Alternate Paths - 1 (Ch-20) | Pokémon

[Alternate Paths are Alternate Choices that Orin (and readers) could have taken]

[It is non canon, but it will give you some more hints and character interactions, sort of an extra benefit exclusively for my Supporters!]

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What should Orin do? 
• Watch more videos — Learn more about Nexus or Unity Isle. 
• Get up and explore — Try to locate the mysterious Trainer on the plane.

[** Alternate Choice Selected: Get up and explore — Try to locate the mysterious Trainer on the plane.**]

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In the end, Orin decided it was best to stretch his legs a bit—he was starting to feel stiff.

"Let’s check the back first," he said, standing up. He doubted any real Trainer would be flying economy, but hey, Trainers could be stingy… or broke. Who knows?

As he walked down the aisle, he offered a polite smile to the cute flight attendants, then slipped past the curtain separating the cabins. The next section had a much tighter 3-3 seat arrangement and a distinctly different vibe.

Unlike the quiet, near-silent calm of his own premium cabin, this one was buzzing—passengers were talking, moving around, even laughing. Thankfully, Pokémon weren’t allowed outside their Poké Balls during flights, or it would have been complete chaos.

Not wanting to contribute to the noise, Orin stood quietly to the side, letting his eyes scan the cabin.

“My suspicion was correct. He isn’t here,” he muttered to himself. What made it worse, there was not even a single beautiful girl in here.
Disappointed, he turned back and started walking inside his own cabin again, this time more slowly, eyes casually sweeping over the other passengers.

“He’s not here either. Though if he had been, I should’ve spotted him earlier anyway,” he mumbled, approaching the next curtain divider.

“Hello, sir! Do you need any assistance?” came a cheerful voice.

It was the same pretty flight attendant from earlier, the one who had gone over the safety instructions. She smiled warmly as she stepped towards him.

“Ah, no. Just walking around—trying to wake up my legs a little,” Orin replied with a chuckle, brushing the curtain aside.

“Oh, that’s perfectly understandable. Don’t hesitate to call if you need anything,” she said, giving a polite nod.

“Oh, definitely,” he answered with a grin as he stepped into the next compartment.

“Whew,” he muttered under his breath. “For a second, I thought she was gonna stop me from entering business class.”

“She’s cute though… maybe I should talk to her. Get her number or something,” he added with a smirk, continuing his search.

He strolled down the new aisle, casually glancing around.

“It’s definitely fancier,” Orin noted, stepping into the upgraded cabin. The 2-1 seat layout remained, but here the chairs were fully convertible into beds and looked far more luxurious. And most of the passengers here were either fast asleep or watching something on their screens.

His gaze shifted to the front of the compartment. “Is that… a full bar?” he muttered, surprised. A sleek, semi-circular bar stood proudly at the front, bottles gleaming under soft lighting. A bartender moved with practiced ease, mixing drinks like it was second nature.

“Who’s that?” He spotted a girl seated alone at the bar, short, bright orange hair catching the cabin lights.

Just from her backview, he could tell she must be a beauty.

[Orin Murasaki : Social Butterfly (Trait)]

“Well, let’s find out,” he murmured with a casual grin, strolling up beside her right and pretending to study the bar menu. After a beat, he glanced her way—and raised an eyebrow.

She was gorgeous. Fair skin, vibrant orange hair styled short and chic. A crop top that showed a hint of cleavage and revealed a toned stomach. Over it, she wore a stylish cropped jacket, paired with tight shorts that completed her athletic-yet-glamorous look. Her large blue eyes sparkled as she noticed him, and a small beauty mark under her right eye only made her face more pretty.

“Hey, I’ve seen you somewhere before,” Orin said, facing her.

She turned fully, setting down her drink. “That’s quite an old pickup line,” she said with a playful smirk. “But good try.”

He chuckled. “No, seriously—I mean it. I’ve seen you on TV. You’re the MC for the Pokémon Contests, right?”

She laughed, shaking her head. “Ah, you’re thinking of my big sister, Vivian. Happens all the time.”

“No, no—I saw you just yesterday,” he insisted, snapping his fingers as the memory clicked. “The Contest Finals replay from Saffron City! Lilian—that’s your name, right?”

Her eyes widened a bit. “Oh!” she said, pleasantly surprised. “Yeah, that was me. I hosted the Saffron Hall Finals two days ago.”

“I knew I wasn’t wrong about recognizing a pretty face,” Orin said with a grin, leaning an elbow casually on the bar.

“Well, my older sister just looks a lot like me. She’s the MC for the Hoenn Region Contests and way more popular, so I get mistaken for her all the time,” the girl said with a rapid, playful rhythm. “Though our fashion sense couldn’t be more different—it should be fairly obvious we’re not the same person.”

She spoke quickly, with an easygoing charm and a constant humorous smile.

“Well, you would better start getting used to being recognized too,” Orin said with a wink. “You’re famous now.”

“Haha, hardly! I just debuted the day before yesterday. Honestly, getting even one person to remember me is more than I expected,” she replied with a bright, genuine smile.

“You must be kidding. My two friends—and even my little sister—couldn’t stop talking about you after the Contest. That opening performance with your Espeon? It was cooler and more memorable than even the finalists. I would say you have already gotten yourself a fan club.” He said with a smirk. 

“Ohh, you’re going to make me blush,” she said, her grin widening into an incredibly happy smile.

“I’m just telling the truth. My friends already tracked you down on PokéNet and started following you.” He replied, remembering Duplica and Terri’s conversation. 

She raised an eyebrow with a teasing look. “Just your friends? You didn’t?”

Orin chuckled. “I’m doing it right now,” he said, pulling out his phone. “But only if you follow me back.” He added staring straight into her blue eyes. 

“Haha, deal! I don’t mind following such a cute fan,” she replied with a wink.

As Orin searched for and followed her PokéNet profile, he could finally confirm that yes—this was the same Lilian he had seen in the Pokémon animated show. Not that knowing that helped him much. She certainly wasn’t the first familiar face he had encountered from his meta knowledge—his own older sister being the biggest example.

Still… this encounter was much more luckier than finding that trainer he was searching for.

“Orin Murasaki... catchy name,” she murmured as she followed him back on her phone.

“Thanks,” he said with a smile. “So your big sister is the MC for the Hoenn Region—does that mean you’re from Hoenn too?” he asked curiously.

“Oh no, no,” Lilian waved off the thought with a laugh. “Our parents were the traveling type—never settled down anywhere. Us three sisters inherited that spirit from them. That’s what brought me to Kanto to travel and host Contest shows,” she said with a wide grin.

“Three?” Orin asked, surprised. From his meta knowledge, she should’ve only had one sister—Vivian, the famous host from Hoenn. That was it.

“Yeah! My little sister, Marian. She’s also interested in hosting. I think she’ll debut some time next year,” Lilian said with a proud smile.

“Oh, that’s cool. All three of you sisters are in the same profession.” Orin nodded. He did recall a Marian who hosted in the Sinnoh Contests, though he hadn’t known she was Lilian’s younger sister. It must have been something the anime never explored—or just another divergence in this alternate Pokémon world.

“So, Orin Murasaki—you’re from Saffron City?” she asked, sipping her drink and focusing on him.

“Yep. Born and raised,” he replied with a nod.

“And what else?” she leaned in a little, her big blue eyes curious. “What do you do? Or what brings you to Unity City?”

“Uh… I’m heading there to attend Nexus University. Just passed the entrance exam yesterday,” he said with a wry chuckle. It was the first time he had said it aloud to a stranger, and it actually felt… good—like he had achieved something important.

“No way. Shut up!” Lilian gasped, eyes wide with excitement. She gave his arm a light smack and laughed. “Well then—I should say Welcome, Junior!”

“Huh?” Orin blinked in confusion.

“I’m your Senior,” she said, smiling brightly. “I’m in my Fifth year at Nexus.”

“Really?” Orin’s eyes widened too. “That’s such a crazy coincidence!” he said with a grin.

“Yeah, we—”
Lilian’s smile suddenly faltered. Her eyes widened in confusion as she clutched her head, wincing sharply.

At the same time the cabin lights flickered erratically.
“Ughh!” she groaned, collapsing forward.

Orin reacted instinctively, catching her before she fell. He winced too, feeling a sharp, invisible pressure slam against his temples.

“Lilian—are you alright?” he asked, his voice strained as he steadied her. The pressure seemingly vanished as the lights stopped blinking.

“Y-Yeah… I think so… I feel better now,” she mumbled, gripping his arm tightly, her breathing shallow. “What the hell happened?" 

“I don’t know,” Orin muttered, scanning the cabin. Nearly everyone was reacting the same way—clutching their heads, groaning in pain, murmuring in confusion.

A calm but tense voice crackled through the intercom.

“Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. We’re currently passing through a sudden thunderstorm. Please remain seated and ensure your seatbelts are securely fastened. Cabin crew, please guide everyone to their seats.”

The flight attendants, clearly rattled themselves, started moving through the aisles.

“Everyone, please return to your seats and fasten your seatbelts immediately,” one of them said urgently, rubbing her own forehead as she guided passengers back.

“Let me help you to your seat,” Orin offered, gently holding Lilian’s shoulder and guiding her forward.

“Thanks… maybe I just had one too many drinks,” she muttered, still cradling her head.

“I don’t think that’s it. I felt it too. Like… something slammed into my mind,” Orin replied, concern etched in his face.

Just as he helped her settle into her seat, another flight attendant came over.
“Sir, please quickly return to your seat.” She said politely. 

“Right, my seat’s in the next cabin. I’ll see you later,” Orin said to Lilian with a nod.

“Yeah… be careful,” She replied with a weak smile, tightening her belt. 

He started moving towards his own cabin.

Suddenly—
CRACK-THOOM!
A deafening thunderclap echoed from outside, shaking the plane with a heavy jolt.

Orin stumbled forward, grabbing a seat to steady himself as the turbulence worsened. Lightning flashed violently outside, illuminating the cabin in brief white bursts.

“Why am I getting Final Destination vibes?” he muttered under his breath, his anxiety spiking. “No way I’m that unlucky…”

He reached the adjacent cabin, where the cute air hostess from earlier was helping passengers secure their belts.

“Please take your seat quickly, sir,” she said, trying her best to give a polite smile.

Orin nodded quickly and slid into his seat.

In the opposite aisle, the little girl was clinging to her mother.
“Mommy, what’s happening? I’m scared!”

“It’s going to be alright, sweetie,” the woman murmured, adjusting the girl’s seatbelt and pulling her close. “Just some thunder. It'll pass soon.”

Orin turned to observe outside the window, it was pitch black save for the sudden, massive bolts of lightning that burst across the sky—silent at first, then followed by bone-rattling booms seconds later...

[Alternate Path end]