Tuesday, June 20th, 1978, 0900

“There you are.”

I didn’t move from my position on the ground, or even acknowledge I had heard the speaker, whose chilly voice was all too familiar. I was done jumping at her beck and call, desperate for approval that would never come.

I was currently laying on a sunny patch of grass with my hands behind my back. Larvitar and Eon were curled into my left and right sides respectively, and Nana served as something of a backrest for me to sink into.

I heard a sigh, and then rustling as the voice’s owner sat beside me. I tiredly opened my eyes, taking in the unwelcome visitor.

“What do you want?” I asked brusquely before once again shutting my eyes. “I’m trying to relax here.”

“So I see,” Kiriel replied. Her voice was tinged with something, but I couldn’t quite tell what it was. Disappointment, perhaps?

“I was hoping to see you at breakfast, as we had planned,” she continued, “but the only one of your little troupe present at breakfast was Daniella. She seemed upset and left after only a few words, stating she had ‘training’ to do.”

“Mhm,” I grunted, unsure what to think of the information. Dani was probably just trying to distance herself to avoid hurting my feelings further. I’m so pathetic. “I didn’t have it in me. Sorry. And I doubt we’ll see Ellie for awhile considering the state she was in last night. I’d be surprised if we saw her before noon.”

“Is that so? I hope she’s alright.”

At her comment, I directed a red rimmed eye her way. “And why would you care? She’s just a convenient add on for your goals. Please, spare us your false compassion.”

“Mare…” A tense silence lingered between us before she sighed heavily. “I’ll admit your ire is not unwarranted, but can you please sit up and speak to me directly? I wanted to continue our conversation from yesterday. From before dinner.”

“Why?” I scoffed, opening my eyes to glare at her. She was sitting cross legged on the ground, making a small braid out of grass. She wasn’t very good at it, and the poor creation looked ready to fall apart at a moment’s notice. “I doubt it’ll go any better. I have a massive headache and am really not in the mood for any more Tauros shit. I’m just having a bad day; can we talk about it tomorrow?”

“Did something happen?” she asked, turning my way. She looked better than yesterday, but still tired, and nothing like her usual. But at least her makeup wasn’t running in streaks. She actually looked legitimately concerned, somehow. I Guess Kiriel took a crash course in acting sometime in the last twenty-four hours, I concluded, reminding myself to take everything she said with a grain of salt. Or ten.

“It’s none of your business,” I shot back. “Would you please leave us alone? Can’t you see my pokemon are sleeping?”

“I’m sorry, but no,” she replied, her voice gentle. “This is important, and goes beyond just you or I. Did something happen between you and your friend?”

I shot up, earning a scowl from Eon and a sleepy mewl from Larvitar, who looked around in confusion before settling back down, this time leaning into Eon’s now much less fluffy fur. Nana was indifferent, as usual, hardly moving a muscle. “Why? Did she say something?!”

Kiriel glanced my way with a knowing look but didn’t say anything.

I paused, regaining my composure before correcting myself, “What I meant to ask was if she was acting oddly. Sorry for the outburst.”

“I’ll take that as a yes,” she said, a tiny smile gracing her face. “She did not, but she wore her emotions on her sleeve as long as one knows what to look for. And there was no shortage of them, although she tried her best to hide them.”

I groaned, sprawling back onto the grass, rubbing Larvitar’s scaly head softly. “What a trap. I should’ve known you didn’t actually know anything. And as to your question, nothing happened. Nothing important, anyway.”

“I see,” Kiriel said, not sounding the least bit convinced. “Does it have to do with the fact that you harbor,” she paused, as if searching for the right word… “romantic feelings for her, perhaps?”

At that, all traces of grogginess drained out of my system, and I sat up, wide eyed. “W-why do you say that? I don’t know what you’re referring to; we’re just friends.”

“Mare,” she began, “I may not be the most socially adept, and I know I hold no candle to your father or sister on warmness, but I’m not stupid. Nor am I unaware of my surroundings. It was apparent to anyone with eyes that there’s something between the two of you.”

“Doubtful,” I pouted. “But I guess there’s no use denying it.” I sighed deeply, wringing my hands together. “Since you asked, I may as well be up front about it. I told her I liked her, and she turned me down. That’s all. I should’ve known it was going to happen like that, but I think the sake got away from me and I made an idiot move. I’m so, so, fucking stupid.” I didn't even know why I was telling her any of this, but it was already too late. I'll probably regret it.

“That must have hurt,” Kiriel comforted, the tone unfamiliar to my ears. It made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. “I’m sorry she didn’t respond to your feelings like you wanted.”

“Yeah, whatever,” I said, waving her concern away. “I’m done with this conversation. You haven’t been interested in my life before now, so don’t pretend to suddenly care. It’s sickening. Just say your piece so we can move on with our lives.”

“Fine,” Kiriel replied, frowning. “But I do care, believe it or not. And I’m committed to showing you that. Before we move on, I just want you to consider one thing. Regarding Dani.”

“And what’s that?” I asked sarcastically. “Please share your infinite wisdom.”

“Just because someone doesn’t respond to your feelings doesn’t mean that their own feelings are absent,” Kiriel told me. “You’re a smart boy, Mare. Don’t let your hurt get in the way of thinking things through before you come to conclusions that may not be true.”

“Wow, what life-changing advice,” I snarked, rolling my eyes. “Are you done now?”

“I’m done,” she replied coolly. “I’ll get straight to the point; what do I need to do for you to work with me in convincing the public we’ve repaired our relationship?”

Wow. I was honestly impressed despite myself at how direct she was being. I vastly preferred this over the fake smiles and false concern she’d been attempting so far.

“I already told you yesterday; let me leave the family and tell me why you’ve treated me like shit for so long. That’s all.”

She sighed, staring off into the flowers surrounding us. She spoke, refusing to look at me. “I’m sorry, Mare. I’m truly sorry for my unfair treatment of you. But I can’t say more. But it wasn’t your fault. Not at all.” She smiled bitterly and continued, “I’m ashamed to say that I let my mistakes get in the way of my better judgement. I thought I was doing the right thing, but I was wrong.”

What. My mind froze at her admission. Rather than the denial she had shown previously, she was actually acknowledging it was real. That it wasn’t in my head. A myriad of emotions surged within me, from anger, to sadness, to confusion. But mostly anger. Anger at how unfair it all was. That she could treat a child just wanting to do their best as if they had committed some unknown yet unforgivable sin.

I couldn’t help but wonder where this change come from, and why had it taken so long? If she had only said any of this years ago, it could’ve saved me so much pain. I could’ve actually felt like my family loved me. But now, it felt like it was too little too late.

She continued before I could respond, this time looking at me directly, and I was confronted with the same dark eyes I saw every time I looked in the mirror. We really are similar, aren’t we?

“You have been wronged, and I can’t take any of it back. All I can do is commit to paying for the harm I’ve wrought in any way I can.” She took a deep breath before continuing, “I can offer no guarantees about leaving the family, but I swear to you I will do everything in my power to convince the clan elders to allow you to forgo the Seiichi name. I will sign a legal document regarding my intent. With witnesses. Is that satisfactory? In exchange for your cooperation over the next year.”

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“Wait, seriously?” I asked quietly. “You’d actually just let me leave?”

She nodded. “I will; this is important enough to justify it. But I wish that wasn’t the case, and that there was something else I could do to make you trust me.” She gave me a sad smile. “But trust takes time, and time is something in short supply considering the situation.”

“Wow,” I breathed, unsure of whether I should be happy or offended she had so readily agreed to support my departure from the clan. I wasn’t used to getting what I wanted, and the situation was giving me whiplash. “Just like that?”

“Just like that,” she agreed with a business-like nod. “I am deadly serious, Mare. Without the Gym, I fear losing my ability to protest the war in any meaningful capacity. With current sentiment, there is no guarantee that Sula would be selected by the Fuchsia City council, and it’s entirely likely they could install a trainer with pro-KFP sentiment. That would be catastrophic in more ways than one.”

She continued, “This is not to say, however, that I can guarantee you will be allowed to formally depart the clan. In light of that, I’ll ask again; what can I do to ensure your cooperation for the remainder of the week? I’ll not ask for anything beyond a few appearances with me in public, as well as an interview if the opportunity arises. I’m sure there will be numerous news agencies on the prowl as soon as you show your face today.”

“Give me a second,” I said, holding up a hand. “I need a moment to think. This feels too good to be true. I never actually thought you would say yes. Do you really hate me that much?”

Kiriel smiled mirthlessly. “I don’t want to say yes, Mare. I want you to believe me when I say I want to repair our relationship. And that I mean it when I say I’m sorry. But I can’t blame you for your reticence. As Kuon said last night, leadership isn’t about what you want, it’s about doing whatever you can for your people. Including sacrificing your own needs and wants.”

“And those of your family,” I finished, shaking my head in disbelief. “So, you’re basically trying to buy me off,” I concluded.

She inclined her head slightly. “If that’s how you choose to think of it, yes. Name your demands. We don’t have much time; I’ll only be here until Sunday before returning to the Gym if our efforts are successful. If your answer is no, I’ll need to adjust my plans.”

“I guess I can think of a few things,” I said, thinking of what I might want. Kuon’s story about the ambush he experienced, paired with my near helplessness against Adrien’s Hypno, made me think it would be in my best interest to secure a psychic type pokemon of some kind. And I definitely wanted a top-tier Fire Stone for Nana. But it felt wrong just giving up my anger for convenience.

But if I’m going to leave, I mused, I may as well milk this for all its worth. It would be stupid not to. Money is one thing, but rare resources and pokemon are hard to come by.

“Can I have today to think about it?” I asked. “I know you’re in a hurry, but this is a lot to process.”

Kiriel put her hand to her chin, appearing deep in thought. “Fine. But let me know by this evening, and I’d appreciate at least an idea of what you might request so I can look into it and confirm if it’s something I can grant.”

“Well,” I began, “I’d like a top-tier Fire Stone for Nana.”

Hearing his name, the pokemon in question perked up, cocking his head in interest. “He’s clearly earned it, and I don’t want to feel as powerless as I was against Adrien ever again.”

“Done,” she said without hesitation, as if she had been expecting that request. “What else? I’ll obviously continue to finance your journey, as well. Until you leave the family. But that’s only to be expected.”

“I want a psychic type,” I admitted reluctantly. “Kuon’s story freaked me out and I’d like some way to defend myself in the future.”

Kiriel hummed thoughtfully. “That one is a bit tougher; psychic pokemon are closely regulated and in high demand. Is there a particular species you were thinking of?”

I shook my head. “Not really. I can’t say that I would really want a Slowpoke or any of the Abra line, either. Something good with barriers that would be able to protect me effectively.”

She smiled crookedly. “It’s too bad you didn’t accept my offer of a Beldum when you were younger; there’s no way I could get one on short notice, now.”

I crinkled my nose. “Those are the supercomputer ones, right? That seems like it would be difficult to work with most of the time. I'll have my work cut out with Larvitar, anyway.”

“That’s correct. What about the Ralts line?” she suggested. “They’re weak to start but have powerful third stage evolutions.”

I shrugged. “Whatever you think would be good and can get your hands on. I’d want to train it extensively in barriers and potentially teleportation, so we could get out of a scary situation if we needed to. Other than that, I don’t care that much.”

“Your considerations are noted,” Kiriel said. “I’ll see what I can do over the next week, but you might need to pick it up in Saffron if I can’t get something delivered here. I should have more information by this evening.”

“Okay, I guess?” The transactional nature of our interaction ironically felt more comfortable than anything else we had discussed. It was easier to think I was like an employee of hers rather than a son.

She reached into her robes, pulling out a sheet of pressed paper. “For now, here is a tentative schedule for your time here. Take a look.”

I carefully unfolded the sheet of paper. It was a simple document, with a few items listed below each day. I scanned the list, nodding along as I read. It really didn’t differ much from what I planned in the first place, with the exception of an appointment at the Eevee Evolution Lab on Wednesday, and a local tournament listed for Thursday and Friday. The weekend was blocked off for a potential match with Kuon, and she had penciled in a celebratory dinner.

“Assuming you agree to work with me,” Kiriel clarified, perhaps seeing my look of confusion at a ‘family dinner’ as it was written on the schedule.

“Right,” I said, rolling up the document and sliding it into one of my own pockets. I stood up, gently rousing my pokemon, although I knew Eon had only been pretending to sleep. “It looks pretty good to me, honestly. I’ll get back to you with my decision tonight or tomorrow morning. Is that acceptable?”

Kiriel stood as well, holding out her hand as if to secure a deal. Not inaccurate, really, I noted as I tentatively shook her proffered hand.

“Deal” she replied, using her hands to sweep herself clear of the assortment of grassy odds and ends she had collected. She turned my way, once more looking like the calm and collected figure I had grown up with. “I’ll be here in the Citadel for the rest of the day if you need anything. I assume you’ll be gathering Ellie and heading out to find some matches.”

I nodded silently, padding away from her and out of the garden with my pokemon in tow.

----------------------------------------

“This sucks,” Ellie grumbled from her position behind me. “I wish somebody had told me to drink more water. My eyes feel like they’re twice their normal size and I don’t think I’ll ever be able to eat again.”

“We did,” I said drily, rolling my eyes. “On numerous occasions. You were too stubborn to listen to us.”

I eyed her, taking in her disheveled appearance; she was wearing a lovely sundress but had heavy bags under her eyes and looked gaunter than I’d seen her. She wouldn’t admit it, but she had clearly been puking throughout the night. I didn’t envy her.

Willow was curled around her shoulders looking around curiously, although the pokemon had grown so much I doubted she would be able to occupy the space for much longer, and Anabelle was attached to her at the hip, constantly flashing her concerned looks. River and Petal simply ambled in front of her as they usually did with eyes wide in fascination at the sights of the city.

Ellie was in a bad mood today. Besides waking up hungover, she had called her father and it had apparently not gone well. Mikhail had been livid at her lack of contact and had really read her the riot act, wanting her to check in daily as long as she had service. From what I could tell, she wasn’t used to being in trouble either, being an only child and all.

“You did,” she admitted, “But I thought you were joking! Everything felt so good until it suddenly didn’t.”

I knew what she meant; although I hadn’t been hit as hard as her, the three shots in quick succession at the end of the night had left me with the spins as I was trying to fall asleep after my catastrophic conversation with Dani. Not to mention the pulsing headache that had yet to abate.

Ugh. I was actively trying not to think about her, but Kiriel’s words had left me wondering if there wasn’t more to the story than Dani simply not liking me. I had been so certain last night she felt the same way. The connection had felt genuine, especially when I'd caught her eyes during the song. But I was wrong, I reminded myself.

The rejection hadn’t been particularly harsh or anything. She had simply said, “I can’t accept your feelings. I’m sorry, Mare,” and had left me there alone in the garden. Pretty gentle, especially for my first and only confession. I was dreading seeing her.

“Marrrr-reeeee,” Ellie whined, catching my attention. “You’re spacing out hella hard; I hope you haven’t forgotten what we’re here to do. It’s important. The most important.”

I chuckled, grateful at her levity. “Hardly. Although I still don’t think this is the best first meal after a hangover.”

We were headed through the city to find ice cream, of all things. Despite her misery, the first thing Ellie had asked me about was going to get ice cream. Unbelievable.

After heading out of the Citadel, we had asked around and been directed to a place in the lower tiers that apparently served the best product for the lowest prices.

It was convenient, since that was there the most popular Battling Center in Vermilion was located, as well. I was hoping to get as many rounds in as I could with Larvitar—especially with some electric pokemon if I could find them.

The city was much quieter than when we had first arrived, largely due to the fact that most of the trainers were busy, well, training. And the thriving fishing industry was currently out in the harbor and beyond, busy catching the literal tons of Goldeen and Magikarp that the city’s economy relied on.

As a result, our journey was smooth and uneventful, and we arrived at the ice cream shop in less than an hour.

It was directly off the main street, with a rundown appearance on the outside. A large, crooked sign indicated the shop's name; Jynx's Minx's.

“Are you sure you want this?” I asked, looking at the business skeptically.

“Positively positive,” she shot back, grinning like a little kid getting their way. “C’mon, let’s get in there!”

“Fine,” I deferred, following her into the building with our teams trailing behind.

We only had to wait for a few minutes before arriving at the front of the line. Surprisingly, the shop was largely staffed by pokemon; an older woman with greying hair ran the till while two Jynx’s made ice cream in real time, using their impressive ice manipulation skills to craft custom orders.

“Welcome to Jynx’s Minx’s,” she said, smiling brightly. “What can I do for you today?”

“Got anything for hangovers?” I asked, chuckling as Ellie pouted at my dig.

It was meant as a joke, but the employee clearly didn’t see it that way. “Sure thing, dearie. We have just the thing for you here.” She turned to her pokemon, shouting, “Two Drunken Sailor specials on the double!”

We watched in awe as the two pokemon seemingly crafted two large concoctions, their hands whirring as they melded several liquids together from a few large containers behind the glass counter. They were complete with cones and a large assortment of garnishes. I made out walnuts and cashews, as well as what I suspected was melon of some kind. I couldn't say that it looked appetizing, but it did look filling, at least.

“See, I told you so,” Ellie whispered, jabbing her elbow into my side. “You should just listen to me more, eh?”

“Not a fucking chance,” I whispered back. I turned back to the employee, who was staring at me expectantly as she held out the ‘Drunken Sailor Specials’. “What’s the damage?”

“I recognize you from somewhere,” she said, squinting at me thoughtfully after gingerly passing over the treats. “You an actor? I swear I’ve seen your face before.”

I grimaced. Kiriel’s warning about people recognizing me was evidently more than some far-fetched concern. “Nope, I probably just look like someone you know.”

“Got it!” The woman shouted, beaming. “You’re that Gym Leader’s kid, aincha? The one who’s in hot water. Your face was all over the place for a few days last week.” Her smile faded, replaced by a concerned look. “Ya’ know what, let’s say your first rounds on the house. Sounds like your life is hard enough, dearie. Just be sure to drop by next time you’re in the mood for some ice cream.”

“No problem!” Ellie chirped, saluting as if given an order from a superior officer. “We’ll be back daily if I have anything to say about it! Thanks for the meal!”