Frozen in the Headlights

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon.

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Akari got her chance to take Rei's advice two days after Lilligant was quelled.

She was just leaving Choy's shop when a villager ran up to her.

Akari instantly flinched and her heart started pounding, and she came to a halt.

She silently counted to ten and tried to slow her breathing.

Calm down. You need to give them a chance, remember?

Suddenly aware she was wringing her hands, Akari shoved her hands into her Survey Corps uniform.

Where they started twisting into the fabric.

Well. At least this way her fear was less obvious.

Akari glanced up at the villager, and instantly saw he was upset about something.

Anxiety clogging her throat, Akari nearly bolted then and there.

Had she done something wrong? She couldn't remember talking to him before. Had he wanted to talk to her, but she didn't notice or ignored him, and now he was mad—God, she was so stupid, why couldn't she just do this—

"You're the skyfaller, right?"

The villager's voice, tinged with desperation, cut into Akari's spiraling thoughts.

She looked back up at the villager; he was ashen-faced and lines of worry were etched into his face.

"Uh—yeah. I am," Akari said—or rather, whispered.

Get a grip, Akari. God, you're so pathetic.

The villager made a grab for her; Akari tensed up, as she felt the sting of a slap, the burning sensation of being pulled by her hair, the belt, being pushed down the stairs—

"Sorry! Sorry! I'm sorry," the villager cried, taking a step back. "I shouldn't have—I didn't mean to freak you out."

And yet it still happened. Funny how that works, Akari thought, tasting something unpleasant and bitter in her mouth.

But instead she mumbled, "It's fine. I overreacted."

Sure, maybe she could look people in the eye now for the most part (except perhaps Kamado), but actually speaking louder than a whisper was another matter entirely.

"It's—I'm Zeke," the villager—Zeke, apparently—said. "It's my sister. Wanda. She's missing."

Wanda?

That name sounded familiar...

"She's a member of the Security Corps," Zeke said. "She went to the Crimson Mirelands and didn't come back."

With that, recognition dawned on her; Wanda was probably the Security Corps member who sometimes came into Galaxy Hall to talk to Laventon on her down time.

When this happened, Akari usually headed to the pastures—Laventon was one thing. But Wanda? How was she to know how to act around her?

But now she was missing. She could be hurt.

"Arezu told me how you found her with that Ursaluna!" Zeke cried. Despite still being a warden, Arezu was now also working as a hairdresser in Jubilife. Somehow. "I—could you find my sister the same way?"

Akari nodded.

"Um—the scent," she said, "Her scent, I mean—"

She was cut off by Zeke handing her a handkerchief; Akari automatically took a step back before mentally smacking herself and reaching out to take the handkerchief.