The world shimmered like moonlight through water.
Niyah stood barefoot in a boundless tidepool, the surface beneath her glowing faintly with blue light. Ripples spread with every breath, reflecting constellations she didn't recognize. The air was neither warm nor cold, just still, hushed, as though the entire sea was holding its breath.
"...Hello?" she called softly. Her voice barely carried, absorbed by the mist curling across the horizon.
No one answered.
But then, the water shifted. Shapes began to form within the reflection, ghostly outlines of familiar faces, flickering like candlelight. Litwick. Mimikyu. Togetic. They looked serene, distant, their eyes meeting hers through the surface, as though peering up from another world.
"Guys?" she whispered. "Where-?"
Her voice faded as the reflection darkened. The ripples spread again, and something gleamed at the edge of the horizon. Two lights, one sapphire, one crimson, cutting through the fog like twin beacons. They circled each other slowly, their auras interwoven, opposing, yet perfectly balanced.
Niyah took a hesitant step forward. The lights flared, coalescing into the shapes of two wolves, one bearing the weight of a sword in its jaws, the other a shield upon its mane. Their eyes shone like molten stars.
She'd seen them before. In the mist. In a life that no longer existed. In the moment everything had changed.
The Sword Wolf, Zacian, turned its head toward her. The same presence that had whispered to her heart once before now pulsed within her chest again, steady and sure.
Its voice wasn't sound, but feeling, a resonance she felt through every vein.
You are not alone.
Niyah blinked, her throat tightening. "Then… where are you?"
There was no direct answer. Only a flicker of warmth, the sense of purpose unspoken but understood. The fog around her began to lift, revealing faint streaks of dawn above. And from far away, a second voice rose, the softer echo of a boy, carried on the wind.
Guess that makes us siblings, huh?
Hop's voice. Bright, teasing, familiar, yet distant now, like a memory fading too soon.
Niyah smiled faintly. "Yeah… siblings. Sounds about right."
The mist shimmered once more, and when she looked down, the reflection staring back wasn't the same. Her eyes glowed faintly blue, silver light curling from her fingertips, and behind her shadow stood something vast, a faint silhouette of the sword bearing wolf, watching over her.
But before she could reach toward it, the vision shattered.
Niyah woke with a soft gasp, sitting upright in the bed. The apartment was still dark, the faintest tint of morning just brushing the window. Her breath came in small, measured puffs.
Roty's dim light blinked on beside her. "Btzz, alert: elevated heart rate detected. Nightmare?"
Niyah shook her head slowly, rubbing her eyes. "Not a nightmare. Just… something weird."
She glanced out the window, the ocean gleamed pale blue under the early dawn. The memory of the wolves still burned behind her eyelids.
Her voice dropped to a whisper. "You said I'm not alone. Then… maybe that means something's starting."
Her Pokémon stirred quietly in their Poké Balls, the faint glow of energy pulsing in rhythm with her thoughts.
For a long time, she simply sat there, hand pressed against her chest, feeling the echo of Zacian's power hum faintly beneath her skin, ancient, patient, waiting.
And for the first time since she'd woken in this world, Niyah wasn't sure if she was the dreamer…
or the dream.
—
The first rays of sunlight spilled across Hulbury, gilding the waves in gold. The town was quiet, save for the distant chatter of Wingull and the rhythmic creak of fishing boats heading out to sea.
Inside her apartment, Nessa tied back her hair with mechanical precision, standing before the mirror in her uniform. Everything was in order, hair smooth, clothes pressed, badge gleaming. And yet, her reflection looked… tired. Not weary from work, but from thought.
She hadn't slept much. The conversation with Leon and the others had lingered like static at the edge of her mind.
Two children chosen by legends.
Ancient forces reawakening.
The Darkest Day echoing again.
Her fingers tightened around the hair tie. "No," she murmured to herself, firm but quiet. "Not again. Not here."
From behind her, the kettle began to whistle. She turned, pouring hot water into her cup, watching steam curl upward in gentle spirals. Even the scent of tea couldn't untangle the knot of unease in her chest.
A faint noise drew her attention, the creak of a door down the hall, then small footsteps from Niyah's room.
Nessa listened, not turning around, as the girl shuffled to the window.
Up early again, she thought with a wry smile. Always moving before the world catches up.
She didn't call out. Instead, she let the silence stretch, watching how the light shifted across the table.
"What are you getting us into, kid?"
Her Rotom Phone buzzed with the morning schedule, league reports, gym paperwork, public statements but she ignored it.
Instead, she poured a second cup of tea, setting it across from her own.
A moment later, the door opened wider and Niyah padded into the kitchen, her hair a sleepy mess, hoodie sleeves covering her hands. She blinked blearily at the setup and raised an eyebrow.
"…You knew I was up," she muttered.
Nessa didn't look away from her cup. "I've got good hearing."
"Or you don't sleep."
Nessa allowed herself the smallest smirk. "Maybe both."
The two sat quietly for a moment, the sound of gulls outside mixing with the faint clink of cups. There was no heavy conversation this time, no probing questions or scolding remarks. Just a stillness that felt almost fragile, as if both were waiting for something unseen to shift.
After a while, Nessa leaned back slightly, her tone softer. "You've got that look again. Like you just saw something you can't explain."
Niyah hesitated, her fingers tracing the rim of her cup. "Maybe I did. But I think… it was something good."
Nessa studied her face. so calm, so certain and for a fleeting second, the unease that had weighed her down since last night eased, just a little.
"Well," Nessa said, standing to rinse her cup, "whatever it was, I hope it stays that way. Because starting today, we're heading into deeper waters."
The words hung between them, layered with more meaning than either dared unpack.
Outside, the sun finally broke across the horizon, scattering the sea in a thousand shards of light.
And for the briefest instant, both trainer and Gym Leader felt it, the same whisper of something vast stirring beneath the calm.
—
The clatter of dishes and the soft hum of the stove filled the apartment with a rare sort of calm. Sunlight spilled across the counters, painting everything in a soft golden haze. The tension that had hung between the two for days, training, battles, secrets, seemed to dissolve into the air along with the scent of warm toast and berries.
Nessa moved about the kitchen with easy grace, flipping pancakes in a steady rhythm while Niyah sat perched on one of the stools, chin resting in her hands. Togekiss, newly evolved and radiant even in repose, floated lazily behind her, cooing softly as Litwick's flame flickered beside the counter. Mimikyu had stationed herself near the toaster, occasionally poking the lever just to watch it spring up again.
"You know," Nessa said as she plated breakfast, "I used to think peace and quiet were signs something bad was about to happen." She glanced over her shoulder with a small smile. "Now I'm learning that sometimes it just means a certain troublemaker is too tired to plot anything."
Niyah blinked innocently. "Oh, I'd never plot before breakfast."
Nessa raised an eyebrow but said nothing, setting a plate in front of her. Pancakes, sliced berries, and a drizzle of syrup shaped like a Poké Ball. "There. A champion's meal. Or at least, a very energetic child's."
Niyah grinned, immediately digging in. "You say that like you're not enjoying this too," she said between bites.
"Guilty," Nessa admitted, sitting across from her with her own plate. "I don't usually have anyone to share breakfast with."
That quiet honesty caught Niyah off guard. The older woman's tone wasn't melancholy, just simple, like a truth casually placed on the table.
"I could always… you know," Niyah said slowly, fork spinning between her fingers, "drop by whenever I'm bored."
Nessa's gaze softened. "You'd better mean that. I might actually hold you to it."
Roty hovered by the window, its lens flickering. "Btzz, recording statement: Trainer Nessa smiles thirty-seven percent more often when Niyah is present."
Nessa threw a napkin at it. "Traitor."
The laughter that followed was small but real, echoing lightly through the space. Even Mimikyu's shy giggle joined in, muffled under her disguise.
For a few quiet moments, everything felt normal. Ordinary. Like family.
When the plates were empty, Nessa leaned back in her chair, watching Niyah feed a berry slice to Togekiss. "You know," she said, her tone carefully casual, "after everything, you've grown. Stronger. Smarter. And a little more considerate. Just a little."
Niyah smirked. "You sound like you're saying goodbye."
Nessa didn't immediately deny it. Instead, she reached for her mug, swirling the last sip of coffee. "Not goodbye," she said finally. "Just… letting you know that when you leave Hulbury, you'll always have a place to come back to."
That made Niyah pause, her teasing grin softening into something quieter. "A room, huh?" she said after a beat. "Guess that means you're stuck with me."
"Guess so."
The silence that followed wasn't awkward. It was gentle, like the calm that settles after a storm finally drifts out to sea.
Outside, the tide was turning. And so were they.
—
By midday, Hulbury's harbor gleamed under the full sun, the sea stretching endlessly beyond the docks. Ships bobbed softly against their moorings, and Wingull circled lazily overhead, their cries mixing with the rhythmic splash of waves.
Niyah stood at the edge of the pier, her small backpack slung over one shoulder, her team gathered close. Litwick balanced atop her hood, his flame flickering proudly in the breeze. Mimikyu clung to her sleeve, while Togekiss hovered above them, wings gleaming like pearl.
Nessa joined her a few steps later, her gym uniform replaced by casual clothes, a long jacket fluttering in the sea wind. The sight was strangely comforting, without the formal tone of the stadium, she seemed less like a Gym Leader and more like an older sister seeing her sibling off.
"The routes are open again," Nessa said, nodding toward the east. "It'll take you toward Motostoke's outskirts. Lots of environments out there, you'll have plenty of chances to test yourself."
"Sounds perfect," Niyah replied, adjusting her bag straps. Her voice was confident, but her eyes flicked back toward the apartment building still visible beyond the market street.
"You'll come back," Nessa said, reading the hesitation easily. "You don't strike me as someone who disappears forever."
Niyah's lips curved in a small grin. "Oh, I'll be back. You won't even see me coming."
"Please don't make that literal," Nessa sighed.
"No promises."
For a moment, neither spoke. The gulls cried overhead, the scent of salt hung thick in the air, and the water glistened between them like a mirror, reflecting both how far they'd come, and how far apart they soon would be.
Then, unexpectedly, Niyah stepped forward and hugged her. Quick, impulsive, slightly awkward but real.
Nessa blinked, startled at first, then smiled and returned it gently. "That's new."
"Don't get used to it," Niyah muttered into her jacket, pulling back with a grin that didn't quite hide her emotion.
"Too late."
Roty floated between them, beeping softly. "Btzz, sentimental moment recorded. Label: 'Family Subroutine: Nessa-Niyah bond.'"
"Delete that immediately," both said in unison.
They laughed, one last shared burst of warmth before the road called again.
When Niyah finally turned to go, her hand brushed the side pocket of her bag where the Rusted Sword still rested. Its faint hum echoed faintly, like a pulse syncing with the tide.
She didn't look back again. She didn't need to.
Because even as the wind caught her hair and carried her onward, Nessa's voice carried faintly over the waves, calm, sure, and proud. "Stay safe out there, kid."
Niyah raised a hand without turning around. "Sure! Bye bye!"
And then she was gone, her silhouette dissolving into sunlight, a spark of energy darting toward the horizon.
Nessa stood there a moment longer, the sea breeze tugging at her coat, before murmuring to herself, "Some currents… you just have to trust."
Her phone buzzed with new Gym notifications, but for once, she ignored them.
Instead, she looked out toward the open sea, toward wherever that strange, gifted girl would wander next and smiled.