Janine gripped the straps of her backpack, head tilting up to observe the tall surroundings of Viridian City. "Stay close to me, Bulbasaur." her partner nodded, remaining about as close to her legs as he reasonably could without getting accidentally kicked as the duo followed the signs to find the Pokemon Center.

  Over the past couple of hours, the day had improved for them, and the purple-haired girl was grateful. At one of the city's sanctioned events, the two had surprisingly encountered a Zubat. The awkward air between them had gradually dispelled during the battle, and the two learned to work together before successfully capturing him. The invisible wall between the pair became rather feeble going forward, and to her delight their interactions were not drastically but still noticeably less distant.

  Finally finding a trainer willing to battle them had been equally uplifting. Janine wasn't certain what had gone differently compared to the rejections she had received earlier, but after facing their first opponent (and winning), the last of her to-do list had been crossed out, and it was time to set off while they still had a fair amount of daylight.

  Her initial plan had been to travel northwest. Going over the bridge would take her and her two teammates to the road leading to Celadon. Going too far north elsewhere would border on suicide, but the planned path would be not only be an ideal starting point, but also put her on course to one of the beginner friendly Gyms, typically recommended for a rookie seeking their first badge. Getting there on foot would certainly take time, maybe even a week, but all of that could be put to good use training and making preparations as they went.

  Those plans had changed by the time she was ready to leave, however. A fair amount of Fuchsia trainers had taken to that option, and as she thought back to the veiled fear that she and Bulbasaur had been looked upon and spoken to throughout the first half of the day, she found her feet growing cold. Thankfully, it was not the only option, as Fuchsia was one of the cities that offered the League's special teleporting service on Opening Day only (the rookies headed northwest likely found it preferable to take the longer but affordable route to Celadon over spending money on teleportation). Teleporting straight towards Celadon City proper to skip over the crowd was the first idea to come to her mind, but she backed out of the thought. Although nothing would stop her and her teammates from training within and around the city itself, the girl wished for proper traveling experience prior to challenging her first Gym, and as a result, her laid out course was greatly altered: She had chosen to go to Viridian City instead.

  That would make Pewter's Gym a logical first target, and the more Janine thought of it, the more appealing the idea became. Viridian Forest had a troublesome reputation, with rumors of the despicable Bug Catcher gang and horror stories of the forest itself being haunted and driving trainers mad, but it would provide her with the experience she sought out. Perhaps more tempting was Pewter being the historical landmark of Indigo's entirety. Visiting the city was always high on her list of things she wanted to do in her travels, and with some satisfaction, she realized that there was little incentive to wait.

  Janine attempted to avoid childish marveling, but as she and Bulbasaur walked through Viridian on their way to the Center, she soon found she could suppress herself no further. Sure, she had known what this city would look like, but being in it? Everything was different from back home, the buildings looked so cool up close, and the scenery was nothing like any environment she'd been in before. Beside her, Bulbasaur's wide eyes looked as though they were soaking up every image like a sponge.

  "Quite the scene, is it not, Bulbasaur?" Janine took a moment to pause when she saw the Center in the near distance. Looking down at her starter, she felt at ease when he met her gaze without any visible hesitation. "This may only be a hint of how traveling will feel. We can get a good start in the forest at the rate we are going, right after Zubat gets checked."

  Although Bulbasaur wasn't smiling, he was fairly relaxed, certainly the most he had been so far. The girl was beyond relieved knowing that she would be setting off on the road with her and her first partner having found some ground together, and looking at him now tempted her. After a moment or two of thought, she crouched down, careful to make sure that her movement was not too sudden. Now at even level with him, she studied his expression, which had not changed or tensed, before slowly reaching her hand out. She felt a flood of warmth in her chest when he did not resist her, allowing her hand to pat his head.

  Her lips stretched, and she could have sworn she saw the faintest of grins forming across Bulbasaur's mouth. Standing back up, she let out a content breath, and gave the grass/poison type a nod.

  "Let's get going, Bulbasaur."

  /

  Zubat's condition required little more than a short rest in the healing machines before he would be ready. Since Janine and Bulbasaur had already eaten back at Fuchsia, she opted for the waiting room instead of the cafeteria. Walking in, the pair noticed two other kids: One was a girl with dark tan skin and flashy hair that mixed red, blue, and purple. Wrapped in a ponytail, her hair resembled a spiral of colors. The other was a boy with light blonde hair cut so short it barely covered the scalp. With the two kids was a Charmander and Chikorita, and they seemed to be chatting like it was the most casual thing in the world. As she looked at them, images of the apprehensive looks and mutterings from Fuchsia passed through Janine's mind, and she consciously sat at the other side of the room.

  "It is supposed to rain later today, according to the report." Janine made herself comfortable in one of the cushioned chairs while pulling out one of the books she had packed. "We don't have an umbrella big enough for a tent." inwardly, she cursed herself for the oversight. Father would be ashamed of her if he knew. "But the storm is not supposed to be heavy for too long, so a standard umbrella could do fine until it dies down into a drizzle. Are you okay with that?"

  Her starter nodded. Light rain was hardly a problem for him.

  "Then I guess that means we can proceed as planned," she hummed. Opening the book, she peeked down at her partner. "Nurse Joy said Zubat will only need roughly a half hour, so we won't be long. In the meantime, I figured I could get some reading in." as she spoke the words, she realized something. "Wait, I never told you, did I?" as Bulbasaur tilted his head, she closed the book and held it out to show him the cover. "I mentioned I was a reader, but what I love reading the most is warrior stories. Especially ones with mystery or a bit of fantasy involved. This is supposed to be the second of a series. It's about a young ninja warrior who was disgraced and exiled from her rotten homeland after being framed. While fleeing, she becomes caught up in a century-long conspiracy spanning the whole continent. She seeks challenges from other warriors while traveling between the upper-class cities to investigate their criminal underworld. The first is my favorite book, I have that packed as well. This sequel came out a few days ago, do you want me to read it to you?"

  Bulbasaur looked at the cover for a moment before shaking his head politely. Janine's cheeks turned red for a moment before opening the book again to read it silently. "Heh, sorry. I guess I got a bit carried away. Let's make ourselves comfortable for now." A moment or two later, Bulbasaur caught her attention, suddenly jumping onto the chair next to hers and perching himself. She blinked in surprise, but relaxed as her hand patted his head, this time with a bit less hesitance.

  No more words were exchanged after that, but the two felt each other's company as they sat together. It was probably the most comfortable silence they had shared all day, but it was broken a few minutes later.

  The Charmander and Chikorita in the room had begun playing, the former chasing the latter around the room with giggles while their trainers watched. Charmander would catch up to Chikorita, pouncing on him from behind and resuming the chase after the grass type pushed him off. There was no hostility between either Pokemon, but after the third time, the fire type grew a bit too excited and spat out a ball of flame. Chikorita dodged, and the sudden noise alerted Janine, and Bulbasaur yelped as the small fireball was accidentally sent near them. Neither were in danger of being hit, but on reflex he defensively shot out some leaves to intercept the "attack".

  "Charmer!" The girl with multi-colored hair called as she and the blonde boy shot out of their seats. She rushed over to the fire type, who had an embarrassed look on his face as his trainer knelt down next to him. "No moves in the building, you could've hurt somebody!"

  The Charmander, or "Charmer" scratched his head with a mild frown, which Janine soon found reflected on her own face. The multicolor-haired girl was obviously right to lightly scold her partner in this scenario, but she felt the sudden need to chime in herself, just as reassurance.

  "We're fine over here," she raised her voice politely. "It's okay; you're alright, aren't you Bulbasaur?" Beside her, her starter seemed mildly spooked by what just happened, but nodded, already seemingly getting over it. It was just a split second incident that nobody in the room was likely to remember a few days from now.

  Rubbing the fire type's head, the other girl turned her gaze to Janine and Bulbasaur, and Janine braced herself for the look of recognition, admiration, confusion, or fear. The same collection of expressions everyone her age wore in her presence.

  Instead, the other girl rose to her feet and approached them with an apologetic smile. "That's good to hear, girl. Sorry about my little buddy over there. Charmer's a playful one who loves his energy."

  Janine blinked. The feeling of "bracing herself" froze in her stomach, static and motionless, before a mild feeling of dread began to stir in its place. Any minute now, this girl would recognize her. Her eyes would widen, and she would either start stammering, back away, or look at her in awe.

  It took her a couple of seconds longer than she wished to get her response out, and when she did, the delivery of her words almost felt choppy, and her thoughts only told her one thing. 'Father would be ashamed of you.'

  "Well…" she shifted under the other girl's gaze. "He is a fire type after all."

  "That he is!" the multicolored-haired girl chipperly affirmed. As if by accident, she peered at the book in Janine's hands. "Oh! Labyrinth in Labell, my friend's reading that. How is it?" She sounded curious.

  "Oh, I… just started, actually."

  "Hmmm," the girl nodded, offering a hand. "I'm Jazzy, from right here in Viridian. Nice to meet you."

  The realization in the back of Janine's mind slowly came to the forefront. 'She doesn't know who I am.'

  A bit slower than she would have liked, she accepted the handshake. "Likewise. I'm Janine, from Fuchsia." Now Jazzy would know, and the tone of the conversation would shift.

  But Jazzy's expression remained the same. As she gently shook Janine's hand, the blonde boy approached them, raising a carefree hand. Behind him, Charmer and Chikorita were playing again, this time more lightly. "I'm Mitch, from Blackthorn. Chikorita's my partner."

  As Janine shifted in her seat, she could see Jazzy frowning. Beside her, Bulbasaur's eyes were on her shuffling legs.

  "Hey Janine," gentle consideration laced Jazzy's voice. "Are you doing okay? If Charmer startled you then you can say it. I promise I won't be offended or anything."

  "N-no!" Janine quickly raised her hands in defense. "Sorry about that. I've just had an active day."

  Now that she thought about it, the "looks" seemed to have abruptly stopped when they got to Viridian: She had no longer felt the eyes of passersby on her and Bulbasaur on the way to the Center, or after getting inside.

  "I understand," Mitch crossed his arms, nodding at her with a smooth smile. "It's been busy for me too. But I've had a lot of fun so far."

  "Double!" Jazzy exclaimed. "I haven't even hit the road yet and I'm psyched already. Who cares about some silly forest rumors? I'm going in there tonight!"

  A small grin hesitantly formed on Janine's lips. "I see you're not short on enthusiasm, Jazzy." As she spoke, she felt Butterfree in her stomach when she and Jazzy locked eyes.

  They did not know who she was…

  … No one here knew who she was.

  "You don't know the half of it," Mitch giggled. Charmer and Chikorita came up from behind him, and next to Janine, Bulbasaur's head tilted when their eyes landed on him. "I ran into her almost the moment I got to Viridian."

  "Speaking of running into…" Jazzy looked over the Fuchsia duo. "Are you and Bulbasaur with anyone else?"

  Janine shook her head. "Nope, just us and a Zubat. He's being treated right now, and we're leaving for the forest after."

  "Hmm…" the lively girl hummed before gripping her palm. "Would you like to come with us?"

  The Fuchsia girl froze. The Butterfree in her stomach were in her chest now, too. "Wait, are you… sure?"

  "Why not?" Mitch shrugged. "We're all going the same way, and rumors or not that forest would be easier to get through in a group."

  "We're actually going with another girl," Jazzy added. "She was really relieved to not have to go through there alone. She's getting a bite with her Bulbasaur while Mitch's Pidgey heals up."

  Janine stared at the two for a moment, and likely two or three. Just hours ago, everybody had looked at her like she was standing on a roof high above them. Like she had existed above their heads, never at eye level. These two were walking right up to her and looking her in the eye, chatting away like she was just another peer.

  Because in their eyes, that was what she was. She was not the daughter of Koga, she was a girl from Fuchsia. And there was no reason to fear or admire her for that.

  "Bulbasaur, what do you think?" as she looked at her starter, she found herself hoping he would say yes. Of course, she made sure not to word her question in a way that would make him feel pressured to. After a moment or two, Bulbasaur shrugged and nodded. The Butterfree in her stomach surged, but she delivered her words perfectly when looking back to Jazzy and Mitch. "Then I'm in. Thank you for the invite." she lowered her head, but raised it a bit more quickly than normal.

  Jazzy beamed. "That's awesome! We'll just wait for Pidgey and your Zubat to be cleared before heading out. I'll go let Sarah know and-" she paused as she turned around. "Oh, speaking of!" she waved her hand in the air. "Yo, Sarah! Over here!"

  A blonde girl had entered the room, flanked by another Bulbasaur. Jazzy's call immediately summoned their attention, and the two newcomers made their way over.

  "We're finished eating," the blonde girl, Sarah, said as her Bulbasaur joined Charmer and Chikorita. "Who's this?"

  Curiously, Janine's eyes quickly scanned Sarah's Bulbasaur: She was about the same height as hers, but her skin was a lighter shade, and the darker patches were much less noticeable, although she could still see them. She looked up at Sarah when she realized she was addressing her.

  "Janine from Fuchsia," Mitch said. "She's decided to come with us into the forest."

  For a brief second, Janine inwardly panicked. Even if these two did not know who she was, what if Sarah did?

  The thought was forgotten as quickly as it came. Sarah simply shrugged and offered her a handshake. "Oh, cool. I'm Sarah, from Pallet. Although I was born here."

  'Pallet' Janine repeated in her mind as she finally rose from her seat, accepting the blonde's handshake. That was where Professor Oak lived. An odd combination of backwater and notable.

  Glancing to the side, Janine saw her Bulbasaur hop down from his seat, starting to converse with the other three Pokemon. The sight warmed her.

  "It's a pleasure."

  /

  "Honestly Angelina, could you believe the nerve?" On the other side of the screen, an irate Sarah fiddled with her hair, a habit that she had picked up whenever she was aggravated.

  With a sympathetic frown, Angelina suppressed a sigh, well used to her friend's quirks. Next to her, a Flaaffy munched on her second berry, her wool slightly unraveled from a training exercise.

  The blue-haired girl nearly reached up to tug on her ponytail, as though Sarah's behavior was contagious, but managed not to. "I ran into a guy who sounds kind of similar to him, actually. Dressed weird, acted weird, obsessed with stones and digging and other rare items. Probably the same person; I doubt Indigo's big enough for two of him to coincidentally just… well, you know, exist."

  "Well, let's hope it's big enough for neither of us to run into him again." Sarah pouted. "The last thing I need is to familiarize myself with some obnoxious looney whose brain is made of fossils."

  The word "fossils" scrunched Angelina's nose in realization. "Actually… Now that you mention it, I probably will see him again. He said he was planning on joining the Grampa Canyon expedition, so just my luck."

  Sarah's eyes lit up like the diamonds the weirdo guy in question was obsessed with. "Wait a minute! You mean it's like, official now? They let you in?"

  A grin split across the blue-haired girl's lips and her hand rested atop Flaaffy's wool. The electric type's face was a bit messy with berry juice, but she barely seemed to mind. "Yup! I heard back from them the other week. Could barely sleep! Just became a trainer, and I'm already doing it!"

  The excitement was hard to contain; ever since she had first started learning about Pokemon, the prehistoric world had been what attracted her eye the most. But starting soon, she would not have to settle for simply reading about them or looking at pictures. She'd be assisting in an actual expedition to dig them up!

  Of course, her enthusiasm was no secret to her friends, either. "Omigosh, congratulations!" Sarah's hands gripped her chin, discussion of the annoying man long forgotten. "I hope you have fun!"

  "You already know I'm planning too." Angelina nodded fondly. A moment later, her nose wrinkled, although Sarah didn't seem to notice as Flaaffy watched her trainer shuffle her feet. "I really owe a big thank you to Professor Oak too, for vouching for me and sharing my essay with the organizers. I thanked Gary for asking him."

  "Teehee, I'm sure they didn't even need to read some essay if the Professor himself was recommending you to them." Sarah insisted. "Oh yeah, that big expedition thing is happening near Fuchsia, right? Where are you now?"

  "I came out of Celadon, the route near Viridian Forest." Angelina giggled as Flaaffy climbed onto her lap. "I'm actually calling you from the Pokemon Center right by the bridge. Northwest of Fuchsia, over the water. It's the only safe way to get there."

  "You said it," Sarah's face scrunched like whenever blood was shown in a movie. "Going through Fuchsia's wilds is like asking to be skewered. Gary could probably do it, but he's an anomaly."

  "Speaking of Gary…" Angelina frowned. "Have you heard from him recently?"

  "Hmmm?" Sarah hummed. "No, not since he got his second badge in Cerulean. I was with him there for a bit. You said you talked to him the other week when they approved you?"

  "I did, but…" Angelina's brow wrinkled. "He wasn't the same."

  "Really?" There was mild concern and confusion on the blonde girl's face. "What makes you say that?"

  "You had to be there," Angelina scratched her cheek. "Something about him was… I could just tell, you know? He didn't act like it, but it felt like he was forcing himself to… be himself, or something."

  "Maybe…" Sarah trailed off for a moment as she tried to collect her thoughts, before shrugging. "I dunno, maybe something stressful happened a bit before you called him. Do you know what he was doing?"

  "He was at Benver's Lodging, that's a place just at Fuchsia's border."

  "Well, maybe he was just on edge being there. I'm sure he's fine, though. It's Gary."

  "Yeah…" Angelina bit her lip. As Sarah said, if any of them could handle Fuchsia, it would be him. "I guess I was just a bit caught off guard, but I'm sure whatever he's going through will blow over. Nothing ever slows him down."

  "Got that right," Sarah snapped her fingers. "So, about the fossil thing. When does it start?"

  "About two weeks from now," Angelina was grateful for the subject change. "I've got the time I need to get there." a nervous chuckle involuntarily escaped her throat. "Things have been going a bit rough on my end, but this will be a nice break. After that it's back to badges."

  "How many do you have?"

  "Two, from Cerulean and Celadon in that order."

  "Heh, I got the same, but in the opposite order. Went through Viridian Forest with a couple of others to get to Celadon. We were aiming for Pewter, but…" she was tugging on her hair again. "Gah, I HATE that place! Whoever designed that forest deserves to be sued! It's a labyrinth of vegetation and dirt! Ugh, and those low lifes running around with their nets!"

  Angelina didn't bother reminding her friend that nobody "designed" Viridian Forest, instead raising a hand to reassure her. Sarah paused mid-rant, cheeks glowing.

  "It's fine, Sarah, I get you. That's why I've been avoiding that place like the plague." Flaaffy looked up at her trainer as the blue-haired girl sighed dejectedly. "Still… thinking about Gary and what he's been up to, I started in Cerulean and have pretty much exclusively been in the mid to midwest. Gary started in Pallet, and it's like he's been all over the place. Four badges already…"

  Sarah offered a somewhat sad, but reassuring smile. "Don't think like that, Angelina. Again, it's Gary. We'll get nowhere comparing ourselves to him all the time." her fingers tickled her chin, and her features twitched. "Just keep going at that pace of yours, I'm sure you'll be fine. I mean, you certainly don't wanna end up like Ash Ketchum, right?"

  Angelina was smiling back at first, but as her face evened out, her hands clenched, and Flaaffy shuffled in her lap. "No…" she said. "I do not."

  /

  It was the first of eight days before Koga's deadline, and with some thought Ash had decided he wanted to take the Gym Leader up on his Safari Zone challenge first. With a set time limit, he could not afford to prolong training being his sole focus.

  It meant an early start to the day: he had risen just in time to catch Janine wrapping up her breakfast, and his friend chose to stay and speak with him while he ate his own. The mysterious storm had squashed their plans for yesterday, but both were ready to start from scratch. Janine was initially planning to take him back out to the city and pick up where they left off, but although Ash was looking forward to that, something had changed after the previous night. Thinking back to the lower levels of the mansion, he asked if Janine could show him around Shadowblood Village first, before he left for the Safari Zone, and she gladly agreed.

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  With Pikachu, Valiant and Glaceon tagging along, the better part of Ash's morning was spent exploring the village top to bottom as Janine led the way, starting with the training grounds. Janine had described it as "state of the art", but he wasn't sure how to picture it and set his expectations going in.

  Needless to say, he was floored by what he saw. He knew before arrival that Phenom and Tempest would be hungry to set foot here (and if he had brought them, they likely would have cut the tour short by diving straight in), but he quickly found himself sharing in the excitement that he knew they would soon feel.

  In addition to the dojo and battlefield, there were facilities tailor made for both Pokemon and people. One standout was a large pool that, according to Janine, housed different mechanisms such as making the water surge like rough ocean waves, or summoning terrain and obstacles. Ash could immediately picture Tempest practicing Surf here, and the thought excited him. Evolving had inevitably strengthened his water control, and brought the crab one step closer to comfortably using the move, and a body of water specifically designed for training was the picture perfect chance to take practicing to the next level.

  There was also an arena designed for flying Pokemon, with its own set of obstacles, hazards, and aerial targets. A rock climbing wall, an obstacle course with alternate settings, and as much space as was reasonably needed. Ash was grinning ear to ear by the time they left, and Janine just knew he was fantasizing about the next week's worth of training.

  He was hardly the only one; Pikachu's breath had been taken away upon seeing the climbing wall and obstacle course, and for a brief moment, the mouse appeared as innocently infantile as Phenom as a hatchling when gasping at the sight. His face had turned crimson when he realized Glaceon was seeing him acting this way, but the ice type was more focused on the course herself, even if her fixation was a lot more calm and less giddy.

  Briefly, they were shown the agricultural area where vegetables and fruits were grown, and where the Miltank and Tauros resided. The village had its own library and archive which Janine spoke of spending a lot of time in. Along the way, they were also quickly introduced to a few other clan members they had passed by.

  The final stop was the museum. It had a very old fashioned-esque design, but not in a way that felt outdated or worn, and the inside of the building elicited a similar vibe. Pikachu climbed to his shoulder as the group stopped just past the entrance, surprised to see Akira, his signature black ponytail as present as ever.

  Quickly, Janine pressed her hands together and lowered her head, an action that Valiant copied. "Forgive me if we are intruding, cousin."

  "You're not," he reassured. "I was simply doing a routine check." Ash stiffened under the man's gaze, but found it only lasted for a moment, not lingering as he spoke. "Have you been enjoying yourself, Mr. Ketchum?"

  "Yes," Ash nodded, being sure to make eye contact. "Janine's been showing us around the village, it's really nice here."

  "And I already know what his favorite place is." he could feel his face warming as her eyes moved to look at him.

  Akira must have understood, if his chuckle was anything to go by. "That is good to know. So, are you showing him just the museum, or its contents…"

  "Hm…" Janine's lips pressed together, an odd uncertainty on her face as she turned her head to Ash.

  "It would probably be best if you heard the story at the museum. The full story. There is… a lot."

  He remembered what she had said to him yesterday, when telling him about her ancestor. Gwyniff Kyo…

  "Are you talking about the history of your clan?" he looked back at Akira, who, despite his now crossed arms, hardly appeared standoffish, simply nodding in affirmation.

  "It would not be a problem, of course." the black-haired man elaborated. "Our story is not a closely guarded secret; you'd find it in the history books just like any other."

  Janine was studying Ash's face, and he thought back to the previous day. His conversation with Ruunia, and mentioning the Kanto Unification War, and the time he and Janine had spent in the lower levels of the mansion, looking at the painting of Gwyniff and the replica of her mask. Not to mention everything he had seen this morning…

  'This is her ancestry.' he told himself, before nodding at her. "I'd like to hear about it."

  She blinked for a moment, but nodded without contest. "Okay."

  "Mind if I join you?" Akira asked, to which neither objected.

  Janine took the lead next to her cousin as the pair led Ash and his team through the museum halls. One of the pictures on the walls he recognized: The bulky, oval-shaped tree with branches that resembled spikes. He and Janine had spotted it just before the chaos with the Scarfists had happened. Another picture clearly detailed a battle in a war.

  The group stopped in a room about halfway across the museum, their attention on a new picture: It was of Gwyniff Kyo, but this time she was wearing Shadowblood's mask. Flanked by a black-clad man kneeling on either side, she carried a blade pointed against the ground, similar to the picture Janine had shown Ash the previous day. With her mask on, she looked like a human warrior with the face and head of a crowned serpent.

  "To start from the beginning," Akira began, briefly turning to Ash and his team. "Do you know who this is?"

  "Gwyniff Kyo," Ash nodded, briefly looking at Janine as though to refresh his memory of yesterday. "She was the first leader of your clan. She led during the Unification War, right?"

  Akira nodded, looking back to the painting. Pikachu and Valiant moved closer, the former climbing to Janine's shoulder, while Glaceon stayed at Ash's side. "Gwyniff is the most important person in our family tree, alongside her granddaughter Maya, who we will speak of later. She was a major player throughout the entirety of the war, and one of the greatest warriors and minds in Indigo's history." His voice and expression were neutral, stating simple facts. "And her heart was made of black ice, assuming she even had one."

  Ash's own heart nearly skipped a beat in surprise, with how readily Akira had said such a thing.

  "She founded our clan as a tribe of assassins," Janine turned back to him, and her expression almost resembled a frown. "Shortly before the war. And they were personally at the service of Mutiny King Travash. After he usurped Fuchsia and began his Kanto-wide rampage, our clan, our family… they were his own personal assassins. Lurking in the shadows, and…"

  "Striking," Akira continued for her after she paused. His arms were crossed now. "We were always at our best operating in the shadows. Assassinations, abductions, interrogation, execution, and a long list of war crimes. All were done in Travash's malevolent name, during the most chaotic and violent period of Kanto's history." he looked back at Ash as Janine wordlessly patted Pikachu's head. "You know of Albert Seiza, the young man who would later become the first Champion, I imagine?"

  Ash nodded. He could feel a tingle in his spine. "He was a Fuchsia native in training to be a Church guard, and his mother served the priestess. He fled across the Region when Travash usurped Fuchsia and ended up in Pewter seeking refuge." As if by accident, his mind went back to what Janine had told him all the way back in Celadon's museum, briefly locking eyes with her as they turned their heads to one another in tandem. "He was just looking for shelter, but after planting a tree and giving them an agriculture breakthrough, they began looking up to him. And then he led them in the war. They pushed the Fuchsia forces back to their city and defeated them in a siege. After that, Mew came down and blessed him, and the entire Region united behind him as their Champion. That's how the Indigo League was formed, right?"

  He remembered telling Pikachu a version of this story to pass the time back in Viridian Forest (although he perhaps hadn't done a very good job telling it back then), but giving the summary now made it feel like he was back in school, sharing with the class. He liked to think that it came out better than his classroom presentations, though.

  "You at least know the bare basics then," Akira nodded in approval before turning back to the picture. "Albert Seiza and his lieutenant, the fabled to be borderline superhuman Pewter girl, Asawn Nobli led the Pewter army as you said. Every territory and standing army in Kanto was involved, the war was a catastrophe of violence and opportunism, but today the main conflict is recognized as Pewter vs Fuchsia. Gwyniff, our ancestor, was Travash's right hand, and the one who led the tribe of assassins at his behest."

  He paused for a moment, before gesturing for the group to follow him. They stopped in front of a new picture: A large man with a blue mane and a yellow robe that exposed his muscular chest. In one hand on the left he held a bladed lance, while an ax rested next to his right side. A Gyarados with blazing red eyes loomed behind him. Ash wasn't surprised to see that the plaque read "Mutiny King Travash".

  "Indigo was always chaotic before the League was founded," Akira explained. "There was no such thing as peace, no such thing as unity. And there damn sure was no such thing as order. There was always fighting. Meaningless bloodshed to satisfy the egos of whoever was in charge, trying to expand their territories, only to be met with either retaliation or another party entering the fray. There was no higher power, and thus everything went unchecked. Every territory and leader for themselves, and that's not even considering the infighting." Akira looked back to meet Ash's eyes, and Valiant briefly looked between the black-haired man and Janine. "Team Rocket's goal is to destroy the League and revert the land back to that time. They believe chaos is the true nature of human and Pokemon kind, and that the League is a hegemony that suppresses what the land was always meant to be. Not a necessary force to keep everything under control and prevent senseless violence and dispute."

  "You're saying…" Ash moved aside to let Glaceon get closer to the picture. The ice type was gazing at it with great curiosity as the conversation continued. "They thought it was better back then…?"

  "Who knows what they think?" Janine tried to suppress the bitterness in her tone. "It's a delusional ideology. Civilization has evolved; we're not primitive anymore. But the Rockets are anarchists, they defy Mew's will by trying to destroy the League founded with his blessing."

  "But back to the subject," Akira gestured for them to follow him once again, with Valiant returning to Ash's side while Pikachu remained perched on Janine's shoulder. Glaceon walked next to her. "Travash's actions sparked our land's bloodiest period of all time, an era that represented every horrible thing that Kanto was before being united under the Indigo League. And under Gwyniff's leadership, our clan perpetuated it. We were the enemy of everything Indigo now represents." Feeling something cold near his chest, Ash looked at Janine. Her face was unreadable, and Akira continued. "That's the truth, Mr. Ketchum. Our bloodline is a legacy of sin. Everybody born into our family inherits Gwyniff's tainted name." His voice almost sounded heavier, but his words were spoken with the practice of a man who had been raised off of this knowledge.

  Ash pressed his lips together, and the group stopped in front of another picture of Gwyniff. She still wore her mask, standing on a large Arbok at a ledge overlooking a group of charging shoulders with her sword thrust out. Above them was a Gengar, holding up a large ball of bluish-white flame by his fingertips.

  "So, your ancestors were the bad guys." It was a thought that had crossed Ash's mind when talking with Ruunia - it was the only way it made sense, given Fuchsia's role in the war. Being told outright made it feel real, however.

  Janine's downcast expression was like an injection of guilt for him, and what he had just said out loud. As Akira placed a hand on her free shoulder, Pikachu, still perched on the other shoulder, nuzzled Janine's cheek, earning a smile and a rub under his chin.

  "No gentler way to say it," Akira confessed. "We are all raised with the knowledge of our bloodstained legacy, and are obligated to never take it lightly." he removed his hand. "But we will get to that. As for the war, the Kyo Clan - our clan, committed unspeakable acts in the name of Travash's rampage of conquest. Gwyniff's creativity was applied to drawing out battle plans, and she saw the front lines no shortage of times. She was a fantastic general, known not by her birth name, but as "Shadowblood". To every enemy on the battlefield, and indeed even many at her own command, her real face was unseen. The mask was her face. Any paintings of her true appearance were made after she died, post war."

  "However," he continued. "The true depths of Shadowblood's creativity took form in cruelty. She was the mind behind many closely guarded techniques and secrets that, even among our family, remain selectively passed on today. Traps, mindgames, poisoning of water supply, invasion tactics, espionage, assassination and efficient methods to kill, torture, interrogation and execution tactics. You're too young to know the details, so I'll leave it at that." He took a breath. "All of this was put to use in the war effort, and it helped to make Fuchsia the bane of an entire Region before falling to Pewter."

  "I can't imagine having that kind of ancestry." Valiant's voice projected into Ash's mind.

  "A moment, Akira." Janine spoke up, and with her cousin's silent approval, turned back to Ash. Pikachu stayed on her shoulder, as comfortable as he always was on his own. She was equally content with the mouse's presence, but her face was back to being hard to read. "Do you still want to continue, Ash?"

  "...If you're comfortable with that," he said after a moment. He had half expected looking at her to dissuade him. But oddly, it made him want to know more.

  A flash of surprise passed over the girl's face. "You mean that…" Her expression settled, and almost abruptly, the girl appeared stoic and focused when she looked back to Akira. "Apologies, you can go on."

  Nodding, he led the group back into the hallway. Wherever they were going, he did not wait to get there to continue talking. "The war was very eventful, but for this story, what mostly matters is how it ended. Pewter defeated Fuchsia in the final battle, taking the city in a siege. Travash went mad upon being cornered, setting his own turf ablaze, but Albert defeated him. As for Shadowblood, her husband Robell Sennfence fell to enemy swords in the battle. Rumors say this was the one time she showed vulnerability and anguish, or let her emotions get the better of her. If true, this is what cost her, and she would die to Asawn, who snapped her neck with her bare hands. And that was how her life ended: There was no last stand or blaze of glory, she merely dropped dead on the battlefield."

  Ash tried to picture the image Akira was narrating, but decided he would rather not. The thought of humans fighting each other just as much as their own Pokemon was such an alien thought, and of all the ways to kill someone…

  It was such a different time, and he was grateful to not have lived in it.

  "After killing Shadowblood, Asawn removed her mask and became the first enemy combatant to see Gwyniff Kyo's face." Akira continued. "The illusion was broken, and died with her. Asawn and Albert would keep the mask at the Indigo Plateau, as a souvenir of war. But that brings us to the aftermath."

  "Albert becoming Champion?" Ash asked.

  "Yes," Akira answered. "After Pewter's great victory, Albert received a calling from the Guardian Mew himself, instructing him to take his allies and journey to the Indigo Plateau, beyond Pewter where they had come from. After reaching the Plateau, Mew descended upon the land in the flesh, and blessed Albert, naming him Champion. The crest of Mew, the glowing spiraling tail that would become the Indigo League's emblem, was forever tattooed to Albert's chest as proof."

  "Mew's wish was to end the bloodshed," Janine looked back at Ash, expression more tranquill, but still stoic. "He's watched over our land since the beginning, but this was his ultimate act of protection. He freed Kanto of the chaos and war by decreeing a worthy power for all of the territories to unite behind. Like curing a disease."

  "Almost everyone in Kanto worships Mew," Ash commented as they entered the room Akira had been leading them towards. "If they all knew Albert had been crowned by him to rule the Region, almost nobody would go against it, right?"

  "Exactly," Akira nodded in approval. "To everyone in Kanto, from peasant to noble, Albert Seiza was not a powerful leader, he was a chosen one. To oppose his rule or Kanto's unification would be heresy. As word spread, everything stopped almost overnight. Pewter named the new order the Indigo League, and for the first time Kanto was united. Under the leadership of Albert and his eventual successor, the newly connected civilization would slowly transition into a meritocracy, where power was decided by competition, capability and moral integrity."

  Akira's summary sounded to Ash like a more overall detailed form of what he had learned in school. And to think it was still only an abridged version.

  "Kanto prospered, and the Region soon enjoyed peace alien to everything that had once been," Akira continued. Just like the war itself, it would require a whole different lecture to explain everything in necessary detail, so we will leave it at that. As for the Kyo Clan, however… what remained of us had gone into hiding. Gwyniff was not our only casualty; all powerful people in the clan had been killed in the war. We were forced to flee into the shadows, a prison to our own hiding place. It was not an undeserved fate, but our fate was not sealed either. Can you guess why, Mr. Ketchum?"

  When Akira turned back to him, Ash once more felt like a kid in a classroom. One of the banes of his existence had been a teacher abruptly calling on him to answer a question he did not know, either because his attention had drifted or he simply could not figure it out.

  'I'm not failing this pop quiz.' The deja vu lit an odd fire in him as he thought over the story so far. Gwyniff "Shadowblood" Kyo, Janine's ancestor and first leader of the clan, serving under Travash, the biggest villain in Indigo's history books. The clan was on the losing team, and forced to go into hiding after Fuchsia lost the war. But they have been thriving for generations up to today, so they obviously bounced back because…

  "You said Gwyniff had a husband who died like her," he answered. "And Janine and Leader Koga are like their great great great grandchildren or something." however many "greats" covered four centuries. "So they must have already had a kid before they were killed."

  "Correct, two kids," Akira answered. "One son and one daughter, and we're descended from the latter. They were only children when the war ended, and were raised in isolation by the surviving clan members. The daughter would go on to have two twins, Gwyniff's grandchildren, a son named Kirkell and a daughter named Maya, both with very conflicting views on how to save our struggling clan." he led them to a picture, and Ash's chest felt cold.

  A young man was collapsed against the table he was sitting at. It looked like blood was leaking over his mouth. A young woman stood beside him, her periwinkle colored hair partially hidden by the hood she wore over her head. She seemed saddened, pressing her hands together as though to give a prayer.

  "This picture," Akira briefly placed a hand on a stiff Janine's shoulder. "Depicts the final sin committed by our family. Maya Kyo was as reserved as her grandmother, but she did not share Gwyniff's nature otherwise. Being raised in isolation, by a woman who was also raised in isolation, within a struggling, dying clan paying for the atrocities of their predecessors, filled her heart with nothing but pain and remorse. But for as quiet and saddened as she was known to be, her demeanor veiled her determination, one that her older twin Kirkell Kyo fatally overlooked."

  "She…" Ash paused for a second while returning his eyes to the disturbing painting. "...Killed him?"

  "Not for the reason you think," Janine quickly chimed in. "Maya loved her brother as much as any person was capable of feeling, but…"

  "Kirkell was equally affected by the circumstances of their dwindling clan," Akira took over. "But in the opposite way. The Kyo Clan were rightfully recognized by the League as an unforgivable evil. Hiding in obscurity, isolated from the outside world, was the only thing that could save them from being hunted down. But that merely delayed the inevitable. Every generation would be more impoverished than the next, until our family and the clan they lead would eventually become extinct. Maya knew of this, and she also knew that such a fate was karma not unearned. Karma for the crimes of the first generation, who countless had suffered and died at the hands of. She was saddened by the fate she and her people now suffered from in turn, remorseful for all of the evil those before them had committed, and equally determined to make everything right. She swore to seek atonement, which would be her life's work."

  "But Kirkell…" Janine rubbed her arm, which Pikachu stared at from his position on her shoulder. "He was angry. Resentful. Bitter. He did not see the actions of Shadowblood's generation as wrongdoings that needed to be made up for, nor did he see… his generation's suffering as a cautionary tale about the consequences. In his mind, he and his people were suffering, and that was all there was to say. It was the Indigo League's fault that they were forced to live in solitude, with limited resources for food and medicine, succumbing to hunger and sickness in the shadows while the outside world thrived under the League's leadership, which had been formed over the dead bodies of their predecessors and their followers."

  "Kirkell was a gifted young man, while Maya was a young woman of hidden potential." Akira picked up. "Had he been born in more fortunate times, he would have been an excellent leader who would have taken our clan to new heights still. Unfortunately, he did not have the insight of his twin. Though he had no shortage of love for his people, Maya had all of that along with empathy for those outside. Those who correctly saw them as monsters, were physically or mentally hurt, or even killed because of them. A person like that was what the Kyo Clan needed in this crisis, not Kirkell."

  "The siblings had an immeasurable bond," he continued. "But opposite views on their current situation. Maya wished to seek redemption and clean the blood off of her family's name. Atone for their sins so that the people she loved could stop living in hiding, no longer suffer, and their victims could rest in peace. Kirkell resented the very concept of the thought. Why should his family seek peace with the people who had ruined them, and that they now had to hide from? He did not want the League's forgiveness, he wanted revenge on them. He wished for their clan to remain in hiding, for however many generations it took, until they were finally strong enough to strike back and deliver unto the League the destruction that they were being threatened with."

  "But you said the Clan would deteriorate every generation if they stayed in hiding." Ash observed. "If they stayed isolated they would just keep starving and getting sick until they all died out." He realized where this was going.

  "Exactly," though he did not show it, Akira was pleased that the boy had been paying attention. "Kirkell was blind. His vengeful desires were a delusion, not an ambition. And his commitment would bring more suffering and eventual extinction to his people. It was a misguided aim to bring justice to them that would only bring doom, and the sins of the past would remain unatoned. The Kyo clan would die out as a justly reviled entity of evil, that perished after many years on life support. Forever hated, forever extinct. That would be their fate, and Maya was determined to prevent it. Unfortunately, Kirkell remained blinded by the festering hatred in his heart. No matter how much the two twins loved each other, not even their bond could sway either from their beliefs. Maya did not stop opposing Kirkell's needless vendetta against the Indigo League, and Kirkell refused to listen to her never ending imploration."

  Akira took a pause, as if building towards what he was going to say next. "His stubbornness forced his sister out of her shell."

  Ash's back was cold again. "She assassinated him."

  "As pictured." Akira gestured to the painting once more. Ash would rather not have looked at it again, but he did. "It was such a simple deed for something so heavy, because he never saw it coming."

  "He collapsed onto the table," Janine felt as small as Pikachu gazing at the disturbing painting. "While she prayed for him. And that was the end."

  "According to Maya's journal," Akira said. "She would spend the rest of her life praying for forgiveness for what she did to him. Every night. Regardless, the deed was not even the first step. She was just putting on her shoes to make that first step."

  "So… how did she reach out to the League?" Ash asked as Valiant moved away from him to stand next to Glaceon. He could see Pikachu frowning; it was probably because of the picture, yet the mouse seemed insistent to keep looking at it.

  "Behind you, my friend." Still perched on Janine's shoulder, Pikachu's locked gaze was forced away from the picture when she turned around. Ash turned around as well, and was greeted with another painting. This was of the same woman, with her hood now down, kneeling before a shorter woman flanked by two people on either side. Behind Maya were two guards holding swords against her throat, and her wrists were shackled behind her back. "That shorter woman in the middle is the Champion of the time, and the Elite Four."

  "Maya Kyo turned herself in," Akira narrated. "She journeyed to the Indigo Plateau, announced who she was, and requested her own arrest. The only thing she asked in return for her cooperation was an audience with the Indigo High Council - that's what the Champion and Elite Four are collectively referred to as, not a term as commonly known or used in the modern day, but still recognized as the official term."

  "Hmmm…" Ash hummed, crossing his arms as he studied the picture. It wasn't as upsetting to look at as the painting of Kirkell's death. "So… are you saying she swore fealty to the League?"

  "Indeed she did, and it was her words that saved the Clan." Akira spoke. "The plaque reads: "For every one undeserving victim of my Clan's deeds, a thousand wicked will know the same.""

  "The clan never stopped being a clan of warriors," Janine reminded, offering Pikachu a nuzzle that was quickly returned. "And Gwyniff's closely guarded secrets were still in possession of whoever sat at the head of the table. Maya, in this case. She promised all of this to the League."

  "The Kyo Clan's service," Akira elaborated. "Every cruel method that was practiced by their people, and every fraction of talent and intelligence they were equipped with. It would all be used in service to the Indigo League, forevermore. To oppose evil, rather than commit evil, all in the name of the peace, prosperity and order that had been achieved in Kanto under Indigo's rule. Maya swore this on Mew's crest: The Kyo Clan would serve the League without compromise."

  "Swearing on Mew's crest is a sacred oath," Janine continued, eyes on the plaque. "It's the greatest of all contracts. Break it, and you defy the Guardian of our land, whom the Indigo League had been formed to rule in the name of."

  "Wow," Ash looked more closely at Maya's face, or at least tried too. Her head was down. It was all just an abridged story, shrunk down to the beats, and yet he already knew that this woman was among the most devoted individuals to ever walk Indigo's soil. And judging by where the Kyo Clan stood now, she had left an eternal mark on history.

  "Decades later," Akira resumed talking. "Maya was on her deathbed. Hearing of her impending fate, the current Champion of the time visited the Kyo Clan to see her, and he came with a gift. More specifically, he came to return something. Can you guess what it was?"

  Ash thought about it for a moment, reviewing the story, and doing his best to consider the details. "Oh! At the end of the Unification War, Elite Four Asawn confiscated Shadowblood's mask after killing Gwyniff, right?"

  The tiniest of smiles appeared on Akira's face, brief enough that Ash missed it. "And it had been kept at the Indigo Plateau ever since. Property of the League. A trophy earned by slaying the enemy. But the Kyo Clan was not the enemy anymore. So the Champion returned the mask to the descendants of its owner. In bed, the now elderly Maya held it in her hands for the first and only time in her life, not even two days before passing on. She had dedicated her life to atoning for the sins of her grandmother and her followers, and now, at the end of her life, with her clan out of hiding, and working for the League as a branch of justice, she held the face of those sins. According to her journal, it was the clearest her conscience had ever been. Afterwards, she would die in peace."

  "And the mask is an heirloom now, right?" Ash looked at Janine.

  "A very sacred one," she confirmed. "Only the leader is allowed to touch it."

  "Because Gwyniff herself allowed nobody else to handle it," Akira nodded. "Our family would go on to become the leaders of Fuchsia, with the current head of the family acting as Gym Leader. Overtime, the Johto Region, Orange Islands, and Sevii Islands would join Kanto under the Indigo League's banner. And to this day, under Koga's leadership, we continue Maya's mission: to atone for the first generation and transform Gwyniff's ways into a weapon we wield to protect Indigo's population and peace from evildoers." he looked back to Ash. "Like Team Rocket. And Scarfist Company."

  Ash returned his gaze for a moment before his eyes fell on Janine, who spared him a glance before looking at the picture. He did as well, taking in Maya's form, and everything that had come of it.

  'People like Team Rocket.' A hundred images that Ash wished not to see played in his memories. With people like that, could it be that people like Koga - whatever it was that they did in Indigo's name - really were necessary?

  /

  As the group exited the museum, they were met with an approaching Len and Toxicroak.

  "Good morning, Len." Janine raised her hand to the older brown-haired boy, who nodded to her and returned the gesture before his gray eyes turned to Akira, and he and Toxicroak kneeled.

  "Sensei, I was told to meet you here."

  "You were," Akira affirmed. "And with Mr. Ketchum already here, that gives us one less thing to do."

  "Huh?" Ash looked at the man curiously. "What do you mean?"

  "You were planning to go to the Safari Zone today, correct?" Akira answered. "Len is going to be escorting you, for an assignment of his own that I have given him. You remember what you are to do, correct?" he asked, turning back to his student.

  "Yes, sensei." Len and Toxicroak rose to full height, and his gaze landed on Ash. "Are you ready to go?"

  "I will be soon," Ash nodded. "I was told I was only allowed to use one Pokemon while in the Safari Zone."

  "So you need to decide first?" Janine asked.

  But Ash shook his head. "No, we actually talked that over before bed last night.'" He looked to his currently present team members, and Pikachu, Valiant, and Glaceon all nodded back. "He's not here right now, though. I just need to go fetch him. The others agreed to stay here so they don't have to spend hours in their Poke Balls. What are your plans, by the way?"

  "I'm going out in the city with aunt Aya for lunch," Janine looked the most relaxed she'd been all morning. "In fact, I'll need to get ready to leave myself."

  Still on her shoulder, Pikachu raised a paw, saying something that Ash naturally didn't understand literally, but nonetheless understood.

  "You want to go with her, Pikachu?" Ash took a look at Valiant, who was making a gesture of his own. "And you too?" the Kirlia nodded.

  Janine smiled, earning a pleasant hum in her ear as she rubbed under Pikachu's chin. "I'll take care of them both while you're gone."

  "I know you will," Ash smiled back.

  With that sorted out, the purple-haired girl turned and got ready to make her leave. "I'll be heading back then, she should be ready soon. Come on, you guys." Valiant began to follow her, while Pikachu stayed perched on her shoulder. "Looking forward to meeting whoever you catch, Ash."

  The fact she was so certain he'd catch something was enough encouragement for Ash on its own. "I'll get ready right away," he turned to Len and Toxicroak. Behind them, Akira also excused himself, heading to the Gym. "Just need to grab my chosen teammate and we'll be good to go."

  Len nodded, his face neutral. "Understood, Mr. Ketchum."

  With a blink, Ash felt the slightest shade of red on his cheeks. "You uh, you can call me Ash, if that's okay."

  Len did not shrug, or change his expression. He simply said "Very well, Ash."

  "Alright…" Ash nodded to his last remaining team member still present. "Come on Glaceon." The ice type trotted after her trainer while Len and Toxicroak followed from behind.