Distant Everyday Life  

They observed the Pokémon for a while and then started to go home. They each seemed to have a proper place to return to.

Even though the continuous battles had finally ended, she couldn't honestly feel like resting. Even so, she recognized that she was still cornered.

Where should she go home to? She was at a loss while staring at her Pokémon. Of course, she intended to eventually return to her original world. But right now, as an urgent matter, she needed a place to stay.

"Could it be..."

A voice of salvation came. When she turned her body, Anzu was looking at her with a worried expression.

"Big sis, do you not have a home?"

"...Yes."

"I thought you might have some circumstances. If you'd like, want to come to my place? It might be a little cramped, but I'll welcome you."

"Is that okay?"

Anzu made her expression serious. "If I let the person I owe my life to wander the streets, I'd be inhuman. I don't want to become like that. ...There are also various things I want to talk about."

"Thank you."

After bowing deeply, Shirona returned her Pokémon to their balls. Putting everything in her bag, she looked at the sky. The same vivid sunset as in her original world was spreading as far as the eye could see.

They didn't walk far. Anzu took out her smartphone to confirm their current location and arrived home without getting lost. While walking, Shirona occasionally observed the device Anzu was holding. It had roughly the same functions and appearance. However, she had never heard of a model called Android before. She also didn't know the company called Apple that was mentioned as an example.

"It doesn't seem like you're from an undeveloped tribal society either."

"I have a smartphone too."

"Show me, show me."

Shirona took hers out of her bag while walking. There was nothing particularly unusual about it. In terms of appearance alone, Anzu's device stood out more. She had attached glittery stickers and such, indicating that she used it quite frequently.

"Devon Corporation?"

"It's a comprehensive company like that."

"You really are from a different world. I don't know it at all."

To avoid complicating matters, Shirona intentionally didn't explain, but the smartphone she owned was not a commercially available model. It was a custom-made product. She recalled the somewhat narcissistic young master of that company. While they didn't get along particularly well, it was enough to evoke a sense of nostalgia.

The device had no signal. It was out of range. She had a slight expectation that if she called her grandmother, it might connect. However, it seemed impossible. She had brought a charger too, but from now on, she decided not to touch it much. It would be troublesome if it broke by chance.

After walking for about twenty minutes, Anzu stopped in front of a three-story apartment building.

"This is it. Follow me."

Her pace quickened slightly. Without a doubt, she seemed to be in a hurry. It was almost the same as when Shirona reunited with her Pokémon.

They went up to the second floor and headed to the door at the very end. As soon as Anzu grabbed the doorknob, she opened it without knocking.

Immediately, hasty footsteps approached, and a child ran out from the doorway leading to the present.

"Mama!"

Seeing the boy and Anzu embrace, Shirona froze for a moment. She hadn't expected Anzu to have a son. Anzu should be quite young, but the child clinging to her was already old enough to speak properly. Imagining Anzu at the time of giving birth, the extent of her hardships could be inferred.

Next, a gentle-looking black-haired woman peeked out from the doorway. "Anzu-san, where have you been? I finally got in touch with you earlier..."

"I'm sorry. Thank you for looking after Kakeru. I'll compensate you for that."

"It's fine. But please don't do this again next time."

"Much appreciated."

The woman glanced at Shirona and left, carrying luggage she seemed to have already packed. Shirona was relieved that she didn't ask about the circumstances. She herself didn't know how to explain it.

Proceeding inside, they entered what seemed to be a living room. However, it was quite cramped. Several desks were lined up, and a large stack of papers was piled up next to them.

"Who's that?" The child asked while clinging to Anzu's legs.

"I'll explain properly. Let's have dinner first. Wait a bit."

"Okay."

Anzu hurriedly headed to the kitchen, leaving the boy named Kakeru and Shirona alone. She smiled vaguely and bent down to meet his eye level.

"I'm sorry. Your mother is letting me stay over for a bit. Is that okay?"

He didn't seem to be very shy. Without any embarrassment, he grabbed Shirona's hand.

"Hm?"

"Come here. I want to show you Mama's drawings."

Kakeru swiftly navigated through the somewhat cluttered living room and pulled Shirona to one of the desks. He took a sheet of paper from the stack on top and showed it to her.

"It's good, right?"

Shirona's expression stiffened. Indeed, it wasn't bad. Rather, it could be called quite skilled. At the very least, the depiction was superior to anyone close to her that she could remember. The problem was that the center of the drawing was a woman, and she was naked. It was a young woman around high school age. With her legs spread, the tips of her fingers were...

"..."

In the end, Shirona resorted to an ambiguous smile. Looking around, it seemed that almost all the drawings featured similar subject matter. Shirona became extremely uncomfortable.

"What do you think?"

"Yeah, yeah. It's pretty good, I guess. Like, the expressions are well done."

"Do you think it's erotic? That's the important part."

"W-Who knows..."

"Ah, wait a minute!" Anzu, wearing an apron, came over with quick steps. She took the paper from Kakeru and put it back on the desk.

"Those are for showing to the person in charge. Don't touch them too much."

"Okay!"

"Big sis, it'll be ready in a bit, so sit over there."

"O-Okay."

The designated seat had some space, but it was surrounded by risqué drawings. While sitting there, Shirona was reminded of that pervert and spent some time gazing at the empty air, trying to calm her emotions.

The dish that was served looked like curry. Shirona felt a little relieved. She had been wondering what to do if something completely unfamiliar was brought out. When she actually ate it, it tasted exactly as she had imagined. And she realized how hungry she was.

"You know, bam! Rocks came raining down from above. The enemies were defeated all at once. Big sis, you were so cool."

"That sounds unbelievable."

"It's true. And she saved Mama's life too. She's our benefactor, so we have to be polite."

While moving her spoon, Shirona finally felt her heart at ease. It wasn't completely refreshed. Anzu seemed to be in a similar state of mind. What she was telling her son also deviated slightly from the facts. However, Shirona agreed that it was the right thing to do.

The news was playing on the television. Apparently, there had been an earthquake in a part of Osaka City. At the same time, a sudden heavy rain had also fallen. It was reported that some houses were damaged. There were no fatalities. Shirona and Anzu exchanged glances, but the meal continued as if nothing had happened.

After borrowing the bathroom and changing into undergarments, fatigue suddenly hit Shirona. She actually wanted to talk more with Anzu, but for now, she should get some rest today. She would likely be busy starting tomorrow.

Along with Anzu and Kakeru's bedtime, Shirona also sprawled on the futon laid out in the living room. She immediately closed her eyes. Various things she wanted to investigate had come to mind. As she drifted off to sleep, she thought about how busy she would be starting tomorrow.

Breathing heavily, Shirona woke up. She clutched her chest. It seemed she had a dream. A very horrifying one. She couldn't remember the details, but it was filled with heart-wrenching sadness and fear. Shirona regulated her breathing and wiped the corners of her eyes.

Her throat was dry, so she apologetically borrowed some water. As she drank about two cups worth, the door to the inner room opened.

"You can't sleep either, huh?"

Taking a can out of the refrigerator, Anzu sat down on the sofa. She then patted the spot next to her, inviting Shirona.

Shirona obediently complied. She was convinced that she wouldn't be able to get a wink of sleep until morning at this rate.

After a few seconds of silence, Anzu spoke up. "Will it happen again?"

"...Probably."

"I wonder how long it will take."

"Those people said it's usually between one to two weeks. But I don't know for sure."

"I see."

Anzu hugged her knees. The can was opened but left untouched. Her expression became unreadable. However, Shirona fully understood the emotions it contained. It was a feeling everyone had.

"I don't want to..."

"It'll be alright."

Shirona threw two Poké Balls. She released Roserade and Togekiss, which wouldn't cause any problems in this place. Both of them looked at Anzu with their chests puffed out.

"You may not be able to trust them. But I will protect you. Until that ridiculous thing ends, I won't let you die, Anzu."

"Big sis, you're..." Anzu forced a smile. "You really are a mysterious person."

For a while, she cried while holding Togekiss's wings and Roserade's head. Shirona stroked her back, hoping that her fear would subside even a little. At the same time, she renewed her determination.

About twenty minutes later, Shirona returned her Pokémon. She might have used them in a somewhat convenient manner, but they had helped her immensely as well. The presence of the family she had spent most of her life with was that significant.

"One last thing, if you don't mind."

"Go ahead."

Anzu asked with red eyes. "What did you do in your original world, big sis?"

"I'm an archaeologist. I study history."

"Wow. You're smart, just as I thought."

"My specialty is the history of Pokémon, including these ones. My mission is to unravel their origins by referencing mythology and ancient texts."

"That sounds grand."

"Yes, very much so. We still know next to nothing. Why Pokémon appeared in the first place. Even the name itself is a mystery. We don't know who came up with it. It's certain that it has been used since ancient times, but..."

"I see."

"It's a rewarding job. Since I'm no longer the Champion, I need to focus more on that. I still have a long way to go. Oh, being the Champion means... Anzu?"

Her cheek was touching Shirona's shoulder. Confirming that she was breathing steadily in her sleep, Shirona gently laid her down. She retrieved Anzu's blanket from the room where Kakeru was sleeping and carefully covered her.

Looking at her sleeping face, Shirona pondered about the days ahead.

In any case, verification was important. To prepare for the next battle, she needed to discuss various things with her Pokémon. But first, she had to obtain the absolute necessities to live in this world for the time being.

"I need to work."

The confirmation was already done. Surprisingly, the same yen currency was used. However, both the coins and bills had a noticeably different appearance. Even Shirona could tell. She had brought a certain amount of savings for travel, but it all became useless. It definitely wouldn't be accepted here.

Despite being an archaeologist and a seasoned Champion, she was practically unemployed here.