Chapter Text
"Dream your dream! Then, pursue the ideals to make that dream a reality, and someday you will achieve all that you dreamed of!"
– N Harmonia: Pokemon White
-o-0-o-
The two trainers stood on the balcony overlooking the churning waves of the small beach below, the faint splashes and cries of Pokemon far out at sea enjoying life with not a care in the world.
Was peace such a bad thing to become lost in?
He took a deep breath as he felt rather than saw her join him at his side. A brilliant scarlet sundress under her trusted leather bikers jacket- Juliana turned to him then, he felt his breath slack and all other thought dissipated like the early morning sea mist around them.
He was putty in her hands. That smile so brilliant in such a nostalgic way he would have done anything for her at that moment in this place.
He'd missed that smile. He wanted that unrivalled joy back in her eyes glinting like stars mixed with a fierce fire burning brighter than this liar of a lighthouse. What had been a beacon of hope for a boy who had all but given up on everything in this world.
He was a man smitten he'd admit. Some would even call it more - but for now she turned from him and he heard the increasing cries. They didn't sound like the usual sea birds and seals… the laughter of those overzealous dolphins in their heroics no these sounded…
…Primal.
The ever thickening mist curled over the railing and he took a quick step back but she didn't. Instead she only threw him a glance over her shoulder.A normally coy almost playful gesture except… suddenly there was no railing to lean on. Her eyes popped open
"A-Arven-!"
He sucked in a breath before lurching out to grab her but… down she went- tumbling into the depths of the crater- swallowed by the miasma within.
".. no. No no no-!" He cried. "Juli! JULI! - shit!" He raced over and peered down - there was no flash of red anywhere in those thick clouds but maybe she'd landed on a cliff side??? She was a decent climber- ha… he'd… he'd seen it himself!
…. Screw it! Scaling down a mountain leading to a beautiful utopian hell probably wasn't the smartest thing he'd ever done but- but!
Arven…
He froze.
Ar...ven.
Don't turn. Don't look.
A nightmare. This was all just another nightmare wasn't it? Just-
One. Two. Three.
Footsteps behind him.
Four…
Step.
Five…
A hand on his shoulder.
Six.
"You're not real. You're not her. You never were her. My mother is dead. Go away."
Quick. Curt. Authoritative. He had to take control before his trauma did. Steady breathing. That's it. He was in control not the memories.
Even when he was turned anyway and he sucked in a harsher breath.
The woman was covered in… crystal. That same eerily glowing Tera like mosaic he'd seen crawling up that AI's body and flesh but this… this Sada..
She was….
"A …Arven." A whisper. A hand reaching out to him, the skin peeling off her serrated wrists and arms- the gaping open wound on her abdomen and chest - the slices of tissue hanging limply from her face…
He inhaled sharply.
"My….my s-s-s-son-."
"Go… go away." He hissed. "One… two .. three." He squeezed his eyes shut. "four, five six-."
"Lo-lov-... Love-."
His throat thickened and he shook his head. "Leave me alone! One two three four -!"
"For.. forgive….m-m-."
"You left me! For THAT!" He pointed downwards at the gaping mouth to hell as far as Arven was concerned!
He flinched back from the bloody hand that suddenly rested on his arm over-. He grit his teeth and shoved the robot away, slapping his hand over his bicep.
"This… wasn't… for you ." He hissed. "one… two…. Three…."
The mutilated AI kept approaching, "Bewa- air-air- the current temperature is - air - air -beeeee-subject is terminated- beast contained- feeding cycle no longer necessary- emailing arven-access den-i-i-."
"FOUR! FIVE!" He bellowed as the Robot finally hit the ground. Sparks and crystal littering the stone floor with each twitch and spark- The AI shook and trembled -" love-you…Ar…ven."
His knees finally buckled. "S…Six."he choked out. The AI was still. He took another deep breath. Then another. And another.
"Liar…." He whispered. "You… LIAAAAAR!!!!!"
Initiating Paradise Protection protocol
Step. Step.
He stiffened before whipping around.
"... Little… buddy?"
Her face was bloody, her stomach was torn and blood seeping… crystals… gathering at her feet…and growing up over her legs… flayed torso… neck…
"Juli…anna?" He reached out. But silently… she only held up a Tera orb with a blank expression.
The ground shook but the crystals… just shone ever brighter.
And brighter… until the roar echoed around them.
Arven… forgive me.
….
WOOF
Arven awoke with a start face to face with a pair of big gold eyes staring down at him. He blinked.
"Wha-?"
Ru-RUFF!
And cue the almost 50 pounds of fur, muscle and overzealous licker of a wake up call.
"The hell! Mabosstiff - down! Down buddy- whoa- whoa!" CRASH.
Well… that was one way to get out of bed- he groaned from the floor while of course the smug galoot just looked down on him, tail wagging and smirk big and wide this morning.
"You know… on a man's day off- would letting him sleep in be so bad?" The large dog just settled in the now empty bed seeing as it's previous occupant had so politely vacated. Arven frowned,
"Oh no, uh uh-." He snapped his fingers. "Off the bed c'mon, we are grown ass adults who make our beds like civilized beings- c'mon!" He pointed. "¡ Vamos!"
Mabosstiff of course gave him a sulky stare, droopy and sad but alas Arven was well tuned to his tricks so he obeyed - reluctantly- and the dreary monotony of everyday adult life- err the comforting normalcy he meant- but at least he wasn't back in the hell Crater talking to his undead robot of a mom again- … yeah that was a slip. His therapist would love to hear all about that one.
The dog pattered over before giving him those big puppy eyes that no in fact he was not going to fall for! … Today.
"Nope, you know the drill buddy, day off from the kitchen means boring errands - human errands. You gotta stay inside or be in your ball today." He ran a quick comb through his hair, pausing only briefly at the still alien sensation of it being so… short. Sure Kofu hadn't required the haircut for his apprentice but even tied back he'd been roasting in that kitchen so as Nemona had said- ¡ hasta la Vista el mullet! - an exaggeration honestly Arven had not had a mullet or whatever that cringe Unovan hairstyle had been called.
It made the mornings go faster at least- so he'd be able to keep himself busy all day and not dwell back on horrifyingly poignant dreams about dead mothers- damn it there's another one.
Progress…. Sure.
He averted his gaze from the the Herba Mystica's peeking from under his sleeve inked in and likely permanent. A stupid impulsive decision. Why had Juli just gone and let him do it?
"You're sure about this?"
"I am ninety nine percent sure."
"And the last one percent?"
"I'm going to hate my past self from this exact moment forever and you're going to laugh at me just as long."
At least she'd had the decency to keep it a respectful giggle and pullovers were always in style. One had to be forever grateful they didn't have to wear those garish orange uniforms anymore. Ah adulthood.
… Speaking of being an adult: right better let Boss man know he was going off the grid for a while. Not that Kofu would say anything; the guy had been after Arven to take time off now for weeks now that this year's annual Treasure Hunt and ultimately what was Paldea's tourist season which had meant all hands on deck for a grueling three months had finally come to a close
It had been… a ton of work but he had survived. He had what it took to be a master chef.
To: Leader Kofu
Morning Boss, I'm not around today and probably will be out of reach. Just wanted to let you know. Thanks- Arven
There- responsibility one done. Lets see: Keys, phone, wallet-pokemon belt- err did he need that? Probably not, despite his boss' badly veiled hints, Arven was not interested in any sort of "gym leader" position - he was a chef. Period.
WOOF.
Mabosstiff was still annoyed and sulking so Arven probably should just leave him and let him relax with the others- however limited room there was in here… err…
…And there was three for three. He was doubting even the smallest of inane decisions he'd have to make today - bueno.
"One, two, three." He mumbled. "Four, five, six."
Boss just followed him wearily out to the kitchen, a slight whine in his wake.
"One, two, three- four five six."
His fridge was ominously bare save Pokemon food ingredients and miscellaneous cold cuts. Had he overdone it again? … Bueno. Larry would be so proud.
"You are such a stereotype." The petite women with the vibrantly colored pixie cut drawled from her chair, slouched as she was over her ever there phone.
He sighed, "Yeah I know Penny." He muttered.
"Mm, I'm sure you do- what's for breakfast? Sup' Bossy- how are we today?"
"I was thinking eggs- what the- Penny what are you doing in my house!?" He yelped and slammed the fridge closed. The petite women only shrugged and continued looking at her phone listlessly. Sitting at his table - petting his dog!
"Penny!"
"What? You didn't answer your phone."
He blinked. "So you decide just to walk into my house?! Have you never heard of knocking?"
She finally looked up from her phone briefly before rolling her eyes and knocked on the table. "There? Happy?"
"No! For fuck's sake Penny what if I'd been naked!?"
Tap. Tap. Tap. "And?"
"So it's…. Rude?" He sighed.
"I'll take it under advisement- also your apartment is so stereotypically single bachelor pad I might have just puked a bit in my mouth."
"...so first you break into my house, and then insult it?" He buzzed his lips. "Why am I friends with you again?"
Tap. Tap.
She finally stood up and patted his arm, "Sounds like a you problem Arv, seriously though what's for breakfast I'm starved."
" … Scrambled or over easy?" He muttered before whipping on his apron. She beamed.
"Oh now you know I can't say no to a good scramble. You're such a good host- even if your apartment .. is again Arv' seriously does Kofu pay you enough?" She frowned.
"I get by just fine, I've barely been here anyway the last couple months. Chives okay?"
"Uh sure but still-!" She crossed her arms as he set to work on prepping breakfast. "Shouldn't you be able to afford something a bit bigger especially after this year?- I know Cascarrafa is expensive but shouldn't your trust fund-."
He paused in mid cut. "That's nothing but blood money and I don't want it!"
She put her hands up, "Okay, fair." Penny frowned, "We'll sort out your apparent lack of funds in due time." He rolled his eyes.
"Penny, do not ."
"What? I have no idea what you're talking about." She adjusted her glasses.
Sure you don't.
"But anyways, on the subject of good friends helping the other-." She cleared her throat. "Have you heard from Juli lately?"
He stiffened, "What do you mean? She's on mission as always." Another unpaid grueling mission. "La Primera runs her interns ragged." No matter how unwilling they were to become so in the first place.
"Intern, right." Penny muttered. Arven grunted and threw the chives into the pan a little harder than necessary. "Well regardless, the squad is long overdue for a picnic wouldn't you agree?"
He gave her a side glance. "Arguably, good luck dragging Nemona from her training though-."
"Her idea."
The eggs sizzled and he quickly flipped before they could burn before turning full around.
"What's going on?"
She was still tapping, "Nothing I said, it's just curiosity-."
" Bull - when's the last time you heard from Juliana?"
Penny gave him a slightly shadowed look before adjusting her glasses, "Yesterday."
"You mean the usual - hey I'm alive - text she sent the group?" He folded his arms. "She's up on Glasdeo - bad service up there. You know the drill-."
"Normally I'd agree but she's acting odd and therefore I think a picnic is due."
"Then ask her when she's free."
"She won't answer me Arv, or Nemo for that matter- we've been left on read ." He began filling the plate. "Arven are you listening to me?"
"Yes." She gave the eggs he passed to her a baleful look. "If she doesn't feel like talking what makes you think she'll talk to me?"
That withering stare could cut through stone.
"Do you really want me to answer that question?"
His returning look was equally harsh.
"Coffee?" He held up the mug - the standoff had begun.
"While normally I'd say yes I have an appointment to keep. Nemo is on her way."
"Here?"
"Let's just say I'm going to try to buy you time to get Juliana to come down off the snowy mountain herself before Nemona calls in a rescue party." He winced.
"She won't like that."
"We also don't like ace trainers suddenly disappearing into seclusion on top of big snowy mountains."
"She's probably just hanging with Grusha after his eval-." He paused. … Mierta.
Phone! Where was his-!
"Oh now someone gets it-." She drawled.
"She wouldn't dare !" He snapped.
"Oh you know she would and you won't see La Primera getting her feet wet."
Ro-ro-ro-tom. Ro-ro-ro-tom
Hi you've reached Juliana - sorry I'm not able to answer but I'll call you back- koraaaaaaa- oh oops we will call you back as soon as we can!
"He thinks we haven't tried that." Penny squeezed the bridge of her nose.
Ro-ro-ro-tom. Ro-ro-ro-tom
"Like clockwork." She shook her head. "Arceus you two are revolting."
He gave her a less than friendly gesture.
"Arv? What's up?"
"Oh what's up - oh everything's fine and peachy in Juli land when Arven is on the other line." Another mumble from the peanut gallery.
The wind was pretty bad in the background. She was up there alright.
" Is that Penny? What's she doing there?"
"Oh you know she just showed up for breakfast out of the blue."
" Again?"
"Again."
He was shoved aside, "Well, well miss Juliana how nice to hear your voice - the reception must be really terrible where you were before seeing as me and Nemo both couldn't get a hold of you."
"Ohh… uh yeah sorry there was a storm last night."
" Oh so still at Grusha's? Catching up?"
"... Not exactly. Um- listen Penny I gotta-."
"Penny is just overexcited we're all going out on a picnic, catching up you know!" Arven shoved the redhead ( gently) away.
"Oh… sounds fun-."
Another push. "Exactly my point! You're going to come with us!" Penny beamed. "No, no- no need to thank me, I've ensured all our schedules match up for once - how long until you get here?"
"Uhh I mean I'm pretty high up-."
"Oh Arven can meet you at the base Mabosstiff is just rip and rearing to go on a big long hike - aren't you boy!" That traitorous bark was instant. Damn it.
Still though. A day and a half on top of a snowy mountain… yeah no Arven had actually paid some attention to Raifort's never ending history lectures. Not all of them but some!
Kanto had a very vivid history and one story in particular about another trainer heading up a snowy mountain and never returning was not being repeated here.
" Penny, I'm very high up and you shouldn't just volunteer Arven-!"
"We were going to go hiking today anyway!" He retorted immediately.
"I'm. High. Up. Guys."
Stubborn today… well then guess he had to pull out the big guns.
"C'mon little buddy, it's been a while, don't you miss the Arven Special? You know you love my sandwiches ."
KORIAWR!
Sometimes one had to play dirty for the greater good.
"No no no, no sandwiches for you- no down down- return! see- see what you did!?"
He did his best but thank Arceus the Rotom phone had yet to master video calls because even he knew how maniacal - Penny worthy of a smirk he had on his face. Koraidon had heard the magic word and judging from the chaos in the background someone was clearly not interested in listening to his trainer.
"I do. I'll see you in an hour."
" You jerk ! Koraidon wait let me get my goggles on!"
" Always little buddy. I'll just send you my location."
"Yeah yeah- you know I'm not that short damn it! - NO NO KOR' STOP! NOT THE CLIFF- YOU JERK WHENEVER I GET MY HANDS ON YOU-YOU-!!"
The call dropped abruptly as tended to happen when Koraidon hit the skies cutting off Juliana's litany of insults that would likely make Director Clavell fall off his chair twitching.
"Well that went better than I thought." Penny snickered.
"Ooh she's pissed - she's gonna kill me." Arven shook his head, albeit with a snicker of his own.
"Hm, so sad no sulking on top of a snowy mountain for her." She took a deep breath, before removing her glasses.
"... She fired Grusha didn't she?" He murmured.
"Yup." She continued rubbing the glass over and over. "Professor Hassell still can't figure out how not to open up weird attachments in his email - cyber security has to keep watch."
"So legalized hacking."
"Exactly." She replaced the frames. "And while no one says no to an Arven special sandwich I agree, perhaps on your hike back you might both find your way to grab two hot coffees, warm up a bit. Talk. You know relax."
"What about you and Nemo?"
"We'll set up camp, the usual deal, Mesagoza plains like always and no doubt she has new Pokemon to test out…." She grit her teeth and he snorted, " My vee's could use the practice."
For hours.
"Can they handle that?" He joked.
With a baleful look she only flipped her eevee clutch open idly - the six miniature balls within were joined by her phone.
"Just don't spend too long with the baby doll eyes and gooey looks between you two." His cheeks flared. "I just don't get why you two just don't-."
"Okay!" He clapped his hands together. "That's your cue to get outta my kitchen, I have packing to do."
"So predictable."
"Great seeing you Penny! See you later; enjoy battling Nemo!"
She winced slightly before crossing her arms. - HA- "Oh you owe me - I gave you the easy job- now go fetch, Fidough !" She flipped him off and he smilingly returned the sweet gesture.
"Easy, sure she's going to roast me alive with Skeleridge before I even can say hello but sure I have the easy job."
"Tch, yeah okay maybe she'll just burn your shirt off but the two of you won't mind that now will you-."
"GOODBYE PENNY!" Arven again gently began to push her towards the door.
"Ha! Never try to get the last word against the one and only Cassiopeia! " She cackled even as he shut the door in her smug face.
His own face was still burning, he really should have outgrown this by now but by force of habit he clutched his cheeks anyway. Damn it Penny!
Arven had made one… one Arceus damned comment in that girl's hearing - completely unknowingly(!) - and she hadn't let it go since.
Four years… FOUR!
He clearly needed new friends. The squad as they were known - just looking at that ragtag group of lunatics on Arven's fridge -!
"Really? Juli is this necessary?"
"Yes, really get over here! Penny you too!"
"Yay group shot-!"
"You've got to be kidding me."
"If I have to do it so do you lover boy."
"Lover what!? What do you mean by- ow Penny don't push-!"
Kweorawr!!!
"Alright everybody say cheese!"
They all looked so young. Hard to believe less than an hour before they'd been fighting for their lives in a gaping chasm that may as well have been a gateway to hell against an animatronic copy of a mad woman who-.
… Never mind. Three was enough for one day. No more thinking of the past. Look to the present- one day at a time. The future is his to make Blah blah.
The girl in the middle of them, the one who'd brought them all together in the first place and arguably the glue that still bound them grinning up at Arven with a big beaming toothy smile like he hadn't seen in years. There were other pictures of course- Juliana was a shutter bug, she took pictures of everything.
Obviously Arven's empty walls were thus in fact Juliana Scarlet's personal gallery.
Selfies, Portraits, Group shots, candids, posed, serious, funny, pokemon, people - it was here stuck to his fridge, tacked to his walls and even a giant scrapbook - basically empty at the moment sure but eventually she'd have time to create it, he just had to keep it for safekeeping so mud wouldn't get on it.
There was only one "event" so far the forever on the go trainer had in there- the program for their graduation and a picture from the night before - the Commencement festival.
Corny as it sounded - it had definitely been one of the best nights of his life. He wasn't one to smile , as Nemona lamented he was as gruff as Mabosstiff here-.
RU-RUFF
Case in point the old man just sat himself in front of him with an indignant bark, clearly out of patience he now simply dropped his Pokeball at Arven's feet.
"Yeah, yeah - I'm coming, I'm coming." He shrunk it down before clipping it in place around his neck. Again his gaze drifted listlessly to the two beaming teenagers in the photo, both wearing matching red necklaces.
"Here, now maybe you'll actually hold one right side up."
Cheeky twit. His lip curled. Oh he was in for it. She was gonna pummel him with a stick or the nearest blunt object she could find after that stunt. Ah well.
Worth it.
Ro-rotom!
And there was Kofu. Probably going to try to "hint" Arven's day off should maybe feature seeing about picking up some extra Herba Mystica for some specials -.
"WHAT THE-!?" He yelped.
From: Kofu
About time you took my advice. Gym is closed today anyway so no big - you picked out your vacation yet? I've been thinking doesn't that little buddy of yours want to go to Kalos- I got a buddy there who could make sure you get a reservation at any restaurant you two would want ;)
Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.
"Rotom put me on do not disturb for the rest of the day." He growled, his cheeks burning crimson before turning to Mabosstiff. "I don't know what's worse, the fact my boss just called Juliana my little buddy… or the fact he just used a wink emoji right after doing it...though Juli did say she really wants to see Lumiose… wait why am I even considering this!??" Again his bad habit of trying to wipe the blush clean off his cheeks ensued.
"¡No es el momento adecuado! ¡hemos hablado de esto! Tonto!"
The burly Pokemon only snorted and that glint in those gold eyes followed by that toothy bared out evil smirk of his even at Arven's panic and- and-!
"Stop laughing! What do you know! Return-Return!"
The rascal was still laughing all the way into the ball! He groaned.
" Arven… Eres un tonto…."
-o-0-o-
The air was still. The land quiet. The lights… breathtaking.
Perfection. All was perfection.
A paradise. This was a paradise.
Paradise.
Paradise.
Paradise …
Paradise .. .
It must be protected.
At any cost.
"YOU!"
"Juliana long time no see- ow!"
"Look at my hair! Look at my clothes! You better have the best damn sandwich in the world in that backpack you - you!"
"I missed you too little buddy. Ow. Barely felt that pipsqueak. Ow. Or that one. Ow. Nope not even a little"
"Oh you barely felt it huh? Huh! I'll show you- ohh Koraidon sandwiches are here!"
"N-Now Juliana you wouldn't sic the lizard on your favorite pal Arv- GACK- Damn it ya overgrown lizard! Get off me!"
"Serves you right! Sit boy!"
"What is he a dog!? Wait that wasn't your cue Mabosstiff! Double teamed!? That's not fair there's only one of me!"
"Ha! Sic em,' boys!"
"Oh that's it- c'mere you!"
"ACK! ARVEN!"
The two on screen continued in their odd behavior. They were not perfect.
Their laughter on the ground surrounded by unruly Pokemon.
That was not paradise. That was flawed.
The lights, they shone. The perfect lights ..
Paradise…
Paradise must be protected.
Protected.
Initiating wake up sequence.
Program.exe. startup / / violet