Akari had been correct. Laventon did run to Cyllene to try to recruit me to the Survey Corps. He claimed he had never seen Volo so deeply interested in anyone before. Apparently, the blonde merchant was actually a pretty laid-back and outgoing bloke. Not that I had seen any of that…

I later found out they had argued intensely. Turns out, Cyllene hadn’t bought my cute story of amnesia. She seemed to share Cyrus’s cunning in that regard. The Galaxy Boss had fiercely opposed my recruitment. Looking back with unbiased eyes, I couldn’t exactly blame her.

Despite the villager’s wariness of the professor, he was actually deeply respected within the Galaxy Team. His words held sway. Which was how he ended up meeting with the Commander to argue his point. Laventon’s arguments boiled down as such;

I was young and fit- a perfect companion to Akari who often struggled with the Professor’s constant high workload.

I had the attention of Volo, who was apparently incredibly well-connected with the two native clans in Hisui and was probably the most knowledgeable of anyone in regards to Hisui’s mythos. Even if I was a mediocre researcher, I could likely find use in having Volo open up and share his hoarded knowledge, which Laventon thought could lead him to new Pokémon.

I had apparently near-perfectly described both of the native clan’s deities. Not even Volo nor the clans had known their names; Dialga and Palkia. The clans simply referred to their respective deity as ‘Almighty Sinnoh’. I had also provided an unlikely, yet possible, explanation to what he called the ‘space-time rift’ that had opened a month before my arrival.

It essentially boiled down to; I wasn’t guaranteed to be useful. But there was a possibility.

Cyllene, meanwhile, had made the case to the Commander that I was simply a crazy who spouted nonsense in the hope it’d stick. Going around claiming there was a third, demonic counterpart to the clan’s deities could be interpreted harshly by their leaders. Relations with the clans were already highly strained. Apparently, the Galaxy Boss had even advocated for my expulsion from the village.

Laventon had caught me up the very next day while I was working at the fields. His arrival had caused quite a stir with the other farmers. Especially given the professor was talking to me. “Commander Kamado wants to speak with you, old boy,” he had put a reassuring hand on my shoulder. “I tried my best, but Cyllene’s word holds more sway than mine. You’ll have to appeal to him.”

There was an unspoken warning. If I failed horribly, I’d likely get kicked out of the village. With almost no survival skills nor knowledge of the land, it’d near-guarantee my untimely demise.

“What do I do?” I remember asking with more than a hint of panic in my voice. My knuckles had turned white clutching my farming rake.

“Tell him the truth, dear boy,” Laventon advised. I think he tried to put on a supportive expression, but his eyes always made him look sad. “Saying crazy things in a respectful and controlled manner will just confuse him, but that won’t be enough to act on. If he had grounds to expel villagers for saying silly things, then all of the children would be out in the fields for themselves! If he catches you lying, however, you’ll probably catch his ire. Don’t do that…”

He spoke with me a bit more about how I should conduct myself. Best case, I’d convince him of my sanity and he’d approve my joining of the Survey Corps. Worst case, he’d declare me a loony and would officially exile me. There was a more neutral option, however, but it might as well have been worst case for me. If Commander Kamado thought me an eccentric, but ultimately harmless and able worker, then I’d be consigned to remain a farmer for the rest of my life. Personally? That wasn’t an option. I had arrived in Hisui by going through the space-time rift in the sky. My ticket back would be to somehow fly myself from Spear Pillar back into the rift and hope it would bring me back to the present time. But villagers were outlawed from leaving Jubilife unless they were a member of the Survey or Security Corps and/or had explicit permission from Cyllene or Kamado himself. Permission that was almost never given and something I would never attain if the Commander wasn’t on my side.

After work, I had changed out of my work tunic and trousers and into that brown kimono Pesselle had changed me into when I was found unconscious. It wasn’t exactly my best look, but it certainly was better than trying to appeal to the man in dirt-encrusted clothing.

It was near dark by the time Baeuregard received permission to grant me entry into the Galaxy Hall. From there, another Security Corps member named Bagin had escorted me up two flights of stairs to the Commander’s office.

Commander Kamado had the entire third floor to himself. I was therefore surprised by the relatively small size of the room he was in. It was square- about half the size of the indoor space in my home- and had dark grey wallpaper featuring wooden support beams on each corner. The floor was carpeted and felt soft underneath my sandals. Two glass-door cabinets sat symmetrically behind a rectangular wooden desk. Papers were neatly piled inside. Kamado’s desk was empty save for a lone picture frame, angled towards where he was sat.

The man rose to his feet the moment I entered. He wore a black kimono with a black-to-faded-grey jacket hung loosely over his shoulders. He had a giant moustache and equally bushy eyebrows. His dark grey hair framed his face as it flowed just barely past his jawline and his dark grey eyes pierced mine with a calculating look. “Commander…” Bagin nodded respectfully before dismissing himself. I didn’t dare turn to watch him trudge back down the stairs.

“Rei, was it?” the Commander’s voice was deep and fluid. He walked slowly, confidently, around his desk to face me head-on. I gulped. He was an imposing man. And there were rumours he was proficient in martial arts. One push from him and I’d be sent tumbling down the stairs behind me…

“Yes, sir,” I had tried to keep my voice steady. I don’t remember if I succeeded.

“I have heard a great deal about you,” he claimed. His eyes never once swayed from mine. “I have had your name thrown into my ears so much that I heard it ringing in my sleep last night.”

I really had to make an effort not to avert my eyes. “I’m sorry, sir.”

His eyebrows shifted. Whether approvingly or disapprovingly, I couldn’t tell. “Cyllene was quite… passionate about you. I’d never heard her argue so fiercely over someone below her before.”

I remained silent, but felt my heart lurch into my throat.

“On the other hand…” he continued. “Professor Laventon had evidently come prepared to make his case. Something I have never seen from the man before. In fact, he was bold enough to beg me to let you join him.”

“I would be happy to be under his wing.” I declared with a hint of humility.

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Commander Kamado ignored me. “I have heard two sides of the story. But there is a third I have yet to hear. Yours.”

It took me a moment to realise he was waiting for me to explain my arrival to Hisui. I was faced with two choices. To lie- something Laventon had expressively told me not to do. Or to tell the truth- an incredibly high risk considering how unbelievable my story was. Or… what I was leaning towards… half-truths and lies by omission.

In the end, I explained everything that had happened after Giratina had thrown me into the space-time rift. I figured claiming I was from the future would do me no favours and I technically wasn’t lying by omitting certain truths. I described how I had found myself washed up on Prelude Beach. I explained how I found myself panicked at my new surroundings when I had woken up. I then told him that I had met Dialga and Palkia. And that there was a third I had encountered. Giratina.

“Never utter those names in front of anyone other than me, Cyllene, and Laventon. Do you understand?” Kamado leaned in with the question, as if challenging me to say no. “If the clans hear of us attributing names to their Gods, it can be taken very badly.”

“I won’t.” I promised.

“Regardless, there is no evidence that the Diamond and Pearl clan’s deities are named as such…” Kamado raised a hand to scratch at his chin. “But there is no evidence to disprove what you speak of, either. Volo is more knowledgeable than most about Hisui’s myths and legends. His reaction to Giratina is… concerning. I will have to question him about you upon his return to Jubilife. Do you remember anything about your life before you think you emerged from the rift in the sky?”

Now I knew the truth would certainly alienate him to me, here. So, I opened my mouth and lied through my teeth. “No. I think Giratina may have wiped my memories before sending me through. It’s still… hazy.” That last part was at least true.

Kamado remained silent after that. He seemed to be considering my words. After what felt like two hours, he finally spoke up again. “The same day as your arrival on Prelude Beach, there was a thunderstorm that night. Am I correct?”

“Yes, sir,” I hadn’t recognised the sheer significance of the question at the time. I was confused by it, mostly. But I believe in retrospect that the timing of my arrival was what swayed the Commander. What do I mean by that? It’ll be revealed later. I do apologise to you, dear reader, for keeping you in the dark. But I feel it best to describe these events in chronological order, lest I bounce around and create a mess. I promise you, however, you’ll have all your questions answered by the book’s end.

Back to the past, Kamado had made his decision. “You are to join the Survey Corps under the research wing. Professor Laventon will be your superior and I will demand he put Akari to observe you closely. However, at the end of each day, you must report to me all of what you have done. I want to hear it all. When Volo returns, I will speak to him about your presence. If he corroborates your claims over this ‘Giratina’, I would be willing to keep you employed so long as you’re performing your duties well. If, however, he tells me of any inaccuracies over the two deities and its demon counterpart, you will be exiled from the village immediately. Any sign or even hint of betrayal or disobedience will result in immediate expulsion. Do you understand me?”

Harsh terms, but it was the best I was going to get. I let out a deep breath I hadn’t even realised I had been holding. “I understand, sir. Thank you, sir!”

“Report down to Cyllene and she will officiate your position. Dismissed.”

I complied with haste, despite my reservations over having to go to Cyllene. Now, all I had to do was behave. And hope and pray that Volo would help me out.

The meeting with Cyllene straight after had gone better than I had hoped. She was silent as she filled in various documents to initiate me into the team. The Galaxy Boss’s office was actually bigger than Kamado’s. She had a lower quality desk, however, that was piled high with papers and forms. A map of Jubilife sat proudly on a board behind her. Two barebones desks had been placed on either side of the room where employees worked tirelessly on their own set of documentation. The place was littered with paper. The piles were never-ending.

Through the open doorway on my right, I saw Pesselle- the nurse- bustling around the small desks set up in the middle of the medical wing. I hadn’t realised I had been so close to Cyllene’s office when I was a patient there. The door had been closed at the time.

“You’re done,” Cyllene declared, though she kept scrawling on her document. “I’m assuming the Commander wants you to go through the official channels, so I am starting you as a zero-star member. That means you aren’t officially a Survey Corps member yet- just a recruit. To ascend to a one-star member and cement your role, you must pass a trial-run the professor will set up for you.”

“Thank you.” I bowed my head.

Cyllene reached into one of her desk drawers and retrieved a small card. Her pencil hovered over her desk. “Your name? I already know it, but I need you to say it for me.”

“Rei.”

She jotted down my name and signed below it. “This is your member card. Do not lose it. When you achieve your one-star ranking, return to me and I will replace it.”

I thanked her again and reached out to retrieve the proffered member card. But Cyllene refused to let it go. “I’ll be watching you,” her eyes drilled into mine. “Don’t forget that.”

Then, she let go. I spared a look at my new member card;

Rei: Zero-Star

Survey Corps: Researcher

Signed: Cyllene

Without another word, I turned and bid my retreat.

The next day, Akari woke me up with a few slams on my door. It turned out that Laventon had fobbed off my ‘initiation trial’ to her as he was ‘too busy’ with his research. I found myself whisked away with barely ten minutes to prepare myself and a quick trip to Commander Kamado’s office to let him know what I was doing later, we were by the eastern gate and ready to set out.

“I was up almost all night for this,” she huffed to me as if I forced her to do that. She had given me a heavyset bag to carry and I would’ve complained about unfairness had she not had her own to lug around, too. “You better make this fun for me.”

We were waiting by the gate for some reason, but I didn’t question her. “Do you not care if I pass?”

A shrug. I noticed Akari hardly ever met my eyes when speaking to me. She did it with Laventon, too. “I don’t like working with people.”

A tall Security Corps woman approached us at that point. She wore their trademark conical hat and kimono-styled uniform. She had short black hair and brown eyes complimented by full lips and a soft expression. “Hi, I’m Clarissa,” she waved with a smile, completely ignoring Akari. “I’ll be your escort for the trip.”

“Good to see you,” I smiled back. It was nice having someone who didn’t seem wary of me for once.

“Let’s go,” Akari grunted, but Clarissa stopped her with a yelp.

“Wait!” she raised her hand. “Not so fast! Have you explained to Rei about the mission briefing?”

I saw Akari silently sigh and roll her eyes. Whether Clarissa caught it, too, or not- I didn’t know. But she definitely took Akari’s silence as a ‘no’. “Well,” I watched her hand drop to the Poké Ball tied to a belt around her waist. It looked like a nervous habit. “I have six Poké Balls with me with which you need to catch three species of Pokémon; Bidoof, Starly, and Shinx. If you run out of Poké Balls before you catch all three, then you fail. Upon succeeding, we’ll return immediately to Jubilife. You can keep the Pokémon you capture, though you are to never release them within or near the village. It will be a six-hour journey to the Fieldlands Camp. You’ll have the rest of the daylight to complete your task. I’ve taken care of the food and water for us, but you’ll have to sort yourself out once you pass. Got it?”

I nodded, determined. “Got it.”

“Did you go over our map of the Obsidian Fieldlands with Akari?” Clarissa asked.

“No,” Akari butted in with a sharp look. “Why bother with that if he fails? I’d just be wasting my time.”

She was a far-cry from the Akari that had been fighting Team Galactic on Coronet. Clarissa allowed us to leave after a short conversation with Ress, the Security Corps guard stationed at the eastern gate, and we set off into the wild.

I felt my heart stutter as we stepped officially outside of Jubilife. In the wild, anything could happen. This wasn’t the controlled wilderness of Sinnoh’s routes. This was uninhabited space. I could have been in mortal danger at any point. Clarissa seemed even more nervous than I did. To the point that I asked if she was alright.

“Me?” she blinked. “Yes! Of course! It’s just that… I’ve been on patrol duty up until now. This is my first actual outing into the wild, so I’m a little bit nervous!”

I was conflicted at that. Should I be happy that I had a fellow traveller who shared my anxiety? Or worried at her nervousness?

It soon became clear it didn’t matter. Either way, this was what I was stuck with.

My trial awaited.