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When he opens his eyes, he does not remember his name.
He gets up, it’s different, and everything around him seems bigger. Looking around, he recognizes the place- Relic Castle. He feels pain as he realizes this is the place he got trapped in. Where he gave his last breath… he shakes his head, this is impossible. He’s most certainly alive, not dead. He raises his hands to rub his eyes, that is when he sees his shadowy arms. He starts to panic because something is wrong, very wrong. He looks at himself and sees the tail holding a golden mask. At that moment, he realizes that his last memory was true; this is the place where he has died. This place was where he was reborn as a Pokémon, a Yamask.
For the next few hours, he does not move and he tries to remember more from his past life as a human. He remembers a big city with bright lights, the taste of something sweet, the feeling of loneliness in a crowd. The feeling of the need to discover and to learn more. They were all mixed up and unclear. He feels completely lost, without a name or place to go, a ghost all alone. He hides away as the weeks pass by.
One day he hears someone nearby. As the source of the talking comes closer, he raises his head. His eyes spot a girl with short black hair, she is walking along with an Archen and is carrying a paralyzed Purrloin tightly in her arms. The trainer sits down and opens her bag. Curiously, Yamask looks at the small box she takes out of her bag. The girl opens it and takes an ice cream out of it, giving it to the Purrloin to eat. Yamask immediately recognizes the ice cream.
He continues to examine, wondering if the ice cream could be an answer to his past. If it is sold only somewhere specific, it could lead him to where he used to live as a human. Then he could learn more about his old self.
He decides to follow this stranger.
The girl walks around for hours, searching for items hidden amongst the sand. Finally, she decides to take a night's rest with her Pokemon, they look relieved to take a break. As the trainer sleeps with Annie, her Purrloin, snuggled to her chest and the Archen, Urvo, sleeps right next to Annie. Yamask yawns as he drifts off to sleep, thinking about how strange the nicknames are.
Yamask is having the same dream he’s been having for weeks: He’s eating ice cream under the bright city lights. However, this time he is awakened with a cry of worry. The trainer is holding Urvo, it looks badly hurt. She opens her bag and searches for medicine, but fails to find any. “Don’t worry buddy, we’ll head back to Castelia City and you’ll be fine.” She says soothingly and takes out a Pokéball. Urvo returns to his Pokéball. She runs towards the exit, with Annie after her. Yamask begins to briskly follow them.
They run past the sand piles, towards the desert. This is the first time he would leave Relic Castle as a Yamask.
He follows the trainer through the desert, until they reach a tall and bright city. Yamask stops, looking at the scenery. The skyscrapers that pierce the clouds are breathtaking, and the hustle of the crowded street right in front of him is familiar. He watches strangers run in both directions. Perhaps some are trying to not be late to work, or are going home. He feels like this is something he was used to, watching people rush around.
It takes a few minutes to realize he no longer sees the trainer around. Yamask nervously soars higher in the sky. Luckily, no one notices him but he fails to find her. He huffs, trying to think, where did she want to go? Her Archen was hurt, so she would've gone somewhere that could heal Urvo. Then, a memory is triggered. ‘A Pokémon Center!’. Without even considering why that memory came to him, he rushes towards the path his memories lead him to. He floats past many buildings and streets, not stopping until he sees the sea. ‘A Harbor’. He knows his destination is not far away.
He recognizes the building the moment he sees it. Without hesitation he floats towards its doors, waiting for them to open. But they don’t. Right, I’m a Yamask, he thinks. Yamask sighs and decides to simply float through the automatic doors. He looks around, his eyes searching for the trainer. He sees other trainers: a brown-haired girl and another girl with a green hat sitting on the chairs chatting, while a boy is talking to a clerk. Then he sees the trainer with Annie, she is talking to the nurse while handing a Pokéball.
Yamask starts realizing how everything here is familiar. The sound of the busy streets, the lights shining on the skyscrapers, the sound of the sea at the harbor... He knows he belongs here- or at least did belong here. There must be a way to learn more, but how?
Something distracts him, the trainer is looking straight at him. She walks towards him, coming closer with Annie behind her. Yamask panics and swiftly turns back to run away. He hears the steps behind him. He does not pay attention as he flees underground- Castelia Sewers. He does not pay mind to his surroundings as he continues fleeing. He quickly hides somewhere he thinks is safe, until he hears something.
A Rattata growls at him. Yamask freezes, he knows what this means: a battle. Even if he tries to flee, the Rattata would catch him. He tries to think, how could he defend himself? He didn't even know how to use his powers!
He closes his eyes and braces himself for Rattata's attack. However, the pain never comes. He opens his eyes to see a Purrloin- no, her Purrloin.
"Good job Annie, now use Fury Swipes!" he hears the trainer. As Annie attacks the Rattata, Yamask looks behind him. Here she is giving commands to Annie to help him. Understanding this, he decides not to run away.
Once Annie wins against the wild Pokémon, the girl hugs Annie and pets her head. Then she looks at Yamask. "Hey," She says softly. "You are the same Yamask from Relic Castle. How did you get here?"
Yamask blinks with shock. She had seen him?!
"You don't have to be afraid." the trainer continues. Her voice is soothing and comforting. "You got lost?" She asks. He nods after a short pause. "I see. But this city is not safe for you, little guy." Yamask stays silent. The girl looks away, thinking to herself. Finally, she smiles back at the Yamask. "If you want, you can tag along. You don't have to join my team if you don’t want to. You can just hang around us!" She offers.
Yamask didn't expect that. He wonders if she knows about him being a dead man's spirit. Probably not, considering her treating him nicely. He is sure of one thing: she certainly is a good person. Maybe having company isn't that bad, he thinks. He slowly approaches her and nods, accepting the offer. He will tag along until he is safe again, or he finds another clue for his memories...
The girl grins. “Glad to have you!” She says cheerfully. She is aware Yamask will be around temporarily, as he shows no interest towards the Pokéball she has on her belt, but it is a heartwarming welcome nonetheless.
"My name is Ena." She introduces herself as they walk back to the exit. She points to her Purrloin, "And this is Annie."
Yamask looks at her quietly. He is happy to learn her name, but once again saddened that he can't remember his name.
"There is also Urvo. But he is resting now. Poor guy got beaten up pretty badly back in Relic Castle..." She sighs. "I should've been more careful." He hears her whisper. He wonders for how long she has been a trainer. "Anyways, now let's head back! I haven't had the chance to explore it yet!"
After the small city tour, she decides to take a break. They go to the famous Casteliacone stand and wait in line. Annie purrs with excitement and Yamask wonders if the ice cream is truly as tasty as he remembers. When Ena buys four Casteliacones, she walks towards a bench. She releases Urvo and offers him one of the cones with a warm smile. Then she offers the other two to Yamask and Annie. He gladly accepts it, and finally tastes the infamous ice cream.
Suddenly he remembers himself waiting in the line as a human, patiently. He remembers buying one and enjoying it near the harbor. He remembers watching the sunset, alone yet peaceful. He remembers himself smiling.
Ena watches Yamask smile fondly. "You like it, don't you?" She asks.
Yamask blinks. The memories are still fresh. It takes him a few minutes to understand what she is talking about. Suddenly Yamask realizes something: He feels comfortable and safe, for the first time in forever. He looks around himself; He is surrounded by the company of two Pokémons and a Trainer, they are so happy and nice. Yamask smiles, having company isn't so bad.
Days pass as the group explores the city and beyond. Yamask examines her Pokémon fighting when they go to Pinwheel Forest and Route 4. After their daily exploration or battle practice, Ena buys Casteliacones for her team - and Yamask. This has been their routine for the past few days.
During those days, Yamask has learned a lot. He feels closer to his new company now. He even calls them his friends. Having them around brings him comfort, and he feels much better than before.
When they walk past the harbor, Yamask stops to watch the sunset. He enjoys watching it, just like in his memory. Meanwhile, Ena doesn’t notice him staying behind. She is talking to a man that stopped her a few seconds ago, asking for directions to Studio Castelia. As Ena helps the man with the dark unkempt hair, the stranger notices Yamask.
“Is that your Pokémon?” He asks.
Ena stops and looks at Yamask. “Kind of?”
“Lucky you! Yamasks are very interesting, considering there is a theory of them being reincarnations of dead people…”
Ena stares at the man. “They are what?”
“You didn’t know?”
Ena now is staring at the Yamask, her jaw dropped with shock.
When the man tells her that he has to leave, she is still staring at Yamask. When he waves at her and says goodbye in a foreign language Ena is still staring at Yamask.
Yamask notices and floats back to her, curiously.
“You were a human?!” Ena suddenly asks.
Yamask is startled. But he manages to nod.
It takes a while for Yamask and Ena to relax and calm down. They are now at Café Sonata, Ena has been asking some questions about his past. Yamask mostly shakes his head as an answer. So far she knows Yamask has no memory of his past, except the possibility of him living in Castelia City. She asked him if he remembers hitting his head, which may be the reason for his amnesia. Yamask didn’t know if he did.
The waiter comes to take Ena’s order. At that moment Yamask recognizes the young man, he nudges Ena. She looks at him and follows his eyes. Then she understands. “I am sorry, but do you know if someone who used to come here often went missing recently?”
The waiter is confused for a second, then answers. “Yes… There was a kind regular. He would come here after eating his Casteliacone. That’s what he used to say, at least. Why?”
“I heard he was missing and wanted to help. I still don’t know his name though.” Ena explains.
“I see. His name was Don.” the Waiter says. “He was an archeologist, rumors say he got lost in a sandstorm.”
“Does he have relatives? Family?” Ena questions.
“From what I know, no. He does not.”
Ena does not ask anything else, she orders and after the waiter leaves turns to Yamask. “Are you okay?”
Yamask looks sad, but he is satisfied. Finally, he knows who he was. He may have been a loner in his past life, but... He looks at Ena. Now he is not alone anymore. He looks at his hands. He is not the person he used to be. No, now he has a new life. He can live much happier, along with friends. With Ena, Annie and Urvo. He smiles at Ena and floats to her. He grabs a Pokéball and hands it to her. Ena smiles at him and nods, Yamask joins the team.
The next day Ena buys Casteliacones and they eat them on their way to their next destination. Yamask finally has found his home.