With a quick adjustment of my visor to continue blocking the setting sun from my eyes, I stooped back over to grab my backpack when a voice popped up from behind me.

  “Hey there! Can I challenge you to a battle?”

  I turned to the excitable sounding person, and locked eyes with a girl about my age, she had dark skin, and long braided black hair beneath a Vivillon print bucket hat. She was dressed up in an Alolan style dress, and was holding up a pokeball.

  “Hi, uhhh, sorry, I need to get to the Pokemon Lab.” I cringed, that felt totally made up and now she was going to be upset and yell at me and-

  “Aww dang,” she looked disappointed for only a split second before a smile broke out on her face, “it’s no problem for me though! You’re a traveler with a place to go and stuff!”

  Letting out an internal sigh of relief as Ionia soothed my emotions, I smiled back. “Thank you for understanding. If you want, maybe I could battle you tomorrow, after I get my Pokemon checked out at the Center?”

  Her grin only got wider, “Absolutely! My team has been itching to battle another trainer, but everyone around here is either waiting for their starter or aren’t on their first year.”

  She thought for a moment before knocking on her head.

  “Oh, uhm, also, I’m actually staying at the lab for now, if you want to go together! I’m leagues better than any old map anyhow!”

  I looked to Ionia for her input, she was the one among us who was sensitive to overly strong emotions after all. She tilted her head while looking at the girl before giving me a nod.

  I smiled, “Sure! Lead the way, uhhh, I don’t think I got your name?”

  “Oh!” she exclaimed, “My name's Iolani! What about you?”

  “Psyche.” I responded with a smile. “So about the Pokemon Lab…”

  “Yup! I gotcha covered!” she took a few steps down the hill and waved me forward, “Come on! Whatever it is that you need to go to the lab for, it’s gotta be important!”

  I looked back at the white case still attached to my backpack. Outside of the fossil, I honestly don’t know what I even am going there for. I just hope I’m not putting anyone in danger by bringing this case here.

  Snapping out of the introspection by Iolani calling out for me from a short way down the hill, I shook the nervous energy from my body and chased after her.

  ***

  Iolani was right about one thing, she was far better than any map I had ever used. She seemed to know a lot more than anyone who according to her ‘had gotten there two days ago’. She knew about an out of the way food cart that sold some of the best hot dogs I had ever eaten, and they even had food for various kinds of Pokemon to eat as well!

  We both reached the Lab quickly after that, the four of us finishing off our food before going inside.

  Outside had been nice and peaceful, but inside seemed to be anything but that.

  “WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT NEVER ARRIVED?”

  A calm voice that sounded like an older woman responded, “I don’t know Krane, it just never showed up! The courier is missing as well.”

  A string of curses emanated from the next room, “Juniper we need to find it! If their scientists manage to remove the aura read limiter on it, then they might as well become unstoppable!”

  A collection of footsteps preceded the entry of three people into the foyer of the lab. “Krane, I know this is critical considering who we found sneaking around the old P2 Lab site, but you need to calm do- oh dear.”

  “Heya Professor Juniper! I know I’m back early but this trainer said she-“

  “Iolani! I can get the story from her later. In the meantime, go get her a glass of water!" The professor pointed at a small kitchenette frantically as she started approaching.

  The girl listened to the professor, but I was a bit occupied with a breakdown at the moment. Angry shouting is easier to handle with them 'cause they’re predictable. But with others? I tend to fall to pieces almost instantly.

  This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

  Ionia was not too pleased with my state either. Jumping out in front of me and growling at the adults trying to approach me in warning. Oxide had taken up position alongside her as well, presenting a wall of pokemon to protect me from perceived aggressors.

  A woman with long black hair and glasses looked at Ionia in shock, “A Hatenna? Dear, please let us help your trainer.”

  “HATENNA!”

  The angry voice seemed to have quieted down, and was clearly coming from a tablet the Professor was carrying “Juniper what’s going on?”

  “There is a trainer in the lab having a panic attack! I’ll call you back later to discuss this matter further!”

  With that she tapped on the screen and tucked the tablet under her arm as Iolani rushed back in with a glass of water. “I am so incredibly sorry we triggered you, let’s get you into a seat with a nice glass of water.”

  I nodded slightly, and took a step forward, only to almost instantly fall over before a pair of arms caught me.

  “Easy there young lady, I think it’s safe to say we would all hate to see you get hurt any further.”

  I glanced up and saw a pale man with slicked back blonde hair with a stylized strand of blue hair acting as a halo.

  “Assistant Colress, at your service,” he said with a wink as he led me to a seating area near the empty receptionist’s desk.

  After sitting me down, and passing me the glass of water Iolani had gotten, Juniper sat across from me. She waited for a few minutes to allow my nerves to settle a bit before saying anything.

  “Okay dear, are you feeling better?”

  I nodded.

  “That's good.” She said with relief in her voice, “Were you upset by all the shouting?”

  I nodded, sensing my emotions roiling a bit. Ionia jumped into my lap and snuggled into me. Her familiar touch on my mind soothing my raw nerves.

  “I’m sorry,” Juniper replied, “I shouldn’t have allowed him to get that heated, and especially not near the front door.”

  “I-it’s fine, I just don’t do too well around angry shouting very much.”

  Juniper frowned, “Dear, is your homelife alright?”

  I gave a dark laugh, “I won’t have a home life once the Conference is over.”

  A look of alarm passed over everyone’s faces at that declaration.

  “Excuse me for prying,” the dark-haired woman chanced, “but can you go into further detail on that?”

  “I-well… I kinda have to?” I hesitated, “it’s why I’m here after all.”

  I gently took off my backpack and opened it up, “You see, my Sperm Donor, he's a rich man, and he has had this hanging on his wall for several years now.”

  I pulled out the fossil and got a round of gasps from everyone. They were a bit muted to me, because the song coming from the fossil was running stronger than it ever had before.

  “I-I stole it last night, and ran into the Dreamyard. The plan was to wait until morning and ask for help getting to Nacrene City where it could be revived,” my tone soured, “but we found some guy in armor attacking Musharna there.”

  I quickly explained what else had happened that night, ending with undoing the straps holding the case to my backpack. “He also had this case with him. It’s addressed to you, and Musharna said we should get it to you as quickly as possible.”

  Professor Juniper took the case from my hands, opened it up and sighed with relief. “It’s still here, and untampered with. Honey, can you call Professor Krane back and tell him it safely arrived?”

  The other woman got up, took the case from Juniper, and walked out of the room. After waiting for her to leave, Juniper focused back on me.

  “So, you have a cover fossil.”

  I fidgeted in place, “I do, if ownership is an issue, I don’t mind if it goes into a sanctuary or anything. I just want it revived ‘cause that's the right thing to do.”

  Juniper smiled, “Well we can definitely do that here! Not many people know this but we do have the ability to revive fossils at this lab, specifically because of my focus of research, and the fact that the region’s fossils both congregate in the archipelago where Routes 17 and 18 are located!”

  Her smile faded, “Now back to what happened earlier: you said you won’t have a home life anymore because of this, and can I safely assume you came here from Striaton City? More specifically a mansion complex on the outskirts?”

  I nodded hesitantly.

  “If you ever need support, you can always call us here at the lab. In fact…” She paused to think for a moment, “How would you like to register as a sponsored trainer by the lab next season?”

  I choked, “I’m sorry? I thought you had to fill out a quiz or something for those?”

  “Nope!” Colress replied with glee, “If you wanted a Unovan starter then yes, you would need to have filled out an application a few months ago! For a sponsorship though? Those are up to the Professor to decide!”

  “Indeed,” Juniper said with a smile. “I get to decide exactly who gets sponsored, whether they provide an application or not. Iolani here is a sponsor I chose due to her moving here from Alola recently.” She stared into my eyes for a moment, “And call it a bit of intuition, but I think considering the reasons why you came here, I can safely say you deserve a slot.”

  She got up and walked to the reception desk and rummaged through one of the drawers, “where is it… aha!” She pulled out a form, and walked back over to us, “Just read through that, and if you find the terms agreeable, you sign and you instantly have a sponsorship!” She then looked over at her assistant, “Colress can you go get a unit from lab room A2?”

  He smiled, “Of course Professor!”

  With that, all that remained was me, my Pokemon, Iolani, and the Professor.

  I flipped through the papers, skimming over the terms, and found myself actually using the lessons I was intended to learn growing up. Legalese.

  The contract seemed fairly robust, protecting both parties from abuse, but it particularly had a stipulation; Either you joined the circuit that year, or you stayed at the lab as a Junior Assistant. And if reasonable, you were expected to provide assistance to the League in emergencies.

  That last one was a general expectation of being a trainer, but it would go double for me.

  In return, I would get monetary assistance when it came to proper nutrition, and other forms of care for my Pokemon including assistance with acquiring evolution stones and the like. I would also get a monthly stipend, and almost more importantly, a warm bed to come back to in the off season if I needed it.

  I looked up at the Professor with a smile, “I’m in!”

  Aliapanacea and for help editing!

  Current Team:

  Trained Abilities: Anticipation

  Moves: Teleport, Confusion, Play Nice, Life Dew, Disarming Voice

  Trained Abilities: TBD

  Moves: Nuzzle, Tail Whip, Double Team, Quick Attack

  Do you want more words written by me?

  A Spark of Sylvan Flame: A story about a trans farmgirl facing off against plant aliens, with items bought from an AI chip in her head!