Lillie texted me to thank me for the Dream Mist and to tell me about her days. She liked the Halloween pictures we sent her.

  Spinel texted me to let me know there’s someone in Hoenn who could tell me a thing or two about research. He thanked me belatedly for the birthday cupcakes.

  Juniper has texted me to enquire how I’m doing in Hoenn. She is worried.

  Vivian texted me to tell me about Coro and Unfezant. She’s not worried.

  I haven’t replied to anyone.

  My whole body feels leaden, and I can’t remember the last time I left this room. Even when Zir asked if I would help him with a minor task, I didn’t lift a finger. I’ve barely managed to feed my team for five days now.

  Simultaneously, there’s this buzzing in my head. A voice I can barely hear properly and that has already reached me once here in Rustboro City. It seems a bit washed out, and the few things I understand consist of the same words over and over again.

  “They will come. Help us! Someone...”

  I would like to press my head into the pillow and forget that the world exists. Then I could sink into this hole that has opened up inside me like an endlessly deep abyss after I left Amethio at the festival.

  After his rejection, we came back separately and haven’t said a word to each other since.

  When Growlithe pushes her nose under my hand to offer me support, I can’t even muster a smile. Ying is lying somewhere behind me – at least her tail is resting on my hip – and Eevee is curled up at the foot of the bed. Now and then Mirra strokes my head with one claw. They are all with me while I act like someone important has died.

  I’m probably being dramatic. But knowing that my time with Amethio was nothing more than a mountain of compromises for him hurts more than it should. Worse still, especially now that I know he has no feelings for me, my own ones seem all the clearer.

  I still long for him.

  No.

  I love him.

  Gasping, I bury my head in the pillow and block out everything around me. If I were to crawl out of bed, I would eventually come face to face with Amethio, and after what has happened, I don’t know how to look him in the eye. Only the idea is unpleasant.

  Then again, I have to get out of here. Maybe I should give my Pokémon some space, and exercise wouldn’t do me any harm, either. But what should I do? How can I get out of here without fearing the consequences?

  Carefully, I feel for my Rotom, which pushes itself into my hand as if it knows how indecisive I am. Then I scroll through all the recent messages. Finally, my gaze lingers on Conia.

  But before I can decide to write to her, I receive a message from her. A simple offer that makes me gulp.

  Hey, would you like to go shopping with me?

  There’s a market in Slateport City that’s about to end,

  and since our search is stagnant, we could take our time.

  The Rising Volt Tacklers are also nearby.

  Maybe we can accomplish something.

  I don’t want to. I don’t want to go to that cursed market where my heart was broken. Going back there would only bring up memories I’d rather erase. It’s almost laughable, considering I want nothing more than to get my memories back. There are probably things I would rather bury again in the end, but what I have experienced isn’t a wishful memoir, and I have to come to terms with what has happened.

  So I gather all my strength and write back to Conia. It’s time to pull myself together and move on.

  》 WHISPERS 《

  Thanks to the sun, the cold today is only half as stinging as usual. On board the small ship, it’s easy to keep up with Conia. My team is safely packed up by my side, and I have everything I need to fight a battle should it come down to it. Everything weighs a little less out here, and yet my companion looks at me as if I’ve told her about my mother’s death. She probably already knows what happened.

  “What is it?” I finally turn to her, a laboured twitch on my lips.

  “Nothing!” She immediately raises her hands. “Just ... Zir said that you haven’t replied to any of his messages, and he ... Amethio can hardly be reached as well. We are aware you two were together recently, and... Did something happen?”

  So she’s not aware that I’ve made an unpleasant confession. And telling her about it is out of the question. It would just make our trip that much more bitter. I kind of want to enjoy this, take a deep breath and look with a clear mind at the things that seem terribly bleak right now.

  “No, I just didn’t sleep that well, and ... I think I’m falling ill.” A cheap excuse that Conia immediately sees through when she raises her eyebrows and purses her lips. She probably wants to follow up, but in the end she doesn’t ask more questions.

  She knows when it’s better to hold back. Not at all like me.

  She doesn’t make another sound until we enter the market. It is only between the stalls and goods, where the topics of conversation seem endless, that the mood between us lightens. It’s the magic of the colourful hustle and bustle that once sucked Amethio and me in, too. It’s doing it again here and now. However, with Conia it’s not a date, not a longed-for moment – just an outing that takes some of the weight off my heart.

  Just like last time, I wander between the stalls to look at what’s on offer. There is nothing left of the ash I once wanted to buy. Instead, bracelets of friendship are being sold, which you can give to each other as gifts and also attach to Pokémon. Among them is a light purple one with a small Sliggoo on it. I can’t help but take it and grab two more – one with the locally popular Swablu and one with an Aron print – before finally passing one of them on to Conia.

  “So cute!” She immediately takes a liking to Swablu, and when she carefully takes it between her fingers, she lets out such a soft “thank you” that I can barely hear it.

  “Friendship bracelets are apparently rather popular.” With difficulty, I put the purple ribbon around my wrist. “And ... we’ve been together for a while. We’re friends, aren’t we?” I’m not just imagining it, am I?

  This strange fear in the back of my mind is scratching at my sanity, but Conia nods. With a single gesture, my worries fade away.

  “We are!” Her smile seems radiant. “I’m very glad we’re friends.”

  At least in this case, my mind hasn’t fooled me. If I had failed here too, I would probably have gone back to Spinel. There’s no question I’m friends with him. We settled that issue a while ago.

  Continuing to wander through the crowd with Conia becomes easier, but my thoughts begin to drift off. What lies ahead of me is the question of what to do next. It’s going to be awkward between me and Amethio if we have to take care of something together. On top, there’s this worry that I might not be able to stop feeling these things for him. This affection that comes with a desire for more.

  It would be more respectful to pull back and accept the circumstances, but feelings can’t just be switched off. I can’t stop dreaming of being close to him overnight. That would be a lie. A game that forces me to run away from myself and pretend that everything is fine.

  “We should look at the Rising Volt Tacklers soon.” I shake off my thoughts, turning to Conia again. “Any information will help us.”

  Besides, they’re still after me. My father must have told them to do everything they can to bring me home. That’s another component I need to observe. Anything else is nothing but trouble, which we don’t need right now.

  “I’m just going to buy a few more of these.” My companion points to a few colourful bars that resemble sweets and don’t look like they can be found anywhere. “Pokéblocks are a speciality here.”

  All I can do is nod. Normally I’m more enthusiastic about these things, but at this moment I want to pursue my thoughts or an activity that doesn’t somehow attach itself to Amethio.

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  So I stroll two stalls further on, where a few Poké Balls are on offer in various designs. There are also belts on sale to which they can be attached, and I can’t help but buy one in a deep black colour. The silver holders are barely noticeable, and I’m almost grateful that it matches my uniform. Immediately afterwards, I turn my attention to the balls. I pick one up, twist and turn the smooth surface between my fingers and still can’t concentrate. Instead, my interest glides over the crowd. Over children, older people, families. Among them is a man with white hair and a flight jacket who speaks to me. Someone I’ve seen before.

  Friede.

  Immediately, I stumble back a step, only to bump into someone behind me. A glance over my shoulder brings Conia into view, looking at me with wide eyes before she too realises our situation. It’s a single breath in which she tightens her shoulders and reaches for a Poké Ball.

  “The Rising Volt Tacklers?” Her astonishment doesn’t quite match what she said before. We knew this troop was within range. But running into them in the middle of the market is at least as unplanned as a fight in the middle of this crowd. Still, Conia lets Golduck out of her ball. “What are you doing here?”

  “We’re still on a mission to bring the girl back home.” Without further ado, he ventures a step closer to us – close enough to communicate without having to shout overly loudly. The crowd simply bypasses us, forming a kind of air pocket that hands the words back and forth between us. “We’ve met before in the Galar mines.”

  Crossing my arms in front of my chest, I step slightly away from the stand. “I remember.”

  We both know there’s nothing else he can say to make these circumstances more pleasant. The truth is, all of this is nothing more than useless small talk. I don’t want to get any closer to that stranger there, and I don’t want to deal with him and my father. Not if it restricts my freedom.

  “So you’re Domino?”

  Before I can decide to grab Ying’s ball and position myself clearly at Conia’s side, another figure steps onto the field. An old lady in a pink jumpsuit with dark blue hair that ends just above her shoulder. She is unknown to me, a new opponent in an old problem that I can no longer avoid here and now.

  “Your father is worried about you.” Her voice has a roughness to it that also conveys a warmth that emphasises her age. She strikes me as someone who has seen the entire world – and therefore probably girls like me too.

  “I know,” I reply curtly. There’s no way I’m going to let her lull me into a false sense of security. “He let me know a while ago. But until he’s willing to give me answers, I’m not interested in going home. I’m part of the Explorers.”

  “You joined the Explorers voluntarily?” As if surprised, the stranger tilts her head. “So you’re joining the cause of this organisation?”

  For a second, it seems as if I’ve made the wrong decision; as if there’s something reprehensible about wanting to protect people from the power of Terapagos. With the Explorers, I can see the world, and I get the chance to make a difference. Unova proved it, even if gaining victory was harder than I’d like to admit.

  Conia next to me is already opening her mouth in defence of the Explorers. I know it. I wouldn’t act any differently if I were her. But this is my fight, which is why I put a hand on her shoulder and don’t let her get a word in. If the Rising Volt Tacklers want to badmouth my choice, I will stand up to them. I owe Amethio and the others that much.

  “I practically forced myself on them. The rest is self-explanatory.”

  My words make them both look at me as if it isn’t the truth, with Friede clearly more sceptical than his companion. Putting his hands at his sides, he takes a deep breath before replying, “I’m afraid I can’t let you go.” Immediately afterwards, he pulls out a Poké Ball. “Your father has hired the Rising Volt Tacklers for your safety. That means we’re going to take you home.” The smile on his lips seems almost smug. “I hope we can sort this out without –”

  “Whatever,” I interrupt him. If I need to make them realise how serious I am, they’re welcome to go for it. It’s child’s play to pick up Ying’s ball, and letting her out is the first step to freeing myself from the shackles of our pursuers. The second is to put our opponents to flight.

  Friede accepts this fight as he summons his Charizard. Roars spill over the passers-by, and while some of them realise we’re going to have a battle here, others don’t even shrug their shoulders. For these people it must be a spectacle, an attraction. One in which my freedom is at stake.

  “Don’t think we’re going to make this easy for you!” Finally, Conia’s comment drags me out of my thoughts. She’s still willing to fight this battle with me, and it’s probably the first time we’ve faced a problem together since my test with Amethio.

  But before any of us can shout an order, the stranger intervenes. She takes a step forward, right next to Charizard, a fiery smile on her wrinkled features. With a single grip, she fastens the yellow hairband on her head. Immediately afterwards, an Arcanine appears beside her. “If you’ll let me, I’d like to devote myself to the girl.”

  She knows exactly what she wants. Her upright posture, her confident demeanour – these are things I would also like to master one day. This is a person who can rely on her team and has enough strength to face dangers with ease. All this without seeing her partners hurt.

  At this moment, however, only one of us can hold the upper hand, and as Friede gains some distance and utters a curt “Fine by me”, it is clear I have to prove here and now how much stronger my team has become and that I can do them justice. Everything else no longer plays a role, is faded out and sorted into the furthest corner of my mind.

  Then I open this fight. “Ying, bite!”

  In just one blink, Zoroark chases towards her opponent. Arcanine, however, isn’t willing to wait. It too leaps forward, straight towards my Pokémon. Ying doesn’t even get to open her mouth before Arcanine hurls a flamethrower at her.

  She immediately dodges to the side, skilfully dances back and then lets me direct her into a night daze. The dark energy on her body is so intense that it nearly drips to the ground. It’s the same instant that our opponent wraps themself in flames. Flames tug at the Fire-type’s fur, heat travels to my skin, and when Yings hurls her energy at Arcanine as a dark wall, it chases towards us in return in a flash.

  Night daze crashes relentlessly into flare blitz, wrapping around Arcanine’s body and burning it simultaneously. The fire detaches from its fur, travelling through every bit of dark energy like countless lightning bolts and transforming into a wall of flame that ebbs away on all sides.

  It reaches almost as far as Friede and Conia, who have only gained a small distance from us. The sparks of this battle spill over, threatening to set fire to the neighbouring stands. But nothing happens.

  Only a drop of rain hitting my skin out of nowhere and making me look upwards brings a certain change. It’s going to rain. Our advantage grows.

  Our opponents also recognise the change in the situation, so Arcanine takes a few leaps back, and I use the moment to send Ying chasing after it. “Pursuit!”

  “Sit this one out!”

  Contrary to my expectations, the stranger doesn’t counterattack. Instead, she allows Ying to bridge the distance and hit Arcanine in the face with a paw so hard it slides back a few more steps. However, it only takes a single second for the fire Pokémon’s hair to stand on end and visibly orange-coloured energy to tremble over its body.

  “Ying, back to me!” I don’t know what it is, but everything inside me is screaming to retreat.

  Zoroark immediately complies with my command but isn’t fast enough to dodge the sudden flamethrower that Arcanine hurls at her. Raising her arms, Ying fights back with everything she has. Fire flickers through her fur, scorching it and setting a few tips on fire. But her energy protects her from further damage. She knows how to shield her body before throwing herself to the ground and rolling once to extinguish the last few flames.

  “Good reaction,” the stranger praises me. “My partner has the skill ‘Justified’. Dark-type attacks increase its offence.”

  That was the bad feeling under my skin. That unpleasant tugging in my stomach that still couldn’t save Ying from the fire that followed. Yet she is still standing, and we can win this battle.

  For a moment, our Pokémon stand facing each other, completely motionless. Then my opponent urges Arcanine to extreme speed, causing her partner to chase in Ying’s direction at breakneck speed. It’s a single second in which we have to act. A single breath in which I am ready to let Zoroark launch a counterattack.

  “Foul play!”

  Ying can’t react before Arcanine appears in front of her. Raising both paws to strike, the fire Pokémon bares its teeth and lunges at her with all its might. But the powerful teeth of our enemy snap into nothingness as Zoroark takes a step backwards and then hastily crouches down. Arcanine’s paws slam together above her – a window of opportunity she uses to ram her claws into her opponent’s stomach from below.

  Gasps escape from the Pokémon, saliva comes out of its snout, and when Ying throws it back with force, I think I even hear a muffled yelp. The old woman’s worried look only briefly grazes her partner. Arcanine is back on its feet faster than I can catch my breath, and the growl in its throat is ready to tear Ying to pieces.

  I should probably be worried, but the warm reassurance that we’re strong enough to win this fight gives me strength. Here and now, I don’t have to wonder if I’m enough of a trainer for Ying. We are better than that. We have learnt. We –

  The sudden screech of a Pokémon thunders so strongly in my ears that my heart skips a beat. Even my counterpart’s shoulders tighten as if it’s going through her marrow. It allows me to focus my attention on Conia – on my friend, whose Golduck sits half-burnt on her knees. Every breath looks painful, and when her partner raises her head, the pink burn marks on her skin seem only half as bad as the fact that one of her eyes appears damaged. She pinches it shut, defenceless and battered, while Conia clenches her hands into fists behind her.

  She can’t win. Not against a Charizard that swells its chest again, ready to give her the final blow.

  We have no choice. I have no choice.

  Either I admit defeat here and now, or Conia pays a price she won’t be able to bear.

  “Stop it!” The plea escapes me so loudly it shakes through my whole body. “I’m coming with you!”

  It’s the only right thing to do.

  Immediately, Friede’s interest wanders in my direction, and Charizard holds its breath. What remains is Conia’s incredulous look. We both know we can’t go on like this. Who knows if her Golduck will ever recover from the burns?

  “Domino!” Still, she has nothing but protest for me. If Amethio were here now, the fight wouldn’t end until we found a better option. “We can do this!”

  But maybe it’s better this way. Maybe I can reduce the trouble I’m causing this troupe. It’s quite simple. I’ll go with the Rising Volt Tacklers, look for an escape route, find my way back to the Explorers, and then think about how I want to proceed. It’s probably exactly what I need. That way, Amethio and I won’t have to look each other in the eye.

  It’s easy to shake my head at that thought. “Tell Amethio ... that I can manage without him.”

  With a wave of my hand, I call Ying back to her Poké Ball and then immediately bridge the distance to the stranger, who looks at me as if I’m doing something completely incomprehensible. Maybe I’m just imagining it. My senses are a mess that I don’t want to face any longer. Yet I take one last look towards Friede. What I do know is that I didn’t think he was that kind of trainer – a man who eliminates his opponents. Even when it’s of no use.

  He notices but shows no emotion. Instead, he puts on a cheerful smile. “Give my regards to Amethio! If he wants her back, he should do better than he did trying to steal Liko’s pendant. That is, unless the Explorers can afford another defeat.”

  A provocation. Worse still, pure mockery that will drive Amethio nuts. Not least because the two of them have known each other for longer than I have known them. This mutual irritation has already been met with tense tempers in the Galar mines.

  I don’t even want to know how Amethio will react to this.

  And ultimately it’s not my problem. Amethio won’t come for me.

  Not after what’s happened.