Pokémon: Mysteries of Hisui

Chapter III | Unwanted Outsider

There once was a time where I yearned for the quiet abyss, one where I wasn't bothered by Trainers begging for another fight or accidentally falling in the midst of an Ursaring cave. It was in those few moments of solidarity that I could let my mind wander and explore the endless combinations my Pokémon could perform at their next contest. We were free to do whatever we wanted, trying new moves without anyone judging what we were doing.

When I heard we were going to Jubilife Village, I figured it'd be similar to Jubilife City, a place where numerous people flooded the streets. It was a suffocating place with nowhere to practice without the fear of a lingering eye. Not that people were always watching, but with so many people there, one could never be so sure when someone would pop out, demanding for another battle.

It was always about Pokémon battles.

No. Jubilife Village was different. The clean paved roads were replaced with a stone path. People were hardly ever out, and when they were, they'd turn their noses away from me. It seemed nice at first. I mean, people were minding their own business, ensuring that their discussions only stayed between them and the person they were with.

Yet something seemed wrong with how quiet everyone was. This type of silence wasn't the peaceful one I once yearned for. It especially proved to be true when I accidentally got too close to someone. The man scrunched his nose and crossed his arms over his chest, somehow growing an extra five inches as he did.

"Go away," he sneered while his little girl hugged his leg. Her eyes filled with fear.

They wouldn't even give me a chance.

"Do stick close," Professor Laventon called, his voice pulling me away from everyone. "We can't have you getting lost."

I scurried away from the rude man, finding the place where Rei and Professor Laventon were standing. They weren't ostracizing me like the others, but that was only because I helped them early. After all, Rei's whole demeanor changed the moment I captured a couple of the Pokémon for them. If I didn't, I would've been left in the wild with nothing to protect me.

Just how much longer did I have to be alone?

"Ignore them," Rei insisted. His voice was low enough, so only I could hear him. He adjusted the red scarf around his neck, not looking at me as he spoke. "The professor will talk to Captain Cyllene, and once she okays everything, things will be different."

"But why are they treating me like this?" I asked. "I didn't do anything wrong, did I?"

"Oh no, dear girl," Professor Laventon affirmed. "You did nothing wrong. It's just that this village was built not long ago to keep the people safe. Because of the Pokémon, people hesitate to step foot outside the village. New people tend to make them wary."

"But Pokémon are good," I countered. "Why would they be terrified of them?"

Rei shook his head. "I don't know how things are where you're from, but Pokémon aren't always the friendliest. Before Jubilife was built, they tore down many people's homes and took many of our loved ones," he explained.

As he spoke, I noticed his fingers froze on his scarf, tightening around the crimson fabric. It was all I noticed before Professor Laventon interjected.

"That's all in the past! As part of the Survey Corps, we're going to prove that people and Pokémon can coexist with one another. With your help, Everly, I think we can achieve that goal much faster than anticipated," he explained. "In the meantime, I have to ask for you two to wait for me at the canteen. I'll join you two once I address a couple of things."

Rei and I nodded our heads and watched as the older man walked away towards a building that towered over the rest. My eyes widened by how different it looked. All the buildings around us, whether they be shops or homes, all looked identical with their brown planks of wood making up the walls finished with red or blue tin roofs. The building Professor Laventon walked inside was made of red brick and had silver statues of Magikarp sitting on top, gleaming in the sunlight.