Chapter Text
A train slowly came to a halt at the platform of Gare De Lumiose. Some turned their heads, Pokemon sniffed the air. This was a train from out of town.
Tourists spilled onto the platform. Some Kalosian, others clearly Paldean or Galarian by their accents and fashion. A handful looked like they’d traveled from even farther.
One trainer, however, stood out.
A young man stepped down from the carriage dressed head-to-toe in Scolipede colors. Deep purples, bold magentas, and aggressively tacky poison-type patterns. Torberne adjusted the strap of his bag as the venipede perched on his shoulder gave a low, warning hiss at the unfamiliar crowd.
He quickly swept his way through the train station, ignoring the strange looks. He was used to them anyway. He went straight for the gate.
“Easy now, Bug. They’re not gonna hurt us,” Torberne murmured.
Just outside the station, he dropped his bag onto a bench and fished a poffin from his pack. Bug sniffed it suspiciously, then took as large a bite as their tiny mouth could manage. The hissing stopped almost immediately.
Lumiose City was just as busy as Torberne had imagined, and somehow even more beautiful than the pictures. Classical stone buildings stood shoulder-to-shoulder with shimmering holographic gates and neon signage, the old and the new woven together in strange harmony. And rising above it all, piercing the sky, was Lumiose Tower.
Already, he saw some fletchling fluttering around, weedle chewing on flowerbeds, and even some trubbish around the dumpsters. He glanced around the corner, seeing a green holograph fence blocking off a wild area where litleo and mareep played.
“Alright… let’s see…” Torberne muttered, pulling out his Rotom Phone. The device hummed softly to life. “Apartment building’s on Vernal Avenue. You ready to go, Bug?”
It was then that he felt a tap on his shoulder. Torberne nearly jumped out of his skin. He turned to find a girl with bright pink-and-yellow hair beaming at him.
“Haha, sorry for scaring you, buddy! You just got off at Gare de Lumiose, right?” Her eyes flicked to his suitcase. “And judging by that luggage, you must be a tourist!”
“Well, actually, I’m-”
“Anyway!” she barreled on, steamrolling him entirely. “Listen, before you get to tourist-ing, would ya mind helping me out with something? I just need to film you saying ‘Hotel Z is a hidden gem of Lumiose! Easy, right?”
“Um… I’m not a tourist. I’m moving here,” explained Torberne. The Venipede on his shoulder stiffened, little legs digging into his jacket as it glared at her.
“Oh, that’s no problem! It’ll take two seconds, come on!” she chirped. Her rotom phone flew out of her pocket, camera already recording. The lens hovered uncomfortably close to Torberne’s face.
He flushed instantly. Being on camera this early—at all—was absolutely not part of the plan.
Thankfully, by some blessing of Arceus, a massive billboard overhead blared to life.
The girl winced. “Ugh, hold on. That ad is WAY too loud. Let’s move.”
Torberne glanced up at the screen. His mind caught only fragments.
Quasartico…
Modern remodeling…
A brighter future for Lumiose…
THWACK!
On the pavement lay a Pancham, wincing as faint violet droplets fizzled against its fur. The telltale sheen of poison had already begun to spread. Bugbug was hissing wildly at the unassuming panda, clearly upset by it. The girl gasped, and Torberne’s expression hardened as two kids darted out from behind a nearby alley.
“Oh my gosh, Pancham, are you okay?!” one of them cried, kneeling beside it.
“We just wanted to steal your bag to get Taunie to battle us!” the other blurted defensively, pointing accusingly at Torberne like that somehow justified it.
Torberne exhaled slowly through his nose.
While the girl—Taunie—immediately launched into an indignant argument with the two troublemakers, Torberne crouched down beside the Pancham. He retrieved a small spray canister from his bag. With practiced care, he misted the antidote over the worst of the Poison Sting’s marks.
The reaction was almost immediate. The purple drops faded, and Pancham shook itself vigorously before scrambling back toward its trainers, grumbling but otherwise fine.
“So sorry about that,” Torberne said quickly, straightening up. “Bugbug’s a little feisty.” The Venipede gave a proud little hiss from his shoulder. “Here, take the rest of this for your trouble.” He extended the antidote spray toward the boys.
They swiped it without hesitation and ran away, not looking back.
Taunie burst into laughter. “Hah! You really showed them! Why’d you even give them the antidote, though?”
Torberne shrugged, adjusting Bugbug slightly on his shoulder. “Wouldn’t have much use for it. I run a full Poison team.” A faint smirk tugged at his mouth. “Status conditions are kind of my thing.”
Then he stood and offered a gloved hand to her.
“Anyway, I’m Torberne. Nice to meet you.”
___
BATTLE ZONE ACTIVATED
The words blazed across every holographic sign in the district at once. Neon barriers flickered to life at the ends of the streets, sealing off exits with a low mechanical hum.
“Ah, rats, it’s night already? Damn, and we’re in a battle zone too. Rotten luck.”
Torberne blinked, instinctively scooping Bugbug into his arms and holding her close as the air around them seemed to shift. The city noise didn’t die down, it became calculated. Trainers who had been casually chatting now stood straighter. Poké Balls clicked open. Eyes scanned for targets.
“What’s a Battle Zone?” he asked.
“Don’t have time for a full explanation,” Taunie said quickly, already looking around. “Short version? Once it activates, anyone can challenge you. No refusals. No running. And they’re ruthless about it.”
Torberne swallowed. “What happens if you lose?”
“Loss of prize money. Reputation hits. Sometimes worse if you annoy the wrong crowd,” she muttered. “I know a safe way though! Come on!”
Bugbug shrieked and wriggled free from his grip, landing on the pavement with a sharp clack of armor. She puffed up, antennae twitching aggressively. Anyone who stepped closer was getting stung, human or not.
She looked up at Torberne. He gave a firm nod.
And then, they ran.
The streets of Lumiose transformed at night. What had been charming and elegant by day now felt like a competitive arena. Trainers lurked in doorways. Battles erupted without warning. A doublade charged with a Double-Edge that shattered part of a decorative sign. Sparks from a pikachu’s Thunderbolt crackled dangerously close to Torberne’s shoulder.
“Duck!” Taunie hissed, grabbing his sleeve and yanking him behind a stone planter as a Psybeam cut through the air where they’d been standing.
They moved in bursts— alley to statue, statue to café awning. Taunie rattled off instructions breathlessly as they ran.
“Don’t make eye contact if you can avoid it. Stay near buildings. Avoid anyone holding Ultra Balls— they’re usually way stronger.”
She was a bit annoying, but definitely knew her way around the city.
A stray Flamethrower from somewhere down the block licked across the street, forcing them to veer sharply. Bugbug clung close to Torberne’s heel now, rolling briefly to avoid debris before popping back upright.
Eventually, the gate was in sight.
“There it is!" Taunie gasped. "Just a little bit further!”
They barely made it three more steps.
Three trainers stepped out in front of them, blocking the path with deliberate slowness. Their Pokémon materialized in flashes of light.
Honedge hovered silently, its eye glowing an eerie blue. Pansear cracked its knuckles, tail flame flaring brighter. Heracross lowered its horn with a low rumbling chirr.
“Hey,” Taunie started, forcing a casual smile. “Mind letting us pass? I’m trying to get a hotel guest to safety, so-”
“Guest or no guest, you’re a target like everyone else!” one of them shouted.
Torberne’s thoughts immediately flew into a frenzy.
Heracross? Manageable.
Pansear? Not ideal, but survivable with careful positioning.
Honedge.
His stomach dropped.
Bugbug’s entire moveset would bounce off uselessly.
“Taunie,” he muttered under his breath, “what do we do?”
Before she could answer, something drifted down between them. A floette.
But the flower it carried wasn’t usual. It was black.
“A Floette with a black flower?” Torberne breathed. “That’s new…”
One of the opposing trainers laughed. “Never seen that variant. Let’s see how it battles.”
Floette didn’t react. It simply hovered, turning slightly toward Taunie. There was recognition there.
Its flower began to glow brilliantly. Energy condensed at the center, creating an unstable pink light.
Taunie screamed. “WAIT, DON’T HIT THEM!”
At the last second, at Taunie’s command, the floette aimed upwards. And then, the beam came.
It was the width of a car at least. It lit everything up with a blinding pink light. Torberne wished he had his notebook to document the deadly phenomenon in front of him. It was a sustained, roaring hum, like reality itself had been forced open. The beam seemed to go on forever, punching into the clouds and beyond.
It was beautiful.
Bugbug squealed and rolled into a tight defensive coil behind his leg, armor shielding her softer underside.
The beam slowly narrowed… then flickered… then vanished, leaving a faint afterimage burned into Torberne's vision.
Silence.
Torberne blinked spots out of his eyes. The opposing trainers were gone. He hadn’t even noticed them fleeing.
He looked down—
Taunie was already halfway to the gate.
“Oh— wait, hang on, Taunie!”
And he ran after her.
__
Taunie and Torberne entered the hotel lobby. The sudden quiet made Torberne’s ears ring.
He felt lightheaded. His legs trembled faintly from adrenaline finally wearing off. Bugbug sagged against his ankle, her usual sharp posture replaced with pure exhaustion.
The space inside was small, but cozy. Warm lighting, polished wooden floors. Wallpaper lined the walls, and a faint scent like tea lingered in the air. It felt less like a hotel and more like a clean home that happened to have extra rooms.
“We’re back, AZ!” Taunie shouted.
Torberne looked up.
The man behind the desk was impossibly tall. He had to be at least eight feet, even hunched over as he was. His long hair fell in pale sheets over his shoulders, and his expression was calm in a way that felt ancient.
Torberne straightened instinctively despite the exhaustion weighing down his limbs. “Good evening, sir. Um- I’m Torberne. Sorry if we caused any trouble coming in late,” he managed, voice slightly hoarse. “I’m Torberne! It’s nice to meet you.”
“Ah… no trouble at all,” the tall man replied in a deep, measured tone. “You look as though Lumiose has already given you quite the welcome.” His gaze dropped briefly to Bugbug.
“It is good to see Taunie safe. And you as well, Torberne.”
There was a pause. Not awkward, but observant.
“Your Pokémon trusts you deeply,” he added quietly. “Hold on to that bond, boy. It is important.”
Torberne blinked, caught off guard by the weight of the statement.
“Hah, you’re so wise, AZ!” Taunie blurted. “Sometimes I really could believe you’re three thousand years old!”
“He’s what?” Torberne choked slightly. He glanced down. Bugbug was dozing off against his leg, eyes half lidded. He looked back up at the towering man.
“A-anyways, that floette of yours was quite the phenomenon! I wouldn’t be surprised either," Torberne continued.
A faint smile tugged at AZ’s expression. It wasn’t amused, more nostalgic. “Lumiose has seen many things,” he said simply.
He reached beneath the desk and retrieved a small brass key attached to a wooden tag. No plastic card.
“You may take one of our vacant rooms. We do not often have walk-ins this late… but tonight seems appropriate.”
The key rested in AZ’s palm between them.
Torberne hesitated.
He had planned to move into his apartment immediately. To start fresh. To be independent from the second he stepped off the train. But right now? He could barely stand.
“...Thank you, sir,” he said sincerely, taking the key. “Just for the night.”
AZ inclined his head slightly, as if he understood more than that.
Torberne shuffled toward the elevator in the back corner of the lobby. It was older, the kind that hummed softly instead of chiming. The kind that had a real bell.
Inside, his finger hovered over the buttons.
Second floor— rooms.
Third floor— roof access.
He looked down at Bugbug, who blinked sleepily up at him. “Wanna get some fresh air first, Bug?” he murmured. “I bet Sulfie would appreciate it too.”
The venipede gave a faint, content chitter.
He pressed the third floor.
The rooftop door creaked open to reveal cool Lumiose air and a modest balcony space. It wasn’t glamorous— a bit dusty, with a couple of metal chairs and string lights that had long since burned out— but it reminded Torberne of his messy home.
Lumiose Tower pierced the night sky in the distance, still steady and unwavering.
Torberne inhaled slowly.
This breath wasn’t just for him.
He reached into his pocket and withdrew a Dusk Ball. The capsule clicked open in a soft pulse of violet light.
A skrelp materialized gently beside him. The small seahorse Pokémon swayed slightly, clearly just as tired, before pressing itself against Torberne’s other leg. Bugbug adjusted to make room without complaint.
The three of them stood there quietly for a moment.
“We’re finally here,” Torberne whispered. “All of us.”
“Torberne?”
Taunie stepped out onto the balcony, the door closing softly behind her. Her energy was calmer now. Less chaotic, more thoughtful.
“I know it’s real late,” she said, rubbing the back of her neck. “But I wanted to talk to you.”
Bugbug barely reacted. Sulfie didn’t either. They were too comfortable to care.
“AZ has done a lot for me since I got here. More than he’ll ever say out loud. I wanna do him right in return,” she sighed. “Not to put you on the spot, but could you give me a hand?”
“Like, advertise the hotel and stuff?” Torberne asked, a faint grin tugging at his lips despite the exhaustion. “Sure, it couldn’t be that hard, I’ll help!”
Taunie brightened instantly. “Thanks, man. That really means a lot.”
She held out her fist. Torberne bumped it gently.
Lumiose was already far more chaotic than Torberne imagined.
More dangerous.
More strange.
And yet…
As he looked out at the tower, with his team leaning sleepily against him, with Taunie by his side, he felt something else stirring beneath the exhaustion.
Excitement.