TEEN: Understanding an Inferno

[Jersey Jimmy]

Rei Ayanami is many things - a recluse, an outcast, allegedly an extraterrestrial, and for the next six months, an exchange student in Unova. Her only guidance comes in the form of the uncontrollable blaze that is battling prodigy Asuka Langley Soryu, and all she can hope for is to be the one thing that can get close without catching fire.


FOREWORD

The concept of a Pokemon AU for Rei and Asuka had been running through my head nonstop for the better part of four years by the time I started this, so I figured it was about time to write a full-fledged fic in that setting, telling how they meet and eventually bond during the events of B2W2. Please note that I'm cross-posting this from Archive of Our Own, so if you end up liking it, it'd really rule if you could head over there and give kudos. With that being said...


CONTENT WARNINGS

At present, this fic will be rated TEEN for strong language, references to parental abuse/neglect and self-harm, and depictions of violence. As the story progresses, topics such as suicide and a serious depiction of Team Plasma's attacks will be dealt with; this may raise the story's rating to MATURE, but time will tell.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter 1: Skylines and Turnstiles
Chapter 2: A Postcard Would Be Nice
Chapter 3: 6th Avenue Nightmare
Chapter 4: If You Think We're Talking About You, We Are
Chapter 5: Rookie of the Year
Chapter 6: Somewhere in the Between
Chapter 7: How's the Weather Down There?
Chapter 8: Figure Eights in My Head
Chapter 9: I Am Everything That's Normal
Chapter 10: Discomfort Revisited
Chapter 11: I Didn't Want to Join Your Stupid Cult Anyway
Chapter 12: Bad Scene, Everyone's Fault​

 

[Jersey Jimmy]

Chapter 1: Skylines and Turnstiles​

Rei’s gaze remained locked on her student visa’s portrait, just as it had been for the past few dozen miles of this seemingly-eternal flight. She’d bothered to force a smile onto her face when they took the picture; she still wasn’t entirely sure why.

Her crimson eyes - the eyes at least one of her classmates back home would refer to as “creepy” or “vampire-like” seemingly every day - eventually shifted towards the papers lying beside her visa on the tray table. She skimmed the top page’s contents for what felt like the fiftieth time since takeoff, a welcoming letter from the man whose family she’d be spending the next six months with. “Welcoming” seemed to be the goal, at least; the whole thing came off as rather insincere to her.

“We are more than honored to be hosting you for the duration of your stay,” it read. Felt more like a press release than anything.

Perhaps she was being too negative. Her parents may have gone through the process of setting all of this up with minimal input from her, as they often tended to, but half a year in Unova - somewhere she hadn’t been since elementary school - surely had some upsides.

For one, she was heading to Nimbasa; in a city of its size, finding things that catered to even her narrow scope of interests seemed like a question of not if, but when. The diverse range of Pokemon native to the region contained several that intrigued her, as well - in fact, she’d made a list of specific species to watch for. It had to have been in that stack of papers somewhere...

...Ah, there it was. Beheeyem, Golurk, Reuniclus, Klinklang - all Pokemon that shared a similar character. Artificial. Alien. Outsiders. Well, no one could say she didn’t have a type.

She caught a flash in her peripheral vision, tilting her head a bit to the left to find a second pair of eyes - yellow irises on yellow sclera, clearly digital - staring back at her. At this point, given how inseparable they were, she wouldn’t have ruled out the possibility of Zee being able to read her thoughts.

“Zee, you shouldn’t be out right now,” she quietly scolded, setting her headphones down on the tray. “As much as I wish you could be... the attendants said it would be dangerous. I apologize, but... hm?”

Just as suddenly as he’d popped out of his ball, the Porygon-Z’s attention had quickly shifted away from her in favor of the list - particularly the bottom. Pointing a stubby, sky-blue arm at the final entry, referred to by Rei as simply “#649,” he let out a quick string of confused-sounding beeps.

“That? Based on what I know... it is a prehistoric Pokemon that had been revived, but... radically altered by whoever did so.” It was just a shame she could barely scrape up enough info about it to fill a few bullet points... believed to be Bug- and Steel-type, unconfirmed reports of a large cannon on its back...

...Right. Plasma created it... they still exist, don’t they?

The few acquaintances she had back home were bugging her about it for weeks. Constant warnings to stay on her guard, avoid people with black masks, that sort of thing. Admittedly, it was difficult to blame them - the crisis involving Galactic still lingered in the back of Sinnohans' minds, and the regrouped Plasma seemed just as ruthless, if not moreso.

And yet, here she was on her way to spend half a year in the region they were terrorizing.

Rei sank back into her seat, exhaling a long sigh as she reached to scratch Zee’s belly - where one would theoretically be, at least. “I... imagine we should be able to deal with them, provided it ever comes to that. You, Magnezone, Rotom... plus all the Fire-types that she has...”

...What was her name again? It was hard to forget what Rei had learned about her host family’s only daughter - she was an immensely skilled Fire-type specialist, one whose buzz had reverberated all the way to Sinnoh. The problem was that even after going over all those papers she had dozens of times over, she still hadn’t managed to memorize her name. It was something Japanese, wasn’t it? Aya, Atsuko... Asu--

“Excuse me? Miss?”

Rei’s heart nearly burst clean out of her chest, while Zee made an immediate return to his ball; fortunately, it was merely one of the flight attendants responsible for her near-heart attack. “I-I apologize for... that,” Rei stammered out with a tinge of embarrassment. “I was... trying to remember something.”

“Oh, don’t worry, I totally get it! I just wanted to ask if you could put your seatbelt on and close your tray; we’re going to be landing very soon.”

“I... I will do that, then. Thank you.”

The attendant beamed, then headed off, likely to give the same spiel to everyone in first class. Rei, still recovering from shock, returned to her reclined position once her seatbelt was buckled, put her headphones back on, and gazed towards her window.

Nimbasa certainly seemed to have earned its “Shining City” nickname, at least.

---

Gottverdammt, she was not looking forward to this.

She watched Nimbasa’s outskirts fly past through her passenger-side window, a row of seemingly nothing but hotels. Some looked alright. Most looked like the kind of places that’d probably ended up name-dropped in a true crime podcast at least once. To think, this was the first taste so many foreign tourists got of Unova. Good enough a warning as any not to get their hopes up, she supposed.

“Why would she even want to come here?” she muttered to herself, brushing stray strands of her auburn bangs out of her vision. She could’ve gone to Kalos, Fiore... somewhere an exchange student would actually want to go. Why Unova?

“Asuka, are you still complaining about this?”

Probably could’ve gotten a nicer host family in the deal, too. “If you didn’t want me complaining, maybe you should’ve asked me how I’d feel about having to play tour guide for some girl I’ve never met,” fired back Asuka, looking over towards her father in the driver’s seat. “I’ve got the Monotype Shootout coming up next week; why can’t I focus on that instead?”

Asuka’s father - a stoic man, something that only served to irritate her even more - merely shrugged, refusing to take his eyes off the road for even a second. “Well, this is the first I’m hearing of it. If anything, this is on you for making tournament appearances at inopportune--”

“I set this one up months ago! You seriously don’t remember that we had a whole conversation about how much this stupid thing’d get in my way?!” Asuka balled her hand into a fist; at this point, it was either that he didn’t remember or simply didn’t care. “Hell, this is barely even about me... how the hell do you expect to explain Mom’s whole--”

“We’ll deal with that when the time comes,” her father curtly cut in. “Believe me, I’m just as concerned for her as you are... but for the time being, it’d be best not to have our guest worrying about her as well.”

Asuka’s eyebrow twitched, but she bit her tongue before she could blurt out anything. So they were just gonna hide Mom from her, then? What if she found out on her own? Aside from that, why were they even going ahead with this whole exchange student charade if they were going to have to hide her in one of the guest rooms?

It all made her wonder how concerned her father really was.

Sinking deeper into the leather seat, Asuka let out a sorrowful sigh. “Is... is Mom gonna be alright, at least? Do we know exactly... what’s goin’ on with her?”

Her father remained silent for a moment, and when he did speak up, she was able to make out the faintest hint of worry in his voice. “Judging by all the information they’ve gathered, they believe her condition is most likely the result of overexposure to UB-01... which does make sense, given its parasitic nature. On a physical level, she’s fine, but her mental faculties have been... severely affected.”

Asuka dwelled on those last two words for a moment. Severely affected. Her mother had been lying in bed muttering incomprehensible gibberish for weeks. “Severely affected” felt like an understatement, and an insulting one at that. She’d gone from having someone she could talk to about anything to someone who didn’t even seem to acknowledge her presence. She could barely believe it was the same woman.

“...She’s gonna get better, though, right? Like... she has to, eventually.”

Hesitation was the very last thing Asuka wanted to hear from her father. “Well, she’s... hm...” His voice trailed off as he reached to stroke his chin. “...I’m certain that something will be figured out eventually. We are talking about the Dimensional Research Institute, after all... but at the moment, nothing can be done about Kyoko’s mental state.”

That was more or less what she expected to hear. The thought of Mom spending the rest of her life in a catatonic state still cut just as deep. Sure, they had some of Unova’s brightest minds working on a cure. They’d come up with something. They had to. But what if they didn’t?

At this point, Asuka was starting to welcome the idea of having an exchange student around. She’d at least be a decent distraction.

It didn’t even register to her that they’d arrived at the airport until her father’s Mercedes pulled into a parking space. When he then proceeded to shut off the engine and begin climbing out, Asuka tilted her head. “Wait, aren’t we just... gonna pick her up outside?”

“I figured we could give Ms. Ayanami a warmer welcome than that, so I told her to meet us at the Flight 810 memorial. Come on, we shouldn’t keep her waiting too long.”

Probably should’ve parked a bit closer, then. “Alright, fine... if you insist.”

---

“In memory of those lost aboard... Volare Airways Flight 810.”

Rei looked up from the memorial plaque and studied the statue it was attached to - a bronze likeness of an Unfezant, its wings majestically spread wide above the airport’s terminal. Impressive as it was, she couldn’t help but wonder why they’d decided to memorialize the victims of a plane crash with the likeness of a Flying-type.

Shrugging her shoulders, she glanced down at her phone to see the message she’d been waiting for - Mr. Langley had arrived at the airport and was on his way. Truth be told, she’d been wondering why he wasn’t there waiting for her when her plane had landed. On the other hand, a little more time to prepare herself before meeting with strangers was always appreciated.

And so, nibbling at the slice of pizza she’d gotten from one of the terminal shops - a significant improvement over any she’d had in Sinnoh - Rei turned back towards the memorial, continuing to read the names of the fallen.

At least until she heard a voice calling for her. And it sounded nothing like Mr. Langley’s.



“Hey! Ayanami, that you over there?”

Asuka got her answer when the girl at the memorial looked in her direction and gave a feeble wave. Yeah, that’s her. Weird-looking girl.

As she approached her, not giving her father a moment to catch up, Rei’s features became clear. The sky-blue bob cut stood out a little, and her pale complexion made her look almost like a ghost among the sea of people passing through the terminal, but those were nothing compared to her eyes. Asuka had seen red eyes before, sure, but nothing like the piercing scarlet shade of this girl’s. Almost felt like they were burning a hole right through her.

And this was who she was gonna be stuck with for six months. Wunderbar.

“So,” Asuka started, finally reaching Rei with her arms crossed, “you’re my state-assigned best friend ‘til New Year’s, huh?”



It was at least obvious that this was Mr. Langley’s daughter; even if she didn’t bother to introduce herself, the back-length red hair and face heavily dotted with freckles were enough to tip Rei off. To her disappointment, though, she seemed... abrasive.

“I-I am Rei Ayanami, if that is... what you are asking,” she answered after a moment of hesitation. “And your name is... Asuka Langley?”

“Asuka Langley Soryu,” the redhead harshly corrected, before letting out a sigh. Rei tilted her head a bit; she seemed to be in a poor mood, but the exact reason why was unclear. Had something happened before she’d gotten here? Was she the reason why?

Perhaps both?



Well, things certainly hadn’t started great. Hardly unexpected, given how hard Rei’s personality clashed with hers, but Asuka figured it was probably best to at least try to give her guest a decent welcome. It beat getting her father pissed at her again, at least.

“L-look, sorry about that, today’s been pretty rough on me... but yeah, I’m Asuka! Strongest Fire-type specialist in Unova!” With her confidence starting to flow back into her, she unfurled her arms and held a hand out towards Rei, firmly placing the other on her hip. “You should consider yourself lucky to have someone like me to show you around, y’know?”



The sudden shift in demeanor caught Rei a bit off-guard, but it seemed to be for the better, so she wasn’t about to question it. Still, something about Asuka felt... intimidating. No matter what mood she was in, her fiery personality easily overpowered Rei’s. As admirable as that admittedly was, she really hoped not all Unovans were like this.

“I... suppose I should,” she answered with a meek chuckle, reaching to accept Asuka’s handshake. “Is Mr. Langley on his way?”

The redhead rolled her sapphire-blue eyes, and after a quick glance over her shoulder, responded, “He should be, but I don’t know where the hell he ran off to... or if he’s seriously just that slow. Believe me, I wanna get back to our house more than you probably want to.”

Rei would’ve confirmed her suspicions, but ultimately backed off, feeling it wasn’t worth the risk of earning Asuka’s ire again. “Have you... tried calling him?”



“Eh, not that big of a deal. I’ll just text him and tell him we started headin’ back to the car, how’s that sound?”

Asuka had already spent more than enough time waiting around in this airport; the last thing she was about to do was stand around so her father could give Rei his pre-rehearsed welcome speech. She imagined Rei probably didn’t look forward to that, either.



Indeed, Rei breathed an internal sigh of relief at Asuka’s suggestion, even as abrupt a decision as it was. One night might not have been much in the grand scheme of things, but the more time she had to get acclimated, the better.

“That sounds fine to me... feel free to lead the way.” She waited a moment for Asuka to begin walking before grabbing her luggage and following along - which, conveniently, was when she remembered a question she’d been meaning to ask. “Excuse me... Asuka?”

The redhead didn’t even bother to look up from her phone. “Yeah, what’s up?”

“When does the semester begin, again?”

“September 2nd, why?”

“Because... today is the first of July, is it not? Why did they send me here... so early?”

Asuka stopped in her tracks for a moment, before finally prying her eyes away from her phone and looking towards Rei. She appeared rather displeased. “Y’know, I’m still trying to figure that one out myself.”

 

[Jersey Jimmy]

Chapter 2: A Postcard Would Be Nice​

“...Mr. Langley? Are you here...?”

For such a sizable home located in one of Nimbasa’s nicest neighborhoods, the Langley household had proven to be eerily quiet ever since Rei’s arrival. She was sure she would’ve welcomed such an environment at first, but after the first few days, it was starting to eat at her.

Once Rei reached the bottom of the stairs, she called out for Mr. Langley again - and like her first attempt, was met with silence. He had told her to ask him if she needed help, had he not?

How much time did they expect her to need to get acclimated to Unova? Surely more than four days.

Rei continued onward, checking every room she could. No sign of life in the living room, aside from the television airing Unova League recaps to no one in particular. The same went for the kitchen. Perhaps calling for him one more time would help. “Mr. Langley, it’s Ayanami... I was wondering if you could tell me how to--”

Suddenly remembering something, she cut herself off. There was one room she’d yet to check, and after making her way through the kitchen and across the foyer, she found herself staring down its door. Asuka had made no mention of this room when showing her around the house - and judging by how her demeanor had seemed to change when getting close to it, there was a good reason. Was Mr. Langley working on something important inside? He did know her foster father through the defense industry...

I hope doing this won’t make him too unhappy. Rei reached down, her ghost-pale hand gripping the doorknob, and gently twisted - only to immediately be met with resistance.

Of course it was locked. “I... suppose I will wait until he returns, then.”

With a small shrug, she turned back - and the only force more powerful than the shock she felt upon seeing Asuka standing there and sneering at her was the open-handed slap the redhead promptly delivered to her cheek.



“Arschloch! What the hell do you think you’re doing?!” Four days in and she’d already tried sticking her nose where it didn’t belong. At the very least, Asuka was thankful she'd stopped Rei before she could've actually gotten in there. Mostly for Rei's sake.

Asuka crossed her arms, glaring down at Rei and waiting for an explanation as she registered the slap - gave her enough time for her temper’s initial flare to subside, at least. Realizing she wasn’t exactly being the most hospitable hostess in the world, she spoke again with a significantly less confrontational tone. “Look, I know you’re not trying anything funny, but I didn’t tell you about that room because I don’t want you goin’ in there, got it? What do you need?”



Rei brought a hand to her cheek, her sensitive skin still stinging from the impact. By now, she at least understood Asuka wasn’t thrilled about her presence, but that disdain hadn’t shown itself in physical form until just then. So much as discussing that room seemed to be off-limits, at least at this point in time. Rei figured it was best to leave the topic be.

She remained silent for a moment to allow Asuka’s fury to burn out, then meekly responded, “Apologies for trying to, um... go where I am not welcome... but I wish to speak with your father. Would you happen to have any idea where he is?”



Oh. Oh. She was looking for him.

Asuka mentally breathed a sigh of relief as Rei cleared things up, though it was more than a little surprising to her that her only response to being slapped was apologizing. She may have been an annoying little bug, but at least she seemed nice. Almost to a fault.

Too bad she had to disappoint her. “Dad? He fucked off to Saxony for the next couple weeks on business... and since he apparently can’t remember my tournament schedule, now I’ve gotta get my cousin to come watch the house for a couple days.”

Rei seemed bewildered by this, visibly tilting her head; Asuka didn’t blame her one bit. “But... I have only been here for a few days... he would really leave us to ourselves that quickly?”

“More or less, yeah.” Wait, no, Scheiße, not more or less, there is nobody else here. “Yeah, yeah, just me and you. Don’t worry about it too much.”



She seemed to treat her father’s absence so casually.

Asuka turned to leave, seemingly making her way towards the backyard - and Rei, still with a myriad of questions she needed answered, followed close behind. How well did Asuka manage living on her own? Would she even bother to help her with anything, if needed?

“Does your father... leave you to yourself like this often?” was the question that ultimately left her mouth.

The redhead shrugged her freckled shoulders, sliding the patio door open and stepping outside. “He’s got other things to take care of,” she sighed. “He’s never really brought me along to whatever he goes to, so it’s not like this is any kinda recent development. Guess by now I’m just used to it.”



Asuka was hoping they’d be able to leave the discussion at that - after all, she had more important things to worry about. Primarily the fact that the Monotype Shootout was fast approaching, and having to get Rei settled in only robbed her of precious prep time. “Hey, Blaziken, you ready? I’m back.”

Her Blaziken, leaned against the thick trunk of an oak tree at the far corner of the yard, perked his head up and began approaching her. Still as aloof as ever, it seemed - Asuka could barely recall the hyperactive Torchic her mother had gifted her on her seventh birthday. Yet, all these years later, he was still the crown jewel of her team.

Once the Fire-type reached her, he briefly turned his attention towards Rei; the other girl gave a simple nod in his direction, and he responded in kind. If anything, he’d adjusted to her presence far better than she had.

“Alright, c’mon, focus,” Asuka interjected, impatiently clapping her hands. “I’ll introduce you to her when we don’t have a tournament to worry about... I know we’ve gone over all of your standard offense, but there’s gonna be situations where that won’t do you any good. We’ve gotta prepare for those, too.”



Rei watched as Asuka plucked a Timer Ball from one of her flame-red cargo pants’ several pockets and lobbed it towards the ground. The ensuing flash revealed a Chandelure, but not just any - instead of an otherworldly purple, this one's flames burned a vibrant, vivid orange. An impressive addition to her team, for sure.

Asuka looked over towards her; judging by the satisfied grin that promptly crossed her face, she’d gotten her desired reaction. “Looks like you’ve got another fan, Chandelure,” she chimed, before turning back to Blaziken and falling right back into her drill sergeant routine. “As for you, I wanna know what you’re going to do when both Fire and Fighting attacks are useless. Go one-on-one with Chandelure and pull out all the stops you can to take ‘em down, verstehen?"

To Rei, it was reassuring to know that she seemed to share a strong bond with her team; in fact, the way Asuka talked to Blaziken almost resembled how she herself talked to Zee. Perhaps having stronger bonds with their aces than with their father figures was another trait they shared.

Not that she was about to make that observation to Asuka’s face when she sat down beside her. Once she did, Rei watched as the redhead reached into a cooler by her feet. “You want anything to drink? I’ve got, uh... mostly sports drinks.”

“Sports... drinks?”

“Yeah, y’know, like Gatr-Ade. I’ve got like six different flavors in here.”

Rei grimaced a bit. “Simple water would be fine, if... you have any.”



“Uh, lemme dig through the ice a bit... okay, there.” Asuka ultimately came up with a bottle of water in one hand and a cherry-flavored Gatr-Ade in the other, handing the water over to Rei before turning her attention back to the spar between her Pokemon.

Chandelure rose up high, firing off a pair of Shadow Balls towards their opponent; from there, they’d be out of reach of Blaziken’s best method of dealing with opposing Fire-types, Stone Edge. Just as Asuka had hoped, though, the Blaze Pokemon had an answer for even that - with a thunderous soccer-style kick, he managed to volley one of the orbs right back before immediately rolling out of the other one’s path. The impact from Chandelure’s own attack - amplified by Ghost’s weakness to itself - sent them tumbling out of the air and crashing down onto the grass.

Conveniently, they’d happened to land right by Asuka, who whipped a Max Potion out of another pants pocket and patched Chandelure right back up. “Hey, thanks for takin’ one for the team... and Blaziken, fantastisch! You’ve got no idea what a lot of the Elite Four’d do to get a Pokemon with aim like you!”



Rei was quite impressed; it was rare that she saw such a physically-oriented fighter with the capability to strike back over long distances, but Asuka’s Blaziken was an exceptional exception. Without a doubt, her and her squad had the talent to easily dominate the rest of the field in the Monotype Shootout.

She couldn’t help but wonder if talent alone would be enough, though.

She waited until Asuka sent Chandelure back out onto the impromptu battlefield for another round before speaking up. “Soryu... doesn’t it bother you?”

“Doesn’t what bother me?” Asuka replied, visibly puzzled. “Be a little less cryptic sometimes, it’ll go a long way.”

Rei remained silent for a few seconds, hoping what she was about to say wouldn’t earn her another slap to the face. “Regarding your father. You told me you were used to him taking these... lengthy absences. You seem to treat it like it’s nothing, but... I feel like that is... not entirely true. I don’t know... I apologize if I am overstepping my boundaries again. If you do not wish to discuss it, then...”



She made it that obvious, huh?

Asuka heaved a sigh. “No, no, you’ve... you’ve pretty much got it exactly. It’s just goddamn frustrating, y’know? Like, I’m his only kid, and I’ve got all this stuff going my way, and he gives more of a shit about goin’ on trips with his business buddies than his daughter’s battling career. I’d get it if he at least tried to keep up with me while he was gone, but... the extent of it’s pretty much just so he can use my accomplishments to brag. Then again, I mean... I guess I am used to it. Doesn’t mean I enjoy it.”



It was a bit surprising to hear all of that coming out of Asuka’s mouth this early into her stay; Rei had expected her to be as tight-lipped as possible regarding family matters. She appreciated it all the same. And if Asuka was going to open up to her, even if just a little, then...

“It is... not the exact same situation, but I have never known my biological father... or mother, for that matter. So... to a point, I understand how you must feel.” After a small pause, she added, “Thank you for sharing that with me.”



“Eh, no big deal,” returned Asuka after gulping down some of her drink. “Figure if I’m gonna be stuck with you for half a year, there’s no reason I should be hiding everything... and, hey, the Shootout’s got a stacked bracket this year. Winning something like that’s gotta impress him.”

“I hope it will... he may seem cold, but surely he must be quite proud of your accomplishments. It does seem to be just you and him, after all... well... up until a few days ago.”

Why is she going back there again? “That much is obvious, but I wish he’d say it to my face a little more... ah well, guess I’ve got you. Bit less quiet at home now.”

Asuka tried to leave it at that, her eyes returning to her sparring Pokemon. Then, of course, Rei proceeded to ask the question she’d been dreading. “Soryu, did... something happen with your mother? I couldn’t help but notice your... um...”



The look that crossed Asuka’s face - brows furrowed, jaw tightened - was enough to make Rei immediately regret asking. “Her and my dad got divorced a few years ago,” the redhead curtly answered. “He got custody. Haven’t seen her since... think she moved back to Saxony, actually.”

“...I see. I am sorry to hear that.”

The two girls sat beneath a cloud of uneasy silence for a few moments as Blaziken and Chandelure’s fight continued to play out in the background. Rei glanced back towards Asuka a few times, hastily averting her eyes each time she seemed to notice.



Eventually, Asuka couldn’t help but wonder what Rei had even wanted to talk about in the first place. She figured that’d be the best way to steer the topic away from the iceberg that was her mother.

“So, hey, you wanted to ask my dad about something, right?” After tossing her now-empty Gatr-Ade bottle over her shoulder, Asuka paused for a moment, waiting to hear the familiar clunk of it landing in the garbage bin before continuing. “Well, go ahead, ask away... depending on what it is, I could probably give you some kinda answer.”

Rei’s response didn’t come immediately; instead, she first dug into her breast pocket - why she was wearing a flannel in this weather stumped Asuka - and pulled out some sort of ticket. “I... wanted to begin experiencing the things Nimbasa is famous for, so I decided to attend a musical. It’s later tonight... I was wondering how cautious I need to be, given that--”

“You’re worried about Plasma?” Rei gave an affirmative nod, and Asuka continued, “Far as I know, most of their recent attacks have been pretty uncoordinated... heard they’ve gotten way more violent, though. Personally, I don’t really think you should be worried... I mean, hell, before you even came here, one of the only things I knew about ya was that you’ve got all of Sinnoh’s badges. And a Key Stone... which’s what really tells me you’d probably be just fine in a fight.”



Rei once again reached into her flannel’s pocket, this time to retrieve her Key Stone - a loose one, unlike most other trainers with them. Asuka did raise a valid point - the lower-ranked members of Plasma, the ones most likely to confront her, wouldn’t stand a chance against her Mega.

The only real issue was that she wasn’t all that comfortable with using it. No matter... the rest of my team can handle an attack. Most likely.

“I forget, Soryu, but are... you capable of Mega Evolution as well?” she inquired, tucking her Key Stone and ticket back into her pocket.

A smirk crossed Asuka’s face as she brushed her fiery hair back, exposing her neck to Rei - and around it, an elaborate leather-and-metal choker, her Key Stone embedded inside. “Am I capable of Mega Evolution?” she rhetorically echoed with a hint of rejuvenated swagger. “Blaziken and I have been using it for almost three years now... I just had him take the Blazikenite off, since we’re just training and all.”



“Three years...” That meant Asuka had first unlocked Mega Evolution’s potential when she was just fourteen. An impressively early age for such a difficult-to-handle art - especially from a Sinnohan point of view. “I... did not learn to do so until just a few months ago. If you have that much experience with it, then... I’d say you’re a heavy favorite in the tournament.”

As difficult as it would have been to believe just a couple of days prior, Rei found herself wanting to talk with Asuka more. Her accolades for a trainer of her age were stunning, and while the redhead’s admittedly somewhat volatile demeanor hadn’t been the easiest thing in the world to get used to, it only served to make her all the more intriguing.

It was just too bad the incessant beeping of her phone’s alarm said otherwise.

With a soft sigh, Rei rose from both the bench and Asuka’s side, discarding her empty water bottle. “Soryu, I apologize for having to leave so suddenly, but I need to... start heading to the theatre. And, um, before I leave... thank you for having this conversation with me.”



“Hey, don’t worry about it. Kinda nice havin’ someone to talk to at home.” It was difficult to believe that person turned out to be Rei and not her own father, but, well, here they were. “Have fun tonight, got it?”

“I will... thank you.” And so, after another brief pause, Rei gave Asuka a small bow before heading off back into the house to get ready - and the redhead’s eyes lingered on her until she vanished from sight.

Her opinion of Rei had definitely improved. That was no question. What ate at the back of Asuka’s mind, though, as Blaziken and Chandelure returned to her for potions and berries, was what Rei thought of her. Even after everything she’d just admitted, things she’d meant to let her guest figure out for herself, she just knew Rei could tell there was more to it. How distant her and her father really were. How deep her insecurities truly ran.

Everything about Mom.

Like so many times before, though, she slammed that door in her head shut for the moment. After all, she had a tournament to win, didn’t she? The rest of the team still needed some polishing.

“Wundervolle arbeit, ihr beide... take a good rest, alright?” Both Fire-types in front of her were soon back inside their balls, with Asuka’s Darmanitan being called upon next to work on his agility. It'd be a far more hands-on training regimen on her part - something to keep her mind occupied.

But she couldn’t stop thinking about Rei. She knew she’d have to tell her everything eventually.

Eventually, but not yet.

 

[Jersey Jimmy]

Chapter 3: 6th Avenue Nightmare​

“...So, that’s what Unovan theatre is like. I will say, it has significantly more... spectacle than anything I have experienced back home.”

Rei weaved through a mass of patrons pouring out from Nimbasa’s historic Butternut Street Theatre - all of them looking impeccably-dressed next to her blue flannel and worn-out black jeans. She may have been used to high-density urban environments such as this, but these kinds of crowds still gave her the sensation of being bogged down in the Great Marsh.

The nagging feeling that she didn’t belong in this one only drove that point home more.

As her grip on one of Zee’s arms tightened, prompting the digital Pokemon to drone out a displeased beep, she peered through the sea of blazers and cocktail dresses for some sort of reprieve - and she found it in the form of an alleyway down the block. With a few barely-murmured “excuse me”s and some more awkward shuffling through the crowd, Rei and Zee eventually managed to slip into that alley, breaking off from the bustle of Butternut Street.

“...Finally.” Rei let herself lean against one of the brick walls stretching several stories into the sky on either side of her. Shutting her eyes, she took a few deep, rhythmic breaths, allowing herself a moment to decompress.

Once that had been dealt with, she opened her eyes again - and found herself having something of a staring contest with Zee. If her own facial expressions were difficult to read, then Zee was the Mona Lisa, but judging by the way he’d tilted his head and the inflections of his beeping, he seemed to be concerned about her.

“Don’t worry, Zee... I am fine.” As her lips cracked the slightest of smiles, Rei reached out to gently pat the Porygon-Z on the head. “Tell me... what did you think of the show? I understand it may be... difficult for you to relate to some of its themes, but...”

Zee, of course, could only respond to her with a complex string of beeps - every attempt Rei had made at a voice module up to that point had unfortunately been futile. Whether it was through patterns she’d memorized over the years or simply having known Zee for almost a decade, though, she could still understand what he wanted to say, if vaguely. That was more than enough.

Then again, given his mannerisms, it should’ve been obvious to anyone that he’d had a splendid time.

“Good to hear. I admit, I was... rather skeptical in regards to how carefully a musical could handle such serious topics, but... it pleasantly surprised me.” Perhaps, as far-fetched as it may have seemed just a few days ago, there were many more of these pleasant surprises in store for Rei during her stay in Unova. Things with Asuka were already going better than she’d ever anticipated, after all.

She just wished the threat of Plasma hadn’t ingrained itself in the back of her mind - after that conversation earlier, her fears were only seeming more and more irrational.

That was something she could worry about later; for now, the most important thing would be getting back to the Langley household, preferably before midnight. “Mm... I should let Soryu know we are on our way.” She pulled out her phone, opened up her messenger - and realized that Asuka had never actually given her number to her. No matter; the subway station they’d arrived at was only a few blocks away. They’d be back soon enough.

After quickly going over the map - out the other side of the alley, down Samson, and up 6th Avenue until she hit the station - she tucked her phone back into her flannel’s pocket and began her trek. Zee, in lieu of simply returning to his ball, hovered along close behind; if nothing else, it made her a little less wary of roaming Nimbasa’s unfamiliar streets alone. Only a little, though.

Rei maintained a brisk pace leaving the alleyway, giving the shuttered shops of Samson Street - seemingly all jewelers, including one for Pokemon - little more than a single glance. The ones she saw on 6th didn’t fare much better in terms of catching her interest, either, though one restaurant did seem to be open. Perhaps she could ask Asuka if there were any in the city she’d recommend.

...If I asked her to visit one with me, would she?

...Most likely not.

It was a shame, too. Rei didn’t want to experience Unova on her own, but who else was there to do so with? She’d never been the “go out and meet new people” type, and everything she’d heard about Unovan high schools made her wish September would never come. That left Asuka, and Rei couldn’t shake the feeling that her presence was merely being tolerated by the redhead.

If that was the best she was going to do, what was the point of even coming here?

Rei came to a stop at the corner of 6th and Chestnut - not that she had much of a choice, given the red light. Traffic seemed just as heavy as when she came, so her only option was to wait it out beneath the flickering amber glow of the streetlamp - which wasn’t an ideal situation for avoiding being alone with one’s thoughts.

Zee soon floated into view, once again looking about as concerned as he could muster. “Again, Zee, I... I will be alright. I am merely... outside my comfort zone. It happens.” He responded with a melancholy, yet understanding beep.

It wouldn’t be too much longer until the streetlight turned back to green and Rei continued on. Once they’d crossed Chestnut, her and Zee would find themselves towered over on one side by a multi-story concrete parking garage, even more darkened jewelry stores dotting the sidewalk beneath it. Down the street, meanwhile, the 6th & Market subway station was finally coming into view. Just a few hundred more feet and they’d be on their way back.

Rei took hold of each ear of her wireless headphones, which had hung around her neck since she’d stepped into the theatre, and lifted them onto her head. Once they were switched on, she once again turned on her phone, looking for something to listen to on the train. Music was one of her preferred methods of destressing, even if most of her favorite genres made it somewhat difficult to believe.

Not until she looked up to check her surroundings did she realize that Zee was nowhere to be found.

“Zee, where are you?” she called out, her heartbeat quickening as she pulled her headphones right back down. This type of situation wasn’t unheard of, but for him to wander off so late at night...

Rei looked in practically every direction before ultimately spotting Zee’s familiar yellow eyes peering back at her from one of the parking garage’s entrances. She was less than pleased, but Zee had proven himself to be quite the hide-and-seek enthusiast in the past. The likely story was that he was only looking for some harmless fun. A gentle scolding and they’d continue on their way.

As she approached the Virtual Pokemon, though, Rei began to hear faint voices echoing from inside the garage. Making anything out was nigh-impossible for her at first, but as for Zee, his idle animation had begun skipping. He didn’t seem to like what he was hearing.

When one of the men abruptly began raising his voice, she understood why.

She couldn’t make out what he was yelling about, but the mere fact that there was yelling told her something was wrong. Soon, she heard a second distinct voice. Then a third.

Then, something that sounded like a blast of energy.

“We need to get up there. Come on.” Rei marched deeper into the parking garage, spinning her messenger bag around to make sure each of her remaining Pokemon were on hand. Zee remained close by, his motions remaining jittery as the voices grew closer.

By the time they’d ascended to the third level, Rei could finally decipher what they were saying. “So what, you just sic your Pokemon on other people who disagree with you, is that it?” one of them snidely hissed. “Well, lotta good that did ya. Now look at ‘em, you traumatized the fuckin’ thing.”

“Enough of the pointless blathering,” a second, irritable voice interjected, “it’s not like he’s going to respond. Just get that thing back in its ball so we can leave.”

Rei continued to follow the voices to their source, the situation becoming a little less foggy with each back-and-forth - which, really, was both a blessing and a curse. A “traumatized” Pokemon whose trainer was “unable to respond” could only mean a few things. She dreaded every possible outcome.

Her and Zee turned one final corner, only to immediately retreat behind the cover of a silver SUV when they got a glimpse of the scene.

Rei’s heart pounded like a bass drum. Why here? Why now?

She carefully pulled herself back up just enough to peer through the vehicle’s windows. What she saw would confirm her worst fears; four figures - each one clad entirely in black with their faces obscured, and backed up by a Liepard and Xatu - looming over a lone Beheeyem. The extraterrestrial Pokemon looked distraught.

Off to the side sat a man in a business suit, staring blankly ahead, seemingly only propped up by the front bumper of a Lexus.

Immediately, Rei put two and two together.

Just as one of the shadowy figures raised a gloved, Ultra Ball-gripping hand, she leapt back into view. “Back off.”

All eyes were on her in a matter of moments - at least, the group in black and the Beheeyem’s were. “Y’know, kid, you really shouldn’t be out this late,” responded one of the men, bemused. “This doesn’t concern you. Go home.”

If only that were an option. Rei stood firm, with Zee soon making his own presence known. “What did you do to that Beheeyem’s trainer? And the Beheeyem... what do you plan on doing with them?”

The group huddled together to exchange some words, while Rei tentatively reached for one of her Poke Balls. The Beheeyem, meanwhile, attempted to shuffle themselves away from their masked tormentors - unsuccessfully, as the Liepard sprung ahead to block their path. Normally quite the elegant creature, this particular feline sported patchy, matted fur, and it wasn't very difficult to imagine why.

One of the group’s members - presumably their leader - eventually broke from the huddle, while the other three turned their backs and began to leave. “Liepard, Xatu, subdue them,” she barked out, causing Rei’s stomach to drop in an instant. “The girl’s coming with us, too, got that?”

The hostile Liepard wasted no time upon receiving the command, lunging towards Zee with intentions of a vicious Night Slash no doubt running through its head. “Zee, move!” Rei cried out, her voice growing significantly louder than it had been all night - and fortunately, just as the Liepard took a wild swing, Zee responded with a quick backwards dash out of harm’s way.

Zee offered up an instant receipt in the form of his signature Tri Attack, a veritable shotgun blast of energy beams. As a result of his haste to get the attack off, however, his aim took a hit, and all three beams sailed past the Liepard.

Rei found it difficult to focus on the duel playing out in front of her - after all, she had little doubt that Zee could take on such a fragile and erratic adversary with ease. The bulk of her concern was directed towards Beheeyem, and more specifically, the Xatu menacingly watching over them as the rest of that masked gang walked off with their Ultra Ball. That they thought they had the right to do something like that, especially after whatever horrid thing they’d done to Beheeyem’s trainer, made her stomach churn.

She knew she had to get that ball back. All she needed was an opening.

“Zee. Listen to me.” Once Zee had fired off a second Tri Attack - this time managing to make contact, with one of the beams striking the Liepard in the side - he fell back, allowing Rei to covertly explain her strategy. “You are up against a Dark-type and a Psychic-type... I need you to convert to a suitable type and handle both of them on your own. I will work on retrieving Beheeyem’s ball. Understood?”

Zee’s confirmatory beeps were all Rei needed to hear, and she dashed off as quickly as she could to take cover behind another vehicle. From there, she watched on as he began the Conversion process - something he’d performed often enough that it now only took him a few seconds. A progress bar briefly manifested beside the digital duck’s head, quickly filling up as his eyes shifted from their default highlighter yellow to a sickly chartreuse shade. Bug. Perfect.

The process had been quick, but not quick enough for Zee to avoid another of the Liepard’s furious Night Slashes. Fortunately, he shook the attack off quickly, first lifting an arm to block a follow-up strike before launching a trippy pulse of light from the tip of his beak into the Dark-type’s face. The Signal Beam rocketed the Liepard backwards like a cannon, which opened up the opportunity for Zee to get a second one off - though this time, it would be directed at the Xatu.

Having spent most of the confrontation keeping an eye on Beheeyem, the Xatu was caught off-guard by the sudden attack, and only through furiously flapping its wings did it save itself from dropping onto the pavement. This, of course, led to retaliation in the form of an Air Cutter - one that Zee would nullify by throwing up a well-timed Protect forcefield.

With the only hostile Pokemon in her path now occupied, Rei ignored her pounding heart as best as she could and sprung into action. After quickly rummaging through her bag, she began to move, weaving through the gauntlet of parked cars in pursuit of the masked gang.

She didn’t manage to avoid detection, though; just before she could reach them, Rei heard their leader cry out, “Hey! Dumbasses! The girl’s coming for the ball!” That was bad enough. Having the other three immediately spin around to catch her in their sights didn’t make things any better.

Two of the masked men promptly charged at her - but by some miracle, or perhaps just due to her diminutive frame, Rei managed to avoid their grasp. That left her staring up at the last of the thieves, Beheeyem’s ball firmly in his grasp, and he was a mountain of a man - at least a foot taller than her and no doubt more than twice her weight.

That didn’t stop Rei from straight-up punching the ball out of his hand and snatching it before it rolled away. Not having any actual time to dwell on the size discrepancy proved beneficial.

Now in possession of the Ultra Ball, Rei attempted to make her getaway - and with Zee busy singing the fur off of the Liepard’s back with repeated beam attacks, it seemed like he’d be able to fend off the thieves rather easily. Of course, that relied on her hanging on to Beheeyem’s ball. Far from a cakewalk for a runty teenager up against four hardened criminals.

Sure enough, it wasn’t much longer until reality set in. Rei felt one of them roughly grasp at her flannel’s collar, bringing her to a dead stop in an instant. She tried to cry out, but a hand clamped over her mouth rendered her silent, and no amount of flailing her arms would break the hulking thief’s hold on her.

One of the two men who’d blitzed her soon marched over, wordlessly plucking Beheeyem’s ball out of her hand with little effort. The thieves’ leader then approached Rei, smirking sadistically beneath her mask. “Yeah, that plan wasn’t going to take you very far... but hey, look on the bright side. Now you get to learn how much someone’ll pay Plasma to save you.”

Plasma. This is Team Plasma. The revelation made Rei’s blood run cold. One after another, all of her fears about Unova were coming to fruition - and now, not even a week after her arrival, she found herself in the clutches of a terrorist group. She didn’t even want to begin to think of what awaited her in their captivity, or what would happen when her family got the ransom note. Would Mr. Langley even bother to do anything? Would Asuka?

All she could do was hope her plan had worked.

“So hey, whaddya wanna do ‘bout the Porygon-Z? Should we bring out that Hypnotoxic thing, or-- GAAHH, FUCK!”

After swiftly swinging her leg back and into the groin of the Plasma grunt restraining her, Rei managed to worm her way out of his grasp and immediately began to close the gap between herself and the one who’d taken Beheeyem’s ball. He turned to her once she got close enough, his face twisted into the same scowl it had seemed to be in for the entire confrontation.

Without a word, Rei held out her hand. Without hesitation, the grunt placed the Ultra Ball into it.

“What the fuck are you doing?!” hissed the grunts’ leader from across the garage, understandably dumbfounded. “So she hoofed Mace in the jewels, so what?! She weighs like seventy pounds! Take that fucking ball back right now and drag her over here so--”

“Hey, uh... Chief? Who’re you screaming at?”

Rei could practically feel the knife sliding through their leader’s ribcage the moment the grunt who handed her the ball spoke up. The reason being, of course, that he - along with the other one who’d tried and failed to take Rei down - had just approached her and... Mace, apparently, from behind. Meaning, there were two of him standing there in the parking garage. Meaning, one of them was a fake.

As if on cue, the one standing beside Rei began to melt, and as his form deteriorated more and more, so too did his complexion. All the while, Rei took in the sight of the gang of Plasma grunts watching on in horror as the decoy morphed back into its original state - a small, gelatinous purple blob with beady eyes. “Y-you’re shittin’ me,” one of them stammered out.

“Zee... are you almost finished?” Slipping the Ultra Ball into her bag, Rei looked back to see how Zee was holding up. She did so just in time to watch him unleash an emphatic, overcharged Zap Cannon that sent Plasma’s Xatu plummeting out of the air upon impact; their Liepard, meanwhile, looked like it had been out cold for a few minutes already.

Things already weren’t looking great for the Plasma grunts, but the faint blaring of police sirens seemed to be the tipping point - after some panicked murmuring among themselves, they recalled their Pokemon to their balls and took off into the shadows.

Rei wasn’t particularly happy about the whole ordeal either, but this outcome definitely beat out being thrown in the back of a van.

“...I cannot possibly thank you enough, Ditto. You as well, Zee. If we had failed, then...” She stopped herself; there was no point in dreading something that couldn’t happen anymore. Instead, Rei held out her arms, and Zee happily floated into her embrace; Ditto’s diminutive stature meant they had to settle for giving one of their trainer’s ankles a hug.

Of course, just because they’d fended off Plasma didn’t mean their business there was finished. Rei promptly turned her attention towards the unmoving businessman, his glassy eyes still staring off into space. Fearing the worst seemed like a pretty safe assumption - yet, he didn’t appear to be injured. At all.

Rei held a hand up to keep Zee and Ditto from following her as she approached the man, then crouched down next to him as she zipped open her bag. “Sir, can you... can you hear me?” she gently asked. No response. Not even an acknowledgement of her existence.

She asked again. Nothing. Then a third time. Still nothing. Then she waved a hand in front of his face. He didn’t even flinch. Then, with a defeated sigh, she checked his pulse.

Normal.

“...What did they do to you...?”

None of this made sense. For all intents and purposes, this man was in perfect physical health. What could’ve caused this? If Plasma were responsible, how?

Rei suddenly felt a gentle tap on her shoulder; once she turned her head, her eyes met the Beheeyem’s forlorn green gaze. “Is this your trainer?” was her first question; just as she’d suspected, Beheeyem responded with a solemn nod. “I see. Then... if possible... would you mind explaining to me what happened?”

Beheeyem nodded again, then lifted an arm; fortunately, Rei had a decent enough grasp of Morse code to translate the ensuing flashing from their multicolored digits. “...Simple Beam?”

Once again, Beheeyem nodded, then hung their head. That explained at least part of the situation. She’d heard the horror stories of the potential effects Simple Beam could have on humans.

Rei just wasn’t sure if Plasma’s Xatu - it would’ve had to have been Xatu - even knew Simple Beam. Was that not a move Beheeyem themselves were more closely associated with?

“Was it a Simple Beam... performed by you?” Another nod.

Wait. Xatu. Magic Bounce.

“Beheeyem...” Nothing she thought of saying to comfort the Psychic-type felt right. Kind words weren’t going to reverse what Plasma had done. And to think they could just run off like they did without a second thought...

Everything Rei had heard about them seemed to be underselling it; Plasma were on another level of cruelty. She may have fended them off this time, but who was to say she’d be able to do it again? And if she failed, what would become of her?

She shook her head. It’s not worth dwelling on. Put it behind you.

Right now, she just wanted to go home. The closest thing she had to one in Nimbasa, at least.

Just as she opened her mouth to leave Beheeyem with some parting words, though, the extraterrestrial Pokemon raised their arm, once again rhythmically flashing their digits in a Morse message. And this one, significantly longer than the first, spelled out...

“...Thank you for saving me. If possible, may I... join you and your friends?”

The first thing Rei did was look over towards the businessman, still as unresponsive as he’d been when she first arrived. She knew police would arrive at the scene soon, but leaving him alone in that vegetative state didn’t sit right with her. There was always the chance he would recover, no matter how microscopic.

When her gaze turned back towards Beheeyem, though, the look in their eyes spelled things out clearly. They would know better than anyone else that holding out hope for a miracle wasn’t worth it. And as tragic as it sounded, they seemed willing to face that truth.

Rei looked towards Zee, who nodded his head. Ditto responded with a similar gesture.

Then, with a deep breath, Rei extended her hand towards Beheeyem. “If that is what you wish, then... I have no reason to decline. Welcome, Beheeyem.”

---

“...Y’know, shouldn’t she have been back home by now?”

Admittedly, keeping track of time wasn’t one of Asuka’s strong suits. Doubly so when she was playing a video game. Even still, an uneasy feeling had crept into her. It was getting really late, but Rei had yet to return.

The redhead opened up her console’s menu to check the time. "Scheiße, it’s almost 3:30?! I knew that thing was gonna run late, but that's just...”

She probably just got lost. After all, new city, new region... this was all still uncharted territory to Rei. It wouldn’t surprise Asuka to learn she’d taken a few wrong turns on her way back. Yeah. Yeah, that must’ve been it.

She said she would be home before midnight, though. Just how lost could she have gotten in that time? And if something unexpected had happened, especially considering the recent reports of Plasma targeting trainers around Nimbasa...

Calling her was probably a good idea. Knew I should’ve given her my number.

With a sigh, Asuka set her controller down and rose from the couch, phone in hand. She opened up her contacts, scrolled down, and sure enough, she hadn’t put Rei’s number in there either. Figures that she’d have to go find it. Dad put her papers and everything in his office, didn’t he?

And so, with a hint of concern in her step, Asuka left the living room and began making her way towards her father’s office.



At least Asuka had been kind enough to give her a house key.

Eager to escape the muggy, humid air outside, Rei gladly twisted the key and opened the door to the Langley household. Figuring Asuka had gone to sleep, she made no effort to announce her return - though if nothing else, it was surprisingly considerate of her to leave the lights on in the foyer.

After setting down the messenger bag containing her Pokemon, including her newest addition, Rei bent down to untie her shoelaces. Once she looked back up, she and Asuka simultaneously screamed.



“R-Rei, at least tell me when you get home!” Asuka stammered, reeling from the shock of two blood-red eyes staring back at her in the dimly-lit hall. “Christ... at least you’re actually home, I guess.”

Rei regained her composure surprisingly quickly, considering how timid her demeanor tended to be. “My apologies... I had imagined you would’ve already gone to sleep by now. I did not want to... wake you, were that the case.” Surprisingly considerate, too.

“Actually, I was waiting around for you to get back. Took your sweet time, huh? What were you even doing, did ya get lost?” Whatever it was, at least she’s fine.



Rei debated for a moment whether or not to relay the altercation with Plasma to Asuka. As much as she didn’t want her - and Mr. Langley, by extension - worrying too much about her wellbeing, it was probably best not to start keeping secrets.

“Well... no, I didn’t get lost, but... I heard a commotion coming from a parking garage Zee and I were passing by, so we went to look at it. Long story short, I... ended up in a confrontation with some, um... members of Team Plasma.”

“Y-you got involved with Plasma?!" a bewildered Asuka bellowed in response; Rei answered with a simple nod. “And... you got home without a scratch.” Rei nodded again. “That’s... that’s unbelievable. As in, I don’t believe it.”

Admittedly, Asuka’s doubt was warranted; Rei could still hardly believe how she'd escaped the situation relatively unscathed. The only thing she could really think of to change the redhead’s mind was giving her all the details. “If you don’t mind... I could tell you the entire story.”

Asuka scoffed. “Yeah, I’d love to hear it. Come to the living room.”



Rei explained everything, from when Zee first realized something was wrong to what happened after Plasma had fled. It sounded ridiculous to imagine her, of all people, managing to fend off a group of grunts like that, but considering how detailed the information was, Asuka found it hard to not believe it.

“...Before we turned to leave, Beheeyem spelled out that... they wanted to join my team out of gratitude. I talked it over with the officer that had arrived, and... ultimately, I was permitted to catch them.” Rei opened up her bag and pulled out an Ultra Ball, gently lobbing it onto the living room rug - and sure enough, out popped the extraterrestrial Pokemon.

Beheeyem gave Asuka a small wave, and she responded in kind with a smile. “Well, hey, uns auf Sie! My name’s Asuka... Rei’s staying with me for a while.”



Once the redhead glanced back at Rei, though, she did so with a stunned look on her face. “So... you’re not bullshitting, then. You actually went up against four Plasma grunts and you actually won."

“I believe Zee and Ditto gave me more than a little help, but... more or less, yes.” Retelling the entire ordeal to Asuka definitely instilled Rei with a bit more pride in her feat. Aside from the “nearly being kidnapped” part, anyway. That she would’ve preferred to forget.

Regardless, Asuka seemed impressed with her. That was a first.



“Hah! And here I thought you would’ve turned into a sniveling mess in that sorta situation.” Asuka usually didn’t enjoy being proven wrong, but this was different. Turned out Rei wasn’t just some reclusive pushover, at least not when push came to shove. “You versus Plasma, and you won... way to go, Wonder Girl.”

After giving Rei a friendly - maybe too friendly, in hindsight - pat on the back, Asuka turned back towards the television and picked up her controller. “Oh yeah, before I forget... you remember that tournament I was training for earlier, the Monotype Shootout? I’m gonna be leaving for that on Tuesday morning... my cousin Erin’s comin’ over to watch the house since Dad ran off. Should be about a week.”

“...Is there a reason I cannot watch the house myself?”

Yeah, Erin actually knows that Mom’s catatonic, for starters. Asuka chose her words carefully. “It’s... not that I don’t trust you. It’s just that I’d prefer having someone who’s actually, like... related to me handle that kinda stuff. Hey, besides, this way I’m not dumping all the chores onto you.”



After returning Beheeyem to their ball, Rei sat silently for a moment, her eyes turning to the screen as Asuka picked up where she’d left off and jumped into another mission. She dwelled on not only her host’s house sitting arrangements, but her new nickname as well. Wonder Girl. There were worse things to be dubbed, she supposed.

“Where exactly... is this tournament again, if I may ask?”

“It’s up in Striaton, why?”

“Considering someone else is coming to watch the house... would it be alright if I... came with you?” After all, there was lots to see in Striaton, and if Asuka’s father wasn’t about to offer his support, Rei figured someone had to.



Asuka, meanwhile, was kinda hoping Rei wouldn’t say that.

“Rei, listen, as much as I appreciate your enthusiasm, I’ve had the lodging arrangements and everything set in stone for a while... bringing you along wouldn’t be that simple. I mean, hell, I didn’t even know Dad was gonna bail on me until he left for the airport yesterday.” And speaking of him, she already had enough distractions on her plate. Having Rei tag along would just be one more.

But, of course, that didn’t do enough to deter her. “I know it’s sudden, but... this would be a fantastic opportunity to learn more about Unovan culture,” Rei persisted. “Please? Plus, I would... be very interested in witnessing one of your battles.”

Okay, fine. Maybe having one cheerleader wouldn’t hurt. "Alles klar... yeah, you can come. I’ll deal with the hotel and everything. Just... give me enough space to focus on why I’m there, yeah?”

“Of course. And... um...” As Rei hesitated, Asuka cocked an eyebrow, pausing her game to face her. Turned out, Wonder Girl could smile. “...Thank you. I greatly appreciate it.”

In turn, Asuka - putting aside her fear of how much this added wrinkle would affect things - responded with a smile of her own. “Don’t mention it.”

 

[OrionTheAbsol]

Been such a while since I viewed anything from Evangelion. So I'll start slow with chapter 1.

• Not too surprised Rei goes for the stranger kinds of Pokémon. I figured she's one who finds them very fascinating.
• Scratching a Porygon-Z's belly? I wonder what that's like.
• Interesting that the Japanese language was brought up. Even weirder that Rei, whose name is Japanese, seemed to imply that she had trouble remembering Japanese names.
• So weird to see Asuka's mother apparently alive and well... oh, never mind. She just can't win no matter which universe she's in, can she?
• Ultra Beasts in Unova? What sorcery is this!?
• So many viewpoint changes...

I don't have a whole lot to say here. Pacing's a bit slow but manageable. Prose is very good. Even if someone didn't watch Evangelion, Rei and Asuka are very recognizable by their dialogue and body language.

One thing I'm not a fan of is that the "viewpoint" constantly shifts between Rei and Asuka, especially in short bursts. I don't mind a third-person point of view shifting focus to another character (especially when I'm guilty of this myself, lol), but it's a little much when it happens multiple times in the same scene.

Other than that, keep up the great work!

P.S. I don't have an AO3 account, so can't help you there, lol

 

[OrionTheAbsol]

I'm back.

Chapter 2: A Postcard Would Be Nice

• Seems like the Langley family would make terrible hosts to leave their guest alone.
• Whoa! Hey, Asuka! That's assault! Be nice.
  • Oh, don't weasel yourself out of this one. Could've just told Rei not to go inside and things would've been swell.
• "She may have been an annoying little bug, but at least she seemed nice. Almost to a fault."
  • I'll say. To shrug off someone slapping you out of nowhere. Too nice.
• Geez, Mr. Langley, a little notice to your guest for leaving would be nice.
• So Blaziken is a gift from Asuka's mom, huh? And well behaved too. At least Asuka does have someone paying attention to her.
• "Perhaps having stronger bonds with their aces than with their father figures was another trait they shared."
  • Ouch.
• Without a doubt, her and her squad
  • she
• "She couldn’t help but wonder if talent alone would be enough, though."
  • Something tells me Asuka would lose, and she wouldn't take it very well at all.
• Well, at least Asuka and Rei seem to get along somewhat. Can't say the same about their relationship in Evangelion, lol. But then again, I feel like this chapter could be foreshadowing Asuka's downfall; how she performs in the tournament and how her relationship with her father and mother would turn out. And that may cause a rift in her friendship with Rei. And Rei being Rei... wouldn't have the willpower to stop it.

Chapter 3: 6th Avenue Nightmare

• There's something subtly adorable about Rei talking to her Porygon-Z.
• I wonder why Rei is very concerned about Team Plasma. Makes me wonder if she had crossed them before.
• Electro-industrial? Sounds like stuff I used to listen to.
• Damn, Rei's pretty badass.
• Wait, all it took is a Simple Beam to make a human despondent? Well... from now on, don't mess with Audinos out in the field. They'll "fix" you up real good.
• RIP, guy in business suit. We don't know who you are or why Team Plasma decided to wipe your memory, but perhaps we'll get the answers in the future to avenge you.
• Wholesome friendship. Now is the question on when it'll go awry...

Whew! Quite a read there. I don't have a whole lot to say regarding criticisms, but it's been a solid read so far. I guess without a certain kid who wouldn't get in the robot or his asshole dad, these two ladies could be having decent lives.

Or they would be, if Team Plasma didn't exist...

 

[Jersey Jimmy]

@OrionTheAbsol - thanks for the feedback, really appreciate it! the viewpoint changes may be a bit too much, I'll admit, but my entire impetus for actually starting this fic was to experiment with them; I think I'll try to be a little more restrained with them in future chapters, though (Asuka being absent for the majority of chapter 3 notwithstanding). as for when things might hit a snag between the two... well, you'll find out in time.

as for chapter 4, it'll be a little while; I'm planning to work on a oneshot for a secret santa-esque thing on tumblr next (that, if you're curious, is also gonna be asurei), so I won't be working on ch. 4 until that's done.

 

[Jersey Jimmy]

Chapter 4: If You Think We're Talking About You, We Are​

"You know, between yourself and your cousin... the resemblance is uncanny."

"Right? Yeah, people used to get Erin and I confused all the time... hell, even now, she tells me she gets pulled aside for autographs by people who think she's me."

They’d been on the interstate for a while, but the topic of Asuka’s cousin still remained fresh in Rei’s mind - they really did look nearly identical, at least to the untrained eye. They must’ve gotten along well, too, as it almost seemed like they wouldn’t be heading out until after noon with how long the two redheads were talking.

Rei turned to face her host, looking straight ahead towards the endless expanse of highway, her hands firmly at the wheel of her Audi TT RS - a car she was less so surprised that Asuka could afford than she was that her father even allowed her to own it. Her insurance must be through the roof...

As she watched Asuka drive along, Rei took notice of her unchanging expression, one she could detect the faintest hint of worry in. She thought back to earlier - there had been a point where Asuka had asked Rei to leave the room. She said her and Erin needed to discuss something privately, and the possibilities of just what that topic was had been floating around in her mind ever since.

She wanted to ask, she really did. The longer Rei felt she was left in the dark about whatever it was eating at Asuka, the more concerned she grew for her.

Then again, this was going to be a five-hour drive. Wading into such muddy waters likely wasn’t worth it.

“...Are there... any strategies you’ve been devising, Soryu?” she finally inquired, speaking just loud enough to be clear over the indecipherable German hip-hop coming from the speakers. “Specifically for types that Fire is... at a disadvantage against?”

Asuka held off on a response, instead waiting for the song to finish. When it did finally fade out, she hit pause and answered, "Rei, it's a monotype tournament. Of course I have answers for weak matchups... between Blaziken and Talonflame, I barely even think about Rock or Ground specialists. Plus, I've got Grass attacks spread out all over my team; those cover both of 'em and Water."

"Would simply having the correct attacks for Water-types be enough, though? It is the most plentiful type, and... they tend to possess stout defenses."

The redhead scoffed, shaking her head. "There's no such thing as an impenetrable defense... it's like my dad put it back when he was actually tryin' to be a good father. Bulk and recovery don't mean shit if the holes you're punchin' are too big to patch up."

"Your... father was a trainer?"

"I mean, he never had any serious experience on the pro circuit, but yeah. Completed the Gym Challenge, so that's something... y'know, honestly, kinda wish he stuck with it."



Bringing up her father was a mistake, wasn't it?

Asuka got to work mentally kicking herself; she had no doubt Rei was still curious about her mother, especially not after she had to shoo her out of the room earlier to go over the caretaking process with Erin. Combine that with not even wanting to leave Mom to anyone but herself and her father in the first place, and she'd been particularly on edge all morning.

With all that in mind, she wasn't about to let Rei take the conversation in the direction she was dreading.

"So, uh... hey, Wonder Girl." Out of the corner of her eye, it seemed like Rei had just begun to open her mouth, but acquiesced to Asuka. Good. "I know we kinda discussed it a few days ago when I was training, but you haven't really told me much about your family... you said you lived with a foster family, yeah?"

Fortunately, it didn’t seem as if Rei was all too bothered by the question, responding rather quickly with a firm nod. “Yes, I have since I was a toddler... maybe three years old or so. Mother, father, and two older brothers.”

“Alright, alright... since you were three?” It was difficult to imagine Rei had any coherent memories from before that, and if she did, the mere fact she ended up in a foster family gave Asuka the impression they wouldn’t be pleasant. Ultimately, her curiosity won out, and she asked, “Do you actually have any idea what your birth parents were like, then?”

This time, Rei hesitated. She sunk a bit into her heavily-bolstered seat, staring up at the headliner. Asuka wanted to tell herself she was just trying to remember. If nothing else, she didn’t look all that hurt by it.

“...I know that... my mother died in the process of giving birth to me.”

For a moment, the only sounds in the car were road noise and a wildly inappropriate diss track only Asuka could understand.

It would eventually be her reaching for the pause button, all while immediately regretting every single decision she’d made since she woke up. “I, uh... Scheiße. Rei, if you don’t wanna talk about this, then--”

“I-I assure you, Asuka, I am fine with discussing it. You told me about your parents...” Lied about, the redhead corrected in her head. “...I think it is only fair that I tell you... at least as much as I know about mine.”

She had a point. It was only fair. Asuka just didn’t need to be thinking about it during a major tournament. “We should probably drop the subject for now, Rei.”

“...That is fair.”



To say Rei felt unwanted at that moment would’ve been a gross understatement.

She and Asuka sat in silence for the next several miles, leaving her with plenty of time to marinate in sheer discomfort. She wracked her brain, trying to figure out why what she’d said had been the tipping point for her hostess. Bringing up her birth mother’s death with no hesitation... yes, it made sense that Asuka had been caught off-guard by it, but she'd asked, had she not?

“I mentioned it because I... I trust you. Enough to inform you about something like that.”

Asuka let out a very soft grunt, then sighed and shook her head. “Rei,” she began, her voice as sharp as it had been when she’d caught Rei trying to get into that locked room, “I’ve been trying to dance around this the best I could, but... I really need to make somethin’ clear to you, okay? We’re going up to Striaton because I am participating in a tournament. Winning that tournament is very important to me... and I can’t focus on that if you keep dropping bombs like ‘my mom died during childbirth’ with no warning. Like... I’m sorry, I really am, but this is why I didn’t want you to come.”

Rei was very much able to feel herself flinching. “I-I understand that, and I... I apologize.” She anxiously bounced her leg against the glovebox, trying to think of anything she could say that could defuse the situation. “I will... keep my distance while we are in Striaton. You can focus on the tournament, and... I will focus on learning more about Unova.”

“...Sounds like a decent idea. Just... I already have enough distractions on my mind, begreifen?”

Distractions. Is that really what I am to her...?

Rei turned to look out her window - and, perhaps more importantly, away from Asuka. Off in the distance, she could just barely make out Castelia’s towering skyline - which, to her, only served as confirmation that Striaton was still hours away.

Knowing that, she pulled her headphones up over her ears, closed her eyes, and tried to let the music occupy her mind for the time being.

---

"Hello, and welcome to a special Monotype Shootout edition of Bottom Line! I'm Jake Whittaker, and joining me to go over the first round of action is the Nacrene Gym's own Lenora Perkins."

"Thanks, Jake, and what an intense first round it was. Plenty of lower seeds prevailing in upsets, some of them major, but what I wanted to touch on first was a match that... well, it didn't end up being an upset, but it very well could have, and I don't think anyone was seriously expecting it to be all that close. Asuka Langley Soryu, Fire-type specialist holding the fourth seed in her side of the bracket, just barely managed to hang on against one of the hometown favorites, Cilan Gardner. What are your thoughts on that, Jake?"

“Yeah, Asuka, she looked pretty off in that match... obviously the thinking was that she’d go in there and sweep Cilan’s team with no issue, he’d just be a warmup for her, right? Didn’t go like that. Asuka did win, but her Darmanitan was the only Pokemon left standing at the end of it... sure, it’s only a 3v3, so it’s not that unbelievable, but still. You look at this matchup...”

“Right, on paper, this looks like a complete squash. None of Cilan’s team members actually resist Fire, and the coverage, for most of them, it just isn’t there. On paper... there’s no reason this should’ve been anything more than a formality.”

“You’re saying outside factors may have contributed to the underwhelming performance, then?”

“Absolutely, because, okay, if you go back, you watch Asuka and pay attention to her, she... she doesn’t look like her best self, right? She’s coming off as nervous, she’s not playing to the crowd as much as she tends to, this isn’t the Asuka we normally see, and I have a feeling that played a major factor into why this match was as close as it was. And I’m speaking from experience, you know? I have off days sometimes, we all do, and when those days line up with a slate of gym challenges, or a tournament match, you see the toll it takes on your performance as a trainer.”

“Something definitely seemed off, I agree. And, look, I’m not one to sit here and speculate what’s gotten Asuka bothered. That’s her business, if she doesn’t want to discuss it to the media, totally understandable. Hopefully, by the time her second round matchup rolls around, she’ll be back to her usual self because, really, she’s an incredibly fun trainer to watch.”

“Mhm, for sure.”

“That second round matchup, speaking of, that’ll be this Friday night at 7:05 PM against whoever wins the battle between Clay Marshall and Vito Battaglia. Moving on now, to one of our actual upsets of the day...”

---

God, that must’ve been embarrassing for Dad to watch, huh?

Asuka sat alone on a bench in the middle of a moonlit park, head buried in her hands as she thought back to her first-round matchup against Cilan. Okay, he had hometown advantage. Sure. But he was a Grass specialist, and not a particularly great one at that. She was a Fire specialist.

So why and how did she come anywhere close to actually losing?

“Blaziken, get out here,” she dryly ordered, reaching for her ace’s ball and lobbing it forward. Once the Blaze Pokemon emerged - appearing none too happy with his own performance, to his credit - Asuka’s dejected expression gave way to a fiery glare.

“Was zum Teufel was that, huh? You think just because it’s the first round and we’ve got a type advantage, that’s as good an excuse as any to phone in your shift?” Folding her arms, the redhead began to circle around Blaziken. “I mean, for Christ’s sake, you were up against a Simisage. A Simisage. Isn’t that supposed to be the kinda Pokemon you could take out in your sleep?”

Suddenly, Asuka felt Blaziken’s talons gripping her shoulder. She stopped pacing, let her arms fall to her sides, and instead of chewing him out further, let out a defeated sigh. He was right. This wasn’t on him.

“...Es tut mir Leid,” she apologized, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Look, Blaziken, I’m just... god, I don’t know. My mind’s not all there when it comes to battling right now... i-it’s not Dad, if it were him we’d have been having this conversation months ago...”

...It was Rei, wasn’t it?

“Gottverdammt... knew bringin’ her with us was a mistake.” Blaziken grunted - not necessarily in agreement, but at least in understanding. Yeah, that checked out. If only she didn’t have to play babysitter on top of everything, maybe her head would be in the right place. But she wouldn't be Asuka Langley Soryu if there weren't bullshit distractions being thrown in her face at every turn, now would she?

Now here she was, staring down the barrel of a second-round matchup with Clay with her mind in the absolute wrong place for it. Might as well just head home now, right?

“...Well, I guess there’s nothing we could really do about it except train.” Asuka fished through her bag for a moment before producing another ball, tossing it over her shoulder as she turned to head back towards the bench. As it opened with a flash, the redhead muttered out a single command: “Earthquake.”

Sure enough, as the ball’s brilliant glow wore off, Darmanitan slammed both of his fists straight into the ground with authority. The earth beneath both Fire-types shook violently, and from the point of impact, a small fissure began to form directed straight at Blaziken; fortunately, he acted quick, leaping out of harm’s way and up onto a nearby set of monkey bars.

“Keep targeting each other with Ground- and Rock-type attacks, you got that?!” barked Asuka from afar as she sat back down on the bench. “And Darmanitan, throw in some of Blaziken’s weaknesses while you’re at it!”

As her two Pokemon continued to spar, Asuka pulled out her phone and began scrolling through her various social media feeds. Whenever she saw an article about the tournament, she opened up the replies - and, no surprise, found plenty of people taking the piss out of her performance. In all honesty, she didn’t really blame them, and it wasn't like trying to defend her poor showing would accomplish anything aside from digging herself deeper.

With another sigh, she switched off her phone’s screen and turned her attention back towards Blaziken and Darmanitan’s training - for a few moments, at least, before an approaching bright light caught the corner of her eye. Using her hand to shield her vision, Asuka looked over towards the source, a black Navigator that had just pulled into a parking spot - and when its door swung open, she spotted the driver throwing on a puffy, bright yellow coat. One she’d recognize from miles away.

“Elesa...? Why’re you... how’d you even know I was here?”

"Well, this place is pretty close to the hotel," answered Elesa as she approached Asuka, who'd almost forgotten what it felt like to be happy to see someone. "You're prepping for your match with Clay, I take it?"

The redhead nodded, scooting over a little on the bench to give the gym leader a place to sit. "Yeah, just, y'know, working on weaknesses and stuff... figures you of all people'd know where to find me, huh?"

"Well, honestly, I can't say I figured it out myself... happened to bump into your plus-one in the lobby, and she said I'd find you here. So, here I am!"

Plus-one. So Rei told her... Asuka stayed silent for a moment. If there was anyone she wanted to talk to, it was Elesa, but knowing it all came back to Rei made her wary.

"...So... what, she hates me now, right?"

Elesa's eyebrows shot up. "W-what? Where'd you get that idea?"

"Because why the hell wouldn't she? Ever since we got here I've been blowing her off at every turn, I haven't responded at all when she's called me... but, like, why doesn't she get I need to focus?! This'd all be so much easier if I didn't have to drag her around with me in the first place!" Asuka let out an exasperated groan as she buried her face in her hands.

Elesa didn't respond - she never did when Asuka got like this, because she knew the best thing to do was let her anger fizzle out on its own. "...You, uh, you understand where I'm comin' from, right...?" Sure enough, when Asuka spoke up again, she did so with far less exasperation. Yelling at Elesa was pointless - she wasn't the one Asuka was upset with. If only she had a mirror.

“...Look, Asuka...” Elesa gently placed a hand on the redhead’s shoulder. That was usually cause for Asuka shoving away the offending party, but not this time. “...I understand what you’re going through. What with the situation regarding Kyoko... and it’s a crime that I haven’t come to visit more, and I apologize--”

Asuka clenched her fist. “Don’t make this about Mom.”

“But don’t you get that that’s impossible, Asuka? Were Kyoko healthy right now, then--”

“What did I just fucking say?!”

“Asuka.”

Asuka had tested Elesa's patience quite a bit in the past, but always viewed her as a decidedly lax mentor. Meaning, when she actually did push the gym leader far enough to slip into such a harsh tone, it scared the living shit out of her.

After a brief, unusually tense silence between teacher and student, Elesa continued. “...The point I’m getting at, Asuka... I want to help you. I always do. And, right now, the best advice I can give to you... and it might sound difficult, but... you need to stop pushing everyone away.”

Stop... pushing people away? Asuka’s first instinct was to scoff. “Yeah, well, I’m talkin’ to you right now, aren’t I?”

“You are. That’s the problem. I’m the only person you ever talk to... and it’s been that way for far too long. You need to open yourself up to others... people you may continue to perceive as distractions unless you actually get to know them.” Elesa folded her arms, giving Asuka a knowing side-glance. “And you know exactly who I’m talking about.”

“...You’re saying I need to get closer to Rei.”

“Precisely! When we were talking earlier, she could not shut up about how much she vibes with you, y’know that?”

“...Vibes...?”

“She, uh, enjoys your company, is what I’m saying. Like... a lot.”

Maybe Elesa did have a point. Deep down, Asuka did feel a twinge of guilt over how she’d treated Rei since... hell, not just since they’d gotten to Striaton, since she got to Unova. And, yeah, sure, she was an annoying little bug sometimes, but having her around brought a sense of comfort. Because, well, there were usually two shoulders Asuka could readily lean on. Her mom’s and Elesa’s. She’d only had one of those for far too long.

“...You’re right. I... I’ve gotta embrace that. Verdammt, I was starting to before we left, but... I guess bein’ here’s just made me an insecure wreck, huh?”

Elesa immediately interjected, “You’re not a wreck, Asuka. I’ve known you long enough to be sure of that.”

“...Yeah. Yeah, guess you have, huh?”

Asuka turned towards her mentor, looking up into her eyes and flashing a grateful smile with her flame-red lips. “Hey, I... I really needed this. Dankeschön.”

Elesa, of course, smiled right back. “Any time. Call her up after I leave, alright?” Rising from the bench, Nimbasa’s gym leader adjusted her massive coat as she began returning to her ride. “Anyway, I’ve got Skyla in the next round, so... that’s something I gotta mentally prepare for. Maybe we’ll meet in the finals... I know you’ve got it in you~.”

...Did she? “Y-yeah, maybe... talk to ya soon, Elesa.”

...Why the hell is she still wearing that goddamn coat in July, anyway?

Asuka watched as Elesa’s Navigator pulled away from the parking lot and into the Striaton nightlife; when it was out of sight, she turned her attention back towards Blaziken and Darmanitan. “You two,” she called out, prompting both Fire-types to cease sparring. “Take a break for now, alright? I... wanna see if we can try somethin’ different.”

With that, she reached for her phone once more. This time, however, she headed into her contacts list.

---

Watching late-night television alone in a darkened room wasn’t anything new to Rei. This time just hurt a little more than usual.

She’d been laying on one of the hotel room’s two beds for hours, flipping through channels hoping to find something she’d be fine with keeping it on. Mostly failing.

“I already have enough distractions on my mind, begreifen?” That one sentence hurt her more than anything Plasma had done to her in that parking garage.

Her listless red gaze wandered towards the other bed, the one Asuka should’ve been in but wasn’t. Apparently, not wanting to be around Rei meant not even wanting to go back to her own hotel room. Really put things into perspective.

Suddenly, though, a sharp ringing jolted Rei out of her melancholic stupor. She shot up from her catacomb of blankets, trying in vain to pinpoint the source of the noise, until Zee came floating out of the bathroom with her cell phone magnetized to one of his stubby limbs.

“...T-thank you, Zee,” Rei murmured, blushing a bit out of embarrassment as she took the buzzing phone out of Zee’s nonexistent hands. She looked down at the screen. It was Asuka.

The decision to answer it was instant.

“Um... hello, Soryu.” She braced herself.

“Hey, Rei, listen... you know that park by our hotel, right? Well, I’ve been trainin’ out here for a bit, and I was wondering... you know, you’ve been here for about a couple weeks now, so... how ‘bout we have a friendly? Just for practice, yeah?”

...That was not what she was expecting to hear from Asuka.

But it was the exact thing she did want to hear.

“T-that sounds... like a wonderful idea. I’ll be right over.”

 

[Jersey Jimmy]

Chapter 5: Rookie of the Year​

Going into her quarterfinal matchup against Clay, everyone had more or less written Asuka off. Her first-round bout spelled it out pretty clearly: she wasn’t herself. If she’d come that close to losing to Cilan, her mind was clearly somewhere other than Striaton. That, combined with a type disadvantage against Driftveil’s Ground-type gym leader, led to many seeing the battle as nothing more than a formality before her veteran opponent moved on to the semifinals.

Unfortunately for bookmakers all across Unova, that wasn’t what had happened. Not even close.

She could’ve let her initial showing continue to demoralize her, but when Asuka had emerged from the tunnel before her next battle, she did so with a rejuvenated fire burning within her. Using several strategies Rei helped her craft to perfection in their training sessions, the redhead stunned just about everyone with a dominating performance in the 3-on-3 matchup - Chandelure’s Energy Ball felled his Seismitoad in a single hit, and neither his Krookodile or Excadrill had managed to keep up with Blaziken’s freakish blend of speed and power. Darmanitan, meanwhile, barely needed to lift a finger.

The shocking upset - well, shocking to most - gave Asuka a semifinal date with Aspertia’s newly-minted gym leader Cheren, himself one of the surprise success stories of the tourney. With neither of their specialty types possessing a clear advantage over the other, the battle was a tight, competitive affair, with the Normal-type specialist even managing to take out Blaziken early on thanks to his Bouffalant’s Earthquake. Not even losing her ace was enough to extinguish Asuka, though; thanks in large part to Chandelure’s immunities, she still managed to prevail and move on to the finals.



The Monotype Shootout finals, she thought to herself, staring up at the ceiling of her locker room. One of Unova’s most prestigious and storied tournaments, and she was in the finals. It seemed so surreal.

“...Guess all that’s left to do is to win it, huh?”

Admittedly, that was a pretty tall order. This was going to be the single biggest battle of her career by far, and she could already feel the pressure building around her well before match time. On top of that, there was her opponent - someone who knew Asuka very well, and who’d managed to conquer each of her prior three opponents with very little issue.

She wasn’t about to start doubting herself again, though.

Asuka glanced down at her phone; it was just about time. Rising from the bench, she double-checked her belt to make sure all of her Pokemon were on hand before grabbing the black leather trenchcoat hanging in one of the lockers.

Once she’d thrown it on, the redhead made her way to the door, looking into her own reflection’s blazing blue gaze in its mirror. She brought a hand to her neck, resting her fingers upon the Key Stone embedded into her choker. “And we’re going to win... I’m not about to let Mom down.”

With a determined nod, Asuka reached for the handle and swung the door open. On the other side stood Rei, her arm still raised and about to knock.

Asuka blinked. “Uh... what’s up, Wonder Girl?”



Good thing the door swings the other way.

Rei hesitated for a moment before letting her arm drop back down. “I-it’s, erm... nothing important,” she stammered, somewhat flustered. “I... merely wanted to wish you good luck.”

“Oh, that’s it? Well, uh... hey, thanks.” Asuka paused, her eyes wandering upward as she seemed to ponder something, then let out a sigh. “Sorry if that sounded half-hearted or anythin’... it’s just... a lot of nerves, y’know? This is my first major tournament final, and--”

“I'm being a distraction again, aren't I?”

“Distraction? What’re you talking about?”

Asuka reached out to place a hand on her shoulder, an action that immediately prompted Rei’s heart to start racing. For whatever reason, the urge to pull away wasn’t nearly as strong as it usually was.

“Rei, I wouldn’t have gotten out of the quarterfinals if it weren’t for you,” the redhead continued, giving her a reassuring smile. “That sparring session we had really helped me straighten things out, and... I’m glad you even agreed to it, y’know? Like... after what I said on the ride here...”

“I am... grateful that you asked,” answered Rei, her nerves melting away. “I had wanted to ask if I could help, but I had... assumed you were upset with me.”

“It wasn’t... well, I mean... I guess I was for a bit. You just... weren’t the right person to be upset with. If that makes sense.”

Rei gave an understanding nod. “It does, yes.” She couldn’t deny she was curious as to who that right person was, if not her father. Likely a topic best saved for another time. Besides, there was something else on her mind. “Before you head out there, there was... another thing I wanted to ask you.”

“Yeah, sure, go ahead! I’ve gotta get to the tunnel, though, so walk with me.” Gesturing for Rei to follow along, Asuka began making her way down the corridor, her trenchcoat flowing a bit behind her as she confidently marched ahead.

Rei followed shortly behind, albeit after taking a couple seconds to admire the dramatic shift in Asuka's attire for the final round. Her dark, industrial ensemble gave her the aura of a fearless antihero, almost a perfect parallel to her opponent - and now with her confidence fully reinvigorated, she had the spirit to match.

...Ask the question, Rei.

“Asuka, do you plan on... Mega Evolving your Blaziken in this battle?”



That was a very good question, actually.

“Honestly, Rei, I’m... I don’t know.” Asuka brought a hand to her Key Stone again, tapping an inferno-red fingernail against it. “I might... but... it’s a double-edged sword, y’know?”

Rei seemed puzzled. “Double-edged sword?” she echoed, tilting her head. “Forgive me, I still... lack experience with the art, but... is there no reason not to? It’ll make Blaziken stronger, won’t it?”

There was little doubt about that. Anyone who’d seen what Asuka’s Blaziken could do in his Mega form would probably make it a point to stay on her good side at all costs. However...

“It’s not that simple. I mean, first of all, performing it takes a ton outta you, and if you’re not careful you can straight-up pass out. Aside from that, though... okay, y’know how you and your Pokemon have, like, this super-heightened understanding of each other while they’re Mega Evolved?”

“Yes,” Rei curtly replied; she reached into her bag for one of her Dusk Balls, examining it. “Is it a sensation of... having thoughts in your head that aren’t yours?”

“...Not... exactly, but it’s kinda the same idea.” Is she speaking from experience? “Anyway, that, uh... mental link... if it’s strong enough, then you start to... feel what your Pokemon’s feeling, you get me?”

“...So you experience the same pain.”

“Exactly. And because Blaziken and I are so close...”

“...I’m beginning to understand what you mean.” A worried expression had begun to overtake Rei’s face. “Asuka, if you do not feel comfortable with performing it, then... please, do not push yourself.”

Oh, she absolutely didn’t feel comfortable with it. The sheer stress of Mega Evolution, combined with the pressure of the situation weighing down on her like a Golurk’s Heavy Slam, could very well end with her collapsing right there on the battlefield, live for all of Unova to see. But if she did end up with her back against the wall...

“With any luck, there’ll be no need for it.”

As the tunnel heading towards the battlefield came into view, a pair of tournament officials approached Asuka and Rei. “Ms. Soryu, congratulations on making it this far,” one of them greeted, extending his hand.

“Vielen Dank,” she chimed, accepting the handshake. “How much longer until I head out there?”

“If everything’s in order on your end, we can get started in a couple minutes.”

“Well, I’m all set.” The official nodded toward his partner, who brought a finger to his earpiece as he walked off, relaying the info to some higher-ups Asuka didn’t really know. The one who remained beckoned for Asuka to follow him towards the tunnel, but she raised a finger.

“One sec, I’ll be right there.” With that, she turned to face Rei. “Hey, before I head out... again, if you weren’t here, this wouldn’t be happening. I... really, really owe you one, Wonder Girl.”

Rei smiled - and from what Asuka had seen, this was the first one that could be called a proper smile. “It means a lot to hear that... good luck, Asuka. No matter the outcome, I... will be here when it’s over.”

“Well, hey, don't celebrate too hard before I get back, verstanden?"

Leaving Rei with a playful wink and shoulder jab, Asuka followed the official, the steps of her heavy boots echoing as she entered the tunnel. It was almost time - all she had to do now was wait for her music to hit.

---

“Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest is a 6-on-6 full battle, and will determine the champion of the 29th annual Monotype Shootout!”

The raucous crowd of nearly 70,000 packed into Striaton Stadium roared in delight, anticipation building with each passing second. After a pause to allow the cheers to die down, the announcer continued, “This matchup is a true clash of Unova’s present versus its future... we’ve seen these two trainers battle one another before, but the stakes have never been as high as they are right now! So, without any further ado, please welcome our first finalist!”

As he gestured towards the west end of the battlefield, the stadium’s speakers crackled to life with a pounding, high-energy industrial metal track. Flashing red and orange lights shone on the entrance ramp and into the tunnel, and the crowd once again came alive as a certain black-clad figure emerged.

“Hailing from Nimbasa, specializing in the Fire type, and making her first-ever major tournament final, please welcome... Asuka! Langley! Soooryuuu!”

Asuka emerged from a cloud of smoke masking the tunnel exit and stepped out onto the ramp, surveying the stadium before her with a confident grin. She would’ve had to have been deaf to not hear the crowd chanting her name - something they definitely hadn’t been doing back in the first round. That seemed like an eternity ago by now, and if the fans were getting behind her, she saw no reason not to indulge them.

She took a couple more steps before crouching down, dropping her head so her blazing red hair fell over her face; as she did, her entrance theme built up all throughout its first verse before bursting into the chorus. That was when Asuka shot back up, holding her arms high with her hands forming devil horns - and at the exact same moment, jets of fire shot up all around her to create a searing spectacle. The crowd, of course, loved it.

As the flames dissipated, Asuka continued forward, shedding her trenchcoat as she stepped into her trainer’s box. She began to debate which member of her team to send out first as her music, too, began to fade out; if her suspicions were correct, starting the battle with a mindset of “attack, attack, attack” would only work to her detriment. After all, there was one strategy she knew her opponent loved to use.

And speaking of her opponent...

The deafening roar that emanated from the crowd when Asuka’s opponent’s theme hit dwarfed that of her own reception - and in all honesty, she didn’t blame them. Sure, she was a rising star, a Cinderella story, but it was hard to truly shine in the presence of a proper superstar.

“Also hailing from Nimbasa and presiding as its gym leader, the Electric-type master with a whopping three Monotype Shootout victories to her name, ladies and gentlemen... Elesa! Pooowerrrs!”

Once the multicolored smoke masking the east entrance ramp faded, Asuka found herself staring down none other than Elesa, down on her knees with her fluorescent coat wrapped around her like a cocoon of electricity. With the flair befitting her status as an internationally-known supermodel, Asuka’s mentor hurled the coat away as she struck a pose on one knee, timed perfectly with the theatrical Thunderbolts fired off by a pair of Electric-types just out of sight.

Elesa then rose to her feet and sauntered into her own trainer’s box, spinning a Quick Ball that perfectly complimented her blue-and-yellow ensemble on her finger. Asuka, meanwhile, had already made her own pick; as she awaited the announcer’s call to start the battle, she lobbed one of her Timer Balls up and down, her gaze remaining locked on Elesa. Separated from her protege by about eighty yards, the gym leader merely gave a good-luck wink.

This is it... let’s go, Asuka.

“The timer is set for thirty minutes!” the announcer boomed. “Let the Monotype Shootout finals... begin!”

“Houndoom, burn it down!” Asuka and Elesa hurled their balls in stereo, revealing their lead Pokemon to the audience and each other. Out of Asuka’s emerged her Houndoom; a foreboding presence, the hellhound menacingly howled upon hitting the battlefield, blowing a large puff of smoke into the air.

Elesa, on the other hand, opened with a Pokemon many were likely surprised to see she’d even brought - Galvantula. Once released from their ball, the arachnid skittered forward, showing no fear of the demonic Fire-type their six eyes were staring down.

Immediately, Asuka knew why her mentor had led with Galvantula - Sticky Web. Despite her specialty type suggesting otherwise, not many members of Elesa’s team were particularly fast. However, if Galvantula were able to spray their sticky silk over the battlefield, those slower threats would be able to keep pace. Asuka, of course, was very familiar with their devastating power; she couldn’t let her Pokemon get outsped, too.

Fortunately, she had the perfect counter in mind.

“Use Taunt!” Once given the command, Houndoom lowered his curved horns and directed a malevolent snarl at his opponent, stomping a paw against the ground like a Bouffalant seeing red. At the other end of the battlefield, Elesa tried to call for Sticky Web, but it was too late - goaded on by the Dark-type, Galvantula flew into a rage, letting out angry hissing noises as they unleashed a wicked bolt of electricity from their abdomen. Asuka didn’t even need to call for Houndoom to dodge; just as the Thunder came crashing down, he rolled to the left, remaining unharmed.

Asuka’s flame-red lips curled into a smirk. “Perfect! Now fry ‘em - Feuersturm!” The hellhound threw his head back, then forward, responding with a massive stream of devilish flames from his maw. Galvantula’s attempt to evade failed, as the Fire Blast came at them far too quickly and completely consumed the bug. Ultimately, the blaze subsided to show the overwhelmed Galvantula struggling to charge up a counterattack before collapsing.

“And just like that, Galvantula has been taken out by a huge Fire Blast!” the announcer bellowed to the raucous crowd as Galvantula’s portrait on the jumbotron was crossed out. “Asuka takes an early 6-5 lead with 28:37 remaining!”

Houndoom howled again as Asuka crossed her arms, staring down Elesa from across the field. The supermodel’s wide-eyed reaction soon gave way to a chuckle as she shook her head, then reached for a second Quick Ball and lobbed it onto the field. Out of it popped her Luxray, who instantly charged towards Houndoom with vengeance on their mind.

Starting with the upper hand... we can absolutely win this. I know we can.

---

In a skybox situated high above the battlefield, Rei - with Zee by her side - watched as the action unfolded down below. After eliminating Galvantula, Asuka had gotten Houndoom to create some distance between himself and Elesa’s Luxray, buying time for the hellhound to power up his offense even more with a Nasty Plot.

“...This has to be just about the best start she could’ve asked for.” Turning to Zee, Rei seemed quite pleased, wearing a small smile on her face. “Things look promising, wouldn’t you say, Zee?” Her virtual companion happily nodded, chirping out a few upbeat beeps. Plus, I have to say... I'm quite fond of her entrance music.

Just as she started to refocus on the battle, though, a voice calling out to her caught Rei’s attention. “Excuse me? You wouldn’t happen to be Miss Soryu’s partner, wouldn’t you?”

Rei snapped back around to face the voice’s owner, and she would’ve had to have been numb not to feel her face burning up. “Erm... ‘p-partner’ is not the word I... would have used, but... that is correct,” she hesitantly answered, giving Zee a side-eyed glare as he mimed giggling.

The first thing that jumped out about the bespectacled man who’d approached her was his hair - specifically, the practical halo of sky-blue that seemed to defy gravity as it orbited an otherwise neatly-combed blonde coiffure. Aside from that, his clothing suggested some sort of researcher - a pristine white lab coat over mostly-black attire.

“Ah, forgive me if that’s too strong a term,” he apologized with a polite grin, extending a gloved hand towards Rei. “I must say, the performances her and her Pokemon have been putting on since the first round have been nothing short of impressive... it’s a shame we were on opposite sides of the bracket.”

Rei stared at his hand for a moment, hesitant to take it. Something about this man seemed familiar, but she couldn’t pinpoint exactly why - until he mentioned being in the tournament. “...You were Elesa’s opponent in the semifinals, were you not? You were using Steel-types.”

“That’s correct! Makes it all the more impressive how well Miss Soryu has done so far... though, she really should be careful. This one's a menace."

As the man gestured out the window, Rei turned to see Elesa had sent out her Eelektross - a Pokemon that Rei had heard plenty of stories about, from its complete lack of weaknesses to its vast attacking arsenal. Seeing the hulking electric eel for herself, the reputation seemed well-earned - especially once it barreled straight into Asuka’s Houndoom with a Wild Charge that sent the Dark-type tumbling back several yards.

“Really, I thought I had her figured out until I had to deal with it,” the man continued, shaking his head. “How wrong I was... but what an impressive specimen.”

“...Specimen?” Rei tilted her head, and Zee did the same with a curious beep.

“Ah, right, I should explain... my name is Colress. I entered this tournament to further my research... I’m attempting to figure out the best way to extract as much power from Pokemon as possible.”

The man - Colress, apparently - turned his attention towards Zee, holding up the tablet he’d been carrying as he pointed the camera towards the virtual Pokemon. “Hmm... oh, this is interesting... your Porygon-Z seems to have significantly more special attacking prowess than a stock model! This is very impressive, if you’ve done this yourself...”

Rei grimaced; using such demeaning terms as “model” when referring to Zee, or any Porygon species, never sat right with her. “I did, yes... a-all of his modifications were done with his permission, of course.” Zee backed her up with an affirmative beep.

“That’s good to know... myself, I have a Porygon2, and I’ve done the work to integrate an Eviolite directly into its code. Actually, come to think of it... well, what is your name, if I may ask?”

“...Rei. Rei Ayanami.”

“I see, I see... one moment...” Rei watched as Colress tapped something into his tablet’s keyboard; she assumed he was looking up her trainer profile, and when he spoke up again, her assumptions were confirmed. “Hm! Not only a Porygon-series model, but a Magnezone, Beheeyem... even a Rotom! To think we share so many of the same species... and not only that, but you seem to have completed the Sinnoh gym challenge, too. I must say, Miss Ayanami, you are a very intriguing trainer!”

“Um... t-thank you,” she mumbled, gripping one of Zee’s arms and tugging him a bit closer. “If you don’t mind, erm, Colress, I would... like to focus on the battle for the time being.”

“Ah, right, of course... my apologies for taking up so much of your time.” Storing his tablet away in a particularly large coat pocket, Colress glanced down at the battlefield again, with Rei doing so as well; Elesa’s Eelektross seemed as fresh as it was upon being sent out, with Asuka’s Darmanitan clearly struggling against it. “Like I said... that Eelektross is a frightening foe. For your sake, I hope Miss Soryu figures out a way to handle it.”

“...So do I.”

“Mm, I have a feeling she has it in her. Anyway! I’ll leave you alone now; nice meeting you, Miss Ayanami.” With a small bow, Colress began to walk away, passing by all of the other occupants of the skybox as he went straight for the door.

As interesting as he seemed, Rei would’ve been lying if she said she wasn’t relieved he was gone.

Now alone with Zee once more, she could continue watching the battle - though, at this point, she was starting to debate if it was worth it. What had been a 5-3 lead for Asuka not very long ago had spiraled into a 3-3 tie once Elesa sent out her Eelektross, and from the looks of things, Darmanitan wouldn’t last much longer.

Rei knew how much this battle meant to Asuka. She didn’t want to see it slip away from her in such heart-rending fashion.

---

“Come on, Darmanitan, take this thing out already! Flammenblitz!"

The scarlet simian smashed his fists against the battlefield as a veil of flames overtook his body, and promptly charged ahead with reckless abandon. His target, however, remained a step ahead; just as Darmanitan braced for impact, Elesa’s Eelektross maneuvered out of the Flare Blitz’s line of fire and sent the Fire-type careening forward into a whole lot of nothing.

The Fire-type struggled to pull himself up, and by the time he did, Eelektross was more than prepared. Any hope Darmanitan had of pulling off another Flare Blitz was snuffed out when the electric eel coiled itself around him, squeezing tight and beginning to charge up another finishing blow.

“Let’s go, you can fight out of this!” Asuka barked out, not entirely believing what she was saying. She’d just had a two-Pokemon advantage a few minutes ago, hadn't she? How the hell did that fizzle out so fast? How was she this unprepared for her mentor’s heavy hitters?

Doing his best to escape the corner he’d been backed into, Darmanitan managed to wrestle one arm free from Eelektross’ crushing bind, raising it high with the intention of freeing himself with a brutal Hammer Arm - but it was too late. Before he could bring his fist down, Eelektross let loose with a violent discharge of electricity; with Darmanitan trapped right in the middle, he stood no chance.

As the crowd roared once more, the announcer took to the mic, as if the result weren’t already clear. “And with that devastating Discharge, Darmanitan is down! With just 4:56 left, Elesa has clawed her way back to take a 3-2 lead!”

“...You did what you could,” Asuka muttered as she returned Darmanitan to his ball. She hated this. She could feel her victory slipping further and further away with each passing elimination - to the one opponent she knew inside and out - and she couldn’t take it anymore. Now, staring down a relentless threat with no weaknesses whatsoever to exploit, she only had two more of her Pokemon to fall back on.

The first, her Magmortar, was the safe choice, but Asuka wasn’t sure if he’d be able to stand up to the blinding speed of Elesa’s Zebstrika - which she knew her mentor had waiting in the wings. Besides, he’d have to get through Eelektross first, and asking him to get out of that matchup relatively unscathed was a tall order.

Alternatively, she could go for broke with Blaziken.

The pressure of the situation was really starting to weigh down on Asuka, and she could only imagine how bad the added stress from Mega Evolution would exacerbate it. At this point, though, it seemed like her best bet. After all, Blaziken hit like a truck in his Mega form, and Speed Boost would help him keep pace with Zebstrika. She just had to make sure he - and, by extension, she - took as few attacks as possible.

Plus, Rei was up there watching her, wasn’t she? Asuka couldn’t stomach the thought of letting her down after coming all this way.

And so, with less than five minutes to work with, Asuka grabbed her ace’s ball and hurled it forward. "Jetzt oder nie, Blaziken!”

In a flash of red energy, Blaziken took the battlefield, cracking his neck as he stared down the Eelektross that had bowled over half of his teammates. The electric eel didn’t seem too happy about that little gesture - and apparently, neither did Elesa, as Asuka managed to just barely make out her mentor's call for an Aqua Tail.

“Here it comes!” Sure enough, Eelektross came in swinging with their lower half cloaked in rushing water - and Blaziken sprung into action, leaping up into the air just before the vicious attack made contact.

Instead of following up with a counterattack, however, Blaziken simply touched down back onto the battlefield, facing away from his opponent. This time, Eelektross thrust forward, cloaked in sparks - but before their Wild Charge could make contact, he suddenly turned, intercepting it with a lightning-quick spinning heel kick.

As the electric eel was sent tumbling backwards, Blaziken backed away, coming as close to his trainer’s box as he could. Asuka didn’t even need to ask if he was ready; the burning determination in the Fire-type’s eyes spelled things out for her pretty clearly.

Asuka dramatically threw her head back, exposing her choker and the Key Stone within for a moment before grasping at her neck with both hands. From beneath her faux-choking gesture, a brilliant light began to pulse through her fingers, while a similar glow shone through the tuft of feathers covering Blaziken’s chest. The crowd, knowing exactly what this meant, promptly erupted.

Surrounded by a blinding rainbow-colored aura, Blaziken swiftly changed forms before the entire stadium’s eyes. Yellow feathers gave way to black, the crest on his head grew into a horn, and - most strikingly - long streams of flame began flowing from his wrists.

Already, Asuka could feel the impact of the Mega Evolution bond as her heart began racing. That wasn’t where her concern lied, though - to her and Blaziken, everything hinged on taking down Eelektross before the clock hit zero.

“Alright, Swords Dance!” At his trainer’s command, Blaziken began to focus on boosting his attack power to unprecedented levels, aggressively shadow boxing as Elesa’s Eelektross gathered their bearings. The flames sprouting from his wrists flared even brighter as he did - which, again, the eel seemed to take offense to. Asuka, meanwhile, just grinned at the knowledge that Speed Boost had kicked in.

The sound of crackling electricity told her that Elesa’s strategy had shifted, now focusing on long-range offense - and the Thunderbolt that Eelektross unleashed shortly after confirmed it. In response, Asuka simply held out her left arm; with unbelievable quickness, Blaziken immediately rolled to the left as the lightning harmlessly struck the spot he’d just stood in. The two were in perfect sync - their mental link had grown so strong, any orders given out by the redhead from that point on were merely a formality.

Blaziken lunged forward, knowing exactly what his trainer wanted to see - Close Combat. Acting hastily, his adversary fired off a second electric attack that the blazing fowl steamrolled right through before beginning to unload with a series of punches, knees, and elbow strikes.

As he did, though, Asuka suddenly grit her teeth while dropping to one knee. “Scheiße!” While Blaziken might have powered through Eelektross’ desperation attack, she felt a sudden shock surge through her body. Gottverdammt, this is exactly what I was worried about... we’ve gotta make this quick...

Blaziken capped off his flurry of offense with a devastating roundhouse kick to send Eelektross spiraling, then quickly backed away before he could get caught by a counterattack with his guard down. As his wrists flared up again, Asuka’s blood pumped even faster - but she wasn’t going to let up. “Feuerfeger!”

As the Fire-type readied himself to deliver the finishing blow, Eelektross attempted to spoil the party with another electric attack. This one was different. Far from the unsophisticated, yet destructive sparks Asuka had grown accustomed to, this one seemed to take on a proper form. And that form looked eerily similar to a spiderweb.

Again, Blaziken found himself with far too much momentum to stop in time, and let out a pained screech as the Electroweb wrapped him up before filling him with thousands of volts. He wasn’t the only one to make his pain known, either - Asuka echoed her ace’s cry as she dropped to both knees, barely able to move, her heart feeling like it was about to combust.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the referee hesitantly reaching for his red flag - he threw that, and it was over. And she was not going to let it end that way.

“COME ON!” the redhead screamed, watching as Eelektross surged ahead for one last Wild Charge. Blaziken barely responded, still entangled in the Electroweb as his opponent barreled ahead.

Then, at the eleventh hour, a veil of flames cloaked Blaziken's right leg. With one swift motion, the webs trapping him effortlessly tore to shreds - and just as Eelektross ducked their head and braced for impact, they were instead met by Blaziken’s burning talon smashing directly into the side of their skull. The electric eel violently bounced off the ground multiple times as they tumbled towards Elesa, and when they finally came to a stop, it didn’t look like they were about to get up.

The announcer’s voice was music to Asuka’s ears. “With just sixteen seconds left... we are TIED! Get ready, because we’re practically guaranteed to be heading to overtime!”

Of course, that didn’t mean their work was done. There was still one final hurdle to overcome.

Blaziken, down on one knee and trying to gather himself, looked up from the battlefield to find himself staring down a ferocious equine with a mane as jagged as a thunderbolt - Elesa’s Zebstrika. And she was barreling straight towards him, thunderclap-esque hoofbeats accompanying each gallop.

Just as with Eelektross, though, Blaziken suddenly sprung up at the last moment - seemingly out of sheer willpower - and delivered a desperate thrust kick to Zebstrika’s chin. As the crowd swelled once more, a buzzer rang out throughout the stadium - the 30 minute time limit was up.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve reached the end of regulation, and we have a 2-2 tie!” proclaimed the announcer as both Pokemon slowly rose to their feet. “Therefore, this match will be decided by sudden death overtime! There will be no switches, and whoever scores the first knockout will be the winner!”

Everything had been building to this. When Asuka had first emerged from the tunnel for her opening matchup, the idea that she’d even make the finals seemed laughable, let alone being in a position to actually win. The Mega Evolution bond was taking its toll on her, and both her and Blaziken were exhausted, but they were so close. They were so close to the sweetest victory they’d ever tasted.

They had to win. For Rei. And especially for Mom.

Zebstrika would be the first to recover, and immediately came charging at Blaziken again - this time cloaked in flames. The zebra was already blindingly fast, but after Blaziken had accrued so many Speed Boosts, Flame Charge was the only way she could even hope to match his pace.

“Take it!” Asuka snarled; the small amount of damage they’d take was worth it to get up close with Zebstrika. As such, both she and Blaziken braced themselves as Elesa’s ace tackled the fowl to the ground - and almost immediately, he drove an elbow into Zebstrika’s head, then rolled over to apply a punishing crossface hold.

The Electric-type whinnied defiantly as she tried to charge up an attack that’d break the hold, but each time Blaziken heard sparks, he wrenched the neck back even more aggressively. Even as Zebstrika thrashed around, he still managed to keep the hold cinched in - until, for what would be the final time, the flames from his wrists flared even brighter. Right in Zebstrika’s face.

Once Blaziken released the hold, his opponent blindly galloped around, smoke and soot filling her eyes, leaving her completely vulnerable to one final strike. He already knew what his trainer wanted to see, and Asuka was more than ready to put this battle in the books. Finish this, Blaziken.

The fowl marched up to Zebstrika, and despite the sheer exhaustion weighing him down, managed to effortlessly hoist the zebra up onto his shoulders. Once Asuka gave him the signal, he wildly hurled Zebstrika several feet into the air with a picturesque Seismic Toss. When she came hurtling back down...

“HIGH JUMP KICK!”

Blaziken leapt into the sky himself, thrusting his knee forward and driving it straight into Zebstrika’s chest. Swinging his shin sent her flying towards Elesa, doing several backflips before ultimately crash-landing right in front of her trainer’s box.

The outcome wasn’t really in doubt; when Blaziken landed, instead of keeping his focus on Zebstrika, he instead turned towards the referee - who, to a positively thunderous ovation from the crowd, hurled his red flag towards Elesa’s side of the field to make it official.

“Ladies and gentlemen, your winner by a 2-1 overtime decision, and the champion of the 29th annual Monotype Shootout... Asuka! Langley! SOOORYUUU!”

She’d done it. She may have had to endure a gut-wrenching collapse in the process, and she felt like she was about to die, but who cared? Not her.

Asuka Langley Soryu had just won her first major tournament.

She stepped out onto the singed battlefield, making her way towards Blaziken, and fell right into his arms as the Mega Evolution bond petered out. “B-Blaziken, I... Scheiße... I’m so goddamn proud of you...” she muttered, only standing thanks to the Fire-type’s embrace.

Eventually, Asuka worked up the strength to pull away from Blaziken and return him to his ball for a well-earned rest - just in time for the announcer to approach her. In his hands was the prize: a gorgeous championship belt, adorned with the symbols that represented each of the eighteen types all orbiting around a map of Unova.

Taking it without hesitation, the redhead hoisted her prize high in the air, soundtracked by the fervent support of the tens of thousands in the stands. Hundreds of cameras flashed all at once, but she didn’t pay any attention to them. Instead, Asuka focused on one skybox in particular, one way up above everything else.

There, just barely, she could make out Rei, eagerly applauding with an even bigger smile than the one she’d given her before.

It was the happiest she’d ever seen her. And in that moment, Asuka was the happiest she’d ever been.

 

[System Error]

Man I never liked the Eva girls. They're Misty levels of nostalgic not as great as people think waifus. One's a witch and one's okayish but inspired way too many ripoffs. What I'm saying is, I'm on Team Kaworu (or better yet team SRW), and laughed (and sadfaced a bit) when Shinji ended up with Mari in rebuild, thereby blowing out all of the Rei and Asuka fans. But my ramblings aside, I'm reviewing a ton of stuff today, so I may as well see what you got here, old friend.

- I guess she got to get out of Tokyo-3 at least
- Already has a team in mind, I see. And I am a fan of thematic teams
- How separable they are? I think you mean inseparable
- Well we have a timeline, mid B2W2
- Rei is certainly a better girl than Asuka! Precious in some ways
- Er, why are they having a German girl who lives in Japan do tour guiding in America?
- Huh, I was not expecting Asuka to be Lusamine's kid, maybe. I'd like to see her and Gladion in an edge-off contest
- Oh, Kyoko. Well, it was worth a brief thought, funny to think about in any case. I guess even in other words, they can't escape eldritch horrors
- Soryu, huh?
- This scene jumps in and out a lot. It's kind of the problem with limited third person, and might have been a better way to go about it, unless the point was to do so while making fun of limited third person
- Hmhmhm. A quite good question Rei raises at being sent so early. Given that this is still Eva however, it can't mean anything good.

A solid intro. That one scene with them meeting and the perspective flipping constantly was a bit much, that said. Probably could've either gone full omniscient third person or had separate scenes. Good luck with the writing, and keep it up!

 

[Jersey Jimmy]

Chapter 6: Somewhere in the Between
​

“...So then Blaziken hurled Zebstrika up into the air, we gave her a High Jump Kick on the way back down, and... that was enough! So not only did we actually win the whole thing, we dug ourselves outta that hole to do it! Not bad, nicht?”

Asuka maintained her triumphant grin for a few more seconds, but the crushing silence she’d been met by soon dashed it. She’d told her just about everything that was worth telling - Rei’s arrival, the Monotype Shootout, everything. And yet, through it all, Asuka couldn’t get a single halfway-legible mumble out of her mother.

It had been over two months by now. Two months since she’d gotten that phone call from Dad. She didn’t remember exactly what he’d told her, but the short version was that there’d been some sort of incident at the Dimensional Research Institute - a wormhole had opened up out of nowhere, and either Mom fell into it or something else came flying out. Ultimately, the exact details were a frivolous footnote; Asuka would be facing the same end product either way.

Just the sight of her mother like this - staring blankly ahead, the television illuminating her glazed-over, discolored eyes from across the guest room - made Asuka want to puke.

“...I really miss you, Mom, y’know that?” The redhead sighed, her own eyes wandering towards the TV - seemed like Dad had left it on cable news. Wouldn’t have been her first choice, but whatever. “And, like... gottverdammt, it sounds so weird to say that. I mean, you’re right there... but...”

Shaking her head, Asuka gently took a seat on her mother’s bedside. “I-it’s like... they saved your body, but... you're... still on the other side.”

Again, no response came. She kind of felt like an idiot for holding out hope for one.

Asuka looked towards her mother again, this time making note of her disheveled strawberry blonde hair. “I-I guess I’m lucky Rei’s here, then,” she continued; after all, there was nothing else she could really do except keep talking and hope Mom could hear. “‘Cause you remember how I told you Dad completely forgot about the Shootout and went off to Saxony for some business thing? Well, even after I told him I won it, all he said was just... ‘good for you.’ Couldn’t even bring himself to say he was proud of me... Arschloch.”

She felt her face growing hot, her hands instinctively balling up into fists. Asuka desperately felt the need to punch something growing inside of her, and she was trying as much as she possibly could to suppress that urge. Last thing she needed right now was to make enough of a ruckus that Rei came barging in to find her in tears and sitting beside her husk of a mother.

Come to think of it... I should probably lock the door.

As she got back up and made her way towards said door, her mind continued to dwell on her father’s... how the hell would she even describe it? Indifference? No, sounded too passive. It was almost like he was aggressively trying to avoid taking interest in her life. Sure, he was home now, but was he? Either he was holed up in his office or out on the town doing god knows what. Probably out drinking with his work buddies, talking about what foreign conflict they could make the most profit off of. To think that she - his own daughter - would lose out to those ghouls...

Asuka locked the door to the guest room, fighting back the urge to scream. The fact that Dad didn’t seem to give a single shit about her only made her miss Mom even more.

“...Forget it. It's just gonna piss me off the more I think about it.” Heaving a dejected sigh, the redhead returned to her mother’s side; while she was still motionless as ever, the atmosphere seemed ever-so-slightly heavier. “‘Sides, uh... Rei and I are going out to see a movie in a little while, so I don’t wanna go into that in a bad mood, y’know? Plus, she seems... really interested in this one.”

...Shit, right. Rei. “Oh... yeah, I... still haven’t told her about you, have I?”

As far as Rei was concerned, Mom had gotten a divorce and moved back to Saxony. As far as Asuka was concerned, she was a filthy liar who'd misled someone she now considered a friend for weeks. At this point, she was just kind of holding out hope that Rei would be understanding whenever the time came to come clean. Considering everything she’d told Asuka about her past during the trip to Striaton, it hopefully wouldn't be an issue.

It still stunned Asuka, how open she'd been with her. It outright baffled her to think she'd somehow earned enough of Rei's trust to be worthy of such knowledge. If only she could say she shared the same courage.

“...Eh. I guess we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it." If kicking the can down the road were an Olympic sport, Asuka's trophy case would put entire nations to shame. "Anyway, I... guess I should be gettin’ ready to head out now.” She turned to look into her mother’s eyes - and despite how much Asuka hated seeing her so empty, managed to force a smile onto her lips. “Ich liebe dich, Mama... a-and, again... I miss you.”

With nothing else left to do she hadn't already tried, Asuka gently hugged her unmoving mother and turned to leave. She thought she might've heard blankets rustling, but shrugged it off. Probably just her mind playing tricks on her.

---

“So... yeah, that’s pretty much my thoughts on it!”

A robot with a heart. The look in its eyes, so very human... far more than what can be said for my own eyes.

“...Sooo... what did you, uh...”

A robot whose existence is nothing but suffering, surrounded by those who don’t want it around. A robot that, no matter how it may feel, must be killed.

“...Wonder Girl? I-I’m tryin’ to ask you a question here...”

“...Eh?”

“You look like you’re choking on somethin’.”

Asuka’s concern made sense; after all, ever since they’d left the theater, Rei had been staring down at her feet. While seeing Everlasting Memories had admittedly been her own idea, never did she think she’d come out of the film relating to its robot protagonist so strongly.

“...Do I... seem that bothered by it?” After giving her head a quick shake, Rei looked up towards Asuka. “The film... i-it was very good, don’t get me wrong... strong cinematography, I-I was very impressed by the actress who played Rosa... but...”

She hesitated for a moment; it seemed so stupid. Exactly the kind of thing Asuka would laugh at her for. Yet, if it really was that stupid, it wouldn't eat at her this much.

“T-the... the robot, F-00... they reminded me a lot of myself.”

Asuka tilted her head, bright auburn twintails falling to the side as she did. “Yourself?” she echoed. “Why’s that? I mean... I don’t really see the connection, if it means anythin’.”

“...Thank you. But...” Rei took a deep breath that barely calmed her nerves. “...I... have this feeling that I am... unable to relate to anyone. Whether because of my mannerisms, or the way I speak, or just... my general standoffishness. And when I am around people, it... feels like they treat me as an... ‘other,’ I suppose. Like an alien... or... or a robot.”

“Huh... then I guess hangin’ around in a foreign country hasn’t helped all that much, ah?”

“Not at all... in fact, it’s made things significantly worse. The people here are a lot more, um... animated... than back home. A-and, to be honest, it somewhat makes me dread what school life will be like... how the other students will treat me...”

Suddenly, Asuka thrust her arm outward, holding it in front of Rei; coming to an abrupt stop, she found herself mere inches from the rear end of Asuka’s car. Apparently she’d been so lost in thought that she hadn’t noticed they’d made it back to their parking spot. “...M-my apologies.”

“Keine Sorgen. Just don’t want you hurtin’ yourself.” Once Asuka unlocked the car, both her and Rei climbed inside; the redhead started the engine, but made no move to put it in gear. “Y’know, Rei, I... I get where you’re comin’ from. I know it might not really look it, but I feel pretty alienated a lot of the time, too... hell, I’d go as far to say it feels like nobody actually likes me.”

Rei didn't possess an encyclopedic knowledge of Asuka's life, admittedly, but she couldn’t even begin to fathom where she'd gotten that idea. “But... you clearly have plenty of fans. Surely lots of people like you.”

“Yeah, but have most of those people ever met me’s the question.” Asuka threw her head back, gloomily gazing up at her car's headliner. “Sure, they like the Asuka on TV, but... I get the feelin’ none of them would wanna spend five minutes with me when I’m outta the spotlight. Like, hell, even most of my ‘friends’ at school I’d say just associate with me out of convenience, so... I know it ain’t exactly the same, but... I really do understand how you feel.”

“...T-thank you, Asuka. It’s... it’s nice that you’re willing to share such a thing with me.”

A smile returned to the redhead’s cherry lips. “Eh, it’s no problem... ‘sides, you’ve got at least one person around here you can relate to. That’s more than a lotta people can say.”

Rei felt herself cracking a smile in return, and it wasn’t only thanks to the redhead's reassuring words; it seemed that Asuka had been more and more willing to open up to her in general over these past couple of weeks. Asuka... trusted her, it seemed. A far cry from the dynamic between them when she’d first arrived.

“Anyway,” Asuka continued after what Rei could’ve sworn was a wink towards her, “I was thinking we could go get somethin’ for lunch? Maybe that place on 6th you said you passed by...”

The urge to pull down the sun visor and make absolutely sure she wasn't blushing briefly crossed Rei's mind. “S-sure... that... that sounds good.”

“Alright, fantastisch!” With that, Asuka shifted into first gear and began pulling out of the theater parking lot, setting her navigation system to 6th Avenue. “Oh, right, I’ve been meaning to ask... how’s the hunt for info on that weird Pokemon you were lookin’ into? It’s some kinda cyborg, right?”

The mere mention of said Pokemon prompted Rei to immediately grab her phone, pulling up all of the notes she’d gathered about it - there were a lot more bullet points in there than when she’d first arrived. “Funny you bring that up... just yesterday, I finally discovered a proper name for it. ‘Genesect.’”

“Huh... yeah, can’t say I’ve heard that name anywhere before. Who tipped you off to that?”

“Do you remember Colress from the tournament? The man Elesa defeated in the semifinals.”

“Ohhh, yeah, him... wait, that guy?! Where the hell’d he find that out?!”

“I’m not sure, but... I must admit, he has been very helpful.” Even if she was a bit wary about keeping contact with him. At the very least, he seemed far more bearable through text than in person. “We met during your match against Elesa, and he found me in a chatroom a couple days after... he possesses a surprising amount of information about Genesect. Its biology, the moves it is capable of using... it turns out that whoever created it even developed a special attack for it.”

Asuka raised an eyebrow. “Wait... what do you mean, ‘whoever created it?’ Isn’t it pretty obvious that Plasma were behind the thing?”

“See, that is what most people aware of its existence believe, but... there isn’t actually any documentation proving it. At least, none that’s been discovered... it’s just a very widespread theory. I must admit, even I believed it at first.”

Of course, that meant if it wasn’t Plasma, there were several other possibilities. Genesect could have very well been the work of an individual team of rogue scientists, or even just one. After all, science had achieved stranger things before. In Rei’s mind, though, there were really only two theories that held any water.

“Don’t get me wrong, it could very well still be the work of Plasma,” she continued, “but the only other thing I could think of that makes sense... Genesect might be a Unovan military project gone awry.”

“A military project?” Asuka scoffed; at first, she seemed to take the possibility as little more than a joke. “Please, you think the Unovan military’s competent enough to come up with something like that? Apparently those idiots can’t even build their stupid trillion-dollar fighter jets right... but hell, I guess it’s a possibility. Might as well ask Dad about it, see if he knows anything.”

“I did, actually.”

A positively bewildered expression promptly crossed the redhead’s face, as if she’d just seen one of her team members go down to a super-effective Ice Beam. “W-wait, you... huh? That dummkopf actually let you get a word in before he ran off again?” She paused, turning her eyes back towards the road. “Well... what’d he say?”

“He... did not know anything, unfortunately. At least, nothing he could tell me... I get the feeling he knows more than he lets on. At least he was polite about it, I suppose.”

On the note of Asuka's father, Rei swung her messenger bag around, rummaging through it for a moment before retrieving a few papers stapled together. She continued, “While we were talking, though, he... told me he’d arranged a trip for me with my counselor. I’ll be visiting Chargestone Caverns next week, and... Mistralton’s gym leader will be my guide.”

“Hey hey hey, where’d this come from?!” Fortunately, Asuka’s irritation didn’t seem to be directed towards Rei; still, a twitching eyebrow made her wary. “So what, he’ll set up this whole thing for you, but he can’t even remember my tournament schedule? The hell’s that about?”

Rei really had no desire to prod Asuka on exactly why that might've been the case, but she raised a valid question - one she'd fortunately already arrived at an answer for. “I forget whether or not I’ve told you this, but my father... also works in the defense industry. If I had to guess what’s going on... it’s not so much that he cares about me, but moreso that he... wishes to get on my father’s good side. That... would also explain why he got me those musical tickets.”

“...So this all comes back to his fucking career, doesn’t it?”

“Seems so.”

“Mein Gott, what a self-serving, heartless prick.”

A heavy silence lingered throughout the car for what felt like much longer than the few seconds it actually lasted. A sigh from Asuka ultimately put an end to it, followed by a declaration. “Well, if you’re headin’ out there, I’m going with you. You and I are pretty much a package deal at this point, anyway.”

“...R-right.” That was certainly one way to put it. “But... do you think the Mistralton leader would be bothered by it? I know you are Elesa’s protege, but...”

A sudden burst of laughter cut Rei off. “Ha! Do you even know who Mistralton’s leader is?! It’s Skyla Palomo... her and Elesa are super close, she’d have no problem with me showin’ up. Hey, maybe I’ll even get Elesa to come along.”

“...Your father wouldn’t mind, either?”

“Eh, I think it’s less that he wouldn’t mind and more that he wouldn’t care. Either way, he probably won’t notice.”

With a gentle smile, Rei nodded. “Then in that case... I’d be glad if you and Elesa came with me.” To think that just a couple of weeks ago, Asuka wanted nothing to do with her... now, like she said, they were practically inseparable.

“I’ll let Skyla know to make room, then,” Asuka returned. “Oh yeah, and that I’m gonna be joining you guys too.” Somehow, that managed to get a stifled giggle out of Rei.

Rei turned to look out the window, and only then did it hit her that they’d reached 6th Avenue. The difference between the atmosphere a few weeks ago and now was quite literally night and day; the street seemed significantly livelier, locals and tourists alike happily going about their business in the many shops and restaurants.

Sure enough, right in front of one of those restaurants is where Asuka would nab a spot for her car; Rei would’ve been lying if she said her near-perfect parallel parking job didn’t impress her. “This is the place you were talkin’ about, right?”

“Mhm, this is the one.”

“Alright, awesome.”

Asuka twisted her key to shut off the engine, but didn’t immediately move to open the door; sensing she had something to say, Rei held off on getting out as well. “Hey, before we go in there, I just... I wanna tell you how happy I am that you’re around. Like, I’ve beaten the issues with Dad into the ground by now, but with that on top of Mom bein’ outta the picture... it’s nice to just... have someone there, y’know?”

Rei felt her heartbeat quickening in response to the kind words, but did her best to remain composed. “...I can say the same for you. I understand you were hesitant about my arrival at first, but... it’s good that things are working out. Like you said, I... really appreciate having someone I can relate to here.”

“Hey, don’t mention it. Anyway, enough sappy friendship stuff; let’s go get somethin’ to eat, alright?”

With that, Asuka got out of the car and headed into the restaurant; Rei followed close behind, maintaining her blissful smile as she watched the redhead. She really was grateful that her and Asuka had become so close in such a relatively short time... and she had to admit, she was quite admirable to look at, too. The way she walked, her shoulders back and head held high... her bright auburn hair, shining in the summer sun...

...And it was then, as her thoughts filled with flowery descriptions of Asuka’s beauty, that it finally hit her.

Is... is this what falling for someone feels like...?

 

[Jersey Jimmy]

Chapter 7: How's the Weather Down There?​

As Asuka’s car began to come up on the Mistralton city limits and the skyline came into view, Rei heaved a sigh of relief. Not that the ride had been a bad experience; far from it, in fact, considering she had the redhead to talk to. It was just that for the past six hours, it had felt like they were traveling deeper and deeper into the middle of absolutely nowhere.

Her initial impression of Unova was all wrong, it seemed. For years, all she’d seen about the region from the outside looking in had given her the impression of a massive, sprawling megalopolis, almost like Kanto on an even grander scale. The trip from Nimbasa to Mistralton, though, through hundreds of miles of seemingly-deserted farmland and mountainous wilderness, shattered that illusion pretty quickly. They were here now, though, and that was ultimately all that mattered in the end.

Rei pried her eyes away from the sights of the city’s outskirts and focused her gaze on Asuka. The air conditioning on her side was at full blast, her flame-colored hair flickering in response, and it only made her dwell once again on her newly-developed feelings for her. She had no intention of bringing it up to Asuka any time soon, but the thought of exactly how she’d feel if she did had been eating at Rei ever since first coming to the revelation.

Is she... even interested in other girls? was the first thought that came to her mind. She couldn’t recall anything confirming or denying it, but admittedly, the odds weren’t in her favor. Worse still, there was also the possibility that Asuka - or her father, for that matter - was flat-out against the idea. The redhead didn’t give any indication that she was that type of person, but...

“...Asuka? May I ask you a question?”

“Hm?” It took Asuka a second to register Rei’s request, almost as if she’d forgotten she was there - a likely possibility considering how quiet things had been for a bit. “Yeah, what’s up? If it’s about the trip, we’re almost there, her gym’s right by the airport.”

“That... thank you, but that’s not it. I was wondering if...” How would I word this in a... tasteful manner? “...if you think a relationship between two women is... okay.”

Asuka stayed silent for a moment, making quite a lot of faces. Mostly ones suggesting that Rei's question completely dumbfounded her. It took a bit for her to open her mouth, but when she did, she did so with a burst of laughter. "Where the hell'd that one come from, Wonder Girl?! I mean... of course I think it's okay. Why do you think I brought Elesa along?"

"R-right... you raise a valid point.” It did seem a bit silly to ask, but she was still thankful to hear it. Her eyes wandered towards the car’s side mirror, catching a glimpse of the gym leader’s SUV following them along the interstate. “So, then, are Elesa and Skyla...?"

“An item? Absolutely. Well... okay, not officially.”

“...Pardon?”

“Lemme put it this way... so Elesa and Skyla are both gym leaders, nicht? The tabloids are already gonna have a field day with two League members being together, but then you throw Elesa being a pop star and supermodel on top of that? I mean, you did see the hordes of paparazzi at the Shootout, right?”

“I think I understand where this is leading.”

“Exactly. So since the media would rip them to shreds if it ever came out they were actually a couple, they’ve gotta hide it. It’s like pro wrestlers back in the day, y’know? As far as the public’s concerned, they’re just ‘best friends.’”

“...I see... I can only imagine how difficult that would be.”

Rei never liked imagining what it must’ve been like to live in the public eye, and being around Asuka and Elesa only seemed to confirm her fears one by one. Yet, at the same time, seeing how they dealt with the pressure made her respect for them grow even more - especially in Asuka’s case.



...Why would she ask a question like that?

Asuka wasn’t upset with Rei, she was just kind of surprised. She didn’t think she’d give people that kind of impression about her. From the perspective of a foreigner asking a Unovan, though, she kinda understood.

“Hey, Rei... seriously, you don’t gotta worry about that,” she reassured. “Yeah, there’s some people ‘round here who’ve got issues with it, but... trust me, I’m not one of ‘em.”

Rei nodded, a relieved expression adorning her face. “That’s... that’s good. Thank you, Asuka.”

“Of course.” Still, she couldn’t help but wonder exactly what prompted that question. It wasn’t like the topic had really been brought up before, so if it wasn’t about Elesa and Skyla...

...Huh! Didn’t know Wonder Girl swung that way.

It wasn’t much longer before they pulled off the interstate, with Elesa following right behind Asuka’s car as they made their way towards Mistralton International Airport. Instead of turning into the terminal parking lot, however, she’d continue on down the road until another large building came into view at the western end of the airfield.

The Mistralton Gym, unsurprisingly, bore a striking resemblance to a typical aircraft hangar; in fact, if not for the large Pokemon League logo on the building’s facade, it would’ve been tough to distinguish from the rest of the airport’s facilities. A more notable difference, however, became clear as they pulled around to the rear of the building. That would be Skyla’s house, attached directly to the gym.

“...Is... such a living arrangement normal for gym leaders in Unova?” Rei questioned, a puzzled tone clearly present in her voice. “Because if not, I... cannot imagine why Skyla would want to live on an airfield. She must have a very hard time falling asleep.”

“Yeah, if it was any other person. Skyla, though, the sound of a jet engine’s probably her idea of a lullaby. I... really don’t get her sometimes.” To say she wasn’t exactly thrilled about spending two nights here was an understatement; Asuka made a mental note to pick up some earplugs when they went out for dinner later.



Once Asuka had pulled into Skyla’s driveway and shut off the car, Rei didn’t hesitate for a second before climbing out and stretching. As impressive as the crimson Audi was, it really wasn’t the best for long-distance trips.

As it turned out, she wasn’t the only one to think that; Elesa soon emerged from her Navigator, walking up to Asuka with her arms folded. It was a bit surreal seeing her dressed so casually, sporting a yellow tube top and jeans that had most likely come ripped from the factory. “You’re really dead-set on keeping that little sports car, aren’t you? I seriously think you’d be better off with something roomier.”

The redhead frowned. “Already told you a thousand times, no chance in hell I’m drivin’ an SUV.”

“W-well, I wasn’t saying you had to! Just, y’know, maybe if you had a nice luxury sedan--”

“Elesa, I know you’ve got that whole endorsement deal, but you’re not gonna sweet-talk me into buyin’ a Lincoln. I mean, what am I, sixty?”

With those two busy bickering, Rei made her way up to the front porch and rang the doorbell. Sure enough, the door swung open a few seconds later, and she found herself standing face-to-face with Mistralton’s gym leader - at least, who she assumed was the gym leader. “H-hello, um... are you Skyla Palomo?”

“O-oh! You’re Rei, aren’t ya? Yep, that’s me, welcome!”

“...Why are you wearing pajamas?”

“Ahaha... funny you mention that. I actually, uh... just woke up.”

“It is 2:30 in the afternoon.”

“Well, I don’t have any challengers comin’ in for a few days, s-so I figured sleepin’ in wouldn’t be a problem-- hey wait hold on Elesa came with you?! Elesaaa~!”

Skyla practically sprinted right past Rei, heading straight towards Elesa - and as if it weren’t already obvious enough, the two gym leaders immediately locked lips once they met, putting to rest any doubt regarding whether they were a couple.

“It’s nice seeing you too, hon,” Elesa returned with a giggle upon breaking the kiss. “Been in bed all day, huh?”

“Well, uh, yeah... but hey, I knew Rei’s stayin’ with Asuka here, so I kiiinda had a hunch you’d be coming, too. Let’s just say I was waiting for you, how ‘bout that~?”

Asuka, who’d been busy grabbing her and Rei’s bags out of the car, let out a very unsubtle groan as she walked past the two lovebirds. “Mein Gott, could you two be any more embarrassing? I get you gotta keep it a secret, but can’t you save it ‘til your guests aren’t around?” Indeed, as the redhead came over to hand Rei her luggage, the shade of her face made it clear just how much she must’ve been cringing inside.

“I-it’s alright, I don’t mind it,” Rei replied. “In fact, I think it is... kind of cute.”

“You haven’t been havin’ to deal with ‘em for years, so that checks out.” Asuka waved towards Skyla as she turned back to her. “Hey, Skyla, where do you want us to put our stuff?”

“Oh, bring it upstairs to the guest room, okay? There’s a bathroom across the hall from it, so you two can use that one.”

It seemed straightforward enough, but for some reason, Rei found herself a bit taken aback by the mention of “the guest room.” Guest room... singular? Was there only one? And... were her and Asuka...

She glanced over towards Asuka, who was less than thrilled by this development. “Don’t you have a... uh... Vergiss es, we’ll talk about it later.” Shaking her head, the redhead slung her duffel bag over her shoulder and turned to head inside. “C’mon, Rei, let’s go.”

Either Asuka already knew what the arrangements were like or she’d drawn the same conclusion as her. Either way, there was nothing Rei could do except follow her upstairs and see for herself.



One bed. Of course.

Of course the only guest room in Skyla’s house had only one bed. Of fucking course she sent her and Rei up here knowing full well that was the case. “That dumbass hopeless romantic... ugh, okay, I guess she won, but she’s still a hopeless dumbass. Gottverdammt...”

Unceremoniously tossing her luggage onto the floor, Asuka turned to the blue-haired girl - who, as expected, was practically glowing red. “Hey, you’re with me on this, right? There’s no way we’re sharin’ this bed.”

She was really hoping Rei would back her up on this, but instead of agreeing with her, she just kind of stood there. Staring at the bed. As Asuka watched her ruby-red eyes focus on her for a second before immediately darting away, the silence began to grow really uncomfortable. “What? Somethin’ wrong?”

“...Erm... perhaps it wouldn’t be... the end of the world...”

Now starting to feel her own face burn up, Asuka dropped her head into her hands in exasperation - she was seriously okay with this?! “Good lord, Rei, really?! There’s other options, y’know!”

“I-I know that, but... this would be the most straightforward... I-I will stay as far away as I can, okay? You can have your side, and--”

“Rei. Sich beruhigen... calm down.” Asuka gently placed a hand on Rei’s shoulder, which did at least a little to calm her down. “Look. You’re my friend, and I care about you a lot. But... this is different. I’m sorry, but sharin’ a bed is... i-it’s just weird, okay?”



Weird. That was the word that cut Rei deepest. Worse still was that she completely understood Asuka’s rationale. Despite that, it felt less like she was calling the idea of sharing a bed weird, and more like Rei was the one being called weird.

“...I see.” She found herself avoiding direct eye contact with Asuka, mostly staring down at her feet. “Well... if that is the case, then... I have no issues with sleeping on the floor.” It seemed inconsiderate to be requesting the bed if only one of them were going to get it.

To her surprise, though, Asuka responded with a shake of her head. “N-no, it’s fine, you don’t gotta...” The redhead paused, pinching the bridge of her nose. “...I mean, the entire reason we’re here’s because of you, right? If anything, you deserve the bed more than I do. I’ll sleep on the couch downstairs tonight, alright?”

A generous offer, to be sure. “...Alright. T-thank you... Asuka.”

“Eh, keine Sorgen. Not like I haven’t crashed on a gym leader’s couch before.”

At the very least, Rei hoped, they could spend some time together for the few hours they had before dinner. Unfortunately, it didn’t seem like Asuka had the same idea. “Well, uh... I’m gonna go down and hang out with Elesa for now,” she announced, turning to leave the guest room. “I’ll call for ya when it’s time to head out.”

And just like that, she was gone.

...Did... I scare her off...?

Rei took a seat at the foot of the bed, and it wasn’t much longer until she allowed herself to fall backwards onto it, gaze fixating on the whirling ceiling fan up above. Maybe she really was weird. Too weird for Asuka, at least. It hurt to think about.

The familiar sound of one of the Poke Balls in her messenger bag cracking open resonated throughout the room. Unsurprisingly, it was Zee who materialized at her side. “Hello, Zee,” she dully greeted the digital duck, who quacked back a few concerned beeps. When she responded with silence, he lowered his head - not unlike how he would as a Porygon2 - to gently peck her forehead. Closest he could come to a kiss, she'd always assumed. “I appreciate it... thank you.”

“Hey, everythin’ alright in here?”

Rei jumped a bit at the still-unfamiliar voice, but relaxed once she saw Skyla enter the room. It was a little hard to tell, given she was looking at her upside-down and all, but the gym leader seemed to share Zee’s concern. “I’m... guessin’ that’s a no.”

“Correct.”

“Well, what’s goin’ on, then?” Skyla took a seat on the bed right beside Rei, which prompted her to pull herself up; she also gave Zee a friendly wave, and he eagerly answered back in kind. “Anything you’re worried about with the whole Chargestone thing? Like, yeah, I get maybe havin’ a Flying-type specialist show you around a cavern crawling with Electric-types miiight not be ideal, but--”

“Skyla, am I weird?”

Skyla tilted her head. “Wh- huh? I-I mean... I can’t really say for sure, ‘cause we just met, but... no, you don’t seem that weird to me. Just... quiet.”

“Mm... well, when Asuka and I came up here and found out there’s only one bed, I... suggested we could share it... and she said it’d be ‘weird.’ And... now it feels like she doesn’t want to be around me right now.”

“Huh, I see... u-uh, yeah, sorry about the one bed thing, first of all. Aside from that, though... you’re not weird because of that, Rei. Asuka’s just got... boundaries, y’know? You’ve just gotta find out what they are and respect ‘em once you do.”

...Right. Boundaries. “That makes sense... I suppose I’d be rather taken aback if someone asked me the same thing.” Besides, if there was anyone who really needed some space, it was Asuka.

“I’m sure she’ll understand if you talk things out with her,” Skyla added with a cordial grin. “Whenever you can, just pull her aside and have a quick chat about it, alright? It’ll work out.”

Rei felt herself crack a slight smile in return. “I will... thank you, miss Skyla.”

“Don’t mention it! Hey, by the way, while it’s just you and me... why don’t you tell me about your team? Your Porygon-Z seems like quite the character.”

Zee was rather excited to be acknowledged again if the backflip he performed was any indication, and Rei was never the type to pass up introducing him to someone, so Skyla’s idea sounded like a great way to pass the time. “I’d be glad to... Zee was my first Pokemon, I received him as a birthday present when I turned eight. Of course, he was just a base model Porygon back then...”

As she recounted the tale of how her and Zee grew together, though, Rei’s mind was looking ahead to tomorrow. After all, she’d heard of several Pokemon populating Chargestone Caverns that piqued her interest, and... perhaps if she managed to get some time alone with Asuka...

---

On the trip to Chargestone, Elesa had been going on and on quite enthusiastically about the “special magnetic field” inside the caverns. Rei recalled hearing similar things about Mt. Coronet back home - it had been where her Magneton evolved into a Magnezone - but based on what the gym leader had told her, she was expecting Chargestone to be a true natural wonder.

Sure enough, the caverns were unlike anything she’d ever seen, bathed in a brilliant cobalt glow thanks to the massive magnetic boulders and levitating stone fragments all around them. Native Unovan species such as Tynamo and Joltik skittered around, and Rei even spotted a group of Nosepass huddled around one of the larger boulders.

“This cave is... nothing short of beautiful,” she mused out loud, turning to Asuka. “Don’t you think so?”

Asuka, however, didn’t seem too pleased - which probably had something to do with how her hair was very visibly standing on end. “For you, maybe.”

“Well, there is a reason I prefer to keep my hair short,” Elesa interjected. “Comes with the territory of being around Electric-types all the time, y’know?”

“Oh, please, you’ve got so much product in your hair it wouldn’t matter anyway.”

Rei let out a quiet chuckle as the group continued along. It wasn’t much longer until they came across an elevator that would take them even deeper; before they could get on, though, Skyla spoke up. “Oh, uh, important thing to mention... the deeper you go here, the more likely you are to run into fully-evolved Pokemon. Sooo, uh... you’re all prepared, right?” She seemed particularly uneasy about the prospect. Likely something to do with her type of choice.

“Didn’t I tell you to get yourself a Gliscor?” Elesa returned, confirming Rei's suspicions as she shook her head. “Well, I suppose it can’t be helped now... just stick with me and we’ll be fine, got it?”

Naturally, Skyla perked up quite a bit at that. “Sounds like a plan~! Alright, let’s get down there!”

The four boarded the elevator, and with the press of a button, were on their way into the depths of the caverns. It was quite large, seemingly designed to hold sizable groups of tourists. Considering they were the only ones there, and Skyla and Elesa appeared occupied with each other, Rei couldn't shake off the feeling of isolation looming over her.

It didn’t help that the guest room situation with Asuka was still on her mind.



“...Asuka, are you... upset with me?”

The redhead raised an eyebrow as she turned to face a troubled-looking Rei. At first, it wasn’t clicking why she’d ask that; sure, she’d kinda rudely brushed her off when she brought up the cave’s beauty, but it wasn’t like there was any sort of malice behind it. Maybe Rei felt like everyone was ignoring her, what with Elesa and Skyla being all lovey-dovey?

“What’s makin’ you think that?” she responded. “Just ‘cause I’m not talkin’ to you doesn’t mean I’m mad at ya.”

“I-it’s about, um... what happened yesterday, with regards to the... sleeping arrangements. Y-you said sharing a bed would be ‘weird,’ and...”

...Oh. Okay, that made sense - she did have a bit of a freakout over it yesterday, as hard as that was to admit. “Oh, that? Y-yeah, I... guess I overreacted a bit. I’m, uh... sorry if I upset you at all.”

Rei’s pale lips curled into a thankful smile as she let out a relieved deep breath. “That’s... very good to hear, thank you.”

“Don’t worry ‘bout it... besides, there’s a bunch of way worse options to share a bed with than you.”

It wasn’t until she saw the exchange student’s face turn stoplight red in record time that Asuka realized what she’d just said. “T-theoretically, I mean!” she backpedaled, imagining her own face glowing equally as bright as Rei’s.

And, of course, as if that slip-up wasn’t bad enough on its own, Skyla just had to pile on. “Daydreaming out loud, Asuka?”

“DUMMKOPF! T-that’s not what I meant!”

Mercifully, the elevator soon reached the bottom of the shaft. “S-so, hey, Rei,” Asuka continued in a desperate attempt to regain her composure, “you said there were some Pokemon that lived around here you’d wanted to catch, yeah? You wanna go looking for ‘em?”

“Sure, I wouldn’t mind having some hel-- eh?!”

Asuka couldn’t have escaped that cauldron of embarrassment fast enough; she immediately grabbed Rei’s wrist once the doors opened and stormed off down one of the paths ahead, leaving the gym leaders behind. The less teasing from them she had to endure, the better.

Eventually, the two came to a small clearing that branched off into a few more different paths. “A-alright, let’s... let’s stop here for a sec,” Asuka stammered, setting her bag to the side as she took a seat on the cool cavern floor, legs feeling like they were on fire. “Gottverdammt, how deep are we, even?”

Rei sat down beside her, digging a map of the caverns out of her own bag and unfurling it. “I-it looks like this is the lowest level... seems like no matter which way we go, we’re going to hit a dead end eventually.”

“So this really is the bottom, huh? Must be some freakishly strong Pokemon down here, then... any you’re lookin’ for in particular?”



“I have two in mind, specifically, and for... somewhat different reasons.” Rei grabbed her phone, pulling up a list she’d made of Pokemon to keep track of. “The first one is, um... Probopass.”

She really had to try her hardest not to roll her eyes when Asuka stifled a laugh. “Probopass?” the redhead repeated. “You mean the one with the nose hair? Those aren’t even native to Unova... hell, I think they’re native to where you’re from.”

“Well... for one, it isn’t ‘nose hair,’ it’s iron sand. Aside from that, though, I’ve heard that... shiny Probopass are more common in Unova, and especially in these caverns. I’m not sure if that’s exactly true, but I would like to find out.”

“Guess it’s worth a shot, then... so what’s the other one?”

“The other one is-- guh?!”

A sudden smashing noise from down one of the paths, as if there’d been a car crash, cut Rei off. Following it was a low, guttural roar that sounded nothing like any Pokemon she’d ever come across. It was a sound that told her they had to leave, and quickly.

Asuka shared the same idea, immediately shooting to her feet upon hearing the rampage. “Was zur Hölle is... forget it, no time to speculate. Rei, c’mon, let’s get back with Elesa and Skyla.”

“Right.” She stuffed her phone and map into her bag before starting after Asuka down the path they’d come. A small part of her almost wanted to see what kind of creature was behind the disruption, but she figured it wasn’t worth whatever grievous bodily harm she’d sustain.

The caverns, however, seemed to have other plans.

Another violent smash echoed from deeper inside, except this one seemed to be closer to the girls - and it felt closer, too, as the ground beneath their feet quaked. Rei quickly lost her balance, stumbling backwards and landing flat on her back against the cave floor. As she lay there, grimacing in pain, she saw - and felt - the sediment from above raining down onto her face. I-is it about to...?



“Holy shit, Rei, MOVE!”

There was no way she was going to get up in time. Asuka barely had any time to think, but barely any time was all she needed. She had to get Rei out of harm’s way. Now.

She charged towards her friend, clasping her arms around her waist and deadlifting her off the ground as the cave collapsed around them. Sure enough, mere moments after she'd gotten Rei out of the drop zone, several huge chunks of rock plummeted from the ceiling directly where she’d just been.

Asuka’s heart was beating so fast, it felt like it was about to explode. If she’d been a second too slow, or if she’d tripped... she didn’t even want to complete those thoughts. Rei Ayanami wasn’t dead. That was all that mattered to her.

She placed her bag on the ground, using it as a makeshift pillow as she gently set Rei down. The two stared silently at each other for a few seconds; Asuka figured Rei was still trying to process whether what just happened was a hallucination or not.

“...I’m... I’m sorry.”

First words out of her mouth were an apology. How on-brand. “Look, I’m just glad you’re not... y’know,” Asuka answered. “But we can’t stay here long, alright? Whatever that thing is, I don’t want anythin’ to do with it.”

Rei turned her head, looking towards the spot where the rocks had fallen - and the sight of her eyes widening immediately set alarm bells ringing in Asuka’s head. And when she took a look for herself, it wasn’t just a few boulders that came crashing down. The path back to the elevator was completely blocked off.

“Oh, Scheiße, no... no, no no no...” She walked up to the collapsed section of the cave, hands grasping at her hair in disbelief. There... there had to be another way back. Right? “R-Rei... you’re sure all of those other paths are dead ends? None of them loop back around...?”

“I... did not see any other way back on the map...”

Calling Elesa wasn’t an option - this far underground, there was no chance Asuka’s phone would be getting any bars. The only thing they could do was hope that between them, they had a Pokemon that could break through the soil. If they didn’t...

“Rei, I need you to get me Blaziken’s ball out of my--” She was interrupted by another roar, this one sounding significantly closer than the first. “Get me Blaziken, NOW!”



She was still reeling from the fall, but the terrifying urgency in Asuka’s voice gave Rei all the energy she needed to pick herself up off the ground. She turned around to reach into Asuka’s bag, and as she fished through it, the ground beneath them began to rumble once more. Except this time, it seemed to have a rhythm to it. Like footsteps.

“C’mon, hurry, schneller!” urged Asuka, and after enough digging, she finally came up with the Luxury Ball bearing Blaziken’s name. Just as she did, those thunderous footsteps were joined by a fearful chorus of static-laced hissing. Hissing that Rei swore she’d heard before.

She watched as a Galvantula emerged from one of the paths, crawling along the cave floor as fast as its four legs would take it - and it wasn’t alone. Dozens more of the arachnid Electric-types began to swarm into the clearing, a sea of lightning-yellow fur quickly rushing towards her and Asuka.

Asuka charged over to her to retrieve the ball, but just as she snatched it out of her hand, the stampede caught up to them. One of the Galvantula spit its electrified silk at the two, scoring a direct hit to the redhead’s face - suddenly blinded, she let out a muffled cry of pain as the webs shocked her.

“A-Asuka...!” Rei had barely registered what just happened when another Galvantula targeted her, spitting its own Electroweb to ensnare her. The high-voltage silk coiled around her, pinning her arms to her sides and eliciting a scream. The electricity coursing through her body was a sensation straight out of her nightmares come to life. A sensation disturbingly familiar.

Why did it feel so familiar?

Just as quickly as they'd came, the swarming Galvantula soon disappeared down another path, leaving the girls alone and helpless to defend themselves against whatever that beast stomping towards them was. Dropping to her knees, Rei desperately thrashed about, but failed to break free of the webs ensnaring her.

Maybe it won’t attack us, she tried convincing herself. At this point, it was the only thing she could do, but she had to be realistic. And realistically, if such a creature could drive a horde of wild Pokemon that large to stampede in fear, there was likely a very good reason why. What even was it? She wracked her brain trying to come up with Pokemon that lived in the caverns, and the only thing that made sense was a Gigalith, but that roar...

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a Poke Ball opening - and when she looked up, none other than Zee was floating there. Seeing her ace out and about did manage to calm Rei’s nerves a little; sure, Zee didn’t have a way to cut them free from the webs, but what he did have was firepower.

Zee’s disembodied head quickly pivoted in the direction of the approaching footsteps, then towards Asuka, who was still blindly stumbling around. He gave the redhead a gentle tap on the head to get her attention, and once she’d realized it was him, led her over to Rei.

“Asuka! I-I’m right here!” It took a bit for Asuka to figure out exactly where she was, but when she did, she made it known by wrapping her arms around Rei’s waist without hesitation. The embrace caught Rei completely off guard - not only because Asuka was hugging her, but because she never thought she’d see her this terrified. “It’ll be alright... Zee can handle it.”

The digital Pokemon chimed in with a confident beep as he turned his focus back towards the creature. It was only a matter of seconds before they found themselves face-to-face with it... and once it emerged from the tunnel, Rei couldn’t believe her eyes.

“...Rhyperior.” Her utterance of the beast’s name provoked an unintelligible cry of fear from Asuka, whose grip on Rei grew even tighter. “But... this doesn’t make any sense. The Rhyhorn family isn’t native to Unova...”

As the Rhyperior stomped forward into the clearing, it became apparent very quickly that something was wrong with it. As opposed to the species’ usual brown-and-orange color scheme, this Rhyperior’s hide instead appeared as a slate blue, and its armor plates gave off a bright cyan glow that matched the many chargestones throughout the caverns. On top of that, it was significantly larger than even the biggest of its species Rei had seen, positively towering over her and Asuka.

What bothered Rei most, though, was the look in its eyes - a blend of malice and agony unlike any wild Pokemon she’d ever come across.

This couldn’t have been a natural occurrence. Someone did this.

That horrific gaze soon locked onto Zee, and the Rhyperior unleashed a roar more akin to a thunderclap, sparks flying from its drill-like horn. Avoiding a fight was no longer an option. “There’s no use holding back, Zee,” Rei ordered. “Conversion, then Ice Beam!”

As soon as she gave the command, the Virtual Pokemon’s irises began to shift from their usual yellow shade to a bright, icy blue. The Rhyperior, however, wasn’t going to stand by and just let it happen. Charging forward with impressive quickness for its size, the beastly Rock-type readied what looked like a Hammer Arm - which, if it connected, would’ve been bad news for Zee regardless of if he got the Conversion off in time.

“Move, now!” Zee ducked beneath the Rhyperior’s arm just before the clothesline connected, then worked to keep it at bay as the Conversion neared completion. Once it finally did, the newly-Ice-typed Zee immediately let loose with a powerful Ice Beam, scoring a direct hit to his opponent’s chest.

In any other situation, that likely would’ve been the end of it - very few Pokemon could withstand any sort of super-effective hit from Zee. Yet, not only did the Rhyperior withstand the hit, but it barely even appeared to register it.

Zee looked just as confounded as Rei felt, and right as he began to ready a follow-up attack, the Rhyperior raised its arm at the digital duck. A jagged, glowing stone launched out of the hole in its hand, and Rei's heart sank when it pierced Zee's body. The sight of him violently catapulting into the cavern wall very nearly drove her to the point of vomiting.

“Zee...!” Rei could only watch as he plummeted to the ground, the stone remaining embedded in his chest until it shattered upon impact. Zee’s physical form, flickering and tearing, laid face-down and motionless on the cave floor. The urge to come to her partner’s aid burned inside her, but no matter how hard she tried to wriggle free, she remained firmly within Asuka’s grasp.

The Rhyperior didn’t even bother to look back towards the Pokemon it had brutalized - instead, it turned its attention towards Rei and Asuka. It was pointless to hope that the beast would spare them, as they’d already engaged in combat. There was no going back. They had firmly established themselves as intruders, and it wanted them gone.

Rei squeezed her eyes shut, hanging her head as she awaited the inevitable. “Asuka... I... I'm so sorry. T-this is my fault, all of it... please forgive me...” She felt Asuka bury her face into her shoulder, muffled sobs escaping her throat. The Rhyperior’s footsteps grew louder and louder, closer and closer...

Then, a resounding crash filled Rei's ears.

She almost didn’t want to open her eyes - she half-expected to be met with whatever awaited her on the next plane of existence. When Rei did open them, however, she did so to discover that the monstrous Rhyperior had been brought to one knee. The Klinklang staring it down was the only possible culprit.

To think, she came here hoping to find one, and one had found her just in time.

The Rhyperior unleashed another crackling roar, raising its arms in the air - just as Asuka’s Darmanitan did when using Earthquake. “Klinklang, watch out!” Rei warned, bracing herself as the beast’s fist smashed into the ground. Fortunately, Klinklang expected just that; its spiked ring began to emit a yellow aura, followed by the mechanical Pokemon levitating even higher off the ground to avoid the splintering earth below. Magnet Rise... perfect.

Following up on that, Klinklang began to rapidly rotate its gears, readying itself for a powerful attack. The Rhyperior wasn’t about to go down without a fight, though, as an overcharged Thunderbolt wildly shot out of its horn - so wildly, in fact, that it completely failed to find its target. Klinklang’s gears continued to spin uninterrupted as it charged forward with stunning speed, and while the Rhyperior tried to intercept it with a desperate Thunder Punch, the outcome wasn’t really in doubt.

Klinklang slammed into the Rhyperior without any hesitation, grinding its head between its gears as they both crashed to the ground. The Rhyperior flailed wildly, but after several seconds trapped in Klinklang’s crushing grip, the beast went limp, the chargestones embedded in its body ceasing to glow.

The scene left Rei aghast, less so that Klinklang had intervened - after all, her and Asuka had been in grave danger - and moreso at just how brutal its assault was. Did it think simply incapacitating the Rhyperior wasn’t enough? Did it pose that great of a threat...?

What was that thing?

She tried to push it to the back of her mind. There were more important matters to attend to, after all - the Galvantula silk, for one. “U-um... Klinklang? Could... you help us, please?” She was a bit hesitant to ask, but supposed anyone would've been after what she’d just seen.

When Klinklang responded, though, it was a different story; the Steel-type gladly floated over to her, taking one of the spikes on its outer ring and cutting through the webs as carefully as possible. “Thank you... really. I... cannot stress enough how much Asuka and I owe you.” Klinklang hummed happily, a smile forming on both of its faces as it moved on to Asuka.

In the meantime, she had to help Zee.



They weren’t dead. Holy shit, they actually weren’t dead.

A massive wave of relief swept over Asuka as the webs covering her face were removed. Opening her eyes, she found herself face-to-face with the Klinklang, presumably the one responsible for saving them. “Y-yeah, uh... she said it better than I could, but seriously... thanks.”

She pulled herself up to her feet, looking around to see if she could get an idea of what happened; the big thing that caught her eye was the Rhyperior. Two things stuck out to her: it was blue instead of brown, and it was completely motionless. As she approached it to get a closer look, she spotted Rei out of the corner of her eye, and she was holding something.

“Hey, Wonder Girl, whatcha got--” Oh. Turned out, the thing cradled in her arms was Zee. Judging by the gauze wrapped around his body, the Rhyperior hadn't relented one bit when dealing with him. “I-is he gonna be fine...?”

“Yes, he will... any damage Zee’s physical form takes can be easily repaired. That said, I feel like this... still could have been avoided. Had I not been so reckless with my commands--”

“Rei, this isn’t your fault.” Asuka sighed, placing a hand on Rei’s shoulder. “None of this is. Hell, if anything, I’m the one you should be blaming... if it weren’t for me, we’d still be with Elesa and Skyla, not... y’know, caved in.”

“W-well, if I hadn’t stumbled, we wouldn’t--”

“Listen. Okay?”

There was a pause, before Rei took a deep breath. “Okay.”

“Look, Rei... this whole trip’s been a huge comedy of errors. The cave-in, the Galvantula, none of that’s on you. We got dealt the worst hand we possibly could've, but... hey, we're still here, aren't we? We’re gonna get outta here, we’ll get Zee fixed up... everything’ll be fine, ‘kay?”

“...I wish I could be as confident as you after what just happened.”

She probably wasn’t trying to be funny, but Asuka laughed anyway. “Confident? No way, believe me, I was begging for my life... you were the one standing up to that thing.”

“I-I suppose... well, I guess that explains why you were hugging me.”

Oh, of course she had to bring that up. “W-what, like you wouldn’t in that kinda situation?!” Asuka sputtered back. “I mean, of course you didn’t, you couldn’t even use your arms!”

Rei cracked a small smile as she headed over to her discarded bag, retrieving Zee’s ball and returning him to it. At least she was smiling now.



Slinging her bag back over her shoulder, Rei approached Klinklang again, though her gaze remained fixed on the collapsed portion of the cavern walling them in. Or, at least, it was walling them in. It seemed that while they were talking to each other, a clearing had formed - one that looked big enough for them to pass through.

She turned to Klinklang, and though she already had a feeling what had happened, asked anyway. “Is this... your doing?” The Steel-type responded with a high-pitched hum, appearing quite proud of themselves.

Not only had this Klinklang saved her and Asuka from that Rhyperior, but Rei had never come across one - let alone a wild one - this kindhearted. Surely it wouldn’t hurt to ask.

“Klinklang... would you be interested in joining my team?”

The mechanical Pokemon’s two faces looked towards each other, as if deliberating amongst themselves. Then, after a few seconds, Klinklang let out another happy-sounding hum. Rei dug through her bag for an empty Dusk Ball, and when she found one, held it out towards them; sure enough, they moved in to tap a spike against it without hesitation, promptly being sucked inside. Within seconds, the ding! confirming a successful capture rang out.

“You caught 'em?” Asuka inquired, walking up to her with Blaziken’s ball in her hand. “Man, between them and Beheeyem, I don’t know how you get through to Pokemon so easily.”

“Actually, it’s funny you mention Beheeyem... after all, I saved them from that Plasma unit. This time, it’s... kind of the other way around.”

“Yeah, guess so, huh? Anyway, c’mon, we should get back to Elesa and Skyla... they’re probably lookin’ for us by now.”

After handing Asuka her bag, Rei approached the clearing Klinklang had made; she was a bit worried it’d be too small the closer she got, but it turned out to be just wide enough for her to crawl through. Sure enough, coming out the other side, she spotted the elevator in the distance. She never would’ve imagined she’d be so grateful to see it again.

Whether or not the clearing would be big enough for Asuka, though, was a different story. Thankfully, after a few moments and several German swears muttered under her breath, a familiar head of fiery auburn hair popped out of the hole. “Gottverdammt, did they not see that I’m, like, five inches taller than you?” she groaned as she crawled to freedom. “Whatever... let’s just find ‘em and go home.”

The two started off towards the elevator, and as they walked, Rei couldn’t help but dwell on that Rhyperior. She kept trying to convince herself that it might’ve been the result of cross-breeding, and its trainer decided it was more trouble than it was worth and released it, but nothing added up.

Conveniently, Asuka decided to ask about it. “Hey, Rei, you got any idea what was up with that Rhyperior? I mean, you said it yourself, we don’t have those in Unova... at least, I don’t think we do.”

“I’m trying to think, but... I’m sorry, I just don’t know. All I can say is whatever happened to it wasn’t natural.”

“Well, I took some pictures of the thing, so maybe we could ask online... then again, they aren’t really that good. And, uh... people will probably think we doctored ‘em.”

Asking online... come to think of it... “I suppose I... could ask Colress.”

“You said he gave you all that info about Genesect, right? Yeah, if anyone knows what’s up with that thing, it’s probably him.”

“...I’ll ask him, then. I’ll make a note to, at least.” Really, all she wanted to do at that moment was go back to Skyla’s house and take a desperately-needed rest.

Fortunately, it looked like she wouldn’t have to wait too long, as the two gym leaders happened to emerge from another path just as they reached the elevator. “A-Asuka, Rei, there you are!” Elesa called out, jogging up to Asuka to give a grateful hug that the redhead really didn’t seem to want any part of. “I was trying to call you nonstop, but I couldn’t get through... thank god you two are alright.”

“Y-yeah, we’re fi-- Scheiße, let go of me.” After squirming her way out of her mentor’s embrace, Asuka continued, “O-okay, long story short... there was a cave-in, we got attacked by wild Pokemon, a Klinklang saved us, and Rei caught it.”

Skyla’s eyes widened a bit, nodding along as Asuka gave her the abridged version. “Huh! Sounds pretty wild, but I guess it’d be a good story to tell when you start school, right?”

Rei winced at the mention of attending school. “I-I suppose... though, I still don’t understand why the Pokemon that attacked us was even... there.”

“Hm?” The Flying-type leader turned to Rei with a curious expression. “Why, what kinda Pokemon was it?”

“...A Rhyperior.”

All four of them were silent for a few moments, and the two gym leaders looked positively bewildered. “But... those don’t... live in Unova,” Elesa eventually responded. “Rei, are you... sure it wasn’t something else?”

She stoically shook her head. “I’ll explain while we head back... it’s... a long story.”

 

[Jersey Jimmy]

Chapter 8: Figure Eights in My Head​

LILI✝H - today at 1:16 AM
are you around?
need to ask you about something.

Achroma - today at 1:19 AM
Sure, what is it you need?

LILI✝H - today at 1:20 AM
alright, so. remember how I mentioned I went to chargestone caverns?
while I was there I came across something
abnormal
alarmingly so

Achroma - today at 1:22 AM
Something abnormal in Chargestone? That could mean a lot of things; would you mind narrowing it down a bit?

LILI✝H - today at 1:22 AM
there was a rhyperior.
significantly larger than average. looked very different to the ones in sinnoh. parts of its body were glowing like chargestones.
extremely aggressive, territorial behavior. attacked my friend and I. considering it used several electric-type moves, I assume it gained that type somehow.
[LILI✝H sent 3 images]
rhyperior do not live in unova, so I have no reason to believe this is a natural occurrence. was hoping you would have any insight as to what this is and who could’ve been responsible.

Achroma - today at 1:31 AM
Are you suggesting that someone tampered with its DNA before releasing it into the wild? Those are some pretty heavy claims to make, you know.

LILI✝H - today at 1:32 AM
it seems like the most likely explanation
especially considering the recent activity of plasma
do you know anything?

Achroma - today at 1:33 AM
I don’t. Even if Plasma somehow had the means to tamper with the DNA of Pokemon, I highly doubt they’d be intelligent enough to do so successfully. All they seem to understand is violence from what I’ve seen.
It’s an interesting theory, but that’s all it is. A theory. Please stop assuming I have all the answers.

LILI✝H - today at 1:36 AM
oh. my apologies. assumed you did.
suppose I won’t be buying a lottery ticket tomorrow after all. :/

Achroma - today at 1:37 AM
Also, we’re still meeting up tomorrow to discuss our Porygons, correct? I’ll try to be at Join Park around noon, provided nothing comes up.

LILI✝H - today at 1:38 AM
yes, I will be free
I’ve actually been working on a move for zee, but
well
I’ll elaborate tomorrow. need to sleep.

Achroma - today at 1:40 AM
By all means, get some rest. See you tomorrow.

---

To get to Join Park from the subway station, Rei had to walk down Join Avenue first. It was one of the places her classmates back home had gossiped about when she mentioned she’d be going to Nimbasa. She expected a true spectacle.

Instead, the “avenue” she found herself on proved to be little more than a highly congested shopping mall. Even at midday on a Tuesday, locals and tourists alike were packed in like sardines, zig-zagging from store to kitschy store as the millions of lights around Rei seemed to blare brighter than the sun itself.

It was hot. Too hot, too crowded, too loud. She wasn’t much of a fan.

Once she’d finally weaved her way through to the end of the avenue, though, a simple crosswalk was all that separated Rei from her destination. A much-welcome respite from the sensory overload of Join Avenue, the first thing that caught Rei’s eye upon entering Join Park was the central fountain, its massive jet propelling water at least twenty feet high. The second seemed to be the plaza’s namesake - a large sculpture spelling out “JOIN” in bold red letters.

The third thing she noticed was the unmistakable hairstyle of the man seated on one of the benches.

She took her time to approach him. Part of it was the oppressive heat - she wished to expose herself to as much of the mist coming off the fountain as she could - but as she’d dwelled on their chatroom conversation the previous night, she was starting to have... reservations. The way he’d brushed off her mentioning the Rhyperior from Chargestone didn’t sit right. It was the first time since she’d met him that he seemed to not want to discuss something.

Perhaps if she refrained from bringing it up again, it would blow over. She wasn’t here with the intention to lose such a vital source of information, after all.

“Colress,” she called out, giving a small wave to greet him. “Everything’s been well, I hope?”

A few seconds passed before the scientist pried his eyes away from his tablet to look up towards Rei, doing so with a grin that, at the very least, seemed friendly. “About as well as things can be, I’d say. I’m assuming you brought your Porygon-Z with you?”

“Of course.” She didn’t recall him referring to Zee by his nickname - his proper name, really - even once. It felt so impersonal. Merely calling him “her Porygon-Z” felt wrong.

Still, she reached for his Dusk Ball and gently lobbed it to the ground. Out popped the virtual duck, who took a moment to analyze his surroundings. “Hello there,” Colress greeted, prompting Zee to lock his gaze onto him. His disembodied head tilted a little, as if trying to remember who the scientist was, but he eventually responded with a quick beep. Almost too quick.

Setting his tablet to the side, Colress reached into one of the pockets of his coat - why he was wearing one in these conditions, Rei struggled to understand - and retrieved a Poke Ball of his own. “I suppose I should introduce you to mine at some point,” he remarked, dropping the ball onto the granite to release his own Porygon.

Seeing a Porygon2 materialize in front of her, its head bobbing up and down like a drinking bird, instantly filled Rei with a rush of nostalgia. Zee wasn’t a Porygon2 for long, only about a year, but much of that year had been taken up by her gym challenge - something she wouldn’t have come close to conquering without him.

It made her want to smile. Yet, she didn’t. Something was bothering her.

Colress had said he’d integrated an Eviolite directly into Porygon2’s code. Rei wouldn’t have guessed that, in its physical form, the Eviolite would be a visible part of its body - specifically, embedded into the top of its head.

She took a closer look at it, and it quickly became apparent that the lump of evolutionary energy - which almost looked like it had melted into Porygon2’s synthetic skin - was moving. It throbbed and pulsated before her eyes, and for a brief moment it caved in on itself. As it did, Porygon2 squeezed its eyes shut and let out a low droning noise unlike anything she’d ever heard until the Eviolite returned to its previous state. When it did, the digital Pokemon resumed its standard idle animation, as if nothing had happened.

Rei hesitated to speak, eyes darting between Porygon2 and Colress. She didn’t know what to say. Maybe there was nothing to say. Her reaction probably spoke for itself.

Clearly, Colress picked up on her concern, as he was quick to interject. “Don’t be alarmed, nothing is wrong with it in the slightest. The Eviolite contracting like that merely means it’s working as intended.”

“...I see.”

“Good. Now, about your Porygon-Z... mind giving me a rundown of the issue you’re facing?”

“Erm... sure.”

Rei took a seat on the bench beside Colress, resting her arm upon the armrest in the center - which wasn’t the intended purpose, at least if Asuka were to be believed. She kept her eyes on Zee, who cheerfully led his fellow Porygon towards the impressive fountain. If only she could be as blissfully unaware that anything was amiss as he could.

As he began chasing Colress’ Porygon2 around the towering water jet, Rei began to explain her dilemma. “To put it as briefly as I can... Zee and I have been working on a new attack for him, as while yes, he can convert to any type... the number of sufficiently powerful moves he has access to is a bit lacking. The move is called Conversion Beam, and put simply, it’s designed to match whatever type Zee converts to. The goal is to make it about as powerful as something along the lines of Focus Blast.”

“So what’s the problem?”

Porygon2’s Eviolite again contracted, and Rei waited for the Pokemon to recover from its incapacitated state before continuing. “Well, whenever we’ve tested the move, Zee’s code tends to... destabilize. His body starts jittering, his movement stutters... we can only go so long before I have to return him to his ball. I’m not sure if it’s merely down to his... well, shortcomings... or if it’s something else.”

Colress hummed, reaching up to his chin and stroking it in thought. “I can’t say I have a rock-solid solution for you, unfortunately... I don’t have much experience in the development of completely new attacks. That’s a field where you’ve seemed to pass me by.”

“I don’t need a definitive answer... I’d simply like to know what course of action you’d take. I... do not wish to hurt him, if I can help it.”

He switched off his tablet, storing it away in a particularly large coat pocket. “You remember what I told you in Striaton, correct?” he inquired, reclining against the same bench back Rei struggled to find much comfort in. “That my goal is to extract as much power out of Pokemon as possible. The way I see it, Rei, you can’t let your emotions obstruct progress... I mean, this seems like something you’re very dedicated to. Your Porygon-Z may experience some technical difficulties in the process, but... well, that’s par for the course for it, isn’t it?”

Not Zee, “her” Porygon-Z. Not him, “it.” It infuriated her - he had to have been doing it deliberately at this point. For the first time in a while, she felt genuine anger bubbling up inside her.

Her retort came in a hushed, yet sharp tone. “I don’t understand how you could have such a callous attitude towards your own Pokemon. Yes, I want Zee to become stronger... but I do not wish for him to grow to detest me in the process. I refuse to do anything if he isn’t on board with it.”

Colress let out an exasperated sigh. “You do understand that the Porygon line are artificial beings, don’t you? It doesn’t matter whatever pain it experiences in physical form, it’ll be perfectly fine. You’re the trainer here - show some assertiveness.”

She’d heard enough. Rei shot up from the bench, heatedly slinging her messenger bag over her shoulder. “Was that the approach you took when you grafted an Eviolite to Porygon2’s head, then?” she hissed, drilling a hole through him with her glare. “So they’re artificial, then. What part of that makes it okay to butcher Zee’s code just so I can give him a new move?”

With a dismissive shrug - one that suggested this argument was beneath him - Colress answered, “That’s just it. Code. That’s all they are.”

Rei grabbed Zee’s ball, holding it out towards the fountain and calling him back inside. There was no point in continuing this charade. There was no point in keeping contact with someone like that.

She turned her back to the scientist, marching off towards Join Avenue. “If that’s what you think, do me a favor and never speak to me again.”

---

“Alright, once more... convert to any type you wish, then use Conversion Beam.”

Rei watched with bated breath as Zee’s eyes shifted from their usual yellow, a deep cobalt blue swiftly taking over. Water, then. He did have the capacity to learn Rain Dance; having an attack that could take advantage of it opened up several possibilities.

With the type change complete, Zee locked onto the training dummy staring him down from across the backyard - one that Asuka must have gotten quite a bit of use out of, given how ratty and worn it looked. It was somewhat interesting, how there was no Unovan equivalent; as punching bags go, the Wobbuffet design was simply that ubiquitous.

The digital Pokemon held his arms out wide, two spheres of blue energy swirling around each of their stubby tips (normal, normal) as a similar aura surrounded his beak (normal behavior in triplicate). Everything seemed to be in order. So far, anyway.

“Fire when ready,” Rei commanded, and Zee did so without any hesitation - much like his Tri Attack, the three orbs of energy coalesced into a single beam, gushing like a Hydro Pump. Regardless of how it looked, it struck the faux-Wobbuffet dead-on, sending it flailing back and forth just like the real thing. Quality dummy.

Maybe she was worrying over nothing after all.

Rei gave Zee a small round of applause as the beam gradually dissipated, the virtual duck proudly placing where his hands would be on his hips. “That looked wonderful, Zee... there’s still a few things to work on, but the fact that you can already use the move is impressive enough. I’m very proud of--”

Rei’s heart suddenly skipped a beat. Zee seized up for a moment, then broke out into a string of violent, glitchy spasms. His beeps were distorted, almost pained-sounding.

“Zee...!” She sprinted over to him, reaching into her pocket for his Dusk Ball as she tried to figure out what could’ve gone wrong. Maybe there was a bug in the cooldown protocol? Perhaps it was down to him never having used a Water-type attack before...?

It was only after the twitching fit came to an abrupt stop that she finally remembered, and it made her feel like a complete moron. Oh. He... always does that.

He looked down at her, still holding the ball out towards him, and tilted his head with a brief beep. Seemed like he hadn’t the slightest clue what just happened. As per usual.

“...I-I apologize if I... alarmed you.” Stowing his ball away, she began to make her way towards the patio, gesturing for him to follow along. “I... just don’t want you to get hurt.”

She sunk into one of the lawn chairs upon reaching them; not the most luxurious things in the world, but comfortable enough. Zee, meanwhile, simply elected to float by her side. Staring at her. Unflinchingly.

“...I suppose you’ve earned a snack.”

Rei reached down into her bag and produced a small tin, “ZEE’S FEED” written on it in blue marker. She emptied a bit of the feed (ground-up computer parts, in actuality) into her hand, and Zee began happily pecking at it within seconds. The sight managed to bring a slight smile to her face, albeit a fleeting one.

The longer she watched Zee, the more it baffled her that Colress didn’t see him as a living being. The mere notion of him being just code infuriated her. No wonder he saw little issue with grotesquely grafting an Eviolite to his Porygon2’s head.

At the same time, though, wasn’t she the one who’d extensively modified Zee? The one who evolved him into such an unstable form in the first place, if it could even be called evolution? She had always gone over the potential benefits and risks with him before each and every altered string of code, but...

“...Zee?” The virtual duck popped his head up, staring deep into Rei’s eyes awaiting her question. He’d have to wait for a bit; the more she thought about it, the less sure she was about how to word it.

“Erm... I’ve been wondering, ever since earlier today... you saw the state that man's Porygon2 was in. A-and it made me think... have I been... sufficiently considerate? In terms of your modifications, I mean.”

Zee looked up towards the sky for a moment in contemplation, and much to Rei’s relief, answered by vigorously nodding his head. Probably an obvious answer, but not having that seed of doubt planted in her head definitely helped.

“That’s... that’s good to hear. I just want you to know that I would never do something like that to you, okay? Anything you’re not comfortable with, I’m not comfortable with.”

She reached her free hand up to Zee’s head, gently scratching at the base of his antenna - his favorite spot. Sure enough, he promptly let out a string of joyful beeps, reveling in the affection.

Just code. Like that argument would hold up to anyone with functioning eyes and ears.

It didn’t take him much longer to finish up the last of his feed; figuring he could use a teammate to play with, Rei dug down into her bag for another ball at random. She lobbed said mystery ball into the grass, and the Pokemon that emerged from it took quite the unusual form - namely, a washing machine.

“Hello there, Rotom,” Rei greeted, speaking softly as the nocturnal Pokemon began to awaken from their slumber. “Erm... I-I apologize if I disturbed you. I thought Zee could use someone to play with, and--”

And before she even finished that sentence, Zee was sprinting over to Rotom, nearly tackling them to the ground in a brotherly embrace. The sight brought back memories of her gym challenge, the times when Rotom would dive into the path of an attack headed for Zee and vice versa. It had been like that from the moment they’d met them in the Old Chateau, too. Rei still wasn’t sure what it was that made them so close.

Maybe it was something she didn’t need to know; it brought a smile to her face, and that was enough.

She reclined back into the lawn chair, thoroughly entertained by the sight of Zee chasing Rotom around the backyard. Yet, the longer she watched, her smile slowly began to fade. Rotom... Colress had mentioned having one. They weren’t a man-made species, but the similarities to Zee were there. She truly did not want to know the sort of things he’d subjected the plasmatic poltergeist to.

Plasmatic. Plasma. Great, now she was back on that train of thought.

She opened up her phone, again poring over those pictures of the fallen Rhyperior. Not the best quality, but given how Klinklang had handled things, that seemed more like a blessing than a curse. Still, she could make out the beast’s unique mutations well enough to disprove whatever Colress was feeding her. It had to have been Plasma that did it. Why, she didn’t know. How, she didn’t know. But she also didn’t know who else even would.

Why would he so adamantly deny it, then? What would he have to gain from--

“Oh, huh! Forgot you had a Rotom, Wonder Girl.”

She wasn’t sure, but Rei thought she might have seen her ghost jump out of her body for a second there. As her initial shock gave way to flustered embarrassment, she looked up towards Asuka, standing above her with a glass of lemonade in each hand and a sheepish grin on her face. “Yeah, yeah, I know, shouldn’t be sneakin’ up on ya like that... just figured you could use a drink, is all. Y'know, considering it’s hot as balls out here.”

The redhead extended one of the glasses to Rei, and she took it without a second thought. It leaned more sour than sweet - unsurprising, considering who’d prepared it - but she would’ve been lying to say she didn’t enjoy it. “Thank you, Asuka... I really do appreciate the thought.”

Asuka waved a hand as she plopped down in the lawn chair next to Rei’s. “Eh, it’s no big deal... you make everything sound like such a huge favor, y’know that? Not that I mind.”

“I-I’m aware... to tell the truth, I’ve never understood why I speak like this. It’s simply... what feels right to me.”

“Well, nothin’ wrong with that, I guess.” With an affable shrug, Asuka turned her attention towards Zee and Rotom, brushing stray strands of flame-red hair out of her face. She’d put her hair up in full twintails, similar to what she’d done at the Monotype Shootout finals; for a moment, Rei felt the urge to tell her she preferred this look, but fear of the question landing awkwardly swiftly quashed that thought.

“So hey, you and Zee are working on that new attack, yeah?” Asuka continued, watching as Rotom began to siphon water from the swimming pool with their hose. “What was it called again, Conversion Bla-- uhh, hey, can you tell ‘em to stop doing that?”

“Rotom! Cut it out.” Well, they stopped just as quickly as they started, at least. Good thing Asuka’s father wasn’t around. As usual. “Anyway... Conversion Beam, yes. The move itself is already more or less fully functional, which is fantastic, but... I-I don’t know. Something about it feels... it feels like I’m doing something I shouldn’t, even though Zee’s fully on-board.”

“This have somethin’ to do with Toothpaste Head?”

She caught on quickly; guess there was no use avoiding the subject. “I’m sure you can imagine, but... my meeting with Colress did not go well. Even aside from the way he views Pokemon, his Porygon2... you remember how I mentioned he’d incorporated an Eviolite directly into their code? In physical form, it looks... grotesque. They seemed to be in a lot of pain.”

“Honestly, I wish I could say I was surprised,” remarked Asuka, particularly unthrilled about being proven right for once. “So lemme guess, you’re worryin’ yourself over the idea you’re no better.”

“That’s exactly it, yes.”

A pause followed as Asuka gulped down the last of her drink. Normally, such a thing would only worry Rei even more, but even with her lips against the glass, she was certain she saw the redhead smirking.

A wry chuckle escaped Asuka as she placed the empty glass down beside her. “Wonder Girl, if Zee even just froze because something you did went wrong, you’d be locked up in the guest room bawlin’ your eyes out for two days straight. Trust me, you and Colress are nothing alike.”

“I... y-you really think that?” Slightly embarrassing way of putting it aside, Asuka wasn’t wrong. She didn’t even have the heart to consider tampering with Zee in such a drastic, spaghetti-coded fashion, much less actually do it. It was just nice to have someone that could reassure her of it.

Feeling her face begin to heat up, Rei looked down towards the patio, but she was pretty sure Asuka could still see the grateful smile adorning it. “Thank you so much, it... it means a lot for someone to say that. Especially you.”

“Hey, that’s what friends are for, nicht?”



What was a friend, anyway?

Maybe Asuka placed a whole lot more weight on that word than it deserved. To her, a friend would be someone to confide in. Someone you knew you could spill your guts out to because you knew they’d understand. By that definition, Rei had to be the first real friend she’d had in years. Maybe ever.

She really couldn’t have entered her life at a better time, could she?

“Hey, uh, Wonder Girl... y’know, while we’re being all sappy and shit, I wanna say - and I know I’ve probably said it a hundred times now - that... I am unbelievably grateful that you’re around. Like... you have no idea. Having someone that actually, y’know, cares...”

Rei sat up a bit, looking towards her with an inquisitive gaze. “I-I appreciate it, but... I’m sure there are other people that care about you. What about Erin? Are you not... friends with her?”

“Cousins don’t count.” Plus, the first person Rei could think of in that context being Erin and not her father was a significant part of the problem. “I mean, yeah, Erin and I have been hangin’ out since we were little kids, but... being related to someone's different than being their friend. If that makes sense, anyway.”

“I think it does.”

“Yeah, see? But aside from her... I kinda went into this before we went to Mistralton a couple weeks ago, but all my other relationships with people feel so... plastic. All it ever feels like is that people just kiss up to me for clout, not ‘cause they wanna be my friend. School, the battling circuit, it’s all like that. Even with Elesa, all it feels like with her sometimes is being friends with your gym teacher. Scheiße, she probably just sees me as a burden by this point.”

“But you aren’t a burden.”

“I know that! I know that. But... you’re the only person who makes me feel like I’m not. So... I’m grateful for that. That you’re my friend.”

“I am, too.”

Rei flashed her another smile, and Asuka really wished she could respond in kind. She couldn’t, though, because all she could think about now was the one thing she didn’t want to remember. The one thing neither of them probably wanted to remember.

This was still a temporary arrangement.

“...I really wish you weren’t leaving in December.”



Right. When all was said and done, she was still merely an exchange student. She had to go home eventually. But maybe that “eventually” didn’t have to be so close.

“...Well, i-if possible, I would... very much like to stay longer.”

Deep down, Rei was fully expecting to be shot down. That didn’t really matter to her; if she had even the slightest hope of staying with Asuka into the new year, she was going to make her case. “Until the end of the school year... spring break, at the very least. My parents had no objections to my gym challenge, and that was five years ago, so... i-it... should be fine.”

“Yeah, maybe yours don’t, but Dad does,” countered Asuka, slumping back into the lawn chair and tilting it on its hind legs to the point where it looked like she’d fall and smash the back of her head against the patio at any moment. The worst part was that, judging by the completely deflated look on her face, it seemed like she would almost welcome that.

Rei couldn’t think of anything to say, so the redhead continued in her stead. “Why else do you think he’s spent most of the summer out of the country, Rei? He ain’t doing this for you. He’s doing it to kiss up to your dad so, I don’t know, they can work out a deal to wipe out a couple more villages in the desert or something. Did the bare fucking minimum to set you up for the same field trips everyone here goes on and bolted. He cares about you exactly as much as he cares about me. So he's only in it for the parts that benefit him, basically.”

“...So he doesn’t care about our friendship.”

“Shit, Rei, I don’t even know if he realizes you are my friend.” She could feel Asuka’s voice grow shakier by the second. “Probably still thinks I’m just barely tolerating your existence. Which, you know, is pretty delicious irony considering you’re the first person in... fuck, I don’t know, a decade that’s actually cared about me as a friend and not a fucking status symbol.”

“But I do care about you. You are my friend.”

“But you’re going to be gone in four months! So why does it even fucking matter?!”

Rei saw both Zee and Rotom’s attention snap towards them out of the corner of her eye. It would’ve been hard not to; the entire neighborhood could’ve heard Asuka loud and clear. “A-Asuka... please, listen to me--”

“Why?! You’ve said everything I need to know! I know you care about me, I care about you too! Like I’ve never cared about another person before in my life! That’s not the part I’m mad at, Rei, the part I’m mad at is when I finally have someone who I can actually relate to, someone I can legitimately call my best friend? It’s just going to get fucking ripped away from me! And then what, huh? Mom’s not around, Dad might as well not be, and to everyone else I’m no better than a fancy-ass handbag. I’m going to be alone, Rei. And it fucking terrifies me.”

Putting the right words together in her head felt like trying to defuse a bomb, but Rei couldn’t just watch as Asuka grew closer and closer to exploding. She saw how tight her grip on her now-empty lemonade glass was. She had to say something. Anything.

“...Asuka, it’s... not as if we’ll never see each other again. I’m certain you could come to Jubilife for a tournament, o-or... perhaps I could come back for university, provided my entrance exams go well...”

As those last few syllables left her tongue, Rei preemptively recoiled. The silence that filled the air only lasted a few seconds, yet felt like hours. Asuka’s grip tightened. Tightened. It was a miracle her hand wasn’t covered in bloody shards already.

And just when it seemed like she was about to combust, her fury was instead extinguished by a deluge of tears.

Asuka dropped to her knees, and Rei was by her side in an instant. “I'm sorry, gottverdammt... I just don’t want to be alone again,” she gasped out between sobs, meeting Rei’s gaze with puffy, reddened eyes. “I-I... I don’t want you to leave... Mein Gott, I’m so fucking pathetic...”

“You aren’t. I feel exactly the same way.”

Rei gently took the glass from Asuka, setting it down onto the patio before clasping her hands around the redhead’s. “I... imagine it’s a lot easier to tell in my case... but all I really had back home was Zee. And I love Zee. But... he is family to me. In terms of friends... I believe you’re the first real one I’ve ever had.”

Asuka wiped the tears from her freckled cheeks, only for new ones to trickle down and take their place; even still, she was able to pull herself together enough to respond. “W-well... hey, besser spät als nie, oder?”

It seemed to take her a few more seconds to remember Rei didn’t speak German. “Uh... better late than never, right?” she clarified, forcing a weary smile out of herself.

“Yes, I suppose that’s true,” answered Rei, a giggle escaping her lips. “Asuka, listen... we will most definitely see each other again. I will make sure of it. Even aside from that, though, we have until the end of December, don’t we? Yes, it’s four months from now, but... it is still quite far away.”

“...Yeah. Yeah, I... guess you’re right. Still got a whole semester of school ahead of us.” Asuka let out a deep breath as she mopped up the last of her tears, and Rei was more than happy to help her back up to her feet. “H-hey, uh... Wonder Girl. Sorry you had to see that... but... you probably stopped me from doin’ something really stupid. So... thanks.”

“That is what friends are for.”



She meant what she said, too. The sound of shattering glass was far too familiar to her than she'd care to admit. Didn’t want to think about what would’ve happened if Rei wasn’t there. So she didn’t. Tried not to, at least.

Besides, there was something else she had to do.

“Oh yeah, Rei, this is probably a good time to mention that, uh, there’s... somethin’ I gotta show you.”

Rei gave her a quizzical look in response, tilting her head to the side a bit - did she get that from Zee or was it the other way around? “Hm? What is it?”

“It’s... difficult to explain if I don’t show you first. C’mon, follow me.” Fortunately, it turned out that was all the convincing Rei needed; she swiftly returned both Zee and Rotom to their balls and followed close behind as Asuka stepped back into the house.

She started to wonder how Rei would feel about what she was about to see. To say she hadn’t misled the exchange student a bit over the past couple of months would be a flat-out lie, but really, dropping this onto her the moment her plane had touched down definitely would’ve turned out worse.

By now, though, she deserved to know. She’d become one of the very few people Asuka trusted enough to tell the truth to. And it wasn’t long before they reached their destination.

“...This is the room you slapped me for trying to enter,” Rei so eloquently recalled, glancing at the doorknob. “It’s in here?”

“Yeah. She is.”

Asuka dug into one of her pants pockets and pulled out a key, sliding it into the doorknob and twisting without hesitation. No point in theatrics, no point in elaborating; when they entered the darkened bedroom, things spelled themselves out pretty clearly.

Kyoko was still there, of course. Still staring blankly ahead, still a disheveled husk of the mother Asuka had once known. In the corner of the room, the only light still emitted from the television, the newscasters still droning on about the deficit or whatever the hell. This was how it had been for months, and how it seemed like it was going to be forever.

Asuka sat herself down on the side of her mother’s bed, looking up towards her clearly disconcerted friend. “Rei... this is Kyoko. She’s my mom. Her and Dad didn’t get a divorce, she never moved back to Saxony... she’s... well, she can’t do much of anything anymore, really.”

Rei’s crimson eyes shifted towards Kyoko, then back to Asuka. “She’s... in a vegetative state, then?”

“I guess that’d be the best way of putting it, sure.” Not necessarily a term she enjoyed hearing, though.

As much as it hurt, Asuka figured she’d have to elaborate a bit more than that. She continued, “See, Mom works... well, used to work at a research facility called the Dimensional Research Institute, and their whole thing is studying parallel worlds. It’s a really touchy subject, especially ‘cause they get a lot of federal funding, but... anyway. You’ve heard of Ultra Space, right? I feel like you probably would’ve.”

To little surprise, Rei responded with a firm nod. “Actually, it is... a topic that greatly fascinates me.” Matter of fact, judging by the look on her face, she seemed like she already had an idea of where this was going.

“Heh... ‘course it does. So, this is a really simple way of putting it, but... basically, some of the bigwigs at the institute were leading a project to manually open up a wormhole through Ultra Space, and Mom was one of the only ones with any kinda authority to go against ‘em. She lost out, though, so the experiment went ahead... and...”

“...Are... you alright?”

“...Y-yeah. Yeah, just... gimme a sec.” Deep breaths, Asuka. “They, uh... did open a wormhole. And when they did, a Pokemon from some other dimension just... popped out, right there in the middle of the lab. T-they only gave Dad the full scoop on it, so I don’t know everything, but... thing turned out to be a parasite. Went after her, injected her with some kinda neurotoxin, and... by the time they got the thing off and sent it back, she... was like this.”

Feeling the tears begin to return, Asuka squeezed her eyes shut, burying her face into her hands. It was so stupid. Mom knew it would end in disaster, and they completely ignored her. And she had to be the one to suffer for it.

Asuka soon felt the mattress shift beneath her, followed by a hand gently rubbing her back. She knew who it belonged to, but a small part of her briefly entertained the alternate possibility. God, now wouldn't that be something?

“Why... didn’t you tell me when I first arrived?" whispered Rei. "I’m not mad, not at all, I simply--”

“I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable.” Asuka pulled her head up, prompting Rei to retract her hand. “This happened a few weeks before you came, and... y-yeah, at first I just wanted this whole exchange student thing to be tossed out the window. Everything was just... collapsing around me. Mom wasn’t there anymore, Dad barely cared - hell, he still really doesn’t... I had the Shootout hangin’ over me and I was sure I was gonna bomb in that. I thought if I had to deal with you on top of all that, I-I’d just... shut down.”

For a second, it seemed even to herself that Asuka was about to break down in tears again. Instead, she took another deep breath, blindly felt around the mattress with her hand, and once she’d found Rei’s, placed it atop hers. It was cold, as her hands tended to be. But it was a familiar, dare she say comforting cold.

“But, well... i-if anything, Rei, you... saved me. I mean, you literally have saved my life a couple times, but aside from that, I seriously don’t think I woulda made it through the summer without you. I’m... you have no idea how thankful I am. That you’re my friend.”

When she turned her head, Asuka found herself greeted by the warmest smile she’d ever seen on Rei’s face. “I’m glad I was able to help, then,” she returned, entwining her fingers with Asuka’s. “I appreciate you telling me about all of this, as well. No matter how much time you needed.”

“...Vielen Dank.”

Eventually, Asuka pulled her hand free from her friend’s and rose to her feet, as much as she silently rued doing so. “Anyway, we should probably give Mom her space, nicht?” she remarked, leaving the room with Rei following suit. “What should we do... oh, hey, you wanna go in the pool? Your Starmie could hang out with us, too!”

“To tell the truth, I should have been in the pool from the moment Zee and I started testing... are the summers here always this bad...?”

“So, that’s... a yes, then?”

“Oh! Y-yes, that is a... a yes.”

Rei’s bashful response managed to get Asuka to crack a smile. “God, you’re such a dork... and I mean that in the nicest way possible. Alright, I’m gonna go get changed; meet ya out there.”

She spun on her heel and started off towards her room, but she didn’t even reach the stairs before something else popped into her head. She thought back to their trip to Chargestone. Namely, Rei pointing out that she was hugging her. Even more specifically, the way she’d brushed it off as just being scared.

Suddenly, she felt like she had something to correct.

“Hey, Rei, can you come here real quick? Gotta do somethin’ before I forget.”

Rei popped out of the hallway in no time, approaching Asuka with a curious look. “Hm? What is i--”

Asuka didn’t hesitate for a second, pulling her friend into a warm, tight embrace the moment she was within arm’s reach. Unsurprisingly, Rei was completely bewildered at first - but much to Asuka’s delight, eventually returned the hug.

It wasn’t until they pulled away that Asuka said something, and when she did, she kept it brief. “That one was real.”

“...T-thank you.”

With that, Asuka began making her way upstairs with what she imagined was probably the dumbest grin in the world on her face. Had she been told she’d be feeling like this now at the airport that night, she absolutely would’ve laughed it off. Even now, it was difficult to believe.

But it was true. Rei Ayanami cared about her, and she cared about Rei Ayanami more than anything else in the world.

In fact, she might have even gone as far as to say she loved her.

 

[Jersey Jimmy]

Chapter 9: I Am Everything That's Normal​

“...You... got me a present?”

Rei’s eyes fell upon the small box in Asuka’s outstretched hand. Nothing particularly fancy, really - just solid burgundy all-around. The choice of color almost evoked Christmas, a fact that clashed mightily with the eighty-degree weather outside.

“Sure I did,” confirmed Asuka, sporting an almost artificially-glowing grin. “I mean... why not? The semester starts today, so I figured, hey, why not get you somethin’ to... I dunno. Commemorate our friendship, I guess.”

Friendship. The concept had not been completely foreign to Rei before, despite what some may had believed. She’d had people she could at least call friends. But were those actual friendships?

Well, she couldn’t say she’d ever received a gift from any of those friends. Not until now, at least.

Rei reached across the center console of Asuka’s car, gently taking the box into her own hands. Lifting the lid and setting it off to the side, she didn’t expect anything too grand - perhaps a friendship bracelet, or one of those half-necklaces that read “BFF” when combined. Then again, Asuka's intentions had never been that devoid of irony.

Yet, what was truly inside surpassed any and all of her expectations - a digital watch. There was a compass, temperature readout, a heart rate monitor, and the device’s brilliant white hue even matched up with much of Rei’s wardrobe.

“Asuka, this is--”

“Wait, wait, hold on! There’s something special about this thing I want you to see...”

As Rei quizzically tilted her head, Asuka reached over to direct her attention towards a particular button on the side of the watch. When Rei pushed it, the watch’s face sprung open to reveal a hidden compartment inside.

“I, uh... I remembered somethin’ you said when you first got here,” Asuka continued; perhaps it was merely Rei’s imagination, but her cheeks seemed to take on a faint rosy shade as she did. “It was before you went to that musical, and... while we were talkin’, you mentioned you had a Key Stone, but nowhere to keep it. So... that’s what this little compartment’s for.”

Rei took a second to rummage through her pocket, delicately pulling out her Key Stone with two fingers and moving it towards the watch. The small stone snapped into position with just the slightest bit of pressure - and once she’d moved the face back down into its rightful place, the watch’s screens began to give off a faint, multicolored glow.

Not only did she finally have somewhere to keep her Key Stone, but it looked stunning.

“...This is wonderful,” Rei finally uttered. She looked back up at Asuka, who appeared positively delighted to hear it - and her beaming smile proved infectious. “I cannot possibly thank you enough.”

She was almost elated enough to forget how much she was dreading the day ahead.



Asuka was... “relieved” would probably be the best way to describe it. Relieved, of course, that Rei seemed to like her gift - seemed to adore it, even - but also relieved that it seemed to have calmed her nerves even the tiniest bit.

“I mean, hey, I can’t thank you enough, either. Summer break turned out way better than I expected... and I know that wouldn’t’ve happened if you weren’t around. So... yeah. Dankeschön, Wonde... uh, Rei.”

As Rei strapped the watch around her wrist, Asuka turned her attention to the building looming over them. William Bludworth Memorial High School hadn’t changed, of course; the same sterile brick facade that she’d gladly left behind back in June was still there, presiding over the student parking lot as a monument to thousands of lost hours she could’ve spent doing more fulfilling things. Like training. Or playing Football Manager.

Whatever. At least this was her last year, and at least she wasn’t spending it alone.

She twisted her key to shut the car off and climbed out, taking a moment to stretch. Rei... took a few seconds longer, but she eventually followed suit. “So, you ready?” Asuka asked, making it a point to maintain her cheerful tone. Rei’s gaze shifted from her towards the school, then back. She didn’t respond. “...Nervous, huh?”

Rei heaved a sigh as she confirmed Asuka’s suspicions with a nod. “It’s just that... I’ve heard so many things about what high school is like here, I’ve seen plenty of movies about it... and what I’ve heard... doesn’t sound very pleasant.”

“Well, like what?” Asuka made her way around the car, approaching Rei and taking her hand. It took a few seconds for her to even register what she’d done, only realizing upon seeing her friend’s face turn roughly the same color as her car. “O-oh, uh... Scheiße, sorry, too much?”

Rei contemplated it for a moment. After a few seconds of deliberation, she quietly answered, “Just... not while we’re inside. I don’t want people, um... g-getting the wrong idea.”

“...R-right. Yeah. Could definitely live without people having another stupid rumor to bug me about.”

With that, her and Rei began their trek to the school entrance, their hands still joined together. It was only for another minute or two, sure, but she almost wished it wasn’t. Yeah, she really didn’t want to start the year off with people pressing her on it every single period, but Rei’s skin felt so soft, so comforting, that it’d almost be worth it. “Almost” being the operative word.

What were they talking about? Oh, right. “A-anyway, go ahead, ask me about whatever... I’ll tell ya if it’s bullshit or not.”


Asuka was holding her hand. It had happened a few times by now, but it was still such a bizarre sensation - and it seemed so casual this time, too. Like it was second nature for her at this point.

Not that bizarre meant bad, necessarily.

Rei tried her best to tuck those thoughts away in favor of the topic at hand, which was admittedly starting to feel a little less disconcerting. Maybe it was the feeling of Asuka’s hand entwined with her own, maybe it was her implication that a good chunk of the things she’d heard about Unovan high school had little to no basis in reality. Either way, it didn’t seem as daunting.

Still, she had plenty of questions that needed answers. “I suppose I should start with... um... how much of a risk do I run of being shoved in a locker?”

She’d just seen Asuka take a swig from her particularly large energy drink can, and from the looks of it, it seemed as if she was actively fighting to not burn her nose off from laughter. “R-Rei, that’s not...” she started, before taking another moment to compose herself. “...That doesn’t happen. Not here, anyway... you might get some fuckin’ Young Republicans insulting you behind your back, yeah, but nobody’s gonna dunk your head into a toilet. And trust me, on the off chance that some Drecksack actually did try that, their skin’d be bubbling more than... well, this drink.”

“Well, that’s... reassuring, I suppose. What are the students here like, then?”

A half-chuckle escaped Asuka’s throat. “At Bludworth? Lot of annoying rich kids, I’ll tell ya that much. I guess that’s one of the few good things I can say about this place, it’s at least well-funded... but aside from that, it sucks. Basically, people either kiss your ass for their own benefit or just completely ignore you. Depends how much money your family’s got, really.”

Asuka’s words immediately struck Rei as familiar. “I assume that’s why you’ve said I’m your... only ‘real’ friend.”

“Pretty much, yeah... and again, it’s even worse in my case ‘cause I’m not just the faildaughter of some business exec, people actually know who I am. I wasn’t kidding back when I compared myself to a designer handbag.”

“...I think a designer handbag would be a significantly worse Pokemon trainer, if it’s any consolation.”

This time, Asuka couldn’t hold back her laughter - and hearing it served to help improve Rei’s mood a little more. “Dammit, Rei, can’t believe you actually got me with that one... a-anyway, way I’d put it is, don’t expect the worst out of people, but don’t expect the best, either. People’ll spread rumors, they’ll find the most vapid shit to make fun of you for, but it’s not... that bad.”

“...Makes sense, I suppose. Though, to be fair, rumors get spread around all the time back home, too... several people at my school believe I am a vampire.”

To Rei's complete lack of surprise, this information utterly blindsided Asuka. “Wait... h-hold on, wait, like. Legitimately?”

“Entirely serious.”

“Mein Gott, that’s fucking stupid.”

“Very much so.” It was, and she knew that, but it still got to her. Whether she be called a vampire, an alien, or a robot, it all boiled down to the same thing. She was weird. Strange. Other.

Maybe it wouldn’t be as bad here. Maybe it would be even worse. She really didn’t want to think about it.

If nothing else, she had Asuka.

As the two stepped through the propped-open doors into the school’s main lobby, Rei briefly squeezed Asuka’s hand just a bit tighter before reluctantly letting go. Looking around, the first thing that struck her was just how large it was - the ceiling had to be, at the very least, thirty feet high. The complete absence of shoe lockers still struck her as odd, too, even though she knew uniforms weren’t really a thing in Unova - after all, the cargo pants she was wearing really wouldn’t have flown back home.

“Is it... usually this crowded out here?” she asked Asuka, gesturing towards the dozens - scratch that, hundreds of other students gathered around the lobby, mostly in groups of four or five. All eagerly conversing amongst themselves. Loudly.

Asuka shook her head. “Not really... yeah, people congregate here before the first bell, but it’s pretty dead after that. Plus, today’s the first day, so everyone’s catching up with--”

“Oh, hey, Asuka, there you are!” Rei turned in the direction of the foreign voice, her eyes falling upon a blonde girl clad in a pink, Victini-adorned crop top that definitely wouldn’t have flown back home. “So how was your summer? Saw you won the Monotype Shootout, so at least pretty good, yeah?”

“Y-yeah, I’d say so,” Asuka replied, quite obviously not as excited to see whoever this girl was as she was to see her. “Spent most of it hanging out with Rei, so yeah, can’t complain... uh, Rei, this is Ashley.”

Ashley. Rei wasn’t the type to judge people by first impressions, but to her, she seemed a bit... overbearing. Regardless, she put on the most convincing smile she could muster and gave a small wave. “My name’s Rei Ayanami... I-I’m an exchange student from Sinnoh.”

“Oh, wow, that far? I hope you’ve been, like... adjusting well, y’know?” Ashley’s attention then immediately turned back to Asuka, much to Rei’s lack of surprise. “So hey, Asuka, Ashlyn and I were gonna go to the tanning salon after school, and we were wondering if--”

“Es tut mir Leid, I can’t... I’ve gotta go pick Dad’s car up from the dealership for him later.”

“Aww, that sucks... alright, well, you’ve got my number if you ever wanna hang out. Guess I’ll see you at lunch, then!” Ashley promptly disappeared into the sea of students, completely oblivious to the lie Asuka had just fed her.

“...Why would you tell her that?” Rei questioned, following Asuka’s lead as she sat down on the steps leading to what she assumed was the auditorium.

“Because I hate tanning salons. Don’t know about you, but I’d really prefer not to voluntarily expose myself to something that could give me fuckin’ skin cancer. Waste of time and money.”

“...Makes sense.” Plus, Rei couldn’t shake the feeling that Ashley was one of those, um, “ass-kisser” types Asuka had been talking about. Maybe lying was just her way of letting her down gently.

The sound of rustling papers made her turn towards the redhead, who was rummaging through her backpack for something. That something eventually turned out to be two sheets of yellow paper, Rei barely managing to make out the word “schedule” on one of them. “Oh, that reminds me... I’ve heard that you change classrooms between periods here, but do you stay with the same class, or...?”

“Nope, different class for each period,” Asuka answered, appearing rather unenthused at the content printed on those sheets. “...Blutige Hölle.”

“Hm? What is it?”

Asuka pinched the bridge of her nose in exasperation. “Okay, so, we do this thing called A- and B-days where you’ve got different classes on alternating days, right? Yeah, turns out, I completely forgot... ‘sides lunch, only fuckin’ class we share on A-days is gym.”

...Oh. “T-they... they didn’t give us the same classes?”

“That’d require the people in charge of scheduling to actually know what they’re doing, so no. L-look, at least our B-day schedules are mostly the same, so tomorrow we’ll mostly have the same--”

A jarring sequence of three beeps played over the PA system cut Asuka short, and the swarm of students surrounding the two immediately began to disperse down the halls. A part of Rei’s mind wondered why the bell in this school sounded like that, but she was far more occupied with the realization that, at least for the first few hours of the day, she’d be alone.

Apparently, she wasn’t being subtle about it, either, as Asuka reached out to rest a hand on her shoulder. “Hey, Rei, look at me.” She did. “It’ll be alright, okay? If anyone tries givin’ you shit, just ignore ‘em... and tell me later, I’ll deal with it.”

“...R-right.”

“Alright... well, I’ve got Galarian literature for first period, so I’ve gotta get over there.” Asuka handed Rei her schedule and even went so far as to pull her in for a quick hug before standing up. “See you in gym, alright? Bis später!”

Rei watched as Asuka, too, vanished down one of the halls. She looked down at the crumpled paper in her hand - she had geography class in room 242, and a quick glance at her watch confirmed she had three minutes to get there.

She took a deep breath, rose to her feet, and began making her way towards the 200 hall.

---

The first thing she’d done upon entering the classroom was introduce herself. She hadn’t necessarily intended to, but her teacher had asked, and... well, she wanted to make a good first impression, at the very least.

She’d kept it brief - her name was Rei Ayanami, and she was an exchange student from Sinnoh. Her tone had been warm, at least by her standards. A part of her must’ve thought forcing a smile onto her face and putting up a friendly facade would at least make her appear “normal” to her classmates - whatever the definition of that even was.

It didn’t really work.

She’d begun to hear chattering among them before she’d even reached her seat. Quiet enough for her to not fully pick up on what they were saying, but a few words did stick out to her. Red, presumably referring to her eyes. Ghost - definitely about her skin. More than one person had uttered the word “vampire.”

She was ten thousand kilometers from home, and nothing had changed.

It had been... twenty minutes since then? Thirty? It was hard to tell - there was no clock in this classroom, and the time since she’d introduced herself had been almost entirely filled by one long lecture about Unovan state borders. No overview of what they’d be doing over the semester or anything; it was as if she’d entered a theater a third of the way through the film.

“Hey, are... are you alright?”

Her attention immediately turned towards the direction of the voice, which turned out to belong to the boy sitting at the desk to her right. She had to do a double take as she realized he was wearing pajama pants. You can just... do that here?

“I-I’m fine, yes,” she stammered, making a mental note to maintain eye contact. “What... made you think otherwise?”

“Well, ‘cause you ain’t said a word since then. You’ve looked completely spaced out all class.”

“I’ve been focusing on the lesson.” She’d been trying to, anyway. “Is that an issue?”

The boy shook his head. “Nah, I get it... makes sense you wouldn’t want to talk. You probably don’t speak English much, right?”

A pang of resentment immediately sprung up inside of her. “I speak English just fine,” she hissed back. “I haven’t been talking because I haven’t seen a reason to.”

“Whoa, calm down, I ain’t mad at ya... just asking, alright?” It was around that point that Rei picked up on the growing smirk across his face. Prodding her like this... amused him, didn’t it?

If that was all he wanted out of her, there was no point in wasting her energy.

He continued talking to her for a little while longer. Rei thought she might have heard him ask her something about anime, but the words faded from her mind within seconds - not that they were worth keeping in there.

Eventually, he finally gave up, at least for the moment. It didn't provide much in the way of relief. This was exactly how she’d feared she’d be treated, and it was happening in her very first class.

She couldn’t help but assume that, without Asuka by her side, it wouldn’t be the last time, either. Maybe she was the weird one. After all, it seemed to be obvious to everyone.

---

Asuka still wasn’t entirely sure if she needed to be here.

What else did she have left to do, anyway? It would be harder to find a class she was taking that wasn’t college-level material instead of the other way around - and on top of that, had nobody seen her tournament results over the past year? What point was there in sticking around for one more semester, even if it was only one more semester?

...Well, had she graduated back in June, she’d have never met Rei. Guess three more months here is worth actually being here, then.

From her perch near the top of the rolled-out crimson bleachers, Asuka spotted that familiar bob of steel-blue hair among the mass of students filing into the gymnasium. At least the powers that be were courteous enough to give them one class together on A-days. “Rei! Hier oben!” she enthusiastically called out, easily catching her friend’s - and about twenty other peoples’ - attention.

Just a few seconds later, Rei sat down right beside her, sporting an expression that sat squarely in the middle of relief and embarrassment. “...Did you... have to do that so loudly?”

Asuka looked down at the class below - indeed, some of them were still staring wide-eyed up towards the two, as if her openly enjoying someone’s company were a sight rarer than Reshiram itself. Then again, it could’ve just as easily been bewilderment that Rei had a friend, which kind of made her fear how her first couple of classes had gone.

“S-sorry, not really... just... happy to see you, y’know?” She dug into her backpack, procuring a pair of sodas and offering one to Rei. “So... how’s your day been? Tolerable, I hope...?”

Rei glanced down at the drinks. She hesitated for a moment, but eventually took one. It wasn’t until she’d downed two sips that she responded. “...It’s gone more or less how I’d expected so far.”

“...Poorly, then?”

“Mhm.” Rei looked like she was at least making an effort not to let it show, but as much as Asuka hated to admit, it absolutely was not working. “I... don’t understand why it has to be like this. What do they gain out of it?”

“Nothin’ but a dose of smug self-satisfaction,” Asuka quipped. “Sometimes there’s nothing to understand, Rei. Some people - a lot of people - don’t really have a motive for fuckin’ with you. They’re just assholes... they do it because they think it’s funny.”

Rei turned to face her again, mystified by her response. “It can’t be that simple.”

“That’s what I used to think, too... didn’t think people were really that two-dimensional. But hey, at least there’s two of us that ain’t made of cardboard, huh?”

“...That is true.”

Asuka held her drink out, bumping the plastic bottle against Rei’s in something vaguely resembling a toast - which, thankfully, brought a smile back to her friend’s face. Rei promptly finished off the last of her drink, setting the bottle down at her feet as her attention turned to the gymnasium floor. “The teacher’s here... that reminds me, do we... not have gym uniforms?”

“Not over here, thank Christ... you’re gonna have to bring some gym clothes eventually, but not today. Today’s, uh... different.”

Rei quirked an eyebrow. “How do you mean...?”

“Well, for the first, uh...” Actually, on second thought, Coach did love to hype this up every year, so Asuka figured she’d spare Rei the redundancy. “...well, he’ll explain it in a sec.”

Indeed, the man down below sporting a maroon tracksuit and a hairline that just wouldn’t quit promptly began to address the class. Loudly. “Alright, it’s nice to see all of you again - well, most of you, anyway. I’m Coach Wojciechowski, I’m gonna be your gym teacher, and, well... I’m sure we’re all mostly aware of what’s in store today, but we’ve got a couple new Devils here, so we’re gonna go over it real quick, alright?”

A few of their classmates were excited, but the majority - Asuka included - really just wanted him to get the point already. Rei held neither of these opinions. “...Devils...?”

“Yeah, our sports teams are called the Devils,” answered Asuka, twirling her hair. “That’s why everything around here’s red and black.”

“I see... but... wouldn’t that be an issue? At least, going off what I know about religious attitudes here...”

“Actually, if you can believe it, our old mascot from back before I even went here was way worse.” In fact, Asuka was still stunned they’d gotten away with it for that long. “...Uh, don’t ask me what it was, ‘cause I don’t wanna say that word.”

“...I think I can figure it out from the information provided.”

A brief pause ensued, as Rei seemed to realize just how sidetracked they’d gotten at exactly the same time as Asuka. “...So... what are we doing today? I, um... missed what he said.”

“Well, most of us aren’t really doing anything... every year, Coach puts on an exhibition match between the two best trainers in each class on the first day. Which, of course, means that--”

“Miss Soryu!” Coach bellowed, turning everyone’s attention towards her - and by extension, Rei, who looked exceedingly uncomfortable with this development. “You’re up for it, right?”

...No. No, she wasn’t.

“Coach, there’s... what’s the point?” she shot back, rising to her feet. “I’ve done this stupid thing three times already! Why would I waste my Pokemon’s energy on a fourth when I have nothing left to prove?”

She’d done enough for them, hadn’t she? Not since Elesa herself had Bludworth boasted a trainer with Asuka’s track record. So why couldn’t they just leave her alone?

“...Alright, I suppose that’s fair.” A wave of relief washed over her as Coach relented, one that immediately dried up upon hearing him continue. “Then how about... Ayanami, was it? Welcome to Bludworth, by the way - last I heard, you’ve completed Sinnoh’s gym challenge, haven’t you?”

It would figure that without herself in the picture, the spotlight would immediately fall on Rei - “new exchange student” on its own was a hell of an attention-grabber, and Rei was a damn capable trainer in her own right. Thing was, from what Asuka could gather, she’d been a nervous wreck all day - the last thing that needed to happen was her bottling it in front of half the senior class.

Rei still clearly wasn’t a fan of having the entire class’s eyes on her, but from the looks of things, she was genuinely deliberating the idea. “Hey, don’t feel like you’ve gotta take ‘em up on it just because,” reassured Asuka, putting an arm around her friend’s shoulder. “It’s nothing important at all.”

“I guess, but... I do feel like it would help me, proving myself as a capable trainer. People here... seem to value that a lot, from what I’ve heard today.”

“Wirklich? Well, I mean... I’m not gonna stop you if that’s what you wanna do. Go for it.”

“...I think I will.”



Most of her classmates whose eyes she’d met looked utterly dumbfounded. Her, Rei Ayanami, this brand-new exchange student who made a Cofagrigus look outgoing, was willingly stepping into the spotlight. Rei herself wasn’t even sure what, exactly, compelled her to actually take this opportunity.

Anything to seem normal, she supposed.

Coach... how was it pronounced again? Waj... vwah... Coach Woj. That would suffice. Coach Woj seemed pleasantly surprised himself. “Alright, Ms. Ayanami will be taking the north end of the battlefield!” he announced, far more vigor in his voice than an exhibition battle between two high schoolers should’ve warranted. “Now, who’ll you be facing...? Anyone up for it?”

One boy would answer the call, rising from his seat and heading down to join Rei and Coach Woj. “Hey, why not, right? Ain’t had an actual challenge in a bit, could use the warm-up.” He held out his hand towards her, introducing himself. “Dezmond Brooks, nice meetin’ ya... you Asuka’s friend?”

“...I am, yes.” She was surprised by how comfortable she felt accepting his handshake. It was difficult to piece together, but out of everyone who’d engaged with her today, Dezmond was the only one who seemed genuinely interested in her. Interested beyond mere morbid curiosity, at least. It was a warmth she had trouble describing. “You know her?”

“I mean, we’ve been battling each other since the fourth grade, so I’d say so. Heard you’re pretty close to her level, too, goin’ off what she’s taught me... let’s put on a show, yeah?”

“Of course.” Asuka was really that confident in her battling abilities? So much so that she’d go out of her way to talk her up? Rei had never fancied herself anything more than “pretty good.”

She could feel her face heating up again. This was something she could ponder later. Turning back to Coach Woj alongside Dezmond, Rei asked, “So... what are the rules?”

“Pretty simple, really - it’s nothin’ too fancy, just a 2-on-2 single battle. Only catch is that you’ve gotta use two Pokemon of the same type, and you both have to send in your leads at the same time.”

Sounded simple enough, even if Rei wasn’t entirely sure why she kept finding herself in the midst of monotype battles. “Understood. Then, shall we...?”

Her voice trailed off, only now realizing something was missing - there was no battlefield.

In fact, it didn’t seem like Coach Woj had realized himself until that moment, either. “Huh? Oh... the battlefield, of course. Just a moment, heh...” He fished out a small remote from the pocket of his jacket, and with a single button press, a loud whirring noise began to echo throughout the gymnasium. The maple basketball court taking up the vast majority of floor space slowly started opening up at the division line. When both halves of the court had fully retracted, a sandy battlefield stood before them, sporting the same traditional Unova League markings Rei had seen at Striaton Stadium.

...Impressive. It definitely beat out what her school back home had to offer, which was more or less just battling on the football pitch until they had to resod the whole thing. Multiple times.

Dezmond had started off towards one of the trainer’s boxes, so Rei followed suit, mulling over her lead options as she took her place across the battlefield from her newfound... acquaintance seemed like the most appropriate term.

First of all, a dual-type was an absolute necessity - she needed to give herself options. That unfortunately meant Zee was off the table, as while Ditto was a purple blob of many talents, their success rate in proper battles had been very spotty in the past. Really, it boiled down to whatever left her with the fewest weaknesses overall.

It also didn’t help that the question of what type Dezmond specialized in was a total question mark. If he even did specialize in one.

By the time Rei reached her box, she’d made her decision; gripping the Dusk Ball in her hand, she stared down Dezmond across the battlefield. “Both of you ready?” Coach Woj called out, taking his spot on the referee’s podium.

Dezmond certainly seemed so. “Been ready since I got up this morning,” he confirmed, flashing Rei a grin. She was too focused on the forthcoming battle to even register if she reciprocated with one of her own.

“Alright! Three, two, one... draw!”

Both balls hit the sand within milliseconds of each other, bursting open to reveal each trainer’s first choice. Immediately, it dawned on Rei that she’d made a huge mistake.

Rotom against Camerupt. The matchup didn’t sound horrible on paper; yes, Electric moves were a non-starter, but not only was the phantom unfazed by Camerupt’s earth-shaking attacks in return, they very well may have had the upper hand depending on whatever household object they’d decided to take for a joyride.

They’d just so happened to choose Mr. Langley’s lawnmower at the worst time.

Whether Dezmond was a Fire or Ground specialist didn’t matter at this point - either way, she’d found herself in a uniquely terrible situation. That was still no justification for backing out now, though - after all, battles were never won on paper.

“Rotom, throw up a substitute and Nasty Plot.” With Thunderbolt and especially Volt Switch out of the picture, their options were limited. When her options were limited, Rei found that sheer destructive power tended to work wonders. Rotom pulled back, manifesting a remarkably accurate body double where they’d floated, and began to focus their power - which happened to be just quick enough to intercept the Yawn that Camerupt had led off with.

That was one break that had gone their way, at least. They still needed more. A lot more.

Dezmond wasn’t about to give her any room to breathe - Camerupt came rushing towards Rei’s end of the field with a Flame Charge, stampeding the substitute out of existence and very nearly plowing into Rotom themself as well. “Shadow Ball.” The command left her lips quick enough for Rotom to fire the attack off, but too late for the phantom to avoid Camerupt’s second Flame Charge, leading to a shroud of shadowy smoke enveloping the battlefield.

This time, no command was needed - Rotom’s Defog quickly cleared the smoke, accompanied by a lovely melody of coughing and hacking from Coach Woj. The scene Rei found herself gazing upon, however, couldn’t have been less ideal. Both Pokemon were feeling the effects of each other’s attacks, but even after Rotom’s Nasty Plot, they were in significantly worse shape than Camerupt - who aggressively exhaled another puff of smoke from their nostrils, primed for a devastating follow-up strike.

The Dezmond that had introduced himself to Rei mere minutes prior had practically vanished, overcome by a competitive intensity she’d only ever seen Asuka match. “Lava Plume, let’s go!” she heard him bellow from across the battlefield. She wasn’t putting a stop to that, not with Rotom in their current state, but she wasn’t about to do nothing, either.

“Leaf Storm.” At one end of the field, the volcanic humps on Camerupt’s back erupted, spouting twin jets of molten lava aimed squarely at Rotom; at the other, Rotom’s engine roared to life as the phantom responded in kind with a swirling vortex of razor-sharp leaves.

Both Pokemon were so focused on getting their attacks off, the idea of dodging hadn’t seemed to cross either one’s mind - just as the spout of magma came cascading down upon Rotom, Camerupt was blown back by the force of their Leaf Storm. Yet, after a few tense moments spent awaiting the outcome, Camerupt rose to their hooves. Rotom remained lying on the sand in a heap.

“Alright! Camerupt takes out Rotom to put Dezmond up 2-1!” Coach Woj exclaimed, waving his red flag towards Rei’s side of the field.

...Figures as much.

Shaking her head, Rei recalled Rotom to their ball and gently placed it back into her bag. From here, things would be more or less a formality - her only other option was Magnezone, and asking them to finish off a Pokemon packing their two biggest weaknesses, then win another unfavorable matchup straight-up was a massive ask. Beyond that, she didn’t possess any--

...Wait. She peered back into her bag, digging through it, and retrieved a ball that wasn’t Magnezone’s from the very bottom. Her heartbeat quickened as she gripped it in her hands, eyes darting between it, the battlefield, and Asuka up in the bleachers.

Even if I can... is it worth it...?

She held the ball up to Coach Woj. “Coach... for the sake of this battle, would you still consider Rotom a Ghost-type?”

“Mm... I mean, I’d be alright with it, but it’s really up to Dez,” he responded, turning to face Dezmond. “Would that be--”

“Yeah, I’m cool with that... I mean, it’s all I’ve ever seen ‘em called.”

His answer came almost too quickly. Given the confidence with which he accepted, Rei fully expected she’d be faced with another bad matchup - in fact, it would be stranger if she wasn’t. By this point, though, her mind was made up - whatever awaited her down this path beat out the inevitable catastrophe that was Magnezone against two Ground-types.

After a moment to collect her thoughts and reassure herself one more time that this was the correct play, Rei hurled the Dusk Ball onto the battlefield. “Banette... do what you must.”

No commands were necessary; the moment the ball sprung open, the shadow puppet that had been stowed inside locked eyes with Dezmond’s Camerupt and aggressively charged ahead. It was a reckless first move, to be sure, but not one that her opponent expected. He scrambled to call for an attack of his own to intercept Banette, but just as Camerupt reared up onto their hind legs for what would have ended up as a devastating Earthquake, Banette struck the hulking Fire-type square in the jaw to very nearly send them toppling onto their back.

“Perfect - now, Swords Dance directly into a Shadow Claw.” As Camerupt struggled to get to their hooves, Banette fell back to midfield and commenced with her interpretation of a Swords Dance - violent, frenetic slashing at the air with any pretense of rhythm or choreography thrown out the window. Bizarre as it may have seemed to the uninformed spectator (and Rei did overhear more than one of her classmates question its effectiveness), her technique got results, and there was no reason to believe it wouldn’t here.

Banette abruptly lunged ahead mid-dance, an otherworldly aura overtaking her right limb; formless at first, it soon took the shape of terrifyingly long claws, carving lines into the sand as the Ghost-type dragged them across the battlefield until reaching Camerupt. Far from the most agile Pokemon in the world, the still-reeling camel’s elimination was a foregone conclusion even before Banette slashed those claws across their face.

Several students gasped, and even Dezmond visibly cringed as Camerupt crashed down onto the sand. Rei couldn’t parse exactly why, as this was nothing unusual. Hundreds of Pokemon before had gone down to Banette in the exact same fashion. Everything had gone exactly as intended - Sucker Punch straight out of the ball, Swords Dance, Shadow Claw to finish.

She had Banette under control, and Banette had the upper hand. That was what was important.

After a noticeably long silence, Coach Woj chimed in far less boisterously, waving his flag towards Dezmond and Camerupt. “Banette evens the score, and from here on out, it’s a pure 1-on-1 showdown... whenever you’re ready, Dez.”

As she awaited Dezmond’s second choice, Rei glanced over towards the bleachers, and specifically towards Asuka. It wasn’t easy to tell from this far away, but the one thing that her expression clearly conveyed was concern. It dawned on Rei that this was not only her first glimpse of Banette in battle, this was the first time Asuka had seen Banette at all.

Rei’s eyes then fell upon her watch. The iridescent glow from before had grown brighter. Significantly brighter.

That wasn’t important now. Winning this battle was.

Just as her focus returned to the battlefield, Dezmond’s Ultra Ball left his hand; when it landed on the sand, the Pokemon emerging from its brilliant flash of light dashed just about any hopes Rei had of that happening.

The moment his Krookodile hit the battlefield, Rei’s mind instantly flashed back to Striaton - Asuka may have beaten Clay decisively in the quarterfinals, but she vividly recalled his own Krookodile relentlessly tearing through his first-round opponent’s team. The stories about their jaws being strong enough to crush cars and snap clean through iron fences were something she absolutely bought. If Dezmond was anywhere near the level of trainer Asuka was, she was fully expecting Banette to be ripped apart in a matter of seconds.

Banette, for her part, just stared at Krookodile. Unflinchingly. Her adversary seemed amused by this, slowly creeping towards the Ghost-type with their jaw hung open, exposing several dozen teeth sharp enough for an iron maiden.

“Banette,” began Rei, trying her absolute hardest to maintain her composure, “I know this might not be ideal, but you need to work with me. You have Trailblaze. Get a couple of hits in, keep your distance otherwise, and we’ll go from there.”

Just as Krookodile’s menacing approach increased pace, Banette charged straight at them, dragging both arms through the sand beneath her - and leaving twin trails of vibrant tall grass in her wake. When they met at midfield, it was Banette who wildly swung one arm into the Dark-type’s throat, clubbing them in the side of the head with the other to knock them to the ground. Immediately, she mounted the back of Krookodile’s neck, delivering repeated blows to the head with alternating arms.

Instead of relenting as Krookodile’s attempts to escape the barrage grew impotent, Banette’s offense grew even more violent; eventually, the phantom abandoned the super-effective strikes in favor of oh god my head feels like it’s being split in half repeatedly slamming her own head into the back of Krookodile’s skull.

Murmurs from Rei’s classmates soon turned into an uproarious commotion as banette please stop my head is going to explode Banette continued to wail on Krookodile, eventually coming to a point where I’m going to have a heart attack I’m going to have a heart attack she began slashing at them with Shadow Claws in defiance of her victim opponent’s Ghost resistance somebody stop this please wave the flag and stop this someone is going to die please--

“BANETTE! END THIS NOW!” IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HUR


Never did Asuka think she’d see Rei like this - on her knees, clutching her head... screaming. Rei never screamed. She hardly ever raised her voice. The horror show unfolding on the gymnasium floor was something Asuka had convinced herself was beyond possibility.

Briefly, she looked over at the battlefield, somehow thinking that’d be any easier to watch. Her attention turned back towards Rei within seconds. As she tried - and failed miserably - to block out the panicked cacophony swirling around her, the harsh glow emanating from the watch she’d given her instantly caught her eye.

She would’ve had to have been an idiot to not realize what was going on.


What’s going on? What happened? Please tell me what happened. How long has it been? Am I okay? Are you okay? What...

“...What’s going on...?”

Rei lifted her head, her eyes meeting Asuka’s (wasn’t she in the bleachers?) once she did; it took a bit longer for her to register the feeling of her friend’s hand resting upon her shoulder. Catching a glimpse of maroon in her peripheral vision, she looked up to see Coach Woj standing above her, with Dezmond by his side. Both appeared equally as concerned as Asuka. “Is... is everybody okay?”

She soon realized that aside from the four of them, the gymnasium was deserted.

“All of us are fine, Rei," Coach Woj answered, joining Asuka in kneeling down beside her. “We just wanna make sure that you are... and don’t worry, Banette’s in their ball.”

“Yeah, and Krook’s gonna be fine,” added Dezmond. “He’s seen worse, trust me.”

Banette. Krook... Krookodile? Banette and Krookodile. Rei wracked her still-pounding brain trying to remember the details. She knew they were battling. She knew it was Banette and Krookodile out on the field.

Only when she spotted the circle of deep red sand on that battlefield did it finally dawn on her what happened.

She began trembling uncontrollably; even Asuka pulling her into a tight embrace did little to calm it. “Dezmond... I... I’m so sorry,” she choked out, tears beginning to blur her vision.

“Rei, mach dir keine Sorgen... r-really, it’s... it’s my fault, I shouldn't have backed out.” Asuka let go, offering her hand to Rei; when she accepted it, the redhead helped her to her feet. “I’m just happy you’re okay.”

Nothing about what had happened felt okay. Rei certainly didn’t feel okay, her heart pounding and breath shaky... but at the very least, she was still here. Asuka was still here... Dezmond, Krookodile, Coach Woj...

“Rei, listen,” the coach interjected, mustering up the most soothing tone he could, “we’re going to let you and Asuka out early today, okay? Go home and rest - I’m sure you’ll feel much better by tomorrow.”

If you say so. “...Thank you, Coach.”

Once Asuka handed it to her, Rei weakly slung her bag over her shoulder, and the two exited the gymnasium together. Several of their classmates still lingered in the hall just outside, watching them - more specifically, watching Rei - as they headed for the student parking lot. None dared to say a single word.

That she’d already been singled out as strange was bad enough. Now, Rei was the absolute last thing she wanted to be - feared.

 

[Jersey Jimmy]

Chapter 10: Discomfort Revisited​

Today was going to be a better day.

She'd reiterated it to herself over and over. Her schedule would be nearly identical to Asuka's, so at the very least, she wouldn't be alone. That was an improvement from yesterday. She'd also made it a point to leave Banette at home, in the unlikely event using her Pokemon became necessary. A repeat of yesterday would not happen.

Asuka had spent most of the drive to school weaving tales of how she'd unrepentantly ruin the lives of anyone who dared to torment her. Rei appreciated the thought, she really did.

As it turned out, it wouldn't be necessary. Not a single one of their classmates even attempted to speak to Rei; whether Asuka had been present in the classroom or not played no role. Even her teachers failed to notice her extended hand when calling on students. She'd still failed to conclude if this was preferable to the alternative or not.

A hand tapping her shoulder during computer science class ultimately jostled Rei free from her own thoughts. "Yes?" she stammered, doing everything in her power to play down how much it had startled her.

The sight of orange hair framing a face fraught with worry did little to quell her concern. Asuka, the girl who seemingly had the entire student body quivering under her heel, looked utterly powerless.

"...Your counselor wants to speak with you. Nobody told me what about, but... well."

Rei's chest tightened. Her second day, and she was being summoned to meet with her counselor. Some smaller, far more gullible part of her brain tried to convince her that this was nothing out of the ordinary, that he'd merely be introducing himself in person and that would be that. Were that the case, it would've happened yesterday. Were that the case, Asuka wouldn't have looked like this was the last time they'd ever see each other.

She knew what this was about. Both of them knew what this was about.

Hesitantly, Rei reached for the strap of her messenger bag and rose from her chair. She glanced towards the door, then back at Asuka. Two separate attempts at saying she'd see her later died in infancy, as she didn't feel confident in hitching her wagon to either.

"I'll... see you at lunch, if possible," she whispered on the third attempt, and then she headed for the door.

Today was supposed to be a better day.

---

"Hello. You wished to see me...?"

"Ah, Ms. Ayanami, how are you? Please, sit down."

Rei grasped at the hem of her hoodie, kneading the soft fabric in her hand. There was an air of mockery that permeated his question, like he'd dared her to say she was just fine. "Why did you wish to speak with me?" she dodged, reluctantly lowering herself into an uncomfortable chair.

The man seated at the desk before her, ostensibly her counselor, flashed her a grin that strained his leathery skin to its limit. "Well, there's a couple things I'd like to discuss in particular, but it wouldn't hurt if we took some time to get to know each other, would it?"

His proposition did nothing to unfurl the knots in Rei’s stomach, as this was not a man she felt comfortable with the idea of getting to know. It would've been no more than a formality, anyway - he already knew everything he needed to. More than that, she'd argue. Rei continued to avoid eye contact, instead focusing on the small family of die-cast motorcycles cluttering his desk. "I'd rather not. I dislike discussing myself."

"Look, Rei - can I call you Rei?"

"That is my name, yes."

"Rei, okay... now look, I understand these are uncharted waters for you, but I want you to know that you can trust me, alright? I just wanna help you have the best experience possible."

Rei’s “best experience possible” at that point would’ve been to leave the room immediately, but that had apparently been ruled off-limits for her. It felt like a lot of decisions had been made for her since yesterday.

He’d requested to get to know her, and as much as the thought made her shudder, she likely wasn’t getting back to class without doing so. She gave him the short version. “Okay. Yes, my name is Rei Ayanami. I came here from Sinnoh, and I have been staying with Asuka. Langley Soryu, to be specific. I’m not sure if there are any other students named Asuka here.”

The act of laughing appeared almost physically uncomfortable to her counselor, but he did so anyway. "In Nimbasa? I'd be shocked if we did. Hey, don't worry, I woulda known which Asuka you were talking about."

"R-right." She began drumming her fingers against her thigh. The other shoe was going to drop, sooner rather than later, and this affable facade would slip away. If only she knew how soon.

It didn't register to her that she'd sat stewing in silence for several seconds until her counselor spoke up. "Rei? You doin' alright there?"

You know I'm not. Stop asking that question. "Yes, I'm fine. I was just... you said we were getting to know each other, so I figured it was your turn to... introduce yourself..." What little remained of her resolve was shriveling up at an alarming rate.

"Well, you already know who I am, don't you?" he answered, still wearing the same disingenuous smile, as he tapped the small bronze plaque on his desk. "I'm Dr. Graziano, the guidance counselor." At this point, she'd completely lost track of whether he was being malicious or if they simply handed out doctorates like White Day chocolate in Unova. Maybe he was entirely oblivious to her fidgeting, her wavering voice, and--

And then the other shoe dropped. "Look, Rei. Eventually we've gotta talk about what happened yesterday."

Rei’s breath caught in her throat. She briefly entertained the idea of leaving right then and there, of returning to class like nothing had ever happened, knowing full well she’d be making things worse for herself in the long run. Anything seemed better than the prospect of retreading every excruciating detail.

“Can you at least give me a basic rundown?” Graziano pressed. He reached under his desk to procure a can of cola, sliding it into her reach. “Take as much time as you need... and here, have this.” He was still smiling, like they were merely discussing a schoolyard fight. If this was a genuine attempt to placate her, it was an impressively poor one.

Rei glanced down at the sugary drink, then back at Dr. Graziano. Stifling a grimace, she took the can and slipped it into her bag with zero intention of drinking it. “Thank you.” This changed nothing, of course; eventually, she was going to have to say something about the incident.

“I... I was chosen to participate in a battle during gym class,” she started, silently contemplating what she’d done in a past life that justified this. “I faced Dezmond, and after his Camerupt defeated my Rotom, I... sent my Banette out. It turned out his second Pokemon was Krookodile, and the type disadvantage must have infuriated her - Banette, I mean - because... because she...”

“Go ahead, I’m listening.”

“...I told her to use Trailblaze, because Krookodile is weak to it. She did, but... she didn’t allow them to get back up. I told her to stop, but she continued to attack. Eventually, I began to develop a migraine, a-and my head started spinning... I cannot remember anything after that. I... woke up a short while later, and...” Her voice trailed off, the sight of blood-stained sand intruding into her thoughts.

Dr. Graziano, now reclining in his chair, tapped his pen against his chin. “From the way you’re describing it, it doesn’t sound like this was intentional.”

“That’s correct.” Rei was impressed he’d even managed to deduce that.

“Well, that’s good to hear... heard a couple of kids suggest otherwise. Guess that’s just proof you can’t trust the rumor mill, though.”

Silence filled the room for a moment, though Rei struggled to find much solace in it. The more time she had to ruminate on the battle, the more she wondered what she'd even stood to gain through victory. Would whatever modicum of respect she stood to gain really have been worthwhile? Would people have even started to like her? That ship had long since sailed by now.

If she'd just sent out Magnezone, she never would have ended up here.

"Do you... have anything else to add, then?" inquired Graziano, more preoccupied with the notes he'd been jotting down than with Rei herself. "Any more details...?"

"Nothing comes to mind, but I... would like to apologize. I didn't wish to harm anyone, and I should've thought better of using Banette in such an environment... I made sure to leave her at home today, if it means anything, and have no intentions of bringing her here any--"

"Rei, if I'm being honest, I don't think you should be bringing any of your Pokemon to school anymore."

Rei’s heart skipped a beat as she attempted to process the sudden shift in Dr. Graziano’s demeanor. “What do you... we’ve established that it was an accident relating to just Banette, y-yes? What would that accomplish...?”

Placing his clipboard and pen to the side, her counselor folded his hands atop the desk. “I understand it wasn’t your intention, Rei, and I’m on your side there,” he clarified, a statement Rei believed even less than she had upon setting foot in his office. “But you still nearly killed another student’s Pokemon. You do comprehend that, don’t you?”

Of course she comprehended it - was he implying that she didn’t? That she couldn’t? The mere notion of being deemed incapable of making her own decisions aggravated Rei to no end. The messenger relaying said information to her being this man only served to make her stomach churn that much more.

What infuriated her most of all, however, was that no part of his statement was a lie.

“I... I understand.” It was the only thing she could say, and she hated herself for saying it.

Dr. Graziano rose from his seat, an act Rei silently prayed would be followed by him holding the door open for her to leave. Instead, his hand grazed her shoulder, and--

Someone screamed.

Rei found herself on the floor, pain reverberating through her head. The chair she’d been sitting in had toppled over. She attempted to climb back to her feet, but her shaking limbs refused to cooperate.

She looked up to find her counselor standing over her, his hand outstretched. His lips moved, but all she heard was the same undignified cry of fear echoing once more. Further attempts to get up, and to do so on her own, continuously fell to her nonstop trembling.

It took an embarrassingly long time for her to realize that the scream had come out of her mouth.

"My apologies," Rei forced out, ultimately choosing to claw her own way off the ground and square her shoulders as if nothing had happened. "I... shouldn't have reacted with such--"

"Hey, it's cool, I get it... I should really be the one apologizing, y'know? You don't, uh... like being touched, right?"

By you, absolutely not. "Correct."

"Right, because of your... yeah. My bad." Graziano looked past her, towards his desk, and concern flashed over his face. "Hey, you don't need to take a trip to the nurse's office, do you? Looked like you hit your head pretty good there."

I'd like to go home. "I'll be fine."

Her counselor hesitated for a moment. "If that's what you think, then I won't--"

Rei had never been so grateful to hear a school bell in her life. The instant its incessant ringing cut Graziano off, she grabbed her bag and slung it over her shoulder. "May I go to lunch now?" she requested, eager to put this patronizing charade behind her.

"I don't see why not. Just... yeah, I'd leave your Pokemon at home going forward, just so we're not runnin' the risk of another incident like this. For your sake."

It sickened her. The thought of spending her days separated from her Pokemon, and particularly Zee, positively sickened her. It baffled Rei how Dr. Graziano couldn't see it for the overkill that it was. Banette wasn't coming out of her ball until she was back in Sinnoh regardless. This was a solution to an issue that did not exist.

Maybe I'm the issue. Rei exhaled a ragged sigh, shoved her hands into her hoodie's pockets, and did what she could to ignore the lingering pain as she headed for the door. "In that case, goodbye."

"Enjoy your lunch, Rei," Dr. Graziano called out; she refused to turn her head, not wishing to see his skin-crawling grin. "We'll speak again soon, alright?"

"Alright." Rei could not think of a more terrifying proposal.

---

Rei had elected to bring her own lunch, at Asuka's behest. She hadn't spoken highly of the school's food itself, but what really ate at Rei was the revelation that she herself would be the one paying for said food. The strangest part of all was that nobody else seemed to recognize such an egregious display of greed for what it was. This was just what things were like in Unova.

In lieu of going into debt over pizza with the consistency of cardboard, Rei dug into her bag and retrieved a salad from home, as well as a can of seltzer. She set both down on the library table in front of her, opened them up, and began eating in utter silence.

She'd spent the past seventeen years willingly isolating herself, and today had finally devolved into another chapter of that same wretched tale.

I should've eaten this yesterday.

Rei's appetite dried up after two bites, when it dawned on her that she'd never put the salad back into the fridge after she’d gotten home. Realizing a third would likely end in disaster, she shoved her lunch away and took a desperate swig of seltzer to purge her tongue. Perhaps this was on her for not investing in a proper lunchbox. Or, perhaps, if she'd simply swallowed her pride yesterday, she wouldn't have been in this situation to begin with.

Every thought that entered her head traced back to it. If Rei hadn't sent out Banette, she would have a lunch she could actually stomach in front of her. She would be sitting in the cafeteria, not banishing herself to the library to spare her classmates from her presence. The name Dr. Graziano would be one met with indifference instead of dread.

Twirling her decommissioned plastic red fork between her fingers, Rei glanced down at her watch, failing to ignore the conspicuous absence of its prismatic glow. Asuka had agreed to meet her here for lunch earlier, and at her core, Rei knew she wouldn't lie to her. Each passing minute she had to spend wallowing in her own thoughts like this, though, only deepened the pit in her stomach. She didn't even have a meal to distract herself with anymore.

"Hey, this seat taken?"

Rei's head perked up at the unexpected inquiry, and when she did, she caught pinstripes in her peripheral vision. It may not have been Asuka, but it was someone else she wished to speak with. "Dezmond? Why are you... it's fine, go ahead."

"Sweet, thanks." Dezmond slid out the chair directly across from Rei, setting both himself and the paper bag carrying his lunch down. "Guessin' you're waiting on Asuka too, huh?"

"Wait... Asuka told you to meet her here?" If nothing else, Rei's delusions of being blown off were confirmed to be just that. "Did she happen to say why, exactly?"

"Said she found somethin' really bizarre in the gym's locker room earlier. Whatever it is, it's got her pretty on-edge... then again, guess that isn't really too... difficult to pull off..." The longer Dezmond fished through his lunch bag, the more his voice trailed off. "...Ah, shit."

Rei cocked an eyebrow. "Is something wrong?"

"Yeah, I forgot to put a drink in here. Hold up a sec, gonna run to the vending--"

"There's no need to." Sensing the opportunity to rid herself of it, Rei retrieved the can of cola she'd reluctantly taken from Dr. Graziano and pushed it over to Dezmond. "I... have no intention of drinking this. You can have it."

Dezmond stopped the can just before it could careen over the edge of the table, and appeared pleasantly surprised to find it was still cold. "Huh, no shit? Hey, thanks... but, uh, why'd you bring this in the first place if you weren't gonna--"

"Dr. Graziano gave it to me." Even uttering his name was enough to make her wince. "I... had to meet with him before I came here."

"About what happened in our battle yesterday, right?"

Rei froze at the mention of it. She squeezed her eyes shut, as if doing so would force her memories, too, under a cover of darkness. “That is correct,” she confirmed with a far quieter tone. “Again, I... deeply apologize. It wasn’t my intention to... inflict such pain on your Krookodile.”

When she pried her eyes back open, Dezmond did not appear angry, as he had every right to be. In fact, he didn’t even seem particularly upset. “I know you didn’t, Rei. You don’t gotta keep sayin’ sorry to me... it’s fine, I get it.”

“How can you say that?” returned Rei, genuinely bewildered - Dezmond was the one person who’d suffered most from her carelessness, yet remained the one person who harbored no resentment towards her over it. “I... Banette... we could’ve...”

“I mean, it’s just like you said, isn’t it? You weren’t why shit went down the way it did.” Dezmond reached down beneath the collar of his baseball jersey, and only when he revealed the Key Stone hanging from his necklace did Rei realize where he was coming from. “Trust me, Rei. I’ve seen what Mega Energy does to people.”

The sight of the rainbow-hued stone glittering in front of her, proof positive she was talking to someone who actually comprehended the situation, brought a semblance of ease to Rei’s scrambled mind. “You understand my issue, then. Why I am... hesitant to use Banette in battle.”

"Oh, yeah, no doubt. If it's gonna go off the rails like that before you even go for the actual evolution, then... shit, I don't even wanna think about what she'll do to you when you do."

"I have only properly done so... three times in my life. I remember very little of what actually transpired in the process, but I do recall there being... thoughts in my head that were not my own. The voice I heard... wasn't my own."

Dezmond finished off the last of his drink, crunching the aluminum can in his hand. The puzzled expression he wore made it abundantly clear that Rei had just taken the discussion well out of familiar territory. "Okay, that's somethin' I've never heard before. You think that voice might've been--"

"It had to have been Banette." It was the only possibility, no matter how much Rei wanted to convince herself otherwise. She gripped at her hair with frustration, stray steel blue strands falling onto the table below. "That doesn't explain why I can hear her. Asuka cannot hear Blaziken. I assume you cannot hear..."

"Camerupt."

"Camerupt, right. It... has to be something about Banette specifically, then, doesn't it?" What that could've been still escaped her. Maybe she was better off not knowing. Maybe she'd be better off chucking her Key Stone into the Pinwheel Barrens, never to be seen again.

Dezmond tapped a finger against his cheek as he stared off into space, either genuinely contemplating Banette's intentions or wondering why he'd even bothered to engage with Rei in the first place. Neither would have surprised her.

"Does it hurt at all?"

"Does... what hurt? Mega Evolution?" Rei could feel the bookshelves closing in around her, and a faint throbbing in her forehead had begun to make itself known. "Of course it does... do you not feel every attack your Pokemon--"

Dezmond waved a hand dismissively. "Nah, you know that's not what I'm talkin' about, everyone's gotta deal with that. Aside from that, does it hurt you specifically?"

Rei tugged at the drawstrings of her hoodie, now making a concerted effort to avert her gaze from him. "I... I get... horrible headaches," she forced out, hazy memories slowly becoming clearer. "Whenever I lose control of her, and she starts to battle aggressively... and inevitably, she does... then... that’s when they, um... Mega Evolution only exacerbates them. And... each time I've done it, they've only gotten worse, and the voices keep getting louder..."

Rei had last performed Mega Evolution four months ago, not long before being sent to Unova. She could not recall who she was battling, or the circumstances of said battle. Exact details of what had happened were either long forgotten or never remembered in the first place. All Rei could conjure up in her head were still images. Images of claw marks, of bandages, of a hospital bed, of unforgiving fluorescent light.

Images of blood. Far too many images of blood.

A shaky sigh left Rei's lips. "I'm sorry... I don't want to discuss this any further." She could only imagine the pathetic sight she must've been, trembling fearfully with her face buried in her hands. Maybe it would be best for everyone if she left Bludworth and never returned. At best, her disappearance would go unnoticed; at worst, it would be celebrated.

"Look, if it's makin' you uncomfortable, don't feel like you have to," Dezmond answered, far less apprehension in his tone than Rei had anticipated. "I mean... hey, if it means anything, I appreciate you tellin' me everything you actually did. Didn't expect you to trust me that much."

I could say the same for you. "...Thanks."

Rei soon felt something bump against her arm; peering through her fingers revealed a small bag of popcorn sitting in front of her. A welcome gesture, though her appetite had yet to return. As such, she reached down to stow it away in her bag, directing a nod towards Dezmond that hopefully came across as appreciatively as she'd intended.

Maybe she was too preoccupied with wondering if she'd revealed too much to him, or perhaps just her burgeoning status as a social pariah in general, but the question of Asuka's whereabouts had entirely slipped Rei's mind - until the redhead's voice cut into the conversation like a knife. "Alright, good, you're both still here. We gotta talk."

Asuka wasted no time in taking her own seat at the table, and immediately began rummaging frantically through her backpack. If that weren't enough to convince Rei something was wrong, her face having turned to a shade akin to Coronet snow smashed whatever ambiguity was left to bits. "Asuka, please tell us what happened," Rei pleaded, watching as her friend made her look like a perfectly well-adjusted individual in comparison. "Did the teachers say anything about--"

She was interrupted by Asuka emphatically slamming her hand down onto the table, either not remembering they were in a library or openly challenging anyone who dared to remind her. Beneath a striped armwarmer and magma red nail polish lay a torn-off sheet of loose-leaf, its contents unintelligible. "I fucking knew that they... Scheiße, sorry, I know. Quiet. Just... l-look at this thing."

"Jesus, Asuka, calm down," Dezmond interjected, a sentiment Rei silently seconded. "You're really gonna let a piece of paper get you to lose your shit? C'mon, you're better than, uh..."

The moment Asuka retracted her arm, the discussion ground to a halt. Rei and Dezmond stared down at the page, beholding the unmistakable Plasma symbol sitting clear as day before them. Nothing else could have so effectively poisoned the conversation.

Before any of them could say a word, Dezmond snatched the paper off of the table, silently going over it once, twice, more times than Rei could keep up with. He then turned his glare towards Asuka, and if looks could kill, they would've begun preparing her funeral that instant. "I swear to god, if this is your idea of a joke--"

"You think this is something I'd joke about?!" retaliated a clearly offended Asuka, lunging herself forward until she was mere inches from Dezmond's face; he didn't so much as flinch in response. "In what universe does that look even close to my handwriting?! Why can't you trust me on this?"

"Maybe I'd be more willing to if you actually told me you found this fuckin' thing earlier instead of keepin' secrets, y'ever think about that?"

"Of course I was going to! You think I can just--"

"Stop." Rei had heard enough. "Please stop. We aren't going to accomplish anything by fighting. Please, take a moment to... c-can I see the paper?"

She extended an arm towards Dezmond and Asuka, grateful that her interjection had at least temporarily put a stop to their bickering. "Guess it beats us tryin' to explain it to you," Dezmond quipped, placing the crumpled sheet in Rei's waiting hand. "'Cause I've got no clue what this thing's getting at."

Rei wasn't entirely sure what she expected from a note purportedly written by a Plasma member. That they'd even bothered to leave said note somewhere careless enough for Asuka to find in the first place gave her the feeling that they weren't very high in the organization's power structure, and it was difficult for Rei to envision what someone like that might even want from a high school. Maybe students' Pokemon, but that didn't seem to be what this message was getting at. Cryptic as it was, she failed to detect any hostility in it at all. Perhaps it was meant for someone on good terms with them. An associate, or--

Or a recruit.

The realization hit her like the snapping of an elevator cable, and her stomach plummeted just the same. "It's... a recruitment message. They're trying to indoctrinate students." The paper crinkled further in her shaking pale grip. "Asuka, where did you say you found this, again...?"

Asuka pinched the bridge of her nose with one hand, clenching the other tight enough to convince Rei her nails were about to draw blood. "Fell out of some dipshit burnout's gym locker. Don't remember his name, don't really care to. What I wanna know is who slipped the thing in there in the first place, because I don't think it's anyone who goes here."

Even if Rei had come up with a possible culprit before Dezmond slammed his fist down, it would've spilled right out of her head from the shock. "It's a teacher. It's gotta be. Teacher, coach, nurse, some kinda faculty." His eyes narrowed into an intense glare, darting between the girls. "You really think they wouldn't pull that shit? Bludworth's won the last four state battling championships - of course they'd be lookin' for grunts here. And I assure you they've got a guy on the inside doing the scouting."

Rei anxiously drummed her fingers against the table, her lips parting only to let out a feeble sound and nothing else. The thought petrified her, even beyond wondering what Plasma's intentions truly were - what if it was Asuka that ended up in their crosshairs? What would become of Asuka were she to get one of those letters and rip it to shreds?

Letting such a scenario play out absolutely could not happen. Rei would make absolutely sure of it.

She opened her mouth again, and this time, she'd found her words. "In that case, putting an end to this ourselves is the only option."

"Are you stupid?!" Asuka fired back incredulously, the glint of fear in her eyes impossible to ignore. "You'll get yourself killed!"

"I said ourselves, not myself. All three of us."

Asuka bit the inside of her cheek, again with enough stress to elicit Rei's concern. "I still don't think--" she started, before abruptly cutting herself off with a loud groan - one that earned a harsh shushing from someone nearby. Rei was frankly impressed it took that long. "Alright. Just... don't do anything reckless, verstanden?"

“Bold words comin’ from you,” added Dezmond, prompting an eye-roll from the simmering redhead. “But hey, I’m in on it. Someone’s gotta put the fear of god in ‘em sooner or later... don’t know how we’re supposed to figure out where they’re holed up, though.”

That was the one part that had truly stumped Rei. “All I see that could possibly shed any light on the location is... this phrase. ‘Concrete waves, devoid of moonlight.’ I... haven’t the faintest idea what that could--”

“Hold on, lemme see that again?” Dezmond vigorously beckoned for the letter, which Rei briskly handed over. “Didn’t hit me ‘til you read it out, but ‘concrete waves?’ It’s talkin’ about Franklin Skatepark, out by the stadium complex... it’s under an overpass, so that’s gotta be where the second part of that’s from.”

At least Rei could take solace in knowing she wasn’t the only one awestruck by his deduction, as an equally stunned expression adorned Asuka’s face. “Heilige Scheiße, really? Hold on, what’s that bit after it?” A freckle-strewn hand plucked the sheet from Dezmond’s, which proceeded to curl into fists; undeterred, Asuka recited the next phrase. “‘When progress is needed, one meets two.’ One... meets two...”

“...Twelve,” Rei finished. “Midnight. Progress to the next day. They’re... the skatepark at midnight. That’s what they’re saying. And... I presume that means midnight tonight...”

Asuka folded the letter as many times as she could and stuffed it in her backpack. “Yeah, yeah, I know, tomorrow’s a Thursday... look, dealing with this leech is way more important than perfect attendance. I’ll make some kinda excuse up for you, Rei, don’t worry. Besides, if what Dez said’s right, the school’s gonna have their attention somewhere else.”

Dezmond directed a cagey glance towards Asuka at the mention of his name. “Hey, when you say ‘dealin’ with...’ what’s that supposed to mean, exactly?”

“You know what I mean.”

“No, actually, don’t think I do. Think you could explain it to--”

Rei exhaled a sigh of relief as the school bell cut in, nipping what seemed well on its way to blossoming into another argument in the bud - not that she would have been an impartial party in it. “Alright... tonight at midnight,” she reiterated, rising from her seat. “We’ll see you then, Dezmond.”

Dezmond nodded towards her, maintaining a stern visage. “Meet me in the arena parking lot, yeah? We’ll take it from there... and hey, remember, it’s like she said.” He gestured towards Asuka, who failed to notice as she gathered her things, and Rei’s eyes followed. “Don’t do anything reckless.”

“...Right.”

Dezmond set off towards his next class, leaving Rei with the knowledge that his statement was not in any way directed towards her. No, that would be Asuka, either indifferent or oblivious to her friends’ shared concern. “Well, good news is we’ve got music theory next period,” she mused, tossing her backpack over one shoulder and joining Rei’s side. “Should give us all the time we need to figure out what to do with--”

“Asuka.” Once it was clear Rei’s frigid tone had silenced her, she continued, “I understand how you feel about this; believe me when I say I am just as incensed. That said... I think Dezmond’s right, regarding who’s behind this. And we do not need any more attention upon ourselves.”

"So... what, then? Are you saying he doesn't deserve to--"

"All we need to do is compromise their identity," Rei stressed. "Maybe intimidate them into providing information, if necessary, but acting rashly will only make things worse. Again, your anger is entirely justified, but... there would be legitimate consequences if we went too far."

It was a difficult conclusion for Rei to come to, as well - she'd seen firsthand the lows Plasma would stoop to. She, too, wanted more than anything to see them eradicated. But nothing could change the fact that her and Asuka were two high school seniors, or that Plasma were a ruthless paramilitary numbering in the hundreds, if not thousands. Asuka knew this just as well - which, Rei suspected, only served to feed into her fury.

As the redhead's fiery features softened, a weight lifted from Rei's chest, grateful she'd once again brought her down to earth. "Y-yeah, you're... verdammt, I'm sorry," Asuka apologized, wearing her flustered regret on her cheeks with no intention of hiding it. "I... don't want you to get hurt, is all. I don't want anyone at this school gettin' hurt."

Rei had wanted to ask her something else before, but with how heated the conversation had turned, she'd worried how Asuka would interpret it. Now, with tensions cooled, she felt more comfortable. "Are you scared?"

"Am I--" Asuka paused, taking a moment to truly ponder it. Her sapphire eyes scanned left, then right. "I... I think so."

Rei responded with a satisfactory nod. "I appreciate you telling me. I am, too, but... we will be fine." She extended her hand, taking Asuka's, and considered it a minor miracle that she wasn't batted away. "I will ensure it."

One final deep breath melted the remainder of Asuka's anger away; she allowed Rei's fingers to tangle between her own, squeezing tight once their hands were fully entwined. "Wouldn't expect anything less."

Nothing else to add crossed Rei's mind - nothing the incessant bell reminding them where they were supposed to be didn't convey, anyway. She led the way out of the library, and Asuka followed suit, gripping her hand as if it were the only thing tethering her to reality.

In truth, Rei simply couldn't completely convince herself everything would turn out alright. It was plain to see that her words hadn't entirely swayed Asuka, either. She was still confident they were leaving the library in a better place than they'd entered. And regardless of what became of them, they were going to do the right thing.

Neither spoke a word during their trek towards the music room, but their hands remained joined together. Rei did her best to ignore the pain.

 

[Jersey Jimmy]

Chapter 11: I Didn't Want to Join Your Stupid Cult Anyway​

"God, Dez, I'm so sorry, I just... I-I didn't want to make you--"

"Why are you apologizing to me? You've got nothin' to apologize for... if that's, y'know, how you feel, then that's fine. Thing I don't get is, why not just... tell me earlier? Why'd you think you've gotta keep actin' like--"

"Because I didn't want to disappoint you, okay?! You're one of the only people that actually makes me feel like I'm even an actual human being, a-and not just some... some kinda status symbol. And, I mean, I guess I'd kinda convinced myself that if things just stayed the way they were, then... maybe..."

"Asuka, look, just... take a sec, yeah? You know I hate seein' you get like this... I just want you to know I'm not mad at you or anything."

"How can't you be?! I... I fucking lied to you! This entire thing was just a huge goddamn charade I only kept up to delude myself into thinking I wasn't... Scheiße, please, just... tell me you hate me and get it over with. Don't think you've gotta be nice to--"

"I don't hate you. I really don't. I'm still your friend."

"...Promise me you won't tell anyone. And please, please, please don't let my dad know. He can't find out."

"You say that like it's somethin' I'd even consider. Not a chance in hell that happens. Trust me."

"...Vielen Dank."

---

“Asuka. Asuka, are you... is everything okay?”

It was only upon hearing Rei’s voice that Asuka became cognizant of the death grip she had on her steering wheel, of the rapid rhythm of her heartbeat, of the vast expanse of desolate parking spaces surrounding them on all sides.

Had she even stopped the car? Asuka rolled the window down, peered over, and - yeah. Yeah, she did. Knowing that satisfied her enough to push worrying why she'd even needed to check to the back of her mind.

Asuka took a moment, steadied herself, or at least made a vague attempt at doing so. "I'm fine," she lied, and she knew Rei could tell it was a lie the instant she turned her head. "Just... comin' here reminded me of something, y'know? Don't worry about it."

Rei, thoroughly unconvinced, furrowed her brow. "This seems like something I should worry about."

"You can worry about it later." Irritation began to seep into Asuka's tone as Rei probed further, which definitely wasn't doing her any favors. "Priorities, Rei. We've got more important things to deal with."

"...If you insist."

Blaring lights creeping into the corner of Asuka's vision did little to settle her. The knowledge of just whose presence they heralded had her actively fighting to keep the meager meal she'd eaten beforehand where it belonged. God couldn’t have picked a worse place for them to meet if given a year and a map of Nimbasa city limits.

Well, if there was one thing she could give Dez credit for, it was that he didn’t keep them waiting. If history was any indication, the less time Asuka had to dwell on the stupid shit she was about to do beforehand, the better.

"Asuka." She felt Rei's hand rest atop hers, in turn resting atop the shift knob. Her touch, in defiance of the muggy sweatbox Asuka's car was slowly devolving into, remained as unmistakably icy as ever. "You're absolutely certain that you're prepared for this? Because if not... I do not wish to force you into it."

Rei had to have known the answer to that question before she’d even asked it. Who wouldn’t in that situation? Even the barren husk her mother had become would’ve realized Asuka was not and would not ever be ready for what they were about to do. This had to have been Rei’s own backhanded way of drilling that fact into her head.

Or, you know, interjected the tiny chunk of her subconscious that managed to somehow stay rational, she could just want you to be safe.

“I’m absolutely certain that I’m not,” she answered, weaseling her sandwiched hand free and twisting the ignition to shut the car off in one swift motion. “But it doesn’t really matter if I am or not, nicht? Like hell if I’m gonna let those slimebags infiltrate my school.” It wasn’t an answer she expected Rei to be satisfied with.

Asuka expected the smile that crept onto Rei’s face even less. “I... find that very commendable. I feel the same way.”

Maybe Rei was rubbing off on her in more ways than she cared to realize. There was no shot a younger her would’ve put herself in this position - at least, not unless she stood to siphon another fifteen minutes of fame out of it. She could hardly give less of a shit about that now. Priority number one was getting Plasma the hell out of Bludworth High.

Asuka took a deep breath, exhaling emphatically enough to envision smoke coming out of her nostrils. “You ready, Wonder Girl?” she asked, fingertips on the door handle. She hadn’t called Rei that in a while. Shame. It was too cute of a nickname to let die.

“I am. Let’s begin.”

Asuka flung the door open, climbed out, and immediately realized the unrelenting humidity wasn’t just confined to the interior of her car - even this close to midnight, it was disgusting outside. Maybe if she’d remembered to bring water, it would’ve been a non-issue, but leave it to her to take every possible opportunity to make things harder for herself. The fact that she’d fucked up putting her hair into the ponytail - ponytail, singular - it was in wasn’t helping matters either, leaving her with the lingering sensation of three or four rogue strands about to rip out of her goddamn scalp, she could already hear the incessant buzzing of a mosquito or three or seven sizing her up, she was still running on the maybe four hours of sleep she’d managed last night, and her eyes hurt, and her wrists itched--

Dez was approaching her. She steeled herself.

"Man, seein' you with a straight-up ponytail's real strange." Kind of weird that he'd chosen to comment on her hair before anything else. The words sounded forced as they came out of Dez’s mouth, which only reinforced Asuka’s gut instinct that he’d also realized exactly where they were.

“I mean, you’re the one that said to dress differently,” she retorted, eager to latch onto any topic of conversation that wasn’t the one looming in the back of her head. “Figured I might as well change up my hair, too.”

Seemed like she wasn’t alone, either, considering Dez had elected to hide his hair beneath a hat she’d never seen him wear. Actually, she’d never seen him wear any part of his outfit before. His reasoning had admittedly been pretty sound - the less likely they were to be recognized, the better - but Asuka struggled to shake the feeling that he might’ve been a bit too paranoid.

Then again, if there was anyone who deserved to be, it was him.

Not that she was in much of a position to speak, given what she'd thrown on. She followed Dez's gaze down towards her own outfit - a dandelion-hued sundress paired with simple white sandals, not a single drop of red in sight. If Asuka really wanted to look different, she sure as hell accomplished her goal, because she looked almost nothing like herself from the neck down. Aside from the myriad of freckles littering her skin, anyway. Among other markings.

Asuka didn't wear dresses, let alone pastel ones. The only reason this one had even earned the privilege of wasting away in her closet was because Mom hadn't gotten that memo before her last birthday, and it wasn't like she was going to throw out a gift from her. Especially not now.

Actually, she had worn this one before. Once. To the hospital, back before they'd decided Mom could come home. Her father had told her she looked good in it. It was the only genuine compliment he'd given her in recent memory, and something Asuka fell asleep every night praying she could unhear.

Christ, how long had she stopped talking? A full minute, maybe even longer?

“Sorry,” Asuka apologized, “I’m just... not really sure what to say. Lotta nerves, y’know?”

Dez nodded, reaching up to adjust his hat. “Yeah, I get it. I ain’t really lookin’ forward to it, either, but I’m sure it’ll turn out alright in the end.”

Asuka absolutely wasn’t. “Y-yeah, probably.”

The only thing she could take any solace in was that Dez was equally as uncomfortable as her. Her eyes wandered, towards the city skyline in the distance, towards the facade of the arena looming over them, towards her car as she silently begged Rei to get over there and put this agonizing conversation - if it could even be called one - out of its misery.

“...Hey, uh, Asuka. I’m really sorry ‘bout this.”

Her response spilled out before she even realized her lips were moving. “Sorry for what?” She knew what. Of course she knew. “I’ve got no clue what you’re talkin’ about.” This was just her clinging onto the false hope that maybe he was just referring to how late it was. “Did you mean-- nevermind.” Which was especially rich, because she knew he was fully aware of her fucked-up sleep schedule.

No, of course it wasn’t that. It was the one thing she wanted to avoid discussing under any circumstances. “About, y’know... bringin’ you here. Didn’t realize what it meant ‘til I got home. I was just thinking, y’know, it’s close enough to the skatepark, so...”

There were always a few things Dez had been better than her at, and ripping off band-aids was one of them.

“...I know you didn’t do it on purpose, if that means anything.” Asuka straightened herself, though still failed to meet Dez’s eyes. “Besides, it’s not like... this isn’t your fault, y’know? None of it is.”

“Is it anyone’s?”

It was such an obvious softball of a question, yet one Asuka wanted nothing more than to swing at with all she had. Wasn’t it obvious? Which one of them had ghosted the other for a solid month after it happened? Which one of them was on the verge of lying face-down on the asphalt and letting the mosquitoes take them right then and there? Which one of them had built the entire foundation of their bond with each other on a selfish lie?

Asuka gave no response.

“Listen to me,” Dez pleaded; Asuka remained silent as he came closer, and resolved to remain so as long as he didn’t touch her. “I get why you waited so long to tell me, and I get why you’ve been makin’ yourself sick over it. It just... it hurts to see you’re still doin’ it, ‘cause you really don’t have to. I’ve told you, over and over... I don’t hold anythin’ against you. At all.”

Asuka squeezed her eyelids shut. “I still don’t understand how.”

“‘Cause it helped you, didn’t it? I mean... I guess it didn’t work, but... the fact it didn’t helped you realize who you really were, yeah? That make sense?”

She silently reiterated that question to herself. Did it make sense? Well, Asuka had realized who she really was. She’d done so a while ago, and by this point, dwelling on what that meant about her or what other people thought of it was pretty far down on her list of concerns. That wasn’t what was eating at her. What was eating at her was the fact that she’d used Dez to try - and fail - to convince herself she was something she wasn’t.

But it wasn’t eating at him, was it? He’d forgiven her - hell, he’d done so the moment she’d confessed. He was still her friend.

Maybe this wasn’t worth tormenting herself over after all. It never had been, had it?

Somehow, Asuka found herself smiling. “Makes enough sense, I guess.”

"What does?" Rei cut in, and-- Scheiße, where the hell did she come from?! Asuka spun around to face her, focus immediately shifted to wondering just how much of their conversation she'd heard. "Apologies for interrupting... I just wanted to let you know it's getting close to midnight."

She was right. There was a reason they were there in the first place, and it was way more important than ruminating on the symbolism of a parking lot. Asuka gave her phone a quick glance. “11:54. I’m sure we’ve got plenty of time.”

Asuka then turned to Dez, patiently awaiting his response. He met her eyes, briefly, before turning towards the overpass in the distance and clenching his fist. “Better not to waste any more,” he returned, starting off with a determined urgency that took Asuka by surprise. Before she knew it, Rei had followed suit, leaving her with the task of catching up to them - which was right about when she started to regret her choice of footwear.

She remained fixated on Rei as they trekked towards Franklin Park. She had also eschewed her usual attire, sporting an oversized red shirt Asuka had specifically lent her because of its color, as well as a beanie that did a mostly-sufficient job of hiding her unmistakable hair. Probably wasn’t actually doing all that much to disguise her, admittedly, but it was dark enough out to keep Asuka from worrying. Much. Besides, Rei pulled off red better than she’d expected.

I haven’t told her yet, have I?

She’d just kind of assumed Rei had figured it out by now. Hell, she probably had. But Rei was way too close to her by this point for Asuka to feel comfortable leaving her to draw her own conclusions.

If there was anyone who deserved to know, it was Rei Ayanami.

---

It had been two months, more or less, since Rei had first encountered Team Plasma. It wasn’t a memory she particularly cherished; had anything gone even slightly awry, she had every reason to believe her ransom photo would’ve been the last anyone saw of her. Yet, she’d somehow managed to fend the unit off on her own, rescuing Beheeyem from their clutches.

Perhaps that was why, as she traversed the deserted Franklin Park alongside Asuka and Dezmond, Rei found herself far less perturbed than she’d expected. Perhaps even less than she should’ve been.

The same could not be said for Asuka, whose insistence on leading the way despite her very visible discomfort continued to puzzle her. Rei could only suspect she had done so as some kind of show of fortitude, but were that the case, it would’ve been for Dezmond and Dezmond alone. Even then, she struggled to believe he bought it, especially after their prior conversation. Whatever it had been about.

Briefly, Rei considered asking, but found herself agreeing with what Asuka had said earlier. There were more important things to deal with at the moment.

It was Asuka who broke the silence between them, coming to a stop so abruptly that Rei very nearly ended up with a faceful of her ponytail. “There,” she announced, raising a finger that Rei’s eyes followed towards the overpass - or, rather, the so-called concrete waves beneath it, their years of accumulated graffiti bathed in a flickering orange glow from somewhere within. “There’s a fire... you think that’s them?”

“Can’t imagine who else it’d be,” answered Dezmond, folding his arms as he joined up with them. His tone proved equally as stoic as his expression, one that had remained unchanged since they’d set off from the parking lot. It fascinated Rei, enough to give her an idea of why her own standoffish demeanor drew so many looks.

Asuka, by comparison, seemed to come from an entirely different planet. “How, uh... how many of ‘em do you think there are?” Her inflections made it patently obvious that she was looking for a specific answer.

“It can’t be very many,” Rei replied, and not simply as an empty estimate to assuage Asuka’s fears. “They’re here to recruit new members, first and foremost, and teenagers at that. We can’t rule out the possibility that there’s only one.”

Asuka’s counterpoint, as expected, held significantly less optimism. “Well, we can’t rule out the possibility there’s ten, either, can’t we? I-I mean, like... I know you said earlier we can’t attack ‘em, I get that, but what if there’s three of ‘em for each of us, y’know? Do we just let them--”

“We do whatever is necessary.” Rei rested a hand upon Asuka’s trembling shoulder; however Dezmond chose to interpret the act was of little importance to her. “If we’re attacked, we fight back. What we cannot do is initiate. Hopefully, it doesn’t come to that.”

“But why can’t we initiate? It’s not like anyone’s gonna have a problem with us attacking Plasma, are they?!”

“I apologize, but I... simply don’t want to see you get hurt.”

Asuka’s body tensed up the instant the words left her lips. Rei had never really bothered to wonder what stepping on a landmine might’ve felt like, but in that moment, she imagined she’d gotten a pretty close approximation.

When the redhead whipped around to face Rei, she did so with a glare that skewered straight through her. “So that’s what you’re getting at, then,” Asuka deduced. “That’s what it comes back to? You think I’m not strong enough to deal with them?”

The very notion offended Rei nearly as much as it did Asuka. “Of course I think you’re strong enough. You’re a far stronger trainer than I am, likely more than I ever will be. What I’m trying to say is that... if we confront them and immediately begin attacking, not only is it possible that one of us gets hurt, but... I doubt Plasma would simply let something like that slide. Antagonizing a group like them in such violent fashion is a terrible idea.”

“So you think the solution’s to try reasoning with them?!” Asuka snarled back, composure unraveling at record pace. “You don’t reason with these people, Rei. You should know that better than anyone. And, y’know, I don’t want you gettin’ hurt either, which is why if you ask me, the best course of action’s to make sure there’s nobody left to hurt us.”

“Asuka--”

“Save it.”

Slowly, Asuka backed away from Rei, who never once imagined she’d be this terrified of a girl in a sundress. Her attention turned towards Dezmond. “You’re with me on this, nicht?”

The very fact that his stone-faced scowl had weathered their entire argument spelled out Dezmond’s answer before he even spoke. “If I’m recallin’ things right, weren’t you the one tellin’ Rei not to do anything reckless? You ask me, I think you should start followin’ your own advice.”

Rei did everything she could to brace herself for the ensuing explosion. Instead, Asuka said nothing - no furious diatribe, no aimless string of German swears, not even so much as an insult muttered under her alarmingly rapid breath. Asuka simply turned her back to them, ripped a Timer Ball out of her bag, and stormed ahead on her own. Before Rei could even consider calling after her, she’d vanished into the concrete sea.

There was a lot to be said about Rei’s feelings for Asuka, but she couldn’t remember the last time anger had been one of them.



Asuka could hardly believe the sight before her. That this, of all things, was what she’d turned herself into a nervous wreck over.

The would-be recruits, of which four had the gall to show up, were the least of her concerns. She wasn’t in a position to be putting names to faces, but the faces Asuka saw were more or less exactly who she’d expected, up to and including the scumbag the note she’d found earlier had been directed towards. As it turned out, her attempt at a disguise proved to be just as useless as she’d feared, because the sheer terror that filled their eyes upon seeing her was unmistakable.

Asuka’s focus wasn’t on them. They weren’t why she felt her blood boiling. The one responsible for that was the single black-clad figure standing among them, a middle-aged man sporting the kind of physique only a cardboard cutout could be envious of - and who Asuka immediately clocked as Bludworth High’s custodian.

“Are... are you fucking kidding me?” were the only words she could muster. Really, what else did she need? What else could have possibly conveyed how unbelievably infuriated she was that she’d ran herself ragged over a confrontation with a goddamn janitor? Her grip on Houndoom’s ball tightened to the point where she half-expected the thing to shatter in her hand - and if it did, it barely would’ve made a difference. She didn’t need Houndoom for this. She didn’t need anyone for this but herself.

She lurched forward before she could even formulate a plan beyond sheer, unbridled violence. The other students wanted absolutely none of it, throwing up their hoods and scattering into the wind; Asuka couldn’t have cared less. They were a symptom. Her focus was on the disease.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Asuka swung her right leg forward the moment she was within striking distance - and promptly smashed her foot straight into the nigh-on invisible wall of psychic energy that had emerged between herself and the recruiter.

“SCHEIßE!” Blinding pain instantly shot through Asuka’s leg, leaving her helpless to stop herself from crumpling onto the concrete in a heap. With her luck, she’d probably just broken several toes because she somehow couldn’t fathom that a member of Plasma would have Pokemon backing them up. All that was left now was for whatever Psychic-type he had lurking in the shadows to swoop in and finish the job. She probably had it coming.

She didn’t register the Beheeyem looming over her as familiar at first. She wasn’t even really sure it actually was there. It was only when Rei’s voice entered her ears that it clicked. “What did I just say about not initiating?” she hissed, and Asuka wanted nothing more than to never have to hear that kind of venom in her voice for as long as she lived.

“Rei, why would you... w-why the fuck would-- god, FUCK!” Yeah, even if she hadn’t just obliterated her own foot, there was no way Asuka was talking herself out of this one. Not that it would’ve done much good either way, because Rei had already begun to move on to more pressing matters.



The idea of imprisoning something - or someone - within Beheeyem’s Reflect barriers hadn’t crossed Rei’s mind until mere hours prior, and she wasn’t exactly sure how. Her number one priority was avoiding any unnecessary combat, and there weren’t many options better than forming a nearly impenetrable blockade between their target and themselves.

The added benefit of deterring Asuka’s unnecessarily rash approach to the situation hadn’t crossed Rei’s mind until she saw the redhead clutching her foot in agony.

“My apologies.” Rei meant what she said, but the words came out a touch too half-heartedly for her liking. Was she still irritated with Asuka? Of course - in just about any other situation, her charging ahead like she’d just done would’ve spelled disaster. That didn’t mean Rei wanted to see her get hurt.

If nothing else, the injury proved to be manageable enough for Asuka to pull herself off the ground. “We’ll... ngh, we’ll talk about it later,” she grumbled, wincing as she shifted her weight onto her left leg. “Let’s just deal with this Arschloch so we can go home.”

Rei tried not to wonder about what awaited her when they did. “Right.”

The recipient of Asuka’s insult didn’t seem particularly eager to wait on their questions. “Some united front you kids have,” he snarled, gloved fingers drumming against the psychic barrier holding him back. “Me, I figured playin’ hero would’ve been more important to you than--”

“I don’t recall asking for your opinion on anything,” Rei snapped. This man wasn’t Dr. Graziano. He wasn’t Coach Woj, Mr. Langley, or anyone else who held any semblance of power over her. That he considered himself to be in the same position to talk down to her, to infantilize her, to trivialize her every action, filled her with a kind of revulsion not even she could constrain. “What I want is an explanation. Are these really the lows you’re willing to sink to? These are children you’re attempting to recruit - you do comprehend that, don’t you? You’re putting lives that have barely even begun at risk with the promise of... what, exactly? Money, power... purpose? What is it?”

No response. No verbal response, anyway; all Rei received in return was a look suggesting she was somehow the one being unreasonable. As if, somehow, she wasn’t owed an explanation.

As much as she didn’t want to resort to pure intimidation, it didn’t seem like that was her choice to make. Rei put a hand on one of the Dusk Balls clipped to her belt. “I’m asking you a very simple question. Answering it shouldn’t be giving you this much trouble.”

The recruiter’s answer came after a few more seconds, just when it seemed like Rei might actually lose her patience. “I need you to understand that what I’m doin’ isn’t out of ill intent or anything... truth is, I’m tryin’ to protect these kids. See, Plasma’s--”

“What kind of batshit logic is that?!” Asuka butted in. “How’s joining some kinda terrorist cult gonna protect--”

It hurt to do so, as she shared the sentiment, but Rei threw a hand up. “Let him finish,” she cut off. “And I need you to be taking pictures, at least if anything’s actually to be done about this.”

“...Fine.”

“Thank you.” Rei’s attention shifted back to the recruiter. “Keep going,” she ordered; her eye twitched as she did. She failed to recall the last time it had done so.

The recruiter continued, now serenaded by the occasional click of the camera on Asuka’s phone. “Look, here’s what I’m gettin’ at: Plasma’s the only way to get a real future anymore. Kids’re gonna die if they go against us, and that’s not somethin’ I wanna see. I’m sure none of you wanna see that, either. Way I see it, joining Plasma... it’s the safest thing you can do. I get it’s a tough pill to swallow, but, well... the truth’s the truth.”

Rei crossed her arms. “Exactly why do you think the only path to a ‘real future’ is through Plasma?” The most maddening part was that he made these claims as if they were an inevitability. “Kids will die if they go against you - go against what? What is Plasma’s end goal? Do you even know?”

“What’s there to know that I haven’t told you?” retorted the recruiter. “There’s a storm coming, and it’s comin’ soon. And if you, those Bludworth kids, or the rest of Unova don’t wanna find yourselves caught out in it... not like there’s nowhere to stay dry. You’ve just gotta decide to step inside. Him, he should know what I mean.”

It didn’t concern Rei that their so-called disguises had ultimately been useless, or that the recruiter recognized at least one of them. What worried her was where he’d recognized him from. “Dezmond...? What is he... were you--”

“Not me.” Dezmond’s eyes did not meet Rei’s. “My mom.”

Before the opportunity to ask him to elaborate even arose, Dezmond stepped forward and began to do so himself. “Don’t know if you know the full story, Rei, but... Plasma used to have a real different way of doin’ things,” he started, reaching up to remove his hat. “Used to make themselves out to be some sorta activist group. Called themselves the Plasma Foundation. Long story short, they went around convincin’ people being a Pokemon trainer was immoral, an’ that getting rid of ‘em would mean you were ‘liberating’ them. Lotta people took the bait. Mom was one of ‘em.”

“So... a cult, then,” Rei concluded. “You’re describing a cult.”

“At least you know one when you see ‘em, I guess.”

Dezmond was right up against the barrier now, staring the recruiter dead in the eyes. Rei glanced towards Beheeyem to find their arm still outstretched, still enveloped in its familiar muted green glow. If the pit in her stomach was any inkling of where this was going, she could only hope it stayed that way.

The recruiter’s continued silence was not lost on her. Perhaps he knew how this story ended.

“‘Course, she found out what was really goin’ on after a while,” Dezmond continued. “And god bless her, when she did, she dropped that shit like a bad habit - burned the robes, went out an’ found her Trapinch, all that.” Something vaguely resembling a smile crossed his face. “I remember her comin’ home with him one day, actually, talkin’ about how she made a huge mistake and all that. And Trapinch, don’t know if he had any idea what was goin’ on, really, but... I knew he was happy she came back for him.”

Dezmond looked to the overpass above, perhaps a bit further. “Point I’m gettin’ at is... Mom never antagonized anyone. Never ratted anyone out or nothin’ like that. She just... wanted to move on, y’know? She realized she screwed up an’ wanted to put it behind her. That’s all. So, please, explain somethin’ to me.” His voice did not falter. His hands did not tremble. Rei comprehended the question, but utterly failed to fathom the tranquility with which it was uttered. “Why'd I have to find her lyin' in her garden with bullet holes in her back?”

All of the oxygen in that skatepark may as well have shriveled up right then and there. Rei discarded any intentions of grilling the recruiter further, even despite the myriad of mysteries that had yet to be resolved. Uncovering the truth about Genesect suddenly didn’t seem to be where her priorities were meant to lie.

Dezmond leaned forward, the psychic barrier his only support, pressing his forehead against clasped hands. The recruiter shrunk away from him to the best of his ability, and likely would’ve continued to do so down to nothingness were he able. “Here’s what’s gonna happen,” Dezmond asserted, making it abundantly clear that what followed was going to happen. “When this box here comes down, I ain’t gonna hurt you. Should I? I mean, probably, but that’s not my scene. I’m gonna let you run off an’ enjoy the time you’ve got left as a free man, because I’m tellin’ you right now, it’s not much. Those photos, and that note you cooked up? They’re gonna get out, you’re gonna get your ass thrown outta Bludworth, and provided you don’t got any buddies on the force, that’s the last anyone’s gonna see of you for a while. And it will be, ‘cause if I ever see you pullin’ this same kinda shit again... I’m just gonna say, that Trapinch, he’s a Flygon now, and I don’t think he’d be your biggest fan. We clear?”

The callousness the recruiter had previously displayed had become a fleeting memory; little remained in its absence beside the sight of a man whose only remaining place to hide had just been razed to the ground. His attempt at a response to Dezmond only came out in unintelligible stammering, further cementing that he had nothing left to say.

“Beheeyem,” Rei called, permitting the extraterrestrial to allow the psychic prison they’d raised to come down. Her decision to call on Beheeyem in particular for this task had been a conscious one, and as the recruiter scrambled off into the night, she swore she caught the slightest glint of satisfaction in their eyes.

Rei returned Beheeyem to their ball with hushed gratitude. She took note of Dezmond, still staring solemnly in the direction the recruiter had fled, and simultaneously thought of and shot down a hundred different things she could’ve said to him in the span of two seconds. Cautiously, she tried stepping towards him. “I’m... I’m sorry. I was unaware that your mother had...”

“...It’s fine,” he assured. “Wasn’t something you woulda known.” Only now did Dezmond allow his voice to break; he brought his jacket’s sleeve to his face, doing what he could to keep his eyes dry. “And hey, I’m sorry if I kinda flew off the handle, i-it’s just... didn’t think that’d come up.”

It didn’t dawn on Rei that she’d begun backing away from him until she stumbled over a rise in the concrete. It took her longer still to process why she’d done so. Could she really call herself Dezmond’s friend if she couldn’t console him at a time like this? Would it even help if she tried?

Asuka was approaching. Maybe this was a task best left to someone who’d known Dezmond for years, as opposed to roughly thirty-six hours.

“...I’m... going to start heading back,” Rei muttered. “Take as much time as you need.” As she made her retreat, she grasped her beanie and pulled it as far down as possible. If only vanishing into it entirely were an option.



Asuka’s foot still hurt. It was probably going to hurt for a while. Considering what had just transpired, to say she didn’t deserve every last second of pain she had ahead of her would’ve been ludicrous. That they’d actually accomplished their goal was barely any consolation.

She made no effort to go after Rei as she left the scene, because knowing her, it would’ve sent things from disastrous to catastrophic. Giving her as much space as she needed, as tenuous as their friendship felt in that moment, was likely for the best. It’ll turn out okay, Asuka reassured herself; bonds as strong as theirs wouldn’t sever so easily. She just needed to look at herself and Dez to be sure of that.

If there was anyone who needed her at that moment, it was him.

“Hey, uh... I’m... sorry about all this,” Asuka apologized; she approached Dez slowly, hands folded behind her back. “Especially about going in without you guys, that was really stupid of me. You’re... are you gonna be alright?”

Dez took a couple more deep breaths, then swallowed. “...I’ll be good, yeah. Appreciate it.” A pause. “Mom’s probably pretty proud of us, if that means somethin’ to you.”

Asuka willed a smile out of herself. “Yeah, I’m sure.” Would Mom have been proud of her, too? She liked to imagine so. “I mean, hey, you said you were gonna put the fear of god in ‘em. I’d say you followed through.”

“Hah, yeah. Motherfucker looked like his life was flashin’ before his eyes.” Dez was smiling too, now, but there was a certain hollowness to it. “Gonna be real nice to get him out of our school.”

Both of them fell silent for a moment; Asuka shifted her focus towards the barrel beside them, its crackling flame a soothing respite from the heavy atmosphere. She could’ve done without the added heat radiating from it.

“Rei probably thinks I’m an idiot.” She reached up to let her hair down, silently apologizing to her scalp for not doing so sooner. “I mean, she’s right, I just... I hope I didn’t ruin it, y’know? Like, I probably scared the shit outta her with what I did, and on top of that, I never told her about... y’know. But... I just... I hope she’s okay. I hope she isn’t... I don’t want her to hate me.”

Dez’s response didn’t come immediately. No delay would’ve been lengthy enough for Asuka to prepare herself for it. “Because you love her, right?”

Asuka felt like she’d just been punched in the mouth. “I... yeah. Yeah, I do. Guess I’ve done a pretty shitty job of hiding it. Can’t believe she still hasn’t figured it out.”

“When do you think you’re gonna tell her?”

The first thought that crossed Asuka’s mind was that Dez had a hell of a lot of confidence in her to make that a “when” and not an “if.” The second was that she wasn’t even sure telling Rei would do anything. “Well, what if she doesn’t see me like that? What if... Scheiße, I don’t even know if she’s into girls in the first place! Like, I think she is, but what if she isn’t? So like, what, do I just straight-up ask her? But if I do that she’s immediately gonna realize why I’m asking, and at that point I might as well just tell her--”

“Wait, wait, wait. Wait. Stop.” Asuka did so. “Does... does she even know you are?”

“I mean, I was gonna--” Asuka cut herself off upon the realization that “she will eventually” was not a valid answer. “I’ve... never told her, no. I’ve been meaning to for a while, but... it’s like I said, y’know? I confess that to her, she puts two and two together right away, and... verdammt, I’m sorry. Guess I’m just... not ready to tell her. About how I feel about her, I mean.”

“You don’t gotta tell her that right now, no,” Dez clarified, putting his hat back on. “Look, here’s my advice: when you two get home... or if that doesn’t work, whenever she’s willin’ to talk... just let her know, y’know, ‘hey, by the way, I like other girls.’ I’m tellin’ you, she’s not gonna take it like you’re proposing to her or anything. That’s just a basic fact someone’d tell someone they’re friends with.”

Rei was going to have to know sooner or later. All things considered, ripping the band-aid off now was probably the better option.

Asuka let out a sigh and nodded. “Alright. I’ll tell her tonight.”

“You’re gonna feel way better after you do, trust me.”

Hugging Dez didn’t really feel right, especially not after the conversation they’d just had. Asuka also couldn’t think of anything else that would’ve come even remotely close to expressing her gratitude. “Vielen Dank,” she thanked, embracing him as platonically as humanly possible.

Dez placed an arm around her in return, but quirked an eyebrow as he did. “You’re welcome, but... I don’t want you feelin’ like you’ve gotta--”

“You’re still my friend.”

“...Alright, fair point.”

They separated well before the hug had any chance of becoming awkward, and deep down within her, Asuka felt some form of closure. “Anyway, I think I’ve kept Wonder Girl waiting long enough,” she said, fully aware of how many ways that statement could be taken.

Dez unclipped an Ultra Ball from his belt. “I’m gonna have Seismitoad put this fire out, and... well, it’s not like I’ve got anywhere to be tomorrow, so good a time as any to do some trainin’ with Gligar, I guess.”

It took every last inch of Asuka’s willpower, plus the knowledge that she was Rei’s ride home, not to suggest a battle between them. “You said you found a Razor Fang, right? Well, hey, good luck with that... I’ll, uh, I’ll see you Friday, nicht?”

“Yeah, see ya then. And... take care of yourself.”

Asuka had already begun to make her way back before Dez had finished. It was a strange thing to hear as she headed off - the words carried such finality, yet that obviously wasn’t the intent behind them. Just a few months ago, she likely would’ve taken offense to them.

Now? It just sounded like good advice.

 

[Jersey Jimmy]

Chapter 12: Bad Scene, Everyone's Fault
​

“Ayanami? Listen, um... I wanted to ask you if everything’s alright.”

Rei met her with silence. That the class representative had even felt the urge to approach her was enough of an answer in its own right.

“Is it fine if I sit with you?”

Rei’s eyes flicked upwards, away from her bento and towards the girl standing over her; the midday sun flooding in through the window rendered the concern masked behind her weary smile impossible to hide.

“Look, I promise, I’m not scared of you. I really do enjoy being around you - all of us do! And... if you ever need to, you can talk to me anytime you want, okay? About anything.”

Rei could tell she meant every last word that left her lips. She never lied, never broke a promise, never sold anyone out. She spoke with unparalleled confidence. Her uniform was pristine. She was everything Rei desperately wished she could be. She was everything Rei was not.

“I understand what happened with Banette has been difficult for you, but--”

The legs of Rei’s chair ground against the floorboards, and she started off towards the door, unsure of a destination beyond the nebulous concept of “somewhere else.” Anywhere would have been preferable, really.

“Ayanami, hold on!” she heard the other girl call after her. “Where are you--”

“Restroom.”

“Don’t you see I’m trying to help you? Please, at least give me a--”

Rei snapped around the moment she felt the hand on her shoulder. “Horaki,” she began, searching her classmate’s eyes for an answer she wouldn’t be able to comprehend anyway. “I don’t understand. I don’t understand how you can still treat me like this.”

“Like what?”

The words lingered on the tip of Rei’s tongue for a moment. “Like a human being.”

“It’s... easy, actually.”

“...It really shouldn’t be.”

---

They'd stopped at a gas station on the way home, somewhere around where Nimbasa’s perpetual light show gave way to strip malls and cul-de-sacs indistinguishable from most anywhere else in Unova. Asuka hadn't needed gas. The six dollars' worth she'd filled her tank with was merely a formality.

Rei’s mind had latched onto one particular thing Asuka had told her while they were there, one of the few thoughts she’d even bothered to share since they left the skatepark. “I like going to convenience stores at night,” Asuka had said as she weighed her options between drink flavors. “Something about being alone somewhere you really shouldn’t be. It’s calming.” It had struck a strange chord with Rei at first, hearing her of all people extol the virtues of isolation. It made more sense when she considered the type of company one would normally have in such a setting was far removed from the type that Asuka yearned for. That she hadn’t exactly been alone in the first place may have helped matters, as well.

She wasn’t alone here, either. Neither of them were. Asuka had pulled into the driveway fifteen minutes ago, yet both her and Rei remained in the car, united in their hesitation to enter the house - or, perhaps more accurately, Asuka was the one hesitant to head inside, while Rei remained steadfast in her refusal to push her into something she wasn’t ready for.

Asuka, instead, had occupied herself with the empty bottles that once housed the drinks she and Rei decided on earlier. Bleary, half-lidded eyes lingered on the steering wheel ahead of her as she quietly drummed against it. Though faint enough to nearly be swallowed up by the humming of the car’s idling engine, Rei recognized the rhythm, as she’d heard an even more muffled rendition of it coming through the ceiling more times than she bothered to count. Asuka wasn’t singing this time. Neither she nor Rei had said so much as a word since returning home.

Rei clumsily slipped her shoes off before pulling her legs up onto the seat, hugging them to her chest. This wasn’t the first time something like this had happened. Sometimes, they’d just happen to find themselves like this, sharing a space together, each content to simply exist in the other’s presence. Sometimes existing was enough.

“I’m sorry about what happened earlier.”

The drumming stopped. By the time Rei even realized she’d broken the silence, the apology had already tumbled out of her mouth. She didn’t turn to face Asuka, or even so much as shift her eyes towards the driver’s seat, but the feeling of Asuka’s gaze locking onto her was unmistakable. Leaving it at that wasn’t an option. “About how I left you and Dezmond behind, I mean. I shouldn’t have abandoned you at a time like that.”

“Mmh.” Rei heard the dull thudding of hollow plastic, presumably from Asuka setting the bottles down in her lap. “You’re fine,” Asuka assured her, voice low as if she were trying to avoid waking someone. “Worked out in the end.”

“You’re sure?”

“Yeah. Dez and I had to talk about something, anyway.”

“Ah, I see.”

It was a sufficient enough explanation for all of maybe two seconds, before Rei again began to file through the possibilities of what that “something” could’ve been. In all likelihood, it was exactly as she’d assumed, Asuka taking it upon herself to lift her longtime friend’s spirits and nothing more. Yet, hadn’t that merely been her stepping in where Rei had failed? How could Asuka have interpreted her retreat as anything other than cowardice?

Slowly, Rei’s eyes drifted towards Asuka and the fingers tentatively clinging to her key. It was difficult to shake the feeling that the topic was one Asuka would’ve preferred to keep Rei in the dark about, but Asuka didn’t do that anymore. Not as far as Rei knew. If she did, she’d done a magnificent job at hiding it.

Perhaps it truly was nothing for Rei to concern herself with. Or, perhaps, she had it backwards - perhaps it was something Asuka did wish to tell her, desperately so, but couldn’t muster up the courage to. Whatever the case, stewing in silence wouldn’t provide Rei with the answer.

“What did you--” Rei started, but by the time she’d even opened her mouth, Asuka’s door had already swung open. Whether or not Asuka’s lack of a response was deliberate, or if she just hadn’t heard Rei, was left unclear. Rei figured it was the latter. Most likely.

Not until Asuka was halfway to the front porch, at which point she wordlessly beckoned for her to follow, did Rei hastily clamber out of the low-slung coupe and bolt after her. She resolved to deal with the blisters later.



Please be asleep.

Asuka emerged from her car, making it her top priority to not inadvertently smash the door against the charcoal Mercedes beside it. It took more restraint than she cared to admit; a solid gash in the sedan’s rear fender wouldn’t have solved any of her problems, and in fact would’ve ensured her more down the line, but it’d at least let her feel something other than the unrelenting aura of dread suffocating her.

She pushed it to the back of her mind, or at least as far back as she could; if he was awake, he was awake. She’d deal with it. She had before; if history was any indication, the first thing out of his mouth would be something about how she’d sworn to never stay out this late. Typical revisionist history.

Asuka had her character flaws, sure, but one thing she’d never done was break promises, and she wasn’t looking to make a habit out of it. She knew what she had to do, and she’d sworn to Dez and herself that tonight was going to be the night she saw it through. Whether or not that was a check that could be cashed remained up in the air, though - and with the tropical storm brewing in her stomach, Asuka wasn’t particularly bullish on her odds.

The arrival of Rei at her side, then, jolted Asuka from her brooding like an arc of lightning from the heavens; if not for the glimpse of Rei’s socks out of the outer limits of her vision, she very well might have begun to see some merit in those vampire allegations. “Christ, don’t sneak up on me like that,” she scolded. “Damn near gave me a heart attack.”

“You told me to follow you,” Rei dryly rebutted. “That’s what I did.”

“You could warn me next time. The hell happened to your shoes, anyway?”

“What happened to my--” Judging by the way Rei’s face twisted into something vaguely resembling a half-baked pastry, this was the first time she’d considered any possibility other than them being on her feet. “...Should I go back for--”

“Just leave it for tomorrow,” Asuka replied with a dismissive wave of her hand. There was nothing to be gained from killing even more time; they were already at the front step, standing in the shadow of the Langley household’s monolithic entryway. Somewhere beyond the door’s frosted glass window, Asuka noticed, a solitary light remained switched on.

Asuka certainly wasn’t thrilled to realize said light was coming from her father’s office, but she wasn’t necessarily shocked, either. "Figures that Arschloch would still be awake," she grumbled, digging her keys into her palm as her fist clenched tighter. She was already weighing the potential outcomes of him overhearing her and Rei, and each one made the urge to throw up in her mouth just a little tougher to keep at bay.

Stop wasting time. Heaving a sigh, Asuka swallowed her pride and whatever else was in her mouth; she took it tasting more like passionfruit than bile as a good omen. “So, Rei,” she whispered, “when we head inside... first off, be quiet. Second... you’re coming upstairs with me. To my room.”

“I... I am?” The sheer bewilderment in Rei’s tone painted a better picture of her reaction than any facial expression possibly could’ve. Then again, that wasn’t a particularly high bar.

“Yes, you are,” Asuka clarified, attempting to downplay the five-alarm fire spreading across her face. “I don’t wanna have you trying to sneak past Dad to get to your room. And... there’s something I gotta tell you. A few things, actually.”

Rei’s ensuing silence might as well have lasted a decade - unsurprising, considering Asuka had broached the subject with all the subtlety of a thousand sledgehammers plummeting from a thunderhead. Maybe this was a sign from God to dedicate some time to learning how to conceal her intentions, as opposed to doing the equivalent of manifesting a neon sign reading "I AM HOPELESSLY ATTRACTED TO YOU" in bold, blaring letters above her head. Rei probably had it figured out before her. Asuka would’ve been more surprised if she hadn’t.

“Alright, then,” Rei ultimately replied. “After you.” Either Asuka was worrying over nothing or Rei had a poker face beyond compare.

Asuka surgically inserted her key, twisted, and eased the door open without a sound, shutting it just as stealthily once her and Rei had both crept into the darkened foyer. Locking it behind her wasn’t a priority - as long as it was closed, she’d done enough. Asuka had all night to concoct an excuse, like she had hundreds of times before. That those excuses had only ever concerned herself, however, wasn’t lost on her.

She considered hammering the point home further, envisioning herself turning to Rei with a finger pressed to her lips, but then questioned what, exactly, she'd gain from that. It wasn't even like they had to sneak across the house - the staircase might've felt like it was a first down away, but the reality was that they wouldn't even need to get past Dad's office. Get upstairs first, ground her short-circuiting mind later. Simple as that.

Setting aside the myriad of knots in her gut, Asuka clasped her hand around Rei's wrist and led her towards the stairs. It felt right. Whether or not Rei agreed was for her to decide.

“Asuka.”

She’d made it three steps by the time the distant scrawling of pen against paper came to a sudden halt. Four by the time its absence made Asuka realize it had been there to begin with. Five by the time her father, voice dripping with listless ire, petrified her with the mere utterance of her name.

The worst part was that Asuka was fully aware this was just the first domino. He was going to order her into his office, and he was going to make her bring Rei, and he was going to see her spangled with mosquito bites, and he was going to notice her swollen foot, and he was going to see her wearing this fucking sundress. Trying to stem the bleeding now would be like applying a tourniquet to a severed head.

Again, her father’s voice rang through the blackened bowels of the house. “Asuka Gretchen Langley,” he called, louder this time, and the exhumation of her middle name came uncomfortably close to coercing whatever remained of whatever she’d gotten from the gas station out of her stomach and onto the mahogany steps beneath her. Not that he would’ve cared. “Come here, please. I’d like to talk.” No, that wasn’t true. He probably would’ve cared about a staircase drenched in vomit.

“I’ll be right there, Dad.” Five syllables, and Asuka loathed every last one.

Slowly, she eased herself back down the few steps she’d managed to ascend and wrenched herself in the direction of her father’s office. Rei’s wrist remained firmly in her grasp, and Asuka resolved to keep it there as long as possible - which, realistically, meant the few precious seconds it took to trudge down the hall. It was fortunate, then, that Rei didn’t seem to mind her lack of urgency.

Asuka couldn’t recall the last time she’d entered her father’s office of her own volition, if she ever had. Stepping into it was a great reminder of why. Even beyond the ultramodern light fixture he mystifyingly insisted on polluting the room with whenever he was in there, the deluge of file cabinets and manila folders bursting with classified info had always made Asuka feel like an intruder in their presence. The gnawing fear that there’d be a black van waiting for her were she to so much as skim the wrong document, ludicrous as it seemed on its face, had never truly left her. Maybe that was more of an indictment of her father’s character than her own neuroticism.

She desperately wanted to grab Rei’s hand. She really did. In the agonizing interim, the hem of her dress would have to suffice.

With the click of a pen wrapping up its shift, the overstuffed office chair Asuka and Rei had been greeted by swung around, revealing the particularly vexed visage of one Reinhardt Langley. “Asuka.”

Asuka made the very deliberate decision to fold her arms as her father examined her. “Didn’t think you’d still be awake,” she replied.

“I can be awake whenever I wish. This is my house, is it not?”

He’d raised an interesting question, really; in the sense that the deed was in his name, yes, it was his house. Whether or not he treated it like his house was a different question entirely. Reinhardt wasn’t the one mowing the lawn. He wasn’t the one vacuuming the floors. He wasn’t dusting the shelves, watering the plants, keeping the pool clean, scrubbing the toilets, feeding the fucking mannequin he called his wife--

Asuka straightened herself. “How’s work been?”

Her father's gaze narrowed, and Asuka bit her tongue in an attempt to keep her skeleton from escaping her body. "That’s of no concern to you," Reinhardt snapped back. "It's a quarter past two in the morning. Where the hell were you, and exactly why did you think it was okay to drag Rei into it?"

"I went out with Dez,” Asuka retorted; technically, she wasn’t lying. “He wanted to train, so we went to Franklin Park. I took Rei so she could get in on it.”

“I assure you, Mr. Langley, it hadn’t been our intention to stay out so late,” Rei added. “We merely lost track of time, is all.”

Asuka would’ve liked to convince herself they’d offered a satisfactory explanation. She knew the type of man her father was, though, and really, she would’ve been more amazed if it had appeased him. “I suppose it was foolish of me to assume you’d be entirely immune to her influence,” Reinhardt mused, turning his evil eye towards Rei. “Asuka I would expect this from, but I really figured you’d have a more sensible head on your shoulders, Rei. Especially on a school night, this is inexcusable behavior.”

Rei recoiled in response, timidly clutching her own arm as her gaze faltered. “I’m... deeply sorry,” she apologized, her voice melting away in stark contrast to the blaze of contempt spreading within Asuka. “I’ll make it a priority to keep this from happening again. Just... please, do not inform my paren--”

And just like that, Asuka found herself unable to contain the raging wildfire any longer. “Alright, hold on, you wanna run that by me one more time?” she cut in, slamming both hands down onto her father’s desk. “You’d expect this from me, is that what you said? What? What would you expect from me, you wanna elaborate?”

Reinhardt didn’t flinch at her intrusion - in fact, he virtually declined to acknowledge Asuka’s presence at all. “Rei, you really should be heading to bed now,” he suggested, giving his own daughter all the consideration of an imaginary friend. “I’ll refrain from letting them know this time, but if something like this happens again--”

“I asked you a goddamn question, Dad,” Asuka snarled; at this point, she was willing to settle for any response, provided there was a response. “What’s ‘this?’ I want to know-- hell, I want Rei to know especially. Tell me. Tell us.”

Maybe she’d managed to push him far enough, or maybe it was that she’d actually had the sense to get out of her father’s face before she paid for it, but after a disquietingly long pause, Asuka got her answer. Or, at least, what Reinhardt considered an answer. “There’s nothing to tell you that isn’t patently obvious right now - how long has it been since Rei joined us? Two months, give or take? And you’re still acting like an irresponsible brat.”

“Oh, I’m the fucking irresponsible one now?!” Asuka retaliated, entirely disregarding however many of their neighbors she’d just woken up. “Two months-- for how much of that were you here?! Two weeks? If that?! Of all the fucking people on this planet to lecture me about irresponsibility, I am not gonna stand here and take that shit from someone who’s spent more time having dinner with war profiteers than his own fucking family.”

If Asuka had left it there, she probably could’ve gotten off easy. Probably could’ve gotten away with throwing in some sort of obscene gesture as a finishing touch, even. If, by some miracle, she’d managed to contain her rage, or if Rei had stepped in to extinguish it, she’d have been storming up to her room and that would’ve been that. But it wasn’t enough. There was so much more for her inferno to consume.

Before Reinhardt could open his mouth, she shouted, “By the way, Dad? How’s Kyoko been lately?”

In hindsight, Asuka wasn’t sure what kind of answer she’d wanted. She wasn’t even sure if she’d expected him to answer at all. Her goal was to drag her father kicking and screaming into reality, and by that metric, she’d passed with flying colors.

The moment his wife’s name hit his ears, Reinhardt went white as a sheet - a change that, in Asuka’s eyes, only served to marginally increase his resemblance to a cadaver. “Rei, go to bed,” he reiterated, significantly sharper at the second time of asking.

“Not until you apologize to Asuka,” Rei growled.

Asuka had never seriously considered the prospect of Rei brazenly defying Reinhardt. Hell, just moments prior, she’d let him steamroll her without a fight. Everyone had their breaking point, though, and astoundingly, Rei had finally discovered her own. This, of all things. She’d utterly folded when she was the one in Reinhardt's crosshairs, yet being forced to stand idly as he attempted to drill Asuka's soul into the earth's core flooded her with an anger caustic enough for even her to succumb to.

That anger - one that Rei visibly boiled with - was for Asuka and Asuka alone. It was almost flattering, really.

“...Excuse me?” Reinhardt responded, his tone confounded as it was venomous.

Rei refused to avert her eyes from his, refused to open her fists, refused to so much as blink. “Everything Asuka just said was true,” she asserted. “How, exactly, can you call her the irresponsible one in this situation?”

“Because I’m her father, are you insane?! What makes you think you have the right to speak to me in such fashion as our guest?!”

“Does it matter that you’re her father? Because I think it’s readily apparent that I know far more about her than you--”

“Get the hell out of my office right now.”

Just as suddenly as Rei had dredged up the fortitude to defy Reinhardt, he’d taken that fortitude and torpedoed it solely by raising his voice. As she shrank away from him, Rei's mouth hung open, whatever she wanted to say visibly lodging in her throat. Her indignation hadn’t yet faded, but their argument was unequivocally over.

As Rei wordlessly turned away, leaving Asuka with an ambiguous look that served to clarify precisely nothing, Asuka could only wonder if it was an argument she’d hallucinated. She spent the seconds afterward envisioning an airport terminal, and if their last goodbye would be as sudden, as vague, without even an ‘I’ll call.’

Only when she picked up the faint sound of creaking mahogany did Asuka turn back towards her father. The moment she did, the force of his open hand reacquainted itself with her cheek.

The blow, swift and potent as it was, wasn’t enough to knock her over. Asuka staggered as she pressed her fingers to the site of the impact, yet stood firm, the soles of her sandals grinding dirt into the rug beneath them. Marinating in fear and stewing with rage, she began to formulate a comeback, but Reinhardt beat her to it. “I made it clear that mentioning your mother was forbidden around her,” he admonished, seemingly amazed Asuka was even capable of disobeying him. “What could you have possibly gained from that?”

“I don’t have to keep up that stupid charade you set me up for anymore, for one thing,” Asuka snapped. “And aside from that? Maybe this has flown over your head, but Rei is my friend. And I’m fucking sick of lying to my friends.”

Reinhardt’s frown widened at Asuka’s choice of words, though he elected to leave it a silent condemnation. “If nothing else... I will say, I’m pleasantly surprised that you two have forged a bond. Frankly, that’s beyond what I’d expected.”

“You’re pleasantly surprised I made a friend?!” The sheer absurdity of it almost made Asuka want to laugh. If those were the assumptions her own father was going to make about her - directly to her face, no less - then, really, she needed to shift her focus from wondering how she could get him to see her as anything beyond a conversation piece to wondering if that was even a prize worth fighting for.

Whichever path she chose, Asuka could at least be confident that Reinhardt held none of the answers she coveted. “I think you’re reading a little too deep into this,” he dismissed, reaching down to tidy up a small stack of disorderly folders. “It’s just that, considering how opposed you’d been to the notion of Rei staying with us in the first place, seeing you get along with her is a welcome development. That’s all.”

Maybe it wouldn’t be such a shock if you’d actually been paying attention. “If you say so.”

“Just, please, going forward, try to avoid getting her roped up in your... escapades, I guess.” Both Reinhardt’s inflection and the muscles in his face had softened considerably, something most would’ve taken as a positive change. All Asuka saw was an eagerness to rinse his hands clean of this encounter, to file it away among the countless signed contracts and answered memos behind him. The artlessness of his next question only strengthened her hypothesis. “Is Dezmond treating you well? If your training sessions are going this late, I’d assume so.”

“Yeah, he’s-- uh, we’re doing just fine,” Asuka stumbled, reminding herself that her and Dez were still together for however much longer this conversation dragged on. “Actually, he just got his hands on a Razor Fang, so we spent a lot of time working with his Gligar... would be nice if evolving mellowed him out a bit, but I’m not gonna get my hopes up.”

Reinhardt declined to so much as pry his eyes away from his desk, amply spelling out just how enthralling he really found Asuka’s daily exploits. “That’s good to hear,” he replied. In one ear, out the other, it seemed; apparently, organizing the contents of his briefcase was just that much more important to him. Asuka had barely even registered its presence up to that point. For that matter, she hadn’t even stopped to wonder why, exactly, Reinhardt felt sitting alone in his office in the dead of night warranted business casual attire.

Asuka, as much as she wanted to be wrong for once in her life, had an inkling she already knew the reason.

Her father snapped his briefcase shut, and as he hoisted it up off the desk, Asuka’s heart sank. “Listen, Asuka, as much as I’d like to continue this conversation--” Bold claim. “--you need to get as much sleep as you can. Aside from that, I have a 5:45 flight to Stahlstadt, so I need to--”

“So you’re leaving. Again.”

Asuka knew her father wasn't stupid, at least from an objective point of view. If he really was, the fact she was right wouldn’t be written across his face nearly as legibly. That was the thing, though - it wouldn’t have mattered how guilty she could manage to make Reinhardt feel in the first place, if she even could. What was he going to do? Not get on that plane? He'd already made that decision seventeen years ago.

“I don’t understand,” Asuka continued, ending a reign of silence that felt like eons. “I really don’t. Don’t I bring this up every single time I see you? Like, I know you’re not just taking these trips for no reason! I understand that! But why does that mean you’ve gotta treat me like I’m a goddamn ghost?! You can’t even bring yourself to call me every so often?! Not even-- Dad, for fuck’s sake, I won my first major tournament and you brushed it off like it was a fucking kindergartener’s macaroni art! Don’t you get how heartbreaking that is?!”

“Asuka, dear--”

“Yes, Dad, I know you bring up my battling career every chance you get. Does that even matter when you’ve just made it part of your fucking sales pitch?! Because, honestly, if that’s the most acknowledgment I’m gonna get outta you, then... then why’d you even fucking have me in the first place?! Why not just adopt some kid from Orre or something, right?! Would’ve saved Mom a whole lot of misery! Shit, do you even care about her?! She’s been rotting in that guest room for three months! What the hell have you done to help her?! Do you just want her to fucking die?!”

Asuka, trembling with rage, struggled to catch her breath - and deep down, she knew she was screaming at a brick wall. The number of times she’d sandblasted her own throat like this made no difference, nor did the number of ugly tears that had cascaded down her cheeks. It didn’t matter. She’d be deluding herself if she thought it did.

Reinhardt awkwardly draped one arm around Asuka’s shoulder, tightly cradling his briefcase in the other. If he was trying to prove her wrong, it was an embarrassing effort. “Asuka, I care about you and your mother more than anything else. Just because I’m not always here doesn’t mean that isn’t the case, and I really wish you could understand that.”

Every single time, his response was the same - the same reluctant half-embrace, the same insipid expression, the same regurgitating of empty platitudes. The sad thing was, Asuka couldn’t even have the satisfaction of calling it futile, because somewhere along the line he’d learned to spring it on her only once she’d burned herself out.

This time, like all the others, Asuka acquiesced. “I know, Dad.”

“I’m glad,” Reinhardt answered. Asuka didn’t need him to tell her; his hasty withdrawal from their dubious interpretation of a hug would’ve gotten the point across just fine. “Well... I should be heading off now. When my flight lands, I’ll make sure to call you, alright?”

Like hell you will. “Alright.”

Asuka shut her eyes, began to cycle through deep breaths, and followed the sound of her father’s footsteps as they moved towards the doorway. In just a few short seconds, he’d be gone - which, paradoxical as it may have been, instilled a certain sense of comfort within her. Maybe it was more that she wanted the idea of him in her life, as opposed to the man himself. Maybe she just wanted a different father.

What she didn’t want was to hear the footsteps stop.

“By the way, Asuka,” Reinhardt added, “it’s nice to see you wearing that dress. I’m sure Kyoko would be deeply grateful.”

With that, he disappeared into the still of the night, leaving Asuka to contemplate whether or not she truly wanted a father at all.

---

Rei never could've imagined it would've been this bad.

Asuka had never been particularly coy about just how fractured her relationship with her father was, even from Rei's earliest days in Unova. Even still, the true extent of Mr. Langley's callous treatment of her - not to mention the unfiltered virulence with which Asuka reciprocated - invoked all the structural integrity of a condemned bridge. If what she’d just seen unfold in that office was at all an accurate portrayal of a typical interaction between the two, Rei was starting to believe Asuka, astonishingly, may very well have been underselling things.

As Rei slowly crept up the stairs towards Asuka’s room, itself a surreal enough thing to be doing with her blessing, a particularly sharp impact resonated through the halls, temporarily rooting her to the spot. She tried to explain it away as something else. Perhaps something had fallen over, or it had even just been the house’s foundation settling. Rei, however, knew the sound of skin against skin too well to convince herself otherwise.

The best she could do was picture Asuka as the guilty party. That, at least, was a concept with some catharsis behind it.

Not to say Rei herself had refrained from pouring any gasoline onto the fire - in fact, to suggest otherwise would’ve been missing her own point. She, too, had blown up on Reinhardt, and her punishment had been little more than simply being sent to her room. To think Asuka’s would be as lenient would’ve been hopelessly optimistic. If Reinhardt truly had struck his own daughter, then, Rei struggled to place the blame on anyone but herself.

Perhaps the more important question to ask was why the urge to intervene on Asuka’s behalf, and in such confrontational fashion at that, had sprung up inside her to begin with. Just a scant couple of hours ago, she’d taken it upon herself to dress down the recruiter from Plasma, however justifiable her anger may have been. Then there was her conversation with Dr. Graziano, and while she'd mostly held herself together, the resentment she'd contended with throughout was a feeling particularly foreign to her.

It wasn’t as if Rei hadn’t had reasons to be angry. What concerned her more was the anger’s enduring presence, lingering like a cloud over her head ever since--

Banette.

There was nothing else for it to trace back to. It made far too much sense that, ever since Rei had made the disastrous decision to put her trust in Banette, she’d found herself growing steadily less composed, more irritable, more volatile. Maybe it really was nothing more than happenstance. Whatever the case, Rei needed to calm herself down. Perhaps a change of scenery would help.

Rei recognized Asuka’s room from the sliver of magma-red drywall peeking through a crack in the doorway, beckoning to her from the end of the shadowed hall. She took her sweet time making her way towards the door, and even once her fingers were curled around the knob, Rei wavered for a moment. She’d peered into Asuka’s room on a few fleeting occasions, but not once did she ever think she’d actually be granted access. Even now, with full permission to enter, so much as touching the doorknob felt monumental.

Once she’d gathered herself, Rei pushed the door to the side, and the first thing that dawned on her was just how unmistakably Asuka the room felt. Nowhere was that more evident than the walls, lined with dozens upon dozens of posters reflecting Asuka’s interests - her favorite bands, Unova League tournaments of years past, magazine ads for high-performance sports cars, and everything in between. The presence of one depicting Elesa was an amusing outlier, made doubly so by its oddly low placement. In fact, the more Rei looked, the more posters she realized had been positioned at odd angles, but she didn’t give it much thought beyond the initial observation.

As Rei approached the bed, the sight of a gleaming gold championship belt mounted above it coaxed a grin out of her; it was little wonder Asuka had made her first major trophy the star the rest of her room orbited around. That care translated to the bed itself, too - including the peculiarly meticulous placement of a single stuffed Monferno, propped up against the pillows and staring back at Rei with its beady, unblinking eyes. That Asuka so much as owned one plushie was enough of a bombshell. That she, for all intents and purposes, seemed to cherish it was something beyond even the most audacious reaches of Rei’s imagination.

The urge to inspect the doll further was undeniably tempting, but the sudden intrusion of squeaking hinges tore Rei’s attention towards the door before she had the chance. Likely for the best.

Rei, as expected, found herself face-to-face with Asuka. That was where the good news stopped. Asuka stood in the door frame, trembling like Castelia in an earthquake and rapidly heaving deep breaths in a desperate effort to burn off what remained of her rage. Most distressing, though, was the state of her left cheek - swollen, discolored, and affirming Rei’s biggest fear.

It seemed as if, unless Rei said something, they’d be standing there staring each other down until sunrise. The problem lied in figuring out what she could say without kicking a metaphorical Beedrill nest. And, for some ungodly reason, Rei figured lightening the mood was the way to go.

“So, um... your middle name is Gretche--” The plan didn’t make it so far as a single sentence, as the moment Asuka realized what the question was, she trained a full-blown death glare onto Rei, effortlessly stunning her into silence.

After several excruciating, regret-filled seconds, Asuka shut her eyes and sighed. “Can you look away for, like, a minute?” she requested, making a clear audible attempt to defuse the situation. “‘Cause I think I’ve had about enough of this goddamn dress for one day.”

“Of course.”

“If you peek, I’ll kill you.”

“I’m aware.”

Rei turned back towards the wall, continuing to examine the posters adorning it. The apprehension in the ensuing beat was not lost on her, but Asuka did begin changing soon enough, heralded by a medley of shuffling fabric and sliding drawers. The accompanying surge of heat through Rei’s cheeks, the likes of which she tended to save for her scattered bouts of rage, perplexed her.

“If you must know,” Asuka abruptly began, and Rei resisted every instilled social urge to turn and nod, “yes, ‘Asuka Gretchen Langley’ is my rea-- well. My legal name, anyway. Hilarious, I know.”

“Soryu isn’t part of it?”

“Nope. Actually, it was almost even worse, ‘cause Gretchen was almost my first name. I think Reinhardt wanted to name me ‘Gretchen Annika’ or somethin’ like that, but Mom won out on that one. Point is, Mom kept her last name when she married him, so it just... felt wrong, y’know? Not having it be part of mine.”

Rei could only speculate as to why Soryu had been left off Asuka’s birth certificate, because she wasn’t particularly interested in cracking open another can of worms. “Understandable.”

“You can turn around, by the way.”

Rei did so, taking note of Asuka’s new ensemble of lumberjack-plaid pajama pants and a well-worn band tee; her sundress laid carelessly discarded on the carpet beside her, imbued with all the grace of a used tissue. Asuka herself looked like a Skitty left to fend for itself in a hurricane.

“So, what was that, the third time I’ve lost my shit today? Maybe fourth?” Asuka pinched the bridge of her nose, brow furrowed with enough torque to pull a muscle. “Look, Rei, I know all I’ve been doing is making shit worse, and I’m sorry I keep dragging you down with--”

“Is your foot okay?”

Asuka tilted her head quizzically, following Rei's gaze down her right leg. At the very least, Asuka was putting weight onto it, even if that weight was entirely concentrated on her heel. Her heel, however, hadn’t been the part of her foot that struck Beheeyem’s barrier - and not only had Asuka kept her toes clear of the floor, they’d taken on a disconcerting purple tinge in the hours since.

Rei returned her focus to Asuka’s face, ready to make the obvious connection, but the presence of a languid, yet vividly red smile upon it swiftly overwrote whatever that might’ve been. “I can still walk, can’t I?” Asuka wearily laughed. “It’ll be alright. Appreciate you asking, though.”

“You’re welcome,” Rei replied.

Asuka gave a small nod of acknowledgement before heaving herself onto the bed, and for a moment, seemed to withdraw herself into a separate reality. Lying prone atop the blankets, she listlessly scrolled through her phone as she held silent congress with her Monferno plushie. Rei watched on, occasionally averting her eyes when it felt like she’d done so for too long. About a dozen different things to say drifted through her mind, but she respected Asuka too much to act on any of them.

When Asuka did decide she was ready to talk, her words were like shattering glass. “You get that I hate him, right? I’ve made that clear?”

“You-- huh?”

“Reinhardt.” Asuka reached to set her phone atop its charger before rolling onto her back. “I don’t want you to get this impression that ‘oh, of course I love him, I’m just mad that he’s never around--’ I mean, that part’s true. Doesn’t mean it’s born outta love or anything, ‘cause honestly? There’s nothin’ there. Hasn’t been since I was a dumbass kid.”

Hesitantly, Rei sat down at the foot of Asuka’s bed, allowing her shoulders to sag once it was apparent there were no bear traps lurking beneath the covers. “You’re really that sure?” she asked.

Asuka shrugged. “Maybe it’d be a different story if he gave me a reason.”

“To love him?”

“To think he’s putting any effort in at all.”

A door slammed shut downstairs; Asuka held her breath as footsteps followed from just beyond the room’s sole curtained window. Her eyes remained riveted to the ceiling, and eventually, Rei’s followed suit. Keeping watch over the bed was a poster for Perfect Blue, and the vacant, fractured stare of Mima Kirigoe did little to temper the uneasy atmosphere.

It was upon the sound of an engine rumbling to life, its bass-rich exhaust note a distinct departure from the snarling beast Rei had grown so accustomed to, that Asuka propelled herself from the mattress. “Even if he was the spitting image of some model kinda network sitcom dad,” Asuka continued as she crossed her legs, “I mean... you know the type of business he’s in. Best case scenario, we’re still talking about a guy who’s totally cool with the blood he’s got on his hands.”

Rei gave what she could only hope came across as an empathetic nod. “It’s a dilemma I’m quite familiar with,” she replied.

“‘Cause your dad’s in the defense industry too, nicht?”

“Mhm.”

Admittedly, Rei had never given her father’s career much thought - or, failing that, she’d at least done a decent job of suppressing any she did have. She’d always had reason to believe he cared for her, so it only made sense that it wasn’t something that crossed her mind often. The more Rei listened to Asuka, though, the more she wondered if that was a particularly rose-tinted view of the situation.

Rei, surmising this was a puzzle best solved some other time, silently beckoned for Asuka to continue.

“Honestly, I don’t really know what else I can say about him without sounding like a broken record,” Asuka continued. “But... just because I don’t love him, that doesn’t mean I don’t want to. Because I do! I really do! Why do you think I threw myself headlong into being a Pokemon trainer the moment I could? Because I knew that’s what he wanted me to be from the moment he even thought about having a kid, and that’s why it stings even worse that I’ve gotten to the point where I’m actually good enough to win major tournaments, and all it turns out that’s good for is being somethin’ else for him to brag about over dinner to his war buddies. And then he comes home three weeks later and thinks that’s what constitutes being a good dad?! Verpiss dich!”

Asuka’s cadence had begun to accelerate at an alarming rate; at any moment, her sentences would surely crumble into indecipherable fragments. As Asuka unraveled further, attempting to stutter out her next word, Rei spent the same time inching forward atop the covers; though usually far from her first course of action, she could tell something was different this time. Like so many times before, Asuka needed her. This time, she could answer.

Rei, as delicately as she could, placed a hand atop Asuka’s thigh - and as she kneaded the flannel fabric between her fingers, Asuka squeezed her eyes shut and exhaled a shaky breath. “Don’t rush yourself,” Rei whispered. “Take as long as you need.”

Asuka dabbed her quickly-dampening eyes with her shirt, though made no effort to soak up the fresh tears that promptly pooled in their place. “I... I think that’s the part that pisses me off the most,” she muttered. “Like, he does the absolute bare minimum, and usually not even that much, and he still expects me to idolize him... but if I even slightly deviate from whatever his idea of the perfect daughter is, then I really might as well be dead to him. And it’s not just him, either, i-it’s like no matter what I do, if I’m not absolutely perfect at everything, then... what good am I to anyone? ‘Cause-- that match against Cilan, right? I won that! But since I was facing a Grass specialist and didn’t sweep him, suddenly it’s okay for some talking head to go on TV and call me a fraud in front of the entire country?!”

“But you won that tournament, didn’t you? You said it yourself, those people just do that because they think it’s entertaining. You can’t let people like that get to you.”

“I know that! I-I know that, but it still makes me so goddamn angry! It’s like there’s a flock of Mandibuzz circling me, and every single time I make a single mistake, they all just start dive-bombing or something... a-and I’m sick of it, Rei. I’m sick of being angry. Everything makes me so, so angry, and I don’t... want it to be like that. I just... I don’t know how to get it to stop.”

“Is that where the scars come from, then?”

Asuka’s waterlogged eyes joined Rei’s in drifting down towards her wrists, falling upon the dozens of faded, threadlike scars lining them like railroad tracks. Rei, of course, had noticed them long ago - to her, they were as synonymous with Asuka as her freckles - but had never once dreamed of pointing them out. Even here, asking didn’t feel quite right. Maybe it never would’ve.

A gleam out of the corner of Rei’s vision drew her attention towards Asuka’s end table. There, amongst broken picture frames and the tattered remnants of old magazines, lied a plastic, candy-red box cutter. The blade, at the very least, didn't appear to be rusted; Rei still struggled to consider that much of a victory.

Asuka dwelled on her arms for a moment longer, tears continuing to trickle down her face until she clamped her eyes shut to dam them. Her answer to Rei’s question came as a single, solemn nod, followed by more rhythmic breathing; Rei, grateful for so much as that, reciprocated with an arm around her shoulders and a heart in her throat.

“Hey,” Asuka eventually uttered, eyes still shut. “I, uh... I almost forgot. I need to tell you something.”

“Mm? What is it?”

“It’s... y’know how I had to talk about something with Dez earlier, back at the park? It’s about that.”

“Sure, go ahead.”

“Thanks.” Asuka pried her eyes open, gently wiping the tears away. “So, I didn’t wanna bring it up while we were all together, but... well, Dez and I used to date. Probably somethin’ you already guessed, but yeah, we dated for... two years, I think? More or less.”

“I can’t help but notice you’re speaking in past tense.”

“Well, yeah. And don’t get me wrong, ‘cause Dez is one of my best friends, but after a while, it just... wasn’t working.”

“Why not?” Rei quickly picked up on the faint shade of pink adorning Asuka’s face. It was a welcome respite from the discolored bruise lying beneath.

“Because I didn’t actually love him. Never had. And it got to a point where, like... I knew I didn’t love him, but I kept acting like I did, because-- well, so Reinhardt wouldn’t get on my ass about breaking up with him, for one. But beyond that, I was pretty much doing it just to... convince myself of something I knew wasn’t true, I guess. And I felt terrible about it, too! Because if I wanted to keep lying to myself, I had to keep lying to Dez, too... and, like, Dez has told me over and over he understands, but... Scheiße, it’s the exact kinda thing Reinhardt would do.”

“Why would you think that?” Rei asked; if Asuka was willing to bridge the gulf between herself and her father for self-deprecation, it had to be something truly serious.

“Because...” Asuka started, only for her voice to wither into nothingness. The pink glow of her cheeks had mutated into ambulance-siren red, and Rei could practically see the outline of Asuka’s heart pounding through the dove on her shirt. She appeared seconds from detonating, though now in a fashion far different than Rei had grown accustomed to.

Asuka’s eyes darted towards her door, then back towards Rei. She went so far as to shoot her stuffed Monferno an uncertain glance, as if it had truly been eavesdropping on everything they’d said. Rei remained silent - if Asuka truly did need all the time in the world, she was more than willing to grant it to her.

Asuka, still failing to fully meet Rei’s gaze, anxiously tugged at her hair. “Because... I’m not even into guys in the first place, Rei.”

“You’re not?”

Incredibly, Asuka’s lips curled into something vaguely resembling a smile. “You... what do you mean, ‘you’re not?’” she echoed, punctuated with a giggle Rei may or may not have hallucinated. “Rei, I-- I came out to you, and your response is just... y’know what, forget it. Point is, um... y-yeah. I’m a lesbian.”

Asuka took a moment to gather herself, leaving both girls to ruminate on the revelation - that Asuka Langley Soryu was a lesbian, and now that Rei knew that, she seemed to breathe free for what very well might have been the first time in her life. Rei found herself cycling through countless potential responses, all failing to leave her lips. Some seemed too callous, others overly enthusiastic.

She ended up settling on one that, admittedly, may have been somewhat trivial. “Were you trying to convince yourself you weren’t?”

Asuka slowly nodded. “Yeah. When I finally realized it, I was... scared, honestly. Scared of what would happen if it got out, scared of what Mom or especially Reinhardt would think... I guess scared of what it said about me, too, a-as stupid as that sounds. So for a while, I kinda just... pressed on like normal. Hoped it’d go away.”

“And that’s why you kept dating Dezmond.”

“Yeah. But then it came to a point where I realized it was just gonna keep gettin’ worse the longer I kept deluding myself. Elesa was the first person I told-- I mean, obviously, right? Then I told Dez, even though I felt like I was gonna have a heart attack... and now I’ve told you. Skyla knows, too, but... that’s more or less it.”


Rei spotted a second poster of Elesa affixed to the wall upon the mention of her name, decidedly more provocative than the first, and another piece of the puzzle slotted into place. “So I’m that important to you?” she quipped.

“I-if that’s how you wanna put it, yeah.”

Rei did her best to mask the smirk Asuka’s reinvigorated blush brought to her face. “In any case, thank you for telling me. I’m glad you were comfortable enough.”

“Honestly, I was really worried, but... yeah, I’m glad I was, too.”

From a certain point of view, Rei found Asuka’s reservations entirely understandable, even if Rei herself had already made her own preferences abundantly clear - in fact, she’d done so ages ago. At least, it felt like she had. It seemed absurd to think she hadn’t.

Yet, the longer Rei attempted to conjure a corresponding memory, the more distraught she became by the decided absence of one.

Evidently, Asuka had noticed, as her expression quickly morphed into one of concern. “Hey, uh, Rei? You good?”

“Did I... never tell you?”

“About?”

“That I’m the same way.”

Asuka’s eyes immediately widened, seemingly more out of shock than anything else. “You... why didn’t you tell me that sooner?!” she exclaimed, her tone equally as dumbstruck. “I-I’m not mad at you or anything! I’m just... y-you could’ve...”

“I genuinely thought you knew by now,” Rei answered. “I... cannot believe I never actually told you.”

Not only did Asuka not know, it apparently stunned her enough to send her flopping backwards onto the mattress. “I mean... better late than never, I guess,” she said, sounding genuinely winded. “Though, honestly? You’re right. Or maybe it’s that I was right, ‘cause I figured you were into girls a while ago.”

Rei tilted her head at that. “What gave it away?”

“Y’know, little things. Short hair. Cargo pants. The way Skyla turned you into a blushing wreck when we went to Chargestone. Stuff like that.”

“That last one sounds like projection.”

Asuka’s grin widened, prompting Rei to realize it had returned in the first place. “Does it? Guess we remember it differently.”

Rei conceded with a cheerful shrug. “Guess so.”

For a moment, that was where the conversation ended, and the ensuing silence brought a sense of comfort instead of unease. As Asuka contently hummed to herself, Rei continued to scour the room, making mental notes of every little detail - a die-cast replica of the crimson Audi in the driveway, what remained of a broken fightstick, a photo of Asuka and Dezmond sporting Bludworth High baseball uniforms, and so on.

Soon enough, the humming stopped. “Hey, Rei. You wanna do me a favor?”

“Hm?” Rei swiveled back around just in time to see Asuka pull herself up from her horde of pillows. “Of course, what is it?”

“Well, uh... it’s just that...” Whatever confidence shone through in Asuka’s initial request had already completely evaporated. “...I was wondering if we could kiss.”

Rei instantly found herself with a death grip on the covers beneath her. “Y-you--”

“Just once! Because, like... I’ve never actually gotten to kiss another girl before, right? And... since you’re my best friend, and you’re, y’know...”

Inexplicably, Rei’s initial shock began to give way to something that wasn’t abject terror. She put a moment of effort into unclenching her body and considering the prospect; unfortunately, her brain refused to throw out anything that didn't scream 'error', 'bug report', or 'misfire'.

For a moment that had to have been discouraging to Asuka, Rei gripped her head, as if to dispel a migraine. Then, quietly, she replied, "I... haven’t kissed anyone before. I don’t want to disappoint you."

Asuka scoffed. “I mean, if that’s the logic you operate on, you’re gonna have to disappoint someone eventually, right?”

“I suppose you have a point.”

“Then why not disappoint me?”

Try as she might, Rei couldn’t help but crack a smile. “I’d... be glad to--”

Asuka eagerly flung her arms over Rei’s shoulders the moment she could, and within the same second, pulled her into a kiss fraught with far more passion than anything Rei could have imagined. Whatever remaining hang-ups Rei had melted away as soon as their lips were locked, as she allowed herself to shut her eyes and let Asuka’s enthusiasm guide her; she even found herself so bold as to wrap her arms around Asuka’s waist, pulling the two ever so slightly closer together.

Rei’s eyes fluttered open as their lips eventually parted, and the sight of Asuka’s face as something more akin to a freckled stop sign came as little surprise. In fairness, her own was probably even more of a spectacle.

“How did it feel?” Rei whispered.

Asuka’s smile just about extended beyond her cheeks. “Like the right thing to do, I guess.”

“Glad to disappoint you.” Reluctantly, Rei retracted her arms from Asuka’s waist, shifting backwards atop the bed to give her space. “Just once, right?”

“Yeah. Once.” Asuka lowered her arms, gently taking both of Rei’s hands in her own without a fight. “Hey, um... I was gonna ask you one other thing, just ‘cause of how much of a mess tonight’s been-- up until now, I mean. But, uh... there’s an amusement park, Scarlet Oaks, just across the river from Nimbasa... and I was wonderin’ if you’d wanna go. Figured that’d be a decent way of making it up to you, y’know, for how crappy the past few days have been.”

Rei’s gaze drifted downward, lingering on the sight of her and Asuka’s conjoined hands. “I’d love that,” she agreed.

“Fantastisch! It’ll have to be next Saturday, though, ‘cause I promised Elesa I’d sub in for her at the gym this weekend.”

“You can do that...?”

“As long as I’m using the gym’s Pokemon, yeah. Though I haven’t battled with any Electric-types in a bit... and honestly, I’m not really lookin’ forward to it.”

Rei allowed herself to giggle at that; she could hardly remember the last time she’d giggled at anything. If ever. “Rotom and Magnezone would be happy to get you up to speed, I’m sure.”

“Eh, we can talk about that tomorrow.”

Asuka tugged at the covers, beginning the arduous process of wriggling herself under them. In turn, Rei gave the room one final once-over, ultimately zeroing in on the feasibly-comfortable loveseat sitting across from the television. “I suppose I can sleep over there, then?”

Bewilderingly, the suggestion seemed to confuse Asuka more than anything. “What do you mean? This is a queen-size, y’know.”

“...You... want me to...?”

“You just kissed me, now you’re actin’ all weird about sleeping next to me? Mein Gott, Wonder Girl, you really are from some other planet.”

Maybe Rei could’ve come up with a valid argument for sleeping alone on the couch, if she really wanted to. Then again, maybe Asuka had a point - maybe things really would be just fine if Rei crawled back across the bed and joined her beneath the covers.

As tough of a decision as it was, Rei decided that, just this once, she deserved to save herself the headache. “In that case,” she said, nestling in by Asuka’s side, “I appreciate the hospitality.”