After a few minutes of walking, Zayn and Xavier arrived at the Pokémon Center.
The crowd had finally thinned out.
"Finally made it," Zayn said, stretching his arms. "Looks like we timed this perfectly."
They found a table near the window and sat across from each other.
Xavier rested his chin on his right hand, gazing out the window. "The exhibition doesn't start until 8 PM. The main showcase isn't until 10. This is going to be a long wait."
"Still a while, huh?" Zayn pulled out his game console from his Inventory Box. "Might as well play something."
He glanced at the console's clock—2:30 PM. Then he checked the battery level.
It was lower than it should be.
He knew exactly why.
His eyes narrowed. "Okay, Gible. I think you know what I'm talking about."
Click!
Zayn released Joltik from its Pokéball.
"Alright, I know you two were playing my games. Don't even try to deny it."
Gible scratched its head sheepishly. "Gible..."
Joltik immediately started apologizing, its tiny legs waving frantically.
Zayn sighed, though there was no real anger in his voice. "I don't mind you playing my games. Just ask first, okay? I was planning to finish this today."
Joltik, sensing a long lecture coming, had already formulated a plan.
It scampered onto the console and released a small, controlled spark.
The battery meter jumped to full.
Zayn blinked. "Okay... fine. At least you took responsibility. But don't do it again."
He settled back into his seat and resumed his game.
Xavier watched the exchange with amusement, then frowned. Something was missing.
"Wait," he said slowly. "Where's Cubble? He's usually sleeping on my head."
A familiar voice chimed in.
"Excuse me, you two!"
Nurse Joy approached their table, carrying a sleeping Cubble in her arms.
Both boys turned.
"Is this your Pokémon?" she asked Xavier.
Xavier's face lit up with recognition. "So THAT'S what felt wrong. You fell asleep and got left behind."
He took a deep breath.
"WAKE UP!"
Cubble jolted awake with a startled cry, leaped from Nurse Joy's arms, and landed squarely on Xavier's head. Within seconds, it was curled up again, fast asleep.
Xavier sighed. "Thanks, Nurse Joy. He's a heavy sleeper."
Nurse Joy smiled. "No problem. Taking care of Pokémon is my job."
Meanwhile, Gible and Joltik exchanged nervous glances. They remembered now—Cubble had been watching them play. In their panic about getting caught, they'd completely forgotten to put him back in his Pokéball.
Zayn and Xavier exchanged confused looks. How had Cubble even gotten out of its Pokéball?
Xavier's expression shifted to understanding. "That explains why I felt like something was off. You got left behind, huh?"
Cubble, already half-asleep again, didn't respond.
Nurse Joy tilted her head. "If you don't mind me asking—what brings you to Ariestal?"
Zayn answered first. "Researching relics at the exhibition."
Xavier answered at the same time. "Solving cases."
Zayn shot Xavier a look. "Seriously? You want to solve cases? You didn't even notice Cubble was missing. And on the train, you didn't suspect the guy with the suitcase at all."
Gible and Joltik nodded in agreement.
Xavier's face reddened slightly. "Hey! I learned a lot from what happened on the train. I won't make the same mistakes again."
Zayn closed his eyes and stroked his chin dramatically. "Honestly? I'm still not convinced."
His Pokémon nodded again.
Xavier crossed his arms. "Fine. Then I'll prove it by solving whatever case happens tonight."
Nurse Joy watched this exchange with growing concern. *Oh no. They're the overactive type. I should prepare myself tonight. Something tells me a lot of Pokémon are going to get hurt.*
"Alright," she said, already backing toward her office. "I should get back to my station. Please take good care of your Pokémon."
Zayn waved dismissively. "Don't worry. I take great care of my Pokémon." He paused. "Though they don't really need much watching."
Xavier added, "I won't let mine get left behind again."
Nurse Joy smiled and retreated to her office.
Xavier glanced at his watch. "We should probably go find Raizer and Rayne. They're probably still battling."
Zayn shook his head. "I doubt it. You don't know Raizer. And Rayne's still a beginner Esper. That fight's already over."
"So we check the city center?"
"Rayne said she was heading to Professor Miranda's lab. We should just go there."
They stood and headed for the exit. Xavier pulled out his Rotomdex. "Rotom, show us the way to Professor Miranda's lab."
The route appeared on the screen. Zayn's face fell. "Seriously?! That's still 85 kilometers from here?"
They started walking anyway.
---
Meanwhile, Rayne and Raizer were also making their way to Professor Miranda's lab.
Rayne kicked at a pebble on the path. "I can't believe I lost that badly."
Raizer didn't look at her. "What did you expect? You're still an amateur."
"I am NOT an amateur!" Rayne snapped. Then something occurred to her. "Wait—your abilities are on that level. Why do you consider Zayn your rival? Isn't that a huge gap?"
Raizer smiled—a rare, genuine expression. "That's a secret. But being rivals doesn't mean you have to be equal in only one aspect, right?"
Rayne thought about it. "I see what you mean."
They walked in comfortable silence until the lab came into view.
"It's huge," Rayne breathed, taking in the building's impressive facade.
Raizer reached for the door. "Every lab has its own character. This one focuses on art and marine life."
They stepped inside.
The interior was a blend of gallery and aquarium. Paintings of sea life hung between massive glass tanks filled with Water-type Pokémon. Coral reefs had been cultivated inside some of them. Others held open ocean species, swimming in lazy circles.
A woman with long orange hair and green eyes stood before one of the tanks, watching a sleeping Bubbleo. She wore a lab coat over black pantyhose, her expression soft with quiet fascination.
"Excuse me," Raizer said. "Professor Miranda? Do you have a moment?"
The woman turned. Her face brightened.
"Oh! You're here."
She walked to her desk, picked up a Pokédex, and handed it to Rayne. "This is yours. A request from your mentor."
Rayne accepted it with both hands. "Thank you so much!"
She powered it on.
**[ROTOMDEX ACTIVATED]**
A Rotom materialized from the device, zipped around her once, then integrated itself fully.
Rayne's eyes went wide. "That was faster than I expected."
She immediately tested it. "Rotom—analyze Bubbleo!"
Rotom got to work.
[Bubbleo is a quadrupedal, aquatic Pokémon that blends feline features with marine biology. Its sleek, streamlined body is primarily deep indigo purple, accented by vivid cyan markings on its paws, inner ears, and the underside of its tail.
The most striking features are its jagged, crystalline fins that run along its spine and crown like a mohawk. It possesses large, rounded ears and a face characterized by a mischievous grin, revealing sharp, white fangs. Its limbs are short but sturdy, ending in padded paws, while its rear tapers into a horizontal fluke-like tail, suggesting it is a powerful swimmer. Its eyes are large and focused, with white pupils that pierce through murky water.]
[Classification: The Dark Tides Pokémon
Type: Water / Poison
Entry: Bubbleo is a relentless pursuit predator that haunts murky, deep-sea trenches. While its dark coloration allows it to vanish into the shadows of the ocean floor, it rarely relies on stealth for long; instead, it uses its Violent Rush ability to close the distance on prey with terrifying speed. The venom stored in its dorsal fins is potent enough to paralyze a foe twice its size in seconds. Despite its aggressive nature, it is known to be fiercely loyal to its pack, often sharing its catch with younger members.]**
Rayne studied the screen. "This little guy is stronger than he looks."
"Rotom!" Rotom chirped proudly.
Footsteps echoed from the stairs above. A man descended into the main room—black hair, red eyes, a lab coat like Miranda's, but with a Volcarona badge on the lapel.
Raizer's eyebrows rose. "Professor Diego. I didn't expect to see you here."
Diego's expression was unreadable. "Ah, Raizer. So this is fate, then."
Rayne squinted at him. Something about this man felt... off. She reached out with her abilities, trying to read his thoughts, his past—
Chaos.
Her vision filled with fragmented images, abstract concepts, events that didn't follow any logical sequence. It was like trying to read a book whose pages kept rearranging themselves.
Diego's eyes flicked toward her. "You've been staring. I'm guessing you're an Esper. Your name would be Rayne, then."
Rayne's jaw dropped. "How did you know?! I never told you my name!"
"Miranda mentioned it earlier."
"Oh." Rayne deflated slightly. "I was hoping for something more interesting."
Raizer stepped forward. "How's your new research going?"
Diego sighed, the sound heavy with exhaustion. "Not well. It never ends."
Rayne's curiosity got the better of her. "What kind of research never ends?"
Diego's smile was thin. "I'm trying to determine the extent of possibility in this world. How far it can go. How much it can encompass."
Rayne stared at him. "You're insane. You already know possibility has no limits. Why are you still searching for an endpoint that doesn't exist?"
Diego raised a finger. "I'm not that foolish. I'm only researching areas that contain interesting data. Special Pokémon. Artifacts. Phenomena that defy categorization."
The door swung open.
A young boy stepped inside. "Excuse me! Is this where I can find TM learners?"
Rayne and Raizer both turned.
The trainer had black hair and red eyes. He wore a silver jacket with blue accents, black shirt, black pants. His style was almost identical to—
Rayne's breath caught.
Professor Miranda pointed toward the stairs. "The TM machines are on the second floor."
The young boy sprinted up the stairs without another word.
Rayne watched him go, her eyes narrowed. "He looks exactly like Zayn. But his energy... it feels like he's a Mage."
Raizer studied the stairs. "I noticed. But Zayn was with Xavier earlier, wasn't he?"
Rayne closed her eyes and reached forward with her abilities. Images flickered through her mind—Xavier walking beside someone she didn't recognize.
"There's someone with Xavier," she said slowly. "I don't know who. Silver jacket with blue accents, light blue eyes, black hair with blue streaks, black shirt and pants." She opened her eyes. "But that's not Zayn."
Raizer shook his head. "That IS Zayn."
"What?! How?! They went to a clothing store—how did his eye color change?!"
Raizer's expression didn't change. "Believe me. I thought the same thing once. But he really can change that fast. And honestly..." He shrugged. "So can I."
Rayne's legs gave out. She sank into a nearby chair. "Identities can change that easily? Without illusions?!" She pressed her hands to her face. "I spent years learning from my mentor, and even she could only manage illusions. How do you people DO this?!"
Diego answered calmly. "Game Logic. Raizer's version isn't the same as Zayn's, but he can still use it."
Rayne looked up, her expression desperate. "But Raizer is a Priest! How can he use Game Logic?! That doesn't make any sense!"
"No," Diego said, "it doesn't. That's exactly why it's part of my research. Limitless Potential."
Rayne's voice cracked. "What is Limitless Potential?"
Diego's eyes gleamed. "The ability to change. To grow. To become something else entirely. Potential without boundaries."
Raizer picked up the thread. "Because of that, classifications are just specifications. I might be classified as a Priest, but that doesn't mean I can't access Logic abilities."
Footsteps on the stairs. The young man descended, a TM case tucked under his arm.
"Thank you, Professor!" he called, already heading for the exit.
"Take care," Miranda replied.
He burst through the door and disappeared down the street, a Charmander with white and purple coloring running at his heels.
Rayne stared after him.
That Charmander was strange. Not the usual colors. Not at all.
She filed the observation away and turned back to the group, her mind still reeling from everything she'd learned.