Chapter 2 – Arian

Did I dream it all?

That was the first thought that came into Elvira’s head when she woke up that morning. Yesterday’s end had been a wild one, with her bringing the passed out Riolu back to her house. She’d had the Fighting-type laid out on the bed in their guest room, and with the help of her mother, was able to assess them medically.

Luckily, Zenobia, who was partially trained in the field, confirmed that the Riolu didn’t appear to have any injuries, nor were they suffering from some kind of ailment, and would be able to make a recovery. That was a relief for Elvira; the thought of the Riolu being at death’s door didn’t sit well with her. As well as that, when they woke up, Elvira would be able to glean the answers to the questions that had been in her head since her discovery of them.

Heading to the kitchen, the Treecko headed to the kitchen to make that morning’s breakfast. As she retrieved oats to make some porridge, she heard the familiar sound of her mother’s crutches. Turning around, she saw Zenobia enter the room and sit down at the table.

“Morning, Mom,” she greeted.

“Good morning, Elvira,” returned the Heliolisk. “…You look rested. That’s good. I feared you would be sleepless after your discovery last night.”

“No. I was quite tired last night after all that running about getting medicine for the Riolu,” Elvira replied. “By the way…are they okay?” she added, her expression becoming worried.

“I checked on them this morning, when I woke up,” Zenobia informed. “They looked better than when you brought them in. Alas, they still haven’t woken up.”

“Oh…” Elvira was disappointed. She was dying to know that who that Riolu was.

“They look to be around your age,” Zenobia noted. “Who knows? When they wake up, maybe you two will get along.”

“Maybe so,” came the Treecko’s reply, as the heat from the porridge came to the boil. “Should I leave aside some porridge for them, then?”

“Of course. They’ll probably be very hungry. A bit of food should do them no harm.”

“Okay, Mom.”

Elvira doled out the porridge into three bowls and moved two of them to the table, where she and her mother ate their breakfast. After they had finished, Elvira brought the third bowl to the guest room.

There, on the bed, lay the Riolu. They were still unconscious from yesterday. But at least they were breathing. By the looks of things, they would make a recovery.

…They’ve been unconscious for quite a while, Elvira noted, thinking back to sunset the day before when she found the Fighting-type’s body on the beach. The Grass-type put the bowl of porridge on the bedside table, and looked at the sleeping Pokémon, the questions from yesterday beginning to return to her. Who are they? Is this Riolu from around here? Or are they from somewhere else? Are they even from Ardalion?

Elvira sighed. Sadly, she could not know the answer to those queries until the Riolu rose from consciousness. In the meantime, she laid the porridge down next to him, and patiently waited for any signs of movement from the passed out canine.

A few minutes later…that was exactly what she got.

The Riolu’s nose twitched at the scent of the porridge. Their ears then flicked, and with a groan, they began to wake up.

“Urgh…My head…” They sounded like a young, masculine adult, just like Zenobia predicted. A young man, then. His eyes blearily opened. “…Wh-Where am I…?” he mumbled, as their eyes adjusted to the room.

“Oh, you’re awake,” Elvira began, and the Riolu turned her way. “I found you washed up on the shore just outside. Good thing I found you; you might’ve been there for a while.”

She looked at the canine, as he blinked multiple times. She was surprised to note that he seemed to be in disbelief, as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. It was then that Elvira took note of his emerald green eyes. That’s strange, she thought. I thought Riolu’s eyes were red? At least from what I read…

It was then that he spoke again.

“…Wh-What are you? H-How can you talk?”

…What? Elvira wasn’t expecting those two questions. ‘What’ am I? Not ‘who’ am I? And what’s this about ‘talking’? It’s like he’s never seen Pokémon talk before…

“I’m a Treecko.” Those peculiarities could wait; he had questions that needed answering. “And yes, I can talk. Just as you can. Just as all of us Pokémon can.”

“…Pokémon?” The Riolu tilted his head. The word sounded foreign to him. “This…This doesn’t seem real. Is this some kind of dream…?”

A dream? Oh dear…he must’ve hit his head hard. “This isn’t a dream,” she told him. “This is real life.”

“But that can’t be,” the Riolu protested. “A gecko, just casually talking to me? Especially one that’s nearly as big as me? That’s impossible. There’s no way this is real.”

…Okay, this is getting weird. Did he not hear me? “There’s nothing strange about me talking to you, Riolu,” Elvira replied. “We’re both Pokémon, after all. We can understand one another just fine.”

She hoped that was clear enough. But his reply only got even more bewildering.

“I’m a Pokémon…? No…that’s not true.” He sounded fearful, as if he knew the truth but didn’t want to admit it. “I’m a human. I’m not a Pokémon.”

A human? But they’re mythical creatures…aren’t they? “You are a Pokémon,” Elvira insisted. “A Riolu, specifically. Just look at yourself.”

“A Riolu? Wh-What’s that? I’m not a Riolu, I’m a…” He broke off briefly, and brought out his right hand as if to prove otherwise. However, he froze upon seeing a black paw, with blue fur along his forearm.

“Wh-What? No! How am I…?” He looked down at the blanket, and threw it off him. However, upon seeing a blue furry body, he cried out in horror. “What the hell?! What is this?! What am I?! I’m a human, not a dog with blue fur! …Wh-What? No, no, this can’t be real!” He began to hyperventilate in panic.

“Please, calm down!” Elvira begged, feeling fairly panicked herself. “Deep breaths. You’re okay. Please…don’t panic.”

The Riolu, though still horrified by his new look, followed her advice, and breathed in and out. After a bit, he felt calmer, though still awfully shaken.

“Were you really a human?” Elvira asked him. “Aren’t humans beings that exist only in myth?”

“Myth? No! They’re not mythical! They’re real!” the Riolu insisted. “I’m one!” He looked down at his furry body. “Or at least, I was…”

“So you really are a human?”

“Yes!” the canine insisted. “I swear it’s the truth! Please believe me! I was a human once!”

Elvira wasn’t sure what to make of this. It sounded utterly ridiculous, something that she would hear only in her wildest dreams. The thought that he hit his head came back to her again.

But he didn’t have any head injuries, she recalled from Zenobia’s examination of him last night. As well as that, those pleading, green eyes of his didn’t look like those of a liar. Despite how unbelievable it sounded…she found herself believing him. If anything, because of how unbelievable it sounded.

“Alright. I believe you,” she said to him. “But how did this happen? How did you become a Pokémon?”

“Well…” The human-turned Pokémon pondered this question. A moment passed before the panicked look resurfaced again. “…I don’t know. I don’t know how it happened.”

“You don’t?”

“No…I can’t remember. I can’t remember a thing…” Despair crept across him.

“Oh no…” Elvira murmured. Amnesia? “Do you remember your name?”

“My name?” The Riolu pondered that question. “A name…Come on, come on…” He racked his brains searching for something, anything. But… “No…I don’t know my name. I don’t know who I am. Why? Why can’t I remember?!” His breathing quickened again.

“Breaths, Riolu! Please…it’s okay,” Elvira said to him. “You’re going to be fine.”

“…Deep breaths…deep breaths…” the Riolu repeated, the mantra helping to calm him down. Still, the shock from the prior revelations plainly had him rattled.

“Are you alright now?” the Treecko asked.

“…Not really,” the Riolu answered. “I mean…transformed into this blue dog? And I have amnesia to boot…”

“That would be overwhelming for anyone,” Elvira murmured sympathetically. “I’m sorry that happened to you.”

“…It’s fine. It’s not your fault, Treecko.”

“Oh, my name’s Elvira,” she corrected. “Treecko is my species name. Just like how your species name is Riolu. There are more like me. …Sorry. I was so focused on you that I forgot to introduce myself.”

“It’s alright.” The Riolu nodded in understanding. Recalling their conversation so far, he remembered something she’d said. “You said you…found me washed up? On a shore?”

“I did. You were lying unconscious on the beach near my house,” Elvira informed. “Good thing I found you. You might have been left there for a while if I wasn’t there.”

“Can I…see?” he asked. “Can I see where I washed up? I…might remember something if I go there.”

“Of course,” Elvira permitted. She looked at the bedside table, though, and remembered the other reason why she came to the guest room. “Oh, but don’t forget the porridge. I thought you’d be hungry.”

“Porridge?” The Riolu looked over and saw the bowl. He caught the scent of it again, and his stomach growled hungrily. “Actually, I’m starving…Thanks for bringing it.” He picked up the bowl, which had cooled down a bit. He tried to pick up the spoon, but then he realised he had paws instead of hands, which made gripping the spoon much harder.

“Well, this is embarrassing…” he muttered. “I might just have to eat like this.” He began to tip the bowl back. “Sorry, I know it’s rude…”

“It’s fine.” Elvira had seen his struggle to pick up the spoon. “You can go ahead.”

“…Thanks.” With that, the Riolu lifted the bowl back and ate his porridge that way. It was undignified and he felt embarrassed as he ate. But he didn’t have a choice otherwise.

Soon, he finished. “That was good,” he said, licking his lips for any remaining bits of porridge. “Thanks a bunch, Elvira.” He was smiling now.

“It was no problem.” Maybe a bit of food was all he needed. “I-I’m not the best at cooking. I can only really do simple stuff…and sometimes I’ve burned meals…”

“No, it’s alright! It was fine, really,” insisted the Riolu. “Thanks for making it.”

“…You’re welcome.” I may as well take the praise. She went over and took the bowl from him. “So you want to see the beach?”

“I do.”

“Right. We’ll go now if you want.”

The Riolu began to get out of bed. It occurred to him just how foreign his new body was. Sure, he might’ve been bipedal with two arms and two legs, but other strange oddities came to the fore, like the sensation of fur, as well as a tail. He got into a sitting position, before getting off the bed to stand up.

But standing upright on a Riolu’s legs proved unnatural for him, and he wobbled, nearly falling back onto the bed.

“Steady,” Elvira urged, rushing over to catch him.

“Thanks,” Riolu replied. “Sorry, it’s just…I’m not used to standing this way. A human’s stance is a bit different from this one.”

“I…see. Then I’ll help keep you stable,” offered the Treecko. She stretched out her hand, and the Riolu took it. It felt strange in his hands – no, paws.

“It must be weird,” Elvira went on. “Being in your condition.”

“You can say that again,” muttered Riolu. “Anyway…can we go?”

“Of course.” And so Elvira began to make her way out of the room, keeping the canine steady as they went.

[HR][/HR]

Once the front door opened, Riolu saw the outside world for the first time. And he gazed in wonder.

It was a lovely day, and the breeze felt nice upon his fur. It was an unusual sensation to feel, but he found it to be a pleasant one. Plus, combined with the scene before him, of a sunny morning with light reflecting beautifully off the sea, along with the scene of greenery off to either side of him. Verdant grasses and viridian trees graced the Riolu’s vision. He could also see a beach at the bottom of the hill on which the house stood. Undeniably, it was a sight for sore eyes.

This was what the outside of this new world looked like. And based on this first taste…it was a pleasant one, attractive in his eyes. Maybe I’ll be fine here after all, he thought to himself. This world doesn’t look too bad.

But even with that thought, and how nice the world looked, it was still unfamiliar, and so anxiety remained in his stomach, about being away from a world he knew, a world he was familiar with, and thrust into this world he knew nothing of in an entirely new body which he was still getting accustomed to.

A few minutes later, they reached the beach. The soft sand was a change from the dry earth they were on before – a relief to the Riolu. He breathed in, the salty air tickling his nostrils. That was also a new sensation for him – heightened sense of smell, as well as hearing. Yet more things I’ll have to get used to…

“…I like this beach very much. I’ve a lot of fond memories of this place,” Elvira told him, as they walked down the shoreline. “I often walk here when I have things on my mind. …That’s actually what I was doing yesterday evening when I found you. It was around…here,” she said, stopping and pointing to a general area where some seaweed and seashells lay scattered. “Good thing I found you when I did. This end of the beach isn’t well seen from the road. You might not have been rescued for some time.”

“…How did I wash up here, though?” the human pondered. “What happened to me that made me end up here?”

“Hmm…” Elvira pondered that one. “A lot of beaches in Selenia, especially in the south and the west, are storm beaches, so lots of stuff tends to wash up, like driftwood and seaweed. …Maybe you’re not the first person to have washed up on a Selenian beach.”

“Selenia?” The Riolu cocked his head. That didn’t sound familiar to him.

“…Oh, of course. You would’ve forgotten this world,” the Treecko realised. “Selenia’s the name of the country we’re in now. It’s on the western coast of the continent of Ardalion. There’s other countries too – Alba, Dresilia, Miletos, and Eldisholm. …Are these names ringing any bells?”

“No.” As far as he was concerned, the countries Elvira had listed were mere gobbledygook to him. “I don’t know any of those places.”

“Oh well. It was worth a try,” Elvira sighed. “…We’ll go back inside. There are atlases in the living room we can look at. Maybe they’ll jog your memory.”

“Alright. Let’s do that.”

They walked back to the house, crossing a main road as they did so. Once again, the Riolu looked around him. So this is Selenia, he thought to himself. It appears to be a green and lush place, with many trees and forests and woods and the like. It doesn’t appear to be somewhere that’s freezing cold or boiling hot …Doesn’t seem so bad. I can get used to this. …Hopefully.

…Was my old world like this? He looked around at the sights before him: green fields, green trees, lots of trees, limestone rocks. It’s not really this that surprises me…it’s just the people. He looked over at Elvira. A world of talking creatures known as Pokémon…this will take some getting used to, alright.

They soon returned to the house. Elvira guided them to the living room, which when they entered it, was fairly normal, with four armchairs in the room, a small table beside two of these chairs, a sofa, another table, a rug laid out in the centre of the room, and a fireplace that probably brought great comfort when winter set in and the weather got cold. But what drew the human’s attention was the fairly large bookcase that stood in the room as its pièce de résistance and the most luxurious item he had seen so far in the house.

“Oh hello!” a voice greeted. “I see you’re awake now.” Turning to see who the voice’s owner was, the Riolu saw a Heliolisk sitting in an armchair, smiling warmly at him.

“…Er, hi,” he returned, blinking slightly at the sight of the electric lizard.

“Hi, Mom,” Elvira greeted. “I’m just showing him around our house. He’s healthy enough to be walking around.” She turned to the amnesiac Riolu. “This is my mom. Her species is known as Heliolisk, just so you know.”

“Oh…okay.” So this is Elvira’s mom? the Riolu thought to himself. …She seems nice.

“So then, Riolu,” Zenobia said, making the human turn his attention back to her. “…Would you care to tell us your name?”

“…Oh. Um…” He fidgeted awkwardly about this question, knowing that the answer would be just as awkward. “…I don’t remember what my name is.”

“He has amnesia, Mom,” Elvira elaborated. “He can’t remember anything – where he’s from, who his parents are, none of that. He doesn’t remember a thing.”

“Oh dear,” remarked Zenobia sympathetically. “You poor thing…But don’t worry. Until you regain your memories, you can stay with us.”

“Really? Just like that? …But we just met.” The speed at which she offered him refuge surprised the Riolu. I mean, I’m grateful, but…

“I know that. But you seem trustworthy,” Zenobia replied. “You seem like an innocent soul to me. I couldn’t say no to someone in need. Besides…I wouldn’t want to cast you out on your own. Especially given what’s going on out there…”

That sounds ominous, the Riolu thought. “Well…thanks,” he said, trying not to focus on that last part. “Ms…um…”

“Call me Zenobia, dear,” the Heliolisk told him. “I would gladly help you more, but as you can see, my position has been compromised a bit.” She gestured to her broken leg.

“Ouch,” the Riolu winced. “Does it hurt?”

“At times. It should heal in a few weeks. But until then, Elvira will help you. I’ll be around too, if you ever need an ear.”

“Thanks. Hope you get better soon.”

“Thank you…” Zenobia was about to say his name, but stopped herself when she realised she didn’t have. “…Ah. I forgot you still don’t know your name.”

“No, I don’t.” The Riolu looked down sadly. “I’m sorry…”

“Don’t be, Riolu. But…maybe we could think of a name for you?” suggested Elvira. “At least until you find out what your old name was.”

“That’s an idea,” Zenobia agreed. “…What would you like for a name, Riolu?”

“Oh, um…” The Riolu, slightly disconcerted at being put on the spot like that, began racking his brains. Something that would suit him, a moniker he could go by, a name to make his place in the world…

…But after a minute of thinking, he came up short. “I can’t think of anything,” he told the two disappointedly.

“Take your time,” advised Zenobia. “A name is a big deal. It’s not something that should be hastily thought of immediately. I should know; it took Kallias and I a long while to come up with Elvira’s name.”

“Still…I don’t want to just call you ‘Riolu’ all of the time,” Elvira argued. “You deserve a name that makes you ‘you’.”

“If I’m honest, I feel this way too,” her mother said.

“Yeah…I’d like a name other than my species,” the human admitted, inwardly surprised at the sentence he just uttered. Species…That’s weird. Talking about myself as a ‘species’…

“I have a proposal,” Zenobia said. She leaned over to the bookshelf, and pulled out a book. It was titled A Glossary of Ardalion’s Finest: Vol. 1 (A-F). The Heliolisk handed it to Riolu.

“It’s a list of famous people throughout the history of Ardalion,” she explained to him. “There’s bound to be a name that’ll suit you.”

“…Okay…” Riolu looked at the book, not sure what to make of it at first. But he sat down and opened the first few pages.

There were many names depicted in bold, followed by a short description of each of them. They were a variety of kings, queens, lords, warriors, martyrs, and saints, and the book depicted them all as lofty figures.

Acantha. Little is known of this figure, but it is known that she was the mother of Persephone, the first queen of Miletos and lover of the hero Metaxas. Supposedly, she was a widow who took over the running of her husband’s lands after he died, something quite surprising for the mother, a would-be dowager queen of Miletos. Her resolution as a female leader was not forgotten by the Miletan people, and Acantha became a common name amongst women. It is still popular today, most ironically, despite Miletos’s regressive attitude towards the fairer sex in nobility into a position of submission.

Achilles. The forty-third archon of Miletos, and the father of the current Miletan ruler, Archon Pyrrhus. Seen as a figure of grandeur, his thirty-three year rule was seen as indulgent in cultures of the past, with an architectural revival of the ancient Miletan style woven into the construction of new buildings. Many sites in Metaxai and other Miletan cities received a makeover in what many saw was for the better. Achilles also did well in strengthening relations with Selenia, which has a history of terseness with the Eastern Alliance, and managed to win over Tsar Lavrentiy. At the same time, he helped to promote the Eastern Alliance’s bonds further. Undoubtedly, he will go down in legend as one of Miletos’s finest leaders.

Aesir. One of the legendary Five Heroes who fought the Tyrant King in the twilit days of the One Kingdom of Ardalion, in the War of the Tyrant. The sight of his golden-maned nine tails immortalised him in the history books, and has since been a frequent mention in poetry. He founded the Kingdom of Eldisholm in southern Ardalion, and to this day remains its king. Since then, however, Eldisholm has become an isolated kingdom, refusing to allow outsiders to enter its borders. On a few occasions, Aesir has sought to come out of his shell and lift these restrictions, but on every occasion, his mind has been changed, and the hope of Eldisholm becoming like the rest of Ardalion remains a fantasy to this day.

Afanasiy. A ward of the Hero Ruslan, and a clever strategist that guided his lord and later tsar to many victories on the battlefield. He remained by Tsar Ruslan’s side at all times, earning the title of ‘Shadow of the Tsar’. Many servants beholden to House Ruslan today strive to reach a standard similar to the relationship between Afanasiy and Ruslan.

Agrippa. A general of Dresilia, and a close friend of Emperor Octavian. The bond between them was said to be as close as brothers, and Octavian trusted him enough to name him as his heir apparent. Regrettably, death took him before he could ever accede to the throne. But between his many feats as general, among which being able to establish a truce with warring Alba, a seemingly impossible feat at the time, there is no doubting the great deeds Agrippa carried out for his country.

Áine. Alba’s first ever leading banríon. Under her leadership, the historic tournament of Alba, one that determines the country’s new rí, became one where killing, a frequent sight before that, was now forbidden. It did not sit well with the tanistry’s staunchest warriors, but she preached that temperance and the will to hold back was sometimes necessary as a ruler. Unrest broke out during her tenure and she became a short-serving ruler in the end, but the rules of the Alban tournament were forever changed by her, and to this day, her peaceful nature is fondly remembered by many Albans.

Aneirin. A historic warrior of Alba. It was under his leadership of Alba’s warriors during the Ceredigonian War against Dresilia, that in the face of overwhelming odds against them, that the Albans, with the utility of guerrilla tactics against their foes, managed to run the Dresilians into a stalemate, and eventually, upon the depletion of supplies and troops through the desert heat and rough conditions, forced them into a retreat from Ceredigonia and allowed Alba to annex the province. Aneirin was hailed as a hero by his people, and Rí Taliesin was grateful to him to the point where he allowed him to marry his daughter, Lady Olwen. Upon his death, he was allowed to be buried in the Benbecule Pyramid along with his rí and spouse. He is remembered as one of Alba’s finest warriors to this day.

Aonghas. The sixth rí of Alba. He is more commonly known as Aonghas Fola (‘Bloody Aonghas’) due to his dictatorial and autocratic reign. Suspicions of cheating by him in the tournament led to the purge of those who had surmised this idea, and when a rebellion arose to overthrow him, blood ran in rivers, even from those who took no part in it. Fear grew of his reign of terror, and therefore, conspirators led by Tánaiste Talfryn killed him by poisoning his chalice of wine. It was this crimson reign that inspired Áine to inspire with her initiatives of peace, and when she became the very next ruler of Alba, the implementation of changing the tournament ended up being widely supported by the people, who were still scarred by Aonghas’s terror.

Apollo. The tenth archon of Miletos. He was noted for his achievements in building aqueducts that carried water from the fertile tributaries of the Pactolus to the northern Miletan cities that had difficulty procuring water in times of drought. Even today, many of these famous aqueducts still stand, as a testament to his finest achievement. However, other parts of his reign were not so fondly remembered, such as the failure to keep King Aesir from returning Eldisholm to isolation after he had previously decided to lift the restrictions between the island and the rest of Ardalion.

Ariadne. A queen of Miletos, and the wife of Archon Bellerophon, the twenty-first archon of Miletos. She was thought of as a caring and benevolent queen, and worked to found the Maidens of Metaxai, a charity group run by nuns who gave alms to the poor that still exists today. A number of orphans were also adopted by her, and became part of the royal family. However, some nobles were discontent with bringing commoners into the royal sphere. Conspiracy theories surround her mysterious cause of death, which, while generally seen as suddenly falling gravely ill and succumbing to that illness, some have thought to be from poisoning, schemed by a malcontent noble.

None of these names really resonated with Riolu. Most of them were the names of kings, queens and warriors, and it felt like each one had a great legacy behind their names. That, he felt, wasn’t a great fit for him. He didn’t want to be a pretender and take on an epithet he felt he could not live up to. Something a bit more humble, he thought to himself. Surely there was a hero who was a bit more modest than most?

He continued reading. But the very next name stuck out to him.

Arian. A saint renowned for his piety and humbleness. He was a close ally of the Five Heroes, and founded the acclaimed and historic Skalisty Monastery off Selenia’s shores. He worked hard to keep the peace and sheltered many during the War of the Tyrant. His generosity was without comparison, and although he in his humble way may not have desired it, he was canonised a saint in 211. His nature of living modestly and eschewing luxury truly marks a sense of humbleness few people, if anyone, have been able to match.

There we go, Riolu thought to himself. Finally, someone with a visible sense of humility. “Arian…Arian…” he repeated the name. Something seemed…right about it. No, not just right…

…It’s fitting.

“I’ve found one,” he announced. “‘Arian.'”

“Arian? Oh, after St Arian,” Elvira said. “…That’s a good name.”

“I agree,” Zenobia seconded. “It suits you.”

“Then I’ll go with that,” the Riolu decided. “My name is Arian. Arian…” He smiled, embracing his new name.

He got up, and handed the book back to Zenobia, who put it back on the shelf. Gazing at the bookshelf, he was suddenly reminded of why they came back to the house in the first place.

“Oh right,” he recalled. “We were going to look at maps, weren’t we, Elvira?”

“Yes, we were,” the Treecko said. She went over to fetch a stool at the edge of the bookshelf, which allowed her to reach higher. She picked out an atlas and brought it to the table, before opening it on the first two pages.

On it was an illustration of a landmass, which on the page’s top-right corner, in fancy calligraphy, read ‘Ardalion‘.

Ardalion was split into various countries with that same calligraphic writing penning each of their names. Within those countries also lay a name in bold, depicting the capital city of each country.

To the south-west lay the Tsardom of Selenia, with Iria as its capital.

To the north-west was the Tanistry of Alba, with its capital city being Breifne.

To the north-east lay the Dresilian Empire. Its capital was Padavonum.

To the south-east was the League of Miletos. Its capital city lay in Metaxai.

And finally, to the far south, the Kingdom of Eldisholm was situated. Gimrei was its capital.

“So this is Selenia, where we are now,” Elvira told him. “It has lots of forests and green fields, and some mountains too. There’s even an area of karst rock completely unique to anywhere in Ardalion called the Karstlands, located around here.” She pointed to an area to Selenia’s central east, not too far away from the country’s eastern border and what seemed to be a dominating mountain range. “What you saw of Selenia outside there is generally what our country is like.”

“…Okay.” Arian nodded in understanding. “…What about the others?”

“Well…I’ve only left Selenia a few times, so I can’t truly confirm whether these all are true or not. I’ll tell you what I’ve heard.” The Treecko pointed to Alba. “Alba’s desert through and through. Very dry and arid and sandy and…all the other things a desert is. There are a number of oases, though, as well as a major river called the Istwyth, so there are spots of relief in there. The people are quite warrior-like, and speak through their fists more than words. Every twenty years they have this big tournament to decide the next ruler of the country. Fighting means everything to them.

“Dresilia has much better land than Alba or Selenia. It’s hot there, but wet enough that crops grow very well there, and as a result, they’ve built a powerful country that can thrive on its many resources. Selenia in comparison gets too much rain for good crop growth that a powerful empire like Dresilia can be built upon. And Dresilia has a culture deeply proud of its history and heroes of the past. …A bit too proud, sometimes. They can be quite snobbish about it, or at least from what I’ve heard.

“Similar to them is Miletos.” Elvira’s finger drew a bit further south to the aforementioned country. “They’re like Dresilia; a powerful country based on fertile soil who are proud of their history and heritage. But they have mountains to the south here, near the border with Eldisholm, so they’re not quite as flawless in land as Dresilia is. The two countries are allied, in fact, in a pact that dates back many, many years. They’re the richest and most powerful countries in Ardalion, known as the Eastern Alliance.

“And then there’s Eldisholm.” Elvira pointed to the island off Ardalion’s southern coast. This is…a bizarre country when it comes to climate. It has active volcanoes and volcanic storms, but yet at the same time, they also see frequent blizzards and snow. Fire and ice…seemingly coexist in this country. Apparently there’s such a phenomenon as hot lava freezing over down there.”

“…What? But how?” Arian questioned.

“I don’t know. In fact, few do. Eldisholm’s a country with a strict isolation policy, meaning that no one leaves or enters it. There’s a lot of rumours about that place, and few of them are good. Rumours about cultists and Renegade worshippers down there…but we don’t tend to think about them.”

“Have people tried to go there?”

“They have. And they never come back,” Zenobia informed. “The currents around Eldisholm sweep anyone away who dares go near it. The waters around Eldisholm are infested with swarms of feral Dragalge and Dhelmise, Pokémon that are prone to sinking ships. As a result, merchant ships daren’t venture down there, going overland or around Ardalion’s north coast instead.”

“Oh…I see,” Arian said, in understanding. “Still…that doesn’t explain how I washed up…” He looked back at the map. “Where are we, exactly?”

“Here.” Elvira pointed to a location near Selenia’s southeast, along its southern coast.

“Hmm…that’s weird,” the Riolu murmured. Just how did he end up on that beach in the first place? Drifting from Eldisholm was ruled out, and the lack of merchant ships travelling made the possibility of him falling overboard unlikely as well.

“This is a big mystery,” Elvira said. “A human transformed into a Riolu, and washed up on the beach outside…How did this happen?”

“Hold a minute, Elvira.” Zenobia picked up on a part of that conversation. “Human? Did you say that Arian transformed into a Riolu from being a human?”

“Yes, Mom,” the Treecko answered. “He kept insisting he was a human, and was genuinely shocked that he was a Riolu. …I don’t think he’s lying.”

“I’m not,” Arian pleaded. “I know it sounds completely crazy, but…it’s true. I was once human.”

“I…” The Heliolisk couldn’t believe what she was hearing. But the sight of the Riolu’s emerald green eyes, begging her to understand, compelled her to believe. “…I understand. Well, maybe I don’t, but…I believe you, Arian.”

“Thanks, Zenobia…” Arian was relieved to hear that she accepted his story so easily.

“…We still don’t understand how Arian ended up here, though,” Elvira pointed out, steering the conversation back to the original point. “Oh, if only the Guild were still around…they’d know what to do with him.” Her face then fell. “But that’s not an option anymore…”

“The Guild?” Arian queried.

“…Oh, right. You wouldn’t know about them,” the Treecko replied. She took a breath, getting ready for her answer. “…The Irian Guild is a mercenary’s guild, located in Iria, the capital of Selenia. The people they employed were some of the most renowned mercenaries and warriors from all over Ardalion. Not just from Selenia, either! Just about anyone could get in, no matter their class or position of birth! The Irian Guild helped everyone who had a problem in society, from the young to the old to the poor to the rich, and they were incredibly reliable. If you gave them a mission, chances are that it would be solved in a flash! They were brilliant! The best people in the whole country!”

The girl sounded very admiring of this so-called Irian Guild. But the way she was talking…There’s a ‘but’ to this, isn’t there? Arian thought.

“Did something happen to it?” he dared to ask.

Elvira’s expression dropped in an instant, like a stone in water. She looked off to the side, with a look of extreme hurt on her face. Arian almost couldn’t bear to see it.

In fact…it was like he could sense that sadness. As if it was coming to him in waves. What is this…? he found himself wondering.

“…You could say that.” Zenobia was the one to answer, drawing him out of these thoughts. Turning to her, Arian could see a similarly sad expression on her face. “The Irian Guild as we used to know it is no more, unfortunately. Five years ago, in Selenia, there was a great upheaval, and our tsar was overthrown. His replacement who overthrew him…had the Guild burned down.”

“What?!”

“Yes. And moreover…everyone who worked there was declared an outlaw, and bounties were put on their heads.” Her expression was grim. “It’s been awful for Selenia. Without the Irian Guild, many people are left hanging without help. There are the knights, but…” She shook her head with evident distaste. “They haven’t proven reliable. At least not for us here in Ozerograd.”

“That’s…That’s not good,” Arian murmured. Already, he was eating his earlier thoughts about Selenia being a peaceful place.

“No, it isn’t,” the Heliolisk replied. “…If the Irian Guild is ever going to be properly reestablished and have a shot at returning to the height it was once at, Mitrofan – that’s his name, the usurper – must be deposed of.”

“But that’s not likely to happen,” Elvira continued. “Mitrofan’s always quick to crush any rebellion, and deal with its supporters brutally. He always nips them in the bud before they can get going.”

“Not to mention the problem of the leader,” Zenobia brought up. “House Ruslan – the one who previously ruled over Selenia – are no more. All of their members are dead. Just who would lead Selenia after Mitrofan is overthrown?”

“Oh, I see. The new leader might be even worse than the current one,” Arian noted. “Yeah, that’s a problem, alright.”

“But that’s no reason to just sit about twiddling our thumbs while Mitrofan walks all over us!” Elvira replied, before sighing deeply. “The state Selenia’s in…it can’t go on. If only there was someone willing to rise up to the challenge and overthrow him…Someone heroic enough…just like…” Her voice drifted off, and a melancholy look came into her eyes.

“Like…who?” Arian wondered.

Elvira didn’t reply. It looked as though she was fighting back tears.

“Elvira…” murmured Zenobia, her tone empathetic.

“I…I want to be alone right now,” the gecko replied, as if she was about to burst into tears. And before anyone could say anything, she ran out of the room.

“What was all that about?” Arian asked, confused.

“…A reminder of what she’s lost,” Zenobia clarified mournfully. “I don’t blame her. She loved her father more than anyone…”

“Her father?” Arian suddenly realised this was the first time Elvira’s father had been brought up. He didn’t appear to be a presence in the house, though. But given what they’d been talking about…a dark feeling grew in his chest.

At that point, he noticed the painting hung up on the living room wall. He saw the three figures, and recognised Elvira and Zenobia. But he didn’t recognise the third on the left, the gecko that was bigger than the two of them. With deduction, though, the answer was obvious.

“What happened to him?” Dare I ask?

“…We do not know,” was Zenobia’s eventual answer. “He disappeared five years ago, and there hasn’t been word from him since. …His name was Kallias. He was a mercenary working for the Irian Guild before its fall. Elvira adored and looked up to him, and I loved him dearly.”

“…Is that why Elvira was all enthusiastic when talking about the Guild?” Arian wondered.

“Yes. Kallias worked there, and was one of its finest mercenaries. It was Elvira’s dream to follow in his footsteps and become a mercenary herself at the Irian Guild,” Zenobia explained. “…Alas, since the overthrow five years ago, that’s no longer a possibility.”

“…Oh no…But what about her dad?” Arian wondered. “What happened to him?”

“…He was in Iria the day the tsar was overthrown. He had a confrontation with Mitrofan, but had to make a retreat. He came home one evening, telling us he was wanted and had to go on the run.” The Heliolisk was trying to rein in her emotions as she told the story. “He told us he had a lead on Mitrofan, and planned to head for the mountains with his partner. …That was the last we saw of either of them.”

“That’s terrible…” the Riolu replied. “And it’s been five years…with nothing at all. I’m sorry to hear that…”

“It’s alright, Arian. You had no part in it. …But it’s Elvira I’m most worried about,” Zenobia expressed. “She’s taken his loss especially hard. As well as that, the destruction of the Guild means her dreams of being a mercenary there have amounted to nothing. …I wish I could do more to help her, but with the way the world is, there’s only so much I can say without it feeling trite.” She looked down in shame. “I should do more. I’m her mother, after all…”

“Don’t say that,” Arian rejected. “You’re not a bad parent, Zenobia. You only want what’s best for Elvira, don’t you? That’s a step above the bad parents who don’t care at all for their kids. And you looked after her and cared for her for the five years since everything fell apart, didn’t you? You’re a good mom, Zenobia. At least in my book.”

“…Thank you, Arian.” By the sound of it, the Heliolisk had needed a pep talk like that.

“You’re welcome. …Hmm, but what about Elvira?” His thoughts drifted to the melancholy gecko. “Should I…talk to her right now? She sounded like she was about to cry when she left the room.”

“…Maybe you should,” Zenobia considered. “She’s been like that since five years ago. She was such a happy and optimistic child growing up too…thanks to her father, no doubt. But now that he’s gone, along with her dream…she hasn’t been the same, to say the least. …She needs a push in the right direction, to lift her spirits. From someone she can trust that isn’t me.”

“Yeah…I want to help her,” Arian said. “It’s the right thing to do. Especially ’cause she helped me. So I should return the favour. …But I don’t want to say anything risky…”

“Elvira isn’t one to bear grudges,” the Heliolisk told him. “Unless you outright insult her or her father, you’ll be fine.”

“…Right. Thanks for letting me know.” Arian got up and headed for the door.

“Good luck. May Jirachi watch over you.”

And with that, the Riolu left the living room. But once he was in the hallway, it occurred to him that he didn’t know where Elvira’s room was. Luckily, it was a fairly small, frugal home, so there weren’t many places to look.

Hmm…There were a few doors along the hallway. Which one is it? He recognised the one at the far end to be the guest room, where they had come from, so he ruled that one out.

However, he was able to figure it out, when he heard movement from the second room from the door. It must be these ears, he thought. I can hear better as a Riolu. Guess that’s one advantage…or a disadvantage. Whatever the situation is. …But that’s not relevant now. Shelving his thoughts about that for another time, he went to the door in question and knocked.

“Elvira?” he said.

No answer immediately. Then Arian heard footsteps, before the door opened.

“Arian? What are you doing here?” Elvira asked.

“Just checking on you,” he answered. “You looked like you were about to cry back there.” Looking at her now, she clearly had been, if her tear-stained face and scent of salty tears were anything to go by.

“…I’ve been better.” The Treecko sounded as bad as she looked. “…You can come in, if you want.”

“Are you sure?” queried the Riolu. “I don’t want to intrude if you don’t want me to…”

“…No, it’s fine. Really,” insisted Elvira, and walked back to her bed, while Arian followed her in. Her room contained a lone bed, alongside which was a bedside table and a carpet at the bed’s right-hand side. Next to the bed was a small bookcase, on which a small variety of books were perched. A window, complete with green, flower-patterned curtains, was present in the room, as was a desk located right next to it. Everything was very modest.

“…Listen, I…heard from Zenobia what happened five years ago,” Arian began. “What happened to the Guild, and what happened to…your dad.”

“Mom told you?” Elvira was shocked to hear this, and was about to say more, but the Riolu spoke first.

“She did. And look, maybe I don’t know the full story. But…I’m sorry for what happened,” he said to her. “No one should have that happen to them. Especially your dad…who Zenobia said you really loved.”

“…I did love him,” Elvira replied. “I loved how selfless he was. I loved just what a hero he was, but how he could still be so humble as a person and not get swept up in the fame. He’d always buy us souvenirs from the places he had missions in. When I was growing up, he’d tell me bedtime stories all about his adventures. He was a great storyteller. Inspirational. …Enough to make me want to be just like him and become a mercenary at the Irian Guild myself.”

“But then…”

“Yeah…” The Treecko let out a long sigh. “The Guild was burned down, and all mercenaries were made outlaws. Well, anyone who didn’t side with Mitrofan, that is. And Dad would never side with a cold-blooded murderer like him. …But right after that happened, Dad left us, and never came back…”

“Elvira…” Arian didn’t have enough sympathy for the girl.

“I told myself he’d come back one day. This is my dad we’re talking about! But five years later, and we haven’t heard a single thing…” Elvira was getting emotional. “…I don’t even care whether he’s alive or dead. I just want something – anything – to give us some closure over all of this. Where is he? And what happened?” She began to sniffle, gripping her bedsheets tightly. “Why did this have to happen? Why?!”

Arian felt compelled at that point to bring the Treecko into a hug. Elvira was startled initially, but then fell into his blue fur and wept.

For her father, and her ambitions. The two things she cherished most in life…now gone, stripped from her. Without either of them…she was lost and unsure about where to go next.

“…It’s alright,” Arian assured. “You’re okay, Elvira. You deserve to cry.”

It wasn’t all crying. Because the gecko had been crying before Arian entered, she had used up most of her tears. Instead, it was mostly quiet whimpers and sniffles that came out of her.

Eventually, Elvira pulled back from the embrace.

“…Thanks,” she said quietly.

“You’re welcome,” Arian replied. “You saved me, after all. It’s the least I can do. …Though I can do more,” he added, an idea coming to him.

“More? Like what?”

“Just general help with stuff. You know, chores and that,” the human elaborated. “You’re in a sad state right now, and Zenobia’s leg is broken…so I want to pitch in. I don’t wanna be useless and just lay about while you do all the work.”

“…Hmm…” Elvira considered his offer. “…I suppose I could use a helping hand…Why not?”

“Thanks very much! Now where do I start?” Arian asked.

“Well, there’s some cleaning to do,” was her answer. “And then I have to look after Mom, and change her bandages, and then there’s lunch to prepare, and for that, I have to prepare the necessary berries beforehand…”

Elvira listed the chores for Arian, with him nodding and mentally noting each one. Once she was done, he left the room, ready to get started.

So eager to help, she noted, watching him go. If only more people were willing to help these days…But with the way everything is, I can’t really blame them. With no Guild…all these problems are around. I wonder how long Arian’s optimism is going to last, once he finds out the state of our world’s problems. …Or even just the ones right on our doorstep. Why is there so much wrong with the world…?

Still…his help is appreciated. Elvira got up from her bed, a small smile on her face. I should probably help him out.