in her voice, and I felt the panic in my chest recede, replaced by something warm that felt awkward and new.

"Uh. That about sums it up. There is one more thing I should probably tell you, though," I replied.

"Oh?"

"Larvitar ate a water stone he found on the beach and appears to have shifted to a water type," I offered with a forced smile that was returned with a scowl.

"Impossible," Kiriel said flatly. "That's not how energy stones work in general. Eating one, if that were even possible, would simply release the stored energy into the localized atmosphere for a few moments before dispersing. If all a pokemon had to do was consume a stone to change its type, we would have heard about it by now. The ramifications would be far-reaching."

I shrugged, feeling vindicated by her answer. "That's what I said as well! But all signs point to him being a water type. He has gills, is blue, and can channel and manipulate water type-energy. Slow as a glacier on land, too. But he can zip through the water faster than Ellie's Totodile and only seems to be growing more attached to the element. He hardly uses rock type-energy unless I order him to."

"Fascinating," Kiriel breathed. "Who else knows about the adaptations? Have you used him in many matches so far?"

"Not many, and no matches at all," I replied, ticking the people off on my fingers. "There's Ellie, obviously. And Dani, too. You haven't met her yet, but I hope she'll spend the rest of the season with us for various reasons. There's Ona from the Golden Dream, but I'm nearly positive she's a Gengar. Still not sure what to think about that. He was also out with me briefly on Route 11, but I doubt any of the new trainers there thought much of it since his species is so rare in the first place. That should be about it, I think?"

"Good," said Kiriel with a satisfied nod. "Ona won't care at all; we're old friends, and she's far wiser than most humans regarding pokemon and their many mysteries. Assuming your new companion is trustworthy, we should be all right. I'll see what I can do about setting up an appointment with the Eevee Laboratory as soon as possible to see if we can figure out what your Larvitar is undergoing."

She stood up, resuming her pacing. "Now, if there's nothing else, we have much to cover before dinner, so we're on the same page going forward."

"Well, about that. There's one more thing that I think is important," I interjected with an even more forced smile than before.

"What else could possibly have happened?" Kiriel asked incredulously. "Journeys are not supposed to be this eventful right from the start! Sula's journey was nothing like this! She moved through gyms at a rate of one per month, with abundant training and not much else. I never would've expected you to be the problem child."

"It's not my fault!" I defended, annoyed at the unwarranted critique. "Things just happened. All I wanted was a mundane journey as well! It's not like I'm happy about any of this."

"Fine, fine. Get on with it already," Kiriel growled with a wave of her hands, but I could tell she was intrigued even if she covered it with blustery anger.

Frankly, her return to more normal behavior relaxed me greatly, and I felt the tension that I didn't realize I was carrying leave my shoulders and face.

"I think I can channel dark type-energy," I said bluntly.

Kiriel laughed at my statement. "What makes you think that? It's not unheard of for trainers to gradually access the vestiges of type-energy, but only after years, if not decades, with their chosen specialties. You've never even interacted with a dark-typed pokemon. Regardless of your thoughts on the matter, I highly doubt that's what it is."

"Eon evolved into an Umbreon. Does that help convince you? It's not like I haven't had any exposure. I don't know why, exactly, but Ona seemed pretty certain that's what I was doing. We spoke about it at length, and it was the only thing keeping me alive despite the Hypno's best efforts to snuff me out."

Kiriel glared at me openly now. "I think you need to go back to the beginning; your earlier report seems like it left out all the important pieces. Hardly a comprehensive explanation in light of what you're now conveying."

"You seemed like you were in a hurry, so I wanted to keep it brief! There's really not that much more to tell. It's not like I can do much; if I think about all the sources of pain in my life, I'm able to barely wrap myself in a sheathe of… darkness? I'm not certain how to better explain it; it's not like there's actual darkness surrounding me that I know of, and I can only do it for short periods unless I'm actively in distress," I explained, trying to cover the most relevant parts for brevity's sake.

"Sources of pain in your life? What are you talking about?" Kiriel asked with a snort. "You've been raised in abject luxury. You don't have any pain in your life. Any child would be fortunate to have a tenth of what you possess."

Ah yes, now this is the Kiriel I know.

The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

I shook my head at her utter lack of insight. "I'm not going to attempt to rationalize it for you when you're clearly incapable of understanding why I might be in pain. All that matters is that I can briefly negate the influence of psychic energy to a large degree. The Hypno couldn't do much to me, so Adrien ordered his subordinate to get involved. Larvitar eliminated him upon Dani’s command.”

"It does matter! Part of the reason I'm even here has to do with you!" Kiriel snapped, her voice now harsh when it was soft a moment ago. "We may as well get into it now that we're on the subject."

"You're here because you care about me and wanted to check in on me?" I asked sarcastically, knowing it was unlikely.

"I'm here because the Fuchsia City League Representative asked me to step down as Gym Leader. Things have been growing increasingly dire since you and Eleanor departed. The KFP's malicious hold has grown more pernicious, and I fear it's too late to reverse the momentum. A protest was held outside the Gym after an interview I did the prior week."

"Oh. Shit," I muttered in surprise.

That was not what I was expecting. Kiriel had always been so popular in Fuchsia that I assumed her leadership was never in question.

"Oh shit is right," she agreed. "Ostensibly, I'm here to take some space before any competitors worth my time make it to Fuchsia. In reality, I'm hiding like a scared little girl until they forget about me, hoping the request gets dropped or appealed. Jamie is doing damage control while we speak; he's always had a way with people that I can't quite seem to match despite my best efforts."

"What did you say in the interview? You must have really messed things up to overturn over a decade of support from the community," I pointed out, feeling immensely satisfied that Kiriel was finally suffering the consequences of her actions, even if it wasn't good for our family overall.

The guilt I felt was outweighed by the sheer joy coursing through my veins at seeing her like this, even though I realized my thoughts would've shamed my many ancestors who had given their lives in service of the clan.

They're dead, anyway.

"I'd rather not say," she deflected, making me more curious about what she could've possibly said. "In short, I made my stance against the KFP too strongly. There was a small protest at the Gym that made national television. The Seiichi Elders bid me engage in some 'PR' as they call it. I did an interview for a popular show that's begged me for years to make an appearance, but I fear it only made things worse. A large, organized protest ensued at the Gym, and a formal request was made for me to step down."

There has to be more to it than that. No way people were that upset simply by Kiriel making a statement against the KFP.

I stifled my curiosity, knowing I could look into it on my own time while in Vermilion.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Kiriel. That must be quite stressful," I said, keeping my tone carefully neutral lest I let her in on my true feelings.

She spun towards me; her face contorted in rage. "How dare they!" she seethed, shaking in a way I had never seen, and I instinctively flinched at the abrupt shift in the conversation. Her voice was heavy with hurt, and a cold pit formed in my stomach at the naked display of emotion.

She ignored my response, continuing her sudden and raw diatribe. "Decades of service! Thousands of lives, ripped away in defense of our homeland; the blood on my hands is so thick I can hardly stand to look at myself some days. I have flawlessly managed the Gym, taking it to the pinnacle of what Kanto could hope to achieve. I have sacrificed everything for Fuchsia."

I sat silently, utterly out of my depth. Kiriel had never shown this side of her to me before, and any satisfaction I had felt at her plight now sat festering in my chest.

"Even now, all I'm trying to do is prevent another pointless war. How can they not see it? How can they be lulled by the honeyed promises offered by an organization led by a man who thrives on the relentless application of violence? It doesn't make any sense. I don't know what to do any longer."

Kiriel sat heavily, staring down at her feet. Her knuckles were white from how hard she clenched her fists, and her body was taut. And, against all odds, I saw a single tear trip down her face before she turned to me with an anguished expression.

"I need your help, Mare," she whispered hoarsely.

"My help? In case you've forgotten, I'm already doing my best on the existing assignment you've given me. I have yet to schedule my first badge match, let alone garner any media attention. I don't think there's anything I can do."

"I haven't forgotten. But I need more from you yet. I'll be here for the next week; I need you to appear with me in several public places. You don't have to do much; just laugh, smile, and show the world we're a happy family. Can you do that for me, my son?"

Any sympathy I felt was erased, replaced by a white-hot rage that had been suppressed and ignored for far too long that only now was clambering to the surface.

No fucking way. What a shamelessly manipulative bitch.

I laughed bitterly despite myself, catching her off guard. Her forehead screwed up in confusion at the seemingly incongruent reaction.

"What could possibly be amusing at a time like this?" she asked with acid in her voice.

"You're unbelievable, Kiriel. I'm laughing at you," I replied, dropping all pretense. I let the vitriolic feelings well-established after years of quiet fermentation seep into my voice.

I felt an immense surge of relief flood my body at finally being honest with Kiriel. I had fantasized for this very moment, and I hoped I could do it justice if only to live up my younger self's great expectations.

Kiriel only grew more confused, the crease in her face deepening. "Me? There's nothing funny about this, Mare. Stop playing around. The Seiichi Legacy is in danger. Your legacy."

"No," I shook my head. "There is. It's funny that you seriously think that if you shed a few tears and say something nice to me for once, you can erase years of condescension and outright malice. Are you actually incompetent, or are you legitimately incapable of seeing the flaw in your thinking? Do you seriously think I'm so pathetic that I'll come wagging my tail if you throw me the smallest of bones?"

Kiriel's eyes were wide in shock, and she stood there gaping at the side of myself I had never displayed. Not to anyone.

"Well?" I spat. "Which is it? I want an answer now, or I'm not doing anything for you. I don't give a damn about the Gym; I never have. You made it clear from day one that it would never be mine. Why should I do anything for you?"

Her eyes hardened in anger once more, and she spoke in a low tone, barely audible. A dangerous tone. "You ungrateful, sniveling whelp. How dare you speak to me like that? You're nothing without me! Everything you own, from the clothes on your back to the pokemon you claim as yours, from me. The training, the food, the travels around the region. From me. The peace you've enjoyed your entire life? From me. Built from the mountains of bodies I created, and the rivers of blood I swam through to preserve a desperate vision of peace. I—"

"Thank you," I interrupted, tired of her martyrdom. "Thank you for your service, truly. I am grateful, despite what you may think. But I didn't ask for any of this. I didn't ask to be your son! I don't even want to be part of this! You have Sula; let me leave! You clearly don't want anything to do with me unless there's something to be gained. I'm a disposable pawn that conveniently bears the Seiichi name and jumps when you say 'jump.' It's always been this way! You don't even want me! Don't pretend otherwise, and just be fucking honest for once."

I was practically screaming at this point, and even Kiriel shied away from the onslaught, but I didn't stop there.

"Your fake fucking tears disgust me. You might think I'm stupid, but I can put two and two together. You clearly said something about me that rubbed people the wrong way, so much so that they can't stomach you any longer! And now you want me to get you out of the hole you've dug yourself in. No fucking way," I said with a violent shake of my head. "And what can you even do? Take away my pokemon? Take away the gear you gave me? Try it; I dare you. You need me, not the other way around; don't get it twisted. I'm not raising a single finger to help you unless something changes."

My hands trembled, and I felt hot tears coursing down my face, but I didn't care. Not today, not right now. Never again. I stared defiantly at Kiriel until she looked away, unable to meet my baleful gaze.

"Mare, I—" she began, but I cut her off once more as I held up a hand.

"Stop. I need some time to think. We can resume this conversation another time after you've had some time to reflect. I imagine my friends will be here soon, and I don't want to ruin their first decent meal in days."

I took a deep breath, quieting my agitated nervous system as Kiriel had taught me many years ago.

Feeling calmer, I turned again to Kiriel, who was waiting quietly.

Her eyes still showed a sliver of anger, but it was vastly outweighed by something else: sorrow? Or regret, or something I couldn't quite understand in my current state. Either way, it didn't look good on her.

"For now," I continued, quieter now. "Let's just continue the same song and dance we always do, at least for the time being. We're quite good at it now, yes? You pretend you actually view me as your son, and I'll pretend I'm happy to be part of this family. We'll smile through dinner, and no one will be any wiser. Deal?"

"Deal," she muttered.

"But," I replied. "I have a few conditions."

"Conditions? Name them, and I'll do what I can, but I can't promise anything," she warned.

"Nope," I shook my head. "You can. You literally can because they cost you nothing. First, you tell me why you can't seem to bring yourself to show me even the slightest inkling of love or affection. And second, after the year ends and I play my part in your merry show, you let me withdraw from the Seiichi Clan in full."

"No," she said without hesitation. "No to both."

I looked back at her with wide eyes, appalled at the immediacy of her response. "So there is a reason?! What could I have possibly done to earn your ire? I'm fifteen, for Arceus' sake! I've done everything you ever asked of me except for now, in this moment."

My question was met with deaf ears, and her stance was resolute. "I'll not say more; I refuse to, and nothing you can say or do will sway me. Nor can you withdraw from the clan unless the clan elders approve it, which they never will, especially with my impending dismissal if you're unwilling to assuage the public for the sake of our Gym."

"Your gym," I corrected. "It was never mine to begin with. You and I both know there was really only one option. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if you already had Sula filling in for you while you're 'hiding' in Vermilion."

Kiriel didn't respond, preferring to walk towards the garden's entrance as if that could simply end the conversation.

"She is, isn't she?" I accused. "Legendaries, you always have a fallback plan, don't you? Unbelievable! What, best case scenario, is that your manipulations work on me, and then you can resume your role once you've convinced Fuchsia that you're a doting mother? And worst case, I don't play your game, and you just push through Sula sooner than you'd have liked."

Kiriel didn't look back, but she did respond. "Astute observations, as usual, Mare. It's nothing personal; some things are more important than any one person, you included, regardless of how much of a victim you perceive yourself to be."

And with that, Kiriel left the garden, leaving me alone with my feelings.

I slumped down on the stone bench, overwhelmed with the rapid progression and subsequent resolution, if it could be called that, of perhaps the only honest interaction I'd ever had with my mother.

I wasn't allowed to process for long as a voice rang out across the garden.

"Mr. Seiichi, your companions have arrived. Please hurry, else I fear you'll be late for dinner."

With a heavy sigh, I pulled myself off the bench and began mentally preparing for what I anticipated to be one of the more awkward meals I could imagine.