Jubalife Vilge is cozy, if a bit bnd.

  The people? A bit prickly. Sceptical gazes peppered him as he walked into town with his guide.

  Honestly, Joshua was completely fine just camping out somewhere, he doesn't care. But Professor Laventon was adamant on bringing him in.

  What's the point of the entry letter…?

  He gave a small lesson on why being in the wilderness is a bad idea. ‘Pokemon are terrifying creatures!’ He says.

  ‘It's impossible to know what kinds of powers they might possess or what sorts of wondrous things they can do!’ He says.

  …terrifying creatures?

  During the lesson, all he could think of is Jophiel preening at head-scratches and Uriel shyly asking for an extra berry for her meal.

  Sure.

  So Joshua is in Jubalife Vilge right now, waiting for Laventon to come back from… somewhere (reporting the Pokemon), and hanging out by the ‘Wallflower’, a small restaurant.

  Beni, the owner, has been giving him the stink-eye since he got here.

  He really wants to ask if his green mustache is natural.

  (“Maybe we should just leave?”)

  They could. But he would prefer a pce to stay, and the Survey Corps is the fastest way to get it.

  Plus it'll give him info on those… what are they called? The BIG pokemon.

  Now that he thinks about it, wasn't there supposed to be an encounter here?

  “I'm back!”

  Laventon is back.

  “And I bring good news!”

  The roundish man holds a letter, which he hands to Joshua.

  “Captain Cyllene has agreed to meet you in regards to joining the Corps! Be warned, she's a little… aloof, and the test she gives isn't easy!”

  Joshua opens the letter, it's basically saying the same thing, but more formally. And with a meeting date for tomorrow.

  He smiles and folds it back up.

  “Thank you, Professor Laventon”

  He puffs his chest out.

  “Don't worry about it! I would be a worse professor if I let such talent slip through my hands!”

  What a genuinely good dude. He's still surprised that people like this aren't exactly rare in Pokemon.

  Just… good people.

  Except Beni.

  …

  Few things Joshua's learned.

  First, showers exist in this era. They aren't great, but they work. That could be said about the housing he was given, very barebones.

  Two, the standards for Pokemon catching are so low that catching three Pokemon is considered something to legitimately brag about. As most of the Survey Corp consider just one Pokemon hard enough to deal with.

  Maybe it's a fear thing, he doesn't know. So now Joshua is some kind of Pokemon savant in Laventon’s eyes.

  Three, he has confirmed that he is in fact in Hisui. The ancient Sinnoh, and who knows how far back he was actually sent.

  And four…

  [STREAM - ON/OFF -]

  His ‘system’ is still there.

  Kind of.

  Being able to turn off the stream is just… GOD that's such a good feature. Other than that, there's even a setting option that allows him to change several things, he hasn't looked too deep into it yet.

  But his ‘Minecraft Logic’ is… less than okay.

  Which he guesses is fair, he's technically no longer in God's range of creation. It's another ‘canvas’ he chooses not to touch.

  It's weird to think about the fact that the Minecraft Logic came from God, while the Stream must have come from Arceus.

  And now because of being in Arceus’ domain, the power between them has flipped.

  The extremely flexible Minecraft Logic has lost most of its function and has been cannibalized into the Legends Arceus UI. He still has an inventory and can technically craft but not at the same level as before.

  It lists his Pokemon- (“Oh hello me”)- along with their equivalent level and other info. With… surprisingly the full sixty slots of inventory space. Thanks Arceus.

  His armor section is gone, the enchantments are gone, and aside from the Expansion Suit the only things that carried over are his pokeballs and the berries.

  The crafting UI has been lobotomized, matching that of the game… that's rough.

  But does he even need it? Here? If losing his crafting is what it takes then he's fine with it. He's mostly concerned about if his Minecraft Body carried over.

  Meanwhile the stream has basically been overhauled with new functions, options, and other things. It's all quality of life things, and other useful settings.

  Nudity filter on, even if he's pnning on shutting off the stream when he's bathing.

  Should he turn the stream back on?

  “...”

  No. He'll check back in tomorrow.

  But first…

  In his hand holds a pokeball, one he REALLY doesn't want to open, but he knows he should.

  With a deep breath, he presses the button, and Vaporeon appears. The dreadful creature.

  “Hey~” Dark eyes look up at him.

  “Hello Ace”

  There's an awkward pause for a moment. With both of them just looking at each other.

  “So… you come here often?”

  “Really?” He groans.

  Ace groans too, slumping over slightly but still looking at him.

  “Fine fine… I suppose I should… THANK you, for getting me out of that pce. And uh… helping… my friend”

  Oh.

  “You’re uh… you're welcome. And… thank you, for the notes”

  Her eyes widened.

  “Ho-ly shit, you actually found those?”

  “Yeah, that's how I knew about the portal”

  She chuckles.

  “Hot damn, I didn't expect that to pay off! That lma wasn't pulling my leg after all”

  “Lma?... wait, you met Arceus?”

  “Well yeah. That's how I’m all… y'know, irresistible to human men”

  “Did she…”

  Her smile grows.

  “Oh yeah, she was TOTALLY on board with it, too”

  Of course she was.

  “Well. Anyways”

  Ignoring that, he crouches down to Ace and holds out a hand.

  “I'm Joshua, gd to have you on the team”

  She looks at his hand, deliberating for a moment before putting her paw in.

  “Slippin Ace. But I just go by Ace”

  …

  Joshua snaps up from his bed, his hand clenching a pistol that isn't there. Cold sweat runs down his back as he gasps for air.

  Silence. Just the calm ambiance of a sleeping vilge. His pokemon are asleep around him.

  Looking around, he sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose.

  For a moment there, he panicked. He didn't set any wards, and he guesses that his body tried to warn him about it.

  Calm down, Joshua.

  You aren't there anymore.

  You can sleep.

  Slumping back into bed, he goes back to sleep.

  …

  Aside from that little… moment.

  That was the best sleep he's had in his fucking life.

  It physically hurt to get up from those soft sheets, to leave Jophiel's feathery embrace.

  But he has an adventure to get to!

  “...pft”

  Yeah, he can't keep a straight face at that.

  Groaning, he pushes himself up

  “Alright, let's get this day started”

  Breakfast is simple, a quick trip to the Wallflower to fill him up, and berries fed around until he can get his hands on some meat.

  The sun is creeping over the horizon. Joshua is back out in his Expansion Suit, though without the helmet.

  He finds himself outside of the Gaxy Expedition Team HQ, which he thinks is a school of some kind, as it definitely looks like one.

  Looking at the sun, it's time to meet Cyllene.

  (“You seem excited”)

  “Of course I'm excited. We both know how exhausted we are from the Nightmare World, so doesn't this seem like… a little fun? We can let some steam out”

  (“I… suppose. It may be”)

  “You don't like it?”

  (“I will be with you regardless, Joshua. I do agree that it could be fun. But I am just… wary…”)

  “Love, it may have been a while since I pyed the game. But one look at this pce tells you all you need to know. Sure, there's danger, but compared to the ENTIRE WEEK we had?”

  Jophiel chuffs.

  (‘We are unexpectedly experienced, aren't we?”)

  He smirks and nods.

  “So this could be a chance to… I don't know… go on some adventures? Explore? Have a picnic? Whatever we feel like”

  (“Hmm. That sounds lovely, now that I am thinking about it”)

  “Perfect, now let's do… whatever the hell this woman wants me to do”

  Joshua approaches the double doors and pushes them open.

  Walking inside, he's immediately met with a LOT of red. A massive entrance room with red carpet, red curtains on the windows, they certainly have a theme.

  Two sprawling staircases sit on either side of him, leading up to the second floor.

  A golden logo sits as a decal at the center of the room, and must be for the Team.

  “Ah! Joshua, you're finally here!”

  As Joshua was busy calcuting how expensive this would be in his old world, the familiar voice of the Professor calls out to him.

  “Laventon?”

  “Captain Cyllene is in her office right now, come follow!”

  He disappears upstairs, Joshua follows.

  Joshua does wonder how… silly, he must look right now. Should he be pying along? Going along with the ‘story’? There's not much stopping him from just going off and doing his own thing.

  Actually, does he even need permission from the Gaxy Expedition Team to head to certain areas? He needs the star badges, right? And he gets those from research.

  He's pretty sure that Uriel ALONE could probably wipe out whatever team they throw against him.

  Joshua pauses at the stairs.

  Okay, pause. What exactly does he gain from this? He needs to think this through.

  He gets a pce to stay and food. But that's not exactly hard to get.

  A Pokemon? Cyndaquil WAS one of his favorites… but it's not like he's cking in that department.

  Fame? A small part of him wants it, but to be honest he just doesn't… care?

  Money? Pft. Yeah right.

  A small realization goes through him.

  “Am I just looking for an excuse to talk to someone…?”

  Holy shit he is, isn't he?

  Even with chat, there was still that… disconnect, words on a screen.

  But he had Jophiel! Doesn't she count?

  (“Having me in your heart and wanting to talk to other humans is not mutually exclusive, Beloved”)

  “I suppose that's true…”

  Joshua was somewhat expecting some jealously to come from the mare, and while there was a tiny bit, most of it was just the same gentle support she always gives off.

  She understands that she and Uriel shouldn't be the only social contact Joshua has, and while she's a bit upset that she can't completely fill that gap, she's understanding in his want to just… talk to another human, face to face.

  Having a link so there's no misunderstandings between them was probably the best decision they ever made.

  Jophiel smiles.

  (“I agree, Joshua. But you are going a little off track”)

  He sighs.

  Right.

  “I'm overcomplicating it. I don't really need an excuse to go on an adventure, do I? If things don't work out, I'll just leave”

  Simple enough.

  Laventon stands at the edge of the doorway that leads into a blue carpeted office. Inside sits a rather fierce looking blue-haired woman surrounded by paperwork, and an Abra floating idly beside her.

  “Captain Cyllene, the visitor is here!”

  “Enter”

  Walking in, Laventon stands at his side, excited but nervous.

  Captain Cyllene looks up at him.

  She's supposed to be aloof? Brother she looks MEAN.

  “You are… one Joshua Abrams, the outsider looking to join the Survey Corps, correct?”

  “Yes ma'am”

  She takes a long look at him.

  “I hope you understand that we don't just let anyone join the Survey Corps. Professor Laventon has been saying a lot of good things about you, but as someone with a Pokemon myself, I'm skeptical”

  Joshua shoots a shocked gnce at Laventon, who gives him a supportive thumbs up.

  “What are you skeptical about?”

  “Professor Laventon cimed you fell from the space-time rift. You're a stranger, wearing strange clothes, and even wearing strange pokeballs. You, allegedly, caught his three Pokemon back for him, and don't seem to fear the creatures at all, but I need to see it for myself. Because all I see right now is a threat to Jubalife Vilge, or a liability to the Corps”

  Is she implying that he's from a rival vilge or something?

  She stands up.

  “I need to see what you can offer to the Survey Corps. How many Pokemon do you have?”

  Joshua raises an eyebrow.

  “Three, but one is non-combatant”

  “Expin”

  It means that Ace is a zy little shit who's been taking advantage of the first break she's had in six years.

  Fuck, he's doing the same thing, he can't even be mad at that.

  “She's new. Not trained. Hasn't had time to accustomed to battles yet”

  She raises an eyebrow in suspicion.

  “I thought you said you have never had a Pokemon battle before? Or was that a lie?”

  Joshua can feel Jophiel getting frustrated, and to be honest he's starting to feel the same.

  He shoots another look at Laventon, who's putting his hands together in apology.

  Turning back to the Captain, his gaze turns firm, is she seriously trying to trick him into… what? That he's a fake?

  He has more experience dealing with dangerous creatures than this entire room combined.

  “Pokemon aren't the only thing that's dangerous”

  “...”

  Her eyes narrow further. Laventon is sweating bullets beside him. The tension in the room grows, but he's not about to let this woman he's never met before interrogate him like this.

  “I appreciate you giving me a pce to stay for the night, and I do understand that you are skeptical of some stranger that wandered into your vilge…”

  He keeps his calm.

  “Professor Laventon has been nothing but kind, and joining the Corps is my way of paying that kindness back, to help him complete the Pokedex…”

  Cyllene shoots Laventon a look, but he only has an appreciative look on his face as he looks at Joshua.

  “If you want to test me, give me a trial, sure, whatever. But don't treat me like some criminal when I have been nothing to you or Jubalife. I JUST got here! I don't even know who you are!”

  She blinks at that, but her hostile gaze doesn't change.

  Joshua notices her hand move slightly, and the Abra beside her twitches.

  Is this bitch seriously…

  He waits for a moment, and when he gets nothing but silence, he sighs.

  Joshua turns on his heel and begins walking out.

  “J-Joshua? Where are you going?” Laventon asks.

  “I'll be setting up camp outside the walls”

  There's a good chance he's about to be kicked out anyways.

  That seems to shock the two.

  “B-But it's dangerous out there!”

  “I'll be fine. If your Captain actually learns how to communicate like an adult, let me know”

  He turns for a moment, looking at Laventon.

  “Our deal is still valid, Professor. And…”

  Then he turns to Captain Cyllene.

  “I'm still open to talk. Let's not let this ruin any retionship we may have, Captain. I AM still interested in joining”

  With that said, he walks out. Going down the stairs he groans loudly in his head.

  Fuuuuuuck.

  (“Beloved. I do not enjoy swearing that much, but even I think she was a bit of a bitch”)

  “Guess it's different when it's a grown man entering the vilge and not some fifteen year old boy”

  He walks out of HQ and onto the streets, making his way to the gates, he goes over a pn in his head.

  Get Pokemon. Deal with those noble pokemon. Do… something, with the Diamond and Pearl cns (real original).

  He needs pokeballs, it should be simple.

  (“Tumblestone and apricorn… fascinating”)

  “Oh? What a curious getup you have there. I can already tell you're quite the character!”

  Joshua freezes.

  Someone stands at the gate.

  A mop of blonde hair covering one of his gray eyes, wearing an outfit of yellows and blues, the man carries a backpack and meets his gaze with a calm smile.

  Oh.

  “I'm Volo of the Ginkgo Guild, the go-to choice for any of your mercantile needs here in Hisui!”

  He says something else, but Joshua tunes it out.

  After the shitty experience he just had…

  Joshua REALLY wants to mess around a little.

  “Investigating the odd and novel is key to any good merchant's success! So what do you say?”

  He has to stop the grin from forming on his face.

  “How about you and I see how our Pokemon stand up to one another in battle?” Volo asks, holding his pokeball out in a friendly manner.

  “Sure!”

  Volo is a bit taken aback at Joshua's almost… excitement.

  But he quickly puts a smile back on and tosses his pokeball out.

  A Togepi.

  Joshua reaches to his best and plucks off a pokeball.

  To his side, a screen appears.

  [STREAM - ON/OFF -]

  He wills a selection.

  [ON]

  [VIEWERS: 10,195]

  [VIEWERS: 19,442]

  [VIEWERS: 23,257]

  [VIEWERS: 31,193]

  The numbers keep going up, Volo shivers a little bit at his manic grin.

  “Hey… Cynthia?”

  [I<3Gible: Woah! I knew you were alive! Where are you man?]

  “Im going to bully the fuck out of your grandpa”

  [I<3Gible: Do you know how badly Steven has been freaking out?]

  [I<3Gible: what]

  He throws a pokeball.

  The air turns STATIC.

  Uriel emerges, her hooves buzzing in passive electricity that arches off her.

  The ones watching gasp, backing away from the zebra.

  Uriel looks around, blinking in confusion.

  “Uri”

  She looks over.

  “You're hungry, right?”

  She goes to say something, but only gives a sheepish nod and looks down.

  He points at Togepi, who's now shaking slightly as Volo watches with his jaw wide open.

  Uriel follows his hand, and raises an eyebrow.

  “Eat him”

  She stares at him for a moment.

  Then at Volo.

  Then back at her trainer's smug grin.

  It takes her a moment, but then…

  Her lips curl.

  And the air begins to BUZZ.