Chapter Text
The modern, freshly renovated one-bedroom apartment unit still smelled like fresh paint. It was… cozy, came with a dishwasher and a washer/dryer unit, and was not big, unless you compared it to a modern Castelia City apartment. The place had a lot more space than Nanu knew what to do with. His collected belongings consisted of a mattress, a coffee maker and some mugs, a box of clothes, and a box of old things that had been stored at a relative's house for years.
A neighbor whose name he didn't recall noticed him moving in with his pathetic amount of household effects and offered him a small table with two matching chairs out of the blue. It seemed like he was being pitied, but he didn't care enough to resent it.
He was on medical leave for the coming month. He lacked a fixed address or other places to stay and spontaneously bought an apartment with a portion of the savings he never used anyway. It was a nice, calm neighborhood full of people who had already been living there for a decade or more. The previous owner of his particular unit was an old lady who passed away a couple of months ago. There wasn't a trace of her left, but a week in, he still had trouble feeling like he wasn't intruding.
A certain smell wafted in through the open window. Someone was grilling nearby, and by the sound of it, there was a decent gathering of people looking to enjoy this lunch barbecue. Nanu couldn't remember the last time he was at a barbecue. Or a happy, casual crowd of people.
The meaty smell made him feel sick. He quickly put out his cigarette and closed the window, but the smell still seemed to linger. He couldn't relax.
Wracked with restlessness, Nanu decided to take a walk.
The front door opened.
"Hi! Come in!" Acerola's voice was lively and cheerful. "I'm Acerola. You're Giovanni, right? Uncle Nanu said you'd be coming with us. He's almost ready to go… I think."
There was a brief silence before Giovanni responded.
"Hm. Nice to meet you."
"Yeah! I was so surprised when he said he'd bring someone. Are you a police officer, too?"
Nanu had never mentioned him to Acerola before. He almost forgot to tell her that he was coming at all. Since she hadn't been involved in any business around him, there was no reason for her to know him from a cop, but the idea of him being compared to law enforcement was a beautiful, if unintentional, joke.
"No," Giovanni replied, amused. "But we have worked together in the past."
"Like on a case?"
"A few cases here and there, sure."
Nanu closed his dresser drawer.
"— Giovanni, could you come in here for a second?"
He glanced behind him to see Giovanni entering the doorway and stopping there with a questioning look on his face. Nanu gestured for him to come over.
"You're early."
"I wanted to make sure you weren't late," Giovanni said, walking up next to him. "And there's someone I need to speak to as soon as possible."
Nanu crossed his arms, looking Giovanni over. He seemed relaxed and without a care in the world.
"You still don't seem worried at all."
"Should I be?"
"I guess not. After this event is over, you'll just take off and leave the aftermath to me. Of course you're not worried."
"Nanu…" Giovanni chuckled and moved in to put his arm around Nanu's waist. "I'm not forcing you to go. You agreed to this."
In Nanu's mind, he was practically being forced. If he backed out, he might never figure out what Giovanni's deal was and why he wanted to go so badly.
"Yeah, I know," he said, and sighed. "I can still complain if I want to."
Almost apropos of nothing, Giovanni leaned in closer, reached up to raise Nanu's chin, and kissed him. All of his senses refocused toward the man holding him. His lips, his hand touching Nanu's chin and jaw, the warmth of his body, the scent of his cologne, the soft rustle of his clothes… it would have been enough to distract Nanu entirely if it wasn't for two things. One, Acerola was in the other room. And two, he tasted minty. It was apparent that he had made sure to freshen up very recently. As if Nanu would care.
He pushed back a little, doing his best to try choking back a laugh. Giovanni stared at him, frowning, miffed.
"What's so funny?"
He glanced up at Giovanni. Yes, he was relaxed, but some of that tension from the previous night remained. He was watching for Nanu's reactions and moving accordingly. Building something, like he said. If anything, he'd somehow managed to build himself a presence in Nanu's life. How exactly did they end up there? It was already far beyond anything Nanu had ever expected or been looking for.
"Uncle Nanu?" Acerola called from the living room. "Are we leaving soon?"
"It's… nevermind," he said, clearing his throat to reply to her. "Yeah, just give me a minute, alright?"
Malie City wasn't any different from what he remembered, but the overcast sky painted everything in duller colors. The little café he used to stop by in his high school years had been replaced by a malasada shop. He stepped inside to buy some, let the lady at the counter pick out a box of half a dozen random ones, and left. He found a bench in a small park and sat down to open the box, looking at the freshly made malasadas. They smelled great, but he wasn't hungry. Not at all. He closed the box, put it back in the bag, and kept walking.
Climbing to the top of Mount Hokulani — forgoing the bus entirely — could probably tire him out enough that he would sleep the night through. However, even as he considered it, his steps took him almost automatically southward instead.
The sea breeze and greenery of Route 10 were quite refreshing, but ultimately ephemeral as far as experiences go. The rough, rocky Route 11 could be navigated without the help of a Pokémon by people who didn't mind long detours. Nanu wasn't among those people. Krokorok helped him find safe footing. Their pace wasn't quick, but it was determined. His Pokémon lead him on, passing by the slope to Blush Mountain, ignoring Ula'ula beach entirely. Once they reached Route 13, Nanu desperately needed a break.
"I know you miss home, buddy, but please let me sit down for a minute…"
Krokorok grumbled, displeased, but did as he asked. Nanu took a seat on a rock by the pond, and they shared the box of malasadas. The mid-afternoon sun ducked behind Mount Lanakila, leaving them in shadow, but it was still quite warm out, and he had to rinse sticky sugar from his hands in the water.
Nanu got up and stretched. Krokorok had its sights set on the entrance to the desert. It probably wouldn't hurt to let it play in the sand for a while. Maybe run into some old buddies.
"Alright, let's go," he said, but his Pokémon was already going.
They approached the trial gate set up to block people from randomly walking inside. Krokorok was impatient to keep going, but Nanu paused to look around. Soon after, a volunteer hurried out of a nearby trailer and jogged up to them.
"It's fine to pass through, right?"
"Yes," the volunteer said with a smile. "Please take this, though."
She handed him a bottle of water. It was still fridge cold.
"I'm out of cash," he shrugged and tried to hand it back, but she shook her head.
"Don't worry about that, sir. Be careful out there, and I suggest coming back by sunset. It gets awfully cold at night."
She opened the gate for them.
"Alright," he said with a wry smile. "I'm just headed in to let my Pokémon play a bit."
A pool, a café and bar (no alcohol served during the day!), a playground for children and Pokémon, a garden… and, of course, a Pokémon battling arena. The sun deck had everything. Wide-open spaces, especially. The passengers would have a grand view of Alola while the cruise ship circled the islands, bathing in the sunlight of another beautiful day.
"I'll thank you not to speak to me that way, Miss Malva," the first woman said. Her voice was collected and dignified.
"Pardon? Speak to you how? All I did was ask how Professor Sycamore is doing," the second woman responded, with no trace of genuine hostility in her tone.
Nanu reclined in a deck chair, staring up at the sunroof.
"Precisely. Don't pretend like you had nothing to do with his worries."
"I'm not sure what you mean. All I've done is report the news… unless you're saying he's so fragile he can't even handle that?"
He closed his eyes, trying to relax.
"You fed that man's destructive fantasies. With your wallet, no less."
"I supported the future. You'll regret not doing the same when you're a dried-up old hag."
He sat upright, turning to the side to peer over a divider decorated with plants. The two arguing women, both of them with the restraint of those used to appearing in the public eye, nevertheless jumped at his sudden appearance.
"If this escalates any further, I'm gonna have to do something about it," he said, looking at both of them in turn. "Just letting you know."
"Oh. Please excuse us," the first woman said. He didn't know her voice, but upon seeing her, he recognized her as Diantha, a movie star and the champion of the Kalos region. "My junior was getting worked up."
"Excuse me," Malva scoffed. He was familiar with her — although not on a personal level — for other reasons. "I was trying to have a conversation. And just who are you to butt in?"
"I'm a police officer, and we haven't left Alola waters," he said, smiling cordially. "So I suggest the two of you either dial it back or stay on opposite ends of the ship."
"Hmph. Works for me," Malva said, shooting Diantha a glare before walking off.
Diantha watched her leave, then turned back to Nanu with a warm smile.
"Thank you. I was afraid that might get heated," she said, walking around the divider. "My name is Diantha. I believe this is the first time we've met?"
"Nanu," he said, squinting a bit as her white clothes reflected the sunlight a bit too much. "Even if you don't like her, don't egg her on. We're all trying to enjoy ourselves here."
"Ah," Diantha smiled awkwardly. "Well, it's been a pleasure to meet you."
She, too, hurried off. A white shroud that turned out to be her Gardevoir floated down from the top of the roof and followed her.
"Not a moment's peace," Nanu muttered and got up, taking a moment to stretch. "You coming?"
Sableye crept out from under the deck chair, climbed up his pant leg, and settled on his shoulder. He stepped around the divider, leaving the roofed area behind. His other Pokémon, and some of Giovanni's as well, were… around, playing and doing their thing. Sableye seemed content to do whatever Nanu wanted to do.
He passed the café during a gap in customers to buy himself an iced coffee and some rock candy for Sableye, then turned his steps toward the outer rim of the sun deck to avoid getting too close to the pool. It was full of water Pokémon and their trainers, and he wasn't looking to get splashed. He still had to duck under a stray spray of bubbles. A young woman with orange hair called out an apology in his direction, and he waved it off.
The garden area awaited. It was fenced in, probably not to keep anyone out but rather to make it look fancier. Entering was as simple as just walking inside, normally. Presently, the path was blocked by the stretched-out body of a Slaking lounging under a fruit tree standing right by the gate. The large, relaxed Pokémon lazily reached out for fallen fruit to eat while its trainer, a middle-aged man with dark hair, tried to convince it to move somewhere else. The trainer, a gym leader from Hoenn, turned to Nanu with a sigh as he came to a halt by the pair.
"Sorry, you might have to go around," the man said, shaking his head. "I'm afraid this fruit is just too good to pass up on."
Slaking leisurely reached out for a handful of juicy berries. It seemed like the only way currently to move this Pokémon would be by recalling it, and if its trainer hadn't done so by this point, he probably wasn't planning to go that far. Which was fair enough, this was supposed to be a fun time for the Pokémon just as much as it was for their trainers, but the only other entrance was on the other side of the sun deck.
"' Scuse me," Nanu said, looking at the Pokémon.
Slaking looked up at him, slowly chewing a mouthful of berries. Then it grunted and laid on its side, tucking its legs in enough that Nanu could squeeze by.
"Oh! Selectively agreeable, are you?" the trainer said.
Slaking grumbled and scratched its belly.
"Thanks," Nanu nodded to the pair and entered the garden.
There was a nice little park area in the middle with a fountain and concessions. Nanu ignored that and immediately left the path, walking under beautiful tropical trees to find a secluded, shaded spot where he could sit down and have his coffee in peace. Sableye took off to explore the underbrush. Nanu found a seat under a dense lemon tree whose flowers buzzed with happy bug Pokémon. The little garden was so lush and well taken care of that he almost forgot that he was on a ship for a little while. It was a little bit like sitting in the middle of an oasis. A sea oasis instead of a desert oasis.
He took a long sip of his coffee and leaned back against the tree, closing his eyes. His peace turned out to be short-lived however, quickly being disrupted by the sound of people approaching.
"There, I see him now. Thank you, Acerola."
His niece giggled.
"I know the kinds of places he likes to hide in, so if you ever need to find him again, I'll help you out," she said happily. "Okay, I'm going to go check out the garden. Later, Mr. Kabu!"
"Watch your step!"
Nanu opened his eyes to see Acerola hopping over a gnarled root, headed back onto the path, and Kabu looking after her as well. The two waved to each other, then Kabu started walking over to Nanu, gingerly avoiding a flowerbed.
"Hey," Nanu said, getting up. "… You were looking for me? Did something happen?"
"No," Kabu said, coming to a stop. There was a slight frown on his face as he gave Nanu a quick look-over. "I wanted to take the chance to talk to you in person, but you didn't board with the other Alolans."
"Oh, right," he grinned. "We boarded a bit earlier. Before the press got there."
"I see," Kabu laughed. "That's a sound decision. Thankfully, there won't be any press allowed on here at all until the opening ceremony."
"Good to know," Nanu nodded.
"Ah, on that topic…" Kabu frowned in thought. "I heard that Giovanni would attend as well. Is that going to be alright…?"
"He's already here. That's why we went earlier. Said he had to go greet someone, though. Not sure where he is right now."
"Oh, you came together?"
Nanu drank down the last of his coffee.
"… Yeah? Anyway, he didn't seem worried, so I guess it's probably fine?" He shrugged.
"Hmm," Kabu didn't seem convinced. "Well, I hope there won't be any problems."
"No offense, but I'm surprised a regular guy like you would care about him at all."
"I—… "Kabu frowned deeper. "I respect him as a Pokémon trainer, and even though I don't approve of what he's doing, I've seen that there are good sides to him."
"Oh, yeah?" Nanu smiled and leaned in closer. "Like what?"
"Well, he was very concerned with keeping me out of harm's way…"
"But he's not very nice about it, is he?"
"I suppose not. He made sure Leon was as safe and comfortable as he could, considering the circumstances."
"Yeah, by having him locked up underground. Not sure if that's really a point in his favor."
Kabu seemed mildly puzzled about Nanu's demeanor, but he still clearly stated his opinion.
"He complimented my baking, even though it's not very good."
Nanu opened his mouth, closed it, then opened it again, having regained the ability to form words.
"Hold on. You got him to eat something you made?"
"Yes, it was just a tea cake, though."
"That's impressive." Nanu grinned. "He's very choosy about his food."
"He is?" The conflict was clear on Kabu's face. He was bothered but not upset. "Nanu… let's find somewhere to sit down."
"Sure, if you're buying."
What was the force that compelled him? He wasn't sure. But every step he took was so… real. Resounding. He felt as though his body had weight to it. The sun wasn't beating down so hard. Krokorok seemed to know exactly where to go. It didn't stop to examine the little desert plants, didn't look for any other Pokémon, and wasn't rolling around playing in the sand. He stopped every now and then to have a sip of water.
Nanu didn't really have a reason to go along with Krokorok's sudden urge to explore, but he also didn't have any reason not to. There was a mild sense of tension building up inside him. A memory of a small teen rebellion. He was fourteen years old, and his parents refused to let him do the Island Challenge. He wasn't allowed anywhere near the homes of the Tapu. It was too dangerous, they said. He ran away from home, penniless and with only the clothes he was wearing at the time, with Sableye as his only companion.
The Ruins of Abundance were quiet and lonely. But he wasn't alone. A baby Sandile separated from its family huddled up with him in there until, eventually, authorities tracked him down. For Nanu, it was a fond memory, peeking out of the dull recesses of his tired mind. His Pokémon surely felt the same.
The light of day started to wane. The sun wouldn't set for a while, but the mountains to the west would soon block her rays. Nanu looked up and finally saw it. He stepped in between the tall crags and stood across from the carved doorway. Krokorok hadn't entered yet, peeking out from behind the crags.
But… something wasn't right. There were people. Four people squatting around a fire, laughing and drinking from bottles and cans. Trash was strewn around them in the sand, some of it batted around by what was presumably their Pokémon. Beyond them was a wooden pole stuck into the sand showing off a flag with the image of a skull painted on it.
Krokorok growled and looked up at its trainer.
Nanu stared at the sight before him, and he felt something move inside. A sensation. Fuming anger built up slowly in his gut. He started walking forward toward the assembled people.
When they spotted him, they went quiet and stood up. All except one. A small group of rough, young punks stared him down. One of them detached from the group and stepped up to him. They both stopped, five or so paces away from each other.
"Ya here to visit Tapu Bulu?" the young punk asked, crossing his arms.
"Yes," Nanu said, biting back his anger.
"There's a fee for that."
"Since when?"
"Since the Kahuna decided," the punk shrugged and held his hand out. "Better give me your wallet. I'll take whatever you got."
"Are you serious?"
The punk smirked and looked back to his fellows. They chuckled.
"You're not getting in if ya don't pay," another one of them said.
"Oh yeah? You think you can keep me out?" Nanu didn't raise his voice. He didn't need to. He smirked. "Who do you think owns this place?"
The young punk shrugged.
"Well, it ain't you, dude. No pay? Go away."
He wouldn't be getting through there without shelling out, and if he tried taking them on, they probably wouldn't fight fair. Neither would he, but they outnumbered him. Backup, that was what he needed.
"You taking off or what?"
"Hmm," Nanu said, nodding over at the stone doorway. "Don't think the big guy's too keen on that."
Hesitant, suspicious, the punks glanced over as well. Nanu made a subtle hand sign.
The ground rumbled and shook. Four pairs of eyes sought each other, startled. They all turned to the stone doorway. The ground shook again, harder this time. Slow, heavy steps echoed out from inside, followed by a loud grunt.
The young punk trying to intimidate Nanu pushed past him and ran off without another word.
"Shit, guys, let's bounce!" Another one of them said.
"We'll remember your face!" One shouted as they ran past, followed by their Pokémon.
Another rumble almost knocked them all to the ground, but they kept going. Nanu turned back toward the doorway and started walking over to it.
Krokorok hopped out of the entrance with a big grin.
"Nice work," Nanu said and crouched down in front of his Pokémon. "You're getting really good at this."
Two Sandile popped their heads out of the sand as well, happy with their mischief.
"You too, guys. Thanks."
He gave them all some treats and stood up to look around.
"Wanna give me a hand cleaning this place up?"
They sat in the shade at a café table, both with their own choice of cold drink. Persian had come strolling over while they were ordering and was in an extraordinarily good, generous mood after being pampered by a Poké groomer for over an hour. So generous that it sat next to Nanu and headbutted him in the side, allowing him to pet it while it purred.
"For how long have you been a police officer?"
Nanu took a long sip from his free smoothie.
"… My whole working life. That's, what… thirty years, give or take?"
Kabu nodded.
"Have you been in Alola the entire time?"
"No, I started out in Unova, and I was Interpol for a while… why?"
"You're very… comfortable and casual about your relationship with Giovanni."
"… Yeah? So?"
Kabu's eyebrows shot up.
"You don't see a problem with that? You know what kind of a person he is."
"I do," Nanu said, grinning. "So do you. And yet…"
"Like I said before, I do have basic respect for him…"
Nanu sighed, glancing to the side. He ruffled Persian's fur, earning himself a disgruntled growl. Then he turned back to Kabu and smiled, leaning in.
"Let me tell you a little secret."
Frowning, Kabu leaned in as well.
"He's just a guy, Kabu."
"What do you mean?"
"He's a good cook. I think he really enjoys it, actually," Nanu said quietly while starting to count off on his fingers. "He sleeps like the dead, face down in his pillow." He kept counting. "He has an allergy, he's left-handed, he can't stand a messy bathroom…"
"An allergy?" Kabu was paying close attention, eyebrows raised as though he really was being told valuable and secret information. "To what? It might be good to know, just in case."
After having first defended being as friendly as he was with Giovanni, Kabu then went on to point out the man's flaws and issues, only to turn around once more with a show of concern for his health. He seemed earnest, fair, and on the straight and narrow. Not the kind of guy who spent a lot of time in… mixed company. People like him always seemed to have trouble mentally reconciling with their favorable personal opinion of a "bad person".
"If you really want to know, you should ask him," Nanu said and leaned back again. "Can't guarantee he'll tell you, though."
Kabu sat up straight as well.
"Why can't you tell me?"
"That's the kind of person he is." Nanu shrugged.
"I see," Kabu frowned. "Regardless, he is a criminal. His organization steals and traffics Pokémon—"
"— It's getting harder and harder to do that as technology advances. You saw what he was attempting in Wyndon. Who knows what they'll look like in ten years' time?" Nanu shrugged and leaned back in his chair. "Either way, doesn't matter to me. I'm free to be with whoever I want, and if there's consequences, that's on me."
"Be with?" Kabu looked surprised. "I assumed you were friends, but…"
In turn, Nanu was surprised by Kabu's surprise. Sure, Giovanni probably never had any reason to mention it, but… somehow, Nanu just figured he knew. He glanced aside, fingers softly drumming against his cup. Involuntarily, his eyes were drawn to the ring. A flawless piece of obsidian, Olivia had called it. He ducked out before she started asking questions.
"That's, well… yeah. It's a… bit of a recent development. Relatively speaking, I mean. We've known each other for over fifteen years, but…"
Playing along. Because it seemed fun. That was what he decided, right? Stumbling over his words a bit only made it seem more genuine, even if he didn't exactly do it on purpose.
"Well, anyway, that's how it is," Nanu mumbled.
He looked down, making eye contact with Persian, who was resting its head on his lap. All those years ago, they met because Persian — Meowth at the time — decided to run off in Celadon. As if it knew exactly what he was thinking about, Persian started purring, pleased with itself.
"It's not my place to say anything about that," Kabu said, having returned to his previous serious tone.
"—That's right," Nanu cut him off. "Since we're on the topic, what about you? Living that bachelor life?"
"Pardon…?"
"I think I'm entitled to hear about some of your private business now."
They kicked sand over the fire to choke it and proceeded to collect all the trash left behind. It mainly was snack wrappers, magazines, and empty soda cans. Lacking anything else to collect the garbage in, Nanu removed his overshirt and tied it together. It was getting chilly out rather fast, but… just leaving it didn't feel like an option.
"Right," he said to no one in particular while placing the bundle down at the entrance. "I'll bring it with me when I leave."
Krokorok said goodbye to its little friends and joined Nanu walking inside the shrine. There was a gap between the square boulders in the outer chamber big enough for them to squeeze through, which he took for a good sign.
However, as soon as he entered the inner chamber, he was struck with a sense of heaviness. Stagnant air. The smell of sand and withered palm leaves. Baskets of old, withered offerings. Moonlight shining in through a crack in the ceiling provided the only light. Unlike the daylight rays of the sun, this light was cold.
Nanu remembered what he had felt the last time he was there, and it wasn't anything like this. He was an adult now, and nothing seemed to make him feel that deeply anymore. The anger outside was a reaction to the sight before him. He wasn't especially passionate about littering. He wasn't especially passionate about tradition or revering the Tapu, either.
He sat down before the altar, Krokorok beside him.
"You know," Nanu said, again to no one in particular. "If I didn't have my Pokémon, I would've ended up like her. Or maybe I would've just faded away one day."
Krokorok looked up at him, tilting its head to the side. He smiled, but it faded when he turned back to the altar.
"What do people do when they come here?" He sighed, then spoke again much more quietly. "I don't know what to do from here. Can't you tell me?"
Nanu stared straight forward, expecting nothing. And receiving nothing. At first.
He blinked a few times, then realized he wasn't imagining the soft glow entering his field of vision. A small rock floated in the air, slowly lowering itself down toward the ground before him. He held his hands out, letting the sparkling stone softly land in his palms.
The stone had one face with a recognizable carved symbol in black and white, and it was slightly warm. The warmth seeped into his cold fingers, into his blood, slowly starting to spread through his body with each beat of his heart.
Feeling suddenly energized, Nanu got up and looked around. The old, dusty chamber was warmly lit by torches. Large, vibrant leaves edged the altar platform. There were baskets full of flowers and berries. Krokorok went to examine them and seemed delighted that they were real.
"Oh, fine," he said and stuffed the sparkling stone into his pocket. "I need a new job anyway."
"… and then, well, I moved in with my sister-in-law and her children," Kabu said and shook his head.
Nanu leaned back, rubbing his chin.
"The media would have loved that story."
"Please keep it to yourself, if you would," Kabu said with a little laugh.
"Won't tell a soul." Nanu grinned. "But wow, I never would've thought…"
"Well, I'm not— Oh?"
Kabu was interrupted as a Pokémon trotted up and brushed up against him. Persian continued on around the table to Nanu's side and bumped its head against his elbow. Nanu's Persian growled, which was ignored by its cream-colored counterpart.
"Hey, what's up?" Nanu pet the cat Pokémon.
"Mraw," it said expectantly.
"Is it that late alread—"
He was almost knocked over as his Persian tried climbing over him to swipe at the other, who was ready to respond in kind.
"Knock it off, stupid cats!" Nanu pushed them apart from each other.
Across from him, Kabu stood up to assist if needed, but it seemed the moment had passed. Both Persians sat a few steps out on either side of Nanu, passive-aggressively washing their faces.
"Cripes." Nanu sighed. "They were napping together just the other day…"
"Cats will be cats, I suppose…" Kabu smiled. "I hope they didn't scratch you."
"I'm fine," Nanu said and stood up. "Looks like I'm needed elsewhere, so…"
"I see. I'll see you at the opening ceremony, then."
Kabu walked over to shake his hand. The gesture came across as earnest and awkward at the same time. Mostly, it was altogether too formal for Nanu's tastes. Instead, he bypassed it and put his arm around Kabu's shoulders, pulling him closer in a cavalier way.
"I think I see what it is Giovanni likes about you." He winked and gave Kabu's shoulder a pat and detached himself. "Later, Kabu."
"I— hmm. Yes, see you."
Nanu turned away from Kabu's thoughtful frown and followed Giovanni's Persian, who had already left the seating area. He didn't need a guide, but the Pokémon seemed insistent on going first anyway. Meanwhile, his own Persian stuck close to him, guarding its territory.
They entered an elevator big enough for Pokémon and people alike. It had plush carpeting, and the walls were all shiny polished mirrors. Everything had gold trim and looked somewhere in between luxurious and atrocious. Persian, of course, was the one who pressed the button for the right floor.
They arrived in a small lobby painted in calming blues, with an information desk housing a harried-looking woman, and signs with directions toward various parts of the ship. The lady at the desk let out a small sigh of relief when Nanu and the two Persian passed by not needing any help, headed for the first-class cabins.
A small group of trainers — Unovan, he was pretty sure — was standing in the middle of the hallway, discussing something. The two Persian slunk around them, but Nanu walked through the middle.
"Coming through," he said, not slowing down.
"Wait," one of them, a man, said. "Aren't you—"
"I'm busy, sorry." Nanu kept walking, following Giovanni's Persian around a corner. It trotted up to a door and turned to look at him, already purring loudly.
"Heh."
He walked up and swiped his keycard. The door slid open, and Persian slipped inside immediately.
The cabin was a fairly sizeable room with a nice view of the open waters. There was a couch and a big flatscreen TV, a desk, a drink fridge, and a bathroom with a tub. His and Giovanni's luggage had been moved inside and left untouched by the door; Acerola would be sharing a cabin with Hapu.
And, of course, there was the bed. Big double bed, very soft and comfortable judging by how Giovanni was utterly dead to the world asleep on it. His jacket and tie were hanging on the desk chair, and the shoes were neatly lined up at the end of the bed.
Nanu stopped a few steps in, scratching his head. The door closed automatically behind him after his Persian entered.
Giovanni didn't look that tired earlier, did he…?
But while he was considering whether or not he should just let the man sleep, Persian was still leading the chase. It crossed the room, still purring loudly, and jumped onto the bed. Giovanni woke with a grunt as some seventy pounds of cat Pokémon suddenly landed on his back. Persian nuzzled the back of its trainers head and immediately started making biscuits on him.
"Stop," he wheezed. "I'm awake already…"
While Giovanni struggled to free himself from the excessive affection, Nanu looked at the ring he was wearing.
He was prepared for something, anything, to go wrong. Anytime now.