Chapter Text
Act One
The Road Not Taken
By Robert Frost
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
It became a habit.
After the whole incident with Cara Liss and the combining of Galar fossils—in which they created a hulking but strangely impressive monstrosity that Ash fawned over—Koharu found herself joining the two research fellows in more and more adventures.
One time it was the Rock Tunnel in Lavender Town, watching the flash of silver steel as blades clashed with leek in a musty underground dungeon, and another time it was Alola, scouring the blond-haired Diglett and Dugtrio at the base of Wela Volcano, all the while trying to ignore the three overenthusiastic hikers.
Yes, it became a fast habit, joining Ash and Goh. She was still sort of the sore thumb, the third wheel, the obvious amateur who got confused and gawk-eyed at everything and left in the dust too many a time, but she was one of them, all right.
Ash and Goh got used to her presence on their trips, often shifting a little to the side to give some space for her to sit next to them on the many trains or buses or planes they rode whilst travelling, accommodating her as easily as they invited her to different contests or research projects.
She wouldn’t have gone along so often if not for her new partner.
In a way, Eevee resembled the hikers at Wela Volcano—just as the hikers loved to throw themselves into the photographs Goh and Koharu took with their Rotom phones, there was nothing Eevee adored more than throwing herself into adventures—and too often, danger. There was never a calm moment with the Evolution Pokémon who wouldn’t even evolve.
But then again, Koharu thought, maybe this enthusiasm was a good thing. It could help Eevee evolve, having her gain experience from all these journeys.
And then, maybe, Koharu would evolve, too.
So that’s exactly what she did—she threw herself into adventure, taking off-days from school more and more regularly to travel to different places and learn more about different Pokémon.
She studied Eevee’s behaviour, emotional state, movements, eating habits—everything under the sun. Chrysa guided her in the making of scientific observations, teaching her how to spot different signs and attribute them to sound conclusions. If Eevee’s tongue is pale and scattered with little red dots, it means she’s not getting the desired amount and quality of sleep. If it’s red, she’s on the brink of dehydration. And so on and so forth.
Koharu hadn’t known she could tell so much from a single unassuming observation, and she dove into researching eagerly, wanting to learn as much as she could. Because that was what Eevee deserved, and nothing less.
She ventured to study Pokémon Fossils, too—ever since her trip to the Pewter City’s Museum of Science, she had become completely intrigued by them. And the experience at Galar only served to solidify her ever-growing interest, her passion blooming like cherry blossom trees in spring.
This time, she was back in Galar again.
After Ash’s nail-biting Gym match with his long-time rival, Bea, Stow-on-Side was magical in the late evening, bathed in the golden light of the setting sun. Triumph painted the sloping, sculpted walls of the mini-canyons a dusty mixture of rose and tequila, and victory illuminated every single little dust particle suspended in the air, making them dance with a newfound vigour.
As the automatic doors slid open to let them out of the Gym, Koharu turned her eyes to the Stow-on-Side mural to the side of the building, admiring the way the light made the old bronze statues bloom with a brilliant golden-orange glow.
Zacian and Zamazenta stared back at her, and Koharu wondered what they looked like in the flesh. Ash and Goh had recounted to her passionately about the Darkest Day when they’d battled alongside the two Legendary Pokémon of the Galar region, but at that time, she’d merely hummed non-committedly and brushed them off in her usual fashion.
To her dismay, she realised she kind of regretted that now.
“Yes! I knew you could do it! Congratulations, Ash!” Goh chittered next to her, his whole body vibrating with excitement as he did a fist pump.
Ash grinned back at him, and the two of them threw themselves into a full-fledged high-five. Instinctively, Koharu rolled her eyes, but a small smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she pulled Eevee closer to her chest and offered her congratulations as well.
Ash checked his World Coronation ranking on his phone, the numbers flickering down satisfyingly like dominoes. “Ultra Class, here I come!” Then he smiled down at the glittering badge in his hand, before holding it up to the light for them to admire. “It’s nice of Bea to give me a Gym Badge even though this was sort of an unofficial match.”
Koharu blinked. “I thought it was official. The Rotom Drone was there and all, and your rankings were updated.”
Ash shook his head and explained that even though it was an official match in terms of the Pokémon World Coronation Series, but when it came to the Galar Gym Challenge, it was apparently a different story: to even participate in the Gym Challenge, you had to be personally endorsed by someone important, and you had to follow a certain order when challenging the Gyms and acquiring the Badges.
Bea’s Gym was the fourth in line. So no matter how you looked at it, this match didn’t count as official in the eyes of the Galar League, and Ash’s Fighting Badge would be rendered invalid.
“Invalid,” repeated Koharu, rolling the word on her tongue. It had a sour taste to it. It just didn’t seem fair, and Goh voiced his agreement vehemently.
Ash simply smiled, dismissing it with a shrug of his shoulder. He only reserved his anger at truly unjust things, like when Team Rocket stole Pokémon as part of their daily routine and happened to include them in their plans.
“It doesn’t really matter,” he said. “I understand why. I’m not even participating in the League this time. And I always participate in any League I come across.”
That piqued Goh’s interest. Koharu couldn’t blame him, though. It was rare for Ash to talk about anything from his past travels. He only let slip the tiniest morsels of information when the situation reminded him of it, and even then, he usually didn’t say anything.
“Oh, really? So you participated in the Alola League too, then?”
Ash nodded. “Sure did. And many others.”
Goh perked up. “Oh, tell me, tell me! What about Kanto?”
Kohau let their conversation bleed out of her ears as they made their way to the Pokémon Centre, a quaint building tucked away in a corner of the similarly small and quiet town, right next to Route 6, close to where they’d previously conducted their research on Galar Fossils. Ash’s Pokémon were dead beat from that fierce battle with Bea, who had spared no mercy in exhausting him. But they had come up on top.
They were a few paces away from the pink-framed double doors of the Center when a raspy, disembodied voice stopped them in their tracks.
“Now that’s what I would call pink!”
Ash and Goh exchanged a look, while Koharu spun around to find the source of the voice—and found herself facing an old lady. Hunched over her umbrella, she looked like a walking candy-cane from afar.
Koharu squinted, making out sharp blue eyes under her teal hat that cut her to the bone when their gazes locked.
Aside from the royal purple fur shawl and a cloud of the same shade around her umbrella, she was decidedly… pink.
“Uh…” muttered Koharu. No, you’re what I would call pink. But what was this old lady even talking about? Herself? What was pink?
Then she looked down at herself.
Oh.
“So sincere and straightforward,” breathed the old lady, her hands fixed atop her cane to support her weight as she stood a good three metres away from them, a strange sight in the dusty and drab landscape of Stow-on-Side, “and yet so lost and disoriented.”
“Oh, we’re not lost,” said Ash, bounding up to the lady, hands ready to support her. “But you seem kinda lost. How can we help you?”
Koharu didn’t think this old lady needed any help, despite her appearance. Eevee jumped out of Koharu’s arms to land on the ground, growling at the stranger.
The old lady’s lips curved up like knives, and Koharu took a step back, nearly bumping into Goh. “I like it!” she continued, not seeming to mind Ash at all. “That’s the sort of thing that gives people some depth!”
Her eyes locked onto Koharu, and she froze as a maniac smile crawled its way up the old lady’s face.
“Time for my Gym mission, child!” she crowed, flinging aside her cane and knocking poor Ash to the ground, before she lunged forward—right towards Koharu.
A half-scream tore its way up her throat, but she couldn’t move for some reason—it was as if she was rooted to the ground. And before Koharu knew it, the old lady’s hands were cupping the sides of her face as if she were her long-lost granddaughter.
Behind her, Goh let out a half-strangled noise.
“Pink!” the old lady exclaimed delightedly. Koharu was too shocked to move. Maybe it was the old lady perfume that lingered on her skin, which somehow smelled… pink. Maybe the perfume was paralysing her.
She gulped, and suddenly the old lady had teleported to her right, holding up her arm as if to sniff it. She ignored the protesting Eevee at her feet as she repeated, “Pink!”
Right. She was… pink.
She yelped as the old lady lifted her skirt slightly, feeling the fabric in her hands and nodding in approval. “And pink!” she declared with a final flourish.
Koharu bit back her scream when a hand gripped her shoulder. She felt the old lady chuckle from behind her and announce, “Congratulations, child!”
Koharu felt ready to die.
“Stay away from her!” Goh yelled, and Koharu snapped out of her daze to see him throw out a Pokéball. “Cinderace, you’re up!”
“Pikachu!” Ash called out.
“Now hold on just a minute,” croaked the old lady, still a hair's breadth away from Koharu. Koharu inched away from her slowly, but she didn’t even glance her way as she said, “Why don’t we all huddle up in the Pokémon Center and I’ll explain everything.”
Ash, Goh and Koharu exchanged looks.
I guess it couldn’t hurt, mouthed Goh, and Koharu agreed—there were people in the Center, including the ever-trusty Nurse Joy, after all.
So they nodded, and rushed into the Pokémon Center.
With a start, Koharu realised it would take forever for the old lady to catch up to them—she inched forward one tiny step at a time, as if she were a ballerina on pointe. Except that ballerinas moved faster than her.
Goh let out a sound of frustration, while Koharu frowned, not knowing what to make of this when a few moments ago, the old lady had just lunged towards Koharu with blinding speed.
Ash ran back to the old lady’s side. “Let me help you,” he said brightly, but yelped when she kicked him away with her cane.
“I can help myself just fine, boy,” she said in her raspy voice, huffing. Whether that was due to her physical exertion or exasperation, Koharu couldn’t tell anymore.
Finally, the four of them settled into a booth, where an Indeedee served them glasses of sparkling Pinap juice on a platter. Then they looked up when someone let out a gasp, and Nurse Joy headed towards them, hand to her parted mouth as she exclaimed, “Gym Leader Opal! What a pleasant surprise. What brings you to these parts?”
All three of their mouths fell open in shock.
“ Gym Leader? ” Goh echoed dumbly. “You’re a Gym Leader?”
The old lady—no, Opal —flashed them a cryptic smile as she gazed out at them from above her cane. “Now, don’t look so surprised, dearies. Keep your mouths shut lest something flies in. And Indeedee, wouldn’t you be a dear and help get this nasty juice out of my sight. I very much prefer a cup of calming, pink Roserade Tea.”
Koharu gaped at her, and Opal tutted. “Open-mouthed is not a good look on you, girl. But pink is.”
Nurse Joy let out a giggle behind her hand, and Koharu turned to look at her as she explained, “Ms. Opal is the Leader of the Fairy Gym in Ballonlea, not too far away from here, just beyond the Glimwood Tangle. She specialises in Fairy-type Pokémon. Hence her preoccupation with the colour pink.”
“I’m looking for a successor,” said Opal. “Well, that’s not quite right, actually. I’ve already found a successor, and he’s just as pink as you are. But my Gym Trainers are not as young as they used to be, and I need some young blood. I’ve been hearing more and more complaints and requests for resignation.” She smiled at Indeedee as the assistant Pokémon brought her a steaming cup of Roserade Tea. “Ah, thank you.”
“So, when you saw Koharu, you thought she was pink enough to be a Gym Trainer in your Fairy-type Gym?” interrogated Goh, a dubious look on his face. And maybe, Koharu realised, a bit envious .
Opal took a slow, long sip from her teacup. “Well, not exactly. I was thinking that she would be the perfect female lead for my upcoming play. She’s certainly pink enough for that.”
“A… play?” Koharu echoed.
Ash’s eyes lit up. “A play? Sounds like fun!”
Opal chuckled. “Doesn’t it, young man? Ballonlea Stadium used to hold a performance of some sort every year, but no one wants to see the same old people prance around each year.”
Koharu thought, Same old people, huh? Makes sense.
Suddenly, Opal fixed her with a glare, as though she just read her thoughts. “But with my up-and-coming successor, and now, you, we’ve got plenty of interesting things to show the audience.”
It took a while for Koharu to find her voice. “What makes you think I’m going to say yes to acting in your… play?” The female lead, of all things! Koharu thought furiously. All her life, she’d never been anywhere close to a female lead. She felt more like a side character than anything, especially next to Ash and Goh, who were clearly the protagonists of their story. And now Opal saw her and thought she was female lead material?
“Because you’re lost,” said Opal simply. Koharu flinched, remembering her earlier words. “You’re lost, and you’re disoriented, and you’re not sure what your purpose in life is. What you want to do. Where you want to go from here. It’s written all over your face. Same with that Eevee of yours.” She fixed Koharu with that piercing stare of hers. “Right now, you’re just following these two blindly. Whatever they do, you do; wherever they go, you go. Stop that. You can do so much better. You have so much potential. Join me, and I can help you blossom and stand out as your own person.”
Everyone fell silent for a long moment. Then Koharu recited, “ So sincere and straightforward, and yet so lost and disoriented. ” She looked up at Opal. “You weren’t just describing the colour pink. You were describing me. How did you know so much just by taking one look at me?”
She let out a cackle. “It’s the pink that speaks to me, child. Everyone who wears pink has a story to tell.”
They all looked at Opal. She frowned. “If you think I’m going to tell you my dazzling life story in a Pokémon Centre stashed away in the dusty mountains, you’re wrong.”
Koharu stood from her seat. Everyone turned to look at her. “I, um,” she said hesitatingly. “I need some time to think it over.”
Opal watched her carefully. “Don’t take too long, child.”
Ash and Goh got up too, rushing over to her side. “Oh, Koharu!” Goh hissed into her ear, bouncing on his heels. “What an exciting opportunity! Acting the female lead in a play? You’ve just got to take it!”
“Oh, really? Let me see you acting the female lead in a play with Ash as the male lead, then,” sniped Koharu, and Goh’s face turned as red as a Tamato Berry as he shoved her.
“ Koharu! ”
Her eyes narrowed. “I have better things to do than act in a stupid play. I have school! And I’m not going to just let some random old lady kidnap me and hold me captive in the Galar region for weeks? Months? Just to prepare for some pink parade.”
“I heard that,” Opal said loudly. “And it's months. ”
Koharu gave Ash and Goh the I told you so look. Goh held up his hands in defeat, while Ash said, “I think you should go for it, Koharu! Being in a play is super fun. You get to act like someone you’re not.”
She flinched at his words, which cut deeper than he’d probably meant to. You get to act like someone you’re not.
Koharu wasn’t a lot of things.
She heaved a sigh, and walked over to the Rotomi, who sprung awake at her approach. “Let me call Dad.” She could hear the silent surrender in her voice.
After a few rings, Professor Sakuragi picked up. His familiar face filled the screen, and she almost sighed in relief. “Dad!”
His eyes widened. “Koharu? What is it?”
“Some crazy old lady wants to kidnap me to star in her play!” she shouted into the screen.
Professor Sakuragi blinked.
“Now, now, don’t be so crude,” said Opal from behind. Koharu jumped, and shifted a little to the side to let Opal into the frame. “I may have been a little… forward in recruiting your daughter for the female lead of my play, but I promise you, she’ll be in good hands.”
“She’s the Ballonlea Gym Leader!” Ash shouted, and something in Professor Sakuragi’s demeanour changed, as if starting to see the old lady in a new light. Koharu stifled a groan. If all it took for a kidnapper to gain credibility was to become a Gym Leader, she didn’t want to even think of how many other children this lady had stolen away gleefully. Maybe her so-called ‘successor’ had been kidnapped by her, too.
“Don’t worry, I won’t take her by force, of course, if I don’t have your permission,” said Opal, as sweet as sugar. “It’s completely up to her, in the end.”
“I agree,” replied the Professor, and Koharu looked up sharply. “So, Koharu, what do you think?”
“What do I think?” she asked incredulously. “Dad, I called you to ask what you thought about all this!”
“What I think doesn’t matter,” said Professor Sakuragi, tilting his head at her. “What do you want?”
Koharu pressed her lips together, ready to murder him. “I literally don’t know .” Alarmingly, she felt tears begin to prick her eyes.
She didn’t know what she wanted. She’s never known what she really wanted. Opal’s words rang in her head over and over again, like a broken record. Because you’re lost. You’re lost, and you’re disoriented, and you’re not sure what your purpose in life is. What you want to do. Where you want to go from here.
“Well,” said her father, gently, “I think you should give it a try. Whatever choice you make, I’ll always be behind you.”
“Thank you, Dad,” she whispered, and cut the call. Radio silence roared in the aftermath.
She stared at the blank screen for a few long moments, studying her lost reflection before taking a deep breath and turning around to face the others.
She lifted her head, and met Opal’s eyes. “I accept.”
The old lady’s eyes twinkled, twin sparkling sapphires in the fading sunlight. “I knew you would, child. And I promise you, you made the right choice.”
“Let’s see about that,” Koharu muttered as she stalked out of the Pokémon Centre, Ash and Goh following hurriedly behind. She’s determined to leave Opal in the dust, but she knew that wasn’t possible.
“I’ve just called a Flying Taxi to Ballonlea,” called Opal from behind, and before Koharu could react, she heard the flap of wings, felt the giant gust of wind and a spray of sand being picked up and launched into her face. “Fit for four. They say two’s company, but four is even better.” She sounded extremely pleased with herself.
“Woah,” Ash and Goh breathed from behind her.
Koharu rubbed the sand out of her eyes, and when she looked up, a giant crow-like Pokémon was perched on the top of a cabin that had appeared a mere metre from her, its strong claws gripping the top as it stared at her with wise, shrewd eyes behind its armour of steel.
“Corviknight,” Goh’s Rotom Phone read out. “The Raven Pokémon. With their great intellect and flying skills, these Pokémon very successfully act as the Galar region's airborne taxi service.”
“Cool,” breathed Goh, lowering his phone to study the creature more closely.
The cabin door opened, and the taxi driver hopped out to help Opal into the cabin. The three of them quickly followed suit, and with a great flap of its wings, Corviknight propelled them into the sky.
This was what riding a Ferris wheel or a cable car probably felt like, Koharu realised as she gazed out of the grimy glass window at the bird’s eye view offered of the Stow-on-Side mountains. She leaned back carefully, glancing at Ash and Goh, who were sitting on the bench across from her, their shoulders and legs almost touching as they chatted animatedly about the Falinks they’d encountered in one of the tunnels.
She pursed her lips. She’d been there, too, but they weren’t exactly including her in the conversation. But she supposed that was her fault, for being so cold and disinterested in the past when they’d tried to talk to her about Pokémon.
“Don’t look so glum, child,” said Opal from beside her, almost making her jump. “We’re here.”
Ash perked up. “So fast?” Goh told him crossly, “Didn’t you hear what Nurse Joy said? Ballonlea and Stow-on-Side are only separated by the Glimwood Tangle!”
“Yes, you’re right,” agreed Opal. “But the sun is setting, and Glimwood Tangle at night can be dangerous, especially for those who are lost and wandering.” She cast a significant look at Koharu.
Koharu looked away.
“Hey, you all right?” Goh asked her as they climbed out of the taxi.
I don’t know, Koharu thought, because she didn’t know anything and she’s lost and she hated that Opal could see right through her when even her childhood friend couldn’t.
She was about to say, I’m all right, when she stepped out of the taxi, and all words died in her throat as she looked around at their surroundings.
The sun hadn’t even completely set when they were on the Flying Taxi, but now, her surroundings were blanketed in the darkness of night, the only light being the glowing, bioluminescent toadstools and mushrooms scattered around, growing in the crevices of the giant trees, along the dirt paths and peeking out from behind quaint little cottages overgrown with ivy. There was a magical air to everything, as if the sunlight had shied away in fearful reverence to make way for eternal night, and the Fairy-type Pokémon came out to play. She saw it in the tiny Hattrems nestling on the roof of the Pokémon Center like bird Pokémon, looking right at home. She saw it in the Morelull latching onto the caps of the glowing giant mushrooms as if there was some sort of intoxicating life force that kept them drawn to the place. She heard it in the quiet humming of Nincada resting in the barks of the towering trees, a calming undercurrent that shaped into a dreamy lullaby. Here, the air was colder, fresher, and it settled on Koharu’s skin as if kissing her cheeks and whispering to her that everything would be okay.
It was like stepping into a fairy tale, and Koharu never wanted to leave.
“It’s beautiful,” she whispered, her voice steeped in breathless awe, her eyes fighting to latch onto every detail but unable to take it all in.
“Ee-bui-bui!” Eevee chimed in, eyes shining in the glow of the mushrooms, clearly charmed by it all.
She could hear the smile in Opal’s voice as the old lady walked past her to lead the way. “Welcome to Ballonlea. A charming town where the people make their homes among the trunks of the towering trees.”
“I’ve never seen anything quite like it,” said Koharu, and Opal cackled at that. She frowned. “What?”
“For the record, child, you’ve never really seen much, have you?”
Koharu looked down at Eevee, then at her shoes. “No.” Then she sighed. “But I guess I’m here to see more.”
“Yes,” agreed Opal, and she heard the quiet approval in her voice.
Together, they walked past the line of half-timbered cottages, a few people peeking at them out of their windows curiously. Some greeted the Gym Leader, while a few Cottonee brushed past Koharu playfully, the caress of soft cotton against her cheeks making her giggle before they spun away in the gentle wind again.
“This place is awesome!” exclaimed Ash, but Goh seemed a little hesitant in his agreement.
Koharu glanced back at him. “What’s wrong?” He looked up and forced a smile at her.
“It’s beautiful, but… this place sorta gives me the creeps.”
“You’re afraid of the dark?” questioned Ash, but Goh shook his head.
“Oh come on, Ash, we sleep in the dark together every night, you know I’m not afraid of the dark. No, it’s not because of that. It’s just… Ballonlea is obviously a home to a lot of Fairy-type Pokémon. This place is teeming with them. And you know what they say about Fairy Types.”
His voice lowered to a whisper. “They’re magical and beautiful, but they have a penchant for trickery. They like to haunt places and lead travellers astray using Will-O-Wisp. Why do you think so many people get lost in Glimwood Tangle? And people are known to get sick or deformed after encounters with Fairy-Type Pokémon. They love to harm humans, whether it be for a harmless prank or for entertainment.”
A chill ran down Koharu’s spine, and the three of them fell deathly silent.
“When an old lady’s waiting for you to catch up to her, you know something’s very wrong with you,” called Opal from ahead of them, making them jump.
“Well, we’re already here,” whispered Koharu, as they ducked under a giant tree root. “We can’t turn back now. And I’m going to stay here for actual months, Goh. I’m stuck here, like it or not.”
“I get how this place can seem creepy, but don’t worry, Goh! Just stay close to me, and I’ll protect you!” declared Ash, throwing an arm around Goh’s shoulder and pulling him closer, making Goh flush a pink so lovely Opal would’ve killed to see.
“F-fine…”
Koharu rolled her eyes and caught up to Opal’s side. She looked up at the stadium before their eyes, a muted tapestry of purple and pink with the Fairy symbol emblazoned on the front.
“We’re here,” said Opal, and as if by magic, the doors slid open automatically in welcome. Then Koharu realised it wasn’t by magic, because there was a boy standing at the entrance of the Gym, looking like another walking candy cane as he crossed his arms and glared at them.
Behind them, a shrill ringtone pierced the air. “ This is an official battle challenge. This is an official battle challenge. ”
Koharu turned to see Ash holding up his Rotom Phone, staring at the screen before showing it to Koharu. She peered at the display, where a picture of a Trainer with his rank—#929—had popped up, bearing the World Coronation Series emblem.
“ Do you wish to accept? Or reject? ” the Rotom Phone asked Ash, who lowered his phone to look at the boy standing at the entrance. A smirk crawled up his lips, a familiar expression he wore in the face of battle.
“I accept!”
“Now hold on just a minute,” said Opal. To Koharu’s alarm, she raised her arm to clock the boy’s head with her umbrella, who yelped in pain. “What did I tell you about participating in the Series, boy?”
“But, Ms. Opal,” the boy protested, and Koharu turned to study him. He was considerably older than the three of them, maybe around fourteen or fifteen, with a head of platinum blond hair not unlike the fleece of a Wooloo. He donned a Gym uniform of baby pink and blue, similar to the colours Opal wore, so Koharu guessed that he was a Gym Trainer wearing the Fairy Gym uniform. With striking violet eyes, he glared at the three of them as he held up his phone—a magenta shade, and very, very much pink.
This had to be the ‘successor’ Opal was talking about.
The boy was still talking, wringing his hands like they were a wet cloth, words pouring out of him like a rapid waterfall. “I need this. I was thrown out of the Gym Challenge, for goodness’ sake! The World Coronation Series is perfect for me. No one can stop me from signing up, and no one can stop me from participating. If you would just let me prove my strength—”
“What you need, boy,” interrupted Opal, “is to remain focused on perfecting your pink.”
“Ms. Opal,” said Ash suddenly. “Let me battle him.”
He fixed the boy with a thoughtful stare, who tensed a little at the attention.
“This guy… he’s supposed to be the next Gym Leader, right? I’ve challenged and defeated dozens of Gyms. I just defeated Bea earlier today. If he can beat me, he’s well on his way to becoming a formidable Gym Leader.”
If it was any other person, Koharu would’ve thought they sounded absolutely arrogant, but there was nothing arrogant in the way Ash was speaking. He was serious and thoughtful and humble, and even the boy seemed to recognise that, with the way he straightened slightly at his words.
Opal sighed, waving her hand dismissively. “All right, all right. But let me warn you, he’s hardly yet pink enough.”
“I’ll show you, old gran,” he shouted back at her as he followed Ash into the Stadium.
Opal’s smile sharpened. “Call me that again and see what happens.”
The Drone Rotom whizzed into the Stadium and past the double doors, through the basement— a stage that Koharu assumed was for staging the play—and another set of doors, leading them to a hallway to the pitch. Ash gasped in delight, remarking that it was the same as Bea’s Gym.
The boy glanced at him. “You’ve… never been in the Gym Challenge?”
Ash shook his head, and a half-smirk appeared on the boy’s face. There was something strange about that look, as if it was something that came too easily to him, but yet it felt strangely lacking at the same time. “Well, I suppose not. For all your talk about being strong and defeating countless Gym Leaders, no one wants to endorse you, in the end.”
Weren’t you thrown out of the Gym Challenge? Koharu thought to herself, shaking her head.
“I wanted to take a break from participating in Leagues,” said Ash, flashing an easy smile at him. “When I battled Mr. Leon a few months ago and lost, I knew I wanted to beat him the next time we battle! That’s why I decided to join the World Coronation Series.”
The boy’s eyes widened. “You… you battled Champion Leon? ”
Ash grinned. “Sure did.”
“B-but Leon never battles any random stranger off the street,” sputtered the boy.
“Never mind that. Oh, by the way, I never introduced myself! I’m Ash, from Pallet Town! And this is my partner Pikachu. These are my friends! We’re research fellows from the Sakuragi Institute in the Kanto region.”
“I’m Goh, from Vermillion City,” greeted Goh, a little warily. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“I’m Chloe, also from Vermillion City,” she murmured. She introduced herself by her Galarian name. It made it easier for foreigners to pronounce, instead of stumbling over Koharu . It was like how Ash’s name was actually Satoshi , but Ash had caught on pretty fast as a nickname. “And this is Eevee.” Eevee chimed in happily, and she smiled down at her.
Their voices echoed conspicuously in the hallway. The boy studied them for a while, before saying curtly, “I’m Bede.”
“So… you’re Opal’s ‘successor’?” Koharu ventured to ask, after an awkward silence befell the four of them. “The next Ballonlea Gym Leader?”
Bede exhaled. “Yes. And you?”
Koharu blinked. “Me?”
“Yes,” he said without looking back at her. “You’re plenty pink. She brought you here, didn’t she? What for?”
“Well…” Koharu dragged out. “For the play?”
Bede’s tense shoulders visibly relaxed, and when he next spoke, the edge to his voice was gone. “Right. The play. Trust that old lady to pick someone right off the street. Again.”
“So, she picked you right off the street too?” Goh asked, but Bede declined to answer as they walked out into the pitch, and for the second time today, Koharu’s breath was stolen away by the sight.
Earlier today at the Stow-on-Side Stadium, she’d been in the empty spectator stands, watching Ash and Bea battle it out on the field. But to be the one standing on the pitch herself, it was a completely different experience, something out of the world. The vast expanse of field seemed to stretch out forever, like an ocean of green extending past the horizon. When she looked up, the sloping walls of the stadium towered over her, threatening to swallow her up with their vast enormity. Her eyes swept past the sea of red that was the spectator stands, a pulsing ring that enclosed her into the heat of the battle.
“Wow,” she breathed.
“Quit gawking, girl,” called Opal. “Come join me at the side. The other boy, too.”
“ Welcome! Welcome! Welcome! ” the Rotom Drone blared as Koharu and Goh sat down on a bench on the side of the pitch together with Opal. Ash and Bede made their ways to the opposite ends of the battlefield.
“The Pokémon World Coronation Series has approved this Great Class battle! This battle will be between Ballonlea Stadium’s Bede and Ash of Pallet Town! This battle will be a 1v1.”
As the Drone Rotom continued to explain the rules of the battle, Opal turned to Koharu. “Now that you’ve seen my successor, what do you think of him?”
Koharu raised an eyebrow. “You’re asking me?” When Opal didn’t react at all, she huffed and replied, “Well, he’s, er, pink, all right, but he seems really… sulky.” For lack of a better word.
“And bitter,” added Goh. “No offense.”
Opal chuckled. “None taken from me, dearie, but Bede wouldn’t exactly be pleased to hear that from you.” Then her voice softened. “He’s had a hard time and all, but he’s learning to soften up, slowly but surely. Let’s see how he measures up to your young friend over here.”
“Oh, Ash will destroy him,” said Goh vehemently, and Koharu slapped his arm. “What?”
“Battle, begin!” the Rotom Drone announced, and the battle sprung into action.
Ash sent out Pikachu—as expected—and Bede sent out a Pokémon that Koharu had never seen before. It looked pretty cute.
“Who’s that Pokémon?” she murmured, and this time, she was quicker to hold up her Rotom phone than Goh to scan and identify the Pokémon before her.
“Mawile,” her Rotom answered. “The Deceiver Pokémon. A Steel and Fairy Type. It uses its docile-looking face to lull foes into complacency, then bites with its huge, relentless jaws.”
Goh glanced sideways at Koharu. “What did I say about Fairy-type Pokémon?”
“Okay, point taken.”
They leaned back and watched them dish out moves and dodge each other in a game of cat-and-mouse. As vicious as Mawile was, Ash ended up winning the battle not long after. He and Pikachu high-five-tail-slapped each other while Bede slunk away in sulking defeat. The difference in skill was palpable, Koharu realised, and she wondered how much Ash had been through to become so good for his age.
“The Pokémon World Coronation Series rankings will be updated based on the results of this match.” The Drone Rotom whizzed away, and both Ash and Bede’s phones chimed to reflect their updated rankings.
“How is it?” Goh asked, running up to peek over Ash’s shoulder. “Wow! You made it into the Ultra Class! Congratulations, Ash!”
Bede stalked through the happy celebration over to the bench where Opal and Koharu sat, and plopped down next to Opal with a half-sigh, half-growl.
“Better luck next time, dearie,” said Opal mildly. Bede ignored her snide remark with practised deftness.
“Ms. Opal, you were right. I’m not ready.” He buried his face in his hands and let out a soft groan.
“Your pink is lacking,” agreed Opal. “But that’s what I’m here for.”
She turned to Koharu, Ash and Goh. “Won’t you three join the two of us for dinner at our small, humble abode?”
“Sure, thank you,” said Ash, while Goh elbowed him sharply, mouthing, Don’t accept their food and drink!
Koharu wasn’t sure what he was getting at, but her attention was quickly diverted when Bede remarked, “You’ll have to walk faster this time, old gran,” and gulped and ran for his life when Opal threatened to throw him to the Morgrem in the Glimwood Tangle.
They had a simple dinner—Galarians seemed to love curry more than anything else, having the dish in their homes as well as outside in the wild. Thankfully, as Kantonians they were more than accustomed to curry. They gulped down the steaming curry rice—even Goh, who was so reluctant to accept their hospitality a few moments before, wolfed the food down like his life depended on it, and Koharu was tempted to poke fun at him for the sudden change of mind.
Bede was the only one who seemed not to be enjoying the dinner—he poked at his rice with his fork, spinning it round and round as if he were picking up a forkful of spaghetti. Opal chided him gently not to pick at his food, but Koharu could see the quiet concern in her eyes, barely concealed behind her lifted teacup.
“I believe Chloe already filled you in before,” said Opal suddenly, breaking the long silence, “but she will be joining our theatre troupe, playing the part of the Princess in our play. You two will have to learn to work together for the next few months.”
Koharu could feel Bede’s quiet scorn pinning her down even without glancing up at him.
“Not a problem,” he said, making it sound like there was absolutely a problem.
“Rehearsals start first thing tomorrow morning,” continued Opal. “Chloe, you can stay in the guest room.”
“But Ms. Opal,” spluttered Bede suddenly, “that’s hardly appropriate.”
“What’s hardly appropriate?”
A blush had crawled its way up Bede’s face, painting dark pink splotches across his cheeks. It was not a good look for him.
“For a boy and a girl to sleep in the same room,” he forced out through gritted teeth.
Opal lifted an eyebrow. “Who said anything about you two staying in the same room? You’ll be sleeping on the couch . In the living room. ”
Bede’s face turned even redder, but this time it was clearly out of disbelief and incredulity. “But, Ms. Opal—!”
“If you ‘But Ms. Opal’ me one more time, boy, you’re sleeping outside with the Morelull,” she snapped. Then she took a long sip of her tea. Koharu wondered how much tea she drank in a day, and whether it was good for her health. (It couldn’t be.)
Bede fell silent, but Koharu could literally see him fuming on the inside.
“I can sleep on the couch instead,” she offered awkwardly, but Opal silenced her with a glare.
“It’s hardly gentlemanly of him to let a girl sleep on the couch. He still has much to learn if he wants to reach a satisfactory level of pink.”
“I’m right here, you know,” said Bede loudly.
The only sound of affirmation was Ash’s too-loud munching, and Koharu groaned inwardly.
This was going to be the longest meal of her life.
But even the longest meal of her life soon came to an end, and before Koharu knew it, she was standing at the doorstep, greeting Ash and Goh farewell.
It felt incredibly surreal to be the one they were saying goodbye to, and not the other way around like it used to be—normally, she would stand in the doorway of the Sakuragi Institute and say goodbye to them and watch them leave on their journeys, but this time, she was the one leaving on her journey, and they were the ones to bid their well wishes to her.
But it felt surprisingly good, somehow, to be the one setting off on a journey. To be the independent one, the one with ambitious goals and dreams for once. It seemed to fill her with a feverish energy, and for the first time in her life, Koharu began to understand why Ash and Goh were the way they were.
“Best wishes,” said Ash, and Koharu tilted her head at the unusual greeting. He explained with a smile, “It’s a thing you say in Unova when you’re saying goodbye to someone or sending them off on a journey! Basically, you’re saying, I wish you the best of luck on your journey. ”
She felt her lips curve up into a smile. She was smiling more often these days. “Thank you. And best wishes to you as well.”
Goh pulled her into a tight hug. She blinked, stiffening for a moment before returning the embrace, leaning into the warmth of their childhood friendship. She heard what was unspoken, I’m so happy for you.
Koharu liked to think that she was happy for herself, too.
Opal gifted the two boys a small bundle wrapped with a silk pink cloth. It radiated a light fragrance that made them sniff at it curiously. “Roserade Tea,” she clarified. “Give the Professor my regards.”
With that, they left. It was pretty unceremonious. Koharu watched the two of them edge closer to each other as their backs receded into the distance, watched the gap she’d driven in between the two of them merge and coalesce into a whole again, as if she had never been there in the first place, and thought to herself, Maybe they’re happy to have me gone.
“Welcome to hell,” was all Bede said as she passed him in the doorway.
Opal let her into the guest room, where Bede packed up his belongings in silence, avoiding her gaze like his life depended upon it. There was something dangerous in his expression, like a pack of knives and daggers that threatened to slash her if she came too close. As if something had hurt him and the only way he knew how to deal with it was to hurt everything back.
The room was pointedly pink, even pinker than her room back home. The walls were stripped bare, bits of wallpaper drooping like orange peels. She resisted the urge to pull them straight off. Cute little antique ornaments adorned the walls, alcoves of the sepia-toned past. One of them was a framed picture hanging at eye level, and the young woman photographed stared right back at Koharu, sending chills down her spine. She set her backpack down against the window alcove, and sat down next to it, not daring to draw the ghostly, pink curtains to peek outside. Goosebumps prickled the skin of her bare arms and she pulled her knees to her chest and dropped her head against her thighs.
A while after, she untangled herself and made her way to the single-sized bed, the pastel pink of its patchwork quilt blanket failing to calm her growing homesickness. The fabric felt rough and unfamiliar against her skin, and she stiffened when she felt a small, hard lump— something —press against her back when she lowered herself into the bed. Eevee curled up beside her shivering figure.
Welcome to hell, Bede had said, and he probably meant for the training tomorrow, but this, Koharu felt, was already hell. And the worst part was that this was just the beginning.
The first night Koharu was kidnapped by the faeries, she cried herself to sleep.