The purple top on my body is the same one I wore two days ago. It is the epitome of escape – at least for me. I wore it on my first attempt and I will wear it again today, on my second one.

The bandages covering my arms are the only noticeable difference. With that, I suppose I bear a terrible resemblance to a Hitmonlee, who doesn’t wear white bandages but looks like it. In response to my father’s insistent questions, I couldn’t tell him more than that I had made the acquaintance of some Spearows in the garden. His enthusiasm was low, but he cannot control everything in the world.

A final check tells me that the only Poké Ball I own is snapped neatly into my belt. If Ying can’t take any more, she’s assured of a break.

Sighing, I push open the door to my room. The sunset invites me to dream – in my case, to a long journey that will take me to another place. The feast should already be in full swing and the little fight I’m going to have with Hau is approaching. Zorua and I will win and then we will disappear. Far away from this place.

But until then, it is important to remain inconspicuous.

My footsteps are only half as quiet as when I first tried to escape, and when I arrive downstairs, it is my father’s attentive gaze that is scrutinising me. The television is running and apart from the daily news, which hardly anyone wants to hear, he is holding a book in his hand. His thick horn-rimmed glasses pushed way down on his nose, he appraises me over the frame before raising his eyebrows.

“Where are you going? I don’t remember us agreeing to leave.”

Roma Simpell is a man who can tolerate loss of control as well as a Charizard can tolerate a tsunami. Everything that happens has to be agreed with him. His eyes are almost everywhere and before he started treating me like I am made of glass, he was once employed at a Pokémon Center. While I find it hard to imagine him in one lab there, or in a room with a Pokémon, according to his documents, he is trained to save a Pokémon’s life.

At the very least, he’s the reason Zorua is in perfect health.

“I didn’t really want to go out either. But I heard there’s an annual village festival starting today, so I thought I’d get to know this damn boring island a little better.”

“It’s a good island, Domino,” my father snorts. “We’re safe here.”

That’s what he’s been saying for the last four towns and three villages. But there always comes that one point when he realises that something is wrong. That something has changed. And even though I don’t have a clue what it is, it’s enough to keep chasing him away. From one place to the next. A kind of world tour in which I never see and get to know more than I need to.

“So ... may I go?” When he answers no, I have to go out the window, and judging by how terribly my arms burn, I’d rather avoid that effort.

“Of course. You’re welcome to meet the people. But you’ll be back in an hour.”

An hour. That’s speedy.

But Zorua’s steady gaze on me and the throbbing in my chest both tell me I can make it if nothing comes up. So I nod to my father and turn away. Ying immediately jumps up and trots after me. My father knows we always go off together. At least it’s one thing I don’t have to explain somehow.

As the door slams into the lock behind me, it’s the stale, warm air of a far too long Saturday that hits me. Not the most pleasant freedom on this island, but the only bit I get.

Immediately I run off, up the slope, where I notice for the first time that there is meadow on both sides. Tall grass that rustles sporadically but still can’t stop me. My legs only come to rest when I arrive between individual small stalls where food is being advertised. Spices tickle my nose and the heat builds up between the visitors.

A few are busy chatting. Others have lined up in front of the usually bare wooden platform. This time it is decorated with flowers, colourful and strikingly lit. It’s easy to think of the fight being performed there.

I could wish for fewer eyes, but for a ticket out of here I’d even blare a song rivalling Jigglypuff on a stage in front of hundreds of people. Fortunately, in this case, the requirements are simpler and all I have to do is believe in Zorua and do our first joint battle – which, as a well-coordinated team, can’t be hard.

“Domino!” A voice drags me from my thoughts and forces me to glance over my shoulder. Lillie has come up behind me.

She’s a little shorter, I notice in those seconds, and this time she’s not wearing a hat. The dress still seems to be the same, but the blonde hair is in a high ponytail. It makes her already slender stature a little slimmer.

“Lillie...”, I return tonelessly. I don’t actually have anything to do with her, except for saving her Pokémon.

“I-I don’t really like fights between Pokémon because someone always gets hurt,” the blonde starts slowly. “But I’m going to cheer you on, anyway!”

She has her hands clenched into fists and raised to her chest. She must be quite young if she really believes that such poses will do any good; that they will emphasise anything when she has already clearly expressed what she wants to say.

“Thank you.” I don’t know what to do with her. She’s still a stranger, and it’s not like I’ll ever see her again after this fight. This island will fade into the background and I’ll tick it off – forever.

“Domino!” Once again I am called for, but this time my gaze attaches to Hala, who has positioned himself on the wooden platform and is waving eagerly. Next to him is a boy my age, and it’s hard to think of anyone but Hau.

Again, I pump the oxygen deep into my lungs before bridging the distance to the podium. It gives me time to eye the boy, whose dark green hair shimmers almost black in the setting sun. He has tied it into a high ponytail no longer than my own – it barely reaches the middle of the neck. His loose black shirt seems two sizes too big for him and as I set foot on the open space, I realise he is hardly taller than I am.

In those seconds, we seem to exist at eye level and I use it to give him a thin smile. If I can look my opponent in the face so easily, then he will see that he stands no chance against Ying and me.

But all Hau gives off is a joyful glow, as if nothing at all could cloud him. He is the sunshine of the evening and if I didn’t know better, I could almost mistake him for a Sunflora. Only a little more tanned and less yellow.

“Let’s start our evening attraction!” Hala doesn’t let either of us distract him as he claps his hands and then places them on his portly belly. “Line up opposite each other and make sure you don’t walk around too much. That could be dangerous in a Pokémon fight.”

I give him a nod. Quickly and precisely, before I turn around and find a place on one side of the platform. Zorua places herself a little in front of me, firmly anchored on her four little red paws. Hau finds place on the other side, a simple Poké Ball gripped tightly in his hands. Excitement glistens in his eyes and no matter how much I want to focus on this fight, I can sense that restlessness in him as well. It sits deep in my chest, bubbling, making my hands so sticky they threaten to stick to my grey pants.

“Once the trainers are ready, start your battle!” Hala gives the starting signal.

It’s a moment of curiosity in which murmurs travel through the crowd, and Hau tosses up his Poké Ball to release his companion. What stares in our direction is a small, blue Pokémon, perhaps half the size of Zorua.

“Go, Popplio! We’ll show them who’s going to win tonight!” Hau’s enthusiasm shrieks in my ears. He and this Pokémon are ready to battle and get the crowd fired up.

They have come for the spectacle. I for war over my freedom.

For a moment, silence spreads between us. It gives me time to look at the Popplio. It seems clumsy with its fins and definitely not made for a fight on land. That gives me an advantage I don’t want to lose.

“Zorua, scra-“

“Water gun!” Hau beats me to it. His command drowns out my own, interrupting me, throwing me off for a moment as Popplio’s chest swells and it fills its cheeks with water.

Zorua remains motionless. Mindful. We both wait, holding each other stiff, until it shoots a sharp charge of water in a hard stream at Ying.

“Dodge!” I snap my hand to my side, following Zorua’s upper body as she leaps sideways in a flash and charges without a second thought. She knows we have to attack to win and while the water is soaking my boots, she bridges half the platform with two leaps.

Popplio’s googly eyes widen a little more as Zorua jets into the air above it, ready to carry out my unspoken order from before. The claws of her velvety paws flash briefly, but Hau is unwilling to let our fight end that way.

“Popplio, move aside!”

Just at the right moment, the Pokémon slithers away under Zorua’s sharp claws. It makes a rubbing sound, combined with a strange yelp, before standing on its hind fin and pumping water from its stomach to its cheeks one more time.

But it takes too long. Popplio isn’t fast enough to catch or forecast Zorua’s nimble movements. It just fills with water as Ying hits the ground.

Then, right as she touches the wood with her paws, I clench my hands into fists. “Pursuit!”

It’s not the best attack I can choose, certainly not. Hau won’t switch out Popplio. But that doesn’t mean it won’t do damage. Simultaneously, it’s a simple command. Zorua pursues her opponents until they surrender. She has always done that.

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

And this time, too, she sets in with a leap forward and rams her skull into Popplio’s unprotected stomach. The water it had been holding in its cheeks to shoot off a second Water Gun spurts out of its mouth and splashes to the ground in a gush over Zorua. The Pokémon itself tumbles back and thunders back-first into the wooden slats of the small platform.

“Popplio!” Hau calls after it, but doesn’t move. “Are you all right?”

In the same instant that Zorua backs away two jumps, Popplio rolls onto its side, slowly picking itself up. It is swaying. Its eyes have narrowed and although the attack has hurt, it’s willing to fight on.

“Well done!” Hau continues to cheer for it.

Presumably, that stare, which only makes this Pokémon look strangely confused, is a pitiful attempt to intimidate Zorua. The only attack I can think of in this context is “leer”. Nothing special, but it could weaken Zorua’s defence. Carelessness is everyone’s greatest enemy.

“We can’t underestimate it, Zorua.” I take a quick breath before tightening my shoulders. “Finish it.”

Ying accepts my order with a bark. She knows the strategy. We’ll just do it one more time like this.

Haltless, Zorua rushes towards the Popplio. Her claws are ready to do more damage than a simple bruise to its belly. But Hau is sure they still have a chance, and as he leans forward, hands clasped tightly, he probably even believes in a miracle.

“You need to dodge, Popplio! And then water gun!”

It obeys. Again, Ying’s claws sweep into nothingness, missing Popplio by a hair’s breadth and making a clattering sound as they strike the wood. Her opponent has dodged, just a bit, because it has no legs to jump away. Simultaneously, it’s already pumping the water into its cheeks and although dodging would be wiser, my Zorua keeps going for it.

Water gun isn’t an exceptionally powerful attack unless you have a Fire-type Pokémon in front of you. And it’s definitely not an attack Ying can’t withstand. Her body is too sturdy for that – one of the wonderful advantages of small Zoruas.

Once again, Popplio shoots water from its small snout in Ying’s direction and hits her right in the face. But she doesn’t let herself be stopped. The water blinds her and yet she knows where her opponent is sitting. She braces herself against the stream, fighting it, and when it runs dry, Zorua seems to burst out of the attack stronger than before.

In a flash, she chases after Popplio and before Hau can say anything, Zorua rams her opponent full body. This time, Popplio takes off before crashing backwards onto the floor and lying motionless.

The crowd cheers, Hala considers the fight over and Hau rushes to his Pokémon. Popplio is the centre of his world at this moment, and I can understand it. I wouldn’t act any differently towards Zorua. But Ying is fine and leaps in my direction with light paws. The applause of the crowd frightens her and makes her hide behind my legs. In the end, in her true form, she copes badly with the eyes of too many strangers.

The people’s joy seems to spill out onto the platform and when Hala beckons me to join him, it’s probably the first time I reach for the Poké Ball on my waistband and allow Zorua to escape into a sealed-off dimension. Only then do I join the old man.

“That was a great fight!” He pats me on the shoulder before digging something out of the pocket of his white shorts. Immediately afterwards, he holds a stone in his hand that looks uncomfortably familiar. “As promised, you’ll get a little help.”

Without further ado, he hands me the once unshapely glittering stone. But this time it is in a frame and a deep Z has been carved into the smooth surface. It almost passes for a pretty ring, sparkling in a light grey-black that looks beautiful in the sunset.

“And what function does it have? Is there anything special about it?” I can’t help tilting my head.

“This stone can give you power beyond ordinary attacks of a Pokémon. We call it the Z-Move.” Without further ado, Hala pulls back his nose and clears his throat. “This stone responds to your soul and spirit. To your emotions. If you synchronise and your Pokémon wears the matching counterpart, then you can unleash a power that no one else has ever seen. All hypothetical, of course. It’s what we’ve been able to find out from ancient records, but in fact, no one has ever used that power again so far.”

This time, I look at the stone a little longer. It is hard to believe that something should lie dormant in it that has such great power. The allure is genuine, and the thought of testing out this stone immediately hangs deep in my senses. But the catch that Hala mentioned makes me sigh.

“What are these counterparts you’re supposed to give your Pokémon?”

“Z-Crystals,” Hala explains. “They come in different elements. When you find one, just put it in your ring. It will bond with them and create something that your Pokémon can wear. That’s how you create a connection. And then ... it’s up to you to find out if you can use that power.”

“Where do I find these crystals?”

Hala’s smile widens a little. “Sometimes you can find them just like that. They’re crystals that pop up and react to the stone in your ring. Beyond that, a few kahunas and other challengers have some to give away. Maybe you’re ready to fill that gap in knowledge with your Zorua, exploring that power.”

It sounds tempting. Going on a journey also means getting to know the world and all its secrets. Exploring the mysteries of the Pokémon world sounds like something that can be enjoyable. Anyone who doesn’t see the point in arenas is probably best off with research.

“I think that’s something I can get into.” My eyes fix on Hala, who nods delightedly. Simultaneously, my gaze slides over my shoulder to Hau, who has taken his Popplio in his arms to give it a good squeeze. It seems to have recovered from its stresses and strains.

When I turn back to Hala, he is waving Lillie over to us. She pushes herself between the crowd, careful not to touch anyone, while the bag on her body rustles softly in my mind. Presumably, Nebby is asleep, or I would have heard it by now – assuming I haven’t just lost my mind.

Hala doesn’t have to say anything to get Lillie to pull something out of the front pocket of her bag. She doesn’t have to hold it in her hands for long before it floats and slowly comes my way. The sleek, red design is reminiscent of a technological device, but the eyes blinking at me make it hard to believe that it’s not somehow a Pokémon.

“It’s a Rotom Pokédex that also works as a phone,” Lillie answers the questions on my face. “You can use it to record Pokémon and gather information. It can also scan your own Pokémon and tell you what attacks they currently know. It even helps you figure out what some attacks are called if they’re unfamiliar to you.”

I tap the gift with my index finger, but the Rotom doesn’t make a sound. So I point to the Popplio in Hau’s arms. “What’s that?”

“Popplio, water type. Sea lion Pokémon. This Pokémon is known for its strength of will. It controls water bubbles on which it likes to show off its talents. Popplios that have already gained some experience have an acrobatic fighting style. But they have to train tirelessly for this.”

“Huh...” It can give interesting information. Hau’s Popplio is definitely untrained, otherwise, the fight would probably have been different. However, its willpower came through. Giving up is definitely not something this Pokémon will consider while it can still get up.

“Handy, isn’t it? It helps you understand every Pokémon you find a little better. O-Only if you want to.” A thin smile escapes Lillie’s lips. “Maybe you’d like to do a little research.”

“I’d love to, thank you.” I try to counter her with a similar smile, but the mood between us is strangely tense. Probably because we’re both guarding a little secret, we can’t run away from – or rather, we’re trying to run away from without noticing.

“Also, I have this for you. It can give you perks at a few shops and you don’t have to worry about shelter.” Again Hala interferes. This time, however, he thrusts a badge into my hand.

It’s brightly painted and clearly made of wood, with a loop that makes it possible to wear it as a bracelet. However, it is too bulky for my taste, so I carefully stow it away in my trouser pocket. I don’t want my father to know about it.

“Now I just have to get out of here.” It’s just a whisper I impose on myself, but Hala is more attentive than anyone would give him credit for.

“Sometimes you have to follow your heart to find peace. If it were otherwise, this world as it exists today would probably not be. You children shouldn’t be too bound by rules.” He leans schemingly between me and Lillie, as if he knows full well that neither of us is necessarily obedient. “Whereas some rules are just for your own protection. Always remember that, even though it may be difficult for you.”

“That’s good advice!” Lillie is instantly enthusiastic. “Isn’t it, Domino?”

She looks at me with her green eyes as if I have the only right answer at that moment. But I’m left with only a weak nod. Hala isn’t wrong. But when you’re moving through the world because your father is running away from something, so that you yourself can remember little more than the house you lived in, it’s time to break the rules. At seventeen, I’m old enough to take care of myself.

“I think at our age it’s good to decide what’s right for the moment,” I reply.

“My mother always says that at fourteen I’m too young to decide for myself.” Momentarily, Lillie lowers her head. “But you’re right! Sometimes you have to decide for yourself!”

The fact she is three years younger than me makes me doubt big adventures are a good thing for her. Fourteen might not be too young to see the world, but it’s also an age when the nights can be more dangerous than you want to admit. At that age, you probably still believe that the world out there is friendly.

The news, and also the certainty that there is always more than meets the eye, has taught me not to be too naïve about it. That’s one of the few strengths I would give myself credit for. But Lillie seems almost a little too friendly for the outside world.

“Domino!”

The exclamation of a man makes my shoulders shrug. I know that voice, and I know it’s too late to run away and pretend I didn’t hear him.

Is the hour already up?

Hastily, I let my gaze slide over the heads of the others present, some of whom have turned toward a man who is approaching the stands with large strides. His black hair stands out slightly in places and the thick glasses on his nose seem to bring the glint of his dark eyes even more into focus.

“What are you doing?” He doesn’t stop for a second. Hands on hips, his brows draw together so the frown line stands out clearly.

Whatever I can say in those seconds won’t be enough. I know the rules. No contact with people researching or training Pokémon. No fighting. No danger. No friendships with people he hasn’t completely screened first. No staying in places where there might be more than two Pokémon.

No freedom.

Only boundaries.

“I told you that-“

“I’m not allowed to fight battles, I know,” I interrupt him calmly. The heaviness in my chest is crushing. Every breath feels like there’s no room left in my lungs to last longer than necessary.

He stops in front of the platform, and the curiosity of the surrounding people has already taken over. They all stare in our direction and although Hala raises his hands to address my father, he doesn’t get a word in.

“You disappoint me, Domino.” My father snorts. “Do you think I do all these things for fun, or to torment you? I’m doing all this to take care of you!”

“But ... it’s so confining.” My hands clench into fists. I’ve said it so many times, but he never seems to hear me. “I want to go on a journey. I want to have an adventure. This island isn’t my home and ... I want to know this world without wondering why you’re so afraid.”

“I’m not afraid,” my father disagrees flatly. The blush on his cheeks reaches his forehead and I cannot tell if I am shaming him or if he is holding back his anger with all his might.

“Mister Simpell, I’m sure you have nothing to worry about with your daughter.” Finally, Hala butts in. “She has just won a fight against my grandson Hau without real damage to her Zorua. I’m sure it was her first fight and also that she has a talent for bonding with Pokémon. She would make an excellent researcher or Pokémon Trainer.”

All my father has to show for the kahuna’s statement is a dismissive snort. It’s less than I would have expected, but still not enough to change his mind.

“And just because she won one fight, I’m supposed to believe she can handle herself out there?” Conviction is a long way off. “These are nothing but children’s games!”

“One, two, three, however many I have to defeat to get you to let me go!” It bursts out of me, far too loudly, but with the anger that always bubbles up when my freedom is put back in its place. If one fight isn’t enough for him, I’ll fight hundreds without losing. Anything to make him finally let me go.

For a moment he looks at me as if I’ve gone insane, but as he adjusts the glasses on his nose, the idea of a plan speaks from his posture. His shoulders tighten and he juts his chin as if he has already won.

“Fine. If you think you can beat anything and anyone, then fight four trainers from the local trainer's school. If you defeat four of them without failing or asking for help, you can leave for all I care. I will help you with it. But should you lose, you will stay here and never leave the house more than a hundred feet away.”

“Nothing simpler than that.”

It’s just another test on the road to freedom. Nothing more, nothing less. Zorua is sturdy and I have already learned a lot from the fight with Popplio. Together with the Rotom Phone, my chances are good that I’ll win easily. And then my father will see that I can stand on my own two feet.