Some parts of the Pokémon world make no fucking sense.

This whole place feels like it can’t be real, like I’m exploring a half-finished part of the source code, or scenes cut before the storyboard phase of the show for being too ridiculous. The story was slowly deviating from it’s normal path, and I only hoped it stayed close to what I knew. Hopefully, none of the serious events will be different enough to get me killed for good.

I got entered into the tournament with absolutely zero identification on me. That part was kind of normal for the Pokémon world, honestly. I’m not sure if it was a change, or just a symptom of the writers leaving out key information when creating it.

The most amount of ID anyone ever seems to carry is a Pokédex, and they only really use it to scan Pokémon. Calem and I just had to fill out a form. Apparently, he doesn’t have a Pokédex, but he does know what one is. For all his talk earlier, he isn’t a trainer himself, and will be taking a rental too! Rental buddies! I’m a little bit skeptical.

Registration was so uneventful that I now understand why it’s always done off-screen. The games don’t even have it, as far as I can remember! Not counting the real-life organized VGC competitions and the like, of course. Those have normal security, as a large event should, and they don’t have to deal with real magical creatures or organized evil groups with said creatures!

The security measures here are so fucking bad! Which is good for me, the actual imposter alien person, but still! If this tournament wasn’t sponsored by Team Flare, I’d be worried about them showing up and wreaking havoc on the place!

That’s probably how Jessie from Team Rocket keeps being able to sneak into Pokémon contests and showcases and the like. In her silly disguise, she can compete with whoever Ash’s main female traveling companion is that season. She does it this season with Serena. I genuinely don’t think she ever gets caught, and very nearly wins the master class, making it to the semifinals! Her alias is seriously “Jessilee” the entire time and she uses her usual Pokémon.

I should probably try to avoid Team Rocket. Ash and his group can always take them down anyways. The stupid massive mechs and random robots they build this season would probably end up accidentally killing anyone who’s not supposed to be there and forgot their plot armour at home. I should stay away from Clemont’s machines too, they tend to blow up, and I don’t think I can take a fucking point-blank explosion as well as the heroes can.

Then again, I think I can take a weak, accidental thunderbolt from Pikachu, like I did on the plane. I wonder how strong Pokémon were compared to humans? If I managed to kick the bucket in front of Ash, I think the world would probably end right there.

I had no such plans, of course. I was going to live, and to make sure of it, I had to be thinking ahead. This world was nice, but face the wrong part of it at the wrong time, and that would be the end of you. There’s hundreds of brand new ways to die around here.

I know what I’m doing. I’ll be okay.

The only interesting part of the form, other than the “Home City and Region” section, where I put “Pallet Town, Kanto” just to match the plane flight I used to get here, was the Rental Pokémon opt-in section. When you check the box for it, you’re given two options.

First, you could select the “Random” box, where you’re just randomly given one. No thanks, I know my Pokémon, I’d rather have a choice! Unfortunately, the only other option is simply called “Match Me!”. Underneath it was a blank line to write something. I asked Calem what it meant, and first he looked at me like I had three heads, then he told me that I was supposed to write what I’m looking for in a Pokémon. It wasn’t so obvious at first, okay! I was a little stressed, I had to balance lies into official looking paperwork!

I asked him what he wrote, but he wouldn’t tell me, which was kind of understandable, and I apologized. It was personal, probably! After much thought, I chose to take a very calculated risk, and wrote “Match me with a Pokémon who’s genderless, or a Pokémon who can’t change their form and evolve, but does their best anyways!” Does that request sound strange? You can probably imagine where I was coming from. I was absolutely scheming on this one, pouring every ounce of my meta knowledge into my pen!

This was a beginner tournament. The rental Pokémon aren’t going to be anyone revolutionary. The pool was likely filled to the brim with the base forms of Pokémon, think Caterpies and Rattatas, maybe a middle stage like a Spewpa if you’re lucky. What if I got a Pokémon who wasn’t battle-ready? If I wanted to win, I needed a trick!

The pool of genderless Pokémon and ones who stay in their base form were my best bet. Just about everyone in both of those pools was a great catch! Worst case scenario, the genderless selection’s base form Pokémon are all either durable steel types who could easily out-tank the competition, or were pretty solid attackers! Every last genderless Pokémon is a great choice to bring to a battle! If I end up with a middle stage like a Magneton or Klang, my odds were going to skyrocket!

Then again, the category was small, so I added a second one, just in case! Pokémon in their base forms tend to be safe picks for stuff like this. Even the ones with low base stats would still be good enough. Spinda would fall into the category, but it’s base power was a little low, same with lines like Luvdisc, and a few choice Pikachu clones. Other than them, the whole category is gold! Much safer than the list of unevolved Pokémon.

Plus the Pokémon that fell into both categories would be unstoppable here, and were slept on, underrated powerhouses if you used them right! Think Solrock, Lunatone, and Cryogonal!

Hopefully, I didn’t end up with anyone too weak in the base stat department! Also, I worded the request to make sure I didn’t look bad or anything. I didn’t want someone looking at it and giving me the weakest, most reluctant Pokémon they had! I’d be wiped out round one!

This wasn’t the games, I can’t just go in with some random ‘mon! This was real life, I had to change things up if I wanted to win! I needed to!

…

I found myself hesitating. I held the cookie in my pocket tight, remembering the face of the one who made it for me.

The one who’s base stat total I was calculating to see if I wanted him as my very first Pokémon. What would I say to Spinda if he found out that I wrote this, and why I did it? What would I say to whichever Pokémon I got? That the only reason I matched with them is because I took a risk so I didn’t get anyone too weak?

It was so easy. To just write a targeted note on this form, and play this part like a game. Maybe I would have done that, if I hadn’t seen the Pokémon here.

I think that was the moment where a part of me decided that Pokémon were real now. They were alive. They had hearts, souls, and feelings. They could be your friend, your companions, and stand beside you. If you looked one in the eyes like I did, maybe you’d understand.

I’d always been happy choosing my favourite Pokémon for my team, the silliest little guys who’d caught my eye. I never cared about winning, their ability to fight, or if I should replace a member with a smarter, stronger pick. The only difference now was that my next meal was on the line.

I couldn’t bear this, choosing a Pokémon this way. Maybe it was a good thing that I was limited to these two options. Saves me the trouble of having to flip a three sided coin for a starter. Could I turn down two Pokémon to choose a third? Has Ash ever had to do that? Really look at them, and make a choice? I wonder how I’ll choose my real starter, if I can get one.

I carefully scribbled out my old answer, leaving it as a dark splotch on the paper. It felt a little good! Calem noticed and smiled at me, maybe mocking me for having no clue what to answer.

I wonder what he put down. Whatever it was, it was probably solid from the start. My new answer was, in all caps “MATCH ME WITH A POKÉMON THAT DESERVES A COOKIE!!!” because I planned to immediately offer it to them. I did not have the mental fortitude right now to withhold a cookie from any of the sillies. If I win, I win, I wanna battle!

Obviously, I’m still thinking ahead. I already have a backup plan.

First, I’d go out to route 5 through the gate by the exit of Bleu Battlefield. In the games, the place has an oran berry tree, along with green and purple berry trees in battle! Most people don’t know about them, but use the right moves in a battle where there’s a berry tree in the background scenery, and you’ll get colour coded berries! The purple ones would have more chesto berries, I wonder if they’d taste as good as the one Calem used on me! Or how the rest taste!

Not to mention the “haunted” mansion that could be found there in the show! If you didn’t mind the sweet, lonely Espurr living inside, and can handle a few kid-friendly scares, the place is in great shape! The front doors are unlocked and everything! It’s free real estate! Until Ash and crew show up, of course. You can even find a great ball in the grass on that route, and if I can snag it, I can catch one of the several common, high catch rate Pokémon living there!

On top of the natural food, besting the trainers on the route should give me an excellent haul! We’re talking over P$3,000 here, and that’s if the world matches the games, if it’s bigger, who knows! And from there, I’ll have my start. Once Ash and his group beat the first gym in Santalune city, they don’t go back. I can slip in unnoticed, beat the gym, and lay low until the story is over!

And once Team Flare is gone, I’ll come back out, and I’ll be free.

I can do whatever I want to. The town even has the game’s trainer school in it. It’s a glorified classroom tutorial in the games, but maybe in this expanded world, they might offer university level courses? Adding Pokémon to the mix would make any class far more interesting, and I could take my pick.

If they costed money, well, I’d cross that bridge when I got to it. Money was no issue in my playthrough, and I know exactly where the amulet coin in Parfum Palace is hidden!

Sounds like a solid plan to me! As long as I can keep planning, I’ll never run out of options!

Once I handed in my form, Calem was already at my side, and quickly dragged me into a separate room. I’m not sure how he knew the drill, maybe he was being more attentive than I was, too focused on the form to bother seeing what other people were doing.

We then got our pictures taken by floating orange cameras that I’m almost certain were secretly Rotoms, and our pictures were printed out, and handed back to the desk guy. The pictures were polaroids, but mine came out weirdly smudged. You couldn’t see my face, but my purple, blue and yellow plaid pajamas, sleeping cap, bright greasy orange hair, and fuzzy pink slippers will make me stand out in any crowd! They’ll recognize me, whoever’s in charge of giving out the rental Pokémon, I mean.

We were then sent down a long hallway to a waiting area. “Best of luck, trainer, and may Ditto Day truly begin!” The desk guy said as we walked off, slightly ominously, chuckling like a gremlin.

He kind of looked like what would happen if the hiker trainer model put on a tacky bright red dress shirt and slicked back his hair. It reminded me a little bit of Team Flare, but he was also wearing a yellow star-shaped pin, and tan cargo pants. A nice outfit, far too nice for evil team standards. I was excited, not knowing quite what to expect.

By the time I realized that the receptionist had said something a bit strange, I had already seen it.

The corridor seemed to stretch on forever, dimming the further it went along, before stopping abruptly. At first, I thought someone standing at the end of the hallway. Then I realized that I was looking at a mirror. It was a massive square that completely obscured and barricaded the way forward.

In the mirror, I saw that Calem was no longer behind me, but for the first time since I got here, I finally noticed it.

My face. The smudge from the picture was still there.

I froze for a second, watching as the figure in the mirror matched my movements. I quickly ran up to it to get a closer look. Every step closer got worse as the figure became clearer and more real.

It’s face was smooth, blurry, and shiny all at once. The dim, flickering orange lights glinted off it’s surface. It was like a rippling fleshy curtain, shadows danced along it as I ran. I don’t know how fast I was going, how I stayed steady, or where I found the strength. I had to get closer and see it. I had to see it. No matter what would happen to me when I did.

It sent a chill down my spine, seeing something so off. Like a version of myself that shouldn’t be. The world became muffled around me. I thought I heard distant voices, but I wasn’t sure. I was focused on the face in the mirror. The face that wasn’t there.

And just before I could reach it, before I good get the good look at it that I wanted, the lights flickered one last time, and went out completely.

…

And when they came back on, I was somewhere else, with no mirror in sight.

“Helloooooooooooooo! Hey, pajamas, you good?” Said an unfamiliar voice, yelled from somewhere far away. I think my ears were ringing, it wasn’t really clear.

“H-wha?” I responded, trying to take in my surroundings. I wasn’t in the hallway anymore. I don’t think I fell asleep, did I?

I was standing in the middle of a fucking actual wetland, like a bog! A thin layer of murky water at my feet was definitely ruining my slippers, it felt extremely uncomfortable.

I wasn’t alone in the swamp. To my left were two figures, standing on a raised padded platform, nice and dry. I wonder if they’d be willing to lend me one?

One was a young teen wearing a blue sweater with a popped collar, and dress pants. They carried one red flag and a green flag as if they were one of those people who oversaw a motorsport race! I recognized the logo on the top corner of their shirt as the psychic type energy symbol from the card game, and the poster. A large silver whistle hung around their neck.

Next to them floated a Pokémon. It was a Spritzee, the very Pokémon I was meant to see on the airstrip when I got here. Maybe they were helping the area smell like a swamp, carrying perfume on the light breeze here? It kinda did, it wasn’t unpleasant or anything, it just smelled naturey and like water! I think it smelled better than a normal swamp? I dunno! Anyways, this Pokémon also looked far too real, I could make out it’s feathers and shiny beak from like 10 meters away!

Across from me was another familiar face. One who I definitely wasn’t expecting to see any time soon, much less in a tournament that involved battling. She only cared about that in the games, where Pokémon showcases just outright didn’t exist for her to try. The voice was her’s.

“Hey! Have you been sleeping? Are you okay to battle?” Said the feminine voice. It was Serena. A third main character. She wore her dark pink hat with a black bow around it from the show, as opposed to the hatband tied around it in the games. It was fit with the white sunglasses atop it from the games, where nothing is meant to be on there in the show. It was another glitch.

I had no way of knowing if I was going up against the battle-loving Serena, or the Serena who’s dream never even involved battles. Did it matter? I’m not sure, either one would be bad to associate with, if I valued my safety, and the safety of Kalos. I had to find a way to separate myself from them before my presence here changes something badly. What if this battle had a set outcome, and me being here changes it, causing a ripple?

I don’t want to think about that. The protagonists are strong, and definitely run on a little bit of plot armour when they need to. They won’t be swayed by the outcome of a single battle. Besides, if they’re meant to beat me, this is Pokémon, they’ll win. It’s going to be okay.

Serena also wore her usual dark grey collared shirt, matching thigh-highs, and bright red dress. I also think her boots were identical to Calem’s, if a little bit shorter. She had her pink bag from the games slung around her shoulder, and her long blond hair, waiting to be cut at the moment she chooses to grow as a person.

It was one of my favourite moments of the show, and it always stuck with me. After trying to do something new and follow her dreams, she fails, and fails hard. Realizing she’s failed her Pokémon, and herself, she only finds the drive to become a stronger person. A person who is strong enough to stand next to Ash, not crying over failure, but trusting her friends, and climbing up every mistake like it’s a staircase. On that path, she can take on the biggest challenges the Pokémon world has to offer.

It looked almost wrong seeing her reset back to factory settings, especially since she looked so real in this world. I wish I could be more like her, but unlike losing a Pokémon showcase, failing a big test can doom you and your future. You can’t just cut your hair, say you’ll do better, and have everything be okay.

“Hey! Are you alright? You’ve been standing there for a while now! Do you need help?”

I really need to stop zoning out here. The more I do it around relevant characters, the bigger the chance it becomes something real, and becomes everyone else’s problem.

“No! I’m good! Why are we in the middle of a swamp!?” I yelled back with volume, as she was suspiciously standing like the distance of a small basketball court away from me. There’s one wetland in Kalos, route 14, but it’s outside of the city. I definitely didn’t see the bear again, right?

I looked behind me, and saw fucking muddy footprints leading right to my current position. Did I walk here!? The footprints disappeared into the fog, and the same fog surrounded us all. Me, Serena, and the referee.

I figured out just barely too late that this place was actually a battlefield with a weird terrain, and not the Kalos Wetlands. The ref gave me an odd look. I’m so lucky that wearing my pajamas made Serena think that I was a sleepy, distracted person, instead of an alien who kept seeing dream creatures and blacking out.

“Hey, didn’t you hear the instructions back in the hallway? This is round one of the qualifier! Are you ready to battle me? If you’re feeling sick, we can call it a draw, there’s Nurse Joys on standby!”

Remembering the mirror hallway, I quickly smacked my hands into my face, checking to see if it was still there. My face.

It was.

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It felt normal. I had my nose, I could blink my eyes, I could breathe. Maybe I was breathing a little too much, I tried to slow it down. I also still had Spinda’s bandage on my forehead.

Of course I still had my face! I’d been talking, breathing, and seeing just fine this whole time! The reflection was just… just a trick! Yeah, it was Ditto Day, so they added a trick mirror to the hallway to fool me!

Plus, if Calem, Ash, Serena, or literally anyone else saw what I saw in that mirror? They’d scream. Anyone but maybe Bonnie would react that way. They’d notice immediately. And then, I would know. None of them have drawn attention to it. None of them did, right?

Calem tried to warn me about something. He said something about my face, right? No, of course not. It couldn’t be. He wouldn’t be calm. He was harsh as hell, he would have brought it up at the very least.

This world has extraordinary technology, what I saw could easily be faked somehow. I can’t fully trust what I see, with holograms afoot. Maybe I just imagined it in the odd lighting. Still… the face with no face on it wouldn’t get out of my head.

“Nah, I’m doing good, I’m ready to battle! I’m… I was just put off by that weird mirror, but I’m ready for battle now! ” I managed to say, getting my hands away from my face, and down to my sides. I could use the excitement of a battle. I wanted this!

On instinct, I reached into my pocket, the same one which contained the cookie Spinda made for me, and pulled out a small metal orb instead. It was very obviously a tiny Pokéball, and looked incredibly real, like the type you’d find with a triple digit price tag in a figurine store. I had a funny feeling this one was no replica.

Clicking the button on the front once like they usually do in the show, it expanded to full size in my hand. I wonder how that worked exactly. I’d have a field day learning the canon secrets behind these things!

And also learning about the ol’ pocket switcheroo trick. I still had no clue where my plane ticket was, and now I’m missing an entire cookie! I had plans for that cookie!! Who in the world gave me my Pokéball? Is this my rental Pokémon!?

Serena pulled out one of her own from her purse. I saw a change behind her blue eyes. It reminded me of the light I saw in Ash’s. I don’t know how I saw it from so far away, it was just something obvious to me. The eyes you have when you’re truly ready to battle.

Wait, were we really doing this?

I had no choice but to let my face curl into a smile. It felt like the air had changed. It was charged, moving, like the particles themselves had sped up, and the world was holding it’s breath.

The ref must have noticed it too.

“Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to another Ditto Day Duel!” He said, referencing an audience I couldn’t see anywhere. Maybe there were hidden cameras around?

“This qualifier match will be a one on one battle, and both trainers are using rental Pokémon! On the left, we have Serena of Vaniville Town, debuting in her first ever battle! On the Right, we have Oliver, who’s travelled all the way here from Pallet Town in the Kanto Region! It will also be HIS battle debut! Give both these aspiring trainers a round of applause!!”

Then, a massive round of deafening claps came roaring from inside of the fucking fog. Were there people out there? Seats? What in the world was happening!?

The battle judge continued on as if this was normal, but Serena looked just as confused as I was, glancing around aimlessly at the bog mist. I quickly assumed that either this was somehow one-way fog, or they had a camera system with floating hologram screens set up just beyond the veil. That’s how I would do it, if I had magic sci-fi technology!

Also, they totally bought that I was from Kanto. I don’t know how I got away with it. Also, all versions of Serena come from Vaniville town, that information doesn’t help me with anything. Though, she’s not supposed to be here in the show’s timeline yet. It’s blurrier with the games, if Calem’s here, she can be here too, as long as they both go home afterwards.

“There will be no substitutions, of course! The match will be decided when one or both Pokémon are unable to battle, or when a trainer or Pokémon from either side calls forfeit! All battle items are prohibited!” The ref continued.

Hang on, we weren’t going to get time to like, meet our Pokémon first? Learn their moves?

“Trainers, send out your Pokémon!” The coach called, raising his green flag up into the air.

“Go! Fennekin!!” Called Serena. Hey, didn’t she have a rental Pokémon too? How did she know which Pokémon it would be? Well, I could have told her, I’ve seen the show, but still… weird. Did I miss my chance when I blacked out? Fuck, that makes two times this has happened now. Hopefully, I didn’t miss anything too important.

Serena threw her Pokéball, and midair, a brilliant bright blue light filled with glowing sparkles escaped, kind of it like a slime. The slimy light landed on the ground and inked into the shape of a fox, before, in a burst of light, the Pokémon stood before me. I’d probably think it was beautiful, if thinking about goop didn’t make me feel nauseous right now.

Instead, I focused on the Fennekin. It looked really fluffy, kind of like Pikachu. It’s fur was even a similar yellow, other than the red fur on it’s ears and the tip of it’s poofy tail, and the white around it’s mouth and nose. The Pokéball floated back into Serena’s hand like a slow, magic boomerang.

“Hey! It’s not nice to stare, you know, who do you have, Oliver?” Serena cut in, waiting on me to show my hand.

“Kin!” Added the fox, with a small burst of fire from her mouth, followed by a small stomp to show she was ready to fight! It was really cute! The fox, sadly, lived to regret that stomp, thanks to the swamp water. She started freaking out a bit. It became more a little worrying than cute. Serena didn’t seem to notice.

Let’s get things moving.

“Go, Pokémon!!” I called, with genuinely no clue who the hell I was sending out. Someone who deserved a cookie, apparently.

And once the light settled, I found where Spinda’s treat had gone.

It was held in the scarf-like arms of a familiar floating gem-bedazzled rock bunny. A Pokémon who, in my playthrough, I had picked up in Reflection Cave, and brought all the way to the hall of fame! The Jewel Pokémon, Carbink. They were nibbling on the snack and were almost finished, I guess not eating it myself paid off after all!

I was sure I had crossed out my first answer on the form, but Carbink fit into both categories. They were strong, far stronger than a Fennekin, and that’s without the type advantages!

The gem bunnies were floating support tanks, with balanced defenses so good you could compare then to Deoxys in defense form! They’re great for setting up screens, rocks, trick room if you snag the TM from that quiz girl in Coumarine City, and more! They have good rock, fairy, psychic, and steel coverage if you teach it gyro ball! It’s only downside is that it learns it’s only natural fairy move, moonblast, all the way at level 50! Or, you can use dazzling gleam once you beat the fairy gym and get the TM.

Knowing that starters tend to show up at level 5, I’ll keep things simple. I can figure out it’s moveset on my own.

We’re probably looking at 3 moves each. I’ll bet Serena’s Fennekin has growl, scratch, and ember. Carbink probably has harden, tackle, and rock throw, it’s three earliest moves. One status move, a normal type attack, and a second attack with a type, that’s the starter moveset formula in gen 6! For reference, my Chespin in the games started with growl, tackle and vine whip. It made sense to me.

That meant that Fennekin’s only two attacking moves were not very effective, and the gem bunny was packing not only a super effective move, but a physical one! Fennekin’s defenses weren’t as balanced as Carbinks, she had a lower physical defense. This battle did not look good for her.

Still, Serena is a protagonist. I won’t let my guard down.

Worries of ripples and bears faded into the background. This was a Pokémon battle, and I was not going to lose.

Also, no. Nobody cared that my floating rock bunny was eating a cookie. Maybe because I was dressed like the type of person who would bring cookies into a tournament, in heavy contrast to Serena and Calem’s normal, nice, clean outfits. It quickly finished eating, and stared down at the fire fox, ready for battle.

Or, maybe it was because Serena had her Pokédex out, and was scanning Carbink. The show always paused to let the characters learn about the new Pokémon of the day. I wonder if she went to see Sycamore already, he’s the one who gives the things out. Serena had her Pokédex from the show, two red pieces with a transparent screen in the middle. I always liked it’s design this gen.

I was able to hear it’s electronic voice.

“Carbink, the jewel Pokémon. Carbink are said to originate from crystal caverns deep underground with high pressure and hot temperatures. Their bodies are as hard as diamonds. A strange mutation allows some to communicate using the gems on their foreheads.” It droned. Honestly, I never felt bored by the Pokédex intermissions, especially the ones with fun facts in them!

Dex entries in the show sometimes gave out information you couldn’t even find in the game entries! This one was pretty interesting, I don’t think that last line is relevant to anything except for one of the movies! In the Diancie movie, the Carbink living in the Diamond Domain with Diancie can all use telepathy to talk to Ash and his group!

I don’t think the ones we see in the actual show do. Those ones happen to live in the same wetlands as Goodra! Team Rocket even bases a cool looking mech off them there! In the games, you can only find them in reflection cave, not in the wetlands. It was a strange change.

“Master. Thank you very much for this scrumptious meal. In return, I will place extra effort into the coming bout” Said a voice, which came from the inside of my fucking head! It sounded monotone, overly polite, and like they were talking with their mouth full for the first few words. The voice it spoke in was different than the Pokédex, more posh. It buzzed around between my thoughts like bubbles in a lava lamp or waveforms on a sound editing software.

“Carbink? Was that you?” I asked, quietly.

“Uh, yup! Who else would be speaking with you right now? Are you prepared for your first bout? You looked like you were zoning out earlier.” The voice buzzed.

No way, why in the world did they have a rental Pokémon who could use telepathy? The Carbinks in the Diamond Domain, along with Diancie, have stayed in their cave and avoided humans so hard that Diancie becomes so incredibly sheltered that they wind up in danger the minute they enter a town!

It all ends up okay, thanks to our heroes, but man, the end of that movie was a close call. That’s the one with Xerneas and Yveltal in it. How did someone manage to catch one of those Carbinks? It’s canon that nobody’s been able to find their cave, even the main group has to be led there! Maybe this Carbink is from a different cave? Why can it use telepathy?

Serena had put her Pokédex away, and spoke up.

“A Carbink? I’ve never seen one before! They sound tough, but we won’t lose!” Said Serena, with determination. Fennekin still looked uncomfortable, staring at it’s paws. Maybe it needed motivation, I can play that part!

“And yours is a Fennekin, right? She looks strong! I’ll gladly be your first opponent! We won’t lose either!”

“Bink!” Said Carbink, normally, not with telepathy.

“Let’s have a clean, fair match! Let the battle begin!!” “Sprix!!” Shouted the ref, and his floating mini perfume flamingo orb. He swung the green flag down. It was go time.

“Fennekin, use growl!” Serena called with a decisive point! The fire fox responded in turn with a loud growl that echoed through the marshland.

“Master. Their attack will have no effect.” Said Carbink, hearing the growl, but not reacting to it at all. It’s smooth rock surface and gems shined in the light coming down from whatever lights were above the fog.

I smiled, knowing for certain which ability Carbink had. Clear body! A pretty busted ability that lets Carbink just say no to having it’s stats lowered! It was completely immune to one of Fennekin’s three moves!

“Smart move, Serena! And nice growl Fennekin, but that move won’t work on us!” I called, wanting to motivate them. I wasn’t sure if I should tell Serena about Carbink’s ability. Normally, trainers keep that sort of information hidden from each other, not wanting to give up their edge in battle.

It’s normally the ones watching the battle in the stands who communicates that information to the audience, like every single time Ash’s Pikachu’s static ability kicks in to paralyze an opponent!

Another advantage of clear body is that your stat raising moves won’t be reversed anytime soon!

“Carbink, use harden!” I called, pointing like Serena had.

“Good call, master.” Said the bunny, back to using telepathy. It’s body seemed to glow a bright blue, especially at it’s gems, and I swear I heard the satisfying stat rising noise from the games! At some point, the trainer battle music had also started playing from somewhere! I always loved that silly theme.

“That won’t stop us! Fennekin, use ember!” Serena called. Predictable, since I had no way of raising special defense, but it wouldn’t be very effective. A tiny fireball formed at the fox’s mouth, before being launched upwards in an arc towards my floating bunny!

This was a real battle, though. I’ve seen the show. You can easily cheat! Especially when there’s no pressure on your Pokémon!

“Carbink, dodge left and stand by!” I called, and Carbink actually dodged left, causing the small orb of fire to fall right into the marsh, uselessly fizzling out in a tiny splash, and a puff of smoke. Imagine being able to do that in the games!

Something was a little strange to me, though. Fennekin could do better than that. The ember was comically weak. Her ember was strong enough to burst out a blanket of fire, directly countering a Vespiquen’s attack order in it’s first battle and forcing it to flee! Plus, the Fennekin wasn’t talking anymore.

Something was wrong here.

“Fennekin, use ember again, but stronger!” Serena called. Fennekin charged up another small fireball. It was the same size as the last one, but it’s movement was slow, and wavy. Like the half-baked attacks Pokémon use in the show when they’re struggling to learn a new move.

“Carbink, dodge right” I called, and the bunny easily moved out of the way.

“Master, I happen to know this Fennekin’s battle potential, as we both know each other as rental Pokémon. They seem weaker than normal. Now would be a prudent time to call an attack. Two or three direct hits from rock throw will grant us victory” Carbink said. I noticed it too. Even without seeing Serena’s Fennekin battle in the show, this wasn’t right. It’s ears were starting to droop down too.

Carbink was right, but it didn’t feel right to call an attack here.

“Grrr… Fennekin! Get closer and use ember again!” Serena called. She was getting frustrated, and had raised her voice.

“Kin…” Said the fox, trying to slowly take steps forward through the muck. She hadn’t tried to use a move yet. What was bothering her?

I took a good look at Fennekin, and noticed how uncomfortably it was moving. It was staring down at where it’s paws sank into the murky water and mud while shivering and tearing up. It was in no condition to battle.

“Carbink, float over” I called calmly. The bunny listened, and backed away until it was around a meter in front of me, not letting itself face away from it’s opponent. Fennekin didn’t even seem to notice, still reluctantly trying to slowly advance.

“Oliver? Either of my attacking moves will work. Do you need anything?” Carbink asked. I think they accidentally used my name, which I don’t recall telling them.

“Hey, ref?” I called out to the guy on the side of the battlefield. “Is there any way we can switch battlefields? This terrain type is unfair to our opponents!”

“Kin!” Added Fennekin, far less excited than before. She sounded genuinely distressed.

I had remembered a small but important detail from the show. Fennekin hates getting dirty, getting wet, and she’s outright afraid of muddy water.

I remember her reacting strongly and viscerally to it in certain episodes of the show, becoming unwilling to help anyone in the main cast when it was placed in her way. It was a wonder the fox wasn’t freaking out more right now! This was like, it’s biggest weakness and nightmare rolled into one!

Fennekin wouldn’t gain the strength to fight through this until just before the second gym with the help of Serena and a bit of a push from Team Rocket. A push I definitely shouldn’t try to give. Fennekin has to choose to run through it. She didn’t choose to be sent onto this battlefield. This couldn’t be healthy for her growth.

“Sorry, the terrain was decided randomly for this match as per rule 74.68. Trainers don’t choose their battlefields, a battle can happen anywhere, even somewhere unfortunate.” The judge replied, as if I was supposed to know what that meant. Did he seriously have his rulebook memorized down to two decimal places? We had one dedicated judge! I guess that idea was a no.

But, I still had an idea. I’m a planner. I don’t run out of those.

Quietly, I called a move. My first real attack. “Carbink, use rock throw to make platforms near that Fennekin. Try not to splash her!”

“Whoa, Oliver, as your rental Pokémon, it would be foolish of me to assist an opponent in the middle of battle.” It said, recognizing exactly what I was planning to do.

I should have been thinking of Carbink more. Of course we wouldn’t be on the same page, and there’s a chance they’re paid by the win somehow just like I am. I shouldn’t command them to do unproductive things like that. But still…

“Don’t worry, Carbink. We’ll win, trust me, I know what I’m doing. Take a good look at that fox. Is this the fight you want?”

There was a brief pause. Then, Carbink turned towards me.

“No… Oliver… this isn’t a fight I want, I don’t like seeing a friend- I mean- another Pokémon in that… state, but it would be best to end the battle quickly” They said, trying really hard to watch their words. Did Carbink know Fennekin? Were they friends?

Carbink got their bearings, and continued. “Master, don’t you wish to gain one of the wins necessary to join the main tournament? Besides, my rocks would not serve as stable platforms, and would crumble in the water. Even still, I’m not sure Fennekin would be able to climb in it’s current state” Now those were great points, especially the last two. My plan wouldn’t work, I wasn’t going to get the fair battle I really needed right now.

I was still trying to convince myself to call a real attack and end this already, but I found myself staring into the Carbink’s eyes.

First of all, they weren’t blue, like they were supposed to be. They were orange. Bright, deep orange. I didn’t have an explanation for that.

But in those orange eyes, I saw a sadness. One I haven’t seen in anyone else I’ve met here.

Even worse than that was the reflection I saw in those eyes. My reflection. Just like the reflection I saw in the mirror. My face was the same, but I could see it clearly within the orange filter of it’s eyes, and the blue tint of the reflective mirror-like gemstones on it’s body.

My face was still gone. Smudged, like someone had painted it, but before it could dry, they used a rag to try and wipe it away so they could retry from a blank face. A small amount of smudged colour was left behind, fading out into nothing.

My face rippled like the surface of a paint bucket as it lightly swayed side to side in a painter’s grasp. The curtain of flesh swirled and sloshed around, like it was trying to form a whirlpool. One that sucks in your thoughts and attention, and forces you to stare into the gaze of a face with no eyes to greet yours.

As I breathed, it rippled and flexed, but no mouth opened. Still, I was able to suck in air just fine. I could feel my lips where none existed on the several reflections facing me.

Like this world was reminding me that no matter how much I want to look like a trainer, or act like a trainer, I’m not supposed to be here.

Carbink noticed that I had stopped moving.

“Oliver? Are you okay? You just need to call rock throw. Fennekin won’t hold it against you, there’s nothing else to be done.”

I could respond. I couldn’t do anything.

…

“I- I forfeit the match. I’m so sorry, Fennekin.” Breaking the silence, Serena lowered her head, and raised an arm.

“Kin…” Replied the fox. It’s ears and tail drooped down as it gazed back up at it’s trainer. It’s tail went into the muck as well, but it didn’t seem to notice. Soon after, the tiny fox turned into a bright blue light, brought back into the Pokéball Serena held out for it.

“Thank you, you did your best, and I’m proud of you. I should have been the one to notice. Return.” Said Serena to the Pokéball. She sounded like she was about to cry now, like Fennekin was earlier.

That definitely wasn’t good. What if she WAS supposed to be the one who noticed, and I just beat her to the punch. I wasn’t thinking. I just wanted my battle, my fair, fun battle where I could lose myself in the endless flow, even for a few minutes. I didn’t even think about whether or not Fennekin would be okay to battle on the platforms. I had only thought about how I wanted this battle to go.

“Accepted! That means the winner is Oliver!! Give both trainers a round of applause! These sorts of situations can happen at any time. I hope you both remember this battle, and walk away with something you didn’t have when you came in! Remember, sometimes, a loss is more valuable than a win could ever hope to be.”

I didn’t feel like I won this battle. I was still frozen. I don’t think any one of us won. Maybe, we all lost.

I think there was applause. I’m not sure. It all because background noise compared to the sloshing footsteps that echoed through the marsh. As Carbink turned towards them, my gaze broke away from my reflection, and up towards the battlefield.

Serena slowly walked through the mud with laboured steps, assisted by her boots, until she’d reached the center. She held her arm up, and extended it out to me for a handshake. She held her head high. She had tears in her cloudy blue eyes, but was holding them back. It reminded me a little bit of Calem’s eyes, actually. Were they… different eyes than before?

I tried to walk forward to meet her, but walking through the mud was hard. I almost fell over, but Carbink flew into my side to offer some support. It helped a lot, I wonder how they float in the first place. Serena seemed amused at the sight, opting to walk forward and meet me somewhere on my side of the battlefield instead.

“Whoa! Don’t go falling now, getting mud out of your hair can be a nightmare!” She said, as she grabbed my arm to help steady me. That quickly transitioned to us shaking hands, like good sports should after a battle.

“Yeah, sorry about the battlefield, you’ll win your next round, I just know it!” I managed to say. I was speaking in confidence. It wouldn’t be easy for anyone to take Serena down in a true battle, there’s only so many characters who could both show up in a beginner round tournament, and also be relevant enough to pack a ‘mon with the power.

I imagined some poor sap showing up with the Vespiquen that Fennekin beats in it’s debut in the show, confident that having a fully evolved Pokémon was all they needed to win the tournament. And that’s without Fennekin activating it’s blaze ability, one that has lead Pokémon like May’s Blaziken, or even more notably, Ash’s Infernape to incredible, awesome to watch victories! Her other 3 opponents might just be in for a bad time.

How would our battle have gone if I didn’t say anything to the ref, or Carbink? Would Serena lose, just like that? She’d surely notice what was going on at some point, right? Or, would she miss Fennekin’s struggling until it was too late?

How would it have gone if we fought on a more normal battlefield? I wish I had that battle. Carbink had a clear advantage, but this is Pokémon, anything can happen. Especially a protagonist turning the tables.

“Thanks for the match, we were defeated fair and square” Serena claimed. I wasn’t so sure. “Your name was Oliver, right? I think I owe you an apology. Sorry, I was only thinking about how cute Fennekin was, and I didn’t realize… what was most important. I’m… sorry for wasting your time” Serena turned to walk away, but I felt the need to respond.

“You should apologize to Fennekin, not us. And this wasn’t a waste of time. In this world, nothing ever truly is. You can’t give up yet!” I said, not wanting this battle to change anything.

Serena stopped for a second, and turned to face me. A small smile had appeared on her face. I couldn’t tell what look she had in her eyes. They didn’t resemble Ash’s eyes, or Calem’s eyes anymore. Like clear blue pools. Empty, and patient.

“Hmm. Maybe you’re right. Your words… remind me of something a good friend told me once. I’m going remember the battle we had here today. I still have one life left. I’ll use it better, I promise. You better not think about giving up either. Maybe later today, or some other day, we’ll have a real battle. I hope we meet again, Oliver.”

I watched as her form faded into the fog on her side of the battlefield. I followed suit, slowly tracing my footprints back through the mud, with Carbink’s help, of course.

Serena was a good person, and if things went the way they were meant to, she was going to work on herself until she became an even better one. A stronger one.

I hope we never meet again.

For both our sakes.