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Calem is home.
As he walks down the streets of Lumiose City, that feeling comprises the majority of his thoughts. He breathes in the not-quite-fresh air smelling of stone and electricity. It may not be the crisp flowery breeze of Vaniville Town, but this is still home.
Calem never realized how much he missed Kalos until he returned to it. There had been a gentle ache in his chest the last few months, one that had eased all of a sudden upon stepping into Lumiose proper. He now recognizes that ache as homesickness, a quiet yearning that had nestled itself next to his heart, finally let free.
He traces familiar roads and sidestreets on his way to Rouge Plaza, passing restaurants and boutiques he’s visited dozens of times. Calem almost wants to stop by the Sushi High Roller for a late lunch, but now isn’t the time. Maybe he’ll have to get Kabu to judge its authenticity and quality another day.
On the far side of the plaza is a rather plain building, its structure simple enough to blend with the surrounding cityscape. Calem easily recognizes the Looker Bureau, though.
As he approaches, he glances at the sign outside the door. It’s still labeled as Looker’s detective agency, despite the man having returned to his broader Interpol tasks over two years ago now. Calem wonders if Emma will ever truly embrace the agency as her own and take up the mantle that she deserves—because she does deserve it. He will never back down on that claim.
The bell chimes as Calem pushes open the bureau door, letting it shut behind him. He’s the one who suggested the bell; it makes it significantly easier to tell when someone is entering or leaving. It alerts the detective to customers, sure, but it’s also another measure against being snuck up on. Looker and Emma were quick to agree.
“Coming!” Emma calls from the back, voice light.
Before she can emerge, a gray blur zips out. An espurr pauses in front of Calem, saucer-wide eyes staring right at him. A click lets Calem know that Midnight has left his pokéball, the meowstic mewing contentedly as he pads to Mimi. The espurr nuzzles Midnight and the two felines dash off, chittering to each other. Calem smiles softly at their antics.
“They’re not wasting any time, huh? I get it. They must’ve missed each other,” Emma comments, grinning as she walks towards Calem. He’s struck by the realization that she’s gotten taller, a bit of confident swagger in her steps. How much did he miss?
Calem nods in agreement. “I’m sure they did. It’s good to see you, too.”
Emma just rolls her eyes before snatching Calem into a hug. He stiffens for a moment, unsure, before he remembers to return the embrace.
“Been too long,” she says, voice muffled by his clothing. “You’re going to tell me everything now. And I mean everything, mister! No more leaving out details!”
“Alright, alright—as long as you don’t break my ribcage in the process,” Calem accepts. It’s mostly a joke, but Emma does have surprising grip strength. He’s glad; it means she’s been putting on some muscle.
She huffs in amusement, releasing her hold and tilting her head towards the back of the bureau. “Still learning how to lighten up, huh? Guess you got rusty, since I couldn’t be there!”
Emma nimbly grabs two cups and fills them up with water, setting one down at one end of the table and keeping the other for herself, sliding into the other chair. Calem takes his seat, sipping at the drink.
“It’s a work in progress. At least you’re far from the only one who’s said I need to relax,” he comments.
“Wow, finally some other people with basic observational skills! Who would’ve thought!” she snarks, snickering to herself. “Anyway! Time to spill your guts!”
He sighs, half-exasperated and half-fond. Nonetheless, Calem tells his story. It’s not literally everything; he can’t perfectly recount every single detail of a months-long time period purely for logistical reasons.
Admittedly, there are a couple parts he leaves out. Most of his time with Allister and Chrys, the talk on Mount Coronet, his final confrontation with Lucille—they’re all a bit too emotionally charged. They’re either not solely his story to tell or a private piece of his life that he can’t bring himself to mention yet. Calem knows he’s working on being more honest and open, but he feels like it’s understandable for some things to just be a little too personal, at least for now.
Emma’s expression visibly sours when he talks about his run-in with Bede and Marnie, and the events that follow. She clearly wants to say something but holds herself back until he’s finished.
Calem likes when the tale turns more light-hearted, though. He describes Gloria after meeting at Sonia’s lab and Emma bursts out laughing. “I have to meet this girl,” she insists. “Calem, you gotta make it happen.”
He’s suddenly a little terrified of the possibilities of them meeting, but Calem reluctantly says he’ll message Gloria about it. Emma pumps her fist and hisses a quiet “yessssss!”
She audibly cheers when he offhandedly mentions punching Rose in the face as the signal. He can’t quite hear, but he’s pretty sure she was briefly whispering “Get him! Get him!” in a chant under her breath. Calem can’t help but chuckle at that. It does sound amusing from an observer's point of view, he supposes.
Upon reaching the end of his story, Emma leans back, squinting up at the fluorescent lights, brows furrowed in thought. Calem finishes his cup of water, bracing himself for her response.
After a moment, Emma leans back forward, resting one hand atop the other. She smiles at him. “Congrats, Calem. It sounds like you really did great on the mission. A job well done, huh?” her voice wobbles. He waits for her to continue as her eyes start to well up a bit.
“I was really worried about you, especially after you called me out of the blue saying you made a huge mistake,” she confesses. “I was scared that you had done something to yourself that you couldn’t fix. I know it’s part of the job and whatever, but—I want you to be safe, Calem. I want to be able to help you. I’m just… still not good enough.”
Calem bites the inside of his cheek. “It’s not you, Emma. Really. You’re plenty capable. You just… can’t help someone who doesn’t want to be helped.”
Emma’s nose scrunches up. “Doesn’t, or didn’t?”
“Didn’t,” he corrects at her prompting. “I’m going to try to do better. I am trying to do better. But even besides that, you have been helping me. Really.”
She makes an indignant “hmph” sound, scrubbing at her eyes. “Yeah, no. It really sounds like you’re just trying to make me feel better, Cal. Which I appreciate! But I’d rather you said something you actually mean.”
“I do mean it,” Calem insists. “Just knowing you’re there for me has done a lot for me. Knowing there was someone to come back to. You’re—” he stumbles on his words, gesticulating as he tries to find the right way to say it. “—you’ve been my friend when I haven’t let anyone else be. That’s done more for me than I can say.”
“It means a lot,” Emma murmurs. “That you would trust me like that. Why, though? Why, when you’ve known your other friends longer, when they’re better than me at everything?”
It’s a good question. Calem isn’t entirely sure himself, at least at first. “Before all that—you’re just as good as everyone else. You have instincts and skills and experiences they could never have,” he states firmly.
“As for why I kept in contact? I don’t really know,” Calem admits. “I just felt like I could. Maybe it was because you already knew about everything with Interpol, which is a whole can of worms on its own. Maybe it was because I met you later—less baggage attached to the whole friendship. No ‘before’ and ‘after.’”
That all sounds about right. Calem thinks it’s not quite the full story, though. Not yet.
“And after everything with Xerosic, I knew you wouldn’t judge me, and I wouldn’t judge you. We both—” were used, he does not say. “—had experiences with Team Flare that they didn’t. I can’t say for sure, but I don’t think it matters. What matters is that you’re my friend, and I trust you.”
Emma meets his eyes. Her mouth quirks up into a half-smile. “I think Galar was good for you.”
He smiles back at her. “Me, too. Means you have new competition for the ‘friend’ title, though.”
“I’d rather that than you being stuck in your own head still,” Emma quips back with brutal honesty. “It’ll be nice to have backup to keep you from doing stupid stuff. Clearly I need it.”
Calem almost gets whiplash from the emotional duality in her statements. “I suppose. You already made me agree to connect you to Gloria, so what’s a few more?”
“Mhm! Kabu seems fun, and Lucille sounds pretty reasonable. I know you don’t know him that well, but I think I could totally string Hop along with tales of our adventures,” Emma grins cheekily, mischief twinkling in her eyes. “I wouldn’t even have to lie that much!”
“Just don’t reveal any classified information,” Calem warns, because he knows that he isn’t going to be able to stop her pranking streak this time.
Emma giggles, making an expression of innocence and faux shock, lifting a hand to her chest. “I would never! I am insulted at the very insinuation!”
He just shakes his head. She drops the pose.
“Well, that’s abroad covered, I guess,” Emma hums. “But you’re home now. Are you planning on talking to anyone else? Letting them know you’re back?”
“Yes,” Calem replies, surprising himself with how quick and easy the answer is. “I’m going to. I just came to see you first.”
“Aw, I really am your favorite!” Emma teases. “But really, that’s good to hear. Once you’re back in contact and on good terms, y’mind introducing them to me?”
Calem hesitates, but he nods. “I’ll let you know when.”
It’ll be weird, for disconnected sides of his life to intersect like that, but it’s better that way. Work-life separation is one thing, but entirely separating the two halves of his life hasn’t exactly led him to much mental stability. Calem thinks that his friends will like Emma, and he hopes Emma will like his friends.
“Good! Now, let me tell you about how I’ve been…”
Emma’s stories from her detective agency are lower stakes than Calem’s adventures, but he finds them pleasantly entertaining. A fashionista frantically begging for Emma’s help in tracking down his prized furfrou, a trail of odd sinkholes that ended up being from a rogue bunnelby, a kecleon who kept knocking into people while camouflaged, and plenty more tales.
He stays the night, catching up with Emma and letting his team do the same. It’s been a while since he’s slept over at the Looker Bureau, but it’s far from the first time, and likely far from the last.
As the sun sets on Calem’s first day back in Kalos, the city’s lights shining defiantly outside, he knows he made the right choice.
—————
Professor Sycamore’s lab is the same as it’s always been, at least from the outside. Calem waits outside of the too-familiar doors far longer than is necessary, the worst part of his inner voice urging him to run, run away, and don’t look back like he’s been doing for two years already. But Calem refuses to give into his fears again, so he steels himself and presses on.
The interior looks almost identical, too. The potted plants on either side of the entryway are the slightest bit taller, and the waiting room has a slightly different arrangement, but otherwise, little has changed.
Calem does notice that the receptionist manning the front desk isn’t one he recognizes, so probably someone hired after he stopped frequenting the lab. He’s not sure how he feels about that.
Nonetheless, he approaches the receptionist, giving her a polite smile. “Hello. I’d like to meet with Professor Sycamore.”
She glances up and back to one of her computer screens, humming softly. “Do you have an appointment?”
He shakes his head.
“Right, then I’ll add you to the queue. Could I have your name, please?”
“Calem,” he replies succinctly. It’s still strange to be using the name so freely again.
Keys clack and the receptionist nods. “Got it, you’re all set. The professor or one of his assistants will come fetch you when it’s your turn.”
“Understood. Thank you.”
Calem heads towards the waiting area, taking a seat in one of the armchairs. He hardly notices how he chose one near to the exit, with line of sight on both the elevator and entryway. Instead, he takes a look around, finding only a couple others in the foyer. Calem merely sits and waits, too anxious to bear the distraction of a book or an electronic device.
It can’t have been more than a few minutes when the door to the stairwell bursts open, a frazzled Professor Sycamore sliding out. His lab coat is askew and he breathes heavily like after a sprint. Wide-eyed, the professor searches the room.
“Calem?!” he calls. The receptionist’s eyes fall on Calem, clearly perplexed, and he’s suddenly embarrassed to have made such a scene. Everyone else is staring now, too.
With as much grace as he can muster, Calem stands up and approaches the professor. “Yes,” he states, and the single word says more than a novel ever could.
Professor Sycamore’s eyes impossibly soften as Calem approaches, exhaling a deep sigh of relief. “You’re really here,” he murmurs mostly to himself, regaining some of his composure. “Okay. Let’s head up to my office, shall we?”
They take the elevator, the silence palpable in the small space, only interrupted by the beeps and dings of the machine. Calem can feel his nerves spiking as the elevator door opens to the third floor. He steps out after the professor, following him to his office, although Calem doesn’t need the directions.
Calem takes his seat in front of Professor Sycamore’s desk, posture immaculate, while the other man practically slumps into the chair on the other side.
Neither of them say anything at first, taking each other’s visage in. It’s been a long time.
“You’re taller,” Professor Sycamore suddenly says like it’s a revelation.
“I am,” Calem agrees, because he is an adult now, no longer forever sixteen in the professor’s memories.
That seems to break some of Professor Sycamore’s hesitations. “You really came back,” he comments, almost disbelieving. “I wanted to believe you, and I hoped you would, but I just didn’t know—until today, of course.”
Calem smiles ruefully. “I came back,” he confirms. “I’m sorry I kept you waiting.”
“I’m sure you had your reasons. I’m just glad, really glad, that you’re alright,” the professor admits. “I really thought you weren’t.”
His barely-smile diminishes. “I wasn’t. I am now, but for a long time, I wasn’t.”
Professor Sycamore leans back for a moment. “You go MIA for months, years, then I suddenly get a call from Cynthia of all people that you were at Spear Pillar of all places. Then, just a few months later, Fennel calls me about an unprecedented double Mega Evolution, and it could have only been you, and—” he cuts himself off, taking a much-needed breath. “I’m sorry. I was just so worried.”
Something inside Calem both shrivels up and blooms at Professor Sycamore’s adamant concern, guilt warring with appreciation. It’s clear confirmation that he still cares, that he’s always cared, and Calem doesn’t know how to handle that.
“I’m sorry for losing contact, and I’m sorry for worrying you. It’s been—” Calem does not want to explain the why, not when he sees the conspicuously face-down photo on the professor’s desk and knows that he was not the only one who struggled. “—busy. A lot has happened.”
“When you called me, you said that you would come back soon, and that you would explain where you’ve been. Is that now?” Professor Sycamore asks, almost pleading.
Calem nods. He doesn’t plan on giving nearly as descriptive of an answer compared to the detailed version he gave to Emma, but the professor deserves at least a proper answer after all this time.
“After Serena became champion, I wasn’t really sure what to do with myself. I ended up helping out at a newly-opened detective agency here in Lumiose,” he begins, folding his hands into his lap. He tries to figure out how to phrase things as he goes; this is not quite a report for Interpol, not quite a story for Emma.
The professor nods, listening intently, clearly focused. Calem continues. “It started small, but things kept ramping up. A series of connected incidents led to us finding and arresting Xerosic—” Professor Sycamore stiffens at the name, clearly recognizing it. “—and it sort of spiraled from there.
“It turned out that the man heading the detective agency was actually a member of the International Police. After seeing my skills and how I helped him, he invited me to become his apprentice at Interpol,” he pauses for a moment, caught in his own web of memories. “and I accepted.”
“So that’s why any notices about you being missing were marked as resolved,” Professor Sycamore realizes. “You weren’t ever really missing. Law enforcement knew perfectly well where you were.”
“That’s right,” Calem confirms. “I didn’t realize you tried to report me as missing, though.”
“We did,” the professor replies solemnly. “Multiple times. Between me and Serena, we were terribly confused about the response seemingly being ignored.”
An esteemed professor and a region’s champion having personal reports quietly resolved with no follow-up… Calem can definitely see how that would be strange. That same warm regret returns to his heart. Still, he continues.
“I think that might have been a little later in the timeline,” Calem notes. “I was losing touch while training at Interpol, but it wasn’t until my first mission that I cut contact entirely.”
Professor Sycamore taps his chin. “I think I remember that. Yes, you’re right.”
Calem clenches his fists loosely. “My first mission was an undercover operation—I was going to be cutting contact with those in my civilian life for its duration, naturally,” he sighs. “Alongside a few other agents, we were infiltrating the remnants of Team Flare to arrest the remaining scientists and admins.”
The professor sucks in a breath, but doesn’t interrupt.
“After the mission was over, I… simply never picked up contact again. I continued training at Interpol until my next, and most recent, mission. Until yesterday, I had been in Galar for the better part of a year doing that,” Calem explains.
“Fennel said that the Mega Evolutions happened in Galar. A dangerous mission would fit that need,” Professor Sycamore notes. “It doesn’t explain Cynthia’s encounter with you, though.”
He chuckles nervously. “It certainly wasn’t mundane. Sinnoh was meant to be a break from the stress, funnily enough—a vacation,” Ironic, certainly, though perhaps not traditionally humorous.
“The mission changed midway through, but it ended up as aiming to recapture two escaped prisoners—highly dangerous, plus politically and socially influential. I’m not sure how much you keep up with Galarian news, but…” Calem trails off.
“Very little, but I’ll certainly be taking a look after this,” the professor firmly states. Calem almost wishes he didn’t say anything at all.
“…right. Well, I’m afraid a lot of the finer details of the mission are classified, but that’s the gist of it. After the mission was complete, I came back here,” he finishes with an underwhelming amount of fanfare.
Professor Sycamore steeples his fingers, clearly taking some time to process. It’s understandable, but it certainly doesn’t help Calem’s nerves.
“I’m proud of you,” he finally says, and Calem startles at his genuine smile. “I won’t pretend I’m happy that you pushed yourself out of our lives and put yourself in danger, but I’m still proud. I’m proud that you followed your heart and are trying your best to do good things and to protect people. Skills like yours can scarcely be better used than to help people.”
A response catches in Calem’s throat, words failing him. He’s proud of me, his thoughts echo back to him, incredulous. I’ve done nothing but hurt him for ages and he’s still proud of me.
Even as his own remorse rises to choke him, the radiant warmth from the professor’s assurances shines brightly, forcing the guilt to hide in the darkest recesses of his chest, at least for now. And for now is enough.
“Thank you,” Calem can barely get the words out, and even then, they’re whispered and shaky.
Professor Sycamore’s smile brightens. “You’re a wonderful person, Calem. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”
Does it still count if it’s myself saying that? he wonders. Calem wants to tip his hat over his face, hide his glistening eyes, but he doesn’t want to hide from Professor Sycamore anymore. Instead, he just holds it back, keeping some semblance of composure.
“Thank you,” he says again, like a broken record.
“There’s no need,” the professor insists. “Just… stay a little longer, will you?”
He almost wants to object. He has other people he needs to see, and Professor Sycamore surely has to get back to his job, to the other people waiting—he shouldn’t waste more time on Calem.
Then Calem sees the desperation in the professor’s eyes and he softens. They can both be selfish together, just this once.
He stays a little longer.
—————
The flight west towards Geosenge Town is peaceful. Cirrus enjoys soaring the skies of her home region and Calem relaxes in the absence of crowds and emotionally-charged conversations. When they touch at the top of the town, instead of heading into Geosenge proper, he orients himself north, heading towards Route 11 first.
He’s avoided coming back here, both Geosenge Town and Route 11, since the incident with Team Flare. The thought made a younger Calem shudder, bad memories rising to the surface. The Calem of the present is a little more comfortable in his own skin, a little more ready to face the past.
On his first trip through Route 11, Calem had thought little of the strange stones standing in an orderly fashion across the path. Now he knows that they are gravestones. Perhaps that would further deter most individuals, but Calem has become quite comfortable in graveyards lately. He hasn’t brought any flowers, not knowing if that would have been customary for these individuals from millennia ago, instead arriving purely with his well-wishes.
Calem does not stop at each of the stones, but he does pass them all. He hopes on their behalf, wishing for them to rest well, their memories not forgotten. Even if there is no way to know who is buried at these stones, each the tomb of an unknown soldier sacrificed three thousand years ago, Calem does his best to mourn in their long-lost loved ones’ stead.
He wonders if AZ, or even anyone else, has ever done this, or if he is the only one to visit Route 11 as the cemetery that it is for a long, long time. Even as Calem crackles with the energy of life, aftershocks in his blood, he feels a kinship with these dead.
With one last look back at the grid of headstones, Calem finds himself returning to Geosenge Town, actually entering the settlement this time. When he takes a look around, he can still see signs of ongoing construction, especially deeper into the town. Even after over two years, building is still ongoing, prior events having utterly decimated the small town. Calem feels a little guilty at seeing the still-rampant destruction, but he can take solace in the fact that nowhere else was faced with such devastation.
Clenching his fists, he scours the area for somewhere he can help. Calem feels like he owes it to these civilians, denizens of ground zero. Perhaps he has helped before, by limiting the scope of the disaster to only what occurred, by taking down Team Flare so that this can’t happen again, but it doesn’t feel like enough. He doesn’t think it will ever feel like enough, but he will do what he can.
Calem is graciously welcomed by one of the local construction crews, eager for any help they can get. They’re working on a house at the moment, currently digging out the foundation and any buried utilities before starting on the wood framing. He has practically zero experience, but they hand him a shovel and a hardhat anyway, one of the workers giving him a rundown.
He won’t lie and say it’s easy. Geosenge Town has decently soft dirt, but digging by hand will always be strenuous. The repetitive motion strains his muscles, rivulets of sweat running down his skin, but Calem gets into the groove before too long. He does the work dutifully, appreciating the opportunity to challenge his body rather than his mind for once. The crew works alongside timburrs and gurdurrs, the fighting-types beginning to lay framing at completed areas and providing their strength in general.
Chatting with the crew during breaks is nice, and he learns about the overall reconstruction efforts. It’s been going well, apparently, with the League supplying many of the funds and machinery to make it possible. Calem smiles at that, knowing that it’s perfectly in character for Serena. He’s pleased to hear that Geosenge Town is expected to be almost completely restored in another two or three years. He’ll have to come back afterwards to see the town back in its full glory.
There is a genuine satisfaction as the crew waves him off once work is done for the day, the sun’s march across the sky guiding their progress. They’re smiling at him, appreciating his aid, inviting him to come back anytime. Calem is a mess, covered in dirt and grime, but he feels so very accomplished, the fruits of his effort yielding tangible results that will directly help someone.
It is only in hindsight that Calem realizes the sinkhole in the center of town is gone, completely filled in at some point in the last couple years. He had walked across where the void once was without a second thought, unaware and uncaring. It’s a strange realization, but not an unwelcome one.
Thinking ahead to his final destination on this personal homecoming of sorts, Calem flies to Santalune City to stay the night. Geosenge Town was definitely a detour, considering the trip from Lumiose directly to Santalune is very quick and simple comparatively, but he felt like it was necessary, and it was certainly worth it.
He touches down in the center plaza as the sun begins to set, the roselia-carved fountain gently cycling water. Bug pokémon chatter and chirp in the bushes and surrounding forest, the night coming alive. People mill about, ready to enjoy their evenings, the breeze cool and air tinged with dew. When Calem inhales, it smells like petrichor and times gone by, nostalgia heavy on his shoulders.
Calem sits down on a bench and leans back, exhaling softly. He idly admires the intricate metalworking of the backrest and seat, swirling patterns of insectoid wings and chrysalises. He’d never stopped for these little details before. Him and his friends had just been too ready to challenge Viola to take time on the benches of all things.
“So, you said that was your final study sesh before challenging Viola, right?” Calem hears a boy ask his friend, a group of three young trainers strolling out of the Trainers’ School. “Y’really think you’re ready?”
The girl he was talking to huffs and turns away, but there’s no true irritation in the motion. “Of course! I’ve beat you in practice more times than I can count, and you still doubt me?”
The third member of the group, another girl, snickers. “To be fair, that’s not saying much.”
The boy gives a startled “hey!” but all three laugh it off before long. They pass Calem and he can see the carefree smiles on their faces, the shimmer of happiness in their eyes. They look so young—had he and his friends really been like that?
“But really, I’m feeling pretty good,” the first girl says. “Archer already knew peck, but he just learned ember, too. Brioche’s quick attack isn’t anything to sneeze at, either.”
“Salvia probably won’t be too helpful against bug-types, though,” the other girl points out. “Especially if Viola uses her vivillon like normal. So you might want to focus any last-minute training on the other two.”
Probably her first Gym Battle, then, based on studying at the Trainers’ School. In that case, Calem knows the team Viola is likely to use, the same one he once triumphed over. He remembers someone on Route 3 giving him some advice for Viola before he challenged the Gym—maybe it’s time to pay that forward.
He stands from the bench, casually approaching the young trainers. “If I’m getting this right and Salvia’s a grass-type, then you might not want to count it out just yet,” Calem comments. “Even besides how grass could shape up against dual-types, it’s best to try to keep your team all level with each other. You never know when an unexpected member could come in clutch.”
The girl seems to consider this before nodding. “Yeah, guess so. Viola sometimes uses a surskit, right? That wouldn’t be too bad of a matchup for Salvia. Then, Brioche and Archer can be at full strength for her ace,” she thinks aloud, the gears turning in her head.
Calem nods approvingly. “You’ve got it. Good luck on your match, but don’t get discouraged if it doesn’t go well, either. A loss doesn’t mean you can never win.”
The boy elbows the girl. “Y’hear that? Even if I’ve lost to you fourteen times—”
“Wait, you’ve been counting?” The second girl chimes in with a surprised laugh.
“—I’ve still got a shot for lucky number fifteen!”
Calem can’t help but smile. “Proper rivals, are you? That’ll do you good. Keeps you sharp.”
The first girl cuffs the boy on the head. “Maybe he could actually be a challenge if he stopped sending out his scatterbug instead of his marill against my fletchling!”
The boy gasps as if struck. “I would never! Sparkles wants to beat Archer fair and square! I would never deny her that!”
The second girl looks fondly exasperated, just giving a shrug to Calem. “Thanks for the advice,” she says in the others’ place. “Maybe it’ll get through their thick heads better than the tips in the books.”
“It’s no problem,” he replies. “I’m glad to see they’re so spirited. I think they’ll go far.”
She smiles slightly, admiration in her gaze as she looks at her friends. “Me, too.”
The other two trainers barely pause to wave goodbye to Calem as he leaves before returning to their light-hearted scuffle.
He feels light as he sets himself up in his hotel room for the night, reclining onto the bed. As much as Calem has the urge to camp out under the stars to imitate his journey, proper beds are infinitely better than a sleeping bag.
There’s another impulse, though, one he doesn’t think about long enough to deny, forcing himself to act. He snatches his Xtransceiver from the nightstand and types a simple message to a certain group chat.
Calem: Let’s meet in Aquacorde tomorrow at 4pm.
He shuts off the device right after, intentionally not checking the responses. He’s trying to steel himself, to finally commit, and Calem doesn’t want anything his friends could say to make him lose his nerve. It’s a little callous, but one more night of ignoring their messages won’t do much compared to two years.
Calem does not fall asleep quickly, but when he does, it is into a blessedly dreamless sleep.
—————
(“Hey, did that guy look familiar to you at all? I could’ve sworn I’ve seen him before,” the boy comments long after the man has left.
“Now that you mention it, yeah, a bit. But from where, though?” the first girl responds.
The second girl hums in thought. “TV, maybe? He seemed to know what he was doing regarding Gyms, so maybe you’ve seen him battle before or something.”
The boy shrugs. “Yeah, maybe. Oh well. It doesn’t really matter.”
The next day, the girl grins as she holds up her shining new Bug Badge, eagerly showing her friends.
“Heh, onto the next, then! I’ll beat all the Gyms and beat Serena!” she boasts.
“Good luck with that,” the boy replies with a snort.
“You’ll never know until you try. I mean, I’m sure nobody was expecting Champion Serena to come out of nowhere and beat Diantha,” the other girl points out.
He makes a disbelieving “eh” sound. “Yeah, but Serena’s, like, a prodigy, and the hero of the region. Nobody was on her level. Apparently she never lost a single battle! I honestly can’t believe anyone would try to rival her in the first place.”
“Everyone starts somewhere,” the second girl hums. “Both champions and their rivals.”
“Yeah. Guess so. Just hard to imagine.”
The first girl puts away her new badge. “Hey, when we’re at the top together, it won’t matter that I’ll have beaten you every time—”
“Hey!”
“—because it was you who pushed me to keep going and get better. Don’t underestimate yourself!” she insists with a smile.
The second girl rolls her eyes. “Aren’t you just paraphrasing Serena from one of her speeches?”
“Yeah, so what?”
“Nothing. Just curious.”)
—————
Heading south through Santalune Forest is almost a little disorienting, like everything is in reverse. Calem had only ever traveled on foot northward through it before.
And yet, as he heads deeper in, it feels so familiar. That oddly-split tree is right where he remembers it, and curving around a small pond is practically the same motion. Still, it’s not quite the same, like the forest has shifted a mere degree or two.
Then he realizes that it is not the forest which has changed, but himself.
Trekking through Santalune Forest and Route 2 is no challenge for Calem, and it’s not long before he reaches Aquacorde Town. The tan zigzagging bricks are a familiar sight, and the water below the bridge is a deep crystal-clear blue. Calem runs his hand along the stone railing, crossing into the heart of the little town.
The familiarity is almost overwhelming. He can spot the one lightpost that was always flickering, the photo spot overlooking the river, the homely cafés that he spent countless hours at with his friends. Aquacorde was like a second home to him, the one he always preferred over his house, and coming back causes something to ring and resonate in Calem’s heart. He stands taller now, feet more sure with every step and mind more made up, and there is the sinking wonder of if he’s outgrown this place.
Calem tosses a coin into the gently-flowing fountain for good luck and old time’s sake. A memory surfaces of Tierno and Shauna betting on how many coins they could forage from the bottom of the fountain before Trevor pointed out that the accumulated coins go to charity and Calem himself also noted that such an act was illegal. Tierno and Shauna proceeded to apologize profusely to the fountain, much to the confusion of passerbys and onlookers.
It used to all be so simple. Just some kids messing around and having fun. Calem wishes he appreciated it more before life changed, but he can’t say he would decide to go back if given the chance, not after everything.
He’s very early, the clock only just striking 3:30, so it’s no surprise that Calem finds the meeting spot empty, although the sight feels wrong. The six-seat table on the terrace has been the group’s favorite for as long as he can remember. It was where they would sit around and chat for hours on end, but it became more than that. It was where Calem received his starter pokémon and began his journey with his friends, where everything started.
There’s no question of where he should sit; it’s the farther chair on the right side when facing the terrace, on Shauna’s left and, once she moved to Vaniville, Serena’s right. Of course, they never had any formal seating arrangement, but old habits die hard, and Calem finds himself taking the chair he always does, sliding into it like he has a thousand times.
Now, he’s just waiting for the others to come. Well, if they come, the nervous part of his brain adds. Calem hasn’t talked to them in ages, then just suddenly messages them out of the blue? It’s pretty sketchy, admittedly, and even if it wasn’t, his friends are busy people with busy lives. They’re adults now, after all, not children with all the time in the world after school.
Calem sighs, forcing himself to calm down and ease his thoughts. They’ll come. He’s never been wrong to have faith in them before, and he won’t be wrong this time.
In the meantime, Calem people-watches, idly noting their movements and picking up bits and pieces of conversations. It hadn’t been something he did often before, but being an agent of the International Police means that it’s difficult to sit around without observing the environment.
Five minutes before four-o’-clock, a familiar shade of orange catches his eye in the small rush hour crowds, heading towards the terrace alongside three others. Calem’s heart clenches. They’re almost here.
Then Calem blinks and they’re there, all four of them. They’ve changed and grown just as much as he has, so different yet fundamentally the same. He could recognize them anywhere.
They’re looking at him and he’s looking at them. The world is holding its breath, time crystallizing into a standstill. An eternity passes.
“Hi,” Calem says, his voice cracking. The universe unpauses and the clock once again ticks.
Suddenly, he’s in a bone-crushing hug, Shauna’s arms wrapped around him. “You’re here! You’re actually here!” she exclaims, voice lined with disbelief. Calem almost thinks she’s going to cry.
“Shaunee! Don’t hog him!” Tierno calls, and what was before just one tight embrace becomes four all at once. It’s a little suffocating, but it’s so overwhelmingly warm.
Calem’s breath catches in his chest as he suddenly remembers what he left behind.
Trevor pulls away first and the others follow suit. The seating arrangement is the same as it’s always been.
“I missed you guys,” Calem quietly confesses. “I’m sorry I’ve been away for so long.”
“We missed you, too, silly!” Shauna huffs. Tierno choruses in agreement, Trevor nodding.
Serena’s smile is soft, a touch strained. “Me, too, of course. Really. But… well, not to be presumptuous, but I think you have a lot of explaining to do, Calem. It’s been years! We were so worried!”
“It’s true,” Trevor fiddles with the strap of his backpack, looking downcast. “We thought something bad happened to you. Really bad. To see you just show up out of nowhere… how do we know you’re not going to just disappear again?”
Tierno wraps an arm around Trevor, pulling him into a comforting side hug as he looks to Calem. “We’re not mad at you, C, but we’re your friends. We want to know what’s been going on with you!”
Calem inhales sharply, averting his gaze. He wants to run, to divert the conversation and keep his secrets locked up tight, but he refuses to. Not now.
“It’s a long story,” he clasps his hands together, forcing them to stay still. “But I’ll do my best to tell you. I suppose…” Calem glances to his left. “Serena, do you remember right after you became champion, you called me to ask if I could help out a new detective agency in Lumiose since you couldn’t?”
She thinks for a moment before responding. “I think so. The… Looker Bureau, right?”
“You got to help out a detective? Oh, that sounds so fun!” Shauna squeals. She quickly reins herself back in afterwards, clearing her throat as if she was a distinguished aristocrat.
“Correct. Investigation led us to an operation devised by Xerosic, and we arrested him,” Calem summarizes.
Tierno frowns. “Wasn’t he the head Flare scientist? That must’ve been dangerous!”
“I won’t lie and say it wasn’t, but Looker is good at what he does,” he replies. He almost sweats a little thinking about how they’re going to react to his later exploits if they’re already this concerned.
Shauna elbows him. “So are you, dummy! Don’t give Mr. Detective all the credit!”
“I helped, yes,” Calem concedes, but moves on quickly. “Anyways—I also met a girl named Emma there. She’s…” like a sister to me. “We’ve gotten quite close, and she wants to meet you all. Not necessarily immediately, of course, but eventually, if you’re up for it.”
“If she gets the Calem seal of approval, that’s more than enough reason for me,” Serena comments, a quirk of her lips indicating her sly smile.
…is he really that antisocial?
“I’m always down for new buds!” Tierno cheers. “Just lemme know the deets, me n’ Trevs’ll be there.”
“Mhm!” Shauna agrees.
Calem can practically hear Emma’s quietly enthusiastic “yessss!” in his head.
“Alright, I’ll try to make those plans soon, then. She doesn’t have set hours at the Bureau, so it shouldn’t be too bad on her end,” he notes.
Trevor tilts his head. “I thought you said this ‘Looker’ guy was the detective there?”
“He was,” Calem confirms. “Then he handed the agency over to Emma. Looker wasn’t just a detective, see; he’s first and foremost an agent of the International Police.”
Shauna gasps. She’s clearly holding herself back from gushing.
He spares her a mildly concerned glance before continuing. “He was about to leave Lumiose when he offered to be my mentor and train me at Interpol. As you can probably guess, I accepted.”
High-pitched noises are coming from Shauna. Serena reaches across the table to hold her hand so the pitch doesn’t reach glass-breaking frequencies. Calem can’t help but chuckle.
“I trained at Interpol and went on my first mission. I couldn’t keep in touch with anyone during it, but I… just never re-established contact after,” he murmurs.
“It’s okay. You were busy,” Tierno says, but it sounds like an excuse to even Calem’s own ears.
Calem shakes his head. “No. Well, yes, but that’s not the reason. I suppose I was… scared.”
Trevor furrows his brows. “Of what? Not Team Flare, right? The remnants were arrested en masse around the time you lost con—” his eyes widen, the pieces put together in his mind. “Oh.”
“Huh? What?” Shauna blinks owlishly at Trevor.
Calem is quiet, hands in a white-knuckled grip.
“I don’t get it,” Tierno laughs nervously. “What’s up, Trevs?”
“Were you the undercover agent the media was talking about that made the operation possible?” Trevor asks hesitantly.
His silence is good enough as a confirmation, but Calem makes himself nod anyway, eyes fixed on the table. There’s an uncomfortable quiet.
Serena runs a hand through her hair. “You didn’t tell us,” she murmurs. “You didn’t tell me.”
“I didn’t want to worry you,” he replies weakly.
“Calem, I’m the Champion of Kalos! That’s part of my job! I defeated Lysandre three times! And you didn’t trust me enough to help you?” Serena clenches her fists. Calem flinches.
She chuckles mirthlessly, a hand half-covering her face as she whispers. “What am I doing wrong, that my best friend can’t even trust me?”
Calem’s eyes burn, a lump forming in his throat. “Please, Serena, you’ve done nothing wrong. It’s all been me. I… It was selfish. I didn’t want you to see me like that.”
“Like what?” she demands, not from malice, but of pained confusion. “What do you think you could have done, after everything, to make me think badly of you?”
Tierno raises his hands. “Guys, maybe we should take a minute—”
“No,” Calem cuts in. “She deserves an answer. You all do.”
Memories of nightmares whisper to him, but it doesn’t matter. The others watch him expectantly. He forces himself to breathe and pushes forward.
“I first met Lysandre when I was six years old. My parents were friends with him. It… I didn’t know about him, about Team Flare,” Calem chokes out. This is so much harder than telling Cynthia. “I thought he was incredible, what he was doing, helping people with his wealth and inventions. I think he liked me, too—saw something in me. Before we left for our journeys, he offered me a place among his ranks, but I was too busy. At the time, that was the only reason I said no.”
He doesn’t look at his friends’ expressions, barely hears himself speak. The dam has been broken and the water can’t help but rush through.
“I was terrified, down there in Geosenge’s underground. What he was trying to do, of course, but also what that said about me. I didn’t—I don’t—” Calem takes a second to pause, recollecting his thoughts.
“Cynthia—she said she would call the Professor, so you guys probably heard about all that, right? I’ll get to that later—told me to trust myself, that I wouldn’t have ever gotten that far. I want to believe her, but…” he trails off, unsure of what he even wanted to say.
Calem sighs. He needs to get to the point. “I didn’t want you to see me, even undercover, in that Team Flare uniform, spouting their beliefs, knowing what could have been. I could hardly look at myself. But it didn’t matter—I had a job to do, and I was insistent on doing it myself. And it had to be me—no one else had so many encounters with them, knew their ideology and mannerisms well enough.”
His throat is nearly dry. “I think all of that is part of all that is why I never got back in touch. I was afraid of what you all would think of me. For you all, it wasn’t so… personal. Things went back to normal, but I couldn’t. It was so hard to try to pretend that everything was okay, and it felt like if I brought it up, you all would think I was just dramatic or crazy or worse. It was easier to just… let go. In hindsight, it wasn’t good for me, for any of us. I’m sorry. I really am.”
He finally ceases his rambling, feeling as though he’s talked for far too long. Calem feels so utterly raw. He barely notices the silence.
“I’m sorry, too,” Serena finally says. “You’re right. I—we—wanted things to go back to normal, to just move on. We didn’t notice that you were hurting. For that, we failed you.”
“We don’t think any less of you because of all that,” Trevor assures. “I’m sorry that you thought we might.”
“It sucks, what happened—all of it,” Tierno groans. “We should’ve been there for you. I’m sorry, man.”
Shauna just looks like she’s about to cry, and that’s answer enough.
Calem is stunned. They’re apologizing to him What did he do to deserve such wonderful friends?
“I—guys, no, it’s not your fault. Really. I obviously had some, err, issues, to work out, and I should have gone about it in a much more constructive, less escapism-heavy way,” he insists. “I’m not so egotistical as to think I can do no wrong. I’m doing better now, and I’ve learned a lot, but I really just… wasn’t handling things well back then.”
Tierno makes a noise of acquiescence. “Mm, guess so. I think we’ve all learned a lot these last couple years, honestly! I’ll tell you about what we’ve been up to, but I think you have a story to finish first.”
“Right,” Calem nods, composing himself. “Well, after… all that… I continued training. Then I went on a mission to Galar, which is where I had been for several months until yesterday. A lot of the details are classified, but a pretty high-profile case was on the line. I went to Sinnoh for a vacation, funnily enough, and ran into Cynthia. We talked, and she helped push me in the right direction. I had some moments of reflection, and realized I needed to come back home and reconnect,” he quickly summarizes. “Oh, and Serena—Gloria says hi.”
Serena just sighs and shakes her head. “Of course she does.”
“So… now I’m here. I think that’s all,” he finishes.
A bit teary-eyed, Shauna pulls him into another hug. “So much has happened and we missed it all!”
“I won’t cut you off again. I promise,” Calem vows.
She pouts, cheeks puffed out. “You better not!”
“I think that’s all going to take some time to process,” Trevor chimes in. “But I’m glad things have worked out for you.”
“Thanks,” Calem smiles. “And I get it. It’s… a lot for me, too. It’s just a lot in general. I’m still working through it, and it’s going to take some more time, but I’m going to be doing my best. So, in the meantime, what have you guys been up to?”
There’s so much more he could say, admittedly, but Calem is tired, and there’s always another time. He just wants to catch up with his best friends right now.
“Oh! Well, me and Trevs have still been doing some work for the prof,” Tierno pipes up. “Hopping around the region, continuing to explore and stuff.”
Trevor nods. “My PokéDex has come along nicely.”
“My turn, my turn!” Shauna raises her hand and waves it around. “I just finished my internship with Valerie last month! And before that I was helping out Wulfric at the Pokémon Village for a bit, and before that, Korrina was teaching me how to skate! Lots of fun stuff,” she seems pleased with herself.
“I’ve just been performing my duties as champion. There’s a lot to do, of course, but it’s nothing as daring as high-stakes undercover missions,” Serena answers with a teasing lilt. Calem at least has the decency to look embarrassed.
Tierno crosses his arms, leaning back in his chair. “I dunno, I think I’ve got a story that can beat all that! Let me tell you about when we ran into, get this, a dancing goomy…”
It’s easy to fall back into the familiar rhythm of conversation with his friends, quips and replies sliding off Calem’s tongue easily. It loosens something in his chest, a knot coming undone. He genuinely smiles and laughs more times in those couple hours than he has in the past year, maybe longer.
The sun continues its march across the sky, hours passing in a blur as it slides towards the horizon line.
“Looks like the sun’s setting,” Trevor points out as the sky bleeds orange. “We might have to call it a day.”
“Dang, you’re right! Where did all the time go?” Shauna squints at the fading light. “‘Bout time to head out, then.”
Calem is exhausted, but he hesitates at the idea of leaving his friends again, even just for what will now surely be temporary. He thinks about returning to Vaniville Town, an empty house that was barely ever a home, so devoid of the warmth he just relearned existed.
It must show on his face, because Tierno glances at him, drumming his fingers on the table. “We could always head back to my place. Hey, we could have a sleepover, just like we used to!”
Serena considers for a moment. “I should be able to do that.”
“You know I’d never miss one of your sleepovers, Big T!” Shauna cheers.
Trevor gives his own nod of approval, and everyone looks to Calem.
“I—yes, I’ll come,” Calem tries not to seem overager.
“Great! C’mon, then!” Tierno pushes away from the table, smiling brightly.
The group heads together back to Tierno’s house, the walk not far. They get all the logistics sorted out before diving into the classic sleepover activities, playing silly games and eating more sweets than they probably should.
It’s past midnight now, and they’re all piled on the couch and just in front of it, a B-list movie playing at a low volume in the background. Bowls are strewn about with only the unpopped popcorn kernels left inside. Most of the group has already fallen asleep; Trevor is curled up by the armrest, Shauna is under a blanket on the rug, and Tierno is softly snoring as he leans against the base of the couch.
Serena doesn’t bother to stifle her yawn, blinking blearily. She smiles at Calem, bright and happy and warm, a promise in a single look, before shutting her eyes to sleep. Her breathing evens out soon enough, leaving him as the last one awake.
In the dim blue light of the television, Calem can see each of his friends just well enough to be assured of their presence, not lost to the phantasmal darkness. There is a liminality to the moment that feels like a waking dream, familiar to his nightmares but lacking the telltale dread.
No, he reminds himself, this is real.
Calem takes one last look around before closing his eyes. He falls asleep with the beginnings of a gentle smile, at ease surrounded by his friends.
Finally, he is truly home.