Finn stood in front of Flying Sword School's main building - a stern and impressive hall framed by red pillars and a broad roof - with his twin swords in his back and his emerald fighter's kimono folded handsomely. His steel headpiece crowned his brow boldly, and even though he wore his usual expression of a potent flame shielded behind a stoic screen, he wondered inwardly how this meeting would unfold.

Josh Devlin, Gym Leader of Mauville City, was visiting. He was an important guest, one Finn had to entertain himself as the school's chief.

He was also the real life version of the AI Josh that Finn had been chatting with on Rondez-view.

And, as the huge double doors to the campus swung open to let real Josh stroll into view, Finn's eyes widened uncharacteristically. Those were some big cats - and was that a mythical Pokemon?

Finn blushed, and then caught himself instantly. The AI was good. Real Josh was as striking as the algorithm made him.

Look normal! Finn ordered himself. He turned his frame to face Josh and nodded politely, keeping his undercurrents masterfully under control.

"Welcome, Josh, to Flying Sword School. I'm Finnegan. It's a pleasure to finally meet in person." Finn felt an awkward tinge of almost inappropriate familiarity as they shook hands; in another world, they were far beyond pleasantries by now. Also, in this current world, Josh had replaced the Raikou Finn stole from him with a Zeraora. Finn deferred his gaze from the creature, as if afraid it would burn his eyes out just by staring. "You have an impressive, strong team." Finn's own Pokemon - a rash Scyther, vibrant Kirlia and a Primeape who looked a hair's width away from punching someone in the face - nodded respectfully. 

"We're honoured to have you. I was intrigued by your mention of mounted combat. Could you help me understand this?" 

In the world of his phone screen, fuelled by the night and boba, Finn had already seen what Josh meant. He waited expectantly, as if watching to see someone fill in an outline with colour - was the AI really that good? Was real Josh like that too?

Josh Devlin

It was hot. Finn took a big, long gulp of water and let his plants have the same. If they drank more, maybe they'd grow soon.

Finn nodded in a performance of sage wisdom as Elise offered him an exchange of expertise. He wondered how much of this was rooted in reality and how much departed in creative extrapolation. Finn could teach some guys how to wield swords - could Elise teach him to manage wealth and bring fortune to kingdoms? Larping entailed the creative tension of stretching things even further and going along with it, or loosening things back into the realm of believability. Finn could use a bit of fresh air for now.

"We'd appreciate that very much, Your Highness," Finn replied as his eyebrows shifted from smooth decorum to an arch smile. Then, breaking character, he chuckled lightly and put his hands in his pockets.

"Yeah, for real, you could come to Flying Sword School and swing some swords. I'm Finnegan, by the way. Finnegan Yang. I run the school and village."

Even as Finn dropped his royal demeanour, he put on another guise - or, perhaps, dropped things one degree lower. Under the evening lights, he allowed himself a degree of laxness that he'd never display in Flying Sword School. In performing a role, he found a new voice. Now, which was the real Finn?

"How about yourself? Who are you really, Princess?" Finn asked playfully, like a caramel apple.

Elise Calcifet

Sometimes, Finn doubted himself. There was so much uncertainty in watching things grow. Students, you could talk to them, observe - seeds just stayed buried until further notice. Finn sat by the side of his garden and just stared.

Finnegan scooped up some fertiliser, courtesy of Flying Sword School's modest Miltank farm, and spread it evenly across the soil. Gardening was like training. You didn't see the results immediately, but you had to trust the process. Sometime, some day, things will bloom. Finn sat by the side, satisfied after a day's work, and mopped his face with a towel.

As the sun set, the horizon of Fortree's woods turned into a little sea of stars that mirrored the upcoming sky above. Finn looked out from his balcony, a mug of warm tea by his side, admiring how all of nature seemed to reflect each other like an endless array of mirrors. Beidou, his Kirlia, twinkled as his feet dangled off the parapet.

Always one for adventure, Beidou turned towards Finn eagerly. Finn knew that look and what Beidou was inviting him to do.

Finn set his mug down on the round side table by the lounge chair.

"Let me change into something sensible and get the other guys."

Wearing reasonable forest attire and with his team's Pokeballs on his waist, Finn and Beidou teleported from their balcony into the fringe of Fortree's woods. Here, they were surrounded above with mellow balls of light. It seemed magical to Finn that nature could produce beauty so magnificant, so sublime that it dwarfed him and all of humanity.

ollie morales

Tending to his garden was like meditation in action. Finn bent over, his back glowing in the sun, as he pulled out the budding stray weeds that were creeping up along the sides of his plot. The garden is like the mind - keep it fresh and clean so that the right things will thrive. Finn poured out a happy amount of fresh water onto his berries and hoped they would pop up from the ground soon.

PURCHASING/REDEEMING

welcome to the poké mart!

1X psyduck pail (200 PD)
2X tamato berry (20 PD)
2X grepa berry (4 PD)

TOTAL

do come again!

224 PD

Air flooded Finn's pancaked lungs and fierce energy bristled across his muscles. It took quite some restraint to not land a fist in Zev's face as he offered him his glass.

Wait, his glass?

Nothing cracked, nothing spilled. Finn grimaced and pinched his forehead. Dirty was dirty, but fighting dirty worked.

Grudgingly, with a grip forced and locked by decorum, Finn accepted the unlikely quest item from Zev.

"I hate to admit it, but you are skilled. I concede defeat."

Finn bit his lip mentally. There was so much more he wanted to say if not for the fact that he was soon to be, for better or for worse, Zev's teacher.

"You will start with meditation. We meet Monday mornings in the main hall. Don't be late."

Still the mind and maybe pick up some values along the way.

Zev Harcourt

Finn's leg spasmed and pulled back. Zev was twisting him into some kind of pretzel, and the world was starting to dissolve around him. He pulled one arm backwards painfully, straining it against its socket, and air turned to acid in Finn's lungs. 

Finn felt his life force being choked out of his body. The tables had turned, and so had the game. This wasn't chess anymore. It was war. 

With his free hand, Finn pulled out a Pokeball. 

A huge blast of light later, Dafutou, a Scyther, stood ferociously between the two men, warding Zev back with his razor sharp arms. Finn crawled back up, his throat sore and crushed, dragging his robe on the ground. 

Still hacking and coughing, Finn pushed himself up by the knees. Pure searing anger cut through his dirt cloud of confusion. 

It wasn't Finn's usual practice to go all out on a student. But when you fought with such dirt and disrespect to the master of the house, Finn wanted nothing more than to punch Zev across the jaw. 

Zev Harcourt

Finn looked up at the man that had walked into him. A shock of red hair and eyes that seemed to look beyond the physical world, into some distance in his mind.

"It's no problem. And no, I'm not from Kanto. I get that a lot, though." Finn chuckled lightly. "I'm from Flying Sword. Just beyond this patch of trees."

But he caught the "as well" in the young man's question. Was that the reason for that glimmer in his eyes?

Finn couldn't share the man's memories, but he could share his present experience.

"What brings you to Hoenn, then?"

A buzz interrupted the gossamer threads of their speech. Finn held up a hand, as if to guard the newcomer. Stop, let me handle this - you don't know these woods.

The wind changed. It became short and spiky.

A Vikavolt buzzed out from the trees. From another side, and with less aplomb, rolled a Shroomish. Between the two, the glowing insect laser launcher was much more of a problem.

"Hey there, buddy. You're good. Stay calm, okay?" Finn soothed, keeping his eyes on the Vikavolt. He kept as still as he could, his eyes trained on its pincers. And then, slowly... he reached into his pocket for an empty ball and aimed it squarely for its eyes!

Finn tried to catch the Vikavolt!

ryuji katahara