Kyle, realizing he still had several hours to wait before the exhibition, decided to head to the Pokémon Center first.
As he walked, he noticed the sun was already beginning to set. The sky was shifting from pale blue to warm shades of orange and purple, streaked with soft pink clouds that caught the fading light like cotton candy. Street lamps flickered to life one by one, casting golden pools of light onto the pavement. The city of Ariestal was transforming—daytime bustle giving way to the softer glow of evening.
Kyle glanced up at the darkening sky, his footsteps slowing for just a moment. "It shouldn't be just me here," he murmured to himself. Then he brought his gaze back to the road ahead, his expression thoughtful. "Looks like I really do need to find her. Right, Charmander?"
"Char!" Delta Charmander chirped from his shoulder, its tail flame casting a warm orange glow against Kyle's cheek. The little Pokémon sounded cheerful, trusting its trainer completely.
Kyle smiled faintly and continued his journey toward the Pokémon Center.
Along the way, he passed clusters of tourists snapping photos in front of the city's landmarks—a grand fountain here, an old clock tower there. Their laughter and chatter filled the air, a mix of languages and excitement. Kyle wove through the crowds, his mind wandering to a thought that had only just occurred to him.
*How big is this place, anyway?* he wondered, glancing around at the sprawling cityscape. *How many people live here? How many secrets are buried beneath these streets?*
After several more minutes of walking, the Pokémon Center came into view. It was a familiar sight—a red-roofed building with a glowing Poké Ball symbol above its automatic doors. Compared to the crowded streets outside, the interior was surprisingly calm. Most visitors were still out exploring the city, taking advantage of the pleasant evening weather.
Kyle stepped inside.
The air was cool and smelled faintly of antiseptic and berries. A few trainers sat scattered around the lobby—some tending to their Pokémon, others scrolling through their devices. Kyle's eyes swept across the room, scanning faces and postures out of habit.
Then he saw her.
A girl with long green hair was sitting in a chair at the far end of the room. She looked incredibly familiar. Kyle's heart gave a small jolt of recognition.
*No way.*
He started walking toward her, his footsteps quiet on the polished floor. The girl didn't notice him at first. She was eating ice cream from a small cup, a Bulbasaur sitting beside her, happily lapping at its own dessert.
"Haaah…" The girl stretched her arms above her head, her bright blue eyes gazing up at the ceiling. She wore a white jacket over a simple white t-shirt, paired with casual hot pants that showed off her long legs. Her expression was relaxed, content. "Looks like getting sent here wasn't so bad after all. Right, Bulbasaur?"
"Bulba!" The Bulbasaur agreed, not looking up from its ice cream.
They both continued enjoying their treats in companionable silence, the soft clink of spoons against cups the only sound between them.
Kyle reached her table and stopped. He crossed his arms, a small smile playing on his lips.
"Figured you'd be here too, Nora."
The girl turned her head, her blue eyes widening slightly in recognition before settling back into a calm, lazy expression.
"Oh, Kyle." She popped another spoonful of ice cream into her mouth, speaking around it. "Didn't expect us to get thrown into the same city. Thought you'd end up in a different world or something."
Kyle snorted. "Hey, you should be grateful we didn't end up in separate dimensions. We're pretty lucky it worked out like this."
Nora scraped the last bit of ice cream from her cup and set it down with a satisfied sigh. "You've got a point, I guess. This world doesn't seem too bad, anyway. Besides…" Her expression darkened slightly. "I was getting tired of dealing with those sects."
Kyle's smile faded. "Looks like we're not done with them yet."
Nora choked. She coughed, pounding her chest with her fist, her eyes wide with alarm. "What do you mean?! We're in a different world, aren't we?!"
Kyle blinked. Then he realized—Nora didn't fully understand what had happened.
"Seriously?" He tilted his head, incredulous. "You don't know? This *is* a different world, yeah. But the guy who did this—he merged our world with this one. The sects? They're still here."
Nora's face went pale. Then it flushed red. Then it went pale again. Her mouth opened and closed like a fish gasping for air.
"I thought… I thought I could finally be free of them…" she whispered, slumping back in her chair.
Kyle sat down on the sofa across from her. He unclipped Delta Charmander's Poké Ball from his belt and recalled the little Pokémon in a flash of red light, giving it a rest after their long walk. The Poké Ball clicked shut, and Kyle tucked it back into his pocket.
"So," he began, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, "I met my other version earlier."
Nora's eyebrows shot up. "Your other version? You mean—your counterpart in this world?"
"Maybe," Kyle said, shrugging. "But I'm not entirely sure he's my counterpart. You know how possibilities are—they have no limits. There's no way I can know for sure."
Nora frowned. "Haven't you read over 5,000 books? Fiction, myths, mysteries, science, philosophy—you've covered everything. And you're *still* not sure?"
Kyle rubbed the back of his neck, looking uncharacteristically uncertain. "Maybe that's exactly why I'm confused. I don't have anything specific to go on, you know? Sometimes, when you have too much information, you get overwhelmed when the situation isn't clear-cut because you've got too many options to choose from." He paused, his gaze growing distant. "Besides, I already told you—possibilities have no limits. I'm sure this world holds mysteries that might never be fully understood."
He glanced at Nora, a teasing edge creeping into his voice. "Oh, and speaking of which—aren't you older than me? And haven't you been living near that library for ages? How do you *still* not understand this stuff?"
Nora flinched as if she'd been physically struck. Her eye twitched.
"Y-you know," she stammered, "not all information is in a library!"
Kyle waved his hand dismissively. "You're a Path Celebi user. You should be able to sense timeline changes. Seriously—*amateur*."
That was the final blow. Nora's head dropped onto the table with a soft *thunk*. Her shoulders trembled. A tiny, frustrated whimper escaped her lips. She knew she was still a novice when it came to the Path Celebi. She knew she couldn't argue with Kyle's assessment. But that didn't make it hurt any less.
Beside her, Bulbasaur looked up from its empty cup. Its vine whip extended gently, patting Nora's head in slow, soothing strokes.
"Bulba…" it murmured sympathetically.
Kyle watched the scene with mild amusement, then decided to change the subject. He cleared his throat.
"So, anyway. My counterpart in this world… I think I'll admit it—he's pretty impressive."
Nora lifted her head immediately, wiping the corner of her eye with her sleeve. Her curiosity had been piqued, overriding her earlier embarrassment. "You rarely compliment anyone. And you only just met him earlier today."
Kyle nodded slowly, his expression thoughtful. "I know. It's weird. But when I met him earlier… I felt like we were similar."
Nora's frown deepened. "Similar how? Is he also a Path user?"
"No," Kyle replied. "He's a Logic user."
"Then why do you think he's similar to you?" Nora pressed, genuinely baffled. "Your ability systems are completely different."
Kyle touched his temple, closing his eyes as he tried to recall the earlier encounter. The memory was vivid but elusive in its meaning—like trying to catch smoke with his bare hands.
"I don't know," he admitted. Then, after a pause, a small smile spread across his face. "But maybe… that's the mystery."
Nora and Bulbasaur exchanged confused glances. The green-haired girl opened her mouth to ask another question, then closed it again, deciding it wasn't worth the headache.
---
Meanwhile, in the agent headquarters' holding cells…
Darian lay sprawled across the thin mattress of his detention cell, his arms folded behind his head, one leg dangling off the edge. His eyes were closed, his breathing slow and even. He looked like he didn't have a single care in the world.
Across the narrow corridor, Fye Ling sat on the edge of her own bed, staring at him through the transparent barrier of her cell. She couldn't understand how he could be so relaxed.
"Hey," she called out, her voice echoing slightly in the sterile corridor. "How can you be so calm? We're being detained!"
Darian cracked one eye open. He turned his head lazily toward her, his expression utterly unbothered.
"And who are you to tell me how to feel?" he drawled. "Besides, I just have to wait a few weeks in here. By the time I get out, only a few hours will have passed outside."
Fye Ling's brow furrowed. "How can you be so sure about that?"
Darian sat up slowly, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. He stretched his arms above his head, cracking his neck.
"You know these detention cells run on a mental prison system, right?" He tapped his temple. "This isn't a real place. It's inside our heads."
Fye Ling's eyes widened as realization dawned. *So that's why he's so unconcerned.*
"Don't you want to get out of here?" she asked.
Darian flopped back onto his bed, resuming his comfortable sprawl. "Nope. Besides, I've got no reason to leave."
Fye Ling pressed further. "Don't you care about your comrades?"
Darian snorted. "No. I don't care." His voice grew colder. "Besides, I hate our leader. He's too ambitious."
Fye Ling was genuinely surprised. She hadn't expected to hear such open dissent from a member of Team Epitaph. "Why do you hate him? And why did you join if you hate him so much?"
Darian stared at the ceiling for a long moment before answering. "I told you—he's too ambitious. On the train earlier, I realized I was just another part of his experiment. He wants to immortalize every event, to make sure nothing is ever forgotten." He shook his head. "I think that's stupid."
Fye Ling tilted her head. "Why is that stupid? Maybe he has his reasons."
Darian sat up again, this time resting his elbows on his knees. His expression was more serious now, almost weary.
"Immortalizing every moment isn't necessarily a good thing," he said quietly. "Not every moment deserves to be eternal. Some things are better forgotten. And I'm sure a lot of people have moments like that."
Fye Ling was silent for a while, processing his words. She could understand his perspective, even if she didn't fully agree with it. But one question still nagged at her.
"If that's how you feel… then why did you join him in the first place?"
Darian's expression softened, just slightly. "A friend invited me. A good friend. I joined because of him."
Fye Ling blinked. "A friend? Seriously? You joined a dangerous organization because a friend asked you to?"
Darian met her gaze without flinching. "I wanted to help him."
Fye Ling leaned forward, her curiosity burning. "Does your friend share the same goals as your leader?"
Darian shook his head. "No. His goals are better."
"What are they?" Fye Ling asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Darian was quiet for a moment. When he spoke again, his voice was steady, almost reverent.
"To create the best possible timeline. For every person. And every Pokémon."