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If You Could See Me, Under the Suns Setting Light - A Pokemon Sun and Moon Fic

[Read on Ao3]

Rated G - No Warnings Gen Pokemon Sun and Moon/Pokemon Journeys Lei & Satoshi, Background Satogou 10,844 Words

Summary: Lei grows up with a mural painted on his basement wall of people he doesn't recognize. Lei grows up, not quite in a shadow, in a remnant of a memory of his Brother. Lei grows up counting the days between planes arriving. Lei grows up as Ash's little brother, a Brother often missing. But Lei grows regardless, and Ash does too.

Notes: This version of the fic uses the Japanese Dub Names (ex, Satoshi). Read the English Dub Names (ex, Ash) version HERE. Thank you to Flowchi and Talise for beta-ing this. Enjoy the fic =D

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Manalo | “You and I live together”, from the old Alolan Language.

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Lei grows up hearing about a person he is meant to call his Brother. Despite not living with him, not growing up alongside him, it is impossible for Lei to ignore his existence, or the effect it has had on him.

They call him Satoshi.

They, in this case, being nearly everyone Lei has ever talked to. Mama and Papa (of course) the people in town, the cousins, anyone and everyone. And it is everyone, every person who mentions knowing Satoshi is someone Lei soon questions endlessly about what he was like. You can’t blame him for being curious, after all.

Satoshi is, Lei learns quickly, famous. The champion of Alola, of the only place Lei has ever really known… or lived in, he supposed. His Mama and Papa, Papa in particular, are quick to teach him about the world beyond the islands, of all the different regions in the world.

His Papa will bring out his pokemon, and tell Lei all about the different lands they come from and his journeys there.

Like his Papa, Satoshi has been to all sorts of regions.

There is evidence of this: photographs and videos and letters. These things shaped Lei’s thoughts on this mysterious figure he was meant to call family for the first few years that he could remember.

And Satoshi was mysterious, not in what Lei doesn’t know about him, but in what he does.

Lei knows a few things about Satoshi well. He has known them since before he knew his name, since he was just “the boy in the videos”. As in the tapes of the Manalo Conference, the first one. Lei grows up with the videos, always in the background of his childhood memories.

Papa smiles at the tapes. At Satoshi, at the conference in general.

“We created that league, Lei.” He says, over and over again, the same silly smile on his face. “Built it from the ground up, from the stadium to the name.”

And it’s a good name his father has chosen, Lei thinks.

Manalo. It fits, because Satoshi looks so alive when he battles, so in sync with his pokemon and his competitors.

Part of Lei thinks the reason his parents played them so often was to make up for all the time Satoshi wasn’t there.

Not that any of them blame him for it. They just miss him.

It’s an odd feeling for him, missing someone he doesn’t really know. It’s still a real one.

Here is what Lei knows about Satoshi, or at least thinks he knows.

1: Satoshi is a very, very good battler. Satoshi beat Lei’s papa, and Lei knows this is no easy feat. Lei’s papa is the second best battler he knows. The best is Satoshi.

2: Satoshi thinks out of the box. Lei loves this about Satoshi. When Lei comes up with ideas and concepts that only make sense to him, his Mama will laugh happily, and tell him how much he reminds her of Satoshi. Lei takes it as a compliment, and it’s meant as such.

3: Satoshi loves his pokemon. Lei sees it in how he battles, in the old interviews and coverage.

Mama tells him the house pokemon, Mukuroh and Lugarugan and Melmetal and Gaogaen but not Papa’s Gaogaen, all belong to Satoshi. He just loved them so much that he couldn’t take them away from their home.

Lei has a hard time believing that sometimes, with how synonymous the pokemon and his house have become, but the same pokemon that curl up on the couch with him are the ones fighting their hardest in the videos they watch.

It’s strange to watch. Lei watches anyway.

For a while, things were simply like that. Satoshi was but a wisp, a fairytale that everyone he met knew. Everyone but him.

Lei is told, when he finds himself staring at the videos and the photos for a touch too long, that he met Satoshi before. When he was very young.

Lei sticks his tongue out and pouts. It doesn’t count, he tells his mother. Not if he doesn’t remember it.

And though he sees the pictures, hears the stories, he doesn’t remember a thing from the first time Satoshi visited.

He remembers the second time perfectly, however.

Because that was the first time he had met his Brother.

Mama and Papa talked about his Brother often, of course, about family that was loved and valued even if they weren’t physically there.

Lei didn’t take that for granted per se, but nothing could quite prepare Lei for the experience of meeting his Brother.

The day that Lei met his Brother, he came up to the front door and knocked three times in a row and waited until Lei’s mama opened it up, with Lei standing close behind her, holding on to the leg of her pants and hiding his face.

Now, Lei had known that he was coming. His parents talked about it frequently, and reminded him often so he wouldn’t be taken off guard. His Papa had gone to the airport and everything, as soon became customary, so it’s not like Lei could have forgotten.

But it didn’t feel real. He did not feel real, until suddenly he was.

There was a person, a real person, standing in front of Lei with messy black hair and a wide smile and a Pikachu on his shoulder. A person who called him “little brother”, who invited Lei to call him brother in turn. A person, who was solid and real in Lei’s arms when he rushed forward to hug him, there in the doorway. Who picked him up and held him, the first time of many.

And Lei had spoken into his shoulder about how happy he was to meet him. The words were mostly incoherent babble, but he’d appreciated them anyway.

“It’s so good to see you!” He had said to Lei, and Lei could not feel more the same.

He picked Lei up, holding him tightly, spun him around gently.

It was, without question, the best feeling in the world.

“You’ve gotten so much bigger!” His Brother had said, excitement brimming in his voice.

Lei doesn’t remember saying it, but according to his parents, he had giggled and told his Brother that, of course he had gotten bigger. People don’t get smaller, that would be silly. He stuck his tongue out playfully and his Brother had laughed.

His mother had laughed too, recalling a time when Satoshi and some of the cousins had gotten smaller. But that made perfect sense to Lei, because everything happened to Satoshi. It’s always Satoshi.

Brother waves this off.

“Awww you don't wanna hear that old story, it’s nothing interesting.” He says with a shrug, “But what about you, Lei? What do you have to show me?” and let Lei lead him over to a little shelf, where he shows off all the things he's found on the beach.

Unfortunately, the rest of that visit remained much of a fog. He was too young to really retain anything. But that moment, Lei can remember in perfect clarity.

He is grateful for that.

The journey that his Brother is on must continue. His Brother leaves and Lei is left with photos and videos, stories and memories of Satoshi.

It doesn’t stop being strange, hearing stories about Satoshi. Lei supposes that it comes with the territory of knowing Satoshi. Everyone he talks to seems to feel the same.

And it truly was everyone.

Lei would toddle up to the people at the market and the town, and ask them if they had met Satoshi. And nearly without fail, they would smile brightly and nod. Retelling some story or another about him. The woman who sells them fruit will often tell Lei some story about Satoshi, letting him rest his legs at her stand for a while his Mama and Papa continue to shop.

The cousins have the best stories about Satoshi.

Technically, these are not his cousins. They are his papa’s former students, but that title feels cold and empty compared to what they really are. Babysitters might be a better term, but it still doesn’t feel quite right. Besides, while every one of them had given it a try at some point, Suiren and Kaki are the ones who do most of the babysitting.

They’re his cousins in the ways it matters. In the ways that Miss Acerola from the Library calls Mr. Kuchinashi “Uncle”.

Lei claims he doesn’t have favourites but he’s lying. Kaki is his favourite. He likes it when Kaki lets him ride Lizardon, holding him tightly as the pokemon winds and loops and soars above Lei’s home. Lei relishes in the feeling of bursting through a cloud, feeling every little droplet kiss his skin as he streaks through it. The frozen feeling on his face is nothing compared to the warmth of Lizardon, of Kaki’s arms keeping him from falling off. It is something very special to see everything you’ve known laid out beneath you, Lei thinks. Also, Kaki gave him his favourite pair of sandals, and nothings gonna top that.

The cousins come around every now and then. Or more accurately, Lei will go exploring and wind up at one of their houses.

Somehow, the cousins always have a story about Satoshi to tell Lei.

Mao makes cupcakes in the cafeteria, and Lei helps. Of course, by helping, he’s mainly just sitting on the counter and licking the spoon used to mix the batter. But it’s the thought that counts. Mao rattles off a story to him about Satoshi and Lei hangs on every word.

He’s heard it seven times before.

As odd as it is to hear stories about Satoshi, Lei adores them.

Truly, all of them.

This person, whose identity in Lei’s eyes constantly reshapes itself as much as a Metamon, is one of his favourites. Up there with his Mama and Papa, of course.

The next time his Brother comes to visit, Lei is a bit older. The first time he was only a baby, and he remembered nothing from it. The bitterness does not leave him. The second he was slightly older, but all he can remember is that single moment. He’s grateful for that at least.

This time will be different. He’s different now. He will remember these things now.

Mama is beaming when she tells him about the visit and Papa grins alongside her.

They watch videos of Satoshi the night they get the news.

Days melt, nights flow, and eventually the plane carrying Lei’s Brother finally arrives.

Lei does not stay home this time. He comes along for the car ride with his papa. Mama would’ve come, but Papa says it gets squishy in the car with that many people. Mama waves them off and says she doesn’t mind.

He kicks the back of the seat where his Papa sits and steers, strapped into a car seat he will outgrow soon. He is impatient, but his Papa only smiles fondly at his actions.

Lei recognizes his Brother instantly, it would be harder not to with all the pictures, and runs up to him in the airport.

Before he can even tackle his Brother in a hug as intended, he is being lifted up, up into the air by strong arms, and then he is spinning round and round. The only still thing in the world, a smiling face he is told he resembles.

“Nice to see you again, Lei!”

His Brother exclaims, and Lei nods, too excited to say a word. His arms wave about, talking for him. His Brother mirrors the action, and it feels like they’re sharing something.

They pile back into Papa’s car. Lei, Papa, his Brother and his Brother’s friend.

Brother has a friend, Lei knows. Brother brings by his friend every time they visit, and sometimes some of the others. Of course, his Brother has lots of friends, and Lei has even met some of them. But this one is different.

Brother's Friend has a name, Lei will not learn it. He hasn’t always been with his Brother, but he has as long as Lei has known, since that first not remembered visit, and that’s all that counts.

He’s got cool stripes in his hair and shows Lei more pokemon in his index than Lei’s ever seen.

All Brother’s friends are like him, like Satoshi. Famous and wild and beyond Lei’s comprehension. In an almost scary sort of unobtainable way, they are something he does not understand from his windows of time with them, from the stories and pictures. Somehow they are different from Satoshi. Lei doesn’t dislike them, not really.

It’s just hard.

But Brother’s Friend, with a capital on the letters, no s, he is somewhat different.

Lei mentions these fears off hand to Brother’s Friend once. Of the spectacle and legacy of Satoshi’s companions. He seems strongly empathetic.

Lei asks if these things apply to him as well, if Brother’s Friend is as wild and impressive.

Brother's Friend laughs and shakes his head. He promises he isn’t anything special. It’s the only promise he’s ever made that Lei thinks he’s ever broken.

He prides himself on his promises, he tells Lei one he makes a promise he won’t ever, ever, break it.

Lei tells him he tries to keep his promises too, but it’s hard when he promises Mama he won’t have any more cookies, but the cookies are the best flavour and have been left on the dining room table right where Lei can grab them.

Brother’s Friend covers his mouth with his hand as he laughs, and tells Lei that maybe some promises are alright to bend.

But he looks right at Lei when he tells him he won’t break any of his promises, not to Lei.

And Lei is young, naive, and hopeful, so he believes him.

Lei blinks, and both Brother and his friend are gone, whisked back off to Kanto, or Galar, or wherever they are now.

All the visits are like that really, he never remembers them all in clarity.

Lei sits in his Mama’s lap that night, while his Papa is still at the airport. The house is quieter without his Brother.

“So, now that you’re older, what do you think of Satoshi? Was it nice seeing your brother?”

And Lei sits up straight and considers it.

Of Satoshi, Lei thinks he is strong, powerful, and a very good trainer. But…

Lei’s Brother is kind and warm. Lei’s Brother is strong, but in the way that he can pick up Lei and twirl him around like a carousel, with Lei’s manic giggles the carnival music.

Satoshi’s Pikachu is a wild creature of energy and electricity, crackling and wild. Somehow, perfectly in sync with its equally wild trainer.

When Lei met his Brother’s Pikachu, he was mischievous and playful and let Lei pet it until he fell asleep, fingers still tangled in his fur.

He answers quietly, a murmur to his Mama’s sweater sleeve rather than her face. He loves them, he promises his mama.

She strokes the top of his head, smiles, and does not question him any further.

He falls asleep to her gentle murmur, and wakes up tucked into bed with the house pokemon curled up around him, keeping watch.

They are protective of him, Lei knows, even more so than they are of Papa and Mama. Maybe it’s because Lei is still small and doesn’t have pokemon of his own. Maybe it’s because they miss Satoshi.

Mama guesses it’s got something to do with Bebenom and Cosmog, two of Satoshi’s friend pokemon that don’t live here with Lei. They used to, though, before Satoshi left the region, before Lei was born.

There was always a baby, it just happened to be a baby pokemon before, and now it was a Lei.

Lei protests that he is not a baby, he is old enough to brush the house pokemon all by himself, and Mama laughs and smiles.

“You’ll always be my baby though.”

Lei supposes that’s alright.

But he grows a little more anyway, because time doesn’t have much of a mind for sentimentality. Lei gets a little taller, a little wiser, but he still feels very little all around. After some light debate between his parents, they finally deem him responsible enough to sleep in the loft. Where his Brother used to sleep. When he lived here before.

It’s sort of embarrassing, but Lei wants to be like his big Brother. Not just because everyone he knows seems to adore Brother— though that’s certainly a part of it— but because he wants to know him too. So he hopes that however minute, he’ll be able to feel a little bit closer to his Brother this way.

But he knows he’s not his Brother, and he’s thankful for that. So the books on the shelf are switched out for his favourites, and a few more knickknacks are piled up on the desk. It’s nice, Lei decides, and he likes it.

Soon after this, Lei sits against the door to the laundry room, watching the Lovecus and the Sunnygo in the tank intently, and falls asleep to it. His mama scoops him up and laughs softly when she finds him. She tells him about a time when she fell asleep watching the tank like him, a story about Satoshi. Lots of Mama's stories have Satoshi in them. Or at least, all the good ones do. Lei falls asleep that night dreaming of his Brother.

There is a bit of a blurry memory, between the third visit and the fourth, that Lei feels is important even though he doesn’t quite understand it.

Mama and Papa sit on the couch, their bodies pressed against each other. Papa puts one arm around Mama’s back, holding her closely. He holds her hand with the other, strokes the back of it with his thumb. Their eyes are glued to the screen, reading scrolling text and listening to the news reporter drone on.

Lei can’t remember what they were saying.

He remembers his Mama’s face, creasing and folding like his first attempts at helping set out the napkins for Cousin Mao. He remembers Papa’s quiet voice, the gentle one.

He remembers feeling scared, and not knowing why.

Lei wanders over to where his Mama sits, raising his arms up with grabby hands.

She scoops him up off the floor and seats him in her lap.

Lei pushes his head into his arms gently, curling himself up tiny, not that he isn’t already rather small.

Quietly, not looking at the screen, he asks his parents if they’re alright.

Lei feels his Mama tense for a moment, and then melts along with her.

“We’re alright, darling.”

His Papa nods.

It’s clear to everyone that Lei doesn’t quite believe that. Luckily she continues.

“There’s just a bit of scary stuff happening in some other regions right now.”

The thought makes Lei’s stomach squirm in an unusual sort of way. It’s not that he doesn’t get that bad things happen, he’s grown up enough to understand that. Storms happen often enough, Papa and Mama talk every now and then about some “bad people” causing trouble around the island every now and then.

They are quick to point out that these are not the skull gang. Very quick.

But this is a different sort of bad. A surrounding, can’t-see-the-scary-stuff bad. Sort of like when the bubbles in the tank catch the shadows in the middle of the night or the fan is making strange noises, and the digital numbers on the clock distort into something unreadable. It’s not what’s there that’s scary, it’s that Lei can’t see what he fears, knows , is lurking around the corner.

There has yet to be something in those situations, those late night fears, but this is real. And yet, it feels the same.

Lei doesn’t like it at all.

He reaches out for his Papa with one hand, who leans in just a little bit closer so Lei can hold on to it.

They sit together like that for a while, Lei doesn’t count the time. The volume on the TV is low, the breathing of his parents steady.

But he still feels that static in the air, that nervousness.

He doesn’t like it one bit.

It’s hard to tell what’s going on, for everyone really, but especially for Lei. He knows he’s young, he knows he doesn’t know what’s happening. He knows he doesn’t really want to.

But he knows he’s scared. He knows his parents are scared. And he worries quietly until he falls asleep, still curled up on his mama’s lap.

He wakes up bundled up in his own bed later, with only the lights in the Lovecus tank still on. Lei tells himself if things were truly bad, Mama and Papa would still be up and watching the news, so there’s no need to worry for now. He doesn’t know if it’s true of course, but he tells himself anyway until he falls asleep again.

The next time Brother visits, Mama cries. Papa does too, Lei knows, but he tries not to show it.

She smiles as the tears streak down her face, as she holds his Brother’s face in her hands, just to look at him and know for certain he was standing in front of her. Her thumb strokes his cheek, as if wiping away the tears she herself is crying on his face instead. He smiles softly as she holds him, as if knowing how much it hurt but wanting to reassure her anyway. Brother’s friend in tow as always, nods along at her every word, reminds her of a promise he made.

The adults laugh at that, and Lei doesn’t quite understand. But he’s happy anyway, that they’re smiling for once. He wishes they would smile like that always.

There are no adventures on this visit. It rains often anyway, and Brother and his friend stick close by, spending most of their time curled up on the couch. Lei doesn’t mind this one bit, taking the opportunity to show off all the fun projects he’s been doing at school and showing his Brother all the best Alolan shows he knows don’t make it out to other regions.

Brother’s friend takes quite a fascination with Alolan Detective Lucky, and Lei and Rotom are all too excited to walk him through every moment of it with running commentary. It’s a good time, though Lei’s Brother spends most of their Lucky marathon asleep against his friend’s shoulder.

Neither of them seem to mind, and they sink into each other comfortably. Brother and his friend are as warm as always, and for the most part it is a good visit.

But while Lei loves Satoshi very very much, he’s not sure he’ll ever forgive him for making his Mama cry.

Though Lei is sure it isn’t true, looking back on his memories of the trip he always sees Brother and his friend holding hands or touching in some way, stuck to each other like glue. Of course, this can't be true, but Lei’s memories stubbornly insist on this order of events.

Lei doesn’t quite remember the moment they left— after a few similar rounds of close “goodbye”’s and “see you soon”’s, they all start to blend together— but he does remember what happened directly before that.

He is sitting on the porch, the rain beating down fiercely above him. The wind blows, but thankfully away from Lei, so the overhang on the porch is enough to shield him from the water. The sound is loud and all encompassing, the rushing water filling his ears as if wrapping him in a blanket.

It’s nice, so he sits outside to listen to it, legs crossed and sat upon the wood. Brother’s Friend sits across from him, Lei doesn’t remember when he came to join him.

“How’s it going, Lei?” He asks, and Lei responds quietly. He’s alright, things are mostly good.

“Good, that’s good.”

It's quiet between them for a moment. Not between the air, between the clouds and the ground. There the rain made itself known, proudly ringing out as it fell all around them.

But there are no words between them for a moment. And it’s sort of nice.

The wind whips through, rippling the sheets of rain that fall like fabric.

Quietly, Lei asks Brother’s Friend how he is doing, and it takes him a moment to reply.

“I’m alright. We’re alright, and that’s what counts in the end. No matter how bad things were or are, things can always get better as long as all of us are still here.”

He starts off quiet, enough for Lei to have to lean in closer to hear the words, but Brother’s Friend’s voice grows louder, stronger. As if the words he’s saying are convincing himself as well as Lei.

Lei lets the idea sink into his head for a moment before he asks a second question. Asks what it’s like, traveling around with his Brother.

Brother's Friend does not pause this time. Practically stumbling over his words in his rush, he answers.

“It’s amazing. Your brother and all the adventures we go on together make my heart pound, I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

He smiles as he speaks, a large grin that stretches across his face in tandem with a blush. He doesn’t look at Lei as he speaks, but Lei looks at him.

Lei asks, the words coming slowly, carefully, if he will adventure like Satoshi does.

“If you want to,” Is the reply Lei gets, which is not the one he was expecting.

“Satoshi is Satoshi, and you are you. If you want to adventure like him, that’s wonderful! But if it’s not what you want, there’s so many other things you can do. It’s all up to you, Lei. Your destiny is in your own hands.”

And despite the noise of the rain crashing, the wind whipping through the trees around them, the waves crashing to shore, Lei remembers hearing those words in perfect clarity.

See, Lei knows he’s not like Satoshi, not really. Part of him wants to be, part of him aspires to be this almost mythical person, inspiring and beloved by everyone he comes across.

But…

Mama loves Lei. Lei is the one who she sings lullabies to each night, not Satoshi. Papa loves Lei. Lei is the one he carries to classes with him, Lei is the one who scribbles pictures of his classes pokemon to give them.

And they share interests, they share family, they share their love of the region; its sky, its plants, its pokemon. They do not share a house. They do not share a brain.

Lei wonders about his Brother more than he wonders about anything else.

After Satoshi leaves again, Lei finds himself biting his tongue, filled with questions he forgot to ask.

Determined not to forget this time, Lei spends that night scrawling out questions in clumsy letters with crayon on a spare sheet of drawing paper. He leaves it out on the table in the living room when he heads to bed that night, the paper forgotten momentarily. The green crayon, his favourite, is worn down nearly to nothing and left lying atop the list.

He is asleep by the time his parents notice it, reading each of the simple questions written out.

They’re the sort of things a child asks to a person they don’t know well.

Favourite colour, favourite food, favourite pokemon?

A few more personal questions.

How’s your friends doing, how is pikachu doing, who have you fought recently?

And then, some more.

What’s it like being Alola’s champion, will you be world champion someday, what’s the rest of the world like?

And finally, this question is written neatest of all, with careful strokes. A question that took time to write, a question thought through.

When are you coming home?

And while Lei can’t see it, his Mama and Papa exchange a glance and wonder the same thing for themselves.

The cousins gossip among themselves often, of course they do. They chat at Aina Cafeteria, hang around the school, go out shopping together. They do not try to hide who they're talking about, they’re far from subtle. They’ll shout it to each other, across the street passing by, “Lillie sent us another letter!” And “You’re coming over to watch right? You missed his last match on TV, you got no excuse!”

They make no secret of the fact they miss each other.

Lei does not blame them. He’s seen the pictures, heard the stories from Cousin Mao and Kaki. Cousin Suiren tells him stories too, but her stories are windy and confusing, he can’t tell the jokes from the truths. They’re all fun to listen to though, so he doesn’t mind. Cousin Mamane doesn’t tell stories as much as the others do, at least not unprompted, but he’s got the videos and the recordings to make up for it.

Lei has never met Lillie in person before. Lillie is as much his cousin as the others are, he supposes, but the title hasn’t stuck yet.

Satoshi is not the only person Lei’s family misses.

Lillie calls sometimes, and sends letters. Video calls, to meet him and show her friends where she is, to hear their voices and for them to hear hers in turn. She sends letters too, because she likes the feeling of sending something, of holding something sent from her friends. To trace the ink, smudged slightly, with her fingers, knowing her friends held this same paper in their hands.

Lei’s not making that up or anything, he knows it for fact. Before, Lillie sheepishly explained her rationale behind the letters once on a video call after Mamane pointed out the environmental impact of her frequent letters a few too many times.

He didn’t mention it again after that.

They laugh together, sharing stories with each other, letting Lei learn more and more, but sometimes they just sit there, quietly.

They whisper, or remain silent, think about their missing friends and their past adventures.

Lei knows what it is like to miss someone quietly. They do not do this when they think Lei is watching, when they think he can see, but Lei already knows the Cousins are not very subtle.

And besides, he’s gotten very good at sneaking around without being detected by avoiding the house pokemon. Not that he doesn’t love them, but because sometimes he just wants to get a glass of water in the middle of the night without being tackled by 3 giant pokemon brimming with concern.

They’re overprotective, all of them.

Lei doesn’t mind too much.

His Brother is like that too, when he’s here. He laughs and reminisces with them, grinning wide and bright. On those days, Brother’s Friend joins Lei in listening to stories for the first time, just as confused but excited as he is. This is one of the many reasons Lei loves his Brother’s Friend.

The only exception to this rule is when they talk about the first visit back, when Lei was too little to remember. Cousin Suiren teases every time, laughing that Cousin Kaki intimidated Brother’s Friend and challenged him to a battle. They both blush at that, Kaki and Brother’s Friend, and protest at Suiren’s retelling. Lei’s still not sure exactly what happened, but he sees Cousin Kaki and Brother’s Friend when they laugh and smile together, so at least they’re close now.

The feeling of loneliness, the ache that accompanies you in place of the person that’s missing goes both ways. Even when they’re together, they still do it, Lei sees. That sitting around, quietly reminiscing, sinking in that slippery feeling of missing someone who hasn’t even left yet.

Lei’s supposed to be asleep when he overhears them talking, but in his defense it’s tricky to sleep when nearly all your cousins and your Brother are just sitting in the living room and whispering right where you can hear them.

Cousin Mao’s voice is the first one Lei can make out distinctly, beyond the hazy sound of talking without words. Where he can tell someone’s talking, but the words themselves might have well been placeholder text in an unfinished book.

“Of course we do. It’s not the same though.”

His Brother’s voice next.

“Yeah… ughhwah! I wish I could be everywhere at once, then I could compete and research with Gou and be here with you all.”

A hushed laugh.

“Yeah, I’m sorry for stealing him away from you guys.”

“We miss you too, you know,” Cousin Kaki’s voice is the deepest, quietest of them all, hardest to make out.

“Really?”

And Lei can’t quite make out who exactly says what over the mix of affirmations from all sides.

“I’ve never even lived here before…”

“You should, it’s nice.”

And Lei’s annoyed with himself for drifting off to sleep before hearing anymore.

Lei wakes up the next morning, with that being the only thought in his head. The cousins, his parents, they’re all understanding, they all care, it’s just…

He knows they feel the same as him, missing someone so strongly every day. He just wonders if they know he feels the same as them. Maybe he’s too young to understand, or whatever things grown ups tell children when they don’t want them to take part in conversations. Lei shakes his head, that’s not true.

The truth is just, it’s lonely. There’s little joy to be found in the conversations Lei listens in on, little substance either. Simply reminiscing, missing and wishing, because it’s no one's fault Satoshi isn’t here, the world is simply like that.

So they don’t rope Lei in, they try to shield him from it.

And part of him appreciates it, and part of him doesn’t, because he’s young and petty and children hate being left out.

There’s always a small window of time, right after his Brother has left for other regions again, where Lei wonders.

He calls it wondering, because there’s not much of a name for how he feels. He’s just… wondering.

Wondering what his Brother is doing now, wondering when his Brother will come back, wondering what to do now. Waiting for routine to settle back into comfortable monotony.

Lei kicks the sand, digging his foot into it and tossing it back up to throw sand everywhere. It has been 2 days since his Brother left.

He walks the shoreline like a tightrope, toeing the edge between sea and sand. His arms are outstretched like he needs them to maintain balance, but really he’s trying to block the sun from over the ocean from hitting his eyes.

The world feels big to Lei, when he wanders like this. It’s not that he’s far from home, it’s right behind him with his Mama carefully watching him from the deck. It’s that everything else is in front of him.

The world, the islands, the ocean, they’re all in front of him, sprawling out further and further. To his left, where sea and sky melt and become one, where the fish swim in the refracted clouds and the birds fly beneath the surf. To his right, the lush plants, the city in the distance, the few streetlights at the outskirts flickering on to illuminate ill maintained roads. In front of him, the divide, the in-between, all of it and none of it, and his own foot as he kicks out in front of him.

Grains of sand scatter in the air and shower to the ground, looking like fireworks and sounding like rain.

Lei’s sand kicking soon skids to a halt, as the terrain grows rocky. He walks with slightly more care, careful not to trip over the large, smooth stones.

One foot in front of the other, step by step, it’s easy to keep walking without looking, without thinking, and then-

Lei stops.

There is something moving on the rock ahead of him. Or rather, squirming. Green and golden, glinting in the fading light.

Lei watches carefully, approaching slowly as not to startle it. It’s clearly a pokemon, but it’s difficult for him to tell what.

It looks like a Namakobushi, in shape and size and squishiness. At the same time, its colour is all wrong.

Lei knows the rules about Namakobushi. They’re good creatures, but violent if provoked. The older kids sometimes can get a bit of money from the hotels and beach fronts for tossing them back into the sea, provided they don’t mind the risk of getting punched in the eye for it.

Of course, most kids growing up in the area learn to deal with them fairly quickly, and love taking the extra cash. For some reason, the tourists don’t like them very much, which confuses Lei, who finds them cute.

However, his Mama was clear. He is not supposed to touch them without Mama or Papa around to help, at least not yet. Because Namakobushi can be violent if provoked, and Lei is still rather small.

This pokemon does not really look violent to Lei. In fact, it doesn’t look like it’s moving at all.

Lei is immediately struck with the common urge shared among all children to “poke the thing with the stick”. That would technically not be touching it, and Lei would get to see if it moved.

Lei looks down at the Namakobushi. It blinks back at him.

Lei immediately feels guilty for even thinking about poking it with a stick.

Pouting, he pulls his backpack off his shoulders and places it on the nearest rock, digging through it. After a minute of searching, he triumphantly pulls out a plastic bag, containing beans of various sizes and colours. Snacks he kept in his backpack in case he was ever out with the house pokemon and they needed something to eat.

Lei reaches in and shuffles the contents around, finally pulling out the largest, most colourful bean he can find. It’s a shimmering green, almost the same colour as the namakobushi in front of him.

Slowly, while watching the Namakobushi carefully, Lei sets the bean in front of it, then steps back.

An apology, he explains, for thinking about poking it with a stick.

The Namakobushi gobbles it down excitedly, pouncing on it without hesitation. Lei smiles, a toothy lopsided thing that’s cute in a childish way, which makes perfect sense since that’s what Lei is.

He smiles, and breathes in, and turns to leave, arms stretching out wide towards the sky.

He is stopped by a gentle tug at the end of his shorts.

It only takes about a minute to convince his Mama and Papa to catch his new friend, he’s already given it a nickname and everything, so they’ve gotta let him keep it, right? They relent quickly, it’s only in their nature, and Lei gets his very first pokemon. It belongs to his Mama, technically and legally, but it’s Lei’s best friend. Only Lei gets to call it Nami, only Lei feeds it and plays with it.

They take new pictures, as a family, Lei and all the pokemon and his parents. The picture still feels lacking though.

Nami comes with Lei everywhere, holding onto his shoulder or clutched against his chest. It likes to stick onto his clothes, which makes Lei laugh, and his Papa groans at the extra laundry he has to do.

And Lei enjoys taking Nami everywhere. To school, to the store, to the beach to play, to the airport.

Kaki picks him up that morning, Mama and Papa too busy with preparations to handle it this time around. He holds onto Lei as they fly on Lizardon over towards Hau’oli City. They don’t land at the airport, instead settling a few blocks away to meet up with the rest of the cousins.

They’re walking together, chatting idly about this and that and nothing in particular Lei cares about. Cousin Mao holds his hand when they walk together, so he doesn’t trail behind. Lei holds onto Nami with his other hand, determined to show his Brother his new friend, when he arrives.

Of course, Lei’s legs are much smaller than his Cousins, and he tires out quietly. He rides on Kaki’s shoulders the rest of the way, trying to avoid the temptation of pulling on his hair. Nami clings onto Lei’s shoulder the whole time.

The airport is as loud and crowded as it’s ever been, never Lei’s favourite place to be, but it’s worth it to see his Brother the second he gets off the plane.

Lei’s never been on a plane before, but it must be exciting considering how wide his Brother’s smile is when he gets off the plane. He runs down the little ramp that connects the area of people leaving the plane to the open lobby of people waiting, face alight at the sight of all of them, waving and cheering.

His friend follows close behind, groaning at him and carrying both of their bags, but with that funny little smile on his face that his mama gets when she scolds papa for taking a bite of the croquettes before she’s finished preparing the sandwich.

Now Mama and Papa have told Lei that it’s rude to brag, and Lei does his best to keep that in mind always. But he still scrambles down from Kaki’s shoulders so that his Brother can hug him first like always. He’s always the first one to get a hug when they’re all together, and it thrills Lei to no end. So hopefully his parents won’t mind him being a bit proud of this one thing.

He holds onto his Brother tight, tight, tight, resting his head on his shoulder and bunching the fabric of his Brother’s jacket in his hands. The arms around him are just as tight, warm and strong and loving.

“How’s my favourite brother doing?” He asks, voice teasing and caring all at the same time.

Lei giggles, he’s the only brother, silly.

“True, but you’re still my favourite! The best little brother in the world!”

And Lei laughs some more and smiles, his grip tightening just that little bit more.

There’s laughter and walking and talking, and it isn’t long until Lei is gripping crayons instead, clenched in his tiny fists and furiously scribbling across spare printer paper.

The green crayon is beginning to be worn down to a stub, and Lei has to concentrate extra hard on not letting it tumble out of his grasp. He makes bold, dark strokes across the paper, tongue sticking out slightly as he focuses.

He still overhears bits and pieces of his Mama, Brother, and Brother’s Friend, talking in the kitchen.

Something something, post-tournament. Something something ranking, blah blah regulations, schedule. He perks up at one fragment of a sentence from his Brother, “That’s kinda how it goes with tournament finals coming so soon….” but quickly is preoccupied with filling in the lines he’s drawn correctly, and misses the rest.

It’s an important drawing, after all. It deserves all his attention. And Nami’s too, of course.

Lei learned quickly that Nami also enjoyed drawing, so long as he passed it the crayons to scribble with. Nami isn’t as good at colouring inside the lines as Lei is, but Lei supposes he’s had more practice.

The yellow crayon breaks in two and Lei presses it against the last patch of white on the paper. The paper surrounding it is torn, and Lei blinks, staring down at it. He snatches up the page in one hand and wraps his fingers around the broken crayon in the other. He’s careful to step around the table without knocking Nami off it, Nami’s still happily turning an entire piece of paper purple.

His mama’s wearing a wet suit over her proper clothes again today, there are still tiny droplets of water clinging to the tips of her hair.

Lei grabs at one of the sleeves of the suit, tied around her waist. Her head turns, looking down over at him as she realizes he’s there.

“What is it, baby?”

He holds the crayon up to her, lips trembling slightly.

She bends down, placing one hand on his shoulder and running the other over his head.

“Aw, it’s alright Lei, you don’t need to cry about that. You did such a good job with your colouring! Most of them were getting worn down anyway.”

Lei nods, but the tears start to slip down his cheeks anyway. His mama wipes them away with her thumbs, light touches.

“Yeah, it’s alright…” She murmurs, leaning over him. “Come on, darling. Do you wanna go show your brother the picture you drew?”

Lei sniffles, but nods, grip on the page tightening.

“Upsy-daisy, there we go.”

His Mama wraps her arms around him, tucking him in close and then moving to stand. In turn, Lei wraps his arms around her neck, resting his head on her shoulder. The corner of the drawing pokes her a bit, but she doesn’t mention it.

She bounces him up and down a bit as they walk out the door, gentle repetitive motions.

The door swings open gently, bumping against the wall without much of a sound. As they step out onto the porch, Lei feels the warm breeze envelope him. The teardrops on his face already feel like they’re begun to dry. The island itself comforts him, “no need to cry” it says, “it’s alright” it says.

His Mama leaves dark footprints in the sand, a tiny reminder of where she’s walked. Lei watches it grow as she travels down the beach, towards the two silhouettes sitting on the shore.

The sun is slipping away, the light tumbling across the landscape, casting long shadows onto the sand. Lei waves his arm at his own shadow just to watch it extend farther than he can reach.

It’s peaceful, the gentle breeze, his Mama’s footsteps, the lull of the ocean.

She slows her pace, and before Lei knows what’s happening, she’s come to a stop.

Lei pokes her gently, blinking at her in confusion.

Her face has gone funny, like how she looked when watching Satoshi on TV, but in reverse.

His Brother and Brother’s Friend are talking.

“It feels weird to make plans when we don’t even know yet…”

“But it’s better to make plans in advance! I don’t wanna do things at the last minute, like you.”

“Hey!”

Most of it doesn’t reach Lei’s ear.

“It’ll be hard to leave them… I wanna be ready.”

“Yeah.”

They’re not whispering exactly.

“Well… we can figure it out later.”

“And after? We’ll really…”

But it’s certainly hushed.

“I want to. Do you?”

“Wherever will be fine… you’ll be there.”

“Sappy… but true.”

Lei stares up at his Mama’s face. The corners of her lips twitch just slightly.

“It’s nice here. There’s so much to see and do… I wanna see it all.”

“You really don’t mind waiting for me to-“

“Of course not. We’ll do it all together. It’ll be your… reward!”

“Reward, huh?”

“Oh, what, not as nice as a trophy and a fancy cape?”

“Hey, I never said that! It sounds nice… you and me… here.”

Lei rustles the page he holds in one hand, the edges of it flicking against his Mama lightly.

“Right, of course. Sorry, Lei.”

He squirms a bit, and she sighs with a smile, letting him hop down onto the sand. His feet leave tiny indentations in the sand, he runs too fast to make a clear footprint.

“As soon as the tournament ends. As long as I… and if I don’t…”

His Brother seems to have an awful habit of trailing off.

“You’ll do amazing, I know it. It’s only your first attempt! Even if… it’s already impressive that you made it this far!”

Brother’s Friend says.

“If I don’t?”

“We’ll try again, like always. Alola can wait a little longer.”

They don’t notice Lei until he’s right behind them, proudly holding out his drawing. The moment they do notice him though, all attention is focused towards him and the page he holds.

“That’s amazing, Lei!”

“Whoaaa! You did so good!”

And then his Mama is calling to them, walking to them again as if nothing ever happened.

“Dinner’s ready, you two! Come and eat! You can admire Lei’s artwork inside.”

“Coming!”

“Be right there!”

Mama doesn’t mention the listening; doesn’t ask about the words before. They don’t mention their discussion to her. This is far from abnormal. Lei waves his drawing about for his family as they shower him with praise. He’s satisfied with this.

He wants to say, he’s satisfied with this.

He’s not listening properly to his family at dinner that night, zeroing in on the curry he’s eating and focusing on not messing up the table. His mind wanders, swirling.

Something something, the adults are saying. Something Dande, something championships.

Lei’s grubby fingers grip his fork as he clumsily stabs a carrot.

Something something else, Brother’s talking now, something tourism, something raining? Blah blah resi-dance, blah blah promotion of regions.

Brother’s friend chimes in, something research. Brother nods excitedly, Lei’s parents laugh.

Lei’s potato falls off his fork and back into the bowl. It’s quiet.

Something waiting. Something trying.

Big word second attempt small word training. Brother’s Friend interjects again, big word, bigger word, won’t be needed.

Alola. Galar. Here. There. Winning. Losing.

The words go back and forth. Lei’s run out of rice.

“Whenever that is, we know you’ll do it. And we’ll be right here waiting for you, all three of us.”

His Mama’s words spark Lei’s attention, he’s part of “three of us”. He nods along, even though he doesn’t know what his mama said.

Everyone laughs again, and Lei smiles along even if he doesn’t know why.

He would later, later regret not having smiled wider, wilder, grinning until his face split open.

But it’s quiet now, it’s dinnertime now. What’s brewing on the horizon can wait one night.

For Lei to get a bedtime story from his Brother. To fall asleep hearing two extra sets of snores, curled up on the living room couch. He doesn’t get this every day, after all. He has to cherish it.

He drifts off clutching his feelings, curling around the idea of his family all together as if it were a plush toy.

They leave soon after, naturally. The feeling’s become more of a dull ache to Lei now, but it hasn’t stopped hurting yet.

There’s some sort of shift though, one he can’t quite place. Mama and Papa are acting different . The Cousins too. The more he pays attention, the more it seems like everyone is acting strange. It’s a prickly feeling that flows through their conversations, like static.

Lei can’t say he likes it.

He decides not to dwell on it, there’s other things to think about. For whatever reason, just as the feeling begins to grow unbearable, his parents announce they’re going to be taking a trip. And for the first time, all three of them.

Lei bounces around his room as his Mama helps him pack a suitcase. She explains everything she does as she does it.

“We’re going for three days,” She holds up three fingers, “and two nights,” she lowers one, “alright?”

Lei nods.

“Someday, when you’re a bit older, we’ll go on trips like this all together, much more often, and for longer!”

Lei likes this idea.

“Now, for three days, we need three shirts! Can you go grab three shirts you’d want to wear?”

They go back and forth like this for a while, Mama naming an object or number of objects Lei would need and tasking him with retrieving it. Then she’d neatly tuck and fold everything away, all into a bright green suitcase with a cartoon Metamon smile on it. He had no idea how she got all that stuff to fit into such a tiny case, but then again, Lei was confident that his Mama was magic, at least a little bit.

When his suitcase is all packed up, it sits right by the door, proudly standing next to his parents suitcase. Lei can see it from his bed if he positions his head just right.

He doesn’t get much sleep that night, but he ends up sleeping through most of the airport and plane trip so it evens out.

Galar is loud, crowded, and smoky. Or technically, Shoot City is, Lei can’t really speak for the rest of the region.

He scuffs his feet against the hard pavement, one hand jammed into his pocket, the other clinging to his Mama’s hand. It’s cold in Galar, at least by Alola standards. Lei rubs the edge of his sweater sleeve between his forefinger and his thumb. It’s a habit he’s picked up.

He misses the sun. He’s not sure if Galarians know what the sun is, seeing as they don’t have it, but he’s sure they’d like it.

Lei’s first day in Galar, truthfully, is exhausting and he doesn’t remember much from it.

That night, back at the fancy hotel, his Mama and Papa whisper to each other, curled up in their bed. They’re speaking… something else. Kalosian, Lei thinks. They’re sneaky like that, talking in languages he doesn’t understand so he doesn’t overhear them talking about secrets. Usually it's surprises or gifts, but Lei gets the feeling that's not what they’re talking about this time.

He worms his way under their covers and between their arms. He falls asleep to the sound of their hushed conversation as his lullaby.

The next morning passes by slowly, time spent killing time,

They get breakfast at a local cafe.

“Should we be making time to meet up before tonight?”

They go visit some statues tall enough that Lei can’t see the tops.

“His time is already being monopolized by Hanako and all the kids. No point in stressing him out further.”

They get lunch from the Pokemon Centre.

“Maybe we’ll see him later tonight, if the media doesn’t snatch him up.”

Pizza picked up from the street and taken back to their hotel room for dinner. Lei sits cross legged against the side of the bed, watching some Galarian cartoon.

He doesn’t get it.

The pizza is good enough though.

Soon the starlight comes out, and suddenly everyone is frantic and fast. Lei's carried out the door before he even finishes putting on his shoe, the straps still undone.

He spends most of his time perched in his Mama’s arms or on his Papa’s shoulders, watching waves after waves of people head in every which direction. Everyone’s all so busy in Galar, though Mama jokes that people in her hometown are even busier, which Lei can’t even picture. She taps his nose, promises him that someday, they’ll all go and visit together.

Lei doesn’t ask who “all” implies, he already knows.

He buries his head against his Mama’s neck as they enter the stadium. With his eyes shielded, he feels the thunk-thunk-thunk as they climb the stairs to their seats, hears the rabble and fragments from everyone around them, smells the anticipation. He doesn’t look up again until they’re seated, sitting comfortably in his Papa’s lap, hand holding onto his Papa’s finger.

The wait for the match to start feels like it takes years. Lei wiggles in place, his Papa bouncing him up and down a bit. He’s too old for it, debatably, but what does he care?

The seats around them fill in patches, clumps of people that grow and grow until the blue benches they sit on can’t be seen anymore. Most people become mere silhouettes in the darkness, all the lights concentrated on the centre of the arena.

Spotlights drag through the audience, brushing across the tops of their heads and casting harsh shadows against the floor for a split second, before they’ve already moved on. Tiny beams of light in comparison to the glowing glare in the middle.

Lei blinks.

The lights in the centre begin to dim.

The speaker system of Shoot Stadium crackles to life in an instant.

A cascade of light erupts from the centre, neon glows and rainbows manufactured for the crowd. It washes over the stadium as cheers crash around them.

“Welcome everyone, near and far, to the match you’ve all been waiting for!”

He had been waiting, Lei thought. His whole life he’d been waiting.

“The most spectacular tournament across the globe, the search for the strongest trainer in the world! Tonight, two contestants will face off in a grand battle to determine the ultimate strongest between them!”

There’s fireworks booming between the announcers words, bright colours and sparks.

“Welcome to the challenge of Masara Town’s Satoshi, against our own Dande, for the title of world monarch!“

Tiny specks of light shimmer across the stands, hundreds, thousands of penlights shaken around by audience members. As the announcer explains the structure of the world champions and how it led each contestant here, Lei watches the colours bloom across the stands.

There’s purple lights, for Dande, waving bright and strong. There are blue lights, for Satoshi, in patches and bunches dotting the stands.

“The rules are as follows! Each trainer will use a full team of 6 Pokémon, at the special request of both participants. Also due to request, Kyodaimax, Mega Evolution, and Z-Moves will all be allowed, so long as all three are not used simultaneously, for the safety of participating Pokémon. For this battle we’d like to remind all audience members to stay within the audience area for their own protection, as there are barriers in place to prevent any attacks from leaving the arena.”

Lei wonders what’s protecting the participants, but the announcer keeps talking.

“As this is a special match, both trainers have been equipped with a microphone so the audience can hear their commands better! Trainers, anything you’d like to say to the audience?”

Dande’s well experienced at handling a crowd. He smiles and waves gracefully to everyone as he speaks. Lei feels the aura of champion radiating off him.

“Enjoy our battle! It’s sure to be a champion time!”

Satoshi waves gleefully to everyone with both hands, pausing in particular for one section he waves hardest at.

“We’re gonna go all out!” Is all he has to say.

“Well then, to our judge on the ground!”

A Metang escorts an old man in a striped shirt to the centre of the field. He hovers over the competitors, casting nonsensical shadows against the field, shielding the wildly coloured lights.

“On the count of 3, both competitors will bring out their first pokemon. Pokemon may be swapped out at any time. Once a pokemon is unable to battle, it must be removed from the field. When either side has no more pokemon able or willing to battle, the match will come to an end and the winner will be declared. Will both sides please bring out their pokemon?”

A collective breath was taken by the thousands watching.

“Three! Two! One! Go!”

“Lucario-“

“Dorapult-“

“I choose you!”

The battle begins.

News sources would look back and call it the grandest battle of the century. Satoshi’s friends would each light up when asked about it, describing in minute detail every twist and turn the battle took, every moment of excitement. Satoshi himself would describe how fun the battle was, how it felt like it was rushing by and yet every second of it was a wonder. And Lei…

Lei isn’t sure what to think.

Satoshi’s battles are everything he’s ever thought they were and more. They’re lightning and excitement and passion. They’re enveloping and loud and bright. They’re 400 metres away from Lei and within his fingertips.

Satoshi’s battles feel like they last a lifetime and a moment, and Lei doesn’t know why he can’t remember the specifics, can’t remember which pokemon were sent out in which order, what moves they used.

(Somewhere, he knows, the answer is that it never really mattered. Not to him. Not now.)

Electric bursts flared out in wide sweeping arcs, colliding with the audience barrier. Glowing hexagons tessellate in midair, lighting up at the points of contact. They’re like a teasing warning of sorts. “Aren’t you glad you didn’t get too close? Be careful…” They seem to say, giggling.

Lei squints through the neon glare. Through the dust, the smoke, the static, he can see it. Those glimpses of his Brother.

And when the smoke settles…

“I present to you our new champion!”

The sound is deafening.

Satoshi stands stock still for a moment. Then blinks. Slowly… looks up, around. Towards the audience, towards everyone, yelling and screaming his name.

Lei waves his arms around as Satoshi looks in their direction, both parents doing similarly.

“SATOSHIIIII!”

There’s movement on the field. Or rather, next to the stands. Someone’s climbed up onto the barrier separating audience and battlefield.

“Hey!” The overhead voice sounds startled before quickly correcting itself. It laughs lightly, “I’m sure you’re excited, but we ask all audience members to- hey!”

He’s not listening. With impressive effort, the figure tosses themselves over the wall and lands on the field, immediately breaking into a dead sprint towards Satoshi.

The gasp Satoshi makes is quiet, but not quiet enough for his mic to miss it.

“And it appears as though contes- Champion Satoshi is-“

At this point the commentator flat out gives up, watching in silence among the rest of the crowd as Satoshi, too, runs forward.

It’s a wide field, but the both of them are running as fast as they can, kicking up dirt, dodging cracks and craters in the arena.

And then, a metre or so apart, they slow, slower, until they stand centimetres apart.

“Satoshi….”

“Gou…?”

Gou is just close enough for Satoshi’s microphone to pick up on his voice.

Slowly, he reaches both hands out, gently placing them on Satoshi’s shoulders.

With a soft squeeze, Gou speaks barely loud enough to hear.

“You did it, Satoshi. You really, truly, did it.”

“I did it…” Satoshi repeats, dazed.

“I’m so proud of you.”

“I did it! ” Satoshi repeats, again, looking up. “I did it, Gou, I beat Dande! I beat everyone !”

“You did, you did!”

Satoshi begins to laugh, rocking back and forth between his feet.

“We did it! Me and Pikachu and Lucario and Gengar and Negigaknight and Uonoragon and Kairyu and and everyone! All of us together we- we really did it Gou…”

Satoshi leans forward, falls forward, letting all of his weight collapse into Gou’s awaiting arms.

Finally, as Satoshi and Gou stand with their arms around each other, the announcer manages to find words again.

“Well, Champion Satoshi! Would you like to share with everyone watching what you plan on doing now that you’re the world’s strongest trainer?”

Satoshi laughs a little, lifting his head up. He reaches a hand out towards Gou, who grabs it.

“I want to keep battling and getting stronger and stronger, so that whoever comes to challenge me next has as much fun of a battle as I just did!”

He glances over to Gou, then up towards the audience.

“But first… I want to take a rest. Gotta have time to recharge and give everyone a break! And… I want to spend more time with my friends and family. So…”

Satoshi lifts Gou’s hand up, looking out into the audience.

“We’re going to Alola!” Satoshi says, and Lei realises it…

His Brother is staring directly at him, smiling wide.

“If you wanna fight me, come and find me!”

His Brother is speaking, loud and clear for the audience to hear. Satoshi is waving at him, at his Mama and Papa, with his free hand.

Satoshi is coming home. His Brother is coming home.

He’s coming home.

__

The airport is much more interesting on the other side of the sliding doors, Lei has to say. It’s still loud and crowded, and he doesn’t particularly enjoy it. But the view from his Papa’s shoulder is nice, and Nami is quite fond of watching everybody go by.

The best part, Lei realises, is stepping over the brink. The sliding doors that separate passengers and visitors being the final barrier, before finally, truly having returned.

“We’re finally here…” Satoshi whispers, just loud enough for them to hear above the general chatter.

“Welcome back!” Lei’s Papa replies.

“Love, we’re coming back too.”

“Welcome back to us too, then!”

Their welcomes are nothing really. At least not compared to the cousins.

Though Cousin Kaki has tears in his eyes, though Cousin Mao is practically trembling, all of them cry out in unison as they pass into view of the open airport doors.

“Welcome home!”

Laughing, smiling, and teary eyed, Lei’s family steps out into the sunshine, together.

(End. If you enjoyed this, please let me know and consider reblogging it!)

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