Chapter Text
You could feel the hammering cadence of your pulse in your ears as your last partner goes down in a whirlwind of dust and debris. A flyer knocks into you and you recognize it as one of those announcing today's match against Kieran. And you just lost.
Between the uproar of the crowd and the sharp electric crackle of your pokemon returning to you, a tremble shakes you. You can see him now. Angry. Fists balled and tightening at his side.
"You can't be serious. That was hardly a fight," he shouts across the playing field and you visibly wince.
Shaking off the detritus, you coughed aside, grasping frantically for a retort that wouldn't surface from the battle-weary mire of your thoughts. In truth, you were in awe. How did he get so strong? This wasn't the person you used to know.
You thought back to then, to the sun soaked days of summer vacation in Kitakami, when you first met the sweet, shy boy that you coaxed from his shell. He wore the same face sure, but throughout the battle he never changed his expression. Dull and blank. He didn't even so much flinch with that terastalization.
His strides toward you are confident and commanding and you can't take your eyes off of him. Remembering yourself as he stops before you, you manage a, "G-good game, Kier-"
He cuts you off, "You threw that match. Can't believe you would disrespect me in front of-"
The following words out of his mouth were an inaudible grumble and perhaps that was for the best. You blink twice, mixed somewhere between insulted and confused.
"Get out of here," he barks and you register the roar of the crowd dulling, "I could have been out training and you chose to waste my time instead, tch!"
You always shake hands at the end of battles, but for a moment, you think he may punch you. Why was he so mad? Instinctively you raise a shaking hand.
"Don't bother," he tells you and turns tail to the exit, waving off Carmine as she approached him, "Just clear out of here by tomorrow. I don't care how."
Swallowing your nerves, you watch him leave and turn a pleading gaze at Carmine, Drayton.
"Don't take it too hard. He can't kick you out."
A minuscule shift in Lacey's expression hinted that he could, but before you had time to digest how, the glint of Amarys's glasses caught your eye. Her jaw set, she pushed up the glasses slipping down her sweat-laden nose and muttered something to Carmine inaudible past the cacophony of the crowd around you all.
The sullen look of your friends felt suffocating. You look down at your shoes and breathe in and out. It was one battle. You should have won.
You stammer for a moment as Drayton checks in again, clearly concerned.
"Come on, future champ. You just have to try again. You can-"
You cut him off more severely than you intend to, "I can't, Drayton."
Your voice cracks, pitiful thing, "I don't want to do that again. Ever. YOU fight him."
Why did Drayton push you to do his dirty work anyway? Without thinking, you push him back hard enough to topple him and leave before anyone can stop you.
You needed to pack.
Your thoughts simmered in your head stiflingly and getting to shut the world away to be alone in your dorm room was the first breath of fresh air you had this evening. You slump against the door.
You want to cry, you want to cry, you want to-
You almost didn't notice Kieran there.
"Why are you..?" You pull yourself up and anger boils in your gut. He looks fit to fight you.
"I'm here to make sure you pack. And you have something I need."
Kieran says this so matter of factly. He folds his arms.
"Hand over the ogre."
You can't help but look at him in bewilderment, "I'm not going to-"
"You don't deserve it," he sneers at you, "and I need it more. I need it for my team comp so I can take Nationals. Hand it over."
"She doesn't like to battle," you counter and scoff in indignation, "She chose me and the way you're acting would scare her. So, no. You can't force us to do anything."
"I can if I'm stronger than you," his voice drops low as if to obscure his threat from any would-be listeners, "Hand. It over."
"She!"
"It. It's a pokemon, idiot. It's not a she. It's not your friend and I can care less what either of you think."
You move an arm protectively over your hipbag as he walks closer. Every muscle in your body tightens.
"I'm not giving her to you," you spit the words at his feet, "Get out."
Kieran pauses, studying you then glances subtly at the wall. That's right. The switch.
You can see it in the corner of your vision. Every dorm room comes with an emergency switch in case of trouble and Kieran has already noted its location and put himself between you and it.
How did you get here? You could call a pokemon to help handle him, but that would involve calling a pokemon on your *friend.*
Friend, right? It's hard to see a friend in him right now. Whoever this was, whatever sickness took him, you had to admit this was a different person now. He told you so and it sickened you how much he was right.
Fear ices down your spine, "Y-you need to go. You're scaring me."
"I'm.. what?"
Finally that facade he's been wearing wavers ever so slightly.
"You're scaring me!" You repeat yourself even louder, "I don't know what your problem is or why you're treating me this way but I'm not going to give you Ogerpon like she's some prize you won. We used to be friends."
You continued, "I cared about you."
The words carry your remorse audibly, but instead of quenching the fire of his anger, they seemed to fan it.
"Don't you say that now," his shouting makes you jump reflexively, "Of all times, why would you say that now??"
There's a break, an audible sob in the end of his sentence that emboldens you to tell him, "I still care, you know. Even when you treat me like this and I hate it."
Your sentence lingers awkwardly between the two of you as if it caught you both off guard. A part of you had always hoped to tell him this under better circumstances, but now he had forced your hand.
With as much strength as you can muster, you shout at him back, "I can't stop caring! I wish I could!"
Instead of answering you, Kieran grabbed at your bag. You struggle with him for a moment.
"Stop it, Kieran! What has gotten into you??"
The shrillness in your voice peaked as you both fumbled into the wall, slamming into your shoulders.
"Just.. give it.. over!"
With no small effort, Kieran's hands grasped your bag and dug into it frantically, spilling pokeballs out into the floor. Each hit the ground with a roll, scattering haphazardly.
"Which one??"
Still enraged, Kieran grasped your collar and you sputtered, choking. The force of it triggers your reflexes and you knee him in the abdomen- hard.
There's an gutteral gasp as you knock the breath from him. You're still catching your breath yourself when you hear a yelp as he connects with the ground and scrambles for the nearest pokeball. You pluck it just out of his grasp.
"Hate you," he mutters, but his tone quickly turns incredulous, "Why? Why you?"
"I don't know! I don't."
For the first time you really stop to study him and it dawns on you how frail and small he looks.
"It was always you until now," he tells you, "I don't understand why it couldn't be me."
The sob in his throat threatened to breach his lips but he held it there, resolute, "It was never me. Even today I know- I noticed! Everybody was cheering for you, not me. Even my own sister!"
You paled.
How did he become so unpopular? What made him like this? By his behavior, you had to wager it was you- but how? The ogre thing?
"I-I don't control those people," you manage then continue with more confidence, "They're treating you that way because of you, not because of me. You, you're something else now."
Kieran wrenches himself up again by grabbing your arm. The motion was so desperate, so angry, and his hands squeeze into you. It hurts.
Didn’t that same hand hold yours at the festival? You were doing your best to appear brave and hold eye contact.
“You-!” He released you with a parting squeeze and you clutch your arm instinctively as it throbbed, “What is your problem? You put your hands on me! Twice!"
The gravity of it all seemed to hit him all at once. He takes a step back from you.
“I could report you. I probably should! Threatening to steal my pokemon, trying to intimidate me. You think just because you’re champion you can do whatever you want? Because I like you, I-”
"Why don't you try to hate me then? Wouldn't that make it easier? I don't like these feelings anymore than you do."
…these feelings. The thought made you sick. If he had any idea how you felt, if he reciprocated, he wouldn't treat you like this.
Instead of answering him, you stooped to pick up a pokeball that had rolled to your feet. It wasn’t ogerpon’s, no. That had rolled across the room and settled at the foot of your desk chair. It didn’t seem that Kieran had noticed.
After a moment, you sigh, "I don't get you. You know as well as I do that we can't pick and choose who we like."
The wall air conditioning unit kicks to life behind the both of you. Past Kieran, you can see your same old room, your notes, your binders. Pictures with your pokemon and your friends. Pictures with him, even. The sight of it all makes you queasy.
"Of course you don't get me. You don't know me anymore," he remarks bitterly, kicking a pokeball at his feet toward you, "You don't like me. Not the real me."
The kick and his insistence that he knew how you felt better than you did was the straw on the numel's back.
"Will you stop?" You shout, gingerly picking up the ball he had so blatantly disrespected, "Just shut up!"
To your surprise, he does. You collect your thoughts.
"What is your problem? Why are you like this?"
You wipe at your face, knowing that whether from frustration or sadness, tears had pooled into your sight. Maybe that's what did it, you think later. Kieran's expression softens from a scowl.
“Nobody likes me now,” he shifts uncomfortably with that truth, “Seems like everyone preferred back when I was weaker and more manageable.”
You remain silent and pick up another pokeball. He continues, “Do you remember when you called me ‘cute’ back in Kitakami and I got upset?”
A strange thing to bring up. You nodded warily.
“I thought that day that you’d never see me as your equal. As a man.”
“A man?”
Your tone was more curious than you intended.
“Yeah. A man.”
Confused, you asked, “What.. does that even mean?”
“You still don’t know?”
His eyebrows were arched in surprise. Golden eyes on you.
"I grew up as Carmine's little sister. I won't tell you my old name, but Carmine liked to call me Kiki. She still calls me that."
You try not to react. With this admission he sits gingerly on the edge of your bed.
"I was weak and small. I couldn't do anything myself. I hated how people saw me since who I was within wasn't who I was outside."
You pick up ogerpon's ball and sit in your desk chair.
He continues, unphased, "I idolized the ogre. Then you. You were both so strong and knew yourselves. I was so jealous of that I couldn't stand it."
"When you both left, I made a promise to myself- I'd never lose again. And look! I haven't. Nobody can look down on me anymore. Not even you."
Settling now on your bed, he relaxed and lulled back his head.
"You know," his words were careful as if he struggled with how to put them, "I don't want you to leave. I don't think I ever wanted that."
"Yeah?" You didn't hide the curious lilt in your tone, "Then what are you still doing here, Oh High and Mighty Champion?"
You were still pissed.
"I was kind of hoping you'd beg me to let you stay," he ended his sentence with a dry laugh, "A part of me wants to see you reduced to nothing."
"I'm not doing that," you dismiss him with a wave of your hand, "You only beat me once."
"...you mean there's still a chance then? I can beat you as much as it takes."
"No! And stop grinning!"
Annoying. Idiot. You wished to wrench him out of your bed and into the floor.
"...will you get out of my room?"
"No."
"Then at least get off my bed."
He pauses before obliging, setting himself up against the wall nearby.
"Sorry I-"
"No, don't apologize to me," you huff, taking his place. You felt so weary and the softness of your bed was a refreshing balm.
"Listen. First. Don't you EVER do that again. You don't put your hands on someone. Period. Do that instead of apologizing."
He swallows, sheepish and agrees, "Y-yeah. Ok. I won't."
The simulated daylight streaming through your dorm window was beginning to wane, casting you both in somber hues.
"I didn't know," you tell him quietly, "I never thought you were anything but another boy."
"Really," his response drips with uncertainty, "I thought for sure that Carmine sold me out. Especially when you both started avoiding me at the end of your trip."
You remembered back then how easy it would have been for Carmine to tell you that, but she never did.
"She didn't," you confirmed, flipping your pillow to the cold side, "She was just afraid you'd let your emotions get the best of you when it came to ogerpon. I understood it as protecting you."
"I didn't ask for that," he fumed, "She's always treating me like this. I can't stand it."
For someone trying to prove himself as a man, you could understand that reaction. Still..
"You know I saw you as a boy even when we first met, right? I thought you were shy, but some boys are shy."
"Yeah?"
For the first time, he meets your eyes. There's curiosity there, bubbling just below his surface.
You continued, "I didn't see any reason to think otherwise. Even if you lost every battle we ever had, I'd still think that. You don't have to prove to me what you already are."
He's quiet for a moment as he digests your words. You can't help but notice he's shaking. You're sure that you are too.
"..You-," you hesitate but manage to continue despite yourself, "You don't actually mean that about ogerpon, right? I don't know if they can hear us through the pokeballs, but I-"
"What I think doesn't matter," he crosses his arms, indignant, "She's your pokemon."
"She's her own pokemon," you insist then continue, "You're both kind of alike, actually."
"Me? Like the ogre?"
He laughs at you and for a moment you wished you had kneed him a bit harder earlier.
"Hear me out," you say, pushing through your frustration and anger, "She's strong, but she's strongest when she's backed into a corner."
"And? What does that have to do with me?"
"I don't know," your thoughts feel a little jumbled and your adrenaline was finally beginning to subside into exhaustion, "When she's not fighting now, she's as timid as can be. She trusts me but it looks like it's going to take a while to undo whatever's been done to her. It IS a little like you, but the way you are right now, there's no way she would listen to you."
Kieran processes what you've said and after a long moment, he sighs.
"Ok. That's going to mess up my comp, but I'll manage."
That satisfies you and you feel the tension in your chest subside. Closing your eyes, you nearly drift to sleep, but you know he's still there and feel restless.
"Can you close the bli- er, turn off the window?"
There weren't blinds, right. The room darkens as Kieran obliges and heads for the door.
"I'll let you sleep. We should set a rematch soon. I don't want to count this one."
"You can stay."
Opening your eyes again, you can barely make out his outline against the dim illumination of your electronic clock.
"W-what? No, I shouldn't, I-"
"It's fine. You want to stay, don't you?"
".......yes."
You wished that you could make out his expression in this dark but you can hear his footsteps turn back and grow closer.
"You rest too ok?"
Passing a pillow to him, you wrap yourself in a spare blanket and make room.
"Are you sure? Is it really ok?"
He doesn't seem terribly convinced and you recall how he was in Kitakami, always checking in.
It was always, 'you sure?' 'Can I really?' then as if he expected you to pull the welcome mat out from under him the moment he allowed himself to be happy.
"Sleep? Yes you can sleep."
"Oh. Yeah. Ok, yeah. That.. makes sense."
What did he think you meant?
"Just don't touch me. I'm still mad at you."
You set out a clear boundary before he got any ideas.
"Oh! Yeah, ha, no I wouldn't.. you don't need to.."
"Good night."
"Yeah, um, good night."
As he stumbled through his words, you couldn't help but laugh. That's exactly how he used to be. It made you feel as if maybe.. just maybe..
Maybe that sweet, kind boy you befriended back in Kitakami was still in there somewhere?
Its silent now and you get the feeling that each of you were waiting with bated breath for the other to fall asleep. For the first time today, your heart beat normally in your chest.
"..you were cool, Kieran."
He jolts as if you tried to kick him to the floor and you can't help but laugh at him.
"You really think so??"
The smile he's wearing is so genuine and sweet, so happy, it stuns you for a moment.
"Y-yeah," you manage, "I can tell you're on a different level now. Champion-level, for sure."
Without thinking, you place a reassuring hand on his own and he interlaces your fingers together.
"Just wait until I take Nationals. Then you'll really be impressed."
There's something strange about his tone and you shake your hand loose, remembering yourself.
"You don't have to-" you start but the way he cuts his eyes at you stops your voice in your throat. Instead you tell him, "I'll look forward to it."
With that, you turn your back to him, the day's exhausting events weighing on you. He's not sleeping, you can tell, but eventually sleep overcomes you regardless.
Notes:
Edit - 04/07/2025
Added some content, took very little out! Now that I'm continuing this, it needed a few edits for clarity. Please enjoy!
Chapter 2: Busted
Summary:
You wake up the next morning to more than one instance of bad news- all with a rotten-cored common thread.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
You woke up the next morning to a headache and someone knocking at your dorm door. Cracking your eyes open, you noted you were alone. Kieran must have left at some point.
"Hello?"
Lacey's frantic voice was muffled through the steel dorm door.
"Hey, it's important. Are you awake?"
Immediately clocking that something was wrong, you fumble out of bed and to the door, still in yesterday's clothing.
"Sorry, I… was told to fetch you."
You weren't quite ready to leave, bedhead and all, but the apologetic look marring Lacey's typically perfect visage sent a chill throughout your body.
"Can it wait…?"
She shifts uncomfortably and shakes her head, "No, you.. you don't understand. It's the Director."
"The director??"
Oh no. Now you've done it.
"Yes, it seems rather important," she cocks her head curiously to the side, "You're ok, right?"
"Of course!" You assure her maybe too quickly and she doesn't seem convinced.
"You see," she pauses to look up and down your dorm hallway, "One of the monitors caught Kieran sneaking out of your dorm room early this morning. You know that's against the rules right?"
You feign surprise, "No! What! I had no idea!"
"About Kieran or the rule?"
You balk knowing either answer would condemn him. Regardless of whether you knew the rule, someone like Kieran and his position as the Blueberry Champion would be held to a higher standard. You sigh.
"Yeah. Ok. Take me there."
The proverbial walk of shame to the Director's office was filled with curious onlookers and whispers. No doubt the entire school had opinions on what had occurred. They had all just seen the match yesterday, after all.
Upon entering the office, you notice Kieran and Cyrano immediately. Behind them, a screen projected Director Clavell's grim expression.
"Thank you, Lacey. You're dismissed. Please close the door behind you."
You had never heard Cyrano so curt and immediately break out into cold sweat.
"I-"
You begin to speak but stop yourself, opting instead to take a seat beside Kieran. He doesn't acknowledge you, looking every bit a man at the gallows.
"What am I going to do with you two?"
Cyrano looks to the screen behind him and shares a pained look with Clavell.
"First off, as I'm sure you're both aware, dorm room sleepovers are strictly prohibited. You have the same rule over at your academy, so don't feign ignorance. I already have enough grounds to expel the both of you."
Cyrano pauses as Clavell continues on his behalf, "Additionally, though, we're afraid something much worse than a simple sleepover transpired."
Like what??? You pale and your mouth starts to deny any accusation immediately.
"No, no, no, nothing weird happened, I-"
He cuts you off, "Are you aware that Kieran is in possession of one of your pokemon?"
Huh?
Kieran flinches beside you, condemning himself without words.
"You mean Ogerpon?"
"Yes," Clavell confirms to you, "You knew then?"
He took her anyway? But you told him that she wouldn't listen to him!
Speechless, you glance over once more at Kieran as he quickly averts his gaze.
He has so much more to lose than you do for this. All that work, all that perseverance, it could be wiped away in a flash, like cloth to whiteboard.
You were pissed. Absolutely gutted, really. You trusted him, you allowed him to sleep there and that's how he repays you? Maybe he should suffer the consequences! Maybe this would set him right.
You sigh.
"I let him borrow it."
The room is silent so you continue, "And he only stayed over because I begged him to. He's not really at fault here. Losing the championship was hard on me."
Everyone starts speaking at once with Kieran protesting most furiously.
"See, I told you it couldn't be that bad. Neither of them have a record-"
"We can't just let them off the hook. What kind of message would that send?"
"You can't be serious. Don't cover for me."
As Cyrano and Clavell went back and forth, you lowered your voice down to a hiss, "Go along with what I'm saying. You owe me that much."
"But I- "
"Kieran."
You shoot him a withering look and he backs down. A part of you hoped that he had plainly seen your anger broiling just beneath the surface, but the truth was that you were never so intimidating. In fact, you always cried when you were mad and this moment was no exception.
"Directors, please," you interrupted them in their back and forth, "If you just need to set an example, send me home. Kieran doesn't have a good home life and all of this is my fault."
You had surmised the former from conversations with Carmine and Kieran both. Absent, divorced parents who fought more than they interacted with their children. Without Carmine to help and no goal to set his sights on, there was no telling what would become of Kieran home.
"That's.. noble of you," Cyrano acquiesced, "I didn't know that about you, Kieran. I'm sorry to hear it."
A familiar school bell chimed in the background- the dismissal bell at your old academy. It dawned on you that this must be the end of the day for Clavell.
"It isn't decided what we will do," Cyrano tells you both and looks to Clavell.
"Detention for now is absolute," Clavell finishes for him with a solemn nod, "Also, you two are not permitted to interact outside of the classroom. Further disobedience will result in further consequences. And you-"
He turns his attention your way, "We will video chat tomorrow. I expect weekly updates on your time at the exchange program now. I will have Dr. Briar coordinate since she is your sponsor."
That.. seemed fair. You nodded gratefully and snuck a look aside to see that Kieran had relaxed considerably.
It would be the last time you would see him in a while. He shot you one last downcast look as you were both dismissed as if you took the heart right out of his chest. Looking back, maybe you did.
Condemning him was what he deserved after a betrayal like that. Going directly against your expressed wishes, utilizing your trust to get ahead, Kieran was the lowest of the low.
For whatever reason, though, it was hard to bring yourself to hate him. He had a good reason, right? Right?
A week passed before the official verdict: detention, community service, and a call home to boot. Your own mother's reaction was muted and it was hard to parse exactly what she thought of your decision to break the rules and let a boy sleep in your room.
To his credit, Kieran avoided you and it was easy for him- you were yanked out of any mutual classes. The only time you shared now was the mutual silence of detention.
You resolved that you wouldn't make it easy for him.
Notes:
I decided to continue this! I've got two more chapters written currently which I will post after editing.
Chapter 3: Detention
Summary:
After several unsuccessful attempts at asking for Ogerpon back, you happen across two classmates in the polar biome- and Kieran, too.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Week three of detention, the supervising teacher had a personal call to take. He stepped out into the hall, leaving you and Kieran alone for the first time since..
Well, since he slept over.
"Don't you have anything to say to me? Something to give back?"
Kieran shushed you and took a wary glance back at the door.
"I don't have it on me. Leave me alone. I can't get in trouble again- they'll take my title."
Always about that title.You figured this would be his response after Carmine tried reaching out to him for you. He never responded those times so why would he now?
Undeterred, you pointed out, "You know I'm the only reason you still have it."
"S-stop rubbing that in," his response was stuttered, clearly nervous, "I'll give it back later, just give me some time. Also you have GOT to stop getting involved with me."
He paused for a moment, then added with venom, "Look where it landed you."
In the silence of the classroom you could just barely make out the sound of your teacher's conversation from beyond the door. There was no telling how long the two of you had left.
"Why are you like this?"
You didn't hide your frustration and continued, "Why would you take her? What was the point? I told you she wouldn't listen."
"Quit it. I'm serious."
"Kieran!"
Your sudden exclamation startled the both of you and you each warily eyed the doorway. Thankfully nothing became of it.
"Are you crazy??" He muttered back after a few moments passed, "I took her because I wanted to, ok? That's all you need to know. Now quit bothering me."
He huffed and turned his attention back to the schoolwork in front of him just as the teacher opened the door again.
The teacher regards the two of you for a moment before asking, "Is there a problem?"
You had been staring a hole into Kieran's back, but dropped your gaze as the teacher raised a brow- a silent order to knock it off.
How frustrating. Done now with your school work you were left only with your bitter thoughts.
'Because he wanted to,' you thought, drumming the end of your pencil restlessly.
Wanted to.. wanted to.. wanted to.. You washed the idea around in your head blithely until detention was finished and the phrase was unrecognizable to you.
Why would he want to unless cruelty was the point? Maybe it was time to reckon with the idea that he really did hate you. Despise you. Did things specifically to hurt you.
Sleep evaded you for most of that night. When your clock finally illuminated 5AM to you, you gave up on sleeping and left for the Terarium.
Sunrise greeted you like an old friend and you found yourself in awe of the simulated environment around you. Every aspect felt so real- until you reach the boundary of a biome at least. The jarring transition there always left you with unease.
You had just crossed into the polar biome when a voice caught your attention. You recognize it as Percy, a tall boisterous boy from your class. Another of your classmates, Tiernan, was with him. You knew him to be careful and prudent.
Two close friends and friendly to you as well. You drew breath to greet them when Percy's voice reached your ears.
"So? We don't have to listen. Besides, everyone knows the champions are above the rules. Especially that little freak."
You stop cold.
"Shut up, dude," Tiernan's reply was strained, "He's not far behind."
He? You duck behind a boundary cube with a clear idea of who they meant.
"And he'll what? Battle me? He always wants to battle. He doesn't care about you or me or the pokemon. Did you hear about what he did to that new student?"
"I-I think that's just a rumor."
"I don't think it is. You've seen that new pokemon."
You feel a pit in the bottom of your stomach. So word had gotten out anyway.
"I don't care what the league says. That guy.. he's just.. ugh. He's a fraud, y'know? Nothing about him is real, not even his-"
"There you two are."
There's a clunk of something hitting the floor as Kieran's voice startled them. You didn't see him approach and evidently they didn't either.
"Kieran," Tiernon's voice dripped with faux sincerity, "Are you here to help out with the survey?"
Peering carefully, you watch Kieran confront them alone. His face is hard for you to scrutinize until he spoke up, "No. Tell me where you heard that rumor."
He's angry, you note. Did he have history with those two?
There's a pokemon call in the distance that reminds you where you are. A dewgong, maybe. The cold was starting to bite at your fingers and you regretted coming out here. Still.. what were the odds you would stumble on this situation? You hung onto every word.
"No one specific. Everyone's been saying it. It's true isn't it? You stole that pokemon. Maybe you stole all of them!"
Kieran's response was to laugh, but Percy continued, "You leave for the summer and suddenly come back a whole new person with a whole new team. How do you explain that? You just trained real hard? I don't buy that."
You can barely make out Tiernan's voice, pleading with his friend to let it go and go home. A part of you wished that too. Nothing good would come out of provoking Kieran like this.
"I didn't steal nothing," Kieran's voice was heavy with his Kitakami accent now, meaning he no longer cared to mask it.
"I worked hard and studied 'cause I was tired of losing. A pokemon battle is more than just strong pokemon if you'd just pay attention. And *I* pay attention."
Strong enunciation on that 'I.' Reflexively, you shrink back with the thought that he noticed you there.
Kieran sizes up the two of them and shrugs, "You both suck. I've seen you battle. Dunno why they let idiots like y'all in the league to begin with. I should thrash you both for a warm up and get on with it. Well?"
There's a sick smile on his face.
"Listen, we're sorry about before. W-we don't want to fight. You battle too rough," Tiernan spoke up and his voice wavered as if he had to coax the words from his throat, "Last time, one of yours hit my rapidash so hard she still hasn't recovered."
"So? Use a different one. If it's weak, you swap it out."
Tiernan balked, "I've had that one since I was a kid! There IS no other one."
That was a sentiment you understood well. You thought back to the furret Kieran used to pal around with all the time in Kitakami. Where was it these days?
"Not everyone is like that, you freak," Percy chimed in, "Swap it out? How about you don't have your monster pokemon whale on weaker ones with their full strength?"
"It's not your pokemon that are weak," Kieran pointed out matter-of-factly, "It's you. If they get hurt, then you need to blame yourself. C'mon already."
You could just hear the smirk in his voice but your eyes were drawn instead to what he fished from his pockets.
You recognize that ball. He hadn't taken the decals off.
"Hey!"
You shout and lunge out of your hiding space at him, grasping for the ball. Ogerpon’s ball. You needed to get her back from him.
Kieran jerks it up and away from you, but not without effort, leaving him wide open to tackle. While the two of you struggle in the snow, your two classmates make a break for it.
"Hand her over!"
"You're not supposed to be here with me," he sputters underneath you, "Get out of here and off of me!"
"Not without her!"
"Stop it, you're gonna-"
You succeed in knocking it out of his grasp and several feet away, watching as it rolls into a nearby snow drift, then downhill out of sight.
His anger is palpable as he shoves you aside to take after it, "Look what you did!"
"You're always like this," he adds, "You always screw everything up."
"You shouldn't have had her in the first place," you say back, hoisting yourself up, "I can care less about the rules as long as I get her back."
Exasperated, Kieran begins to take chase after you when he stops suddenly short. Or maybe he simply noticed before you did. The terrain beneath your feet turns quickly treacherous, from snow to ice now, but the pokeball is within reach and you can almost grasp it.
"Wait!"
His warning falls on deaf ears as you finally grab the pokeball, but continue to slide. Your momentum carries you further downhill into a deep ravine.
You don't have time to process it or even scream- the ground that seemed so steady beneath you gives and you plummet down into the dark.
Notes:
Still trying to hit my stride here, haha. Chapter 4 is done, pending revisions. Maybe I smoosh them together and make them kiss!
Or maybe it's just more bickering since these two seem to like doing that. Stay tuned!
Chapter 4: Forced Proximity
Summary:
After a fall, you find yourself injured at the bottom of a cave in the polar biome. Thankfully, Ogerpon is able to find help for you.
Chapter Text
When you came to, it was mostly dark. You knew of many caves dotting the pristine landscape of the polar biome. This had to be one of them.
"Hello?"
Silence. You can feel the icy grip of pain.
Somehow you still clutched Ogerpon's ball in your hand and as if on cue, she let herself out to fret over you. Simply knowing she is close by puts you at ease.
"Pon, listen."
She nuzzles up to you, no doubt trying to keep you warm. You can't stay here long. You'll both freeze. Mustering all your strength, you try in vain to get up as your ankle screams.
It was sprained. You were sure of it. Maybe even broken.
"Listen, you need to find someone and lead them to where I am."
She trills and you're not quite sure she understands.
"I-I don't think I can walk," you murmur, gesturing at your leg, "Get help. Do you understand?"
She wavers, her little face dark with worry and uncertainty.
"Go on," you recognize yourself as pleading, "At least find Kieran. I'm sure he'd.."
You trail off.
He wouldn't leave you, right?
Right?
You swallow your nerves and try again, "Get help, ok?"
With a final anxious coo, she leaves you alone and you wait until you're sure she's out of earshot to sob.
Crying had never come easy to you but in recent times you found yourself doing it more and more. Everything, everyone, it was all so overwhelming. You had your own troubles back in Paldea, sure, but this far from home, little felt familiar enough to bring you comfort.
Homesick. Was this what that felt like? A weight on both shoulders that grew by the day?
You had hoped at least Kieran and Carmine would understand being foreigners here too, but..
"Hello??"
A voice cut through the silence.
"Hey!! Over here!"
A sudden wind gust obscures your vision, but you can make out a dragonite's shadow in the distance. It accentuates its landing with a cry as Kieran clamors off its back and in your direction.
"I told you not-"
He cuts his anger off mid sentence as he finally lays eyes on you.
"You're hurt."
"Yeah?" Bemused, you turn to face him and grit your teeth as pain rocks your body anew, "You know, I was afraid you wouldn't come."
"Of course I'd come," Kieran scoffs and stoops down to examine you, "Here, take my jacket. Let me see."
You're not a pretty sight. The tumble scraped you up into a bloody, soggy mess.
Still though. You were relieved.
"Shit," he tends to your wounds with surprising tenderness until he halts at your swollen ankle, "Can you move that?"
You shake a negative and huff.
"Ok. Um."
You can almost hear the gears churning in his head.
"Ogerpon," he calls gently and to your surprise she appears, "We need the first aid kit from the shelter to the east."
She emerges fully from her hiding spot, having obviously followed him here and furrows her brow.
"I'll stay here," he assures her, "We'll keep warm this way, ok?"
He's sidled up to you now, whether for your benefit or his own isn't clear.
"Please?"
There's a trace of vulnerability and regret lingering in his voice. Perhaps that's what convinces her. She's gone in a blink, moving with the intensity you only see from her in battle.
"...when did she start listening to you?" You ask as your eyes follow her until they can't any longer.
"It took SO many berries. You have no idea."
The laugh you shared broke months of tension. Here in this cave, it was just the two of you. He had no one to prove himself to but you after all.
"She also bit me a couple times," he admitted, pointing out a newly healed nick on one of his knuckles, "She had to get that kind of gluttony from someone spoiling her."
Guilty as charged. You smile wryly and rub at the mark, warming his hand in your own.
"She came and got you, huh?" You asked with interest, trying to ascertain how he knew to find you here.
"Y-yeah," Kieran confirmed as a shiver rolled through his body, "She was crying but trying to be brave about it. I knew something bad must've happened."
Kieran looks up, meeting your gaze, "Sorry, t-this is all my fault. You could've died and it would have been-"
"An accident," you cut him off, finishing that statement.
"Kieran, I made the choice to chase after that pokeball. You should have gave it back, sure, but this?"
You gesture at your ankle and scrapes, "It's not like you pushed me down here."
Clenching his fists, he appears to concede with a single, "O-ok. Yeah."
You were exhausted. Leaned here against him and waiting, you allowed your heavy eyelids to close only to be roused immediately.
Kieran's voice was strained, "Hey. You can't fall asleep here. What if you hit your head? You might never wake up."
He was right. You didn't believe you had a concussion but it was better safe than sorry.
"Talk to me, then," you yawn, teary eyed with sleep, "We need to catch up."
Kieran doesn't respond immediately, obviously hard at work coming up with a subject matter. Thankfully, one came to you easily.
"Hey, all that stuff you've been saying about pokemon, is that true?" You break the silence with a question then elaborate, "You used to not be like that."
"No, I mean, uhhhh. How much of that conversation did you hear back there?"
He visibly gulps as you respond, "The whole thing."
"Man.. Ok, not all of it."
With a shrug, he expands on that, "You have to understand that my circumstances don't leave any room for being soft. Anything less and they'd start calling me a girl again."
"So you're hurting pokemon on purpose? I don't understand."
He wasn't like that. Nothing you knew about him before would make sense if he did. Anxiously you clasp his hand just a little tighter. When did you start holding his hand? It seemed to fit there naturally.
"No! No. Nothing like that," he backtracks defensively, "I talk a big game. Also I have a team that backs that up. Not sure what happened to that guy's rapidash."
He thinks aside for a moment before adding, "I don't hold back though- even if I think you're weak. I can't afford to underestimate anyone."
It was hard for you to understand that logic but you were willing to try. Another burning question nagged at you.
"Why did you take Ogerpon?"
The question was still at the forefront of your mind and as you ask again Kieran yanks his hand back from your own.
"I.."
"I think," he mouths a few words that won't leave his mouth before continuing, "No. The opposite. I wasn't thinking. I just wanted to feel in control."
There's vulnerability in his tone, "I woke up before you did and saw you asleep. You looked so peaceful. And I know it's stupid, but I kept thinking that I was about to lose you both again."
"I hate that feeling," Kieran tells you, his tone darkening, "I don't like that you have that over me. ANYTHING over me."
It's quiet in the cave. You wonder for a moment if you both held your breath.
Through your pain and anger, words remain hard to pin down.
"I don't have anything over you," you reply and sigh, "I already withdrew from the club so I don't see how-"
"No, you don't understand," he interrupts you with such intensity you clamp your mouth shut, "That's WORSE, even. At least in the club I could keep an eye on you."
Your mouth hangs open in indignation and as you furrow your brow, he looks away, avoiding your gaze.
He mused, "If I had Ogerpon, I knew you wouldn't be far. Couldn't be far. That's just how you are."
He wasn't wrong but still.. the way he went about it? Putting you through this? Your anger made your head swim, but you anchored yourself down before you responded.
"If your plan was to get closer to me then you sabotaged yourself. We're not even allowed to talk anymore," you winced as you sat up to face him directly, "Why couldn't you just ask me out like a normal person? I would have said yes."
Jolted by your question, he turns away from you, embarrassed. The tips of his ears are a ruddy red.
"Don't be stupid. I don't like you like that," he tells you, rather unconvincingly.
He can be stubborn, sure, but you've always met him right where he stood.
"You do too," you retort, "Hey, look at me!"
He does and you can see his eyelids are to the brim with angry tears.
"You were supposed to be obsessed with ME, you know?? I was supposed to get the ogre, get the championship, get my respect. What did I do all of this for anyway?"
For him? You had hoped he did this all for him? You have an angry retort at the ready when you realize how close he is.
He's inches away from your face and you bite your tongue in an act of self-preservation. Those amber eyes are fixated on your own and you freeze.
"You're right," he admits with chagrin, "I DO like you. I did all this to impress you and when that didn't work I tried to control you. I think there must be something wrong with me."
Maybe a little, you think aside before running an affectionate hand through his hair. Cautiously, you let your touch fall down, running down the side of his head until the heat off of his flushed cheeks warmed your frigid hands.
The motion left him speechless, but he let you do it without flinching away like usual. In fact, instead of deflecting, he pulled closer, his eyes searching your own carefully.
"No, there MUST be something wrong with me. You can say no after everything I've done, but I want.."
His voice trailed off as he lost the nerve then grasped it once again.
"I want to kiss you," Kieran tells you, his frosted breath so close it tickles at your lips, "We might not get another chance like this. Can I?"
He.. huh?
Despite yourself you lock up. Your ankle was killing you, you were cold, and even though he did come here to rescue you, you were still angry with him. Yet here he was, asking to kiss you.
You should probably tell him no, you think, and in your indecision you hesitate.
Thankfully he didn't push, he didn't force you, he just waits for an answer and in that moment you realized a blatant truth- yes. Yes, you wanted to kiss him.
The nervous apprehension on his face gave way to relief as you nodded your assent and he didn't wait any longer for you to change your mind. Instead, he moves quickly, grabbing you by both shoulders first then connecting his mouth to your own.
He kisses you like someone who might never get that chance again. The grip he has on your shoulders tightens as if he's afraid you might slip away, but the kiss is soft and gentle.
Kieran. You had long sensed that he had feelings for you, but this was his first admission.
'Why now?' You found yourself wondering, idly allowing yourself to return the kiss- deepen it even, until you were out of breath.
You gasp for air and in your moment of mortal vulnerability, he leans into you, links his hands behind your back to support you, and laps his tongue against your own.
You like it.
..but it's too much.
Without forethought, you pull away and he bites down on your lip as a parting gift- painful, but not enough to draw blood. For a moment, you think its an accident of passion, but as you open your eyes wide in pain and jolt back, you glimpse a millisecond of a self-satisfied smirk.
It falls quickly as you both process what he had just done.
Torn somewhere between do that again and don't you ever do that again, you elect to stay silent.
Kieran is up again, assessing the cave passage for Ogerpon, but after a moment he turns his attention back to you.
"Um," his shoulders are slumped, "Are you ok?"
If tone alone could kill him, yours would.
"No, Kieran, my ankle is broken, I'm freezing, and what you did just now.."
He looks dumbfounded and if you weren't rendered handicapped at the moment, you'd punch him.
"You didn't just kiss me- what the hell!"
Just what was that..? You've never kissed like that before.
"Sorry.. I.."
Kieran opens and closes his mouth a few times while tugging at his hair.
"That was, um, advanced for.. a first kiss," you admitted, "I didn't hate it. It was just a lot. The execution. And you- you bit me??"
He sighs, "Oh. Yeah, that.. I.. hate feeling at your mercy, you know? You pulled away and I wanted to be a little mean about it."
"You are just.. ugh."
Words fail you in your exasperation, but the smile he shoots you strikes right through the heart, "Sorry, do you want a redo?"
As you fumble the bag, a familiar trill followed by a human voice snaps you both to attention.
"Around here, huh? Oof, we have got to have this spot plugged," Drayton whistles before turning the corner to see you both, "Huh. Am I interrupting something?"
The scene quickly devolves into chaos as you and Kieran speak simultaneously and then over one another.
"No- I- we-"
"This genius fell down a-"
"Kieran THREW my poke-"
"Oh, now you're making it my fault-"
"It IS your fault, you-"
"Ok, ok, calm down, I'm just teasing you both," Drayton appears a little too happy with himself as he bends over your ankle to apply the first aid spray, "I won't rat you out. Just say 'thank you, Drayton.'"
The eyerolls he got were nearly audible, but you both relented bitterly.
"Thank you."
"Thanks."
With Kieran's help he hoists you up on your uninjured leg and together you make the arduous journey to the surface. Simulated daylight never looked so sweet. As your eyes adjusted you realized two simultaneous truths: you needed a nap and you were starving.
"I gotta go," Kieran tells you both, now assured that you had made it above ground safely.
"So soon? Aw, I wanted to chat," Drayton responds dryly, still smiling as he always does, "I'm really curious about your intentions with my friend here. I don't want to see either of you hurt."
Is he trying to get a reaction out of you or him? You try your best to appear nonplussed, but Kieran is visibly shaken.
"I'm going," Kieran huffs before departing, leaving you with Drayton.
Once he is out of earshot, Drayton laughs and looks to you, "I think you need to be careful."
"It's fine- really."
"You say that. Come on now, I gotta get you to the nurse."
Notes:
Finally have some direction here after spinning my wheels! Next chapter is in beta so hopefully I'll make more headway soon. There's some guaranteed Drayton, Crispin, Lacey, and Amarys content though!
Chapter 5: The BB League
Summary:
Back on your feet after your injury, you agree to meet with Drayton about the current state of the League. It isn't pretty and Kieran is to blame.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Three days later Crispin approached you during an afternoon training session.
"Back at it so soon?"
He appeared genial as usual, even relaxed. Seeing him in such high spirits set you at ease.
"Yeah!" you respond, finishing up your stretches with a deep breath, "I was told to rest for three days, then try gradual activity. It's been feeling good so far."
"That's great!" Crispin certainly seemed pleased himself, "That was actually what I was checking on. Kieran was worried. Not that I, er, am checking on his behalf, I mean, I was worried too."
You let him fumble through that one before throwing him a lifeline.
"He's making you deliver a note, huh."
Crispin grins widely, having been seen through, "Yeah. Here."
With a huff, you take a slip of paper from his grasp and place it in your pocket for reading later. Once you were in the safety of your own dorm you were able to take it out once more and read.
"Hey, hope your ankle is healing up well. I wanted to apologize again. I guess since you didn't respond to my last letter maybe I didn't apologize right. I don't apologize much. I'm not great at it."
No kidding, you think, resisting an eye roll. You kept reading, "I miss you both. I heard Drayton, Lacey, and a few of our other classmates have gotten to see you and I'm really jealous. It's not fair."
Here we go.
"Stay away from Drayton. I don't know what he's up to, but he's always so nosy. The less he knows the better."
"How romantic," you muse, glancing up from the note to a knock at your dormroom door.
Speak of the devil.
"Hey, bud," Drayton greeted you as you opened the door with a small wave, "Mind coming on a walk with me out to the Terarium? I'll treat you to one of the academy specials for the trouble."
It WOULD be nice to waste someone else's hard-earned BBQ points for once and Drayton looked like he had recently been through the wringer. You figured he needed a friendly ear.
You shut the door behind you and looked him over, "Sure, but.. what happened to you?"
"Long story. I'll tell you while we're walking," he tells you after acknowledging two of your fellow dormsuite neighbors, "Don't mind me, just passing through."
Ah. So it was something private he wanted to talk through. You follow him to the elevators, making small talk as best you can. The unlikely pair of you make it partway to the Coastal biome when he finally turns to you, exasperated, "You have GOT to do something about Kieran. I'm serious. He sent 8 club members in a row after me earlier and I know it's because he's trying to push me out."
"Why don't you just tell them no?" You point out, folding your arms. There was no way you were going to beat Kieran right now. Not without a serious team overhaul.
Striding ahead as you stopped short, Drayton ignored your question and waved for you to follow, "Don't stop walking. Come on. We're meeting with Lacey and Amarys. They're in the same boat."
"Wait. Them too?"
That was excessive. Lacey and Amarys hadn't crossed him like Drayton did. You were beginning to feel on edge.
"Them too."
As you crossed into the coastal biome, you spotted Lacey ahead, embroiled in a battle already. Amarys was nearby, checking with her characteristic pocketwatch.
"I don't understand. Why?"
You ask just as a distant thunderbolt flashes across your field of view, narrowly missing Lacey's Granbull. Just by looking at it, you could read its weariness and frustration. Usually about this time it would be napping somewhere with Lacey among the azaleas. She must have had a full challenge schedule too if she was out battling this late.
"Why? Here's the Drayster take-"
Drayton always grinned ear to ear when he would say that, knowing well the cringe-inducing effect it had on people. That was the point.
"The battle you two had lit a fire under everyone. The BB club saw a record number of enrollees. Word got out, you see," Drayton's smile turns pained, "That you're a Paldean champion."
Oh. You had hoped to keep that information to yourself but no doubt the match then the detention incident had people curious. It wasn’t that hard to look that kind of information up.
"Kieran is trying to build up a national level team as I'm sure you're aware," Drayton continued, muffled somewhat by hyper voice's cadence echoing across the sands, "The more strong people he can surround himself with, the better. If he can push us past our boundaries and we break, then I guess by his logic we're not up to snuff. Of course, that's not the only reason."
"Oh?"
"He wants to make changes to the League's qualifications. Enact certain limits so less experienced trainers can't join. Kick out people who miss practice without exceptions. We Elite Four members can veto changes like that and so far we have."
Ah. So that was it.
"He wants to replace you with people who will let him then," you say, catching on quickly.
Drayton nods, then glances up at the sparkling ball of terastal energy hanging like the sun above you all. Briar's own invention.
"The league used to be fun," he sighs wistfully, "Nowadays every practice is an argument. People are quitting left and right. It's a mess."
The chaos hadn't escaped your notice, but you were new there and assumed that it was normal. You had a sinking feeling that it was not- that the fighting, the drama was a symptom of an organization struggling under a heavy-handed leader.
Being correct about that did not bring any relief. Just a growing, gnawing anxiety.
As you try to steel your nerves again, clear sparkling waves captured your attention. A rush of water scrubbed the battlefield clean, signaling the end of that match.
"That's our cue! Come on."
Drayton makes a show of doing small jog across the beach until you're both within Lacey and Amarys's sights.
"It's not like you to be late, Amarys," Drayton called out.
With a tsk and frown, she turns to meet you both, her full body uniform a stark contrast to your tropical surroundings.
"It is hard to hold to a schedule with things being as they are," she responded, regarding you cordially before waiting for Lacey. She joined you all soon enough, rubbing solemnly behind the ears of her Granbull.
"I figured I couldn't talk you into it myself," Drayton said, speaking now to you, "So I wanted you to see for yourself how everyone was doing."
It was a grim image, for sure. Everyone looked exhausted, red eyed and melancholy. You wanted to wring Kieran's neck.
"Should I talk to him?" You offered to skeptical frowns, "I don't think I could beat him right away. Maybe I can try to rejoin the club?"
It was Lacey who responded first, her voice hesitant, "I hate to even ask you for help, but this is no good."
"I have been trying," Amarys stepped in, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her sweat-laden nose, "Carmine seems to think no one is going to change his mind unless you do."
"Y-yeah, I'll try. I'm sorry. I didn't know it got worse," you respond, your nerves now shot, "He probably doesn't know. Torturing his friends like this isn't like him."
You stop before adding, 'I think' to the end of your statement. That wouldn't exactly instill confidence.
Someone was missing. The fourth Elite member- Crispin. Was he spared Kieran's wrath for some reason?
Knowing the two of them shared a homeroom, you asked Amarys, "Where's Crispin? Is he ok?"
You had just seen him earlier after all. Amarys shifts uncomfortably and explains, "Already pushed out."
"Already pushed out??"
Is that why he looked so relieved?
You didn't bother to hide your surprise while Drayton elaborated, "Would have happened either way with you climbing the ranks like you did. He might be a good person to talk to, actually. I think he and Kieran are on good terms still."
That would explain the errand running.
"Crispin is more interested in cooking, really," Lacey pointed out, "He joined up at the same time as Kieran and got as far as he did with Kieran pushing him along."
Granbull whined beside her and Lacey lavished her attention on him with a chuckle, "You always get hungry whenever I bring him up, huh? You're just the cutest."
Her doting was a balm to your troubled mind as you thought over the situation. So.. Kieran has been coordinating mass challenges instead of encouraging new members to practice on their own. In doing so, he both strengthens and exhausts the remaining Elite 4.
"I'll rejoin," you decide then add, "and I'll also talk to him. We're on better terms."
What exactly were you going to say, though? As you smiled to reassure your friends, every mental draft you imagined sounded like an accusation. That night you wrote 5 different versions of a letter you couldn't seem to make right and sleep evaded you once more.
The following morning, you opened your door and a paper flitted out from the crack, flying past you into the floor. You scrambled for it, ducking to your knees, and read, "I heard you're rejoining."
Kieran's hand writing was neat and practiced, deliberate even, "I arranged for you to take over for Crispin. He's fine. Just not cut out for this."
He didn't even ask you. Already you were feeling aggravated.
"Drayton says he's going to take care of the problem of our detention. I don't like accepting his help, but that guy can move mountains when he decides he wants to."
An accurate statement. You noted with some amusement that Kieran had erased and rewrote that sentence then empathized with underlining, "It is one of his best and worst traits."
It wasn't hard to imagine Kieran's scowl as he wrote that last line.
The letter continued, "I want to battle you again. I've been thinking- I don't think you gave it your all last time. Don't you dare hold out on me twice."
It was only a matter of time you supposed. It if weren't for the detention, maybe Kieran would be at your door everyday demanding a rematch. You didn't know what sort of battle would satisfy him, but you weren't one to shrink away from challenge.
Focusing in classes that day was difficult- you felt as wound up as twine, liable to break at any moment. Pulled taut as you were, you had resigned yourself to an early retirement to your room when Briar stopped you, eyes sparkling. They always seemed to be.
"I have excellent news for you. Please follow me."
You had a feeling what this was about.
Notes:
Hey all! I'm in the midst of editing this fic for clarity. Please accept this chapter in the meantime as I set up the central conflict.
Chapter 6: Drayton Delivers
Summary:
You are pulled into a meeting with the directors, Kieran, and, of all people, Drayton.
Notes:
Short chapter preceding a very long one. Stay tuned!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Briar brought you back to the director's office where Cyrano, Kieran, Drayton, and Clavell's face on a screen awaited your arrival.
"Come on, sit," Cyrano gestured at an empty chair, "This won't take long."
You obliged, looking from face to face in curiosity until Clavell spoke, "It is nice to see you. Drayton informed us of your recent fall and I was worried about your condition."
"I'm fine, really," you assured him, "Is that why I'm here?"
"We'll get there," Clavell remarked, ceding to Cyrano with a nod. Barely, you register a low rattle and you notice that Kieran is trembling in his chair.
"I want to apologize first on the behalf of the academy. The Terarium is still new and not without its flaws. The location of the cave you were injured in has been marked and we are currently working on excavating a safer descent into it."
Cyrano leaned back into his chair and removed his cap, "Drayton filled us in on your dramatic rescue. It seems Kieran was able to bridge our shortcomings even at the threat of being expelled- a brave and impressive feat."
For once you are stunned to silence. Kieran appears to be as well. It's Drayton only who is relaxed into his chair and grinning in his smarmy way.
"We have come to a joint decision to revoke your detention," Cyrano now stands up from his desk, "Just please, keep your noses clean from here on out. …and keep all of this between us. It would look poorly if word got out that our foreign student was injured at the academy."
Cyrano scowls rather pointedly at Drayton and a strange thought crosses you- Just what did Drayton say to get this result?
You and Kieran both nod gratefully in unison then exchange bewildered looks.
Briar, behind all of you, politely clears her throat and steps forward at Cyrano's direction.
"There is one other matter- which I'll leave to Dr. Briar here," he says, beckoning her forward.
"Thank you, Director," Briar's tone is warm and cordial, "I have requested assistance in an expedition to Area Zero. The plans are still fluid and we do not have a date set yet."
She reads the confusion on each of your faces and continues, "This is just a formality. As the strongest trainers here you would be an asset so I want you all to be aware that I will be asking for your help in the future."
"Can we decline?" Drayton asks, raising a single eyebrow.
"..yes," Briar assures him without so much a glance in his direction. Instead she focuses her keen gaze on the two of you- Kieran and yourself.
"That is all. Please, give it consideration, " she says, ceding again to Cyrano who promptly dismisses the lot of you.
Afterward, Kieran waits until your teachers are out of earshot to round in on Drayton, "Why are you helping me like this??"
There's a break in his voice at the end that belies a deep seam of hurt.
"Kieran!" You pull Kieran back from him, "Can't you be grateful for one second?"
To his credit Drayton appeared wholly unphased at Kieran's outburst. You get the feeling that he's been on the receiving end of them for some time.
"What are you planning?" Kieran asked, keeping his distance now.
"I just care about my pal over here," Drayton answered, not dishonestly, "Not everything I do revolves around you."
That, of course, does nothing to quell Kieran's anger.
"You're up to something," Kieran spits, "It's the league, huh? I know you. You're trying to use them to unseat me as president again."
His accusation wasn't off base. You did, after all, agree to do just that.
Drayton smiles, "I can't make anyone do anything. If our runner-up here takes you to task then that's their busin-"
Kieran cuts him off, "Fine. Fine! I expect this from you, a 3rd tier trainer with a B tier team. But YOU-"
He directs his fury at you ten fold, "Stop defending him. Whose side are you on anyway?!?"
His gaze is intense- two amber eyes locking you into place. It takes all your might to shake loose of it.
"Pick me," Kieran says to you, "You need to pick me right now."
Confusion falters you. What.. did he mean by that?
"Pick you for-"
"Everything," he elaborates and places a hand on your arm, "You need to pick me over everything. I.. need to be your number one, ok?"
That last sentence was less an order and more of a plea. Your eyes dart between the two of them and even Drayton meets your gaze with interest.
This had to be a cruel joke- forcing you to side with the boy you love so clearly out of line and stand against your friends who did neither of you wrong. Lacey. Amarys. Every member of the league. Who else did Kieran plan to sacrifice on his trip for power?
"Let's.. talk about this later," you brush him off, "Ok?"
Truthfully, every bone in your body opposed him. He stole from you, he's bullying your friends, and now he was demanding your loyalty as if none of that happened. Of course you weren't going to agree to whatever it was that he was going to say.
But.
And here's that tricky, loathsome but-
Would that get you the outcome you desired? Could you save your friends and fix Kieran too? You would need to keep your secrets close, first off, and lie to him. It could just as easily backfire.
"Yeah! Give them some space! A confession like that's a lot to take in," Drayton interrupts before Kieran could react to your stalling, "Honest, I thought you'd wait before spilling your guts like that. Asking them out right in front of me and all- ha!"
With that, Drayton slaps Kieran's back and with the way Kieran recoiled, you'd think he'd been dealt a grievous blow. Clearly enjoying his own teasing, Drayton continued, "Gotta say Champ, you're breaking a lot of hearts here. My own included."
"That's not-" Realizing all too quickly that Drayton was goading him, Kieran stopped himself and restarted slow, "No. Don't play dumb. That's two on my side with the League and two on yours. They're the tiebreaker."
"You think that's what I'm getting at?" Drayton looks away from you both and digs his hands into his pockets, feigning sheepishness, "I bailed you both out so we could spend time together. It'd do you some good to spend time with actual people for a change."
You found yourself nodding along in agreement but stopped as soon as Kieran turned your direction.
"Aw man," Kieran's shoulders slumped in defeat, "Not you too."
A dismissal bell above chimed, signaling for extracurricular activities.
"All of this is making me hungry again," Drayton takes two long strides toward the elevator before extending an invitation, "You guys wanna come?"
He did owe you an academy special. You cast a sidelong glance at Kieran and seamlessly read his pleading face. Before you can say anything, though, Drayton reads it as well.
Laughing it off, he turns tail and bids you both farewell, "I'll let you two catch up. Think of me sometime, ok?"
You both see him off and as soon as he's out of earshot, Kieran lets out a sigh of relief.
"Sorry," he starts, "That guy. You don't know Drayton like I know Drayton."
You think you understand him well enough.
"He did us a big favor," you point out and begin to walk toward the elevator, "Wanna go to the Terarium and walk for a while?"
"Y-yeah," Kieran responds and you sense a bit of nervousness in his voice, "I'm still shaky from gettin' called in there in the first place."
The two of you wander the savannah biome when he tells you of a good picnic location and you both settle down for a while, watching as your pokemon intermingled peacefully for the first time. They, like the two of you, are hesitant at first.
Notes:
IDK if this is obvious but Drayton definitely blackmailed the directors lol
Next chapter's done- working on the following now. Stay turned for hate snogging!
Chapter 7: Jealousy
Summary:
After getting to finally talk after all this time, you start to understand Kieran a bit better. You don't like what you see.
Afterward, he challenges you to another pokemon battle and the aftermath gets ugly.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
"Carmine's going to be relieved," you remark first, making a mental note to text her later.
Kieran only hums in a noncommittal way as he digs through his bag and procures two candy bars. Wolfing them both down in no time, he seems to remember his manners halfway through and offers you a rumbled one from somewhere deep in his bag.
"I'm good. Wait. ...how many do you have in there?" You ask, amused. You pull his bag toward you to see and catch a glimpse of a dragon's hoard of sweets packed to the brim between two hefty notebooks. A strategy manual with uncountable post-its splitting from its side catches your eye.
You recognize it.
"That's the old manual I lent to you in Kitakami, huh? You kept it?"
Kieran nods as he swallows his food and yanks his bag back in a hurry, "Yeah. It was a really good resource. The hand written bits, especially."
He continued, "When you and the ogre left, it was the only thing I had left of you. All the pictures we took were on your phone."
Something about the thought of Kieran pouring over that manual as your only link left you with a distinct feeling of grief
"Right, I-I see," you stammer past your guilt, "It's good we got back in touch."
It surprises you how glum he's acting. Instead of a happy reunion, Kieran seems troubled.
Catching on, you ask him, "Are you ok?"
"Mm. I was thinking. You haven't really changed your line-up since your match with Geeta," he points out, switching to a more serious tone, "I caught a viewing of it recently. You got stronger but you've been slacking. That's not like you."
You don't appreciate the admonishment and unsolicited advice so you attempt to veer the conversation back on course, "That can't be what's bothering you."
One of hydrapple's serpentine heads was resting in his lap, tired from its social foray. Idly, Kieran scratched under its chin and answered, "I don't want you to side with that lazy jerk."
That's it? You must've made a face because he furrows his brow in frustration, "I've liked you a long time, way longer than Drayton. You should side with me."
Not the most logical way of looking at things. The way you plan to vote in BB League affairs wasn't due to who you liked more.
You're about to tell him do when he continues, growing agitated, "Drayton's no good, lazy, a flirt, and a schemer. I know I'm not really all that great at romance, sure, but.."
He trails off, twirling a piece of his hair while he focuses on something unseen on the horizon, "I gotta be way better than that guy, right?"
Geez. You elect to put that line of thought to rest right away, "I'm not into Drayton. Not THAT way. He's my friend."
It was kind of cute seeing him jealous. You had a feeling that was exactly why Drayton messed with him so often.
"Oh. That's why you two are hanging out, huh? Friends," Kieran frowns and examines his calloused hands now, "Well. I'm your friend too aren't I? Hang out with me instead. Just me."
"Of course, I will," you reassure him, reaching over to place a hand on his shoulder, "but I'm not going to stop spending time with my other friends just because-"
He jerks back from you, "I shouldn't have to ask. You should want to."
As if it was reacting with him too, the serpent in his lap raises its head to confront you with a deep hiss. One of your pokemon nearby growls back a low warning.
"You're way more popular than I'd like and none of those people deserve you like I do," he says, placing a placating hand on his hydrapple's head, "We should date. We'd make a good pair, y'know? You, the Paldean Champion, and me-"
He grins and its all teeth, "The champion here."
"That's not-" You stop yourself, "No, that is a TERRIBLE way to ask me out."
You close your eyes and count to ten. Breathe in. Breathe out.
"No," you say, firmly.
"No??"
His raised voice echoes and it's suddenly quiet. Your frolicking pokemon have stopped in their tracks. His grimmsnarl licks its lips.
"Battle me, then," he says, "If I win, I-"
For the love of-
"No!" you leap up and begin gathering your things, "You think beating me in a pokemon battle would make me say yes? At least Drayton would TRY to talk to me about it."
Unnecessary as it was- that last remark strikes true. He won't look at you now and mutters darkly, "I'm still not good enough for you, huh?"
You're not sure how to respond. It's true, in a way, you realize. Ironically not the way he's thinking- it's not that Kieran wasn't strong enough or that you looked down on him. He wasn't good enough- meaning he wasn't gentle or kind or loving or any of the many traits he had before when you did like him.
It was nice to see him so confident and determined, sure, but the way it felt when he was mean to you, when he called you out, the way he looked at you when you two battled..
That kiss.
Your emotions were conflicted but you knew deep down that you needed to push back. He would only get worse if you didn't push back. You ready a sharp response when he sighs and slumps his shoulders.
"Man.. It feels like I just got you back and I'm already losing you again," he admits softly.
Something flips in your stomach.
You try again, gentle, "How about you come spend time with everyone- not just me? I've got lunch plans with Carmine tomorrow now that she and Briar are back in town."
Unfortunately your suggestion seems to piss him off, much to your chagrin. He sets his jaw and lays back, notably away from you, "No. I'm too busy."
Too busy making everyone's lives a living hell, maybe. You felt totally exasperated with him and throw yourself backward onto the picnic blanket too.
"Too busy to hang out with them but not me, huh?" You point out, using an arm to block out the blinding light of the setting sun. Maybe it was an effect of the simulation but sunsets here seemed so much brighter.
After a long pause Kieran laughs.
"Aw, man. Ok. Got me there," Kieran says, and adds wryly, "Let me have it, won't you?"
"You're an asshole. Happy?"
"Yeah," he laughs again and that disarms you, "That's more like it."
You figure that's as good as you're going to get. In the silence that followed you made several mental checklists for the following days- lunch with Carmine, meet up with Drayton and Crispin, study crunch time for Friday's test..
Your thoughts drifted back to home. Your mom. The house and the garden. Homemade tapas and mint water and sunshine. You were wondering if your pokemon felt the same when you noticed the soft breathing of several of them dozing concurrently.
You turn over to find Kieran asleep and it comforts you for a reason you can't place. There's no anger or tension. Just the two of you in the waning sun.
How frustrating, you think aside, to like someone like this. It would be easier on you to just dismiss him- especially after that champion comment. It wasn’t hard to infer that his interest in you would wane if you weren't so good at pokemon battles.
That bothered you.
With that at the forefront of your mind, you quietly sit up and prepare to leave when, despite your best efforts, you rouse Kieran just enough for him to crack his eyes open.
"Wait, don't leave," he mumbles.
He catches you by the hand, but it's gentle. You stop.
"I'm sorry," he tells you, "Don't leave."
"You have GOT to stop this," you sigh, "I'm serious. This hot and cold thing is stressing me out."
"Hot and cold? Maybe Carmine is rubbing off on me," he yawns before sitting up, blinking the sleep from his eyes. He reaches for the bit of hair he always twirls and anxiously twists it between his fingers.
"No, that's all you. You won't even see her," you retort, "You have to stop the bullying. I'm not a threat to your masculinity or whatever you think. Neither are Lacey or Amarys. Even Drayton- bullying all of them is-"
He cuts you off sharply, "I'm not bullying anyone! If they have a title then they have to defend it. That's how it works. That's how it ALWAYS works."
"You can't let up on their schedules just a little bit?"
"Why would I? I'm out here every day. Just as busy as they are," his tone is flat and cold. His inscrutable expression is focused not on you but something past you- one of your pokemon.
"Never seen that pokemon with you before," he notes with interest, "A joltik?"
It's crawled out of your picnic basket now with a plundered berry in tow. Cheeky little thing. You pluck it up before it can make its getaway and benevolently offer it the lion's share of berries stowed away in your pocket.
"It's cute, isn't it?" Gently you raise both of your palms so that you both can get a better look, "It was stuck to my laptop battery after I explored Chargestone. I didn't have the heart to release it so its been with me a while now."
It was also something you were raising specifically to counter his politoed but he didn't need to know that.
"You didn't bring your main team, huh?" Kieran asks and doesn't bother to hide his contempt, "It's going to cost you when we battle."
You laugh before blowing him off, "We're not battling tonight."
"Yes we are."
Kieran stands, recalling his pokemon. A few of yours whine in response having their playtime so abruptly interrupted.
"H-hey," you protest, "Don't do that to them. Sit down! We're not battling."
"We are," Kieran responds gruffly, striding past you to an acceptable distance, "Besides, according to the League rules, you can't turn down a challenger."
You know that but hadn't anticipated it to be an issue this soon. Worse yet was this complete disregard for what you wanted.
"Kieran, come on," you try, "The ones I brought today are weak- why don't you let me get my actual team?"
Unless beating you was the point. Kieran pops a knuckle in his hand, but his expression is inscrutable.
"I know you'll make it work," he tells you and follows up with a verbal gut punch, "Do you remember what I said when I stayed over? That I'd beat you as many times as it takes until you saw things my way?"
You recall. That wasn't it exactly. To be exact, he told you that he wanted to see you reduced to nothing. Your heart begins to pound in your ears again as frustration began clouding your judgement.
"...fine," you say, choosing your first picks impulsively, "Let's get this over with."
To their credit, even underleveled your pokemon put up a valiant fight, but by the time he got porygon Z set up for a sweep, it was over. You didn't even get to hydrapple.
Kieran, of course, lorded it over you afterward in the post match assessment. He correctly pointed out each weakness your team had and focused rather brutishly on an early match mistake you made while you were still blinded by your own emotion.
"You still have all your talent and I see the direction you're taking this team, but it's nothing if you let your anger get in the way like that. Embarrassing, really," the corners of his mouth upturn in a sly smirk, "I won't tell anyone. Getting to beat you again was enough of a reward for me."
You're not sure why that tipped you over the edge, but it did. You had always considered yourself a pretty reasonable person. Measured, purposeful, you always looked before you lept. Something about him, though, seemed to leave your logic at the door.
You see red, grabbing him by the collar of his crimson uniform top and to perhaps the confusion of you both, you kiss him rather forcefully.
It's all heat and teeth, frustration and adrenaline. Pushing then pulling. Neither of you bother to be gentle and neither of you can seem to come to a consensus on stopping. Eventually he wrests control from you and you stare at each other, arms interlocked and breathing heavily, for a long time.
Kieran is the first to move, unlinking himself to wipe his mouth off with the back of his hand. That sly smirk he wore had slid off and in its place was look of hurt and confusion.
"What.. was that for?" He asks you and in the heaviness of your accumulating emotions you're having a rough time articulating.
What WAS that for? For what he did? For how you felt? To get back at him? Were you that desperate for affection? It was likely a haphazard mixture of all these things- summarized best by *intensity.*
"Um. Hey," he tries again and instead of answering you push him away.
This attraction, this relationship, him, and the way he's acting- it's all driving you crazy.
You wanted to tell him not to boss you around. To not treat you that way. To act right before he lost you and everyone for good. The words won't formulate, though, and instead hot angry tears burned at your cheeks.
You can't really see him through your blurring vision and turn tail, stumbling away, then breaking out into a run as you hear his footsteps behind you.
"Wait," he calls, desperately, "Talk to me! What is your deal?"
You could ask the same, you think aside bitterly. Instead of another pointless argument, you call your Koraidon and ride off seamlessly, leaving him to sputter in your dust.
Koraidon makes short work of the flat savannah landscape and once you're a safe distance away, it slows to voice its concern for you with a high pitched whine. The simple act of care snaps you out of your haze and gratefully you throw your arms around its neck as it careens to a stop.
"Sorry for leaving you in my room all this time," you blubber between gasping sobs, "I'm glad you're not mad at me anymore."
After the whole ankle fiasco Koraidon had been in revolt- interrupting class by letting itself out as it pleased. Three times it had to be coaxed with sandwiches just to get it to let you on its back. You figure it was revenge for leaving it behind and having the audacity to get hurt in a situation it could have helped you in.
Its tongue flicks across your cheek and as it registers your salty tears no doubt, it nuzzles its entire body into you- bowling you over.
"Okay, okay," you relent with a laugh, "I'm fine. I promise."
You could swear sometime that it acted less like a giant cyclizar and more like a little lillipup.
"Way.. too big for my lap," you removed it with effort, finally smiling again. Having accomplished its goal, it laid down- allowing you to rest against it and consider what you've been through.
That guy.. You pat each pocket for your phone until you find it and take a deep breath.
'Lunch tomorrow still ok?' You type out and send to Carmine.
Her response is nearly instantaneous, 'Yeah 11 like I said. U ok?'
'We have to talk about your brother,' you respond and she reacts with an exasperated emoji.
'Tired of talking about him,' comes her response and you watched the little speech bubble indicating that she was still typing for an eternity. It stops suddenly as if she erased whatever snarky reply she had written out and restarted.
Finally she adds, 'Ok. U buy tho.'
Figures.
Notes:
Give it up for hate-kissing woohoo!! Hate-kissing!!
Ok, anyway, as someone who previously experienced attraction for someone that was kind of terrible- it's kind of an angry, hopeless feeling. You're mad at them, you're mad at yourself, and IDK if I would have ever gone as far as hate-snogging in real life, but there was definitely a feeling of, "I need confirmation that this attraction is real for you as well." Which is kind of the impulse MC is acting on here.
Also as a side note, I struggled a lot with choosing Koraidon over Miraidon since I was so attached to Miraidon in my Violet playthroughs, but I feel like MC is.. sort of taking on a life of their own at this point. Koraidon just felt right. I feel like personality-wise it's the more fiery and temperamental of the two.
Thanks for reading as always! We're about to get into some League intrigue and I'm kind of excited about it.
Chapter 8: Carmine and Amarys
Summary:
You meet with Carmine over lunch when a surprise visitor joins you. Afterward, you encounter a challenger you've never met who has an axe to grind.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
"I can't with him. Sheesh."
You had just regaled your interactions with Kieran with Carmine (with some notable redactions) over a hefty serving of udon when she stopped you just after the part where he forced you to battle him last.
Skewering an innocent slice of beef on the end of her chopstick, she took a bite and chewed angrily for moment, clearly thinking.
"I would have already knocked him into next week," she told you, "In fact I should! He's been avoiding me. I think he knows what's coming."
That wasn't it but you nod in agreement regardless.
"Ugh, it's ruining my appetite," she pushes her plate away and rests her head into her hand, "To be honest, I don't know what to think about him right now. I told you before that he was scaring me. Sounds like he's only gotten worse."
"Why? Why is he-" You pause and reformulate that question after Carmine scowls at you, "I mean, uh. Do you have any idea why he's acting this way?"
"Of course I do, stupid," she remarks, straightening up to fold her arms, "It's you. You shouldn't have lost! All of you League people are useless. What's the point of you if you can't keep him in check?"
"Carmine, you lost too," you point out.
"That's besides the point!" She raises her voice at you and for a moment you can see it- that exact temper Kieran wields, "I've got more in my brain than pokemon battling!"
Swallowing your frustration, you persist, "You know he was this way before he won against me."
"Of course I do!"
The both of you notice that her outbursts have attracted the attention of a few of your more nosy classmates. Taking a deep breath, Carmine recomposes herself before continuing, "Ok. I'll explain. I know Kiki best after all."
"The ogre stuff was about when he started.." She acknowledged and you recall your summer trip. How he seemed a different person then, how he hid cowering in her shadow.
"I was tired of him following me around everywhere so I was trying to push him out of his nest. Kind of annoying he imprinted like a ducklett on some foreigner but you can't really account for taste. Thankfully you ended up not being so bad," she smiles at you and you know in your heart that's about the closest to a compliment you could get from her.
Smiling back flusters her and she pinches bridge of her nose, "Ugh. Anyway. It was when we got back, he started to act like a complete weirdo. He boxed up all his stuff from Kitakami and started spending all of his time in the Terarium. When I got back from a weekend trip with Briar to Kitakami, he refused to see me at all. That's when he started climbing the ranks too."
She sighs and studies you for a moment, opening her mouth once, twice in an uncharacteristically vulnerable way- like the right words were caught in her throat.
"I'm glad you're a good friend to Kiki," she tells you, "He's struggling to figure himself out. He and I- we've always been torn somewhere between Kitakami and Unova. Neither of us are just one or the other. We're both."
"You think he's-" You prod gently only to be quickly dismissed.
"Don't interrupt me! Let me finish!"
You swallow your pride and nod her on.
"..sorry. Ugh. He's got me all bent out of shape. Little twerp," Carmine runs a hand through her hair and straightens her headband, "I think Kiki is trying too hard to be something he's not. Someone.. stronger, tougher, more Unovan. The complete opposite of who he used to be. If I had the time, I'd set him straight."
Someone else made a similar excuse recently. You put that thought aside, though, for a more troubling one.
"Someone he's not.. You're not trying to say it's because of his transition, right?"
Carmine's midway through a glass of water and chokes in her haste to deny.
"No! No," she says, snatching your napkin to cough into, "I mean, Kiki's been that way for years now. What are you, phobic? Wait. How do you know that?"
You begin to backpedal at her accusatory tone, "He told me! I asked him what his problem was and he-"
You stop midsentence as Amarys approaches, lunch tray in tow.
"He, what? Spit it out- oh! Amarys!" Carmine is suddenly all smiles, patting the chair next to her, "Hey join us, we're talking about you-know-who."
Amarys appeared well, but the specter of exhaustion was well behind her, apparent in the bags under her eyes. She obliges, sitting next to Carmine and across from you.
You couldn't help but be a bit suspicious of Amarys, but realistically it was because she was the Elite League member that you knew the least. That steely, cold demeanor, her insistence at precise rules- you two shared many differences. Still, Carmine and Lacey put their trust in her.
A long awkward silence persists before Carmine intervenes, "What? What is it?"
"Oh! You can trust each other," she says, reading the frigid air, "Amarys and I have been friends since I transferred here as a kid. She was my first friend."
Amarys relaxes her rigid posture as Carmine continues, "It wasn't easy- Kiki and I were obviously not from here and our classmates were real jerks about it. Amarys was in the same boat, she's from- um."
"Alola," Amarys completes for her, then furrows her brow, "Carmine, I had not been to Alola since I was a baby. I acted different and that's why they did not like me."
"Who cares what they think!" Carmine grins and leans into Amarys, shoulder to shoulder, "We kicked all of their butts at pokemon until nobody was left! Amarys and I were unstoppable."
It was no doubt a fond memory for the both of them, because Amarys smiles back- the first time you've seen her do so. It's a serene, calm smile, genuine and sweet.
"That was a long time ago," Amarys covers her own face and downplays herself, "Besides, that was you. Before you, I-"
"Don't be humble," Carmine barks, "You know I hate that!"
Surprisingly this amuses Amarys and she laughs it off, "Hah, yes sir."
"In any case, what were you two discussing?" Amarys addresses you now, "I apologize for my intrusion."
'She's still blushing,' you think to yourself before answering her, "No, it's fine! It was about Kieran."
"He's harassing them now," Carmine rolls her eyes and tosses a tress of hair behind her shoulder, "Not that anyone is surprised by that."
Amarys appears genuinely apologetic, "I see. He's certainly been fixated on you, but I can tell defeating you did not bring him catharsis. Curious."
Regarding you thoughtfully, she adds, "Yes, you might be the only person that can break through that facade of his."
Facade? You have to shake aside your thought of the pokemon move.
"You mean, a front?" You ask, "You think he's faking all of this? But why?"
Amarys had always struck you as very shrewd, but your inability to read her blank expression always left you unnerved. With a nod, she elaborates, "Yes. I'm not sure why, but I suspect a deep dissatisfaction with how he perceives himself and how others perceive him."
You nod too as she continues, "You may not like to hear this- neither of you in fact, but it needs to be said. There's nothing we can do for him, in my opinion."
Both you and Carmine begin to protest as Amarys raises a single hand, "Hear me out. We cannot change how he sees himself. We can stop him from hurting other people. That's my goal, ultimately, in all of this."
She was right- you knew this. And you DID hate it. Carmine appears to come to the same conclusion as she grits her teeth and says nothing.
"Speaking of," Amarys clears her throat politely to address the both of you, "I tried challenging him again this morning to no avail. I even tried to speak with him afterward but he wouldn't have it. He gave his post-match assessment, then left."
How cold. You frown and Amarys continues, "I'm sorry, Carmine. I am trying my best."
Amarys pushes her glasses up the bridge of her nose and avoids your gaze, "I've tried everything- even voting his way to gain his trust. Because of my miscalculations, Drayton had to ask you to rejoin the League. I couldn't even protect you in the end, it seems."
With this statement, she reaches inside her jacket to pull a slip of paper from an unseen pocket. Carmine impulsively snatches it from her then casts an apologetic smile Amarys's way.
"This is that thing you were talking about, huh?" Carmine unfolds it and squints at the contents, "What? This is so many names!"
"Yes," Amarys is somber, closing both eyes as if to shield herself from the sight of it. She explains to you, "That is a compiled list of League members that will be purged should Kieran's new rule be put in place. 143 names. Some of them are seniors. Drayton is one, though, I doubt anyone is surprised by that."
"What exactly is the new rule?" You murmur, leaning forward to take a look yourself. Immediately you recognize names.
"150 hours minimum logged practice time each semester. Roughly 10 hours of practice each week," Amarys's mouth sets, "We would dwindle down to less than 40 members at our current rate. He doesn't want to allow exemptions."
"He can't do that!" Carmine's nostrils flare as she singles out her own name on the list, "I'm literally out doing field work with Briar! I'm not even HERE to practice."
She's right, of course. You consider all the people who have multiple interests, obligations that would disqualify them. What if someone got sick? What if they were out with a family death? There were a million reasons why someone couldn't devote that much time simply to pokemon battling.
"Kicking his own sister out. Tch. Amarys. Where is he?" Carmine's face was several shades of vermilion, "I'm going to talk to him. You know where he is, right?"
Amarys balks, "Y-yes, but I don't think-"
"That's MY brother," Carmine stands up with her tray, "Where is he? I'm going."
"The Terarium, I'm sure," Amarys stands now too and you realize that you're about to eat lunch alone, "I'll go too. I can help find him."
"Fine! Fine. Sorry," Carmine turns to you, "We have to cut lunch short. I'll text you later."
You watch her storm off over your steaming plate of udon and sigh. With some irritation, you realize she took all of your napkins.
As you're finishing up, your watch reminds you of your meeting with Drayton and Crispin.
You bump shoulders with someone as you're disposing your tray and it jolts your bowl and utensils to the floor. You're on the ground immediately to retrieve it when someone steps on the bowl, pinning it there and barely missing your hand.
"Get off-" you start, following up with your eyes only to see a face you did not recognize. A thin, tanned boy just a bit taller than you- with dark hair and light eyes. Judging by the uniform, he's a League member.
"5:45" he tells you, releasing the bowl from underneath a muddy boot.
"O-ok??" You stutter in bewilderment before your brain processes it as a challenger. You begin to pick yourself up under his disdainful eye and it's clear he has more to say.
"I don't see why they just let you back in," he scoffs, "Much less at your current rank. They only let you in so you could take down the Champion and look where that got you."
A few onlookers are whispering and you feel their icy stares. Whatever clever comeback or retort you might have ready escapes you and all you can manage is, "Who even are you?"
Unintentionally, this embarrasses him and he's swift to condemn it, "You don't even know your own League members?? This is exactly what I mean. You spend all your time sucking up to the Elite four and the teachers and the rest of us don't matter."
Is that what other people really think? You search from blank face to blank face for answers and hesitate- something that seems to spur your aggressor on.
"Nobody's fooled, you know," he continues, nearly nose to nose with you. Lowering his voice, he delivers a venomous accusation, "We all know you threw that match. I heard about how you and that little freak have been face-sucking after-"
You react quickly as your anger flares.
"No. You want to challenge me?" You take a step backward and match his sneer, "We'll go now. Either we go now or I'm counting it as a loss."
As you expected, he doesn't account for your pushback.
"Now? I-"
"I don't care! Now!" You assert, raising your tone, "I'm not doing this. I'm not, I-"
Hot angry tears burn at your eyes so you stop. You were so mad you could hardly think. Without a word further, you make your way to the exit and feel every eye in the lunchroom on you.
Notes:
Hi all!
Writing bratty Carmine and cool, collected Amarys was a lot of fun! I'd lile to feature them a lot more in my fic. Amarys in particular was one of my favorites and I wish she got a little more time to shine in the DLC.
Personally, I hc'd her as some flavor of neurodivergent. I really appreciated her character a lot! I'd like to see more neurodivergent coded characters of color in general.
As a last note, I'm going on a brief hiatus since I'm having surgery, so I'm posting two chapters at once! Thanks for sticking around for the ride!
Chapter 9: Drayton and Crispin
Summary:
After your challenger, you meet up with Crispin and Drayton. They have some insight to share.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
You obliterate him. It's not even close and it feels good. It isn't until you silence your watch for the third time that you realize that you're 45 minutes late to the meeting.
A whistle catches your attention in the gathered crowd and you spot that characteristic red flash of hair in your peripheral like a flame.
"Hey!! Nice job!!!" Crispin screams from the sidelines and his glee is infectious.
"Knew there had to be something holding you up," his grin grows wider as he approaches you and presses a goodie bag into your hand, "Hey, I baked these for you. Try em."
Seeing him snaps you out of whatever fugue state you've been in. You feel as if you can finally breathe.
"Thanks," you manage, eyeing the bag of meringues he's given you, "Um. Yeah. Thank you."
Rather chuffed, he lets you try one before laughing, "That guy definitely had it coming so don't feel bad."
"Y-yeah," the ringing in your ears finally ceases and you can taste the candy in your mouth. It's delicious.
"League's just crawling with Kieran copycats like that," another voice behind you says and you jump, eyes wild, to see Drayton there, "Whoa! It's just me!"
You hadn't seen him approach and your adrenaline hadn't subsided. Of course you were jumpy. Looking apologetic, Drayton places a hand on the back of his neck as he looks you over, "You already seem exhausted."
"I am," you confirm, stuffing another meringue in your mouth. In your haste, you nearly miss. Now that you're calming down, you feel woozy and hope that the sugar rush may help.
"Heard about what happened with him in the lunchroom. You're probably safe for now. Nobody else seems eager to make that same mistake he did," Drayton shrugs it off and sighs, "Heard you and Kieran had a tiff yesterday. Too bad."
You register Crispin say, "Huh? They did?" as you narrow your eyes. How would Drayton even know that?
"He came right at me afterward to blow off steam," Drayton shrugged, "He was all out of sorts. Nearly lost, actually."
Served him right. You laugh as Drayton continues, "He kept making mistakes and saying that it was your fault."
"My fault?" You ask incredulously, "He suddenly asks to battle and forces me to when I don't want to. Then he berated me for being emotional or whatever."
Who's emotional now? You watch as the challenger from earlier finished packing his backpack to leave.
"Hey," you call out to him, "Come here a second."
The boy, now sheepish, abides by your command and stands, practically shivering.
"Listen," you say gently, "Don't go treating people in the League like that. I don't want to kick anyone out, but I can if I hear about this again."
"S-sorry! Yes, of course!"
Without blinders on now you see a freckled, nervous kid before you. All that anger and animosity leaves you and you're left with a pang of regret.
"I'm sorry too," you say, though debatably he didn't deserve that, "If anything for losing my cool. I'm not Kieran. I'm not anything like that guy, I-"
You feel a firm, comforting hand on your shoulder and stop.
"Go on," Drayton tells the boy in a tone unusually serious for him. He's gone in no time.
Once he's out of earshot, Drayton mutters, "He's getting to you, huh? Kieran is. What a mess."
He continues, rubbing the back of his neck, "When he got back from Kitakami, I mistook his obsession with you as the whining of a lovesick Snubbull. I thought you two reconciling would snap him out of it."
Surprisingly hopeless romantic of him. You exhale.
"We were suppose to hype you up about keeping the pressure," Crispin is void of his usual enthusiasm, "..but you don't have to continue if it's too much."
Hearing his voice reminds you of the snacks he brought along and you stuff one into your mouth again, letting the crisp sweetness calm you. Thankfully it does the trick.
"Crispin, these are ABSURDLY good," you manage.
"That's those free range eggs, baby!" Crispin laughs and pulls another bag out of his backpack, "They make a pretty good bribe, huh?"
"Diabolical," you agree, finally dusting yourself off, "Come on, let's find somewhere to sit. I need a break."
Midday in the savanna biome always proved to be sweltering and even your shadow stuck short to your feet. You and your companions followed the edge of a swamp until you reached the mouth of an artificially weather worn dock.
There, you could each throw poketreats to the water dwelling pokemon below.
"Sooooo," Crispin broke the comfortable silence, almost begrudgingly, "Is there a plan other than have the exchange student freak him out? That was the plan before, right?"
One that didn't work. You toss a treat and it skitters across the water like a skipping stone until landing into the waiting jaw of a lurking Bruxish.
"That's putting a lot on one person," Drayton remarks before following suit. You note with some annoyance that he gets farther with the treat skipping on his first try.
"Amarys is sort of doing her own thing. Lacey has her hands full with student council biz and this. Carmine's going back to Paldea with Briar at the end of the week. What to do.." Drayton trails off.
"What about you?" You ask, knowing full and well his answer.
"Me?" Drayton laughs before dumping his remaining treats into the water, interrupting his own reflection, "I'm just some guy! What am I going to do?"
His blithe response disheartens you more than you can say. There was no way you could accomplish beating Kieran at this rate.
"Sorry to bring this up, but is it true what that guy said?" Crispin asks and on a lack of your answer, he elaborates, "You two are dating?"
"No," you say, "He asked and I turned him down. He was pretty awful to me."
"Oh. I'm sorry. I'll try talking to him."
Drayton clucks his tongue, "That must have been what bent him out of shape yesterday."
The truth, of course, was way more complicated. He fluctuated wildly between being the worst person you knew and almost sweet.
What was going to break him out of this? Even beating him at this point was a last ditch effort that wasn't guaranteed to work. What if he got worse?
Your troubled mind was brought back to the here and now by a cell phone chime- a cheery quip of, "Order's up!"
It startles you and you nearly knock the box of treats into the water. Thankfully, Crispin somehow manages an impressive one handed catch.
After swapping the treats back to you and his cellphone back into his dominant hand, he scoffs and reads aloud, "Rio Stein is out of the BB League effective immediately- citing harassment and poor sportsmanship."
"You're still in the group chat??" You yelp incredulously, "You're not even in the league anymore!"
"Of course I am," his face lights up in a cheeky wink, "Come on, where else am I going to get the hottest news? This is like front row seats at the juiciest tea party around."
You register Drayton's boisterous laugh beside you before accepting in resignation, "Okay, yeah. If nobody kicked you- might as well, huh."
"Isn't that the guy our champ-in-training just beat?" Drayton asks, amused, "Oh, okay, so we do know what bullying is now."
"Apparently," you wager, "I guess that means Carmine is done with him."
Your phone pings with a challenge request and you know your rest time is limited. Seizing your chance, you ask your two companions, "I'm planning on talking to him one last time. Do you two know what his issue is? Can you think of when this all began?"
"Oh, easy. When he got back from summer break," Crispin answers quickly.
"Yeah, then," Drayton concurs, "It took him a little while to build up to this, of course, but he went from mid rank to top in the span of a few weeks."
"Okay," you ponder a moment before asking Drayton directly, "What's his history with you then? He seems to, uh, feel strongly about you."
"Aww, does he?" Drayton smiles and places a hand to his cheek, "I used to tutor him when he would ask. Back then he was just Carmine's cute little brother. No bite at all- just pure joy when battling."
There's a wistful note to Drayton's voice as he continues, "I was born into a family of serious battlers so seeing someone just living in battling for the moment really piqued my interest. At some point all the fun of it got sucked out for me."
A familiar feeling. You nod thoughtfully for him to keep going.
"When he got back from summer vacation, I didn't see him again for tutoring. Figured he was over it. Anyway he shows up weeks later and talks a huge game about how I just get everything handed to me and he's sick of it. He challenges me, I beat him."
Drayton sighs and for a moment that mask slips. There's a lot of pain in his eyes.
"He starts challenging me every day. Keeps at it. I admired his passion and I'll be the first to admit I was impressed by him. I never cared about anything so much in my life," Drayton scoffs, "In a way, he was right, you know? I DID have everything given to me, but that doesn't mean I asked for it."
That was it. You had always felt a certain melancholy to Drayton like he didn't quite want to be where he was at. To some, it might appear as aloofness or taking for granted what he's been given. But Drayton isn't really free to do what he pleases, truly.
Drayton is saddled with expectations of prestige. You shudder realizing how lucky you were to have a mother so easygoing.
"So..?" You urge for the end of the story and Drayton shrugs in response.
"He beat me. But by the time he did, he had beat everyone. He didn't care anymore. That's the thing that keeps driving me nuts- he beat me and it was nothing to him."
That blank expression during your battle came to mind. It was still sharp, calculating. He saw through every move you pulled. The only thing that seemed to get a reaction at all was losing- landing a super effective move or a crit hit on him.
"I don't think he cares about winning as much as he cares about not losing," Crispin interjects.
His statement leaves you with a pit in your stomach that sticks with you the remainder of the day. Even after you complete all your challengers for the day, it sticks with you, echoing in the back of your skull.
You're packing your stuff up for the night in the plaza when your phone blips with one final challenge for the day. Exhausted, you skim the details.
Kieran. A daily occurrence at this point. Fine. You needed to speak with him anyway.
Notes:
Drayton being a foil to Kieran is probably one of my favorote theories because it just makes sense, you know? He's kind of insufferable too and quick to twist the knife, but ultimately I got the impression that his whole crusade to get you to beat Kieran was 2 parts because he cared about him and 1 part revenge.
Crispin is another woefully under utilized character. Canonically, he's Kieran's best friend so I imagine he also struggled when Kieran was at his worst.
Anyway! That's all I got so far! See you guys on the other side of recovery!
Chapter 10: Last Straw
Summary:
After one final plea you set your plan into motion
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
"Good, that was better today."
In his post-match assessment, Kieran didn't pull any punches, as per usual. Even that compliment felt backhanded.
You're scowling and that little smirk he's wearing does little to fix your face.
"I don't know why you're so mad," he tells you, placing his pokeballs back into his bag and joining you on your side of the court, "You're the one who.."
Kieran stops short with a hum as you cut your eyes at him.
"What was your problem yesterday?" He asks, recapturing his courage, "You could at least tell me that."
"What do you think my problem was, Kieran?"
"No, I know, I just wanted to hear it from you."
Kieran wipes the sweat from his forehead and offers you his towel. Already disgusted by his behavior, the offer of a used towel disgusts you further.
"You're.. gross," you tell him.
"Ok, get your own towel," Kieran shrugs and his jacket falls to rumple below his shoulders, accentuating just how much weight he had shed.
As if punctuating his obsession with battling, it looked as if even his body was wasting away.
"So what is it?" He repeats himself and pulls the jacket off completely in frustration.
How do you approach this? You recall every conversation throughout the day. Every former friend he's disappointed tremendously.
"You're hurting people, Kieran," you accuse sharply, "I can't stand to see it. I'm asking one last time to stop. This… this isn't you."
Those amber eyes narrow at you.
"But what if it is?" He asks.
The question leaves you at a loss for words. What IF it is? Some people simply won't change. Maybe it was time to accept that of him.
But..
You think of Kitakami. Of Ogerpon. Of all of those little masks.
"It's not. I know it's not," your words quicken in their insistence, "This is all a mask you've put on. You hate all this- I KNOW you."
You continue, "Why would you bother befriending ogerpon? Why did you get me out of that cave-"
"Aw, come on, I'm not a monster," Kieran interrupts you, "Anyone would do that stuff."
"Yeah??" You retort back, "How about that stuff about not wanting me to leave? About how you needed me to pick you?"
In a less charitable view, you could see his interest in you as more of a desperate ploy of control, of domination. Even kicking out that boy who bullied you..
"Why did you kick Rio out?" You continue with your questioning, "Was it because he was a bully? 'Cause it sounds like you didn't care until it happened to me."
Kieran shuffles uncomfortably at the onslaught of questioning.
"First Carmine and now you," he says, eyes downcast. He's looking at his shoes and you notice that one is untied, "Can't catch a break today."
"Kieran, YOU challenged me," you respond in exasperation then press him again for an answer, "Is this all an act or what? Explain yourself."
"Fine," he sighs, "Just give me a sec."
He stoops to tie his shoe in what seems like an excruciatingly long moment. Preoccupied with your thoughts and exhausted, you stoop down too and watch him until he huffs at you.
"It's true that some of this is an act," he says finally, "but not all of it."
He continues, "The League stuff is complicated. I don't like it but it needs to happen. We need to run a tighter ship if we're aiming for competition with other schools. People who can't keep up can just join the pokemon enthusiasts club."
"Don't you think that your requirements might unfairly disqualify upcoming talent?" You try reasoning, "The hour per semester bit is way too high."
"I think it should be higher," he shakes his head, "You need to be serious to be in the League. That's all I'm asking."
You resist the urge to roll your eyes and instead ask, "So you're ok with kicking out Carmine?"
"Not really," he admits sheepishly, "Sis was pretty upset about that, but I can't give her special treatment just for being the Champion's sister."
That was a more fair answer than you were expecting. You mull it over for a moment before switching gears.
"You have to know this is a wildly unpopular thing to do. Nobody but you wants this," you assert before lowering your tone, "You're stepping on everyone just for your own ego."
"I know how it looks," he spits back, "I don't care. It has to be done and I have to do it if we're going to improve the school's national ranking."
"You don't care about the school's ranking! You care about YOUR ranking," you say, "Nobody buys that you're doing this for the good of all when you're dumping 70% of the League. It's just like with Rio- you don't care unless it affects you."
"And?" He's curt with you, losing patience, "You're right, I don't care. Why should I?"
Why should he? Why should he?? The apathy of it all inflames you. These were your friends, your neighbors, your loved ones. What agony apathy like that could spawn only steeled your resolve the more.
You carefully formulate another response as he speaks again, "I didn't do my post-match stretches. Can we talk and do that?"
You scowl and allow him some room before averting your eyes politely.
"I don't even know what to say, you aren't-"
"What, you're not going to join in?"
You glance up to see Kieran midway through an arm stretch. It did not impress upon you that he was completely invested in your conversation.
"Kieran, would you-" you cut yourself off to groan in frustration, "It's like talking to a brick wall."
To him, all of this must seem simple. When you prepare a plan, you assess the risks involved and he was no idiot- he already accepted them. No amount of moral judgement would sway him from this path. So what would?
You think carefully before telling him, "You'll lose eventually. You'll have nothing."
That catches his attention and he stops mid stretch.
"What?" He turns to face you, "Why are you saying that all of a sudden?"
"Because it's true," you insist, "You're up here all on your own. You need the support of others to succeed. You know this. You said so after that championship- how much it bothered you that practically no one was rooting for you. I wouldn't root for you. Not like this."
He's more upset now than you anticipated and it's obvious.
"Not you?" He asks, suddenly vulnerable, "You HAVE to after all we-"
"No," you interrupt him, "No, I'm. Uh. I'm not going to do that."
"What."
That word is less of a question than a statement.
"Why should I?" You assert back, "We're not friends."
His voice raises in pitch out of outrage, "I gave you Ogerpon back, didn't I?"
"I TOOK. Her back," you enunciate each word, "and if it weren't for ME, she never would have shown herself. You have ME to thank for that."
"Shut your mouth," Kieran snarls, "Talking shit like that right after I kicked your ass- don't you have any idea where your place is?"
His venom deters you, but behind you, Koraidon makes itself known by stamping a foot and pressing its flank against you. A reassurance. It works and you stand a bit taller, holding your ground, "Listen to yourself. You might be great at battling but your personality sucks. I got hurt because of you, you know. I could have died."
There's a long pause as you each eye each other. As if thinking better of it, eventually Kieran breaks and mutters something along the lines of, "I already apologized for that and you said it was fine. Mean what you say."
Momentarily you regret twisting the knife by bringing up your injury. It was true though. Kieran shrinks back into himself, obviously shaken.
"I don't know what to say to you. Do you want me to be nicer? To stop battling you?" His question ends in a bitter laugh, "When are you gonna get it?"
"Carmine told me the day we met that I needed to learn to stand on my own two feet and there you were- just perfect," he smiles now with the memory and you could almost see it. Breezy days picking apples out of trees. Trekking across the wilderness to see the vistas Kitakami had to offer.
"You could do anything!" He gushed with every bit of excitement his old self could muster, "I was crazy about you, and I- you know all this. When the stuff happened with ogerpon, I felt like you were doing it because I wasn't good enough. When you both left, I KNEW it was because I wasn't good enough."
Your face falls, but you try to convince yourself that that wasn't your fault. This was Kieran and his inferiority complex.
"The truth is I hate you for taking everything from me," he admits brutally and the truth turns your stomach into knots, "Imagine how satisfying it felt to finally take it back. All of this hard work wasn't for nothing and every time I win- I get a little of that thrill back. I'm so much stronger than I was."
His passion was compelling, sure, and sensing your hesitation he continues, "When I beat you it's like I'm not just some side character in your narrative anymore. Put yourself in my shoes. Wouldn't you do the same?"
Negatively you shake your head before he can even finish.
"Of course you wouldn't get it. You're you," he laughs, "You've been in control your whole damn life."
There's a pang in your chest but more important than that was an all encompassing thought: 'Damn edgy brat.'
You reel for a proper response but choose to instead veer you both back onto topic.
"You still aren't hearing me," you murmur before turning to Koraidon. It rumbles softly at your attention with a questioning lilt, dropping its previously aggressive stance. Its eyes make contact with your own and you can sense its worry, its concern.
You smile softly to reassure it before admonishing Kieran in a firm voice, "It's too much. You're ripping yourself apart and everyone else in the process and for what? What happened to trying to impress me? Spitting on the whole League isn't impressing me!"
The weight your words carry have some impact as Kieran remains silent. Returning your attention to him, you can plainly see him shudder. Perhaps he too had realized the conversation to come.
"I- I thought you'd get it. If I explained, I thought you'd understand," Kieran's voice stutters before turning pleading, "Why can't you care about me like you do all these B.B. League nobodies? Just let me do what I want."
His shoulders slump as he admits, "If it were you doing this, I'd let the whole league go to hell."
"..."
What a thing to say. The assertion feels bittersweet and words fail you.
Your lack of a response shakes him and he seems to change course, "..nevermind. You wouldn't get that. I don't even get it. It's stupid."
You try your best to remain expressionless as you consider what he said.
"It's not stupid- it's, ah," you pause, "It's nice. It's nice to be thought of that way."
"Don't encourage me."
"I know. Let me finish."
Kieran looks up again, meeting your eyes, and it's in this moment that you want to give up. It was obvious that despite all this huffing and puffing, he was still madly in love with you. He didn't hate you, not truly. Whatever he was feeling was a lot more complicated.
How could you tell him this next part? How could anyone?
Maybe if you let him have his way, maybe eventually he would stop this ego quest. At least the two of you could be happy. He would be happy. You would be..
No. That future at his beck and call would be untenable. You had to find your resolve.
"But it's not right," you tell him, "I can't be with someone like you. We have to stop seeing each other. I don't want to see you anymore."
You feel a prickle at the bridge of your nose and the sensation frustrates you. You can't cry now.
"Oh," he exhales, letting out the breath he was holding through his nose. His voice is strained, "We just got to be able to do that."
That crestfallen demeanor tugs at your heartstrings and you look away from him. Koraidon nuzzles into your hand, sensing your apprehension.
"I'll withdraw from the League and I've had a lot of time to think about who should replace me," you say, "I want to suggest someone, but she goes to school with me and I want you to give her time to come. I'll stay on until then as a result."
Kieran gapes at you for a moment at the suggestion before his interest is piqued, "Wha- er. I mean, if that's what you want. I really wish you wouldn't, but.. who?"
As if on cue, your phone buzzes in your pocket with the mad activity of a newly opened group chat. This was your plan, after all, and creating one with old friends with a cold open of, "I need all of your help with something over the next couple of weeks" left many questions unanswered.
"Nemona. She's my best friend," you say, impulsively silencing your phone, "She's a top tier trainer and taught me everything. I think you- no, I mean, everyone could learn a lot from her."
Kieran's eyebrows raise as he considers it.
"That name.." He murmurs, crossing both arms, "I recognize that name, but where?"
"Common Paldean name," you lie through your teeth with a shrug, "Are we in agreement? Otherwise I'll just quit now and submit my withdrawal from the academy."
It pained you to admit that out loud- a truth you hadn't uttered to anyone else. You had high hopes it would never come to that but like hell would you let your everyday become a nightmare where you are forced to watch Kieran reinvent himself into his worst possible version. You'd sooner go home.
"Are you sure?? After everything you'd-," Kieran is in your personal space again as his eyes desperately search your own, "Ok. Fine, I- Just one last thing. A counteroffer."
"Go on," you urge. The rigidness you held in your back was beginning to be hard to upkeep long term, like holding your breath. Your lungs strain in your chest.
"Until she comes, will you still battle me once a day?"
"T-that's all?" You manage, relaxing.
The grin that spreads across his face is infectious, but suspicion holds you back.
"I guess I can put up with it just a few more weeks, but why? The end result is obviously going to be the same. How you've treated me, everyone- you can't just get away with it."
"I know," His smile fades and he furrows his brow, "I wish I could tell you why. I-I don't really know myself yet. I just keep thinking I'm missing something here."
The way he says that reaches straight through your chest and squeezes your heart. There's so much you want to say, but instead you mount koraidon behind you and leave, bidding a short goodbye that goes unacknowledged.
After all, like this, he might talk you out of it when you need the resolve. You had to push through. Glancing behind, you see him fade out of view and are thankful he didn't decide to take chase. Maybe you gave him enough to chew on it or simply surprised him with your request. Today he might be all tears and buttercups, but what would tomorrow's Kieran bring? Anger? Condemnation? He could flip like a switch- how were you supposed to believe him?
You glance behind once more and note that it's empty all around. Not even a pokemon in sight. Koraidon hums beneath you before picking up the pace, obviously enjoying the free reign you've given to him. A moment to collect your thoughts that you are very grateful for.
The truth is- he asked and you DID understand where he was coming from. You worked hard to get where you were. You dealt with so many, kind and unkind rivals. Friends, former friends. The judging glares of your classmates and peers.
You've been the new kid and kicked down more times than you could count, but this- you never resorted to this. What did you have that Kieran didn't?
That was your breakthrough earlier at least. Kieran desired the respect and affection of his friends. Like anyone really. Unable to get that on his own, he brute forced his way to respect, but what a tenuous position that was. You could be on top for so long but your relationships- those are lasting. You knew this and you think of home and how you heart still longs for it.
It was midnight before you're finally able to explain yourself to your Paldean friends. Not a moment too soon, it appeared. Arven had already booked tickets to come up there before Penny locked his credit card remotely.
You pour over the most recent texts.
A: it's saying the tix were canceled over a fraud report???? Pen lend me the money. I know you got a fuck ton laying about
P: im not gonna do that
P: besides you know i had to give that back
A: ????? Nemona! Don't you have a private jet or some shit?
N: You mean my parent's? Uhhhh I think that's for emergencies only
N: Why don't we wait to see what our globe trotting friend says?
P: i already talked to them and they said they needed your private jet
P: they also said to give it to me first
N: >:(
P: ;)
S: Hey guys, sorry for the long wait
N: don't apologize! No apologizing!
S: It's been a hellish few weeks.
A: heyyyyyy buddy!
A: sorry I was just trying to book a ticket your way
A: what's going on?
P: hey yeah what's up?
It's just a relief to hear from them, honestly. Your fingers thumb clumsily over how to summarize the situation.
S: I'm dealing with a friend who's going through a rough patch
P: friend?
A: see i knew this would happen
A: i'm rebooking hang on
N: Oy, chill Arven!
S: no no arven you stay
S: aren't you graduating in three weeks?? we want you to graduate.
A: what's another year? just say the word and I'm here for you lil buddy
P: it's been 3
N: yeah you need to stay
S: please graduate
S: anyway I can't beat him and he's causing a ton of trouble in the local league so I need someone to really shove his face in the dirt
P: you said this was a friend…?
S: it's a long ass story. heres my plan
S: penny can you rig the transfer program lottery so that Nemona is selected in the upcoming semester? It rolls in two weeks, which give Nemona 4 to prepare
A: and arven?
S: hopefully fucking graduates!!!
A: fine but after I do, I'm coming up there too. Maybe I can land a gig as a TA
That. That was out of your hands. You sigh.
P: sure
N: how strong is he?
S: knew that was coming
P: ditto
N: which team do I bring? I can train up a new one if you tell me his line up
A: are you sure you want to sic NEMONA on this poor kid
S: i'm sure
N: which team???
S: the best one..? ig idk
N: OMG so he's good huh???
P: oh no
N: OMG OMG I'M SO EXCITED!!!!!!
S: i'll give you the deets later. I gotta go to bed. It's midnight and classes are tomorrow
A: Ohhh the time change
P: yep. later. ill let you know once its done
N: good night!!!!
N: Now which IS my best? Arven, can you battle me this afternoon? I have to gauge something
A: why me ask penny
P: no
A: fine
N: :)
Your sleep is fitful. The day's conversations replay in your head incessantly.
4 more weeks of this. Can you do 4 more weeks of this?
He better change.
Notes:
Hiiiiii, I'm back!! I appreciate the well wishes! And happy pride month!
I wanted to link some art I comm'd from a friend in commemoration of this fic hitting 20k word! Whew! That's so many.
https://www.tumblr.com/galpaladin64/786265317154455552/happy-pride-month-i-wanted-to-share-some-art-i?source=share
Chapter 11: A Distant Thunderstorm
Summary:
After yet another battle, Kieran appeals to you for forgiveness but the two of you are interrupted by a thunderstorm. Eager to get out of the way before you're both soaked, you allow him to hitch a ride with you.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
You're two weeks deep when you realize that daily sparring has left you stronger by a lot. No doubt Nemona would be thrilled, but holding out these next two seemed a herculean task.
Worse yet was the atmosphere. Nearly everyone seemed to hold their breath around you these days- friend and stranger alike. Word had spread that you had dumped Kieran rather ruthlessly, which thankfully put to rest all of the other unsavory rumors about the two of you.
In spite of this, occasionally someone would stop you in the halls to offer encouragement or a high five- something you struggled to entertain. Nothing was good about this. The two of you weren't having fun.
Kieran, predictably, buried himself in battle study with fervor anew. The taunting ceased but as time dragged on, you could sense the desperation. He would drag out battles that he could have easily won. After matches, in those rare moments you would allow him to speak to you, he was gentle, pleading even.
Today was no different. You were now numb to the losses and after taking yet another one in stride, ready to go back to your dorm. Still, after a cordial post-match handshake, Kieran lingered, clearly with something to say.
"Carmine said I pushed you to a point we can't come back from."
You set your jaw at his words, refusing to answer him. He continues speaking in your silence, "Maybe I did everyone."
He scans the area around the two of you suspiciously, "I looked up Nemona. She's a terror. I might beat her but the battle could go either way."
Terror wasn't the half of it. For every forced match between the two of you, you'd call her for a run down just as soon as you were free of him. At this point she had raised a team specifically to take him down.
'I want it to hurt,' you told her so many times to strained silence, 'Make it humiliating.'
"You, um," he bites his lip, "You know, if you want me beat so bad, you could have beat me yourself already."
You were in the midst of rearranging your backpack and stuffed the contents in with your frustration. That- you knew to be true.
"I don't want to be battling you at all," you said before turning his way, "I'm here because I have to be."
That riles him as expected. He grimaces before responding, "Yeah. Ok. Don't bother zipping your bag. We're going again."
Again. Again.
Exhaustion let way to anger quickly and you turned on him, "Why? Why?? I'm tired, Kieran. My pokemon are exhausted. What could you possibly get from battling me again? You just want to punish me!"
You watch as his face contorts from fury to something much more complex- melancholy and frustration in one.
"Sure, but more than that- I want more time," he mutters and for a second you could feel the crush you nursed reviving itself. A feeling you had been denying yourself.
You can't, though. Overlooking his dejected demeanor is an act against your very nature, but you blink and manage, "I hate being forced to."
"T-then come with me to lunch instead," his tone is pleading, "I can't stand this. Whatever it is you want, just tell me already. I'll do it."
Was.. that a breakthrough? Was he finally getting it?
"Thought you wanted to battle?" You raise a curious brow, purposeful in your words.
There's a moment of recognition that flits across Kieran's complex expression and you watch with some satisfaction as he goes through a full facial journey- from confusion to dejection to grief and regret.
"Not like this," he echoes and tears his eyes away like the sight of you is painful, "Can't we just get lunch like-"
"No," you assert before elaborating, "I'm not convinced you've learned anything. You're trying to escape the consequences of your actions."
"I'm not!" He insists, "Trust me, please!"
Folding your arms, you look him over. He looked haggard. The platoon of mentees he had been throwing at the other Elite four had been dwindling, leaving him to do much of his dirty work himself. Still. He hadn't stopped.
"You're losing more weight," you note out loud and he doesn't deny it. A scarecrow of his former self now. Despite yourself you let him speak.
"Stop worrying about me and worry about yourself," he chides you at first, self-consciously pulling up his hoodie over his head, "You don't look so good either."
That may be true. A sinking feeling wondered if you were just as absolute as he was in your quest to bring him down.
"So, let's go eat then," Kieran says and to the surprise of you both, thunder rumbles above.
Turning your face skyward, you are met with the first cold drops of an oncoming shower. Horrible timing. You had forgotten your umbrella.
"Don't look at me, I didn't bring one either," Kieran pulls the strings of his hoodie taut and motions at a nearby bluff, "We could probably make it if we both run."
Run? You glance back at koraidon with a devious thought. You could leave him here. He deserves it.
As you call your pokemon over, a guilty pang stops you. He said he wanted more time, huh?
"Hey, hop on," you say, sidling up from your usual position on the back of koraidon to allow room, "If we're quick, we can beat the rain entirely."
"I have my own pokemon, y'know," he starts before reading your face, "Ok. Fine. Just. Control it."
Historically, Koraidon did not care for Kieran, even back in Kitakami. Koraidon was fickle as a meowth with who it did and who it did not associate with. Nervousness and volatility were traits it seemed to innately sense and avoid both of which Kieran exuded from every pore.
As he shuffled closer, koraidon let loose a low growl, signaling its discontent, that lilted up into a whine as you hugged placating arms around its neck.
"Y-you're sure?"
Hesitantly, Kieran stopped just out of arm's reach, obviously not eager to anger an already agitated reptile several times his size.
"Come on, before it starts," you answered, readjusting your posture. You'd have to make a fast run for it judging by the rapidly approaching rain curtain in the near distance, "and PLEASE hang on tight."
"O-ok," he relents, apprehensive, and settles in just behind you, choosing to hold onto the saddle beneath him rather than you.
'Koraidon will throw him in one second like this,' you think before clearing your throat, "It's fine, really. Take your-"
"Hey!"
You snatch one of his hands to loop around your waist despite his protestations. Thankfully he gets the idea quickly and positions himself more comfortably, leaning his body into yours just as Koraidon takes off in a bounding lurch.
It's warm. The first human contact in weeks and he envelops you like a hug. You're not able to focus on that long, however, as you veer Koraidon to the west and down a steep slope.
If you could just get the angle right then.. You spy an outcrop of debris that, if approached quickly enough, could act as a ramp and choose to take it. Koraidon catches on quickly and for a moment the two of you are one mind.
You register Kieran's chest rumble with his voice against your back, but can't make out his words. It's already too late anyway. Koraidon's muscles tense and you're airborne in a blink- gliding out of the storm and back toward the terarium entrance.
"It can fly?!?!" Kieran's voice is again barely audible and instead of answering him, you laugh in exhilaration, "You couldn't warn me? I thought we were going to die back there!"
"Did you die?" You muse and turn your head so that you could see him in your periphery. He's awestruck. It's an expression you haven't seen in a long, long time.
You choose to forget you're mad at him. You leave your anger back on the ground and turn away from the Terarium entrance, circling back to the outskirts of the biome you've spent countless hours fending off challengers in. Expecting complaints, you turn your ear once more but Kieran is silent, taking it all in.
You skim the water in the coastal biome, play chicken with the cliffs in the mountain biome, and climb altitude in the polar biome until frost tickles at your cheeks. It's a long, exhausting, and desperately needed flight- both for you and Koraidon. An escape from what hell you've been living.
Finally, though, it is time to descend and you feel Kieran cling to you, knowing this moment is fleeting. A thought crosses your mind that you could comfort him, take him out again, but you quickly remind yourself of his behavior and your anger.
Mired in your own conflict, you almost didn't hear Kieran mutter to himself.
"Ugh. Stop showing off and take us home already," he laments, snatching for the reins, and you momentarily calculate whether he'd survive the fall if you pushed him off right now. No. You resist the impulse.
The landing is rough. You spur Koraidon downward sharply and nearly cause a crash in its abruptness. There's ringing that lingers in your ears as you both dismount.
Way to ruin the moment. You were JUST letting your guard down and look what happened. You huff in aggravation and turn tail when a firm hand around your wrist stops you.
"Sorry. I don't know why I said that, I-"
You cut him off with a jerk and free yourself, still shaking with the audacity of it all. Just past him, though, you see three of your classmates, huddled near the entrance and decide not to make a scene.
"You're jealous. You're always jealous, Kieran," you lower your voice, "I was trying to spend time with you and you ruined it."
"You were?? I thought- I just-" he falters, struggling with his words. By the time he finds them, his voice is filled with remorse, "I thought you were just flexing on me. That was.."
He pauses, "That was so cool. Unbelievably cool. How am I supposed to keep up with that?"
"By not treating it like a game, first off," you spit in disgust.
Besides, that wasn't the point, you wanted to say. You weren't his competition.
"I'm serious about this. That pokemon is special. Nobody else has anything like it. I think.. I think I need a special pokemon too."
The rainstorm you had outrun rumbles from somewhere beyond. You shiver and can't tell if its the rain-cooled wind hitting your skin or.. him.
"If I had a special pokemon, I could beat her for sure," Kieran says, "Nemona, I mean. I know you invited her specifically to bring me down. I thought about cheating, disqualifying her, flat out refusing exchange students, but.."
"That's not how I do things," he chews on his thumbnail, deep in an anxious thought before declaring, "If I could just find a special pokemon then I-"
The two of you think of Briar at exactly the same time. That trip was looming over the both of you and Carmine had been slipping what information she could glean ahead of time. Something to do with an ancient pokemon. A mythological wonder.
"Kieran," you caution and he smiles at you in a strange and soft way.
"Don't worry so much," he says, patting you on the shoulder as he passes by, "You'll see."
Lost for words, you let him go.
Notes:
Thanks for sticking around this long. I had no idea when I started this that it would be my longest fic and I'm happy that I've stuck with it so consistently. Usually I'm out of steam long before this hahaha
Chapter 12: Lacey
Summary:
You finally have a word with Lacey who affirms that she wants to help you. You ask a huge favor of her
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
On Thursdays you spent time in the canyon biome, especially since you had noticed a slightly off-colored squirtle that frequented the riverbeds there. The rumor of its appearance had caught the attention of practically everyone so you had chosen to search at late night- and even then you would see a familiar face or two.
"No luck, huh?"
You recognize Lacey's quiet voice almost immediately. It was a rare thing to see her out so late.
"Lacey!" You greet her with elation, "Yeah, I've only seen it once."
"Planning on catching it?" She smiles and posts up near the lapping waters of the river you had been watching.
"No! No," you decide to join her, "I think I just wanted to see it again. How are, uh."
You check in with concern, "Are you holding up ok?"
Lacey was one of the few Elites you hadn't been able to catch lately. It was eerie seeing her alone without a pokemon tagging at her heels.
"I am. Oh, are you wondering about Granbull?"
You nod.
Her cheeks turn rosy as she cocks her head, "He's fine! I wanted him to rest. It's just me that couldn't sleep."
She reaches to stroke a passing Chinchou which flashes suddenly, illuminating both of you.
"I'm trying," you assure her, feeling suddenly responsible, "I have something in mind that I know will work- it just takes time."
"No, it's not that," Lacey laughs, "Though I do appreciate it."
Another chinchou lights up somewhere down the river and catches your eye. Then another further down- almost like a current of electrical lights.
"I came out because I really like the chinchou," she explains, "You rarely ever see them upstream and so close to the surface. So I come here sometimes just to see the little cuties."
"O-oh yeah, makes sense," you feel a little silly for bringing up League issues at a time like this, "So all those lights are them? I see it all the way to the ocean."
"Yep!"
Lacey stands to dust herself off, "I used to come out here with everyone, but Kieran showed me first. I think technically Carmine or Drayton showed him, but he got us all in the habit of coming here. Back when.."
She trails off and adds morosely, "..things were normal."
It was hard to imagine now a time where things were peaceful. It seemed a far off dream. Something you can imagine only in your wakeful present life.
"I keep thinking maybe I might catch him here again," Lacey admits before turning her attention your way once more, "But I'm glad I got to see you! You're leaving soon huh?"
"Yeah."
So the rumor did spread. Figures.
"That's too bad," Lacey says, "I hate to think so much of your time here was like this."
It wasn't all bad. You place a hand to your cheek thoughtfully before answering her, "It's fine, really. I've had a lot of fun! I'll probably stay long enough to help my friend adjust, but I'm just not able to stick around any longer. I miss home."
"Yeah, me too," Lacey echoes wistfully, "I miss my dad a lot. I miss the ranch, I miss the pokemon there, I miss how things used to be."
You let her continue, "I'm sorry. I don't know if I ever apologized properly for opposing your entry into the league. You're the only thing holding it together at this point."
She sighs, "I was afraid making Kieran upset would make it worse and it did, but that's not your fault. You did your best."
Did you? The color drains from your face. Did you?
"T-thanks, Lacey," you manage despite yourself, "I appreciate that. Ugh."
Your stomach lurches and immediately you feel very, very sick.
"I should go," you grit through, "I'll catch up with you later."
Nothing escapes Lacey, though.
"Are you sure?" She's at your side, pressing a cool hand to your forehead, "You really don't look good."
"I'm fine, I-" you feel a pang of regret for lying to her, "I think I ate something. Hah, ate dinner too fast I think."
With a deep inhale, you attempt to steady yourself. What was that grounding technique Arven taught you? 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things- no. That's not right.
As you stumble away your legs grow heavier by every step until eventually you can’t lift them anymore and rather than collapsing unceremoniously by the river side, you choose to lower yourself into the soft silt and focus on your breathing.
Lacey approaches sheepishly and reading your face, sits at your side quietly until you’re ready to talk. It’s a long while.
“I should have won,” you admit finally and for what felt like the millionth time in the last few weeks, tears prickle at the corner of your eyes, “He wouldn’t be like this if I had just won.”
Lacey's expression is a mixture of concern and regret as she regards you, “We don’t know that. He could have gotten worse so don't blame yourself.”
You curse your sniveling and blubbering but manage, “R-right. I just.. I feel so damn responsible. I feel like just by meeting him I made things so much worse. You guys sounded so much happier before I came around and I don’t know- If I were you, I’d resent that. I’d hate me.”
“Well, I don’t hate you,” Lacey laughs as she straightens out her legs and pats at her lap, “Why don’t you put your head here? At least until you feel a little better.”
It wasn’t the first time you had seen Lacey coddle a friend or pokemon this way, but it was your first time being on the receiving end. In the past you had it together, you wanted to say. In Paldea you had it together.
Sniffling aside, you clean up your leaking face as best you can and lay your head gingerly in her lap.
“How’s that?” She coos before smoothing your hair from your face, “Any better?”
It is. With an exhale, you relax there and listen to the chirping of the wildlife around. For a moment, you wonder where Koraidon had gotten off to but a splash nearby as it deposited itself faithfully at your feet told you everything you needed to know.
“This is nice,” you admit as the stress in your body seemingly evaporated, “Thank you. Thanks for not…”
You pause to choose your words but nothing seems right.
“Not hating you?” Lacey thankfully finishes that statement for you and continues with a tinkling laugh, “Who could hate you?”
“Kieran, probably,” you mutter bitterly and to your surprise Lacey only laughs harder.
“Sorry! Sorry. That’s not funny, I know,” she fails at composing herself and instead of being insulted, you can’t help but grin up at her.
“Him least of all, really,” she muses, “Honestly, I think if he’d let someone dote on him like this, it would probably fix him.”
It’s your turn to laugh but despite yourself your heart flutters in your chest, “He’d NEVER let me do this.”
“Well,” she turns her gaze upward toward the river as her eyes follow a curious Lanturn that has hugged the shore close, “It’s not too late.”
Except that it was.
“I kinda.. told him I didn’t want to see him anymore.”
“Oh, I think I did hear you two broke up," she lifts a graceful hand to cup her own cheek, "So that was true too?”
Filthy gossips in the school. You furrow your brow and set the record straight, “We weren’t dating. I told him that I didn’t want to see him anymore.”
“Ooh, was that what happened?” Lacey’s smile fades into concern again, “He’s been in a rotten mood lately, so I suppose that makes sense. Poor guy. He can’t seem to outrun rejection no matter what.”
That statement spoils your mood instantly. You had done all this because of how he was acting, but were you just reinforcing his fears?
What a complicated situation. Is there anything here that you could do right?
“Sorry, I’m sure you had your reasons,” Lacey attempts to recover but you can tell she is torn, “I wanted to talk to you about this for so long. Can I ask you something?”
You shift your weight and nod.
“Am I a little hard to approach?”
A thought dawns on you that you spoke with nearly everyone for advice but Lacey and you feel embarrassed.
“No! No,” you assure her futilely and sit up, “I see that other people have that issue with you but for me it was just bad timing. We’ve all been through it with all the League challengers.”
“It’s because of my dad for the most part,” she sighs, resigned, “At least I’m pretty sure. All of us, save for Kieran, Carmine, and Amarys come from pretty well off families with reputations that precede us. I wanted to be sure that you knew it was ok to come to me for advice. I really don’t mind! Actually.”
She stands now and helps you to your feet again, “PLEASE come to me for help. If you need it, I mean. Or any of us. Amarys, Crispin, even Drayton- we won’t let you down. We want to help you as much as you want to help us. I'm not sure if the others have let on, but I can tell you a little secret."
She leans in conspiratorially, "We're all worried sick about you. About Kieran. About everything. Don't let Drayton and Amarys fool you. We're all trying to help in our own ways."
Touched, you nod your head gratefully. You think you understand what she’s asking here and they COULD help you with something coming up.
That trip. If they would come to that trip, maybe they could help.
“I do have a request,” you tell her, “Have you ever heard of Area Zero?"
Notes:
I'm back with not one but TWO short chapters after fruitlessly spinning my wheels here.
Writing Lacey was a very fun endeavor. I almost want to write a Lacey focused fic since I imagine her to be sort of a character that's imprisoned by her own facade of perfection to a degree. It seems a little lonely being Lacey so I like the idea of her actively trying to reach out and make sure that other people know she wants to help them.
Chapter 13: The Long Journey Home
Summary:
The trip back to area zero is around the corner and the entirety of the Elite League has agreed to come along. On the ride there, Kieran beseeches you once more, testing your resolve.
Chapter Text
With Lacey’s help, the entire Elite league is at the debrief before your trip with Briar. Despite this show of solidarity, you were still fighting against your own Abra urge to teleport out of there.
"...with that in mind, do we have any questions?" Briar asks, all poise and purpose. Her smile is so brilliant, it unsettles you and you turn to exchange a bewildered look with Drayton only to find him disaffected and picking at his nails.
He doesn’t notice you but Carmine behind him does as she delivers a swift kick to the bottom of his seat that compels him to attention.
“Uh-huh! Sounds great,” he straightens up with his characteristic smile as Amarys tsks from the desk directly diagonal to him.
“Not listening,” she declares of him aside before inquiring in Briar, “You say it’s safe but are you sure? My understanding is that you ancestor nearly lost his life in-”
Briar is quick to cut her off.
“We have someone here that has been there themself!” She gestures at you grandly before adding, “It is true there will be some danger. I remain undeterred. We have the academy's best here, after all."
"The safety in numbers is good, at least," Lacey interjects but anxiety is yet present in her tone, "Our exchange student is just one person, though. We need to rely on each other, too."
"Whatever's there I'm sure I can handle it," Kieran grumbles to the left of her, "I think the lot of you will just get in the way."
"Ugh," Carmine groans before barking out a severe retort, "Shut UP already. Just be happy we have help! You're so ungrateful."
"I-I'm not!" Kieran stammers before backing off, "I'm just saying- I-"
While they argue, you wonder idly how much Briar knew about your foray into Area Zero. Given how Rika laid into you earlier- the whole room knew it was unsanctioned. It was a wonder they would allow you back, but the curious emotion Geeta conveyed as she pressed the indigo disk into your palm.. it stuck with you.
With nothing but a sly knowing smile, Geeta impressed upon you that your participation was not voluntary. Briar's entire trip hinged on your being there.
Damn League people. Why couldn't they go?
As you considered different avenues of worming your way out, you settle your gaze on the back of Kieran's head, sitting just ahead of you. From here you couldn't make out his expression, but you could tell by his rigid posture- he was all in. Your dreams of finding a way out of this were dashed upon the rocks of his ambition.
The crumbs of information Carmine had fed the two of you about this trip had turned out to be true after all. A mythological pokemon. A living legend, slumbering in the depths of a place you never cared to revisit.
Of course you wouldn't allow the people you cared for to go there without you. Honestly, especially Kieran. You had seen the effects Area Zero had on those who set their aims high.. and with lethal results.
It wasn't until you were on the plane back to Paldea that it really clicked, that you were going back. Typically on a red eye flight like that you'd sleep like a baby, but the last time you had gone to area zero replayed itself in your mind's eye every time you would start to drift.
You had resigned yourself to watching cute sprigatito videos when a voice from the row behind whispers into your ear.
"Can't sleep either, huh?"
Despite yourself you jump and quickly close out the app much to your backseat neighbor's dismay.
"Aw, don't close it. I wanna watch too."
You turn around to get a glimpse of him knowing good and well whose voice that was. What you behold is nearly humorous. Briar is asleep, taking up most of the two seats allotted to she and Kieran, much to his chagrin. Drayton is asleep soundly to Briar's other side. Apparently she had purposely sidled her way between Kieran and Drayton to stop them from fighting.
"Carmine's asleep too, huh?" He asks and his question is immediately answered by an audible snore to your side, "Thought so. She snores like a mightyena."
You muffle your own laughter as not to encourage him but it's no use. You can just hear the self-assured grin in his voice, "You know it's true."
"Leave me alone," you hiss and after a measured silence you backtrack, "Ugh. Don't you have your own phone? Watch something. We still have 6 hours to go."
"...yeah, but it can't do that. It's um. It's a flip phone."
"Huh??"
Incredulously, you turn around to eye him through the gap in the headrests and sure enough, you see it. A flip phone.
"They still make those?"
How long had it been since you've seen one? The last person you recall having one was your grandfather and even HE had upgraded at this point.
"Y-yeah," Kieran mutters before putting it away, embarrassed, "Folks couldn't afford a new phone for both of us this year, so I got a hand-me-down for now. Sis was doing field work all the time with Briar so it made sense for her to get the new one."
Nodding sympathetically, you wondered how often Kieran was shafted as the younger sibling. Maybe that was part of his issue.
It felt like you two were the only ones awake on the plane. A few people were suspect, their stony faces illuminated by their phone's electric glow, but no one nearby. Lacey and Amarys leaned into each other in the row directly ahead. Neither had moved a muscle in quite some time.
"You've been there right? Area zero?"
"Yes. It's dangerous."
"Is that why you can't sleep?"
"Yeah."
Looking back down, you see an incoming message from your group chat and it turns your stomach to knots. Only Penny knew you were coming and the two of you elected to keep it under wraps for Arven's sake.
"What happened?"
An innocent enough question but not one you know how to easily answer. Somehow the truthful answer of, 'I had to stop a time paradox related disaster by fighting the robot clone of my friend's dead mother' didn't seem appropriate.
The answer you settle on is much simpler, "My friend's mom died there."
"What?? Why are you just mentioning this??"
The rise this gets from Kieran is understandable but you shush him nonetheless. No use in waking up the others.
"It's safer now. Besides, we're going to a different area."
You intended to leave it at that but Kieran pries further in a careful tone, "Sorry to keep asking but.. what happened to her? You weren't there when she-"
"No! No," you put that line of thought to rest, "It happened some time ago. Her assistant told us. Apparently she died protecting a pokemon."
"From?"
Pushing through a small amount of hesitation, you decide to tell him the truth, "Another pokemon."
A rare occurrence. Pokemon could be territorial, aggressive but actual attacks on human beings were by far the exception. A theory held was that the pokemon brought to the future had not yet undergone the thousands of years of evolution that would eventually domesticate them.
You listen to the hum of the engine to your side as Kieran puzzles that one out. A lingering regret recognizes that it would have been best you warned him ahead of time, but what good would that have done? With Carmine going you both would have came anyway.
"That's awful," he finally says and he tugs at his bangs nervously, "No wonder they asked for the strongest trainers."
"Glad to have you for sure," you smile to reassure him and the gesture flushes him bright red. After checking that both Briar and Carmine are still sleeping, he leans forward, peering at you through what little space between the seats would allow.
"Hey," he murmurs, his tone serious, "I'll protect you guys. You don't have to worry."
His words aren't the relief he thinks they are. How were you supposed to believe that when he was always the threat lingering on the horizon?
The professor in all of their megalovania- did they expect it to go awry?
The AI assistant's apologetic face flashes in your mind and you realize you've dug your fingernails into your palm. The whirring of the machinery around you is not unlike the cacophony of the Paradise Protocol as it trapped you and your friends within.
"You look pale," Kieran observes, rather unhelpfully, "You don't think I can."
He settled back into his chair away from you. It's hard to see him now in the dim light but you think he's pouting.
"Stop that and watch these dumb videos with me," you sigh and watch him immediately brighten.
The two of you share space amicably far past the first shining rays of dawn. Another hour and you would cross into Paldea across the endless sparkling sea below.
Starry eyed with sleeplessness, Kieran mutters to himself inaudibly, only to clear his throat and speak up as you raise a curious brow at him.
"Wish you'd just listen to me," he admits, clearly still bitter, "All of this would be so much easier if you'd just-"
"What, Kieran?"
Your sharp tone leaves no room for prattle. Motion sickness had settled in after several hours focused on a tiny screen and you weren't in the mood to entertain him.
"Call off Nemona. Stay at the academy and help me make what changes are needed with the League," he lists off his grievances one by one, "Stop fighting me every step of the way when I need your support. Aren't you tired of fighting like this?"
You'd be lying to say you weren't.
"I'll fight you as long as it takes," you resolve, "Aren't YOU tired?"
You sit up rigidly and refuse to turn his direction, opting to rifle through your bag for a motion sickness patch.
"Yeah, I am tired," Kieran's voice is thoughtful as he continues, "I miss it when you used to smile at me like you did earlier, y'know. I forgot how that felt. Makes me almost want to give it all up. Almost."
The motion sickness patch is nowhere to be seen and you groan in frustration- both at your inability to remember to pack everything and at Kieran.
"I forgot to pack my motion sickness patch," you tell him and add, "I don't want to talk about this. I feel awful."
The queasiness of your stomach cuts your patience thin.
"I'll give you one if you hear me out."
"You have one? You get motion sick?"
"No, but I remembered you said you do."
Knots form in your stomach as you acquiesce and after rifling around in his pocket he presses it tenderly just behind your ear. You try and fail to remember when you had even mentioned that you got motion sick to him. Must have been in Kitakami. Had he sat with that knowledge this long?
The idea of him going out of his way like that just to make sure you were comfortable was bittersweet.
"There," he says and though you can't see him, you can tell he's examining the placement by the faint touch of his breath on your nape.
It's a little while before it kicks in but the sickness is a faint nag when he checks in again politely, "Feelin' better?"
"Yeah. Can't believe you remembered that," you glance over nervously in Carmine's direction to ascertain she hadn't woke up and add, "What did you want to say?"
"Don't be mad," Kieran prefaces, "but I can't stop thinking about you. About us. It's always like this. I think I'm over it but there you are again. On my mind."
Figures it's more of this. It feels like he's intent on making this as hard as possible for you.
"I said we can't see each other anymore," you respond coldly.
"Is that what you really want?"
No. No, it isn't. You scowl through your indignation, "I wouldn't have said all that without making up my mind."
"Can.." Kieran hesitates, "Can I change your mind? Without abandoning everything I worked so hard for?"
You're not sure how to answer that. Making him choose wasn't your intention.
"I think you could, yes," you decide, "It's the method, after all. You don't have to be a bully to get what you want."
"Naive way of looking at things but sure. Maybe if I catch this pokemon I won't have to try so damn hard. Can you imagine? If it's as strong as they say, I could reach nationals no problem. I could bypass all this league stuff entirely."
The pokemon. You jerk up suddenly as fear grips you.
"Please don't do anything stupid," you plead, "That pokemon isn't worth it."
"I'll be fine."
Kieran's jaw sets but before you can argue your point, the two of you hush to silence as Briar finally rouses with a chime on her phone.
"Talk later? I can text you if you'll unblock me," e asks quietly, away from prying ears. You nod in agreement as you turn your attention out the window to the approaching landmass of Paldea.
Home. Your mom would be waiting at the gate and you couldn't wait.
Chapter 14: One Last Meeting
Summary:
At Kieran's urging, the two of you meet outside the hotel to talk the day before your return to Area Zero. By the end, you fear you have only strengthened his resolve.
Notes:
Hi! So cw: there's a long kissing scene in this. I'm hoping I handled it tastefully since it involves two characters with opposing wills, so to speak. Both characters are clearly consenting, but both characters are stupid teenagers who aren't listening to each other. If that creeps too close to uncomfortable territory, I'm including a synopsis at the end so that you can comfortably enjoy this fic. Thanks!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
When you opened the heavy hotel door the first thing you are met with is hot, choking humidity. No stranger to humidity in the dripping airs of ocean-bound Blueberry, the severity of this dew point screamed precipitation.
Searching the dark, you were looking for signs of oncoming rain when a warm voice reached you first, “There you are.”
You hadn't noticed Kieran there, of course, since he had picked a bench in the far corner of the courtyard. His movement catches your eye as you locate him and you're surprised to see him out of his school uniform and draped unceremoniously across the bench. As he lifts himself up, you get a good look.
The yellow tee he's wearing is obviously an altered hand-me-down that he's cut the sleeves from sloppily to form a tank. His athletic shorts appear newer and well fitting- something he must have bought recently himself, you surmise. Even his hair is down and long, tickling at his collarbones.
He almost appeared a totally different person if not for the school jacket tied around his waist. You've never once seen him without that jacket.
“Hey,” you greet him suspiciously, one foot still in the door as you ascertain, “Did you do what I asked?”
Kieran turns out his pockets for your observation, “Don't worry, I left my pokemon in the hotel. I'm just here to talk.”
It wouldn't be out of character for him to fly off the handle and challenge you in a fit so your request was an attempt at being one step ahead of that. No way the two of you would arrive at Area Zero tomorrow with an exhausted team.
Satisfied, you take a few steps outside the hotel and register the smell of petrichor. It must have rained recently, soon after you all arrived.
“I can see why you're so homesick all the time,” Kieran starts cordially and makes room on the bench so that you can join him there, “Paldea's really nice. Makes sense you would be from a place like this.”
He continues, kicking up dust at his feet, “Way better than being from some nobody town in Kitakami.”
A familiar refrain coming from him. You sit gingerly at the edge of the seat, “If you're just here to put yourself down, I'll go back in.”
“Oh, uh, sorry. Yeah I'll.. knock it off.”
Usually he would argue his point. The lack of typical animosity is promising.
“What did you want to discuss anyway?” You ask, lifting your head, “I'm all ears.”
“Oof, uhhh,” Kieran mulls as if the question catches him off-guard, “Before we get into that, how are you..?”
“How am I?” You repeat incredulously.
Was that a trick question? You were sure you looked like something the torracat dragged in. Just the prospect of going back to Area Zero had robbed you of sleep for days now.
“Yeah? I'm asking, like, genuinely. You can relax,” Kieran smiles at you before easing his posture, “Seriously. We're not at the academy right now. It's fine.”
“I can't believe you of all people are telling me to relax.”
“Hah, what's that supposed to mean?”
He laughs as if it's the most natural thing in the world and it makes you feel a little crazy.
“Sorry, it's hard not to feel on edge,” you admit through a facsimile of composure, “I'm ok other than the trip looming over us tomorrow. How are you?”
The trip. Area zero, all those paradox pokemon. Abnormalities you couldn't explain. Flashing lights you still see when you close your eyes. You wonder for a moment- were those pokemon still there? Would they remember you from last time? …if they did, would they be angry you left them there?
Kieran pauses to regard you curiously and reads your discomfort, “Oof, that bad, huh?”
He cocks his head to the side before placing a hand on your upper arm. You know he aimed to comfort you but impulsively you shrug him off.
“Oh,” he allows you a wide berth now, “Sorry, never seen you make that face before. Were you worried? It was cu-”
He cuts himself off, clearly thinking better of saying that thought aloud. You think you see him mouth something to himself.
“Oh, I know. Maybe we can go for a walk?” He motions at the brick pathway leading out of the courtyard, “Might get your mind off of it.”
He's not wrong. You finally relent and pad after him out of the courtyard and down the deserted streets leading away from the city. It's a brisk, silent walk.
“I won't take up too much of your time, I promise,” he assures you, several paces ahead. He stops to allow you to catch up and reaches out a hand, “Remember climbing up Oni mountain? Thought I'd lost you a couple times ‘cause I was following so far behind. Just being around you felt like something I shouldn't have been allowed.”
You remember. It tugs at your heartstrings. This time you do not shrug away his touch.
As you link hands, he squeezes your own and adds, “Kept thinking how nice it might be if I could just hold your hand climbing up that mountain. I wouldn't worry about losing you that way. Of course, I was too nervous to ask then, but I'm not now.”
So this is the version of Kieran you were met with today. The version you are weakest to.
The two of you walk for several more minutes before finally reaching a park clearing- totally deserted except for the chorus of nymble buzzing from the surrounding wood.
“Let's stop here,” you suggest, pulling him off the path, “We shouldn't go too far.”
“Ok, sure.”
Forging ahead, he scopes out a place for you both to rest in the grass before laying out his jacket so that you didn't have to sit on the cold, damp ground.
“You sure?” You hesitate knowing just how integral that jacket seemed to him.
Kieran, however, is not deterred that easily. He dismisses that worry with a chuckle and a wave, "I'm not worried about the jacket. Really."
“Besides, wouldn't it be super suspicious if we both got caught sneaking back covered in grass and dirt?" he pats the ground beside him invitingly, "Carmine won't forgive that. Come on."
Feelings muddled in your head, you join him. What was with him right now? If he would act like this all the time the two of you would get along.
“I have a lot to say, so get comfortable.”
“I told you before I'm all ears.”
“Yeah, but..”
You glance over and catch him chewing at his thumb. Now that was the Kieran you knew. You're about to check in when he reaches over, pulling you into his arms.
He's soft. The stress that's woven into you untangles itself for the first time in weeks.
“See? Better huh?” He grins down at you and sends your pulse aflutter, “Lacey's really got the right idea.”
“You talked to Lacey?”
“Aw man, don't sound so shocked about it,” He grimaces but concedes, “Her idea. Crispin's got this huge crush on her so I figured I'd play along to get in her good graces.”
“Wait, he does?” Your interest is piqued and before you realize, you're relaxed into him, “You gotta tell me more. Crispin??”
Just imagining him confiding this makes you giddy. You're not sure Lacey would go for it, but still, Crispin?? All those homemade League Club snacks that seemed almost too perfectly tailored to Lacey's tastes made complete sense.
“I think I've said too much already,” Kieran interrupts your train of thought, though the corner of his eyes are still wrinkled with mirth, “Don't breathe a word of that, ok?”
“Ok. What did Lacey say?”
You set aside love-sick chefs to focus on the conversation ahead. Thankfully, Kieran doesn't keep you waiting long.
“Lot of the same stuff you do. She wants me to be nicer and lay off. She's tired. Man. The league stuff's been a mess, huh?” He starts, removing one hand to scratch sheepishly at his cheek, “I know it's my fault, but I kept hoping it would get better with time. That everyone would see my way was best.”
You swallow down a rebuttal to let him continue, “It's always excuse after excuse. I kick somebody out the league and there's three more sopping wet sprigatitos asking me to make an exception for them. They don't get it. The only way to stop being so weak is to put in the time like I have. I don't want to be harsh but I gotta be.”
Those arms around you wrap ever so slightly tighter, “I mean, aren't I great now? My team's top notch. Nobody can get even close, except you maybe and you won't. You'd rather tuck tail and head- oh.”
Dread pools into your stomach, heavy as a stone. Gratefully you realize Kieran extinguishes his anger with a deep sigh before you need to.
“Nevermind,” he pauses for a moment to piece together his thoughts, “S'not important.”
"I really thought beating you and getting the ogre was going to make me feel better," he admits, pulling you toward him at your waist. You expect him to let go, but he doesn't.
"It didn't," he continued, finally settling in to rest his head on your shoulder, "I don't get it. Maybe it was just more fun for me to hate you, y'know, have a goalpost to chase after. Or something like that.”
“Something like that,” you laugh, “Must have been a huge shock to see I can slip up too.”
Kieran brightens up, “It really was! I was mad at first, sure. I thought you threw that match to teach me some kinda lesson.”
“No.”
In fact it pissed you off that you couldn't beat him now. Now was when he needed those wins the least.
“Right,” he concedes, “Well, hey, don't look so upset about it. We got closer, didn't we?”
“We could have gotten closer even if you did lose.”
Kieran shakes his head, firm in his disagreement, “No. I never would have had the guts. You saw how I got at the fest.”
That was true. You held his hand at the festival but even that made him jittery. He stumbled over his words until you let him go.
“Probably never would have asked to kiss you if I didn't win that match,” he lowers his voice, tracing a finger down the middle of your chest, "Um. We could..”
You let him puzzle that one out.
“Would you mind? If we?”
“What?”
“Aw, you're gonna make me say it.”
You grin and there's a soft smile that upturns his parted lips. He's being good-natured about your teasing at least and that complicates your knee-jerk urge to reject him.
“You didn't have anything you wanted to say, really, huh?”
His eyes are wide with expectation, but all you can think is that bitter last phone call with Nemona in which you regaled the story of the first time he kissed you.
“You keep kissing him and he's only gonna get worse. That boy, he's obsessed with winning and he's obsessed with you,” she told you. You knew it was true.
You probably shouldn't encourage his affection, but more telling is how quickly that thought leaves your mind the moment he kisses you anyway.
Actually- yes. You hate him. You're angry. You still want to kiss him. This is all unrepentantly true.
The kiss that you share with him that night is sweet at first, but as he pulls you in more closely, you taste unsubtle desperation. His arms wrap you in just a bit too tight, fingers gripping as if they meant to wring out your apprehension by force.
If you pull away, he pulls forward. If you add pressure, he escalates. You've never known simply kissing to be this exhausting and the experience was beginning to frustrate you.
After a tense back and forth, you break first with an infuriated, “Slow do-”
But you cut yourself off. There's a dissonance between your own desire and your insistence that he treat you respectfully. Somewhere along the way you begin to push back, attempting to exert back your own will.
You're both fighting for control now and it strikes you that this whole thing has now turned into something else entirely. His lips down your neck then teeth at your collarbone.
Of course just a kiss is not enough for him. It's never enough for him. He bites down, but the pain is barely a flicker against the intensity you both hold there against one another.
In that moment, you aren't mad. Maybe that was payback for the last kiss you had with him, you think. All heat and after battle adrenaline. With no small effort, you get him back at arm length and he smiles like he just made a critical hit. All bravado and smarmy self-righteousness.
“Ok? You done?” Your hand flits to the mark he made as the other arm acts as necessary buffer, “Out of your system?”
He grins, clearly drunk on whatever emotion that bite brought out from him, “I could do a few more.”
You click your tongue nonplussed and he drops the act, “No, you're right. It's probably a bad idea, leaving a mark like that.”
Removing your hand, you examine yourself and note that it's not severe. It would bruise but it's something that you could hide easily.
“Why did you feel the need to do that anyway?” You ask curiously, “Are you doing it this time ‘cause you're mad or is it something else?”
You expect a thoughtful pause but instead he answers immediately, “Won't this be the last time? If it's ok with you, I'd like to get as much as I can out of this.”
Just like him. So selfish and very earnest. Still, your mind lingers on the words, ‘won't this be the last time?’
Every kiss you've had felt like the last time.
Doesn't it always happen like this? The memory of each time since now washes throughout your mind. It drenches you. The intensity, the emotion, the jealousy, the loneliness, it floods in.
Kieran moves in again, this time cautious as he gently presses his lips against your own.
“It doesn't have to be,” he says, holding eye contact, “You could stay at the academy. With me.”
His next kiss seeks to impress his will upon you. Passion and determination. It's intoxicating, exhilarating, and you give into it, kissing him back.
He's winning, you realize. Just like with battling, he's got you cornered and once the time is right, he splays the contents of your heart wide open.
“I can't, I-” Overcome with emotion, you cut yourself off with a sob. He kisses you anyway, tasting of salt.
“You can't?”
You *can't.*
Your silence speaks volumes and after a furious kiss, Kieran fills in the blank, “You have to.”
You won't.
“I can't lose you. Not only because I don't want to, but-” He pulls away, chewing his lip, “People are already talking.”
“Who?” You manage.
“Everyone! Our classmates. They're waiting for anything to prove that I'm faking it, I'm unstable, I can't keep a partner, I'm weak, I-” He chokes, “Anything to prove as a man I can't cut it. I CAN'T make a mistake here. You have to be on my side. I'll win with you at my side.”
You're able to quell your sobbing long enough to consider what he's saying here, but the notion, the implication that this was all to save his reputation inflames you.
Still, was that the right take away? You were so focused on his blatant disregard of your agency that you weren't considering his motivations.
What was it like to be him? You had heard your classmates' opinions. Everyone had their own theory for Kieran's abrupt change of behavior, but was it really something as simple as being jealous, not getting affection, or disliking himself?
Were you fighting against a persona that Kieran had no choice but to be?
“I thought it was me,” you acknowledge, “I thought I was making you worse. That's why I wanted space.”
“No, nothing like that,” Kieran dismisses that notion with a single wave of his hand, “You inspired me, if anything. I saw what you had and I decided I wanted that.”
He continues sheepishly, “You don't have to prove yourself- you just ARE. Nobody questions that.”
In that moment the gap between the two of you never felt wider. So much of what came naturally to you was something Kieran had to fight tooth and nail for. You didn't agree with his methods, his bullying, but at the least his motivation was understandable.
You lower your gaze and focus idly on his hands, clasped together now. Not shaking. He's so cool and calm, it unsettles you.
“It doesn't matter if I beat Nemona, huh?” He asks plaintively, “You're going no matter what.”
“Yeah,” your thoughts are still heavy, but there's no point in lying to him, “I already started the process of withdrawing. I was never expected to be a full-time student, Kieran, you know this.”
He exhales now, releasing the tension in his shoulders, “Yeah. Makes sense.”
“I hate it,” he mutters darkly, “You really don't see me as important as I see you. I can't make you stay and I can't make you care.”
In the quiet that follows you wrack your brain for comforting words but they don't seem to come.
“But I can make you regret it,” his words are ice upon your skin, “I'll get so good you'll spend the whole rest of your life wondering what we could have been, wishing we could have gotten closer.”
“Kieran-”
“Listen,” he grabs you by the collar, close enough now that his breath touches your cheek- a strange parallel and contrast to the affection you shared just moments ago, “I'll catch this pokemon tomorrow. You and the whole damn league watch me. I'll be so strong, nobody will even THINK of saying I'm anything less than the best.”
You must have looked horrified because he furrows his brow, complicating the anger so plain across his face.
The two of you speak simultaneously.
“Calm down, I'm not-”
“I don't wanna hear it.”
You pause to let him speak first, hoping he self-corrects like he had for much of the night. When no response follows, you check in, “Are you ok?”
An attempt to hold his hand and stabilize whatever tempest he has conjured up for himself is shaken off. You instead wring your hands at a loss.
“I'm good,” His tone is unnaturally flat, “Let's walk back.”
The return to the hotel is silent and he apologizes stiffly at the hotel door. Drayton tells you later that he returned to their room in a huff afterward, gathered his pokeballs, and did not return for the rest of the night.
You, on the other hand, do finally find rest, exhausted of him, exhausted of this trip, and exhausted altogether. Perhaps your body finally met its limit. It takes Amarys three attempts to rouse you the next morning.
Notes:
Chapter synopsis: You agree to meet Kieran outside the hotel to talk and after walking to a park, he talks a bit about how he's glad he now has the confidence to approach you. He asks to kiss and you agree to it- however during it, he asks that you stay at the academy. You realize his motivation in asking is selfish, but somewhat understandable.
Still, because you have already started the withdrawal process, you refuse. His conclusion is that you must not think he's as important as he thinks you are, so he vows to catch the legendary pokemon in area zero and show you how wrong you are.
The chapter ends with him walking you back to the hotel and stiffly apologizing. According to Drayton he returns to their shared room, gets his pokeballs, leaves, and does not return. You manage to sleep despite nightmares throughout the night.
/// end synopsis
Author's note: godddddddddd I rewrote this chapter probably?? 4 times?? And I still feel like I didn't capture the feelings like I wanted? Idk, obviously there's a lot happening here and eventually I needed to cut my losses and POST.
As a side note, if anyone knows of some pokemon fan fiction writing spaces/discords/ect, would you mind letting me know on my personal blog? I'd really like to discuss characterization/plot ideas and I think my irl friends are sick of hearing me yap about the stupid onion boy lol
Ty for reading as always!
Chapter 15: Rough-housing
Summary:
Amarys wakes you up for your journey today. It is quickly derailed by sibling shenanigans and your own biting anxiety.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
“We will be late,” Amarys's voice melds with the AI professor's as your nightmare unsettlingly transitions to reality. Jolting up with a start, you nearly connect your head with her own before she deftly dodges it.
“You were having a nightmare,” she notes blankly, handing you your phone so that you can finally silence the alarm you slept through, “Lacey's already downstairs for breakfast. Should I get her?”
“No! No,” you gasp, catching your breath. You fumble through your phone's passcode three times to no avail. Finally you input the right combination and sweet silence greets your ears.
Right. Amarys. She's fully dressed but clearly hung behind to check on you. One of those silent admissions of Amarys's care that goes understated.
“You're fine, Amarys, I'm sorry,” you cough a few times aside, the dryness of your throat now front and center, “I'd like if you stayed. Please.”
That steely visage she carries wavers as she sits in the hotel room armchair.
“I'm scared,” you admit first to yourself, blanket closed in over your head, “Are.. you scared?”
“Yes,” she remarks simply and subtly you notice her flattening out an unseen wrinkle in her uniform. You expect her to expand on that but instead she frowns, “We will be late.”
Her insistence at timeliness grates on your nerves but you relent, choosing to quickly get yourself and your things together. Lacey had once explained that timeliness seemed to be the only semblance of control Amarys had in an otherwise chaotic world. In that way, you could understand.
You're midway through lacing hiking boots when she speaks again, more softly, “To answer your question, I am terrified, but that does not shake my resolve to support you, Carmine, and Kieran.”
You're so focused on double-knotting that you almost didn't hear her. Done now with your lacing, you strive for a response but settle for a simple, “Thank you. Truly.”
“Of course. Please hurry.”
You kick into gear and the two of you are midway down to the hallway when Carmine rounds the corner, fistfuls of her own hair clasped in her hands.
Her voice is shrill, loud despite your surroundings, “PLEASE tell me you know where my punk brother is!”
“Carmine people are still sleeping!” Amarys admonishes her sharply only to be cut off.
“I don't-” She lowers her voice in defiance of her own words, “I don't care. Have you two seen him?”
“N-no.”
“No. That is troubling.”
You're already anxious and this isn't helping.
“It's not like him- you know how excited he was about this,” Carmine addresses you pointedly, “You. You know something, don't you? Did you two fight again?”
“Not exactly,” you mumble, more hesitant than intended. As Carmine raises her brow, you elaborate, “We talked yesterday but as far as I know, he went back to his room. Are you sure he's not just out there- waiting?”
“Drayton said he left and- wait, no. I haven't checked outside,” Carmine scowls before doubling back in a fury and the two of you tail after her, now embroiled in her hysteria.
Sure enough, you find him there, waiting just outside the hotel with his hiking backpack in tow. Carmine wastes no time tearing into him.
“Do you know how long I've been looking for you? I called you 5 times! Nothing! What's the point in having a phone if-”
The door opens behind you as Drayton and Lacey enter with Briar just behind.
“-you don't ever answer it? I had to ask Drayton where you were and you know I-”
“Sis.”
Kieran cuts her off before she's able to say anything too incriminating. She turns on her heel, her face still a bright shade of vermillion as Briar, clearly not reading the room exclaims, “What energy! We're all so eager this morning, aren't we?”
When no one shares in her enthusiasm, she continues, “I am positively beside myself with excitement. Do we have our belongings? I hope that it won't be too long of a trek, but please bear in mind we can't turn around simply because someone left something behind.”
Drayton groans from somewhere behind you as Kieran and Carmine continue their argument, trading barbs under their breath. You are thankful, at least, for Lacey and Amarys's quiet presence.
If the original plans panned out, leaving you alone with the Kitakami siblings, Drayton to antagonize them further, and Briar at her most fanatic, you might've lost whatever sanity you clung to.
It's a 45 minute walk to the Area Zero entrance and by the end of it, you find yourself lagging behind. Unsurprisingly, Kieran forges first, rivaled only by Briar in pacing. Everyone else tries their best to keep up, save for Drayton.
“You seem as excited about this as I am,” he notes wryly, “Talk to me, champ-in-waiting, what are we walking into?”
“Hell, I think,” you retort and you feel his sideways glance narrow. In honesty, you had always found Area Zero hard to describe. You even spared your mom the full details, but Drayton wasn't prone to worry like her. He'd benefit best from a straight picture, “It's filled with strange and powerful pokemon. There's an energy about it- you know that buzz you get right as you're terastalizating? That gust of energy? The whole place is like that. You can feel it on your skin.”
“Woof, no kidding,” Drayton sighs and shakes his head, “Good thing for us, we got our High and Mighty Champion to do all the dirty work. I plan on sitting this one out as much as I can.”
“Don't hold your breath,” you admonish before taking a long drink out of your water bottle, “It's going to take all of us, I'm sure.”
“What a drag,” Drayton laments, slowing his pace even more. Eventually the two of you fall behind enough that you lose sight of the others. You once again tamp down the urge to leave altogether.
“Maybe I'll catch it.”
You can't help but scoff as he continues, “Someone needs to keep that kid on his toes.”
Cutting your eyes, you search Drayton for signs that he's joking and find that he's as hard to read as ever. A smiling facade that rarely fades. Kieran wasn't the only one around so fond of masks.
“I don't think he needs anything else on his plate,” you say, a trace of annoyance in your tone. You don't like defending him after the way he acted last night. Absent-mindedly you touch the mark he left you with. It stings.
Up ahead you can barely make out the group waiting on the both of you at the entrance to Area Zero. A cold breeze sends a shiver down your spine.
You're back. The entrance appears the same as it did last time, surprisingly untouched by the passage of time. A fleeting thought wondered if the League was in charge of its meticulous upkeep when a voice called out to you.
“There those two bozos are,” Carmine calls out and you exchange a look with Drayton. It seems you have also been demoted to bozo level today.
Four of them were grouped up, discussing the descent and tallying their supplies one last crucial time. The fifth, Kieran, stood off to the side, restless and scowling your way. Or perhaps at Drayton? In any case it didn't matter to you at this moment. Briar waves you over and you pass him with little mind.
“There are maps of the inside but my understanding is that a teleportation hub was installed by the late professor in order to- ah! Yes, you know about that, don't you?”
The waves of excitement coming off of Briar felt nearly palpable. Even though you're hesitant about this entire thing, her energy was contagious.
“Y-yes,” you manage before picking up your tone, “We were able to use it last time. It's nearly a straight shot to the bottom and should save us time.”
“How excellent!” Briar beams at you before marking something aside in her notepad.
“Dr. Briar,” Amarys's voice is hesistant as she pushes her glasses up the bridge of her nose, “If you don't mind me asking, what is that you're writing in? Wouldn't saving your notes to a cloud based service ensure that they are not lost?”
“Ah, a fair observation,” Briar lifts the journal for Amarys's observation and elaborates, “It's the original edition of my ancestor's journal. I know it may be old school, but it is my life's goal to finish what he started.. beginning with this book so to speak.”
Her determination is admirable and peering over the notes gives you a fair amount of hope. You had many misgivings but seeing how important this is to her, well.. You could spare the excursion. Your anxiety on the other hand was autonomous, a creature of its own. You tamp it down for the millionth time today.
Briar flips through, showing off the illustrations within as Amarys examines thoughtfully.
“He was quite the artist,” she remarks, running her hand over the near frantic pencil strokes that outline a seemingly impossible pokemon, “Is this what we're going down here for?”
“Unofficially, yes. I am also supposed to collect samples in a more official capacity,” Briar snaps the book shut and stows it safely in the bag at her hip, “Now are we ready?”
The group of you agree in unison and as you steady your breathing and turn, a hand grabs your wrist.
“You're the second strongest here. You need to stick by me at the front.”
Already getting ordered around. You scowl at Kieran's insistence but thankfully Carmine jumps to your defense, “Calm down, Kiki. It's not that serious.”
He releases you and faces his sister, puffing out his chest in some half-attempt to compensate for the several inches she had on him in height, “Am I wrong? If we let Drayton drag them back from the group they could get ambushed. Then what?”
Drayton interjects and you watch the two siblings both react in anger simultaneously, “Aww, you worried about us?”
“Of course we are!”
“Of course we're not.”
Carmine and Kieran speaking simultaneously but in direct opposition. They begin bickering as soon as they both realize.
“If you don't stop acting this way, I'll make you regret it. I don't know what's gotten into to you but I-”
“You and who, Sinistcha?” Kieran scoffs, rolling his eyes as Carmine clutches her hair in fury for the second time today. Behind them you can see the group leaving save for Drayton who onlooks with his arms folded behind his head. There's a smug grin on his face.
“Me and me! If you wouldn't hide behind your pokemon I could make you eat dirt! Come here. I'm going to teach you now!”
The two struggle for a moment as Carmine quickly works Kieran into a loose headlock despite much protestation. It dawns on you that even though they're fighting- they pull their punches. Aiming to annoy or aiming to get away, rather than hurt one another. Eventually Kieran goes slack and Carmine's high pitched laughter signals the end of their altercation.
“Serves you right!”
“You know my shoulders are off-limits in the morning,” Kieran's voice is slightly strained as Carmine ruffles his hair into an unrecoverable mess, “Aw man, stop already!!”
Carmine relents as she follows his gaze to see that he's upset especially to be humiliated in front of you. Like any good sister would, she lets him go.
She waves you forward as the two of them file in, catching up with the group as the majority of them begin to disappear into Area Zero's doorway. Drayton files in as well, but not before Carmine lurches menacingly at him, eliciting a laugh from both Drayton and Kieran. He allows them to pass and nods in your direction.
Your stomach again in knots at the sight of that door. Worse yet, the youthful display, the rough-housing, all the jokes and ego and negging. You're all kids. Capable kids, sure, but still kids.
Deep breath. Whatever you may find in there- you purposely took as many people as you could to handle it. It was going to be ok. It's going to be ok. You're going to be ok. They're going to be ok.
“Hey bud, you just going to stand there and stare?”
Drayton's voice was uncharacteristically solemn as he checked in, “I see. Well. I'll stand here with you as long as it takes.”
As much as you want to take him up on that, Kieran was right. You need to make your way to the front seeing as you know how to navigate here best.
“No, let's go in. I'm ok.”
Notes:
Still going strong on the writing front whew! I wanted to point out a minute detail that is glossed over- the shoulder thing. Injections were the preferred method of testosterone administration for a long time, but many people are switching to lotion these days. An AM shoulder rub is one route many people take with it.
Chapter 16: Area Zero Entrance
Summary:
The group travels down into Area Zero, heading toward the Zero Labs.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
The hushed awe of your companions was broken only by Drayton's impressed whistle- punctuating the feeling. It's breathtaking here. Green fields, waterfalls, impossible rock formations. Topography that seems to defy logic and reason.
Every few steps either Briar or Amarys tuts in the impossibility of it all. It damn near takes an hour just to make it to the next laboratory so that you can access the teleportation device. Regardless, you let them explore at their leisure. It is only Kieran that seems to be in a hurry.
“Where is it?” He asks, pulling Briar's attention away from a paradoxical pokemon she's sidetracked by, “This is cool and all, but this isn't it.”
Briar smiles, pained yet patient, and explains, “Deeper. The deepest we can manage. My ancestor, Heath, actually fell a great distance to where it was. Understandably, the instructions for getting there are vague.”
“He.. fell?” Kieran echoes, disbelief clear in his face, “Do we even know if-”
His sister rather pointedly elbows him and he cuts himself off questioning Briar further. The next lab isn't far, at least, and the group of you make it there without incident, much to your relief.
“You saw that too, right?” Lacey tugs on your sleeve as you pass her, “That weird jigglypuff? I thought it was going to bite Carmine for a moment. Just what was that?”
Ah. That. She reads your complicated expression, “Did we see something we weren't supposed to see? It..”
She swallows her nerves so Amarys completes her sentence, “It wasn't right. Dr. Briar, are they the temporal disturbances you discussed with us?”
Briar is neck deep in a manilla folder when the question is posed to her. Without answering, she tears into several notebooks lying about the laboratory until Amarys tries again with a sharp throat clearing.
“You can't be..” Briar mutters to herself, scanning the documents with an academic eye until she glances up, eyes meeting with your own. There's no sparkle, no curiosity there. It flickers out like a snuffed flame, leaving just the murky darkness of dread and concern, “Why.. Every entry stops midway.”
This was something Penny noticed on your first trip here. A minute detail you would have glossed over.
“What happened to Sada?” Briar asks of you, a strange hollowness to her words. For the first time she does not elevate herself to the theatrical heights of her teacher persona and that scares you more than anything.
Had the League not told her what transpired there? If not, then surely for a reason? What do you say?
“D-dead, Ms.Briar,” you stammer out and ignore the sudden chill of your companions, “She died here.”
The callousness of the league simmers under your skin. Why did they not tell her? Did they hope she would not notice? That she would have her hands full with the lot of you? Someone died here. Geeta's strange knowing smile kept coming to mind.
Did Geeta simply have that much faith in your ability to keep everyone safe? The indigo disk was a hefty weight both in your pocket and psyche.
“Dead? You don't mean Terapagos-”
“No! No,” you interrupt in your rash attempt to alleviate her fear, “A different pokemon. There was a territorial dispute and.. um. She took a hit for Koraidon.”
“YOUR Koraidon? And I assume the other beast is still here?” She raises a perfectly manicured eyebrow before placing a thoughtful hand to her chin, “I had hoped that the aggressive pokemon that plagued Heath's voyage had long passed. I did not anticipate a newer and greater threat in the form of these so-called paradox pokemon.”
You can't read her thoughts but it is clear this revelation has shaken her. Then, just as quickly, she picks right up where she left off. Smile on. Head raised.
Clapping her hands for everyone's attention, she addresses the group with a commanding voice, “We are on the cusp of a breakthrough that could change everything. On the other side of that teleportation portal awaits the Hidden Treasure, but also many strange and even aggressive pokemon. We spoke of safety precautions at the academy but I still want to stress a few things before we embark.”
Briar gestures to Carmine at her side, “Carmine is the leader of our expedition. Please listen to her thoroughly. Do not wander off, do not get separated, do not leave each other behind. Keep tabs on one another. Am I clear?”
Carmine herself doesn't mince words, “That means you two, Drayton and Kieran. I'm in charge today so I don't want you two causing trouble.”
Drayton is all too pleased to chime in with a casual, “Wouldn't dream of it, boss.”
Kieran himself nods, unfocused and tapping his fingers impatiently. He mouths, ‘Can we go already?’ at Carmine and receives only a vicious scowl in response.
Now appropriately warned, you each enter the teleportation portal to the 4th and final laboratory. As you see the state of it, it punctuates the prior conversation, sobering even Drayton who files through wordlessly.
It's not hard to surmise what took place here. Scorch marks lick at the floor. Mighty claw marks tear into the wall's metal paneling. It is only when you make your way outdoors again does the foreboding air of death leave you.
Being the only one in the group with the ability to navigate, you take the lead, beginning your descent into the yawning chasm below.
The underground was the same as you remember, still as awe-inspiring this second time around. The pokemon there were more wild and curious and as you delved deeper, more territorial.
While you braced for several hard battles, Kieran made sure no one else needed to lift a finger.
Many of the pokemon who would wipe two or three of your team on your initial descent now fell to just one hit from his Dragonite or Hydrapple. Several times he wouldn't need to even call out a move. He and his pokemon understood in tandem what needed to be done and any pokemon in the vicinity would watch them, their heads raised in interest before bolting in fear. Their eyes would follow you shining from where they cowered in the shadows.
More than once he would clear an area, scoff, then face you pointedly to smirk. The silent admission was clear: he was enjoying this display of strength with you and the League as his witness.
Message received. Goosebumps on your flesh. Kieran was a force of nature now and not even Area Zero could stop him.
As he embroiled himself in yet another grueling battle, you listened in as Briar explained the crystal formations nearby when a sudden shiver jars you. You glance around wildly and barely notice a large form move into the dark and away.
“Do you see something over there?” You interrupt Briar and the trace of panic in your words stalls any conversation.
Amarys answers first after adjusting her glasses, “No. I can send Skarmory to scout if you think that is necessary.”
You're still considering your response when Drayton surprises you by speaking up first.
“Nah, Amarys, don't,” Drayton squints into the dark before thrusting both hands into his pockets, “Leave it be.”
He's curiously firm about this, but instead of elaborating, he whirls back around to humor Briar with the illusion that he is paying her attention. The purple cape around his waist flutters with the movement, catching your eye. The dragon tamer's cape. Even tattered and relegated to waist high status, it commanded respect that Drayton rarely asserted.
Why was that anyway? Even you, a foreigner, had heard of his grandfather, the Hero of Opelucid city. Was it the pressure of having familial expectations like that?
It wouldn't be a stretch to imagine Drayton may resent such a destiny for himself, but still he had that dragon tamer cape on him rather than shoved somewhere to collect dust. No doubt certain aspects of dragon taming culture were still important to him.
After all, he was the one who approached you about Kieran. Drayton could shirk off his duties, but that sense of justice still shined through.
There's a flash of light that interrupts your train of thought as Ogerpon lets herself free.
Just the sight of her brings a smile to your face. She's starry eyed about your surroundings and makes for one of the crystals to examine her own reflection.
You join her, bending down in order to see eye to eye and ask, “Were you bored, little one?”
She twirls in response, her cape ballooning around her as you laugh, “Ok! Stay out here with us. Just be sure to watch our backs. It's dangerous.”
Her little brow furrows in concern but she nods and her gaze shifts from you to Kieran in the background.
“Not because of him. He's fine,” you assure her and stifle a laugh, “There's some strong pokemon around.”
She understands that and follows at your heels when she isn't clinging impishly to one of your legs and impeding your walk forward. Occasionally she would leave you, club in hand to chase at unseen things in the dark. Her infectious glee brings levity to what would otherwise be a miserable hike.
Lacey and Carmine are quite taken with her and seeing her interact with people with confidence swells your chest with pride. She speeds ahead eventually to pester Kieran before you can stop her.
Your jaw clenches as she scales his back, his posture jerking straight up in surprise. The group of you fall silent, watching. As he realizes who it is, however, he relaxes and you could swear you could hear a collective sigh of relief.
“Are you here to protect everyone too?” He asks her, his voice filled with mirth. It's the first time this trip you've heard him sound so happy. Ogerpon's cherubic face lights up as she hoists herself up to his shoulders and chirps what you think is agreement.
There's a moment of precarious teetering before Kieran grabs both of her legs to steady her. Now set, he chuckles and mutters, “You got heavier, huh? Eating nothing but sweets again, I bet.”
There's no way she understood that but she babbles along in agreement nonetheless. Now set, she points her club forward with Kieran as her steed and together they decimate anything standing in your path. Ogerpon squeals in conjunction to whatever order Kieran barks out as if she is also directing the pokemon. Whenever she wants in on the action, she leaps down to deliver a finishing blow on some poor unsuspecting foe.
They make a surprisingly good team, a realization that darkens your mood. This was a fleeting moment of togetherness before you both went home. Afterward.. would they see each other again?
Would.. you see him again?
You must have been walking with your head down because Lacey catches on to rub at one of your shoulders with an affectionate hand.
“You ok?” She whispers just low enough for only you to hear and you shake a negative.
“Seems like everyone is arguing,” she notes, shrugging at Drayton and Amarys. The two of them pay her no mind as Amarys continues ripping into him about the state of his bag and how no one could seem to locate the burn heals he brought along in the disarray of his belongings.
Eventually even Carmine gets involved, dumping the contents of Drayton’s bag out unceremoniously and exclaiming, “Why do you have an entire bottle of mustard and NO burn heals, what is wrong with you?”
“Huh. Crispin said mustard was good for burns. Have you tried that?”
“No! No. Is your head filled with rocks? I’m not doing that.”
“That's a common misconception too,” Amarys remarks succinctly, “Mustard will irritate the burn. My question is why did you pack 8 combs?”
There's a pause before Drayton answers, “One for every day of the week. Next question.”
“Is that- oh my god. A VHS copy of Gastlybusters??? Drayton, that's older than you are.”
“So? It's a classic.”
The conversation is distracting but you manage to respond to Lacey, “He's upset I'm leaving and taking it really personally.”
There's a large commotion behind you as several small pokemon skitter in to make off with Drayton's backpack contents. Carmine is apoplectic in her embarrassment.
“That.. sounds right,” Lacey sighs and closes both eyes, “I was so hoping you two would patch things up before you left, but hey! We still have this trip. Who knows what could happen.”
As if on cue, ogerpon lets out a mighty battle cry as she chases after one of the retreating pokemon with Drayton's plundered belongings. She returns moments later triumphant with three combs and a burn heal much to everyone's amusement.
Having ogerpon around certainly was a reassurance, but you couldn't shake this feeling of anxiety, of restlessness. Was it simply being here that had you on edge? Or was it..?
Kieran ahead of you lands a shrill resounding Breaking Swipe against a roaring Gabite. The noise reverberates around the cavern against gabite’s textured skin, echoing in a mocking sound that feels like nails to chalkboard.
“I'm worried about him,” you tell Lacey, “and I'm scared of what he might do.”
“He wouldn’t hurt anyone,” Lacey assures you, her brow a wrinkle across an otherwise calm expression, “I do understand. He's gotten awfully moody this trip, but ogerpon seems to be helping. He's surprisingly soft to her.”
“They have an interesting history.”
“I've seen his Ogerpon themed school binder,” she laughs, “He used to be insufferable about it. It was really cute.”
Oh, if only Kieran could hear this. You wonder idly how red his face would turn.
“I always thought it was curious that you ended up with her instead of him,” Lacey points out, tilting her chin in curiosity, “There's a big story there that I'm missing, isn’t there? If I had to guess, that's where all of his behavior is coming from.”
No getting anything past Lacey. You nod as she continues, “Poor kid thinks he can strong arm his negative feelings into submission like everything else. He only has so much time before you both leave. He needs to focus on what good he has now.”
“Yeah..” The thought is bitter as you chew on it. This was something you’ve long known about Kieran- his tendency to ruin his own fun. What was the logic behind that? Was it a knee jerk urge to blunt the sting of disappointment by forcing it on your own terms?
“What?”
In your thinking, you realize that you’ve stared a hole into the back of his head and worse yet, he’s noticed you looking.
“Watch this,” Lacey whispers to you before speaking up on your behalf, “We just thought you were so cool just now Kieran! Isn’t that right?”
She nudges you to comply and you do readily, “Y-yeah! That was a smart move.”
The look on his face is clearly doubtful and with Lacey’s hand on your back pushing you forward, you try again, “You and Ogerpon are making a good team too. I’m happy for you.”
You expect an explosion but instead he melts.
“Y-you really think so?” His entire demeanor changes for a moment until he remembers himself, “I mean, uh. Of course!! Of course we do.”
You almost had him. Lacey laughs to herself as he jerks his face to the side stubbornly and grumbles, “Just keep watching.”
Just past him though, another movement in the shadows unsettles you.
“L-let’s keep moving,” you urge the others, eager to reach the relative safety of the Zero Lab before. It’s not your imagination and it isn’t your nerves. This unsettling feeling, it’s something real and tangible. And whatever it is- it was following your group.
Notes:
Hi gang! So, I want to announce that I am hosting (along with the help of Ogerpon Writing Den) a Kieran-related writing prompt event for September. I plan on posting more details at my personal blog (galpaladin64.tumblr.com) on the 1st of September. Though it will have a Dipplinshipping slant, we will be accepting prompt submissions of any Kieran ship (shout out to you candyapplers) as well as non-shipping content. If this is something you're interested in, send me a message through tumblr or discord (galpaladin64). I'm really looking forward to it!!
aguyofmanythings on Chapter 1 Thu 06 Feb 2025 07:13AM UTC
Comment Actions
Galpaladin on Chapter 1 Thu 06 Feb 2025 12:42PM UTC
Comment Actions
Galpaladin on Chapter 1 Thu 13 Mar 2025 01:38AM UTC
Comment Actions
thedisquieted on Chapter 2 Fri 14 Mar 2025 07:48PM UTC
Comment Actions
Galpaladin on Chapter 2 Fri 14 Mar 2025 08:43PM UTC
Comment Actions
thedisquieted on Chapter 2 Fri 14 Mar 2025 09:31PM UTC
Comment Actions
Jopeshiwashere on Chapter 3 Fri 21 Mar 2025 10:59AM UTC
Comment Actions
Galpaladin on Chapter 3 Sat 22 Mar 2025 05:09AM UTC
Comment Actions
plasma_in_ink on Chapter 4 Tue 08 Jul 2025 01:05PM UTC
Comment Actions
Galpaladin on Chapter 4 Tue 08 Jul 2025 06:57PM UTC
Comment Actions
witchyworld on Chapter 6 Mon 28 Apr 2025 04:33AM UTC
Comment Actions
Galpaladin on Chapter 6 Mon 28 Apr 2025 05:12PM UTC
Comment Actions
plasma_in_ink on Chapter 6 Thu 10 Jul 2025 03:32AM UTC
Comment Actions
Team_Frightfur on Chapter 7 Tue 29 Apr 2025 01:59AM UTC
Comment Actions
Galpaladin on Chapter 7 Tue 29 Apr 2025 03:06AM UTC
Last Edited Tue 29 Apr 2025 03:09AM UTC
Comment Actions
witchyworld on Chapter 7 Mon 05 May 2025 06:32AM UTC
Comment Actions
Galpaladin on Chapter 7 Wed 07 May 2025 09:35PM UTC
Comment Actions
plasma_in_ink on Chapter 7 Thu 10 Jul 2025 03:39AM UTC
Comment Actions
witchyworld on Chapter 8 Tue 13 May 2025 02:12PM UTC
Comment Actions
plasma_in_ink on Chapter 8 Thu 10 Jul 2025 03:46AM UTC
Comment Actions
witchyworld on Chapter 9 Tue 13 May 2025 02:20PM UTC
Comment Actions
Galpaladin on Chapter 9 Wed 14 May 2025 12:12PM UTC
Comment Actions
ScaleZ on Chapter 9 Wed 14 May 2025 12:02PM UTC
Comment Actions
Galpaladin on Chapter 9 Wed 14 May 2025 12:13PM UTC
Comment Actions
ScaleZ on Chapter 9 Wed 14 May 2025 04:51PM UTC
Comment Actions
Galpaladin on Chapter 9 Fri 13 Jun 2025 07:23PM UTC
Comment Actions
ArchaludonTheSillyBridge on Chapter 9 Wed 14 May 2025 04:17PM UTC
Comment Actions
Galpaladin on Chapter 9 Fri 13 Jun 2025 07:23PM UTC
Comment Actions
plasma_in_ink on Chapter 10 Thu 10 Jul 2025 04:01AM UTC
Comment Actions
plasma_in_ink on Chapter 11 Thu 10 Jul 2025 04:06AM UTC
Comment Actions
ArchaludonTheSillyBridge on Chapter 12 Mon 07 Jul 2025 06:34AM UTC
Comment Actions
Galpaladin on Chapter 12 Tue 08 Jul 2025 06:44PM UTC
Comment Actions
ArchaludonTheSillyBridge on Chapter 14 Mon 04 Aug 2025 03:28AM UTC
Last Edited Mon 04 Aug 2025 03:31AM UTC
Comment Actions
Galpaladin on Chapter 14 Mon 04 Aug 2025 03:57AM UTC
Comment Actions
Guest (Guest) on Chapter 14 Mon 04 Aug 2025 04:11AM UTC
Comment Actions
Galpaladin on Chapter 14 Mon 04 Aug 2025 04:15AM UTC
Comment Actions
plasma_in_ink on Chapter 14 Tue 05 Aug 2025 08:22AM UTC
Comment Actions
Galpaladin on Chapter 14 Tue 05 Aug 2025 04:42PM UTC
Comment Actions
plasma_in_ink on Chapter 14 Tue 05 Aug 2025 05:38PM UTC
Comment Actions
plasma_in_ink on Chapter 16 Sun 31 Aug 2025 06:50PM UTC
Comment Actions