Chapter Text
The world was almost empty, except for one person who stood alone in the darkness. Nothing but the sound of his footsteps echoed out into the world around him.
"Bonjour to every one of you! My name is Augustine Sycamore, the Pokémon Professor of the Kalos region!"
He threw a sphere into the air. A bright flash lit up the space, shifting the world from black to white. When the light dissipated completely, a small goat creature remained. It let out a small cry, the grassy neck rustling as it ran around in the space with unrestrained glee. Sycamore chuckled. With a whistle, the creature ran towards the brunette with a happy bleat.
"Pokémonlive in every corner of the world, whether it be on the highest of mountains, the wide grassy plains, the deepest of oceans, or the skies above us."
Images of the world circled him. A flock of bird-like creatures with cloud-shaped wings flew near the sunset, their warbling cries echoing in the endless expanse that was the sky. A group of horses with fiery manes dashed around the plains at night, the embers of their trails never once setting the grass beneath them aflame. Under the beautiful blue ocean were fish-like monsters that swam with their groups, setting off a rainbow of colors underneath the waves. Towering mountains had enormous creatures that resembled the white powdered treetops who strode through the snow with smaller versions of them waddling behind.
"We interact with Pokémon, forming bonds with them and catching them using Pokeballs." He spread out his arms, his white coat fluttering behind him. "And in this world, the way that Trainers introduce themselves is through a Pokémon Battle! Partaking in the Pokémon League Challenge is something that many aspiring Trainers undergo! By challenging Gym Leaders and fighting against the Elite Four who are a part of the Pokémon League, one can see their talents and strength shine amongst the best of the best!"
A wave of cheers roared in the white world that Sycamore showed. From what one could see, there were towering pillars of white that held the symbols of all Pokémontypes. In the background were multi-colored glass windows depicting the same sphere, the Pokeball, that Sycamore had thrown. However, the most attention-grabbing of all these things were the two people standing on opposite sides.
"...And the strongest that stands beyond all of them is the PokémonLeague Champion!"
One end was a young woman in white with similarly-colored wings. On the other end was a dark-haired teen who threw a Pokeball. In a burst of light, it unleashed an unsheathed sword darting at its opponent with no hesitation.
"Use Iron Head, Aegis!" A spark of light dashed across the blue eyes of the young Trainer as she gave her command. "Meet them head-on!"
A surging force blasted towards the maiden-like creature, knocking it back. Before Aegis could pull away, it glowed a bright blue light before being thrust into the sky and slammed into the ground with an earth-shattering crack.
"Let's finish this with a Moonblast, Gardevoir!"
"King's Shield!"
The collision of those two forces instantly whited out the world before fading into the visage of Professor Sycamore.
"To you, a brand-new budding Trainer, I welcome you into the world of Pokémon!"
"...Man, did I use a pun... in my Championship battle? Did I even realize I made a pun in the first place...?"
It was a beautiful day in the Pokémon Research Labs Garden located within Lumiose City. Lush trees and plants of all kinds covered the area. Flourishing flowers ranging from red to blue to white and more filled the space with color. A sizable pool of water had several fish Pokémon swimming in the current, looking as peaceful as ever. The chirps of bird Pokémon resounded in the air, only matched by the laughter coming from the balcony that overlooked the beautiful scenery. Two figures sat under an umbrella table to shield themselves from the sunlight that filtered through the glass roof of the garden. Between them was a dessert-tiered display that had all sorts of Pokepuffs [1], cakes, and sandwiches. A pot of tea and a pot of coffee sat to the side, warm to the touch.
"You're the same as ever, Soni! Even if you're the Pokémon Champion of Kalos and a part-timer in advancing Pokémon-related technology, you're the same tiny kid who barged into the Lab with a Ralts [2] in your arms." Professor Sycamore leaned back in his seat, wiping a tear from his eye. "Ah, the nostalgia... You've grown up so fast..."
"I'm still the same person, even with the Champion title attached to me." The teenage girl rolled her eyes at the dramatic man before looking at the garden below. "I'm not gonna lie though. It gets boring when there's no one to battle. Although I have been training other Pokémon in the meantime. That keeps me busy, at least."
"Ah yes, the biggest dilemma of Champions is how they deal with their spare time once they become the best of the best." He nodded, taking a sip of his coffee. "After all, not just anyone can challenge the Pokémon Champion."
"Informal ones are fine. It'd be a problem for the League if I lost a battle to some random person on the road. The paperwork for that sounds like an absolute nightmare." Soni shrugged before taking a Pokepuff from the tiered dessert rack. "I'm just glad that I don't have to deal with that mess."
"Mm, one should enjoy their youth as long as possible, although I feel as though you're just trying to avoid your Champion-related paperwork." He shot her a grin. "Am I right or am I wrong?"
"Stop looking at me like that, Professor." Soni looked away, huffing. "What other responsibilities do I have other than overseeing the Gyms and doing Trainer maintenance on my Pokémon? The actual paperwork goes to the Pokémon League Registration Group. I only get called in whenever it concerns big problems."
"The... usual things that you do in your spare time?"
"Dealing with the Team Flare remnants, Professor?" She took a sip of her tea. "Or their new name, Neo Flare? You don't need to toe around the topic. I'm not gonna go off on you like an Exploud."
The 'Not anymore' was unspoken, but felt. The Holo Caster [3] in her shoulder bag sat heavier. Despite it not being used anymore, it always remained charged. How strange.
"...That group was certainly something." He said. "Things have changed."
"Ain't that the truth." Soni mumbled out.
Team Flare, a group of very bright red individuals led by Lysandre of a major corporation, was nothing short of a pain in Soni's ass, both before and after her Champion title. Often running around and causing trouble for a world that they would rule. Villains who wanted to remake the world were stopped by a hero was the textbook classic of a Hero VS Bad Guy story. People who hear about it would roll their eyes at how cheesy it would sound.
Yet, it was all undeniably real.
To the people involved, to the people who stopped the organization, to the people and Pokémon who were victims of the organization and their crimes. It still baffled Soni how often people thought they were safe, simply because there was no visible presence to the group in the world. As if crime syndicates couldn't be discrete after being revealed to the world. As if it was nothing more than a piece of fiction.
Red, an incredibly powerful Pokémon Trainer from Kanto, took down Team Rocket before becoming the Kanto League Champion in a battle against the then-crowned Champion, Blue. He was a prime example of those heroes who took down the villains. Except, unlike the stories, the evil team didn't just stop existing after the fall of their leader. That much was proven when Team Rocket resurged in Johto after three years before falling once more from the public eye, this time to another Trainer that eventually became the Johto League Champion.
Of course, not many people talk about it openly. As if merely speaking their name would summon them into existence.
In the streets where people chatted with one another, paying no mind to the people around.
In the cafes when she snuck out to enjoy herself after a long day of training where she would take her time to relax.
In the hotels she stayed at when camping outside wasn't a good option, whether it was due to the weather or for safety reasons.
In the Gyms that she visited when she traveled throughout the region and outside of it.
The whispers of how Team Flare was simply biding their time until they would come back and strike the Kalos region from the shadows. To re-emerge from the dying embers of their deceased leader's dreams in creating an eternally beautiful world and to take the world as their own to rule.
Soni was strong enough to earn her title as Champion, regardless of what other people believed.
"Who knew that the new Champion was just a kid? The Kalos region isn't as strong as it used to be..."
To protect her home region, despite being only fourteen at the time.
"What were they thinking? A child earning the Honor of Kalos? Great Arceus above, why were children dealing with something that trained professionals- even the bloody police are supposed to handle?"
The undeniable fact of her life was that Soni was young.
Easily one of the youngest Champions in Kalosian history.
But it was also an undeniable fact that she was and still is a child in the eyes of the public.
Diantha's die-hard fans still refused to acknowledge Soni to this day, as if their adamant behavior towards her would make her cave in and hand the title back to the movie star. Frankly speaking, they would've been displeased with anyone who managed to take down Diantha. Even if the movie star hadn't lost, she would eventually have to hand over the position to someone else, whether it was through recommendation or through a battle. Change was an inevitable thing in life.
To not have that...
Her fingers curled tightly around the handle of her teacup, the sweet fragrance of the tea washing over her. It smelled cloyingly sweet. Without saying anything, the Professor pushed the desserts closer to her and she held a cookie in her fingers.
She remembered the day when she met that man in the labs. It was that sinking feeling that never made sense to her. He was kind, considerate, and charismatic. But despite those things, Soni felt as though there was something different about him that she kept her distance from him.
It wasn't until later on that she realized why she felt that way.
Until she realized that he wanted to fulfill a dream that still woke her up in the middle of the night.
Until she saw the tendrils of influence he possessed that affected the region from its power supply to controlling Pokémon through Pokeballs to causing mass chaos through the use of his inventions.
Until she faced him, the man who had a dream of ruling a world that would never change because it would be permanently stuck in time.
"I would make this world unchanging and eternal so all beauty will last forever."
Would the world truly be beautiful if it never changed?
"The first step is the start of a thousand step journey, and it is named change," the soft voice of her mother soothed her, the warmth and kindness seeping into her body as she realized the treat in her hands crumbled to pieces. "Acknowledging that nothing stays the same is the first step to improving yourself. Change in itself is difficult, but oh so beautiful."
"I hate," her words were so soft, yet so loud in the quiet between them, "that the people around me are so hesitant to ask me questions about my well-being after all this time. If you're worried about me, I'd be way more comfortable with you admitting it than beating around the bush, Professor."
"...Does it still hurt?"
"...I've gotten better at dealing with the pain by now. Time away from everything does wonders for your temper," She rubbed her wrist, the rainbow-hued stone feeling warm under her touch. "On other things, I think about it, but that's pretty normal in my situation."
"I'm afraid that not many people are in your particular position, Soni." He smiled faintly. "It is a rather unique situation."
"Now that I think about it, I could've lost against Diantha at any moment in that battle. She even Mega Evolved her ace Pokémon, but I managed to get through by the skin of my teeth through type advantages."
Soni remembered looking through the video footage over and over again, seeing the multiple ways that the battle could've ended shifting in Diantha's win had she not prepared for the battle a thousand times over. Pokémon battles in and of themselves required Trainers to be flexible with their plans because things that came in the moment worked to fool their opponent, securing the win.
"Risk and reward or practical and predictable, both have their charm." Her Granny told her once upon a time. "What shall you choose, Soni dear?"
"Speaking of Diantha, she recently visited your grandmother in Ballonlea Town and even took quite the fashionable photo with her." He waved over his Rotom Phone [4] to show her. "Don't they look stunning?"
"....Like I know that Granny loves pink, but that outfit that they're both wearing is a bit much for my tastes."
The Professor chuckled, letting the phone float on its own. "I'm not too surprised. After all, isn't your grandmother's favorite color pink?"
"No, it's purple."
He blinked. "Pardon?"
"Despite everything about her being pink, her favorite color is purple." Shoving another Pokepuff into her mouth, Soni chewed before continuing. "I was so confused as a kid when she told me how 'Pink isn't just a color, Soni dear! It's a way of seeing things!' I thought I had to wear pink-tinted glasses to understand her because I'd be seeing pink, y'know?"
"Perhaps it's a quote that The Wizard of Ballonlea would come up with to test people and their abilities. I've heard rumors that she-"
Bing! You've got a message!
"Sorry, hang on. Rotophone, can you please show me my messages? Thanks." It whirred to life with a chirp. Switching on with a click, Soni froze. "...Ah. Okay, can you type out 'I'm on my way!'? Be sure to type it out completely since she doesn't like it when I use text-talk."
"What's wrong-?"
"Well, turns out that Granny's in Kalos! As in, right this second she's in Kalos. I have to go meet up with her!" Soni pulled on the long, gray coat that hung on the back of her chair before looking at him. "Can I get the Pokepuffs to-go? These will be a nice welcoming gift into the Kalos region."
"Of course." The Professor shouted to the girl who ran out the door. "Remember to test out the portable PC I gave you and their external attachments! Make sure to record the test results of PC transfers with your Pokémon and send it by next week, Skiddo [5]! Also, don't forget to stock up on Pokeballs!"
"C'mon back everyone! We're heading out!" Flashes of light encapsulated them before being tucked into her belt, she waved good-bye, "I will, Professor Sycamore! Don't worry!"
Making sure the delicious desserts were tucked away safely in her bag one final time, Soni pulled on her hat over her head before walking through the winding streets of Lumiose City.
Skiddo were on the sidewalk, sleeping peacefully as always. The sound of music being played from the common street cafe filled the air within the vibrant city that was the center of Kalos. Fletchling flew through the air, letting out high-pitched chirps. People crowded the streets. Whether it was the commuters leaving their workplaces to go home or Pokémon Trainers trying to secure a last-minute Gym Battle before the Gym closed down for the night, the world was vibrant and alive with everyone going about their day. Tourists hurried to the biggest attraction in the city, the Lumiose Tower, which shined beautifully in all its glory in the approaching evening night.
"Does it still hurt?"
Gloved fingers rubbed her wrist where her Key Stone shined. The Professor was most definitely going to ask her again later. She wasn't lying about the pain.
It took time to heal from all that had happened, but that was expected.
The blast shook the underground building. The earth tore itself apart as the Ultimate Weapon came to life after lying dormant for three thousand years. Her rival-friends ran as she fought Lysandre alone, heart in her throat as she screamed out battle commands. The giant blue blur glowed all the colors of the rainbow as the burning pain hurt that coursed through her became utterly unbearable.
Pain.
So much pain-
The sound of a whinnying horse brought her back to the scenery of Lumiose City, beautiful as ever. Except standing before her was a black carriage lined with lanterns that glowed an unnatural green hue. Two horse-like creatures that she'd never seen before huffed at her. However, the thing that stood out to her the most was the coffin that lay in the carriage itself. Approaching the carriage, the sleek, black coffin itself was eerily beautiful with the topmost portion of it having a shiny surface- a mirror, Soni realized. The black hair and pale skin from her mother paired with the vibrant blue eyes from her father stared back at her. The back of her neck tingled. She took a step back.
Was the coffin in the carriage a new regional variant of Cofa*grigus [6]?She'd heard of something like that in Galar being discovered recently.
Ah, my dear beloved,
The noble and beautiful flower of evil,
Truly, you are the most beautiful of all.
Pain exploded in the back of her head. She felt her mouth opening but she didn't know if she was screaming or not. If she was, why didn't anyone come to help her? Didn't they hear her? All Soni knew was that she was kneeling on the ground, clutching her ears to stop the pain with her mouth wide open.
Mirror, mirror on the wall...
Who is the...
"Shut up!" Her breath came out in short puffs, her vision growing blurrier. She couldn't think as clearly as she wanted to, much less stand up on her two feet to run away from whatever this voice was. The Pokeballs on her belt vibrated wildly from her distress. "Come out, you Mudbrays [7]!"
Those who are guided by the dark mirror...
As long as your heart desires,
Take the hand that appears in the mirror.
Everything shifted. Warping and warping into a blur of colors. Up, down, left, or right. What was the direction she sought? Everything was a mess of color that made no sense at all. The only thing that made sense was that she was in pain. She held herself together as if she was about to shatter into pieces.
The pain.
The pain.
It was just like before.
No.
No.
He was caught in the blast of the Ultimate Weapon, forever buried in a crater in a town that had been the graveyard of hundreds of Pokémon from thousands of years ago. The weapon itself was destroyed to the point that it couldn't be repaired, especially when the leading scientist surrendered himself after his projects. It was either that or-
He couldn't be.
No no no no no-
The colors of the world slipped away from her.
"For me. For them. For you."
A forest with a brightly lit moon...
"We are all running out of time."
The clopping of hooves on the road to a castle cloaked in the moonlight...
"No matter what..."
Soni reached out, "Someone ...Help me... Please."
"Never let go of my hand."
The world fell silent with the moon peeking over Lumiose City, a sight that is not typically seen in the confines of the city.
It was a truly beautiful night, both here and beyond where our eyes can see.
Shall we go on a carriage ride and see what life can bring us?
