Love in the Time of Trepidation

Chapter 4: An Alpha

For the record, I refuse to pronounce it Hi-soo-ee. It's Hee-swee. That's how it sounds in Japanese. That's how it was pronounced in Fairy Tail. That's how it's said. None of this weird pronunciation nonsense. We don't have Soo-ee-cune, after all. Anyway, Chapter 4!

Chapter 4

An Alpha

At Adaman's announcement, Akari found herself staring, her eyes squinting at the face of their savior. She looked familiar, though the girl couldn't quite place where she had seen her before. Her dark hair and beauty mark stood out, though, even if her Munchlax, feasting on the honey upon his paws, stood out more than her. With the introduction, Laventon moved forward to shake the young woman's hand before bustling past. With Kricketune out of the way, the site of a disheveled base camp a small distance away made itself plain. There were only two Security Corps members seated there. Akari couldn't make out their details.

Then, there was Irida.

"Mai. It's been a while."

"Irida, good to see you're well." The two women held gazes, colder than even Rei's hands had been, and neither looked away. A test of wills or strength, Akari couldn't fathom what they were trying to accomplish beyond the usual petty business of their clans. Adaman wasn't privy, either.

"You two know each other?" he asked, leaning between the two. Irida looked away, folding her arms across her chest and marching off.

"We've met each other a few times, often when she comes to speak with Lian. Not that she's willing to make the time of day to speak with me," Mai admitted. She shrugged, and her eyes finally found Akari, who had failed to stop looking at her in a curious fashion. "Is this the new Survey Corps member you mentioned in your letter?"

"Wouldn't call myself that..." Akari said. Still trying to figure out the familiarity, she approached Mai and offered her hand for a shake. The woman rapidly accepted it; a welcome gesture compared to the brusqueness of her leader. He didn't look to care at all, bored with the proceedings. "I'm stepping in for my brother."

"So I've heard. I didn't have the time to check on Rei when I'd heard he was injured. These Alpha Pokémon are proving just as troublesome as whatever that lightning storm was..." Mai said with a shake of her head. She looked off to the distance and Akari followed her gaze, all the way towards Grandtree. Had that been where Rei fell...?

Bringing her eyes back to Mai's face, the recognition at last hit her. "Oh, the woman from his sketchbook!"

"You didn't tell me you had a portrait of yourself, Mai. I'd love to-ow!" Mai had trodden upon Adaman's foot, causing him to yelp and hop forward. He didn't talk back, either, and Akari had the guess they were quite used to this kind of interaction, a far cry between herself and her brother. "Sorry. Just didn't think you one for that. Aren't you a decade older or some-"

"For one, I'd advise you to pick your next words very carefully, little brother," Mai said, the hiss through her teeth rather unmistakable. Adaman straightened, his gulp audible, and he chose to finish the procession instead of putting his foot in his mouth. Akari drew even with Mai and they followed after. "If you didn't know, Rei and I are decent friends. I'd help him with surveys where I could."

"But nothing like what Adaman-"

"Purely professional. If it was anything but, I don't think I'd have the information I do now. But Rei could trust me enough to get it. Now if only the Pearl Clan was more open to working with others..." Akari didn't need to look to know that Mai's gaze was centered on Irida's back as they completed their journey.