After a few minutes of waiting, the nurses came out and told me that Venus, Zetian, and the Growlithe were all looking like they would be fine, but they were resting and would need some time before I could see them again.

They also wanted to get some more information to make a baseline for the Growlithe. Hisuian Growlithe were basically the next-best thing to extinct apparently, little more than legends and statues, and they were interested in the little guy’s physical state.

So with my Pokémon in the lab for at least a couple of hours, and Ted dealing with his own team, I decided to stretch my legs and to get out of the stuffy Pokémon Center.

Eterna City was an old city. The architecture was decidedly different from the sleek modern styles of Jubilife City, and far removed from the blocky industrial themes of Oreburgh.

While the downtown sections seemed to be more modern, I could easily see that the further away from the city center, the older the building styles became.

That wasn’t to say that the buildings were falling apart or anything, just the opposite. Everything that I could see appeared to be strong and solid, just a little outdated.

This wasn’t a city that had been left behind by the fleeting rapids of modernity, but instead an ancient oak tree, solid and unmoving.

For the most part it was a calm day, but every once in a while a light gust of wind would blow by, causing wind chimes to softly ring out.

There were few cars on the roads, and even those seemed to be electric. Everything was quiet, peaceful.

Without even really intending to, I ended up walking into a park on the east side of town, climbing up a small hill. There, where I knew it would be, was a tall brass statue with a worn inscription plate.

“Huh.” I said to myself as I stared at the statue. “It really could be either Palkia or Dialga.”

The statue was one of the first glimpses of the real plot of the fourth generation games, even though the player encountered Team Galactic before Eterna City. Here however, was where the player first encountered the backstory of Palkia or Dialga, depending on which version of the games was being played.

In this world though, it was just an impressive statue that was rather abstract, with lines and design features that hinted at one of the two Legendary Pokémon, but was still vague enough to be either one of them.

If I squinted and turned my head, it could even have looked like Arceus.

There was a small bench in front of the statue, and I brushed some fallen leaves off of it before sitting down.

I should have changed my clothes, they were covered in mud and bits of twigs and leaves. I should have taken a shower, it would have helped me feel more human, more like myself.

I should have eaten something, I could feel my stomach protesting all of the activity today without the energy I needed to keep going.

instead I just sat there, staring at the tall brass statue while wind softly blew on my face.

Why was I here? Was it really so simple as the fact that I had made a wish, and Jirachi had granted it?

Shouldn’t I have been sent to this world to accomplish some sort of mission? To save the world, to change history for the better?

Or even something as simple as to “seek out all Pokémon”?

If I had been sent here to stop Kane and his poaching business, I wasn’t doing a particularly good job of it so far. At the same time, would a Pokémon really send me across dimensions in order to take care of something so simple as poaching?

To be fair, that did seem like the kind of thing that GameFreak would make a game about. Time travel and reincarnation for seemingly minor reasons weren’t exactly unknown in the Pokémon universe.

It still felt like my purpose in life here should be something more.

Arceus didn’t descend from the sky to answer my questions, nor did Jirachi appear to elaborate on its actions.

Instead, I simply sat on a bench in front of a tall brass statue, wondering what my purpose was in life.

Maybe there’s not a goal for me to achieve in this world. I thought as I leaned back, staring at the blue sky. Maybe I don’t have a purpose in life.

Mount Coronet was, as always, visible. Eterna City was fairly close to the defining landmark of Sinnoh and it towered above me, but even now clouds covered the upper part of the mountain.

I could almost imagine Spear Pillar at the summit of Mount Coronet, above the clouds. It must be like a dream to be that high up, the surface of the clouds obscuring the rest of the world from sight.

No wonder that ancient civilization had built the Spear Pillar there. It was only the blue sky above you, the white clouds below, and the marble of the temple connecting you to Arceus.

Or maybe. A comforting voice in my head offered. Your purpose in life is simply to live.

Yeah. I thought. I can do that.

“Mommy?” A young voice said, and I looked down to see a mother and her young daughter on a walk through the park.

The daughter was currently pointing at me. “Why is that girl covered in mud?”

“Alice!” The mother hissed, and shot me an apologetic look. “What did we say about pointing at people?”

“But daddy does it all the time!”

I smiled and got up from the bench, making my way back to the Pokémon Center.

Maybe there didn’t have to be a reason why I was here, but I really could use a shower.

/^\

A shower, a change of clothes, and some snacks from a vending machine later, and I was feeling much more like an actual person.

Things got even better when a nurse came over, his hair the bright pink of the Joy Clan.

The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

“Hi there, are you Alina?”

I stirred from my seat, looking up at him. “Yes, that’s me.”

With a smile, he stepped away and came back with a small tray with six indents in it, and half of them were filled with my Poké Balls.

“Your companions are ready.”

Hurriedly I grabbed the Poké Balls, and opened the first one up.

Venus yawned as I woke her up from her nap, then happily threaded her way through my legs.

“They’re all in fine fettle.” He said as I petted Venus. “Although that Growlithe is… interesting.”

“He’s a Rock/Fire dual-type.”

A pen and notepad appeared in the nurse’s hands, and he nodded, jotting down my words.

“That makes sense.”

I spent the next few minutes chatting with the nurse about Hisuian Growlithe, until a pager on his belt rang and he left at a near-run.

“I hope that with whatever’s going on, everybody’s okay.” I said to Venus, who yawned and went back to sleep in my lap.

Carefully maneuvering her to the side, and earning a small glare from her, I released Zetian, who danced in mid-air happily.

“Yes, you did very well.” I praised. “But don’t get the idea that you can go around stinging people, okay? That was a very specific circumstance that you shouldn’t do again unless I tell you, okay?”

She seemed a bit disappointed, but I really didn’t want to encourage that kind of behavior.

After a little bit longer of playing with and praising her, she drifted over and landed next to Venus, the two falling asleep together.

“And that leaves number three.” I muttered, and released the newest member of my party.

The Growlithe looked around, a bit confused, but perked up when he saw me.

He sat, looking up at me with a cocked head.

“Hey there.” I said, a bit awkwardly. “How are you feeling?”

His head flopped to the other side cutely, and he huffed quietly.

“It’s a bit weird, being in a Pokémon Center, huh? I wanted to talk to you again, and let you know that you don’t have to come with me. I don’t want you to think that you have to travel with us just because we helped you out earlier, or because you were hurt. I want you to do this of your own free will.”

He barked a bit louder, his chest puffing up with pride.

“You’re in then?”

Another bark.

“Okay. You’re going to need a name then.”

I stared at him for a long moment. Fire, rock, dog, Hephaestus?

No, that doesn’t fit.

But maybe something along those lines.

“Vulcan?”

The Growlithe thought, then shook his head, the off-white fur around his face wobbling as he did so.

“Yeah, I didn’t think so. Do you like the idea of being named after a god? Maybe some kind of igneous rock could work, or a volcano? Vesuvius is a little dark for a name though…”

I trailed off, trying to think, but the Growlithe barked once.

“Oh? Not a volcano, but a god?”

His little tail wagged excitedly.

“Hmm, let me see.” A thought popped into my mind, and I smiled. “How about Kōjin? He was a deity of fire and the hearth, and of turning violent things into something useful and productive for everybody.”

The Growlithe paused, and I could almost see the gears turning in his little head. After a moment, he started barking happily, and began jumping up and down before running around in small circles.

“Okay!” I said, laughing. “Kōjin it is then!”

All of his barking woke Venus and Zetian up from their naps, and I looked over at them.

“Meet our newest friend,” I said, gesturing. “This is Kōjin!”

Zetian wiggled happily, while Venus purred.

“Glad to see everybody’s doing well.” A familiar voice said, and I looked up to see an exhausted looking Ted smiling faintly.

“Ted!”

“That’s me. Kōjin, huh?” He frowned. “Interesting name. Is it Four Islands in origin?”

“Yeah, close enough.” The Four Islands were this world’s name for Japan.

“Hm.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t ask earlier, but how’s the rest of your team?”

“Oh, they’re doing alright.” He sluggishly pulled out his two Poké Balls, and released Mayfly and Switchback.

The Scyther was looking rough, her green exoskeleton dull, and there were a few gauze pads taped to it where Havoc had bitten her. Zetian buzzed over to Mayfly, and the two Bug-types sat down to talk with each other. Switchback seemed to be doing better, even though he had a slight limp as he moved forwards to greet Kōjin and Venus.

“Rakkyo was the worst off.” Ted explained. “Mayfly and Switchback should be all set with a little more rest.”

“Well, that’s good.”

Switchback was curiously poking at Kōjin’s rock-like head fur, and I started forwards, afraid that the Growlithe might not take well to the prodding.

Thankfully I didn’t have to worry too much, as Kōjin sniffed the claw, then playfully bit the air in front of it.

Switchback acted like he had just been mortally wounded, and the two began to run in circles, playing with each other.

“Have you figured out what’s going to happen?” I asked.

Ted blew out a breath. “He’s going to be going back to Hoenn to heal at Professor Birch’s ranch. I don’t like it but,”

He shrugged. “There’s nothing I can really do. He’s too stubborn to let me take care of him, and I know that this is the best thing for him. It’s not fun, but…”

“It’s what has to happen.” I said quietly.

“Yeah. He should already be there, I just finished talking to Professor Birch about it on the phone.”

I blinked, then looked over at him. “Wait, how does that even work? Don’t you have to go with him?”

Ted shrugged again. “It’s some kind of teleportation. I’m not sure how it works, but some guy in Kanto managed to figure out how to teleport Poké Balls and their Pokémon. Most Poké Centers have one now, something about Psychic Type Energy and mimicking the Teleport move? The science behind it is way beyond me.”

“Huh.”

“They didn’t have those on your island?”

“Not at all.”

“That’s fair, it did just come out in the last few years after all.”

We were silent for a moment.

“I’m sorry.” I eventually said. “If it wasn’t for my vendetta against Kane this wouldn’t have happened.”

Ted shook his head. “Don’t worry about it, really. If I could go back and do it all again, I wouldn’t change a thing.”

He blinked. “Well, I’d make sure to have Rakkyo stay at range more, but that’s besides the point. I would still have gone into the woods after hearing the commotion, and still tried to save the little one.” Ted gestured at Kōjin.

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.”

I blew out a breath. “I’m not going to lie, I was a little worried you would hate me or something.”

“Hah! It would take more than getting us into a bad fight to make me hate you.” His face turned stony. “Kane though, he’s certainly earned it.”

“Welcome to the party.”

“How did the two of you meet?”

“That,” I said wearily. “Is a long story. And one for another day.”

He nodded. “Fair enough. Now, I don’t know about you, but I am in desperate need of a shower and some sleep.”

“They have plenty of rooms available here.” I said, showing off the hotel-like room card I had been given. “The quadrathlon isn’t for another week, so they still have space.”

“Oh, wonderful.” Ted groaned and stretched his back. “I’ll go get us a room then. It’ll be nice to sleep in a real bed again.”

“Tell me about it.” I tucked the card back into my skirt’s pockets.

That was one nice thing about the Pokémon world and their focus on adventure-ready clothing: all of the skirts I had bought had pockets.

“Venus, Zetian, Kōjin, let’s go take a nap.” I said, and my three Pokémon looked up at me.

Venus looked excited to sleep on a bed again, Zetian just looked tired, and Kōjin looked confused.

“Oh!” I said happily as I realized something. “You’ve never slept on a proper bed before, have you?”

He cocked his head cutely.

“Let me tell you what, you’re never going to want to go back after this.”

He whuffed skeptically.

Ted chuckled, though I could feel the exhaustion in the laughter. “Alright, I’ll catch you later then.”

He waved, and Switchback and Mayfly followed him to the front desk to reserve a room.

“You all did better than I could have asked.” I said, looking down at my Pokémon. “I owe you everything.”

Zetian buzzed, Kōjin yipped happily, and Venus purred as she rubbed her head against my leg.

“Come on, you all deserve a good night’s sleep.”