Welcome to Gaia! ::

We're gonna stretch these cores, now. Stretch to the left... Up... down...

Monique was spending her morning with what had become her daily companion, an exercise series called Morning Aerobics for Hybrids produced by some university in Johto. Apparently they had several people whose field of study was the physiology of hybrids, and they felt they weren't getting enough stretches and flexibility in their day. If you have wings, you might have them move as well while we do this...

BEEP BEEP BEEP

A new notification pulled the Zoroark out of her routine. It was a message. And it was from Sub. What did he want her for so early in the morning? She hadn't had much to eat other than a protein bar, and while sometimes he called asking for people, it wasn't usually this time of day.

She put the video on pause and shuffled her way to the leader's office. Sub was going to get a look at Monique at her most casual: a tank top, yoga pants, things people wear when they exercise. Even if she had to investigate a special order of the stuff. One thing she was not used to was that her actual clothes tended to have to come from specialty places. Then again, the amount of choice sometimes made her eyes water.

The desk was surprisingly uncluttered, though a few folders sat directly in front of him. She could smell the oatmeal accented with Berries that he was eating. He said something, but what wasn't clear; his mouth was just too full of oatmeal.

"Hi," Monique broke the ice, unsure of what Sub had actually said. "You wanted to see me? I know I'm not...all glam, I was actually exercising..."

Monique looked at Sub, who was trying to tap tap away furtively for something on his SNAG. What could possibly be so deeply buried in his files that took this much time to access?

"Burnet?" Monique replied, Sub still fiddling with his device. "...I feel like I've seen the name maybe once or twice in all the reading I've done. Obviously, when I was growing up that would have been 30 years in the past... I could have heard it in school, but honestly, I can't recall."

The hologram finally appeared, showing a sight Monique definitely recognized. An Ultra Wormhole, like the one that deposited her here. It then changed to a data file, showing a 3D model of her along with gobs of data. She raised an eyebrow at how much information it had actually collected.

"The professor wants to study a Faller from another reality, to better understand the effects unprotected Ultra Space travel has on the body." The sheriff raised an eyebrow, thinking of all the effects it had on her, not least her form change. Sub clearly thought pretty highly of Burnet, but... What sort of studies would these be?

"Besides, while there is only a fraction of a fraction of a decimal percent chance of finding them Burnet is likely the only means you have available to you in our reality at finding your sisters."

Sub knew what he was doing. Monique's brain was working in high overdrive, like those Unovan Pokémon Klink and Klang she had read about.

"You know, Sub..." She sighed heavily, still processing. "Mmm. I've been thinking about visiting Alola myself. So far, I've seen some of Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh...Hisui...Unova, Kalos, and even a little Galar. Of course, there are plenty of places in this world, but... My heart is in Alola, even if it's not the one I knew. And I'd like to see what the Smog took from me in my time. What if I took a visit of all four islands? Since I'd have to visit Akala anyway... She's in Heahea City, right? I think it'd do a lot for me to take a trip... Sorta home." The pauses and sighs in her speech would expose to Sub how the idea was striking a chord.

If Sub had ever thought about what it would be like to turn up in 1974 and see the sights as they were back then, especially if they were things that no longer existed in his time, he might have an idea of how Monique felt in 2023. It would be an emotional ride, but she also had a natural affinity to anything Ultra. Maybe it came with being a Faller. Or the fact that Ultra Space had rewritten her life's story—and those of her sisters, she had learned back in Hisui. If she turned up in the past, who knows where they were.

Monique's decision to take a tour of Alola clearly made Sub happy, a reaction explained by the fact he had a second personal errand on Akala. Clearly, that island was going to be the first stop for her when she got to the islands.

She packed lighter than one might think a glam girl might actually pack for a long trip. Most of her travel could probably be done in Illusions anyway, and that meant she could control her appearance regardless of the clothing she actually had on. (Which was, having once not been a Zoroark hybrid, quite nice!) That said, the sheriff did bring a few actual outfits—one never knew when being in an Illusion was a bad idea, after all—and other essentials.

She wondered how this trip was going to go. It was kind of...freeform. Aside from all the research assistance for Burnet and whatever other errand Sub had on Akala, Monique had only a vague idea of what she wanted to do. Mostly see Alola. And Aether—no, Poni Island was going to be the last stop.

As she fit the last items into her suitcase and purse before making her way down to the common room, she thought of Kasumi and Kaimana. They must be very, very far away in time and space. But Monique had already defied the odds. She knew her sisters, wherever they were, were strong and adaptable. And Ultra Space, she had come to know in her fur and mane, was never short on surprises.

Shortly after arriving in the common room, a sound attracted her attention, but while she could track it, she couldn’t actually see anything. Center, left… What was th—

“Kekeke, hi.” Directly below her, requiring her to gaze past her chest, was Poe, Sub’s little Sableye. And Poe was looking up and down and up and down. What is going on? “You’re pretty…” He seemed to have some feelings behind it, feelings he did not want to share.

"Here, Sub said give this to you, kekeke." The little Sableye handed Monique an envelope. "Give that to someone called Olivia in Konikoni City on Akala Island." She took notes that she had another destination on Akala… Clearly, that was going to be where she went first. All it said was “To Olivia, From Sub”. She looked up to see Poe’s jeweled eyes gazing at her before scurrying off.

Poe clearly liked something about her, which was kind of creepy, but that would have to—

Monique realized that whatever Poe had handed her was not just an envelope, but a ticket, purple and white. It read “AIR KANTO” at the top. >Name of Passenger: KA’ANA’ANA / MONIQUE // From: Saffron Tajiri SFT To: Hau’oli HAU< There were plenty of other details and codes—she saw the letters ILL on there, wondering what they meant—but this explained something. It was an afternoon departure, so there would be time to get there. She’d just need to get to Claydol first.

***

The Clay Doll Pokémon’s psychic abilities teleported her to the entrance of Saffron Yamabuki Station, one of the busiest rail hubs in the world. The system map above the ticket kiosks told her the story: there were platforms for the Magnet Train to Johto, local Kanto Rail trains to Celadon and Vermilion, and the Airport Monorail. For someone whose entire world up until not too long ago consisted of two cities on one island, this was bewildering, and the number of people in this station alone probably rivaled Flower City.

Using the touchpad-based ticket system was easy enough for a first-timer, and minutes later, Monique was striding through the turnstile, clutching the ticket after taking it out on the other side and walking to the Airport Monorail platform. A few other people awaited the next train, but compared to the crowds headed to the local platforms, there were comparatively few travelers in this very clean facility.

“Please keep your Pokémon in Poké Balls. Service Pokémon must be wearing proper identification.” There were, for some reason, piped-in bird sounds. How odd, Monique thought. This was one heck of a first impression of Kanto. There were men, mostly in suits, but some were wearing more leisurely gear—clearly going on vacation, not business trips. More men than she was used to seeing back in New Po, but that was something she kind of expected given her world’s rough history. Many men had died building the Dome, and others had been conscripted. Most of them were tapping away on their devices, giving occasional glances toward the empty space that a train would soon fill.

Moments later, a green-and-white locomotive glided across the monorail and to a stopping position. “Train for Saffron Airport,” a station announcement declared. It stopped, and the passengers shuffled inside, Monique taking a seat and looking out the window at the emptying platform. The doors closed as the train started its journey, and Monique gazed out the window at the skyscrapers and urban density of Saffron City. So much to take in… There was so much development. So many people. So many Pokémon Could this world avoid the fate of mine? It had been something she had been thinking about. Why was she here? Why a Zoroark? She’d been hurled into a past, a parallel past, and sometimes she felt her destiny was to try and save it. Was that why Snagem appeared in her reality?

She was reminded of the only public transportation in her time. The Elevator in Flower City connected its different levels in pods that were like tiny trains. However, the Elevator was access-restricted. Everyone there could only go to certain levels based on their status. It was said there were whole levels—and stations—that only King Faba and his court could visit. She had only been on it once or twice when she worked in the nightclubs there. Here, though, people mixed on the trains, at least from what she could see before ascending to the airport monorail platform.

The monorail’s views of the city and later the airport were eventually replaced by a tunnel as the train began to glide into the station. “This is Saffron Tajiri Airport, Terminal 3. The doors on the right side will open.” It was the end of the line and the international terminal. Monique gathered her bags and rode the escalator up to the terminal check-in counter. The international terminal was dominated by Air Kanto, but airlines from around the world were represented: Unovan, Air Kalos, Alola Airways, Hisui Oceanic (“The Sinnoh Airline”, its logo boasted)…

There was a decent line outside the Air Kanto counter. She was relieved that the weather in Saffron was good… She hated to find out what a delay might be like. Unsure of quite what to do, she watched the other customers in front of her. They were presenting their tickets and checking their larger bags. The line moved fairly smoothly, and before Monique knew it, she was face-to-face with a representative at the ticket counter.

“Good afternoon,” the representative responded.

“I’m here to check in for my flight to Hau’oli City,” Monique replied. “And I have this…bag to check.”

The representative looked her over. “Well, I’ll take your ticket for a moment.” She reviewed it, typing details into the computer. “And just as a reminder, ma’am, illusions are prohibited on airport grounds and aircraft. Please understand.”

Monique nodded. That detail certainly had not occurred to her; she was glad to have been reminded up front. “Thank you.” She looked around. “And the…security checkpoint is that way?” She pointed a finger to her right.

The representative nodded. “Yes, and thank you for flying Air Kanto.”

Now with just her carry-on and her ticket, the sheriff of New Po walked toward the security line.

Monique wasn't quite sure what that third scan was until the worker complained. "Good thing you dropped the illusion and wore real clothes. This thing would have exposed you completely...at least so I've heard. Last time this thing went off was three years ago when a Ditto tried to board as a deaf woman. Anywho, enjoy your flight." That was a lot to unpack. She had contemplated casting an Illusion but didn't want to bother with that fuss...and was glad she didn't because that would have been quite exposing.

"Well, I worked in law enforcement, so I'm pretty aware of how that goes," she idly added. Yeah, I worked in law enforcement...in the future. That never stopped being mind-boggling.

Past security was the terminal itself. The monitors showed all the domestic and international flights in the airport. On two banks were the domestic and short-haul flights to places like Mauville, Rustboro, Olivine, Goldenrod, and Jubilife. The other bank demonstrated the far-flung nature of the Pokémon world. There were some cities whose names she did not even recognize alongside some of the world's great cities: Castelia, Mesagoza, Wyndon, and oh yes, Hau’oli. Her flight was set to take off in an hour, which would give her enough time to hunt for a quick meal at one of the restaurants after finding her gate. For some reason, there was even a shopping section, whose purpose Monique would not understand until she learned what "duty-free" meant.

She picked up a prosciutto and Mozzarella sandwich with basil and a little jar of Colbur jam. A year ago, she probably would never have thought she'd have had either of those things, but hybridization had changed her tastebuds a good bit while being thrown into the past meant there was a lot more variety in the food world. It was something she pondered while eating and doing a fair amount of people watching in the terminal. There was a man wearing a mask and waving his arms about to keep people from approaching, people looking at devices, announcements on the intercom. Unovan Flight 918 to Castelia will be taking off 30 minutes late... Will Toshiro Yamaguchi come to gate 6... For information on connecting flights, please check the monitors located throughout the terminal... There were also a fair number of Pokémon, primarily of the caring disposition. There was an Audino at the Unovan terminal, and she'd spotted an Indeedee at the Galar Airways counter earlier.

***

A crowd built near the gate as boarding grew closer. People began standing in line even before the flight attendants began boarding call. She checked her boarding pass, which revealed she was in Zone 6, and waited as premium customers (Ruby, Sapphire, Diamond, Pearl, how many tiers did these airlines have!?) and people in the other zones filed onto the aircraft.

Monique checked her ticket as Zone 6 finally boarded. She was toward the back of the plane, seat 30F. The people in the middle and aisle seats on that side of the plane had already settled in, leaving her the window seat. She trudged into the seat, her carry-on going in front of her, and looked at who she'd be sitting by for the seven-hour flight to Alola.

Once everyone was settled, and with the others in her row engrossed in various tasks, Monique pulled out her in-flight entertainment: another book.

Monique had been spending most of her alone time reading, in part because she needed to refresh herself on what to her was extra-ancient history and because there was a lot of the world she did not know. Tower in the Sky: How Cipher Cast a Shadow Over Sunny Orre, written by a reporter for the Orre Republic, was mostly a summary of the history of Shadow Pokémon and Ein's machinations. Orre was desolate to many people, especially foreigners, but Monique's definition of "desolate" was a bit different than most. At least it produced Snagem...which had simultaneously saved her and put her in peril.

Nobody was really chatty, and after a couple of hours, most of the cabin was asleep. Monique opted to join them. She'd figure out her itinerary for the Alola side of the trip when she got there; it'd be evening, and she'd probably want a hotel room near the airport before setting out the next day for Akala. She felt like a character in an old movie, getting to be part of an era that to her should have been bygone. Even wasteful. Airplanes in this reality still weren't electrified, though soon after they did they became useless anyway due to the Smog.

***

Maybe it was the air at 38,000 feet, but Monique woke up four hours later. She'd had a weird sequence of silly dreams. In one, she was a go-kart driver. There was one showing her as a researcher at a library. And why was she running some sort of political campaign?

It was good to get back to a version of reality. She looked around for a moment and took a sip of the somewhat stale water that was on her tray table from earlier.

"...This is your captain speaking, ladies and gentlemen, to let you know that we are starting to come into view of Alola and that we will probably be landing in about 45 minutes to an hour." The fading sun left little to see, but there, off in the distance to the right, were some twinkling lights.

Monique alternated between reading her book and gazing out the window as the aircraft began its descent. It was so weird to her to think of lights, activity, life on the neighbor islands. They had been lost to her before she'd had a chance to say anything about it.

The lights of Hauʻoli twinkled and drew closer, the plane coming closer, the tray tables being stowed by passengers throughout the cabin. It was a new and somewhat unsettling feeling, even for someone who had hurtled through Ultra Space like an unintentional daredevil.

"First time flying?" the passenger next to her asked. It was the first time she had said a word all flight, her crochet project having been returned to the carry-on.

"...In an airplane," Monique explained coyly. She did not want to let on too much. After all, how did an Alolan native have her first flight be...to the islands? And she had traveled via some far crazier methods.

On the runway, jutting out into the sea, Air Kanto Flight 323 made a smooth landing. It taxied to the gate, whereupon the passengers disembarked to find a comparatively quiet airport (and plenty of leis). Eventually, past the gate, they would find that other pesky detail of international travel: customs.

Customs made Monique feel like she was back in the New Po police station—but on the other side of the interrogation. They had question after question after question for the sheriff. The agricultural inspection station wanted to know if there were plants. They wanted to ensure there were no Shadow Pokémon. In fact, they were somewhat confused as to how she had an Alolan Marowak in the first place. (Time travel generally was not a very useful explanation to customs officials.)

It was both reassuring and a bit stifling that Alola seriously cared about the Pokémon they let in. She could hear the grumbles of the fellow passengers. They couldn't sense what she knew.

***

After exiting customs and picking up her belongings at baggage claim, Monique was free to move about the island. Her first stop would be finding a hotel to crash for the night before either spending a day on Melemele or flying straight to Akala. She was about to see what hotels were near the airport when—

"Alola!" She turned to her left to see a man in a floral print shirt, straw hat (even this late at night), and khaki shorts doing a gesture which she'd recognized as the traditional greeting (a bit out of use by her time). "Authentic tiki carvings resembling the traditional Alola god of ancient times! A wonderful souvenir! An incredibly rare find! Some might even call it strange as it depicts a Pokémon not yet seen! How mysterious!" He held up some wooden carving nearly in her face. "For a pretty lady like you, only three thousand Pokédollars!" He had way too much energy for the late evening.

Monique eyed him with suspicion. What is this about? The pushy guy was attracted to her wallet and her looks with all the tact of a dude in a Flower City nightclub. A few times, she'd definitely had to push some overly interested people away.

"I'm not interested," Monique growled, gently putting out her hands. But the salesman decided to follow her.

"Don't you want a souvenir to remember Alola by?" he desperately called out.

Monique turned around and crossed her arms, coming face-to-face with the peddler. She gently pushed him away. "Dayum... I have more than a few souvenirs of Alola, sir." She reached in her purse and brought out Kalama, as if to prove her point. "And if you don't want yours to be exposed for the wasteful crap it is, b***h, you better stay away."