I was still in the past, the present? I don't really know anymore. Days had passed, and nothing. I kept expecting to wake up back in Unova, having a bad dream, Zorua sitting on my lap, and I would carry on like nothing had happened. But no. I was here, Hisui somehow feeling more alone than ever.
How does that work?
Sitting up from my bed, I wiped my eyes, yawning. I hadn't a clue what time it was, but Mum was already gone. The house's dampening silence only met with the crackle of the fire on its last breath. Rubbing my face, I sighed, just thinking; my mind was constantly on how to get back; could I even do so?
The door opened as Mum and Liligant returned with the washing. She looked at me with a smile. "Good afternoon, Y/N. Did you sleep well?"
"It's the afternoon already? I don't ever sleep for that long."
"It's only natural, you're exhausted. How are you feeling?" She asks.
I shrug my shoulders, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. "I'm alright. Liligant helped you?"
This got a smile from her as Mum looked at Liligant. "Of course, she was always a sweetie since you traded for her with the travellers from Unova."
"I forgot about that... I traded away a Turtwig I just caught. I could have caught one myself, but I could tell she was special."
Liligant came over, sitting next to me as I smiled and patted her. "Oh, that reminds me, speaking of Unova, we're actually having a handful of traders visiting today. Merchants and traders."
"It's that time of the year again? That's how you and Dad met, right?"
"Of course, he was only meant to visit to study the Pokemon tied to this region, but one thing led to another."
"You can leave the last part out," I smirk, standing up. "I suppose it would only be fair to greet them."
"I think that would do you some good. The Galaxy Team has allowed you to rest but hopes to have you back on surveys soon."
"I'll think about it," I tell myself as I get changed. I look to Liligant. "Are you coming, gal?"
Liligant jumps up, not even needing another second to think it over as she accompanies me out. Stepping into Jubilife Village, I take a deep breath, already greeting everyone walking by. I head for the main gate, where travellers far and wide occasionally visit. Most of that had been put on halt while we had the Space-Time Distortion problem. By now, with that resolved, it was back to the norm.
I stood idly by, waiting as the vase group of merchants came with their wear and products. I didn't say anything, letting them all pass, getting ready to set up shop. I gripped onto my hoodie on my tip-toes, just waiting. But when the last of the travellers came, I let out a sigh of disappointment. I looked to Liligant, trying to brave a smile. "Silly of me to think... But I was wishing Nemona and Mimi were with the group. Why would they be?"
Liligant looked just as upset. I knew it, too. She missed Zorua as much as I did. As I was ready to turn around and leave, I heard a meek voice as a young girl, no older than 13 or 14, fell over a bag more prominent than her, tumbling on top of her. I quickly ran over to help as Liligant picked up the bag. "Hey, are you alright there?"
The girl whimpered, pushing back a strand of blue hair from the straitened blonde hair. "Owie... Thank you, kind sir. I knew I packed too much."
Holding my hand, I helped her up, picking up some broken goggles and handing them back. "That's an awful amount of supplies you got there. And people say I'm over-prepped..."
Adjusting her goggles, she wiped her forehead, ready to take her bag back. "When it's for science, nothing is too much. Apologises. I didn't provide my name. I am Colton, I with the traveller's guild."
"Colton, aren't you a little young to join the traveller's guild?"
Colton shakes her head, adjusting her hair. "I shall think nothing of it. My age is of no concern; on the contrary, it allows me to have even more time to research into the possibility of people and Pokemon."
"Oh, I see."
"I know it may come as a surprise, considering your region still sees Pokemon as something to fear. However, I disagree! It's only together that we and Pokemon live side by side."
I shake my head, arms crossed, and smirk. "Not at all; I may be one of the only people in this village who understands. My Pokemon and I are family; we battle together, eat together, and get through the hard times together."
Colton's eyes lit up when she heard this, and she clapped. "Wonderful, truly wonderful. Then I suppose you wouldn't mind helping me with some research. In fact, your Liligant will do just fine."
Colton put her bag down, scavenging through it, taking out crude bottles with faded labels. Liligant wasn't looking too thrilled to be bartered into a science experiment. "And, like, what are we researching?"
"I have been looking into bringing out the full potential in Pokemon. Ways to make them stronger: I am, of course, talking about individual values and Effort Values. IV and EVs for short." She raves on, making me stare at her blankly. "You could have the exact same two Pokemon, both with the same nature. One could be faster; the other could have more defence. Why is this? Well, it's simple: their IV and EVs are different. And I believe with these I could improve them."
"I have no idea what you're talking about..."
Colton jumped out of her bag, holding two bottles, both labelled Protein. "Your Liligant is a physical striker, yes? Giving her these will not only boost her attack but very well might also boost your bond together!"
"Drinking some strange medicine makes Liligant stronger? I don't know... How much are they?"
"Hark! You need not worry about such minor details, for we are scientists diving into the unknown of truth and ideals. We are to pave the future for science! About 9800."
"I am not spending that."
Colton looks concerned, sighing. "What I desire is to bring out the entirety of Pokémon's potential very well. I shall part ways with the first for free. Consider it a gift for our upcoming partnership."
Feeling like I had no choice, I took the Protein. The moment our hands collided, that same electrical spark came out. My heart skipped a beat as Colton retracted, dropping the gift. She blinked several times, dazed. "That was Astral energy... How do you?"
"Wait, you know about this!? How, tell me!"
Adjusting her goggles, Colton began inspecting me curiously. "There's more to than meets the eye, my assistant. Your reaction is interesting. Allow me to observe it up close!"
Walking all around, Colton nodded to herself, humming, " I see. I see. I see. I see. I see... I have no idea what I'm seeing."
"Listen, you said this was Astral energy, right? What is that?"
"Oh, right, of course. I have only known of its possibility for other researchers. But we believe this same energy infests all Pokemon who have dabbled in time travel. That includes your very own region's Dialga."
"Wait, why am I bleeding this stuff, then? Could it be related to the time machine?"
"You aren't secretly a Pokemon, are you? No, how foolish of me to believe that. I shall leave it there."
Before Colton could get away, I pulled her back by her bag. "Wait! How do I replicate a large burst of this stuff?"
"A large burst? How absurd. That much would send you through time. Wait a second. You are not suggesting what I think you're suggesting?"
Holding a modern-day Pokeball, I sent out Iron Valiant to get her attention. "This is my time; however, I was pulled into the future, 300 years in the future, to be more exact."
Colton was starstruck, stumbling back, speechless. "Remarkable. I don't quite believe it. How is such a thing possible?"
"It's a long... very long story." I sigh, handing back her Protein. Listen, I need to get back to the future. I have friends back there who need my help, and the whole future is at stake."
"The whole future? Do you and your Pokemon wish to save the future? I don't understand. That's not courage, it's recklessness! Does he think anything is possible simply because he has Pokémon with him? No, no... That's not possible. All Trainers and Pokémon are bound to one another by Poké Balls... Then maybe it is this bond that will allow Trainers to overcome the impossible if they trust their partner Pokémon." She rants before calming down. "I do not even believe there is a way."
"There has to be; come on, you've got to have some research to clear this up."
Colton pondered the thought, looking over the village and sighing. "There is one chance... But the possibility of that is near zero. You would have to interact with someone from the future. This would bridge the gap and pull you in together. Unless you have a buddy from the future, good luck there."
"You know, as a matter of fact, I do."
****
"Ingo! Ingo!" I shout, catching him just at the gate.
Ingo turned and waved. "Good day, Y/N. You caught me just at the right time. I was just heading back. How can I help you?"
"Ingo, I want to battle."
He raised his eyebrow, confused. "Battle? That is unlike you. Is there a reason?"
"It will all make sense, please."
He nodded along. "Very well, we shall board this heated battle together. Let us head for the battlegrounds."
Following Ingo, Colton wasn't far behind, running with us confused. "I do not understand. Is this Ingo character the one you mention being from the future?"
I looked to Ingo, nodding. "I do. I met his brother in the future. Ingo, at that time, went missing; I had always thought he was a strange character. I would have never guessed he was from the future."
"How odd. Is it a normal occurrence for your village to have time travellers popping up here and there?"
"I sure hope not. Ingo doesn't even know... I'm hoping a Pokemon battle will jog his memory. It's how I got back here. I battled his brother just before."
Colton clapped her fist into an open palm, nodding. "I understand now; yes, that would make sense! What a good idea; I wish to see this for myself."
Ingo stood at the other end of the battlefield, confused. "I am not quite sure what's gotten into you as of late, Y/N, but a battle could do me some good. It's strange; I feel a sense of wonder through this. I wonder why... No matter, I will not be holding back. All Aboard."
Warden Ingo accepts your challenge.
I looked to Liligant, nodding her in. "I'm counting on you, Liligant." In response, Ingo chose his Machamp, a powerhouse of muscle and strength. The ground trembled with each step it took, muscles bulging as it prepared for battle.
Colton stepped back, observed the battle, and jotted down notes in her book. "Whenever you two are ready."
"Liligant, let's start strong with Petal Dance!" I commanded, watching as Liligant twirled gracefully, petals swirling around her in a hypnotic dance before launching towards Machamp with incredible force.
But Ingo wasn't about to let us off easy. "Machamp, Counter!" he commanded, his voice unwavering. With lightning-fast reflexes, Machamp intercepted Liligant's attack, turning her strength against her with a devastating blow.
I gritted my teeth, assessing the situation. Liligant was strong, but Machamp was no pushover. We needed a new strategy.
"Liligant, quick, agile stance Victory Dance to boost your stats!" I called out, hoping to give us the edge we needed. Liligant obeyed, surrounding herself in a gentle glow as her speed and power increased. With that, I was able to use another move as I pointed ahead. "Keep going, use leaf blade!
Machamp was blasted back with a critical hit leaf blade. It wasn't enough to take him down, but even Ingo was caught off guard. "Your battling prowess has vastly improved; I can see your travels have brought you a powerful bond. But we, too, are just strong. Machamp, Dynamic Punch, now!" he commanded, wasting no time in launching a mighty fist towards Liligant.
But with her enhanced speed, Liligant evaded the attack with ease, leaving Machamp momentarily vulnerable. "Use this chance, Liligant, strong style Close Combat!"
Liligant rushed in, barraging Machamp with an onslaught of punches. The heavy blows were too much for him to take, and he crashed to the ground, defeated. I looked up to Ingo, hoping something would happen. But when there was no sign of this Astral Energy, I sighed.
Ingo recalled his Pokemon, nodding. "Your talent has brought you to the destination called Victory. What a wonderful display of power from you and Liligant."
Of course, that didn't work; why would it? Ingo doesn't remember the future or his brother... How would I get him to remember?
"If I may suggest something Y/N? I believe you are looking at this from the wrong angle; let me provide you- Huh?" Colton whispered in a blink of an eye; her bag was ripped from her back. She fell back, caught by Liligant as a Bisharp had stolen the bag.
I turned, shocked, as it leapt onto one of the rooftops, standing next to its trainer. It was one of Plasma's Shadow Triad. "There's no way!"
"We'll be taking this bag of tools as our first step in liberation for Team Plasma."
Ingo stood next to me, cautious. "I didn't even see them coming, this feeling... Who are you?"
Another shadow Triad member jumped down next to his ally, looking down on us. "We are humble servants of Ghetsis. We've been tailing you for a while, friend of Gretel."
I flinched, caught off guard. "You what? How did you even get here? What the hell do you want?"
"That goal is simple enough. Our loyalty is to Ghetsis and Ghetsis alone. However, after two major defeats at the hands of children, his mind is broken. We failed to enact his plan; however, we have been given a second chance." The first one spoke.
The second Triad member held a Poke Ball by his side, taunting us: "This time is on the verge of bringing people and Pokemon together. Hence, we shall enact Ghetsis' plan here and now. With Team Plasma's control of the past, we will change the present and give Ghetsis the victory he desires."
"Are you insane!? You have no idea what something like that could do! You could rip a hole in time and space!" Colton shouts furiously at this. "Give me back my research!"
"We shall liberate this Region of all trainers; only lord Ghetsis will be allowed to use Pokemon as his tools."
The two Shadow Triad members began to escape as I was already giving chase Liligant by my side. "This is worse than bad. This is horrible! It was me... I somehow brought them here; if I stop them now, all of the future could be at risk. Damn it! You're not getting away!