An Outlier Chapter 4

"Finally. Looks like we won't have to sleep in the woods afterall." Leo tiredly said aloud, reading the sign and being relived to know he'd made it to the starting point.

'Welcome to Telnor Town, a place for pokemon, family and young trainers alike.'

Leo looked down into his closed jacket, the cold body of the tiny Ralts sleeping soundly, and tried his best to keep awake as he walked through the town's gate.

The darkness of night, and the fatigue which came from hours of walking, made his vision blurry and his thoughts muddled. However, he could still take notice of the differences between Telnor's in game appearance and it's real one.

He didn't expect it to be one to one, and he was wise to make that assumption, since Telnor's entrance seemed to be a market, or at least would be a market during the day. There were stands and tents, all barren, and the streets were void of people. Only street lights were holding the darkness back from engulfing the place.

Leo was alone. Which was fine with him. It meant nobody would question why he was stumbling around like a zombie in the middle of the night.

Walking past the market, dots began to fill his vision, his head growing light, and he didn't have to be genius to know what came next.

Leo was disoriented, his brain numbing, and he chose a place to sleep in the form of a dry looking patch of grass. He made sure to lie on his back, not wanting to crush his only pokemon pokemon friend.

The night was dark, but his vision was full of dots that clouded the night sky. They might have been his mind shutting down, but he would have bet they were stars. They were different than in his old world, the constellations and positions were all wrong. He would have known, him and his brothers would always camp out when he was younger. They'd joke, they'd laugh, they'd talk, and they'd star gaze deep into the night.

Leo was alone, in a completely unfamiliar place, and he probably would never see his family again. Still though, the stars might have changed, but they were just as beautiful as his old ones.

So, Leo smiled, peacefully resting as he escaped his troubled reality.

In a dark and overgrown lab, hidden miles away upstream from Metchi Town, there was a black haired man in a dark trench coat and a black hat covering his head. He was marching forward, his eyes firmly set and his broad shoulders straight, until he entered a room and let the slightest of smiles blossom on his face when he saw the results of his work.

There were a few scientists in the room, engrossed in their work, and only after a few seconds did one of them notice him. Practically jumping out of his skin, though Reukra hardly cared about that.

As the man addressed him, the rest of their colleagues also took notice of him. "Mr Reukra, sir. The experiment was a-"

Reukra cut him off, his eyes engrossed in what he was seeing. "Success. I can see that. So much work we've done here, and it has finally shown fruit. Are they healthy? Is there anything wrong with them?"

When faced with those concerns however, the man just spoke with confidence and pride in his voice, his fellow scientists sharing his enthusiasm.

"None that we can see, sir. All three of our Delta specimens have survived the genetic editing process and will reach an age where they can battle within perhaps a week. Their vitals are stable, their Deltanine genes have successfully been induced, and their aura reserves are strong. They'll live, you can be sure of that."

In front of Reukra were three capsules, each of them containing a pokemon within them. Delta pokemon to be precise.

One of them contained a Charmander, though this one had a skeletal appearance with a tiny purple flame on it's tail.

Another contained a Bulbasaur, though pink instead of the usual green, and the bulb on their back was a large variety of colours in contrast to the typically bland green you'd find on a normal Bulbasaur.

Finally, there was a pod containing a Squirtle. It was deep black, a contrast to the usual blue, and it appeared to possess cloth wrapped around certain parts of it's body. As though it were a ninja.

Reukra never doubted his ability, nor the ability of those working under him, but it was still amazing for him to see. They'd accomplished something amazing, and because of that he was one step closer to the Perfection he sought.

His entire life he was always brilliant at whatever he sought to do, be it as a scientist or as a trainer. However, it was never enough to satisfy him. He was never quite there, as though he was a second away from crossing the finish line.

As a trainer he was one of the best, but never the best. As a scientist he was always the most brilliant, but he was never intelligent enough. It was like an itch he needed to scratch, but he couldn't reach the right spot!

Maybe with Delta pokemon he'd find the answer. Maybe he'd find his perfect pokemon.

Reukra stepped forward, placing a hand on one of the pods as he stared up at one of his creations.

Not even looking backward, he questioned one of his men. "What type are they?"

He received his answer, though he didn't know who from. "The Charmander is a ghost and dragon-type. The Bulbasaur is a psychic and fairy-type. And, the Squirtle is a dark and fighting-type."

Reukra nodded, though only half paying attention. "What about their Mega Stones? Have you managed to produce any for them?"

When faced with that question though, Reukra was met with disappointing silence, the scientists seeming to lose their cheer at the mention of that particular topic.

Mega Evolution, yet another name on the list of phenomena Reukra had been studying to deepen his research in the pursuit of a perfect pokemon.

Delta pokemon were powerful, his research showed that they were innately stronger than their regular counterparts, but he personally thought Mega Evolution held more promise.

The only downside was, the trainer and pokemon needed a sagely close bond to maintain the transformation. So very close that even some of the most elite of trainers weren't close enough with their pokemon to trigger a Mega Evolution.

Reukra himself had tried, and he'd failed. It wasn't as though his pokemon hated him, but his relationship with them couldn't be described as intimate. He was a man driven by power and knowledge, he'd released pokemon who didn't meet his standards, so without that key something he couldn't do it himself.

A single one of his subordinates could, but one person wasn't enough to get the data he needed. Hopefully he could get it at some point, and if he did then a Delta Mega pokemon would be an extra step in his research, and what he needed to find his Perfection.

The silence sat heavy, but still he pressed further as he turned around to face them. "Well, are the Mega Stones ready?"

The scientists flinched slightly, but did answer what Reukra considered to be a simple question. "Well... they are technically prepared, but..."

The man trailed off, but walked away to retrieve a box, which he opened to present three Mega Stones. But, Reukra could tell something was wrong with them.

They'd gathered many Mega Stones, even found a method to control their formation, but even if their colouration differed they all looked practically the same. A fist sized rock, a vibrant and gorgeous bright DNA-like helix in the middle, and almost seemed to shine like a light.

The three in front of him looked... well incomplete. It looked like they were half-formed, something was definitely lacking. They didn't possess the lustre he was used to seeing in the mystical items.

The man holding the box closed it and set it aside. "Mega Stones form by imprinting on a pokemon, almost like a stem cell, to adapt and be compatible with them. But, because these pokemon are technically new species, they don't have a final form for the stone to imprint on. Maybe if they evolved the stones could finish the process, but there's really no telling. For all intents and purposes, the pokemon the Mega Stone is trying to adapt to... just doesn't exist."

Reukra resisted the urge to sigh, instead looking behind him at his creations. They looked peaceful, almost serene, and they were so close to meeting his expectations.

Still though, the difference between ninety nine percent and a perfect hundred is far more than one digit.

He had such high hopes, but in the end they were just like the others. Just like him.

They were failures... but then again-

"Disappointing, but not a waste. They have the potential to be respectably powerful, and we won't dismiss that. Tell me when they're ready, and I have another pokemon in mind we should try to make a Delta species of."

Reukra's men were fatigued by his words, though didn't dare complain, and they began to discuss which species they would choose next. But, he already knew which he planned on choosing.

"Hey, wake up!"

Leo opened his eyes and the first thing he felt was the pain of being hit on the head. Not overly hard, but he wasn't woken up gently either.

He felt his temper flare as he glared up at the one who'd woken him up, who looked to be a blonde woman in her thirties. "What the fuck lady? You can't just kick people awake!"

The woman responded by glaring back. "Don't take that tone with me, what kind of weirdo goes to sleep on another person's front yard?!"

Leo was about to refute her, but then he noticed something. The crazy lady was right. He was lying in front of a house, a balding middle aged man and a teenage boy by their doorstep staring at him with caution, and the old man almost seemed hostile.

He picked himself up, still feeling tired but it was nowhere near as bad as the night before. "Okay, maybe you got me there. Doesn't mean you have to be a bitch and smack me around."

Leo felt something cold shuffle in his closed jacket, and he was reminded that Ralts was still present, but ignored that and swiftly jolted backwards when the lady tried to swing her hand at him..

She seemed to sneer at him. "Don't speak to me that, and get off my property before I call the police!"

He just spoke back, deciding to mess with her a little. "I should be calling the police on you. Because it has to be a crime to be this big of a bitch to someone who just passed out on your front garden. No need to get your panties in a twist, grandma."

When he added that last part, he got an unexpectedly strong reaction as she swung her hand at him again, which he just stepped out of the way for.

"I'm thirty seven you brat! And don't turn yourself into a victim, I'm the one who had to walk outside and make you get off my yard! Now get out of here, or else!"

Leo did his best not to laugh, but did notice the white haired teenager sending him apologetic looks and felt some recognition, however he tried not to linger. It wouldn't have done him good to scare off his rival by getting violent, maybe he could even turn the situation around in his favour.

Holding his arms up in mock surrender, Leo managed to act natural. "Alright, not like I wanted to stick around anyway. You wouldn't happen to know where Professor Vanessa Sylvan is, do you?"

Leo tried not to show it, but he was desperate to find her. The Professor of a Region was who you got your starter from, and whilst he doubted it was necessary, she did lay a part in the plot of Insurgence. Meeting her would only end up being good for him.

The woman laughed at that, pointing accusingly at Leo. "Why would Professor Sylvan ever want to meet with a hooligan like you?"

Leo just responded, not giving anything away. "That's personal."

The woman was about to respond, but she was cut off when the white haired boy by the step quickly stepped down and suggested. "If all you need to do is see the Professor then I can take you to her. I'm her assistant, and I was gonna go there anywa-"

The woman almost appeared distressed by her son's words, immediately shutting the idea down. "Damien, no. I'm not going to allow you to put this thug in front of your boss, you'll just be embarrassing yourself!"

Leo frowned at her words, feeling that thug was a bit of a strong word, but he didn't intervene.

Damien withdrew slightly at her words, but didn't back down. "I can take him there myself, mum. I'm not a child, besides, I have Eevee. I can protect myself."

The woman opened her mouth, but the man behind Damien just said. "Let the boy go, Daphne. He's not a boy anymore, he should be able to do these things on his own."

The woman held a finger up to argue, but dropped it after a second and crossed her arms. "Fine. Go, take the thug to the Professor of Torren, that could only turn out well." She walked past her son and inside her house after those words, not looking back.

Her husband followed suit, but he also seemed to distrust Leo, seeing as he sent the purple haired teen a warning glare, before he entered his home and shut the door behind him.

The two of them were left alone, an awkward silence settling in, before Leo eventually asked.

"So, where is the Professor?"

The other boy rubbed the back of his head as he began to walk down a path. "Just follow me, like I said I'm an assistant, so I go there often."

Leo quickly checked on Ralts, who had woken up but not gotten out of his jacket, then caught up with the white haired boy.

Damien asked after a moment of silence. "What's your name?"

He just responded. "It's Leonardo, but nobody call me that. Just Leo is fine, and your name is Damien. That's what your mum called you anyway."

The mention of his mother made Damien rub the back of his head, before he just apologised. "I'm sorry about her. She can be... well a bit much sometimes. But, she is my mum, and you were kind of just randomly sleeping on our yard like-"

"A weirdo, yeah yeah... I don't normally do that by the way. I just stumbled into town in the middle of the night, and I was so exhausted I just kinda collapsed."

Damien showed immediate concern. "Really, why were you like that to begin with? I doubt you're from Telnor. Nobody in this place doesn't know where the Professor lives, so where are you from?"

Leo, deciding to lie due to believability, just responded. "I... don't remember. My memories are more or less gone. I remember things... and places, but other than that... well my mind is just blank. I know the Professor knows me though, and maybe she can help me out."

He honestly felt a little bad about lying, but he figured it was better that way. His father- or rather his new body's father- was the Augur, so there was a chance he'd met the Professor at some point. Besides, even if she turned him away, he didn't exactly have any other ideas.

Damien seemed to believe him. "Arceus that's- is there anything I can do to help? I mean, maybe we could find your parents-"

"No... they're not alive, or at least my dad isn't, and besides, I don't remember them very well. Hard to feel attached to people I've never met." Leo looked away, not meeting his eye.

Damien didn't speak after that, sending a few glances his way on occasion, but otherwise was content to remain silent. That was fine with Leo, since he didn't much feel like answering any questions that the other boy might have thrown his way.

As they walked, Leo began to notice subtle difference in the design of Telnor town compared to his old home. Houses were spaced further apart, giving the area plenty of room to breathe. The roads weren't concrete, but rather dirt tracks that blended neatly in with the contrastingly lush, but well trimmed, greenery that the grass provided. There were even a few huts where pokemon appeared to be eating food left for them.

The place wasn't a massive city, but at the same time it was a respectable size. With the spaces between houses maybe a thousand or so people would have been living in Telnor, but at the same time Leo wasn't exactly well-versed in the culture of this new world. A thousand little things could have been different in this new world he's found himself in.

Leo hated that. It was bad enough that he was in such an unfamiliar place, but he didn't have the first clue as to how this world worked, and if he was right he'd end up fighting them to save it.

He sighed. He needed to re-educate himself, both on the laws and customs of Torren.

"Ralts." The pokemon in Leo's jacket spoke, clearly wanting to get out of the tight confines of his jacket.

He quietly whispered. "You'll get out soon, just wait a bit longer. Please." His words quelled Ralts, but he could feel her restlessness and wanted to let her free as soon as possible.

If Damian noticed, then he didn't say anything. Instead, he stopped in front of a gate, flashed a card of some sort on it's scanner, and it blinked green before he pushed it open. He then gestured for Leo to follow.

"Come on, she'll be in the lab."

Leo raised his eyebrow, but didn't object as he followed Damian and got his first good look at what was meant to be Sylvan's lab.

It was a pretty large building with two stories, but other than that it looked... modest. It appeared well taken care of, with windows gazing into the lab and overlooking the city on the second floor, and a healthy looking batch of flowers dotting the land surrounding the lab.

Leo certainly expected something grander with the way people spoke of her, but then again she might have just not needed a huge space to work indoors. He could understand that, he never desired owning a place too massive.

He followed Damian when he entered, and when he walked in it was... not what he expected.

For a starter, there were pots of what looked suspiciously like instant food scattered across the entire lab. There was so much that Leo honestly wouldn't have been surprised if the placed hadn't been cleaned in months. Then there were the clothes building piles throughout the entire lab. Shirts, jeans, skirts. He was pretty sure he even saw bras and panties mixed in with the lot.

And the smell, it was like something died and rotted away!

Yet, despite the horrific state of the place, Damian just facepalms. "For the love of Arceus- you leave her alone for a weekend and the entire place is like a dump."

Leo though, just turned to him with a face of pure disbelief. "I'm sorry, did you say weekend-"

"Damian, who did you bring with you?"

Hearing a woman's voice behind him, Leo faced the source and was met with the sight of a woman who looked utterly tragic. Her dark hair was in tatters, the lab coat she was wearing had more than a few smudges on it, and the eye bags over her cheeks probably made his look tiny by comparison. She looked like she hadn't slept for days, and he wondered if this was meant to be the Professor.

The woman yawned, pushing her uneven glasses up her nose, only for her eyes to widen like saucers when she made eye contact with Leo. He felt uncomfortable under her stare, but eventually she broke their stare down and she walked towards him with recognition and astonishment in her eyes.

"Wyatt, is that really you? " She began, slowly walking forward, but she didn't seem hostile so Leo didn't back away. Sylvan then gave the curious white haired teenager a sidelong glance. "Could you leave us alone, Damian? It's nothing against you, but this is a private matter."

Damian just nodded. "Of course, but if you don't mind me asking, how do you know him?"

Vanessa looked to the side, seemingly brushing her ragged hair out of her face. "I was old friends with his father, and they both went missing a while ago."

The assistant looked like he wanted to inquire further, but ultimately accepted the answer and walked out of the lab, leaving the two of them alone to converse one on one.

Silence dominated the room, but was ended when Vanessa walked forward and surprised Leo by trapping him in a hug!

She let her emotions shine through, and he could have sworn he heard soft sobs in her tone, so he awkwardly hugged her back and gave her an occasional pat.

Eventually though, Vanessa broke that silence as she pulled away and cupped his face in her hands.

"Wyatt, how are you alive? Is it just you, or is Adam with you?"

Leo was slightly surprised with how strong her reaction was, but felt a slight of guilt for what he was about to do. Whoever she was talking about, whoever he used to be, he just wasn't that person anymore. He couldn't in good conscience lead the woman on.

Touching her hands with his own, he gently pried them off his face and carefully said. "It's Leo."

His words perplexed the woman slightly. "Wyatt, what are you talking about?"

Breathing in slightly, he repeated himself. "My name is Leo, and whoever I was, I'm not that boy anymore. I don't remember my past."

The Professor gained a contemplative look in her eyes, deciding to pull away slightly, and spoke as though it were fact. "You don't remember your past, do you?"

A shake of the head was all she needed, and she sighed tiredly in response. "I see. But, do you know where your father is? Do you even remember him?"

Leo wondered for a moment how he could approach the situation, but settled on an option he figured would be best for him. "Kind of. I remember things, and even people like how I remembered you. But, not much else. I'm sorry."

But, instead of breaking down or making a scene, she just sent him a sad smile and assured him. "Don't be. It's not as though you chose this. At any rate, I'm tired and we should talk about this later. When I've gotten some more sleep."

Leo looked over her messy form, not able to disagree that she needed to clean up, and she seemed to take the chance to ask him a question he dreaded.

"Now, are you gonna help me clean this up?"