After my experience in the Stadium, and with the unreasonable protesters outside of it, I returned to the Centre we were staying at, with the intent of taking a nap. It was only when Claire returned, in the late evening, that I briefly woke back up, munching on some of our travel-rations, before heading back to bed, still exhausted.

Luckily, when I woke up the next morning, I was only feeling a little out of sort, as if my head was filled with wool, without any indication that I was getting sick. Claire and I considered to return to the waffle-house we had eaten breakfast the day before, but given how famished I felt, going there would mean gorging myself on their delicious treats and I would truly become a Snorlax.

“So, how was you date yesterday?” I asked, as we were walking through the street, looking for a suitable place to have breakfast.

“It was…” she paused, looking a little unsure of herself, “I guess it was nice.”

“What a ringing endorsement.” I had to laugh at the low enthusiasm she displayed.

“I mean, it wasn’t bad, but…” she petered off again, “I just don’t know. You can’t really go shopping, if you have to carry everything you buy on your back. And simply buying something to leave it in town, when we leave in a few days doesn’t really make sense.”

“Don’t look at me for dating advice, I have no idea.” I admitted, before letting out a yawn.

“No, I’ll figure it out.” she recovered a grin, “It’s just that I can finally do things, without knowing that my mother will likely have heard about it before I get home.”

“I’m just not sure what I actually want to try.” she added with a blush, before shaking her head and changing the topic. “But are you okay? What did you do yesterday that knocked you down that bad? Don’t get sick on me, please.”

“I’m not sure either, I just visited the Stadium.” I shrugged, remembering the experience, “Weird place.” I admitted, shaking my head. For a moment, a grin flashed across my face, remembering the moment Prince Charming had evolved.

“Anyway, I feel fine.” I assured her, before noticing a Unovan diner that served breakfast. “What do you think about that?” I asked, gesturing towards it. Claire looked at me a little unconvinced, but finally accepted with a shrug, willing to find out what they were serving.

It turned out, Unovan breakfast was rather expansive, with a lot of pancakes, cereal, syrup, toast and even some meat, a rare and expensive treat. For me, it was just right and by the time I was done filling up on oatmeal with honey, berries and cream, I was feeling human again. They even served coffee, another rare, likely imported, treat.

“We really need to leave Jubilife soon, or we’ll have to Roll out.” Claire joked, as we walked out of the restaurant. Yesterday, we had been stuffed with waffles. Today, it was a wide selection of food, but we were both just as stuffed.

“Let’s head to the Gym, register for a task and find out what to do for our Badge. We should also figure out where we want to go next. Canalave, Oreburgh and Floaroma are all within reach from here.” I suggested, eager to get something done, after sleeping away the day before. Claire nodded, and off we went, towards the Gym.

The Jubilife-Gym was less conspicuous compared to the Sandgem-Gym but after asking a few people for directions, finding it was easy. It turned out to be a squat brick building, set in the western part of town, with a white and blue square set above the entrance portal.

Across the street from that portal, standing on a wooden box, was a middle-aged man, dressed in robes similar to the one of the protest-leader from the day before. He appeared to be talking, or maybe preaching, to whoever was listening. Given that there was no mob, screaming and shouting, but simply a single man, I decided to take a closer look.

“What’s that about?” Claire asked, as I walked over to the speaker,

“When I left the Stadium yesterday, there was a protest. I think this guy is related.” I explained, before stopping to listen.

The preacher continued speaking for a bit, calling for people to listen to the message about the Lord, Arceus, and when it became clear that Claire and I were there to do just that, he focused on us directly. His voice was still loud, carrying the sound a long distance, but he managed to project it well making it feel as if he was talking to just us.

“Please, let me tell you about our Lord Arceus. And how we defile his creation, locking the children of his Guardians into the despicable chains, created by the minion of the Renegade Lord.” he spoke, and I found myself listening closely.

“When Arceus created the world, he set his Guardians to watch over it. But the Renegade Lord, the Shard of Chaos, he was jealous, jealous of the world Lord Arceus created. So he seduced one amongst the smartest, craftiest animals, one of us humans. That minion, under the guidance of the Renegade Lord, created the chains that now bind the Guardians. Even now, we elevate that minion, call the Guardians of Arceus with his moniker, and even named the chains after him.” towards the end, his voice became a stage-whisper and I had to stop myself from leaning forward, drawn in by his words.

“Tell me, how would you feel if one of your children forged chains to enslave your other children? To force the other children to fight for their amusement? Wouldn’t you grieve, wouldn’t you avert your eyes from them, unwilling to watch? Wouldn’t you allow your other children, the Guardians of your Creation, to deal with those who have fallen to the Renegade Lord?” I had to swallow a knot in my throat, the preacher’s voice tugging at my heartstrings.

“Come on, let’s go in the Gym.” Claire gently pulled my arm, trying to get me to move.

“Give me a moment, please.” I asked, before answering the rhetorical question of the preacher.

“How would we stop Pokémon,” I noticed a frown flashing across his face when I used the word, “from destroying our towns? I’ve seen their strength, there is no way humans can stop them.” I asked, curious how he’d answer.

“And so, we keep enslaving them? Watch how they are forced to fight in the Stadium, for our pleasure? Don’t you think that the wise Guardians know what occurs within our towns and cities?” he asked, shaking his head, a morose expression on his face, “No, that can’t continue. One side needs to take the first step, to stop the cycle of hate, violence and slavery. We are the ones in the wrong, we need to take the first step to atone. Some of us might perish, especially those who enslaved the Guardians of our Lord, but once the time of darkness has passed, the faithful will enter a glorious land of peace, where all can flourish, without a need to fight, without a need to enslave. Simple, glorious freedom.” he explained and once again, Claire tugged at my arm.

This time, I let myself be pulled along, wondering about the words of the preacher.

“Can you tell me the story of Arceus?” I asked Claire, once I was sure we were out of earshot. Maybe hearing her version, as I had heard her invoke the name, would help. What little remained in my mind, simply portrayed Arceus as a Pokémon, incredibly powerful and with a wide variety of abilities, but a Pokémon nonetheless.

“I can tell you what I learned in school. Different places worship in different ways. Some see Arceus as the creator of the world, I think that guy is one of them, while others regard Arceus as just an incredibly powerful Pokémon.” she replied, before falling silent for a moment,

“How did it go?” she muttered, before her voice took on a different tone, as if she was reciting something from memory.

“In the beginning, there was only Chaos. From the Chaos, Arceus was born.

Knowing that there could be nothing permanent in the Chaos, he split it, imposing order on the Chaos and forming Space and Time. But the Chaos could never cease to be, and so, the Renegade Lord was born from its remnants.

In the newly formed Space and Time, Arceus created the World, with the Sun to bring Light and the Moon to bring Balance.

The World itself was too disorderly, so it had to be ordered and so, Arceus created the Land, the Sea and the Sky.

To let the World flourish, Change and Renewal were needed. And so, he created Storms, Storms of Thunder, Storms of Winter, Storms of Fire, Waves that race across the Ocean. And a Guardian, that brings renewal after the Change had come and gone.

With the World prepared, Arceus began to create Life, the plants and the animals.

Tired from his great task, Arceus went to rest. Knowing that the Chaos, the Renegade Lord, was still out there, he appointed the first of his Creations as Guardians, to watch over the World and protect it.”

She let out a deep breath, her voice returning to normal.

“Well, that’s the story., the beginning of their creed.” she shrugged, leaving me with just as many questions as I had before.

I would have to think about it later.