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Clearly having startled the stranger, Lam lifted his hands to relent. “Sorry, sorry. I didn’t mean to catch you off guard. I was just looking at that, is all.” His eyes darted toward the lump of crystalline lodged in the earth. And truthfully, he was relatively harmless. For the most part, an easy going sort of person who didn’t often care to lift a finger in threat.[break][break]

He snapped his fingers and released a sigh. “Ah, darn. Thought maybe you’d be an expert on it. I’m still picking up everything about this place as I go.” This place being Hoenn. “Feels like there’s something new sweeping through every other day.”[break][break]

Of course most of the populus was probably going to be in the same boat as himself. He was about to laugh and shrug it off when the woman paused. Causing him to do the same as he eyed her with obvious curiosity.[break][break]

“A tera-whatta?” he hummed, head tilting in confused thought. It sounded familiar, but he couldn’t exactly place it. Probably one of the phenomena he’d picked up from listening to news reports that had rolled out in the wake of the averted meteor. Did this have something to do with it?[break][break]

His attention drifted from the one they stood in front of–eyes catching on a twinkle against the grass not too far off from where they stood. Putting space between himself and that lycanroc of hers, Lam was quick to move toward it. “Hey, I think it’s another one!” This one, though, shone a bright pink against the grass. “It’s just a different color…huh.”
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[attr="class","bisc"]Most days, Lydia could compartmentalize one life from another. The woman who fought in that bloody conflict—blood smeared across her cheek and top—was not the one allowed in modern society. She was chained tightly away, like a vicious fighting dog. But sometimes the beast bared its fangs. Just like what happened a moment ago. Fortunately—unlike the beasts of her homeland—this monster was easily calmed.

A deep breath made her frame shudder. Blue eyes drifted slowly closed as the veteran centered her being. When she reopened them, the ice-and-porcelain mask had returned. Her tone, however, was contrite. “No. You did nothing wrong, …sir.” The lack of a name somehow made an apology feel less genuine. “I overreacted.” Upon closer examination, the young man did not seem dangerous. Her Pokemon did not seem alarmed by his presence—a sure sign that things were all right.

Her head shook, blond hair whirling around her pale features. “I’m not, unfortunately. Though your confidence is welcome.” She sighed at his assertion about the place. It certainly felt as if every dawn brought a new apocalypse with it. “I am a recent transplant as well. I’m originally from Johto.” Which she sorely missed. Still, she would remain here until she uncovered the crook who’d robbed her blind. If only to prevent it from happening again. “And, this region is certainly..strange.” What it’d done to so heavily attract Arceus’s attention, the soldier did not know.

The question was met with a nod. Lydia tended to be patient—not minding resending a message until it was properly received. “Tera crystal.” It came from the root word for earth. “They allow a Pokemon to change the element they align with.” His exclamation drew her attention as she shuffled over for a look. “I believe this one is a fairy stone.” That had been the one that squad member had used. “But I am guessing it has to be processed before it will do anything.”

Though, some part of her wished to test that theory.

Skipping
lam logan

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Compared to what felt like most of the Hoenn populace, Lam had lived a pretty soft, stable life. Sure, it had been void of a mother, and his family had never been the richest, but it had been comfortable. Warm. He’d always felt secure. To the point where he felt he’d needed to leave Alola and see what else the world was able to offer. As a result, he’d uncovered so many new and good things, but also…a lot of struggle. Not that he was the best at picking up on it, given how easily he’d managed to inadvertently set this stranger on edge.[break][break]

A pang of guilt followed as he watched the woman’s effort to calm herself. His mouth opened to apologize again, only for a laugh to tumble free instead as she beat him to it. “Oh, no. I’m hardly a sir.” He stuck a hand out to offer it in greeting. “Lam.” He smiled then, relieved that the tense moment seemed to pass.[break][break]

He shrugged then, unbothered. “Ah, worth a shot.” Green eyes brightened at the correction, though– his curiosity flaring. “Oh, Johto! I haven’t been. I’m from Alola, and my partner’s from Sinnoh, but we haven’t made it back to either because of all that dome stuff.” Maybe that would change now. A trip sounded kinda nice. “But yeah. Never seen a place quite the way Hoenn is.”[break][break]

As she clarified, Lam nodded attentively, eyes drifting between her and the hunk of crystal. “Interesting…so color is important, then?” If pink meant fairy, the other one must’ve been grass…maybe? “That, or maybe it’s a bit too powerful before processing.” But that was just him thinking out loud. Nearby, the bushes rustled abruptly and he looked up.[break][break]

“Did you hear that?”

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[attr="class","bisc"]Lydia could vaguely recall a time she did not regard people with thinly veiled suspicion. Though it was long before the war—somewhere between eleven and thirteen. That’d been the time her brother tricked her into getting locked into the old well house. He told her an injured Psyduck had run inside, now cowering behind the cistern.

Before she realized she’d been tricked—only shadows lurking in that shack—the door slammed shut. She could hear him laughing as he levied a rock in front of it. To her credit, she did not rush at the door wailing. Even then, she knew that was what the bully wanted. When he called her a bastard or pulled her hair. He wanted to see her cry and beg. Because he blamed her for mother and father’s late night arguments. For the teasing they got in that tiny little town with its tinier minded people.

She cried herself to sleep in that well house. Silently. Alone. Night fell by the time father found her. The darkness a mess of imagined beasts and jeering faces. But her brother did not see her worries. No, he did not get satisfaction, just retribution.

Fortunately, Lydia could not reconcile this man with Mikhail. His skin was too warm and his smile too open. So, when he offers the hand, she takes it. The porcelain doll fingers a stark contrast to the young man’s larger one. The use of sir does not seem appropriate either, so that is dropped. They are peers after all. “I’m Lydia." She gestured ove her shoulder. "This is Minerva.” The wolf lowered her head in greeting.

“Most things are.” Though, she was not sure all of them were worth a bullet. “It’s hard to acquire knowledge without curiousity.” That or reading a placard some nice person erected. Unfortunately, there were none of those to be found here. The rocks were natural, if strange.

At the talk of Alola, Lydia nods. “I have never been to Alola. My father wished to go.” But they never got around to it. “I did serve a stint in Sinnoh and Kanto, however.” And, then, she sailed here. Only to have that hunt for connetion eded by bloodshed and violence. “Hoenn is…troubled. It lost its way long ago.”

It was strange how, in a place that seemed to need her the most, that she so aimlessly drifted.

“Yes, though there is supposedly a difference in sheen as well.” Staring at this stone made her wonder if peopel carved ffrom it. A shimmering crystal figurine would look nice beside her curio cabinet. “I believe grass is a safe assumption. Arceus seemed intent to color code things to suit our design.” No doubt, such things would be more difficult to comprehend if ice was red and fire pink.

A hand dropped to her holster. “Yes.” Minerva jumped in front of her trainer, a howl erupting from her muzzle—boosting the power of her teeth and claws. “Perhaps it is after the—” Before she could finish the sentence, the bush exploded in a cascade of green and glitter. Beyond it, a Pokemon with a crown of flowers became visible.

lam logan

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“Lydia,” he repeated, smile still bright and friendly. His glance tipped down to the lycanroc. “Nice t’meetcha, Minerva!” That voice remained upbeat despite the somber air of the canine, and Lam was distracted only by a sudden hooting from his shoulder. “This is Artie!” He pointed at the rowlet, who ruffled his wings as he blinked at the blonde woman. “Well, Artichoke, but Artie for short.” His hand rose to scratch the soft white feathers on the avian’s belly.[break][break]

“Always sure to introduce himself, this one.”[break][break]

A short nod of agreement followed her words, “You’re not wrong. Guess natural curiosity will have to serve, ‘cause I’m definitely not a researcher. Didn’t get that trait from my dad.” He laughed, then shrugged loosely as he stooped over the glowing hunk of crystal again. As the natural flow of their conversation continued, Lam found himself look back over his shoulder at her.[break][break]

“Well, if you ever want a good break from a lot of the busyness of other regions…Alola’s a good choice.” He’d been raised in Hau’oli, which was probably the largest city of course, but he’d also spent a lot of time in the more rural areas of the different islands on research projects with his own father. Her words struck him as odd, lost its way? What did she mean by that? Not really one to pry, though, he simply nodded. “Yeah, it sure is somethin’, I’ll give you that.”[break][break]

“Huh, that so? Wonder what sort of difference it makes.” He hadn’t considered sheen and brightness beyond simple coloration. The musing cut itself short, though, as bright, shimmering light burst around them. Lam shielded his eyes as his rowlet squawked. A pokeball rolled into his hand, and a quick tap sent his talonflame out to carry herself up into the air between them and the “–arbok?” that slithered free of the scraps of foliage left.[break][break]

“It looks crystallized. I’ve never seen anything like it.” The strange crown shimmered atop its serpentine head, but the whole of its body seemed coated in a verdant gemstone shine as well. It rose up high in front of them, tongue darting before it let loose a feral hiss.

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While not a happy-go-lucky person herself, it was difficult to remain cool with this man. He reminded her of a particularly friendly dog. One whose wagging tail would bring a smile onto the most dour of faces—which Lydia did not think she had. A small smile appeared on her lips.[break][break]

The dog’s chuff drew a tow brow upward. A brief broom-like wag followed. She was not certain it needed a translation, but Lydia chose to supply one anyway. “Minerva says the same.” At the hoot, blue eyes swept upward to the previously silent bird. That hint of a smile solidified. There were few things cuter than ball-shaped entities. [break][break]

It made you want to bounce them! That look—though subtle—was the closest the blonde could get to squealing.[break][break]

She almost choked on her spit. Her gaze swept from the green-haired man to the owl on his shoulder, as if a second glance could change what her ears heard. “Artichoke?” The smile on her face was now taut, like some Southern horror movie monster’s face mask. “What an…interesting name.” Ironically, she could not think of a time when the word ‘interesting’ was used with any hint of authenticity.
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“Soldiers are not trained to ask questions.” The blonde agrees with a murmur. In her home, authority was not something to be questioned. And, as a result, curiosity was not always seen as a good thing. Still, she wanted to experiment with this strange stone. Being able to change type mid-battle would likely prove a useful flex.[break][break]

The talk of Alola drew a small nod. “It is on the top of my list of places to visit.” Unfortunately, she could not leave until she found whatever monster had led her to this apocalyptic warzone. “I just hate fan of humidity.” Heat did not bother her. But the neverending feeling of stickiness—something common to the islands—would drive her up a wall.
[break][break]
A sudden explosion of life—reminiscent of a flash grenade—interrupted the idyllic moment. With a hiss of her own, Lydia threw her arm across her eyes. Protectively, she moved to step in front of Lam. The movement of the bird drew her eyes briefly upward. The snake’s hiss was met with narrowed eyes. Her hands slid down to the gun at her side.
[break][break]
The strange verdant crown, however, made her brow furrow. To attack it without a proper understanding would be dangerous. “I know it does not look pleased.” Perhaps it was similar to Mega Evolution? A strange force that burdened the Pokemon with pain and madness.
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Startled by the change—and blaming the humans for it—the Arbox lashed out with a Giga Drain.
[break][break]
Minerva snarled, charging into the fray.

---

[break]
NOTES[break][break]Minerva uses Stone Edge

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“Yep! Or Artie for short,” he replied, pride in the little owl evident as his smile widened. “I think food names are pretty dang cute, honestly. Especially for a little guy like this.” His hands came up, reaching across his shoulder to give the rotund little bird a squeeze. The rowlet cooed, feathers ruffling up—pleased with the attention.[break][break]
If she thought his name strange, Lam didn’t seem to pick up on that.[break][break]
“Soldiers?” he echoed as the lighthearted moment eased away. His eyes skirted over to her curiously. He definitely wasn’t a shoulder. Sometimes he just couldn’t be bothered to poke his curiosity or ask questions. But that was more like a laziness thing than it was an effort of training.[break][break]
“Good! It should be. I’m biased to Mele Mele, but any of the islands are great for a visit.” You would think he worked in a tourism office, with the way he talked the place up. But it was no more than sentimental fondness for his home region. A place that would always be most comforting to him. “Eh, I think you get used to the humidity.” His shoulder rose and fell in a shrug. “But I grew up in it, so I think it’s more secondhand than it is for most.”[break][break]
Their conversation broke apart—splintered by the arbok as it crashed out of the bushes. Its head rose in threat, tail darting and tail rattling as a warning. “Woah.” The shimmering green that encased it was strange in and of itself. Even moreso the flowered crown that rested atop its head, twinkling with crystallized shine.[break][break]
“Nope, not at all.” His rowlet, obviously fearful of the snake’s bizarre appearance, cowered on Lam’s shoulder. As Minerva snapped and snarled at it to keep it back, he fished a pokeball from his pocket. A red beam of light released his xatu. Lumi fluttered forward, darting around a second lash of the arbok’s tail—seeking to repel its opponents with a POISON STING.[break][break]
As she dodged, the xatu attempted force the twinkling snake back with a powerful PSYCHIC burst.

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[attr="class","bisc"]Lydia’s mask trembled at the name. A chuckle wormed its way out between her lips. A hint of her accent snuck through her normally neutral tones. "It truly is quite cute, monsieur.” Her own Pokemon’s names were boring in comparison. Certainly as childish as Lam’s own—a silly exercise in hero worship. “I am only worried it will not fit him as he grows.” A large hulking ghost owl certainly did not resemble an artichoke.

The blonde nodded. After all this time—lost and rudderless—she still thought of herself in uniform. A useful piece of a bigger, more functional whole. “I served in Kanto and Johto.” She turned in what she perceived was the right direction. “And those habits die hard.” There was still sometimes an urge to check for attackers behind doorways.

At the talk of the islands, the woman imagined the salty sting of the ocean air. While Hoenn itself was tropical, its size somehow made it less stunning. She doubted those islands were as devastated as this place or Galar. The darkest day they likely had was a night without little drink umbrellas. “I am wondering how much you are paid for these referrals.” Even his general attitude—so much less stiff than her own—seemed to beckon her toward the islands.

The Psychic blew the snake back a few yards. It hissed, the crown sliding back and forth on its head. Before it could retaliate, Lydia’s wolf smashed into its side with a ground-type move. As it shook off the dust, the snake followed up with a full magazine of Seed Bombs. These seemed stronger than usual, the vines glowing with a strange power as they burst forth.

lam logan

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Laughter didn't seem to come frequently for her, he silently observed. It felt like the sound slipped loose despite her effort to keep it contained. He couldn't help but grin that the silly name had managed to cause such a reaction. "Isn't it? Somehow it works." Maybe because he was so rolypoly and squishable. He waved a head, though, at her concern. "Oh, nah. Maybe if he was sort of serious. But my guy here is a goof. I don't think that'll change as he gets big."[break][break]
He reached over to ruffle the rowlet's feathers. "Right, Artie?" The question earned little hoots of agreement. As she spoke of her time in the military, he felt his posture straighten up inherently. "I can imagine," he murmured, considering the discipline it must've required. Nope, not for him. The easy breeze and laidback nature of the Alola he spoke of would always be more his speed. "Not a penny!" he laughed. "But I'll always give a good word." It was home, after all.[break][break]
And it was much less spontaneous and unexpected than Hoenn and this weird, crystallized snake. Lumi lifted her wings to shield from the spray of SEED BOMBS. the xatu retaliated with a cutting AIR SLASH, though the arbok seemed barely deterred. Lam glanced at his newfound companion. "I'm wondering if we should make a tactical retreat right about now.."
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[attr="class","bisc"]The blonde bobbed her head in agreement. While not familiar with this species of Pokemon, the Kalosian could not deny an urge to squeeze it. Embarrassed by her earlier laugh—knowing it’d disappoint her mother—Lydia quickly sought to right it. She did not wish the bird to take offense. “The courage to wear such a name proudly is to be applauded.” Her own name was nothing particularly remarkable, nor was it common. At the talk of changing with age, the blonde nodded. “Some things are just part of us.” Just like how—in her eyes—no one could ever truly be redeemed.

Again, the slightly awkward smile rears its head. “And the world could do with more humor, Monsieur Artichoke.” While proud of her time in the service, she sometimes wondered what her work had actually accomplished. The terrorists often looked like scared children, and bombs didn’t discriminate against civilian structures. “It is not for everyone.” His words made her sigh. While Kalos had its charms, she was not certain she would share them so readily. “I wish I was as passionate about my home.” But her origins—and numerous cries of ‘bastard’--made it difficult to enjoy the scenery.

As the snake reared anew, Lydia shifted herself into a defensive position. The wolf at her side did the same. There is no such thing as a tactical retreat. There is cowardice and perseverance. Jerking her hand back down the slope, the woman nodded. “Go.” She narrowed her eyes at the poison type as her hand slid to a gun. The woman did not retreat easily. “We will be right behind you.” A lie.

But she also did not wish death upon the serpent. It was one of Arceus’s creatures and deserved her respect.

With a deafening hiss, the Arbok lunged at the woman. Poison dripped from translucent fangs. This sprayed across her sleeves as the beast grabbed the edge of her sleeve and shook. “Nnngh! Get back!” The woman’s fist slammed into the snake’s eyes. But, it felt like a rock. Blood dripped from skinned knuckles as the soldier retreated. The bullets she rained on it proved just as ineffective. Stained glass shards littered the ground beneath them. “Minerva!”




Just as the snake lunged again, the Lycanroc unleashed a Stone Age, Sharp shards of stone erupted around the snake. Instead of skewering it, however, they trapped its hood between them. A victory in many senses of the word. “Let’s move.” With that done, she retreated down the slope.[break][break]

lam logan

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He hadn’t at all considered her laughter untoward or impolite. Despite his defense of the name, it was still a silly one, and he could admit that. Still, it had always suited the little bird, who hooted proudly when Lydia praised him. “You’ll give him a big head, at this rate,” Lam joked with an easy laugh of his own. “That’s right, it’s just intrinsic.”[break][break]

Lam matched her smile with one of his own, though far more friendly and less awkward. “You hear that, Artie? You’re a Monsieur” The rowlet hooted again, wings out to put on a show of his apparently regal nature. The trainer’s head tilted, though, at her words. “You’re not? Maybe you have to find the right home to be invested in, then.” For Lam, it was the home he’d come from, but he knew that wasn’t always the case for everyone. His own partner had little desire to linger in Jubilife.[break][break]

There was no time to linger on their conversation, however, as the snake closed in–furious with their intrusion on its apparent turf. “Are you sure?” Lam frowned as the woman took the lead and pressed him to retreat. He did as he was told, though, and jogged down the slope. It was difficult to see, so he ushered his xatu to return and help if she could.[break][break]

“Don’t get too close to it, Lumi!” he called up to the larger bird, and she blinked those unnerving eyes of hers as she drifted up to hover around Lydia and Minerva’s position. Eyes glowing with FUTURE SIGHT, the xatu sensed the incoming danger as the arbok lashed out with poisonous intent. Psychic energy followed the crash of the lycanroc’s attack, further battering back the serpent.[break][break]

Silently, Lumi turned back and followed the pair. But Lam’s eyes had fixed on Lydia’s arm, going round. “Yeah, we should get out of here. Are you okay?”



[break][break]

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[attr="class","bisc"]The blonde smiled at the owl, the expression surprisingly soft. Though the walls around her heart were tall and stern, they left much space for small, cute things to sneak their way in. A chink in her armor that she would prefer to hide but found impossible to resist. When she turned back to Lam, her smile was crooked. While Artichoke was charming, his anatomy was far from complicated. “I do not think you need to worry.” The noblewoman chuckled. “I believe he is all head at the moment.” At the talk of innate characteristics, Lydia spared a moment to think of her own.

Surprisingly, identifying them proved difficult.

Her faith and her family did so much to shape her that the blonde did not know where she began. So many years in the military, while teaching her the value of teamwork, did little to improve her sense of self. The owl’s proud display draws out more laughter. “Yes, he is.” That last s blurs until it takes on the buzz of a z. “A very handsome young bird.” While Lam’s lackadaisical attitude may have rubbed her wrong in certain situations, it was almost welcome here.


“I think it is to be expected.” When you were an accident—a fact no one ever let her forget—it could feel difficult to feel like one belonged. Especially after she learned the truth of why people jeered at her father behind his back. She regretted the day she could finally define the word ‘cuckold’. “I was an accident.” That is not to say she was unloved. Mother and father did their best, even if the latter was a distant man. “But I came here in hopes of doing just that.” Instead of a parent, she’d been knocked over the head and stripped of all her worldly possessions.

Though she barely passes five feet high, the soldier stands tall. “I am fine. Do not worry” To perish in a situation like this would be worth it. There was more worth here than waiting for her pension or sitting behind a desk at the VA office. The woman feels a sense of relief when the man vanishes from view. It is easier to fight without worries of collateral damage. As the Xatu approached, the pair cast a glance its way. Lydia offers it a nod as she fires another bullet toward the trapped serpent—aiming to shock it into pause.

The paired attacks are enough to stop the snake for a moment. “May Arceus bring you peace friend.”

These are Lydia’s last words as she backs down the slope to rejoin Lam. At his words, she nods. “It's just a flesh wound." Though acidic, the venom hadn’t stayed long enough to do anything beyond gnawing a hole in her shirt sleeve. Was that steel under there? A final glance up the hill reveals the Arbok hanging limply in defeat.

Though there should be fear in the veteran’s eyes, there is almost a manic exhilaration.

lam logan

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