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Arceus, it felt good to be back in Inset. While Fane always missed Alola and enjoyed her month-long break there, there was a faint ache in her chest, pulling her back here. This new region had become like a second home to her.

And now she was here. More than ‘here’- Fane wasn’t just some random visitor anymore. She was a ranger, a revelation that had her cry-laughing and giddy hours after she left the ranger’s station with the results of her application. It wouldn’t be all fun and games of course: she had a responsibility to the pokemon of this region now. But it was nice to feel like she was worth something.

She stretched her arms high over her head, turning her face to the sky and breathing in the fresh air. It was an overcast day, and the dark clouds that mixed with the fluffy white ones threatened rain- but for now they were dry. Not that Fane ever minded a little drizzle.

A drifloon floated lazily above her, one stringy arm clinging to the ranger’s backpack to keep her from blowing away. The other arm tapped the yellow x of her balloon-like body. <I don’t remember this place~>, she said in a lilting voice.

“It’s Cygnus Lake!” Fane chirped. “We met you on route one Maeve, which is just a little ways over there. It probably looks different in the daylight, though.” She pointed at the overgrown thicket of bushes and wildflowers they’d pushed through to get to the lake; a narrow dirt path was barely visible between them.

<Hmmm~. Things are different in the dark. Or maybe we are different.>

Next to her, a green and yellow grimer slid forward to the edge of the lake and peered at her reflection in the water. As Fane’s starter, Ceridwen was rarely in her pokeball. <Ah, I remember this lake- if I recall correctly there was a particularly feisty pokemon living here- a surskit, I believe?>

“Oof, don’t remind me.” Fane’s very first battle was not something she cared to look back on- bloodthirsty was the only word she could find to describe the bug pokemon. Part of her worried that he was still around, lurking on the opposite side of the lake’s waters and ready to pounce on anyone who dared witness his performance. Her stomach turned just thinking about it. Time for a change of subject. “But Ceri- are you sure you don’t mind seeing the same place twice? I know how much you like to travel… I wouldn’t want to bore you or anything, you know?”

The grimer waved a dripping hand, brushing the comment aside. <It may be the same place, but a different day! Different opportunities! Different friends! You can’t expect to see everything all at once- why, I was in Heahea for no less than a year, and everyday I learned something new about the city.> Fane grinned as Ceri gave a firm nod. The grimer’s positive attitude always cheered her up. <Besides, we haven’t seen all of Inset yet either.>

A warm feeling blossomed in Fane’s chest, and she smiled softly. “I’m glad you’re here, Ceri.” Her voice was barely a whisper. She was touched that her starter had stayed with her for so long- knowing the grimer’s adventurous tendencies, Fane figured she’d ask to leave after a year. She still privately dreaded the day.

Remember mom’s advice. Focus on the now. “Lunchtime!” She interrupted her own anxieties, putting them off to deal with later.

Sliding her backpack off of her shoulders, she set it on the ground and pulled back the top flap. Luckily enough she had the foresight to pack the food on top- a heavy egg wrapped in a blanket filled the bulk of her bag, and it surely would have squished their meals otherwise. “Let’s see what we have here… Berries for Maeve, a sandwich and some chips for me… And here we go!” She handed her sandwich wrappings and a jar of thick black sludge to Ceridwen. “Equal parts oil and paint, with scraps of food- just how you like it.”

The alolan pokemon took the paper and jar and popped them both into her mouth whole, toxic teeth grinding the trash down as she chewed. Satisfied that the present company was taken care of, Fane turned to the pokeballs situated at her hip, unclipping two of them.

“Magnemite, do you want to come out? I’ve got some spare batteries packed if you want them.” She held the ball flat in her hand. It rocked once- a definite ‘no’. Fane was glad that they’d taken to this form of communication, rather than shocking her immediately. That alone had taken months of training (and a few pairs of electrical gloves) to accomplish. “Okay. I’ll set you down here then, in case you change your mind.” Not wanting to crowd the Magnemite if they did decide to emerge, she nestled the pokeball in the grass beside her where it wouldn’t roll away.

Last but not least was Brigid. Fane clicked the button of her last occupied pokeball to summon a Shieldon, the most recent addition to her team. She was napping still, short legs splayed out in the grass and head tilted to the side, apparently undisturbed by the bright flash of light that transported her here. Fane rubbed the top of her head before reclining back on one arm and taking a bite of her sandwich.

For once, all was right with her life.