He passed the trial. He. PASSED. It.

How had he done it?! The boy shouldn’t have even known how to USE a Poké Ball, yet after staring at it like some sort of dullard, he just went at it as if he’d known about them the WHOLE TIME.

HOW had I failed Cyllene?! HOW? How did he do it?!

To say I was in a rotten mood wouldn’t been akin to saying Prinplup was a slightly ugly Pokémon. Biggest. Understatement. Of the year! That Clarissa hag liked to rub it in, too. Smiling and celebrating with him like she was happy he ruined my life.

But amidst all the chaos of my rioting emotions, there was another part of me that felt relief for Rei. Another part. That maybe thought Cyllene was going a bit too far in trying to send him to his death via exile. Why, oh why did he make me feel that way?! Why did he make me doubt Cyllene? That couldn’t be possible. She’d find out and never speak to me again and then who would understand me in this world??

I hated him. I hated him. I HATED him.

The way he looked at me like he KNEW about me. Like he’d seen the woman I was growing up to be and was trying to figure out how I got there. Calculating. Trying to find the best route to ruin me.

When we returned to Jubilife, Rei followed me to Laventon’s. Of course, he followed me. Rei would follow a Budew if he thought it was beneficial. I mean, did he have any sort of free thought outside of trying to guilt me into liking him?!

“Come on, Akari. Aren’t you at least relieved I won’t be exiled?” like, oh boo!

Cyllene found me that night. She was waiting outside of my house and my chest tightened like I was bracing myself to be struck, but Cyllene only told me that Rei’s passing of the trail couldn’t have been expected. That, although I was mostly accountable for not making it more impossible, that she admitted to a tiny bit of the blame.

Oh, thank goodness she understood.

“Make sure Rei doesn’t find out about our talks,” Cyllene ordered me, and I nodded dutifully despite my confusion. Why did she care if he found out? I wasn’t about to ask, though. I’d already questioned Cyllene enough lately. “I want him to feel off-balanced and isolated. Make sure you give him the cold shoulder. Hopefully, Volo will do little to sway Kamado, but…”

Things were getting out of control.

I went to bed that night but found I couldn’t sleep. I had to cradle my handmade Rowlet plushie so I didn’t feel so lonely. It took a bit to figure out why I was so… upset, but I soon realised. Why did Cyllene want to make me make Rei feel isolated? Didn’t she know how much I suffered being alone? Why did she want others to feel that way?

But Rei was a threat, I reasoned.

Snide comments, rude stares, disapproving grunts. Anything to get a rise out of him. But Rei took it all without comment. He was getting along well with Laventon and his silver tongue had managed to sway the professor onto his side. “Rei works hard for us, Akari,” he’d said after pulling me aside for a ‘talk’ after Rei had FINALLY shown some anger. “He’s a valuable addition to our team. Like him or not, I want him to stay, old girl.”

But what about how hard I worked for us?! Was I truly abandoned again?!

I didn’t speak to Laventon after that. I couldn’t focus on my work and it got to the point Cyllene had to intervene. “I’m disappointed in you,” she’d told me. “Your efficacy has dipped the past few days.”

That was one of the worst things I could ever hear, and I felt my world come crashing down on me. “I’m sorry, mu- Cyllene!”

Cyllene didn’t seem too moved by my teary apology. I’d truly been bad… “Leave Rei be for now. The world will eat him alive, anyways. You watch.”

I did just that. But I couldn’t help but shoot him the odd glare to make sure he KNEW I hated him. Rei worked so well around me though that it became hard to grow angry at him anymore. I had nothing to latch onto. Every time I stared into those eyes; it was as though he understood. He knew what loneliness felt like. He had nobody in Jubilife- like me.

How could I continue to hate someone so alike?

When those outsiders came to Prelude Beach by boat- the same way I had arrived in Hisui- we were sent to deal with a Pokémon and I had no idea what to do. It was a Golett. The same evil that was just as bad as the two princes but were worse because they said they were good. But I could immediately tell that this Golett was different. It was docile and seemed protective of the immigrants. And the immigrants defended it like it was one of their own. Cyllene was there, but pretended not to notice me. We were both STUNNED when Rei managed to get the Golett to speak. And when he caught it? I couldn’t believe my eyes.

I couldn’t take my eyes off of him on the way back to the village. He seemed so… alive in that moment. And he was winging it? Was that true? Those shining grey eyes held only sincerity. It was an innocence I felt couldn’t be retained in someone so old. “I’m sorry,” the words tumbled out of my mouth before I could think. “For all the things I said.”

What had I done?! I was horrified! Oh no, oh no, oh no.

I ran away.

Dialga and Palkia. Giratina. I caught only snippets, but Cyllene told me Volo had corroborated Rei’s story and that Kamado was fully supporting him. Well, that old fart was a terrible Commander anyways. Cyllene should’ve been our Commander, but she didn’t want the responsibility. Rei had managed to convince Adaman to help us, but first we needed to help him. I’d never seen Laventon so excited. We’d be going into Diamond Clan territory for the first time EVER. Adaman was, like, CRAZY senile about territory and the like. He went totally off his rocker whenever somebody ‘trespassed’ or whatever he called it. But now he was inviting us in?!

Cyllene wasn’t too happy. She didn’t want Rei leaving her sight. But she placed a great deal of trust in me. She wanted me to keep track of him in her stead. What a great day, to feel that warm embrace of belonging I craved so much!

You know the rest of what happened on the trip over to the Mirelands. I started to like Rei more and more. He was really kind and just felt… relatable. He told me his parents were alive but he couldn’t see them. That he didn’t mean to end up in Hisui- like me! He occasionally said things that made no sense, like talking about ‘refrigerators’ or ‘heaters’ or ‘toilets’ and I was really confused by it even though I secretly found it funny.

In The Heartwood, things started to go wrong. Whatever was hunting us was large and scary. It was smelling us out. It wanted to eat me. Just like the White Beast… just like the White Beast…

I could see my parents’ faces every time I closed my eyes. The fear and the concern as they threw me into the basement and latched the door shut. I was back to the twelve-year-old girl- terrified and alone in the ruins of my home. I couldn’t take it. I couldn’t take it.

Laventon calmed me down. I really didn’t appreciate him enough. I loved him like a father and yet almost never showed it. Though I dearly missed Cyllene, Laventon filled the void her absence left in my heart.

Rei was eclipsing me, that was for sure. He was inventing new Pokémon MOVES for goodness sake! And that Protect of his was amazing, too! He had a suite of loyal Pokémon he trusted and had befriended, like they were partners. Meanwhile, Oshawott and I were lagging behind.

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He inspired me. I needed to be strong. I had to participate in Lilligant’s quelling or I’d never keep up! I… I… well, yeah.

I guess that’s where we split off into Rei’s experiences in the Coastlands. Writing all of this felt wrong at first. It was hard not to be snide and cynical and everything, but I really started to get into it as I wrote. It’s almost therapeutic.

But anyways, I’ll get back into it.

Setting the scene, I was stuck in place at the Shrouded Ruins after our close encounter with Lilligant. A clump of ice was wrapped around my legs. I was powerless as Rei was swept up by Braviary. His screams of fear slowly faded into the air…

Irida watched him go. I was really cold and shivery, but my fear somehow felt colder. I hated feeling so powerless- so out of control. It was like a vice gripping around my heart, squeezing the blood from my veins until I was left a lifeless husk. Was I next? Where did she take Rei? Why him? “What did you do to him?!” Adaman roared. He was so angry he had a vein ready to pop in his forehead.

“He’ll be fine,” Irida looked all smug and satisfied. “So long as he behaves…”

Adaman tried to break free of the ice around his legs, but he ended up just squirming like a fallen Kricketot. “How dare you!”

“Adaman…” Irida sang out his name and stalked towards him. I froze in place. Perhaps, if I didn’t move, she wouldn’t see me? The Diamond Clan leader tensed in shock when Irida cupped his cheek with a slender hand. “Are you angry that I took your precious toy? Or angry that I slighted you in front of your own people?”

Adaman wrenched his face away from her hand. His skin where her palm had lain was all pale and eugh-like. “You’ve gone too far, Irida!”

“Oh?” Irida stepped back and her face tightened. “Maybe… just maybe… you did the same,” she leaned into him and whispered so, so softly, “during the Valor Massacre.”

Adaman didn’t say a word after that. He gritted his teeth and looked ready to burst in anger. Irida lazily swung her around to meet all of our gazes and raised her dainty hand. “Be seeing you.”

Her eyes never left Adaman’s as she backed away into the trees. I could physically feel her slink away into the distance as the temperature slowly rose around us until, in an ear-rending shattering, the ice confining us broke apart. I fell onto my knees and ignored the pain that shot through my legs. Cold, cold, cold!

“How cruel,” Arezu moaned while Vesper helped her to her feet. “She froze my good leg…”

“That WENCH!” Adaman cried out in indignation and turned his feral eyes onto Mai. “Back to the settlement! This calls for retribution immediately!”

“Hey!” Vesper looked appalled when Adaman grabbed onto Mai’s arm and started to wrench her back south. “What about us?!”

The man ignored her and Mai shot us an embarrassed look as the two of them stomped back south. I grumbled slightly while massaging my previously trapped leg. Was it my fate to always feel so powerless? No matter how much I felt like I was FINALLY making progress, something always happened to send me tumbling back down.

Cyllene told me to keep watch of Rei. She told me she TRUSTED ME. And what did I do?! I let him get taken away! The despair that washed over me was paramount. It was so intense I physically cringed deeper into a ball of misery and I let a few tears slip past my eyes. When a warm hand lay itself upon my shoulder, I knew instantly who stood over me. “Akari?”

I didn’t say a word. I didn’t need to. All I needed was to look up to let him see my face and he’d know. “Hey,” he knelt down besides me and I felt a soothing warmth start to envelope my tummy as it fought against my emotional pain. “What is it? Was it the fire?”

I shook my head. That had been absolutely horrifying at the time, but it was NOTHING compared to the fear I felt at Cyllene finding out I’d failed her. “She said she needed me to h-help her,” I hicced through my words. “She said she trusted me.”

For a glimpse, Laventon’s expression took on a sheen of loathing. But, before I could properly process it, he put on a much more empathetic glint behind his eyes. “Nobody could’ve changed what happened, old girl. Please… understand that.”

I wasn’t ‘nobody’, though. Not to Cyllene. “What do I… do?”

Laventon took a breath, and I remembered that he had just been attacked by Lilligant before Arezu managed to spout her way through to it. “I think we need to talk to Adaman. But… we should head back to Jubilife.”

My head leapt upwards. “No!”

“Akari, dear,” Laventon ran his hand up and down my shoulder blade in a way that felt really reassuring. “We need to regroup. This has all gotten out of hand. It’s not good for you. I should’ve never agreed to do this… but I was just so focused on the excitement of seeing all these new Pokémon.”

“I can’t go…” I started to say, but Arezu and her friend finally managed to limp over to us.

“Are you guys okay?” Vesper asked in her annoying loud voice.

Arezu sent me a small smile that did make me feel just a little better. “We need to head back to the Diamond Clan Settlement before anymore wild Pokémon.”

I gently brushed aside Laventon’s arm and stood up. I needed to be stronger than this. I had to be. “What about Lilligant?” Laventon asked after lending me a worried glance.

“I think we… fixed her,” Arezu’s face twisted into guilt and uncertainty. “But I can’t be sure yet. Even if she’s better, she’ll… well, she’ll have to find herself a new friend. I’m sure Adaman will replace me with someone suitable.”

“But what about you?” Vesper pulled on Arezu’s arm to force her around. “What will happen to you?”

Arezu laughed humourlessly. “I’ll have to find a job even a cripple could do back home; else I’ll be exiled.”

The way back was long and depressing. I could tell Laventon wanted to talk to me, but he instead remained quiet. He was distracting himself by going over his observations of Lilligant. I could tell by that distinct look he got in his eyes whenever his mind wandered to Pokémon. When we reached the Diamond Clan Settlement, Adaman was yelling animatedly towards a gathering of the Diamond denizens. He was quite fired up. Good for him…

He found us after dictating his stupid obituary or whatever it was to his drooling followers. “You,” he jabbed a finger at Arezu. “You and I need to have a chat, later.”

There was an undercurrent of threat to his words.

“And you two,” I watched his fake character come to life when his face softened. “What’s our plan?”

“We need to tell The Galaxy Team about what happened, dear boy,” Laventon spoke up in his usual soft voice. “This has become bigger than us. Two researchers just can’t deal with the Pearl Clan leader and getting back one of our own is just…” he trailed off with a downcast sigh.

“Do that,” Adaman declared in his macho man voice. “I would go with you, but I need to keep the clan unified. I can’t be seen disappearing to Jubilife after this. Instead, Vesper will go with you.”

Vesper let out a grating gasp. “Me?!”

“You think we’re feeding Lilligant after that performance?” Adaman snorted like some sort of fat and lumbering Pokémon, but his face then dropped and he gritted his teeth. “Actually, no. Forget that. We need Lilligant on our side. You’re staying, Vesper. I’ll send Mai with them.”

“I…” my voice cracked, but I steeled myself and spoke up a bit louder. “I’m going to stay.”

Laventon jumped next to me. “You…! Why?!”

Adaman merely scowled, perplexed. “Eh?”

It was time to stop being the victim. Time to stop whining about the life I’d been given and actually stand up for myself. I was NOT going back to Cyllene a failure. To do so was simply unthinkable. I was going to get Rei back and make her proud. “I can’t go back after watching my friend be taken. I need to find him.”

“Akari, dear girl…” Laventon’s could’ve just been told he had a permanent illness and his shocked expression would’ve mirrored the one he had on right now.

“I like the fire!” Adaman couldn’t have looked any further from Laventon and nodded with a big beam spread across his lips. “Good lass!”

“Akari, are you quite sure?” Laventon lay a hand on my shoulder and I smiled at the touch.

“Yes, I am,” I remained resolute. “You’ll have Mai to protect you. If I go… I’ll only just… you know…”

“If… that what makes you happy.”

“Arezu, it’s your lucky day,” Adaman waited for Laventon’s hand to drop before speaking up. “Even someone as recklessly stupid as you shouldn’t have much difficulty keeping Akari company.”

“Yes, Adaman…”

My eyes tightened, but whatever. I didn’t want an escort. I wanted to get stronger and Arezu would only slow me down. But… I guess I… did kind of… maybe slightly… liked her company. “Tell your Commander that Irida’s captive will be either in The Heartwood or on the northern area of the Cobalt Coastlands.”

Laventon cocked his head and I gave Adaman my most suspicious look. “What makes you say that?”

“Kleavor’s in The Heartwood,” Adaman explained, slightly impatient. “And one of my clan members recently informed me of a Noble Arcanine in the Coastlands. When Braviary flew off with Rei, it was heading east- towards the Coastlands. That’s where I’d search first,” he specifically turned his eyes to me whilst saying that last part. “Unless it’s a fake out, in which case The Heartwood is along the way anyways.”

Laventon nodded his understanding. “I understand, old chum.”

“Now prepare!” Adaman dismissed him with a wave. “I’ll get Mai to find you. There’s little time to lose if you want that boy back unfrozen.”

And so, Laventon, Mai, and a few other Diamond Clan members set off back to Jubilife. Leaving me alone at the Diamond Clan Settlement to my task. In that moment, I swore to myself that the next time Cyllene met me, Rei would be by my side. I owed it to her.

The sun was climbing into the sky, casting the swampland to the south in an orange glow. The mud water shimmered and glinted and grains gently wafted in the wind. I should’ve eaten, but I wasn’t hungry. “What’s up today?” Arezu asked me, having ambled to my side.

I let my gaze linger on the Mirelands. “Where are your most powerful Pokémon?”