《Where Shadows Gather - Pokemon OC》
Chapter 1: O ne feet away
thunk
THUNK
"Hey careful with the door man!" " it was a gift from pops." Dave replies, a careless grin starts to pull the corners of his mouth.
"My bad man." Gabriel mutters, scratching the back of his neck "uh... i''ve just never been in a place like this before. Feels kinda... you know." his words ends swallowed by the cold air, his eyes deep on the dirt beneath him.
Beep beep, the car circular lights flash, chasing away the darkness of the lot.
Dave sighs, his grin morphing into a mock-serious expression. "You know what we do, Gabe. Just..." He dropped his voice to an exaggerated minor octave, dragging out the words "Keep pushinnngg..."
Gabe chuckles awkwardly as a response, the sound deflating into the cold just as quickly as it came. His gaze turns to Dave, but all he sees is the back of his head, marching ahead with quick, determined steps. His face betrays no emotion except that stupid grin, the one that follows every joke like an instinctual reaction that never seems to get old.
thud thud thud, a rhythmic pattern follow the crunching sounds of the autumn leaves beneath their boots.
"Tomorrow its finally the big day, eh? it''s been so... exhausting."
Gabe''s eyes stay locked below him, looking the trail like and old retired hunter past the years of his prime.
"Come on Gab, you are gonna walk home alone if you keep me away from my fateful encounters tonight with all your depressing shit" Dave quips, breaking into a joking sing-song "Sippin on gin and juice, laaaid back" he loudly sings, the notes so off making the ears of close-by birds bleed.
"Aight, i guess..." A silence between the two falls, while walking closer passing by a colorful ad
"FRIDAY NIGHT ON POINT" with the O''s in "ON POINT" glowing slightly more brighter than the rest. flashing like a forgotten star.
"Tomorrow everything its going to be different, enjoy today Gabe..." Dave with a softer tone state looking at Gabriel''s eyes before they move away.
"Right, tomorrow its going to be different." replies Gabriel, the words barely a murmur.
A hard-looking man his boots scuffed, black cargos hanging low on his hips, stands guard by the door. His sharp eyes scan the street, not missing a single move before following the direction of the friends.
"Damn he looks like he eats rocks for breakfast." Dave mutters, nodding towards the bouncer with a slight grin
They approach the bouncer who nods to both of them in a well practiced manner, they walk in before the man glances to his classic, circular looking watch on his wrist.
Gabriel briefly watches the man actions before passing the door threshold, his stance barely shifting. High-pitched voices and a funky baseline making their way into his ears, silence fading out. His face scowls a bit after his nose chooses to pick the aroma of alcohol and a strong mix of perfumes.
He catches a glimpse of Dave-walking slowly, eyes-cold, like a predator laser focus trying to find any other pairs of eyes that reciprocate the same intensity in his direction.
"Hey!, imma get a drink for us," Gabriel shouts to Dave with his neck almost at the full capacity to turn without moving his torso too much. He hears a suppressed grunt while his eyes come to the front. Scanning the crowd before locking onto the bartender. The man''s hands steady as a surgeon as he swirls a glass, the spherical ice clinking softly.
A blonde man, with impeccable skin and a slight stubble watches Gabriel while he''s getting closer to the bar.
"Two beers, please," Gabriel says, his voice barely rising above the heavy bass that vibrates through the floor.
The bartender gives him a once-over, his lips curling into a subtle smile as he slides the glass with dark liquid across the counter.
"You¡¯re in for a treat," he says with a casual confidence. "Imported from Germany¡ªsomething to match the night."
Gabriel glances down at the beer, its deep amber hue catching the light. "Appreciate it," he responds, leaning in a little closer. "Hope it lives up to the hype."
The bartender winks, his eyes crinkling. "You¡¯ll know soon enough." He slides the second glass towards Gabriel.
"Hope he likes it..." thinks Gabriel, rotating 180 degrees to hand the beer to Dave. The sea of faces illuminated by flashing lights blending with the rhythm of a new song, dizzying, pulling Gabriel''s attention in every direction at once. His eyes a thin line trying to make sense of a shape that could resemble Dave, everyone moving a blink at a time with his friend nowhere to be seen.
Gabriel locks his gaze onto his doppelganger at the mirror, exhales deeply, the sound muffled by the basslines loops of the current song behind the walls. Water dripping from his damp hair onto his shoulders making his way through his back.
Knock knock a harsh sound slices through the space "HEY! hurry up i need to get in" A deep voice barks from the hallway.
Gabriel swings the door open, without a word quickly advancing, his steps toward the origin of the music. The burly man previously hitting the door barely spares him a glance before shoving his way inside murmuring something.
Every step closer to the song, the corners of his mouth pulls upward, "I need to enjoy myself now, keep pushing" he thinks, pushing his chest outside and his shoulders down repeating the words like a weak mantra.
A spark catches Gabriel''s attention, earrings. They swing gently, framing a young woman with a tight dress that seems to fit too perfectly. Curves that end on her neck and the pitch-black of her hair. And for a moment, everything else, the people, the music, the lights fades into the background.
Just a few meters beside Gabriel a couple moves to the beat, the man stiff and barely moving. While the woman grinds against him, her hips tracing slow circles going up and down with a exposed neck for her partner, inviting. Gabriel''s eyes shift between the couple before snapping to the woman with earrings.
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The music changes, and a famous catchy hook "One more time..." keeps pulling him forward "We are gonna celebrate"
Unsteady, uneven first steps making way towards the shining woman blends with the melody. Adjusting his posture and swallowing hard, he finds himself standing in front of her.
"HEY!" his voice louder than intended. "Your earrings..." he hesitates, forcing a grin "They have been making me go in circles deciding whether to talk to you".
Her brows knit for a moment, the corners of her mouth start lifting slightly, barely showing a hint of white. She nods with her head almost absently and her eyes quickly flicker to his right.
"One more time..." The song hook loops again, Gabriel barely catches the faint words that escaped her mouth muffled by the song, "I need to..."
Gabriel leans closer, the noise of the room pressing against his head. "Sorry, i did''t catch that--what did you say?"
"I need to go to the bathroom, excuse me". Her figure moves quickly, her voice polite but detached, and before he can open his mouth, she''s already slipping away, her figure disappearing into the crowd
A sharply exhale follows from Gabriel''s mouth "Damn that was a waste of a good line..." he thinks, his eyes trailing the swaying motion of the black-haired woman before dropping to the floor. The lights reflect in spinning, circular patterns forming orbits between each other, another sigh, this one softer. "I guess, i need to learn how to pull instead of keep pushing" he says inwardly, the thought makes him suppress a smile.
"Last drink and i¡äm out, tomorrow''s the day" he murmurs under his breath, already charting his way back to the bar--and then home.
An unsteady gait cuts through the sidewalk. Each uneven step echoed faintly in the quiet of the night.
thud thud thud.
A half stumble nearly sent him into a lamppost, a quick move resembling a hip swivel saves his deltoids from a blue spot appearing tomorrow. "Germany really... got some strong water back there" he muttered, half-laughing, though the words disjointed and the words looping lazily in his head.
Every blink felt like a flash, reality breaking into fragments--shards of light, movement and sound spinning through his memory. Flashing memories of the place he''d just left. The distant street lights flickers, the glow attracting tiny little bugs that danced erratically close to the bulb, swirling in circular motions close to the artificial light. Gabriel squinted up at them, stopping his march for a moment before shifting back to the cracked pavement beneath his feet.
The music from nearby clubs fades out slowly with each step widening the distance, the bassline still faintly vibrating in his chest. The street stretched in front of him, devoid of life, silent and empty. Just him and the magical scenery of nightlife repeating itself in a endless cycle.
A gust of wind brushed past, curling around him, whispers of cold closing into his ears. Gabriel shivered, every pore of his skin standing like an angry cat. The chill creeping from the base of his neck spiraling down along his spine. He pulled his jacket tighter, the metallic rasp of the zipper being dragged up sealing him from the outside.
"rrRRMM...". A sudden growl faded in from behind, cutting quickly the whispers of the night. "BRRRT-BRRRT" it came closer, no more than fifty meters if his ears serve him well for a distance radar. Gabriel''s back straightened. His knees and hips bent slightly in anticipation. His neck swerved to the left, his eyes sharpened without blinking. A man leaped from the back of a motorbike before it completely lost it''s momentum to stop.
"STH-STOP RIGHT THERE, DONT YOU FUCKING MOVE", the shout rang out, jagged and high-pitched. Gabriel turned fully in the direction of the sound. The man stormed towards him, steps hurried and clumsy. "GIVE ME EVERYTHING YOU HAVE!" the voice cracked. "More bark than bite" Gabriel thought. But the glint of dark metal from his hand said otherwise. A knife.
Gabriel''s muscles tense, his gaze fixed straight to the smaller man''s face, then flickering briefly down to the torso and legs. The chubbier robber stopped a few paces away. The knife-welding arm awkwardly flexed at the elbow, hands shaking. The weapon far too in the front of him. The stance too narrow, unbalanced. Amateur.
His eyes flickered for a moment to the other man and came back. He acted. His knees bent and ankles tense, the back foot pushed hard off the ground. And he lunged. Both arms and palms spread wide, his left hand going for the robber''s wrist, his right aiming for the elbow. The plan was simple. First, control the weapon , then a good pivot with his left while putting his right foot in the outside of the frame of the weapon side, then pull towards him and he would be in control of a weapon and with just one robber to go.
Gabriel lunged.
But then the alcohol hit.
"Every one has a plan before being punched in the face", he said inwardly, "every plan survives till first contact" he half chuckled to himself.
His left hand veered off course, fingers closing around the blade instead of the wrist. Pain flashed up his arm like electricity. Instinctively the man yanked downward, slashing deep into Gabriel''s palm. Blood splattered the pavement.
His right hand grabbed the elbow and the struggle finished just at it started. a blow struck the side of his head. Blunt force. His vision swam. The grip on the robber''s elbow faltered. He blinked, reaching again-this time for the knife--but warm liquid spilled all over his collarbone. Hot. Sticky.
"RUN! RUN KEN!" The shrill voice cracked like glass. "SIT ON THE FUCKING BIKE AND START REVVING!".
Footsteps quickly mixed together. The engine roared loader, tires screeched and the robbers disappeared from his peripherical.
Gabriel''s hands shot toward the warm, wet hole besides his throat. His knees locked, a slight forward angle in his torso, fighting gravity. A faltered step. His right foot slid forward, his balance shaky. Hot liquid seeped through his fingers, staining his precious grandad jacket. Another step, his left leg buckling, knees trembling under the weight of his collapsing body. Darkness crept in from the edges of his vision, swallowing the street lamps, the cracked pavement and the patchy grass like a black hole. Every step pulled him deeper into the void.
Suddenly his pupils shrank looking into the expanding darkness, his head cleared, every muscle, once rigid with strain now was relaxed, and tensed again with barely a thought of will. A sudden pulse of energy started to fill his limbs. Surging through his body, every fiber, every nerve, every neuron ready to send a signal in a moments notice to act.
Thump thump, the sound of his heart resembling a distant drum, growing louder with each beat.
Thump thump thump thump thump thump
Each thunderous pulse now slowing down the rhythm to a crawl, slowing the tempo of his body.
Between the ever-slowed beats something else pressed in-a foreign weight against his skull. Threatening to crush him if he dares to think too loudly. His chest tightened, suffocated with an invisible force, as if the air itself had been drained from his lungs.
The pressure gnawed at his ribs, the bones creaking under the weight of an unseen hand. His left knee finally gave in, the stubbornness of his shaking quads and glutes after competing with a force far greater. With a desperate final step forward, his head dipped. His vision blurred after he forced his eyes open.
The darkness was no longer just a lack of light. It was a--presence-- and had weight. It spread from the edges of his vision like ink spilling across paper¡ªblack, swirling, almost liquid in texture. The world around him warped, bending toward the center, where the hole seemed to expand.
Thump
It wasn¡¯t just a hole, it --was-- a force, like a gravitational pull, dragging at him from every angle. The pavement underfoot trembled as though the very ground was splitting open beneath him. He was falling into it, condemned by his last step.
And as he did, the world closed in on him, the last thing he saw¡ªa dark ring with a lighter edge that seemed to devour the light around it, pulling him into its endless void.
Then, everything went black.
Chapter 2: Crimson red
A blink.
An infinite, deep black composed every inch of the impossible room of nothingness Gabriel found himself in. No door to be seen. No walls or edges that hinted the start or end of the place.
Seconds stretched into minutes, then days and weeks that blended together. The concept of time and space doesn''t exists where you don''t have a starting point to reference. No anchor to tether reality.
The last years of Gabriel''s life had been rough. What value had the hours of study when no one wanted to hire him to do what he wasted so many hours in? The promise of a future once dangled before him like a balloon--a fragile lifeline, a way to escape his situation. A escape route to fly away from the crippling debt of university and start living again. But balloons pop far too easily, and when they do, they leave you deflated, rooted in the same place.
The endless stacks of papers, the hollow words of praise that never translated into paycheck, the mentors who told him until the last day to "wait for the right opportunity" that never came. He had buried himself in his work, clinging to the hope that the child who wanted to study knew better than him. A child who was in love with the animals, but love isn''t always reciprocated. That child, so bright-eyed and eager, had believed in a world of boundless possibilities. But what did that child know of debt collectors? Of hollow promises and doors slammed in his face? Gabriel wondered if that boy would still love the animals now, knowing how little the world cared for them¡ªor for him.
A year ago Gabriel decided to stop waiting. To be active and change his life by himself would be the only thing that could get him out of the hole. The military had seemed like his last chance¡ªa brutal, calculated risk. It would strip him of his freedom, yes, but it would give him the means to pay his debt and finally move forward. Every hour of his day had been dedicated to sharpening himself, pushing his mind and body to limits he hadn''t known existed. Every repetition, every drill was meant to turn him into something capable. A weapon. Yet even that plan, cruel as it was, had crumbled before it even began. Just one day short. One. Damn. Day. The irony tasted bitter, like ash coating his tongue.
Now, what purpose could have been accomplished by him as a weapon without a wielder? Not even without a wielder¡ªwithout a war to fight for? A sword crafted with painstaking care yet left to rust in its scabbard. He couldn''t even find anger in himself anymore. Anger, at least, would imply he still believed in something. He felt hollow, weightless, like a vessel that had lost both its cargo and its destination.
Every movement he made felt like it took years, yet the moment he stopped, the world seemed to shrink, and time compressed into an instant.
Moving with muscle memory, he trudged toward an imaginary horizon that could break the monotony that filled him for longer that he can remember, steps that felt too heavy beneath empty boots, blinks indistinguishable from moments of open eyes.
The silence was suffocating. But it wasn''t the same silence he had grown to know before--this silence felt like a weight, as though it pressed against his existence, heavy, like the air itself had stopped moving. An deafening absence. He reached instinctively, but his hand never seemed to find anything, never touching anything solid, not even his own fingers.
Echoes of less nothingness began to form between long, stretched moments of silence. Each echo grew a little clearer, accompanied by a sense of something just outside of where he can see. Shapes appeared¡ªrings, shadows, figures, barely visible, like the afterimage of a fleeting thought. Like phophenes when closing one''s eyes. These images began to morph in synesthetic ways as it happened. A faint, mischievous cackling crept into the back of his brain--childish, the laugh of a prankster reveling in the greatest joke of his life.
Then, without warning, the void gave way to a deep crimson red. The infinite darkness seemed to finally pull back, as if the very fabric of nothingness was being torn open. It was a sharp contrast, overwhelming and warm, almost as though it was a pulse¡ªa heartbeat.
The oppressive silence began to ebb away, replaced by a faint, distant rhythm, like the world was slowly starting to breathe again.
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"Miss Loren, just keep breathing--like i taught you." The nurse''s voice was steady but soft, her knuckles whitened as she adjusted the monitor beside the bed.
The room was small, the light was bright and reflected on the walls that gleamed a sterile white. The floor tiles had a checkboard pattern, spots near the door slightly worn down.
"Repeat after me." The nurse''s chest rose. "in." A pause, then a slow exhale. "Out..."
Claude loomed beside the bed, his jaw clenched tight enough to grind stone. Stress, not age, had carved lines around his eyes¡ªa soldier¡¯s face, softened only when he looked at Loren. He reached for her hand, his thumb brushing her trembling wrist. ¡°I¡¯m here, Lori. It¡¯ll be fine.¡± His voice frayed on the last word, eyes darting to the nurse. ¡°Right¡?¡± his eyes shifted towards the position of the nurse.
Loren shot him a glare, sweat plastering dark hair to her forehead. "Ow, shut up honey," said Loren with an slight edge to her voice. "You are stressing her more than me."
He retreated, fingers slipping from her warm skin, and sank deep into a chair that groaned under his weight. His gaze never left her figure--tracking each wince, each ragged breath--as he could share the same kind of pain she was passing through.
Hours bled together. Contractions came faster and frequently now, violent waves that sent Loren pain through her body. Snarls left Loren''s gritted teeth. The nurse anchored herself at the foot of the bed, voice sharpening. ¡°Keep pushing, Miss Arenas! Almost there.¡±
A crown of dark hair emerged. Claude''s nails dug deep into his palm, drawing half moons in his hand. The bedframe creaked as Loren arched forward. Her roar drowned the nurse¡¯s commands, the sheets tearing loose from their hospital corners.
Near the door, a round pink figure shifted, its comically short arms struggling to cradle a massive egg. "Sey!", it came closer--A light green pulsed from its body towards the newborn while making a creased expression.
POV ARIS
Each thudding beat brightened the endless dark, staining the void crimson until it pulsed like an open wound. The rhythm made me move forward towards the only hole i have seen in this wicked place.
Bright. Too bright.
A sun loomed from above, its light sliced by shadowy giants forms swaying in my blurry sight.
I could blink, i could really blink now. I closed my eyes appreciating the voluntary darkness that filled my eyes.
"Sey!" A shrill voice entered my senses. Creaking hinges. Ragged breaths of relief and the silent whisper of a wind that kissed my skin making me shudder.
Wet. Every fiber of my body felt wet and slippery, sloppy sounds accompanied every move i made against my will.
The sting of antiseptic clawed my throat-- too familiar, like the hospitals from before the void. The stench clawed at me, alcohol, blood and something sweetly rotten.
"Wa--" The plea died in my throat.
"Waaah! wah!" They came from me. Was i doing those stupid sounds?
I tried to rub my eyes. My left arm never responded, and the only answer was spasmodic movements from the rest of my body. Then i tried to go step by step, first, my fingers, i couldn''t even open them, let alone move my shoulder and extend my elbow. I needed to see with my own eyes where the fuck i was and what they did to me, but no muscle answered my thoughts.
"Waah" i tried again. I tried to scream until i ragged my lungs, to demand answers but my voice was a stranger''s--weak, shrill, pathetic.
"It''s okay baby..." a soft voice came from close.
"Sh sh..." I was moving at high speeds, my head moved and my clouded vision kept changing with each blink.
"Hi Aris, i''m your mom," she whispered
Mom
A warmth pressed against me. The sound wrapped around me like a blanket. A wall of softness and touched the skin on my left side. A shadow hugged my right. I could hear the fast heartbeats. Not mine. But of my mother.
How?
"And this is your daddy" the same voice filled with love talked to me. A new sensation came, my body couldn''t hold by itself. A slight tremble made where i was laying shake. He moved me upwards slowly.
"Finally i can meet you..." a shaky rumble echoed in my ears.
Something held me, steady but uncertain, as if I were made of glass. I was pulled upwards, my body weak against the movement, my skin brushing against something rougher, warmer.
A new weight settled over me¡ªheavy, overwhelming. The scent was different from before. A strange dampness touched my cheek, rolling down in slow, hot trails.
Why¡?
The tremble in his voice, the way his breath hitched¡ªit was all wrong. He was too big, too strong, too solid to sound like this. Like something was breaking inside him.
"I will protect you Aris," he said.
I wanted to see. I needed to see.
My eyes fluttered, struggling against the haze creeping in. The world around me blurred at the edges.
"He''s perfect," the voice whispered again, hoarse, raw.
Perfect.
I tried to hold onto that word. But my body betrayed me.
The warmth, the steady rhythm of heartbeats, the slow rocking¡ªeverything pulled me down, deeper and deeper.
My eyelids drooped.
Darkness swallowed me whole.
Chapter 3: Love
Big red letters marked the ¡°Central Zoo¡± section in the welcome zone. The second ¡°O¡± was slightly askew, written in a graceful cursive. The gray pavement often blended with the dirt, so that after a few minutes of walking, the soles of the visitors¡¯ shoes were coated in grime as they followed the winding paths toward the animal exhibits.
"Look, that bird daddy!" Gabriel exclaimed, his face lighting up with an enormous smile. He reached out with animated gestures toward the flock of birds nestled among the verdant tree branches, where gaps in the leaves let warm sunrays reach his face. A faint, fresh scent of recently watered plants filled the air.
"Yes son, those are called parrots, they of--," his father began.
"Parrots, parrots!" the birds chirped back in a high, teasing pitch, flapping their colorful wings as though they were laughing.
"They often repeat what you say to them, Gabriel," his father replied in a measured tone, drawing closer amid the soft murmur of the animated crowd.
"Oooooh, they''re so cool!" the little boy replied, hopping excitedly in place.
¡°Indeed,¡± his father said, fixing his gaze on Gabriel. ¡°Your mom had one when she was just your age. She even taught it to sing a melody--the same one she sings when it¡¯s time for you to go to sleep.¡±
At that, Gabriel laughed heartily and darted off toward the next exhibit, nimbly dodging people along the way.
The same scene repeated several times. A colorful animal would take Gabriel''s attention, his father would offer a brief comment, and then the boy would run off in a flurry of excitement. Suddenly a deep and resonant rumble--¡°bahruuuuuuuhhhhaaaaa¡±--echoed from afar. Gabriel paused for a few seconds, glancing in that direction, before quickly redirecting his focus and picking up his pace again.
Their next stop was a massive boulder, partly shadowed by a nearby tree and marked with deep scars on its trunk. resting atop it was a giant lion. As Gabriel sprinted toward the safety rail bordering the pit where the lion lay, one of the beast¡¯s eyes twitched open for a brief moment.
Gabriel''s eyes widened in astonishment as his eyes stopped on the magnificent feline. "Wooooow, he is enomus!" he screamed, clutching the rails tightly. His little legs seemed to try jumping towards the creatures domain.
"Enormous, Gabriel," his dad corrected him softly, gently grabbing his shoulder to calm him. "Do you see the other ones sleeping off to the side? He fought with every other lion for that spot." His gaze remained fixed in the pit, his expression steady and thoughtful.
POV ARIS
My eyes flutter open, heavy with sleep. When was the last time I dreamed this much? Maybe being a newborn and sleeping twenty hours a day had something to do with it.
How long has it been? Three months? Four? Hard to tell when most of my days vanish into sleep, with only a few brief moments to glimpse the sun.
Mom''s voice drifts through my half-awake haze, a constant familiar rhythm since coming here. Something about groceries. Something about TV. I don¡¯t really know. I¡¯m barely awake when I¡¯m outside. But her voice is warm, just like her dark skin.
"Touching the skies."
Dad''s voice hums the same melody every time he lifts me into the air, his light brown eyes locked into me, his hands snug under in my arms. Same mission as yesterday. Visit every room of the house before coming back. The air rushes gently across my face, and i can''t but laugh uncontrollably, overwhelmed by the sudden flood of sensation.
"Now in Hoenn news..."
The television hums from the latest room on our tour, the same line as every day. I''ve never paid attention. Too busy fighting sleep, trying to hold and improve my wake-time record.
Sometimes, distant explosions shattered the silence. My body jolted awake, hot and restless. A cry tore from my throat before i even understood why.
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Mom and dad always came quickly, voices soft and hands warm. "It''s okay, i know..."
As the weeks came by, my vision cleared. Colors returned, and those once shadowy shapes became defined.
A deep chuckle--rough like stone--cuts through the air. A giant hand pats my head. Grandpa¡¯s here again. Sometimes he picks me up, and I feel his hands brush against his gray-dyed beard¡ªcrunchy and spiky. Laughter always follows. "What a great gift my daughter gave me," he says.
The half-open door lets a few rays of light spill in, its edges dimly illuminating my dark room. From my crib, every silhouette looms massive against my small body. Normally, the darkness lulls me back to sleep. But now, the silence is deafening. My heart thumps louder with every passing moment, its beat echoing through the room. The usual sound of water flowing through the pipes is gone¡ªmy room feels cut off from the rest of the world.
My tiny fingers coil around the crib''s railings, using every bit of control i have. I push myself up anxiously. A giant dresser, a wooden nightstand crowded with scattered toys and the massive gray wall to my right.
Something dropped. A sharp chime rang out, slicing through the heavy silence, echoing through the room. A toy from the nightstand. My stomach clenches. Too loud. Too alone.
Maybe the window was open. Maybe a slight gust of wind was all it took to fell. Maybe it was unbalanced, and a slight tremor helped. Maybe. Had the wind pushed it? The window must have been open. Right?
My skin prickles, goosebumps rising long every pore. Cold, it starts from my fingertips, spreading fast, crawling up my arms like creeping ice. It never stops.
My hands shake, my knees, overwhelmed, suddenly couldn''t even resist the little weight of my body. I collapse into the crib. My chest falls still. My body won''t respond--just like the day i came to life again, except now, not even a involuntary twitch escapes.
A breath--right next to my ear. Too close. My muscles tighten, and my heart hammers against my chest. That voice--wrong. Not real. Not supposed to be here. Not from this world. Help.
Why can''t i cry like before? My pleas for help never even began. No sound escapes. No way to reach for Mom.
My body trembles; my fingers finally twitch. My arms shoot toward my throat, gripping my neck. Tiny, cracked whispers escape¡ª''Wa-'' my voice falters, ''WAA-'' my vocal cords seize, and finally, ''WAAAH, WAAH!. Something its wrong. Mom, please--please come. "WAAAA," My legs kicking the soft mattress of the crib. My voice wasn''t a well-practiced instrument anymore, it was a symphony for help. The only sound in the silence-a melody of primal fear.
Bang, the door quickly slams open crashing in the wall. A yellowish creature resembling a platypus walked in slowly. Its gaze flickers from my face to the wall beside me. The intensity could burn a hole through it. An eerie, purple sphere suddenly hovered where the duck was staring. Its eyes predatory with a malicious glint in my direction. A toothy smirk. It was all a game. The smile of a joke. A cackle--low, knowing, like the punchline of a perfectly executed set up. The ball phases through the wall quickly like it wasn''t there. "Ly" it said with a final laughter.
What happened? What was that? My throat burns from the screams, but i can''t stop. My ears ring from the pressure. Warm moist fill my eyes, my gaze redirect to the blurry image of the duck. A bipedal duck? Why it looks so much to Psyduck...? The creature nods in my direction. Then slowly, it steps away from the door
Thundering footsteps rush down the hall. A sharp feminine voice, urgent and unintelligible cuts through the air. She crossed the doorway, her posture low, shoulders tense and her gaze flickers quickly from me towards where the duck was looking. Click, a spherical looking object expand from the hand of my Mom. Red illuminated the room briefly. The shape of a person?--the origin of the light. The creature towered over Mom, its chest at her eye level. Its red body with yellow ends on its legs made of fur, torso and head made of beige feathers. Deep blue eyes towards the wall. I began sweating, my chest tighten again while looking at the beast. The space where it was standing suddenly was a like a mirage. Blurry. Hot.
"Iken!" it says.
Loren rushes to my side, arms locking around me, squeezing tight. Eyes wide and brows sharp, she moves quickly behind the chicken-like creature. Her embrace trembles, yet holds me steady. She presses a kiss to my forehead before she moves me gently out of the room. My chest clenched, quick beats. Fast panicked breaths. My hands tightly close on her shirt and a few strands of her black hair.
"Sh, sh, sh," she murmurs, her lips brushing my hair, while cradling me in her arms. At the door from the room we just left, the Psyduck stares intently at the fallen toy. It lifts, weightless, floating back to where it fell
"Nothing--nothing--will ever hurt you," she whispers into my hair, as if saying it aloud could make it true. Her pulse and shaky breaths calm down while patting my head.
She really believes it.
Her arms stay wrapped around me, warmth pressing against my cheek. A hummed melody came from her mouth while she dances slowly towards the room where she sleeps with my father.
"I love you," her soft voice said. Her gaze analyzing my well-being. Loren put me into the bed and lay beside me while touching my head. Everything was foggy. My eyes closed. I''m safe.
The last thing before i fell asleep--love.
Chapter 4: Presentations
When I was young, before all of the debt and the adult duties, I actually used to play my fair share of Pokemon, mainly the fire red one because it was my favorite. I would be stuck weeks in the elite four smashing buttons without a thought, then a miracle would happen, and finally I would be able to beat the game. After that I would forget about it for a long time to then come back and found a new game started with Red stuck in Viridian forest with an a over leveled Charmeleon thanks to my little brother.
Seeing a creature from my childhood games standing in front of me was something else. Large, wide and intelligent eyes. Short arms that barely could touch its oversized head. Yellow fur covering all of its chubby body except the snout and a turf of... hair? in top of its head. I really can''t stop glancing at it every time it is near since last night.
Playing Pokemon was something before transitioning to other more physical-like games, Basketball was a thing until it wasn''t no more in my teens. I remember starting Pokemon Sapphire at some point in my memories, but the cartdrige just went dead for some reason before saving some professor from a dog and a kid telling me that I couldn''t leave the town without a companion. Old times.
Yesterday was a wake-up call. A Gastly made me felt like I would have a heart attack with this young body of mine. Every time I close my eyes I could hear that laugh. The chilling sensation it left on my back. The goosebumps in my skin. Everything felt surreal but tangible as if it was happening all again. I haven''t feel this conscious about myself since the last time I could move my body at will, in that street with those two motherfuckers, well almost at will. But here I am, sitting in a crib-like structure while my new family, humans and Pokemon included, glanced at me sporadically.
Chop Chop Chop.
The knife in Mom''s hand followed through the Onion in waves. Her eyes were glassy, and sniffs could be heard from time to time. She turned back and stirred a pan sizzling with some kind of meat. "Stop looking at me like that, we had this conversation last night."
Dad put the papers in his hand to the side briefly, "I know babe, but look at him. He is so small..." Dads eyes smiled sadly in my direction.
Mom''s eyes briefly flickered towards me, it was followed by a slight tug of the corner of her mouth. "I told you he is fine, he is a tough boy. Ducky smacked the door when he heard him crying like that." She touched softly the Psyducks head with her foot before returning to the vegetables in the table.
Dad put down the documents in his hands. "But you know what happened before that, just..." He took a breath in. "Imagine being alone and a ugly looking ball you have never seen just pop out from the wall."
"It was just a pranker Claude." She cut him short, not letting him finish the last word.
"Yes Lori, but what if it wasn''t?" The last syllabe was barely more than a whisper.
Loren looked straight to his eyes "That''s my whole point love, what if Ducky wasn''t out of his ball at that moment?" she paused, "Would Blazy have been fast enough without breaking the damn house down looking for him?" Her voice was sharper than before.
"I know you are right honey, but, but..." He sat down and looked the papers in the table, "I should have been there for him. I promised him" He finished. Mom dropped the knife and put the kitchen apron away and started walking towards him.
I don''t know how I got here, but maybe this is an opportunity. Maybe knowing that fire is super effective against grass and grass against water could help me in this world and make me someone important. But no, my gaze followed the dark skin of Mom hugging Dad. My heart melt every time I saw them, everything my little body could felt toward both of their figure is love. Every time I felt their warm touch and the following words filled with kindness the world would mute. Probably its the hormones associated with being a baby, I don''t know, but maybe this time I could have a simple and loving relation with my parents. Maybe.
The Psyduck walked comically towards me and just stood beside me, like a guard dog protecting his favorite person in the world.
"Okay babe, look we can do this, lets start with Ducky and the other smaller ones. Its that acceptable for you? Mom said softly with her arms around him.
"Yes, yes, I think that can work." His voice was muffled by her. "So what should we do? Should we present the team to Aris?" He said louder.
"That''s perfect for me" she replied with a slight smile in her face. She started walking towards the side of the table where she was cutting vegetables and grabbed a bag. Both of them came to where I was.
"Hey Aris," My dad said, "I was looking to present some of our friends to you."
My arms flailed around. It was my attempt to accept the offer they were making to me. I really hoped they have a Dragonite or something good like that. Maybe they could make it have a Dratini to be my starter. Who knows, let a man dream.
Dad''s hand went to his second highest left pocket, maybe thats the reason he wears cargo pants so much. He grabbed a pokeball and pressed the button in the middle, it expanded quickly with a popping sound. Red light illuminated the room, just like the supposed "Blazy" did yesterday in my room.
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A blur of black and gray, its body compact and its eyes fierce. A crimson streak on its head made it look like it had just been through a battlefield, yet there was an elegance in how it stood. Its wings, when fully stretched, seemed bigger than what its body should allow, and its sharp talons gripped the floor like it was the only thing that kept it from defying the skies.
It fluttered its heavy wings, a breeze touched my face and expanded to the rest of the room. Some of the documents on the table dropped from it. Dad shook its head at the view. The bird gaze came towards me, it analyzed every inch of my body. Eyes calculating and intense. "That''s Starapto-" Dad didn''t finish, "STAAAAR." It shrieked loudly and closed its wings in its body.
Holy shit. That thing looks like it belongs in a nature documentary where it kills and eats everything smaller than itself. Okay, maybe I don''t need a Dragonite. I need to find a way to keep this thing away from me while I sleep.
I found my fists clenched, my body tense and I needed to breathe to relax my muscles. "Easy there, Star. Don''t scare him, he''s your little new brother now," Loren said, hitting the birds side while laughing.
"Okay, make way for the others Star," said Dad with a side eye to the bird. Staraptor appeared to nod and moved away from the spot it was. A new light showered a new figure, a quadruped covered in sleek fur, bright yellow and deep blue. Its mane looked like a jagged crown of lightning, and there was a crackling hum around it, as if it was storing energy in its body. Its sharp blue eyes were piercing, scanning the room like a predator in its domain. When it stopped on me it softened, just as how my dad would do. "And that''s Manectric, he is a softie inside of all of that menacing fur," Dad presented him to me. "I don''t know who he reminds me of." Mom chipped in. The blue and yellow beast walked slowly towards me, its snout stopped centimeters away from my cheek, and it closed the distance at a crawls pace.
The hell?! Did I just get tased by a dog? My hair stood up, the muscles in my cheek and near my face tensed a little bit. I laughed inside and my body responded in the same way. Okay it''s cool, it literally could be a police dog and a taser. Double trouble.
Dad laughed loudly watching the situation. "He likes you, Aris. If he didn''t, you would know." Manectric growled and spun on itself before walking to the side where Star was standing. The bird squeaked to the dog and stepped away from it. Manectric ignored the bird, but the moment Staraptor looked away, a faint spark jumped from its mane, zapping the bird just enough to make it flinch. Staraptor let out a sharp click with its beak before slapping Manectric¡¯s snout with its wing, more annoyed than angry.
It was Moms turn now, she stepped back and bring out a small pokeball in her hand that expanded. Another red flash. Unlike the others, this one wasn¡¯t intimidating. It was shorter, more compact, but had a strange presence. Its green body was slender, almost humanoid, and in each of its hands it held what looked like oversized flowers, one red, one blue. A mask-like formation covered the upper half of its face, giving it an elegant, almost mysterious look. I''m pretty sure I saw the pre evolution of this one at some moment in my previous life, it fits the bill with the flowery hands.
It moved, tiny and graceful steps with a clear destination. The petals in its arms intertwined with each other, not a thorn on sight. When it stopped it bowed elegantly as if saying "Greetings, your gracious." And with a fluent movement closed the distance and offered me one of its roses, it put it on my hand and I tried to grabbed it. After a while I could finally accept the offering as my body allowed me a little bit of control. Suddenly it spun on itself and orange polen flew in every direction. "Oh not again , Rosie. You will help me cleaning that." Mom said. I sneezed loudly 2 times in a row. This thing is cool... But it is also kind of annoying. If it throws polen in my way again we are throwing hands. "So yeah, that''s Roserade, Honey. She likes to show off, just like me. She''s a performer at heart." My mom said while petting the strange flowery man on its head. Mom stood up and Rosie made the last dramatic reverence and ran away to Moms side.
I could tell Mom enjoyed this, it was like a little private showcase of who she was.
Mom told Dad to step back a little bit. I know who this could be, another red beam struck the room. Towering over the others, its body was humanoid but covered in thick, red and cream-colored feathers. Long, powerful legs were wrapped in tufts of fire-like plumage, and sharp talons extended from its feet. Its arms ended in curved claws, and its eyes¡ its blue eyes burned with an intensity that made it clear it was the strongest in the room. And it knew it too. Yeah, how I could ever forget my best friend in this world besides Ducky. The room temperature appeared to elevate by its mere presence by a few degrees. Roserade stepped away in disconfort. The beast of a Pokemon just stood there, the abscense of action gave a message as well. It looked at me just as yesterday. Hard, a prideful and unmovable object like a mountain to conquer. Okay, this one? This one is different. No bullshit, not a pet. A warrior. "Blazy doesn''t trust anybody too easily, but he will protect you, no matter what." Mom said with a smile in her face. ''Blazy'' nodded slowly in my direction.
"We have more friends to present you, Aris. Maybe when you grow up a little bit." Dad said while recalling Staraptor who looked kind of uncomfortable inside. Mom did the same for Blazy and went for the broom.
Pok¨¦mon always seemed smaller in the games. But standing here, I couldn''t ignore how much space they actually took up. Alright, I guess I need to learn everything again. Should be fun and maybe I have a bit of and advantage with my parents being trainers.
"The Indigo situation keeps going worse, yesterday Kanto claimed a resource site of highly pure metals used for creating the case of the modern Pokeball in the border. How much this situation can escalate things there Doctor Ziemn?" The silence of the room suddenly made way for the old TV. Indigo? Kanto? Border? What are they talking about? Why would exist tensions in Kanto and Johto?
"Yes, Hello Kent and everybody, it is expected that this move from Kanto escalates highly the existing tension there. As it has been made public this last years, since the creation of the modern Pokeball things in Indigo have been rough, the relationship between the neighbor regions are in a all time low. We expect that everyday from now will be like a time bomb. Fabio has been adamant this morning about the situation, the champion of Johto said the claim has no floor to stand on its own..."The new voice joined in. What the fuck? Fabio? Who is that? Where is Lance? I remember him, he was supposed to be the champion of Indigo? I haven''t even think about where I am, this is definitely not the games timeline. Dad stopped on his tracks as well as my Mom, both of them kept following the TV news like as if being hypnotized. Claude scowled and my Mom sat down, after a few minutes both looked at each other. The mood grew heavy as sleep entered my body.
Chapter 5: Plant
Blazy slipped to his left, dodging a high jump kick from Dad''s Toxicroak, while the strange purple biped frog was in the air, Blaziken choose to wait for the start of his descent. The gravity created downwards momentum and Blazy pivoted with his right foot, his hips drived forward his left knee with a sharp whistle cutting the air. Just before the impact happened Toxicroak braced and made an ''X'' shape with his arms to protect himself. He flew away from the hit,.Blazy followed him with the torso almost parallel to the ground. He stopped on a dime and started a combination of punches that overwhelmed his rival. Each strike was well put and purposefull Toxicroak guard broke, an opening created by a left hook feint followed by a straight. Blazy didn''t waste the opportunity. He aimed a low kick, but given the height difference, instead of hitting the calf, it landed against Toxicroak''s hip-- something that wouldn''t happen if he was sparring with a taller opponent.
I stood up from where I was sitting with Ducky. I got ready, relaxing my muscles and leaving the tension behind. Shifting my weight to my left, bending slightly my knee while rotating my body and extending the right leg in one motion, my left shoulder dipped and I kicked hard the space of air in front of me. My body kept its momentum from the prior movement, and I lost my balance while my leg kept going sideways. I fell pathetically. Psyduck made a noise resembling what I could imagine of a laugh from someone his species, I looked towards him, and he shot a little water stream to my forehead. Little rascal he is. He got up from the curb we were sitting watching the one sided sparring in our courtyard and helped me stand up. Water formed in front of him, wobbly figures started to made some kind of pattern. Drops formed two blurry dots and a line below, after a few seconds watching the phenomenon trying to discern what was the meaning of it, I saw something that resembled a smiley face. The liquid dropped and moistened the grass below us. "Thanks, " I said to him with the grace you could expect from a 16 month old child. He sat on the grass while I walked towards the curb for a better view. Even with all my memories I couldn''t get right that kick from before, my body wasn''t there yet. Hell, it probably wont be there for a decade but at least I could walk for a little now. A win in my books, it was frustrating, but I had time.
Arcanine''s big figure stood majestically close to our left. A quadruped bulky Pokemon that resembled a Lion with black stripes, its orange fluffy fur made him look bigger than what he really was. A long snout that finished with two large fangs. He let out a long breath, his nostrils flaring slightly as his massive chest expanded. His eyes closed, unimpressed by what was probably the best kick attempt he''d seen in the last five seconds of his life. He rested his head close to his paws in front of him indifferently from whatever was happening in his surroundings. Roserade figure was moving just a few meters away from the chaos, dancing in a hidden rhythm with the flowers and grass surrounding her. The life around her seemed to follow her movements and every now and then a small blue or red flower would emerge and disappear from her trail.
My eyes moved back to the fighting scene in front of me, Toxicroak tried different variations and combos to make an opening in Blazy''s guard. The main rule for sparring in the courtyard was no energy moves, which translated as no ''movements'' from the games. Basically from what I understand, they were fighting only with the might of their bodies without putting type energy behind it, if it weren''t for that the courtyard would be like a war zone with the amount of destruction they could generate, especially for Blazy. A few months ago Grandpa, who I discovered his name was Silas, accompanied us for a little picnic outside the town we lived. Dad''s Manectric apparently had some kind of beef with Staraptor, and they sparred with a few rules, which were basically don''t destroy the local flora and once the battle finished, help to get the place as close as it was before it began. With this rules they had to restrain themselves a lot but even with them in place, that day I discovered the amount of power they could wield. Well without having anything else to compare at least. Grandpa''s Grumpig was close to us just in case a barrier was needed for a stray attack or something coming our way product of one. Manectric made short work of the bird. It wasn''t just about the type advantage, he was faster, more precise. He sidestepped a Wing Attack with an ease that made it clear he''d done this hundreds of times before. The charge of electricity around his body wasn''t desperate or reckless; it was calculated, controlled. In contrast, Staraptor was still trying to find its footing. The discharge wasn''t even at full power, just enough to throw Star off balance. The bird flapped wildly, trying to stabilize itself midair. That was everything Manectric needed to decide the spar. Charged with energy he ran while Staraptor tried to gain altitude, in less than a few seconds he closed the distance and sent a strong lightning bolt from his body, the surprised expression of the bird turned into one of fear, Manectric have done his move before he could even react. Dad stopped the fight right there, recalling both of them and releasing them close.No words needed for the decision of who came on top. Claude later told me that Star was still adjusting to the team. "Experience isn¡¯t something you can rush," he had said while scratching Manectric behind the ear. ''You don¡¯t win just because you¡¯re strong or because you have a type advantage. You win because you know what you¡¯re doing."
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It felt surreal. One year or more had passed since the Gastly appearing in my room and laughing his ass off, and everyday I keep getting surprised from something new, meeting new Pokemon and species that I have never seen. Sometimes I prayed I could see one I''ve known from before, but in Hoenn they were rare to see, at least that''s what it seems from the few trips with my Mom to buy groceries in Town.
Suddenly, Arcanine''s ears perked up, Roserade elegant movements stopped and Toxicroak froze mid uppercut in direction to Blaziken''s body. What now?
"Claude, come see this hon!" I heard Mom shouting from inside. My curiosity got the best from me so I decided to see what was happening, I got up and Ducky followed behind me, my new house was a labyrinth long explored and I walked towards the origin of the sound. Loren was wearing blue jeans with a white t-shirt on, some dishes were on her arms just before Dad grabbed them and put them in a nearby shelf. Both were concentrated watching the old TV in the living room.
"Hideki Sund, Prime Minister of Kanto," was in the caption of the news in the screen. A bald man with a well fitting suit. Cold slit eyes and a stone-like face. Behind him two figures stood up. To his right was a mid aged woman, her expression unreadable, the ever grinning expression of what I only could imagine a Gengar could be standing beside her, almost refuging in her shadow. To his left a mountain of a man with torn sleeves. His gaze locked forward, arms crossed. His four-armed Pokemon mirrored him, towering over the rest of the people on scene. They didn''t need to talk, their presence alone was enough.
"Two days ago, an explosion at the Sigmarus Plant near Route 28 left dozens dead and a critical supply line in ruins. After an extensive investigation, the evidence is clear¡ªthis was no accident. The attack was planned, executed, and concealed by operatives from Johto¡¯s League." The man said. The glass in Mom''s hand trembled slightly. Her fingers curled tighter around it. The man continued, "Despite our efforts for diplomacy, they have chosen violence. This cannot, and will not, go unanswered. As of today, Kanto recognizes the actions of Johto¡¯s leadership as a declaration of war. Effective immediately, we will respond in kind.
To the people of Kanto¡ªthis is not just about our borders. This is about our sovereignty, our security, and our future. We will not stand idle while our homes and our lives are threatened."
Crack
The glass slipped from Loren grasp, shattering against the floor. She didn''t even flinch while looking at the TV. Just before the scene changed Gengar closed on the camera with an unnerving smile.
Dad crossed his arms, his jaw clenched and his gaze flickered to the floor where the glass fell. His hand moved slightly towards his pocket where he usually has Manectric ball on. "It''s happening," he murmured. "We''ve been tracking the escalations for months, but I thought... We had more time left."
This last year I picked up clues about my dad''s work, idle talk when coming home at afternoon or while eating. Apparently he is some kind of police officer, but I don''t know anymore with this, some kind of secrete service?
You know the possibility always existed for us," she said, finally breaking the silence. She closed her eyes for a moment before looking at Claude. "Especially for you." She exhaled sharply, rubbing her temples. "This might escalate more than we think," she admitted. "We need to be ready for anything." The air chilled in the room, Frosslass materialized slowly from the floor besides Mom. She looked briefly at me and shot a chilly smile. Enough time has passed since I''ve meet her so I don''t get scared anymore when she does that. She stroked gently Loren''s hair. "Lass," she whispered comfortably. The screen changed again and showed the remains of the destroyed plant, a lot of the buildings were broken and sliced cleanly. The iron door that should''ve been at the entrance of the main one was likely melted. The images continued, the mountain behind the place had several markings from something like a laser, deep into the mountain. Probably an Hyper beam? Enough of the forest around was broken down and burned too. A total disaster. Dad''s face remained unpassive, What was really happening?
Chapter 6: Soldiers
POV A soldier in Kanto, ROUTE 27
"Hope this shift ends quickly." Said Takeshi, the whistle of the forest wind camouflaged his words from the night.
The last 3 months have been hectic, many of the more older trainers were recruited by the Kanto league. The first few weeks were for preparation. They showed us videos of what the Johtoians were doing. We can''t trust them, they showed us what they did with the bodies of the people in the plant. It was a massacre with a lot of civil casualties, a lot of people who were working in the wrong place at the wrong time. Unforgivable.
"We have work to do, Taki. Focus on it," said Daichi, he glanced at Takeshi. "Just remember what happened last week."
"Yeah, yeah, you don''t have to say it twice, but it''s kinda underwhelming, I haven''t seen nothing since I got there with you." Takeshi responded.
The older man grabbed Takeshi''s shoulder gently, "It''s better that way son." He sighed.
"Oom"
The Gloom that ever accompanied Daichi was beside him, looking toward the meadow that separated the big forest in this route.
"Aight old man you''re right, I will shut up for the rest of the night." Takeshi said.
A few minutes passed like this, the three of us in a scrambled formation with a separation of 10 to 20 meters. Takeshi and I were sitting and supposedly scouting the other side of the meadow, his eyes were closed time to time when I looked in his direction. His weight shifted and his head struggled to stay up. I really couldn''t blame him, I would be just as bad if my body didn''t remind me I was supposed to be protecting the border every 10 seconds, also the fact that a person could appear from thin air at any time helped keeping me awake
"Stay in formation. Both of you." Daichi said sharply looking towards Takeshi. The latter made a show of being alert and watching the perimeter, but we knew.
"This is so boring. When are we going to see some action." Takeshi muttered low enough just for me to catch up.
Daichi was kneeling besides a tree, every 15 to 30 minutes we would turn and leave out our flying types to scout the gloomy night a few hundred meters ahead. I would say his Pidgeotto alone would be sufficient for the job with the amount of energy it displayed every time I saw it.
The humid smell was a constant reminder of where I was, every week since last month we would have to be in guard duty for some nights near the camps. The hedor of the bark from the trees, the sudden sounds from the nearby fauna made the place weirdly eerie some times. A few hours ago a group of Zubats were preying in a Caterpie. The problem was that suddenly a nearby Beedrill appareantly thought that its children was being attacked by the same group of Zubats, and a small full fledged war happened. It ended just as fast as it started, the group of purple creatures flew away at the same time when they got attacked by the giant insect. It was lucky it didn''t saw us because it would have made us fight it or forced us to move further ahead if we didn''t want to made more sounds that exposed our location.
Hours passed, Takeshi stood up and walked towards Daichi who was at the center of the formation. I got closer to know what happened too, "Uh, guys? I kinda need to take a leak. Like, now." He said.
"Seriously? Just go. You don''t need an audience." I retorted, was it really necessary? He pissed me off when he did things like this. What''s next? He needed someone to clean his ass too?
"Leon, enough" Daichi said to me, my face betrayed my thoughts. "We are still a team in a forest, we don''t know if we are alone. What do you need?" He shifted his gaze towards the youngest in the group.
"Can you just go with your Pokemon?" I whispered. Takeshi''s back straightened, his eyes flickered between each of us. "Spearry don''t likes the dark, he would freak out if I left him out right now, and Charmy don''t like to get out if he is not fighting something. Come on dude, it''s just a few minutes." The last words were clearly directed at me.
"Alright, I will go with Takeshi. Leon, its your Golbat''s turn for scouting. Stay sharp, we don''t know whats out there." Daichi declared as the superior of the group. I sighed loudly and released Golbat, he was kinda tired by the rounds he already did. "Hey boy, just one more. If you do it fast enough you can rest earlier." I whispered while getting closer to him, his purple body made it really difficult to spot it at night, more so when he was flying high in the darkness of the sky. He fluttered his body as if preparing to take flight. "Baat" he squeaked and jumped as his wings propelled him up. He quickly gained speed to a point where I couldn''t see him moving with the darkness camouflaging his figure.
I decided to be more proactive and grab the binoculars I had in my backpack now that both of them are gone. The zipper got stuck as I was trying to open it, I decided to sit with my back on a nearby tree to open it faster with better leverage. The twigs in the floor snapped loudly below my boots, I sat down and looked towards the meadow again. The shadow of a tree a few meters ahead of me caught my attention. It moved? Or-? I released Diglett with a red beam from the Pokeball. "Hey little guy." I patted his head, "Could you wait for Golbat with me?" He nodded and focused where I was looking before. The scene was the same I saw 30 seconds earlier. Maybe it was just my paranoia getting the worst of me. I shifted my attention towards the backpack again and tried to open it, I probably wouldn''t be able to open it completely without cutting or breaking the zip. Right, Dai''s binoculars. He was using ones before, hope he didn''t bring them for their bathroom trip. I moved towards where he was making guard. Found it, I was bringing them up just before a sharp whistle alerted both of us, coming from the air above. A purple figure lost its momentum in a few flaps. My heart pounded in my chest and I relaxed the tense muscles in my legs, Diglett loosened too as he saw who it was and got closer to greet him. Something was wrong, Golbat seemed too anxious, his wings were tense and he was obviously tired. "Gol" he squeaked lowly. Right, he came back at a way faster pace than the rounds before. "What happened?" He flapped his wings and moved his tiny legs. He made 3 marks in the dirt beneath. "Shit, 3 of them?" He nodded eagerly, "In which direction? point me quickly." I said louder than intended.
Golbat flew ahead a few meters and looked in a direction, I moved with him and used Dai''s binoculars. There where them, Johto''s scum, slightly illuminated by a flashlight pointed to the floor. Two woman and a man were walking a few meters into the forest where the circular meadow started at the other side, the man was carrying a big backpack behind him. I fixed on it, it was highly unpractical bringing that kind of bag if it wasn''t with a purpose. A wire stood out from the backpack, and following it to where it originated-. He tripped, and both of his companions helped him up. I caught a glimpse of a orange patch on the backpack though. "Inflamable." It said, we were in deep shit if we didn''t react in time. Should I wait for them? Should I just leave and run to the camp to alert everyone? Fuck.
The silence of the forest became deafening, a chill ran through my back. Just as I was putting down my hand with the binoculars I heard a branch snap beside me. My heart spiked, it was Daichi and Takeshi. Thank god. Why would I get scared? Golbat and Diglett would have alerted me if was anything else.
"Quick, quick! get down and shut up." I whispered as loudly I could. "Look there." I pass the item in my hand to his rightfully owner and directed him with my finger towards the location of the 3 people in the other side of the meadow. "Shit, did you see his backpack?" He said, his hand trembled and his back straightened. A loud Caw from a nearby tree startled the 3 of us. "What''s wrong guys?" Takeshi stuttered. I look straight to Daichi''s eyes, implicitly deciding we needed to make a decision, and fast. He understood. We couldn''t explain to him and make anything meaningful in time without potentially losing them. Before I could even mutter something, he said "Order your Diglett to follow me silently, we will run to intercept them further north in the forest side closer to us." He pointed to my Pokemon. "We need him to make some holes where we can hide from them." I nodded my head to Diglett as saying ''You heard him'', I got closer to him and patted his head. "I will be right behind you, now go." I said.
"Oh no, you misunderstood. You will wait a few meters away and pincer attack them." He said while looking at my belt with my Pokeballs. "Its the only way if we want to win, look at how restless we are right now, they are too close to the camp to just go and alert everybody."
Takeshi didn''t understand what was happening but Daichi promised him to made him catch up while they ran towards the location. I patted Diglett one last time before Daichi returned me his binoculars and we started running.
First, we went 40 to 50 meters heading east. Then we started running straight northwards with the deep forest helping to hide our presences. Daichi released his Pidgeotto to scout a few meters ahead of us. Some time passed like this and Daichi looked at me.
"Stop here, look your way for a good place to attack their flank when we start." He pointed to a zone a few meters ahead of us behind some trees. "There, we are going to be there." He said before turning his body to make his way tailing Takeshi to the spot.
I dropped my backpack and hide it behind some bushes. I walked slowly west for a few seconds hiding behind each tree hoping there was nothing to alert them of my position. The rhythm, the pounding on my chest grew with each beat. My hands and forehead sweated. DAMN IT, THIS IS NOT THE MOMENT TO BE ACTING LIKE THIS.
I breathed slowly a few times behind an oak to calm myself, I looked straight up when I heard some leaves moving. A little Pidgey was there looking straight to me, I just nodded my head and he flew out making its way in the darkness of the night. Finally I got to a spot where I could see clearly the zone where my companions planned to attack. If I squeezed hard enough I could resemble what I could imagine was the figure of Takeshi sitting down into the ground. Great, they did it. Now, find the 3 others.
I got to the spot and kneeled next to a big rock that covered my left side. I brought out the binoculars and started searching, a few seconds passed and there they were. They were roughly a few hundred meters from the location we were going to ambush them. Great.
Okay, they were right on track. In a few minutes, we would strike. This was going to be clean. We had the element of surprise. Everything was going according to plan-.
Their feet were following the same pattern and pace. The flashlight flickered. When it came back a strange shadow appeared. Weird. Something was wrong. I focused again on their feet.
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Their boots didn''t press the grass.
Their faces were too still.
No.
No no no no-.
There was no emotion on their expressions. It was like, like... Like the illusions of a poor executed double team.
My stomach turned to ice. My fingers clenched so hard I could hear my own bones creak. The air in my lungs felt too thick, too heavy. My legs wanted to move. My brain screamed at me to run. But I was frozen.
My heart stopped, now I knew what was wrong. Why the forest felt this way. I need to alert them. We need to fall back all the way. I started running in a curved line away from the illusions and towards the direction of my group.
I tried to swallow, but my throat was dry. The air around me felt... heavier. Colder. Like something was watching us.
Every step was heavier than the one before, my legs started hurting, my quadriceps and glutes couldn''t keep this pace with the darkness of the night and the pressure of the unseen threatening my back.
My right leg got trapped with a tree root, I tripped and fell hard. My eyes tried to open, my brain couldn''t catch up to what happened after I got to the floor. Suddenly my vision cleared but the peripherical still was blurry. It was like trying to take a picture with a unfocused lens. Something warm was in the right side of my face. My arm shot up and I glanced at it. Crimson painted my palm and fingers. I tried to put my legs underneath me and get up, briefly looking at the big tree where my head probably crashed with. The sky illuminated heavily for a fraction of a second, a lightning struck near. Probably the Johtoians, we didn''t have any electric type. I need to get up and help them. Fast.
I released Golbat, he tried to help me up. His wings fluttered near my face. I could hear a faint screeching coming from his mouth. He dropped down and pressed the button of my remaining Pokeball while I got up supporting myself with the tree where I fell. The red beam showed my Golduck. Thank god Golbat did that, I didn''t even remember I had him. Diglet? Where is him? I have to find him fast. We need to fight together and watch our backs. That did the trick and I stabilized on my feet finally.
A deep gorging cackle made its presence behind me. My skin prickled and goosebumps ran all over my body. I tried to turn my back fast enough. Golduck reacted earlier, he turned to where the sound came from. Splashing sounds behind me. He was protecting me with his water shields. I finally turned back and watched the purple hue and deep smile of our predator. A Haunter. It phased through the trees. Golduck could make this, I knew it. "Golduck its all yours, make a signal if you need help. I trust you." I muttered the final words. I got back to where I was going originally while Golbat took the lead. I walked a few meters and the scene unfold right in front of me.
The body of one of the girls that accompanied the man with the backpack was splattered in the ground a few meters to the right of Daichi. My stomach stirred, the red that painted the ground someway felt different than the one that came out from my head. Before I couldn''t even say something to Diglett or Golbat, I saw the figure resembling a large boulder, with a rugged and uneven surface, 2 big arms in each side of its body. Its face was set deep within its body, beady eyes were scanning the floor beneath it. The Graveler grabbed part of the ground near where it stood up, dirt fell from the piece of earth it grabbed. In a fast twitch of its body the rocks were above its head and was throwed at high speed. Takeshi was struggling to leave the hole in the floor--
A terrible crunching noise. Crack.
The remains of the torso of Takeshi were broken at an odd angle. My stomach convulsed, my mouth retched and I feint to throw up. Something deep inside me decided I couldn''t waste time on this. I need to focus. Focus LEON. FOCUS DAMN IT.
I blinked, Daichi moved closer to me. He screamed something, I couldn''t make head or tails of what he was saying until he pointed somewhere. There was the backpack, and the man with the Graveler was in front of it. I understood what he was saying to me, but what was the price? Would we be able to leave after?
Fuck it.
"GOLBAT! STAY IN FRONT!, DIGLETT COME HERE AND PROTECT US FROM TH-" I almost ended. Diglett was coming my way quickly, Daichi released his Gloom to help the earth Pokemon going on the defensive for us. A purple Arbok was coming our way in front of us. I knew we could stop it. I fixed on something else. The other girl, she was screaming. Where? What was she saying? I glanced the direction her voice was going, I saw a Raticate charging to us, trying to flank from the south.
Pidgeotto moved quickly, probably used quick attack. Raticate did the same to get faster to us. Daichi decided to release his last Pokemon behind us at that moment, it wasn''t a moment to keep triumph cards hidden. He muttered 2 words to his Pokemon. Probably talking in some kind of code. Slowbro shot a water jet towards towards Raticate that made it stop its momentum. Pidgeotto and Golbat made their move, The bird descended at a high speed with its wings cutting the air, directing one of them to the right side of the Rat. Golbat followed up with a confuse ray and left the rest to Pidgeotto. Right, we won that little fight.
I saw the final member of the team of Daichi appear from thin air just in front of us. His ace, a Kadabra. Golduck returned quickly after that. Probably the psychic helped him fighting off the ghost.
Kadabra made a barrier that kept us from the worst from razor leaves from a Weepinbell that was fighting Diglett and Gloom. Our front was losing poorly when a Sneasel appeared and the ice type was just too nimble using the darkness of the night. Every claw was covered by ice energy. We moved further south where Pidgeotto was ending the Raticate, Golbat and Golduck finally got to the front line where the latter was focusing on the Graveler. Pikachu tried to run quickly towards Pidgeotto, trying to take advantage of the confusion with the new arrivals. Diglett followed. He knew, that was his job. He was the only one that could stop the yellow rat without muscles spasming after each attack.
We made our move. Golduck and Slowbro stayed in front of us. Kadabra teleported behind their Pokemon, they didn''t expect it. He was going to crush both of their minds, I saw it. We discussed what we could do in this kind of situation, go for the trainers and react, even if that mean that their Pokemon would go berserk. Kadabra was just starting the confusion attack towards the big man''s mind, when I saw the purpleish shadow ran fast towards it, Haunter came back. They didn''t finish it. Kadabra changed its course of action on a whim. He teleported again, the ghost Pokemon passed through the space he was just standing. The strained smile from the Pokemon chilled my soul. My muscles tensed just from watching its direction.
The nearby bird Pokemon in the trees that were away enough from our fight flew. Our Pokemon stayed in place. The world stopped in this fraction of a second. Every pokemon looked towards their respective trainer. And then-
The floor rumbled, the nearby trees swayed in a way I have never seen, I stumbled towards a kneeling Daichi, he helped to stabilize me. What was the chances of an earthquake right now? There is no way this 3 got a Pokemon with that kind of power, right? When I could move just enough to recover my vision to the battlefield I saw every pokemon on the ground. Pidgeotto and Golbat were flying toward us. Golduck and Slowbro tied to stay up while getting close to us. Graveler was laid on its back, Gloom was on the floor and Kadabra was a few centimeters above the floor with a strained face beside us. Where- Where was Diglett?
Daichi tackled me. What was happening? Why would he do that? He moved me to the floor and put his body in front of me.
BOOOOOOOOM
A big explosion ensued. The backpack. Every fiber of my being was burning. Then I felt wet, I opened my eyes briefly to see Kadabra putting a big barrier around us, where the orange of the explosion stopped, Golduck and Slowbro just outside of it were straining to water us and themselves. Golduck''s skin started to blacken until it stopped. My ears rang for a few moments until I couldn''t heard with my right ear anymore. A sharp whistle ran in my left one. My head pounded. The trees were charred, the grass was no more. I knew my Pokemon could resist this. All Pokemon were resistant. But--but they were too close, I need to find Diglett and get out of here. Fast.
Daichi was on top of me. I moved him, I slapped him in the face a few times, Slowbro watched me indifferently from the side. He waked up. Finally. I got up, my body didn''t hurt. My legs were fresh as if I slept for 20 hours straight. The adrenaline. I need to get our pokemon and get away. Fast.
The ground felt... off. Like a drumbeat underground.
Whatever did that big earthquake wasn''t something we could face. Daichi did the same. Both of us started to walk towards our remaining Pokemon on the floor. We returned them to our Pokeball. They would be safe in there until we get to a center. Diglett was nowhere to be seen.
Daichi grabbed me, his mouth was moving fast and wide. I couldn''t hear anything. We struggled like that for a few moments. I saw his eyes widening, focusing behind me.
He grabbed me again, when he saw I didn''t phase an inch. He left. He started running away. I knew I was being dumb. I turned back. The first thing I saw was the remains of the man who was protecting the backpack. One half-burned shoe. My mind decided to focus further away and I saw them. The last girl from their group was there, with the legs blackened, awake with her Sneasel and Pikachu limping in front of her.
The moonlight seemed to glow brighter.
Standing beside her, two imposing figures. A deep blue and a purple one with muscular frames. The blue one was slightly smaller, its head was adorned by a small horn, its small eyes pierced the smaller girl and both of their Pokemon on the floor. She probably passed out at some point. Her Pokemon tried to fight off the intruder, the bulky armor wasn''t even fazed. Spikes on her back an tail accompanied each attack. Just the physical prowess of the blue beast was enough. I felt the floor rumbling again, The Nidoqueen stomped on the body of the girl. I moved my gaze away before it happened. I have something to do. The Nidoking was moving towards me, each stomp was larger than the one before, the floor shook slightly with each step.
Finally, I found what I was looking for. There it was, on the floor. The small figure of my Pokemon. I needed to bring it fast. I tried to reach fast for his Pokeball. Just as I was going to press the button. The Nidoking stepped in front of him while walking towards me. I knew. I knew I couldn''t do nothing. I need to run. My knees threatened to fail. My vision blurred, just as I was going to try to go right to get a better angle to return him, Nidoqueen reached Diglett. I knew what she was going to do. I couldn''t abandon him. No. Never. NEVER.
A figure flared from the edge from my vision. Fast, like a ray of fury and claws. Pidgeotto attacked the eyes of Nidoking. In the same moment, arms grabbed my chest. I knew who it was. I knew. With the strength of someone that have lived too many shit, he made me turn.
He grabbed my arm. He shook me so hard I felt my teeth rattle. ''MOVE, DAMN IT!'' I didn''t. I couldn''t. I needed to-
Slap.
I felt the irritation of my skin. The blood on my mouth. He grabbed a Pokeball and directed it to the air, a red beam flew from the ball. His hold on my arm dragged me away. He glanced behind every once in a while. When I tried to look back once he stopped and grasped my chin. I could understand his mouth twitching. ''Keep moving'' it said. I turned off.
I think I could hear a squeak on the air. My feet were moving, but my mind stayed behind.
A few minutes passed, we kept running. My legs were burning and we needed to rest for a little bit. We found a cave beside a hill. Golduck and Slowbro were awake and could battle off a weak wild Pokemon. Both of them advanced with us for a bit into the cave. The air inside was damp and heavy, carrying a faint, metallic smell. Golduck''s eyes glowed faintly, illuminating the jagged walls. Something felt... off. This place gives me the creeps. All of this fucking forest was like this?
In the dim light, we saw them¡ªtwo large eggs, their shells cracked and oozing a faint, glowing fluid. The remains of what could have been life lay scattered around them, tiny fragments of purple and blue shells glinting in the darkness.
"Oh no... no, no, no. This is bad. This is really bad." I muttered.
"Quiet, Leon. We need to think. If those Nidos find us here..." Daichi answered. His face turned contemplative as his eyebrows furrowed.
I sat on the ground, my legs giving out beneath me. My arms covered my face, the smell of my palms sweat, dirt, and blood hit me like a punch. "This... this is why they attacked us, isn''t it? They thought we did this." My voice cracked, the words sticking in my throat. I couldn''t stop staring at the broken shells, the faint glow of the fluid seeping into the ground. Did someone from our side do this? Did we?
"Or they''re just protecting was left. Either way, we are not safe here." Daichi knelt beside me, his hand resting on my shoulder for a moment before he stood again. His face was hard, but I could see the tension in his jaw, the way his eyes flicked toward the cave entrance.
He moved toward the eggs, his footsteps careful and deliberate. "We need to get out of here. Now. If they come back, we''re dead." His voice was calm, but his hands were clenched into fists at his sides.
Chapter 7: Long night
A loud sigh escaped from my lips. I don''t know how my desktop always ends like this. There was a mess of folders filled with reports, maps from Indigo and a cold coffee. My hands wrapped around the map of the border. There was a red circles around "New bark town." and some minor villages in route 28. The reports can''t lie, but the people. The attacks from wild Pokemon have been increasing with each passing week. In Kanto there have been incidents further north in route 25 and even Viridian city. But Johto... I read again the information and dates on the paper. Apparently, its really lucky. That''s what they say at least. How much are they going to keep playing politics?
I sipped from the now iced-coffee. Insipid. Yet I need to keep my eyes open, it''s barely afternoon. The faint light from the lamp on my desk illuminated the contents from the new report in my hands. My fingers clenched slightly as my forehead creased once again. How much evidence do people need? How much longer will they keep pretending nothing is happening? Kanto publicly have been working together with their rangers, relocating them in key positions to answer any eventuality after the attacks. But Johto... Johto remains a mystery. Dad used to say when something remains a mystery for too long it stops being an oversight. It becomes deliberate.
The fax machine beeped again, accompanied by the ever tic-tac from the clock on the wall. I exhaled, rubbing my temples. My eyes flickered toward the corner of my desk. A small little frame, Loren and Aris standing besides Arcanine the golden fur glowing under the sun. For a moment, the weight on my shoulders lightened. Right. Almost Aris second birthday. Maybe a plushie will do the trick this time.
Monica''s heels striked against the floor. Her slender frame was standing before my desk. She cleared her throat to grab my attention, I obliged.
"Your presence is required in the meeting room above." She said flatly. What''s up with that tone? Why is she talking like that so suddenly?
"Everything good, Monica?" I accentuated her name in the last part. Normally we would small talk and chit-chat for a little bit, her face would be adorned by a smile, we would laugh and grab some instant coffee before getting to work again.
She nodded, without intention to add anymore. I dropped the papers on my hands and got up. "See you later," I said before walking in the staircase direction. Something big is happening. Every step closer to the meeting room made me slightly more anxious. Just one way to know what''s happening.
I knocked in two times. "Come in," I heard the voice from inside and opened the door.
I almost tripped with the corner of the big rectangle-shaped table. I greeted everyone with a silent nod, Paul and Caroline nodded back with a smile. Some of the others just looked me and the rest just weren''t interested in me enough. Lastly, my boss. He probably had one of his Pokemon under the table or something, because his gaze didn''t rise upon me even once while I was walking towards the empty chair.
The cushioned seat squeaked when my weight fell on it. Maps from our region and the distant Indigo were spread on the table, next to a few of the same reports that my desk were filled with. On the far wall a board with different schemes and the name of Henry on top of it all. Henry?
"We have been waiting for you," my boss said. I shifted uncomfortably on my chair.
"I got here as quickly as I was informed." I answered
He cleared his throat, "I will cut through the chase, Claude." He pointed with his thumb towards a burly looking man, his legs were resting on the table. His shoes almost shined, made of materials you could only find on the most exclusive stores. "This is Henry Flannery. You probably know him from the Elite 4." The gray suit that hided his giant frame moved while his crimson tie swung. He straightened on the chair and said "Good to meet you." with a big pearly smile that strained when I locked onto his eyes.
Huh, so that''s why he looked familiar. Henry laid back on the chair once again. Boss exhaled air from his lips, "You are going to be on a mission under him in Kanto."
The words settled in my head like a stone thrown into deep water. Kanto? For a second, my grip on the table tightened. My job had taken me to rough places before, but Kanto
He continued, "Representatives from both regions have communicated with us, they want to negotiate." The thumping in my chest quickened. Why me? As if reading my mind my boss said, "We need someone, with your background as a ranger. We have seen the intelligence you have been gathering and we are surprised. Part of your mission is investigate the recent attacks from wild Pokemon on both regions. Both representatives made clear that if the other part used the wild life around Mt Silver, this would escalate. This is where we came. A neutral third party, and you..." My head went blank for a few seconds. It was a direct order, and it was literally my job when I signed up on this department.
"The chances of something happening to any of you being under him," he raised his chin in Henry''s direction. "Its near to 0. More so, some of the newly established S.S members are going with you." I have heard about the new department. Basically it worked like an intelligence department. Some of the most promising trainers from last years that were competing in the circuit didn''t want to participate in this one. Now I know where they went, good for them.
"There have not been recent incidents or skirmishes, they are waiting for us to mediate." He said.
I exhaled through my nose, fingers tapping lightly against my arm. A mission to help stop the war. Negotiations. Diplomacy. It all sounded good on paper. Then why did it feel wrong?
This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
I crossed my arms, "That''s what they say, but how do you explain the Viridian and route 25 ones?" I paused looking to everyone eyes "Why Johto seems to have a lower ratio of attacks with more cities closer to Mt Silver?" We could step inside of a war zone, my gaze lingered in Henry''s figure. His head was resting on the back of the chair. I think he would be my only assurance that something like that wont happen.
The rest of the people interchanged glances. Someone, one of the ones I have never seen before said "We are investigating. For now, the mission is not politics. Its a field one. Ready your team."
I looked toward my boss, he just nodded in the direction of the newcomer. After a few seconds of silence he added "Listen Claude, this is our chance to end this. Johto''s league with Fabio at its top is a little bit more self-absorbed, he just don''t like to lose." The rest of the meeting was about how my role would change after the negotiation advances with Henry keeping order. After a few wees we would be locked in place waiting for the conflict to end, participating on meetings while deescalating things to the best of our capabilities.
Eventually the meeting ended and everybody was getting up and leaving the room. Henry and my boss looked at each other muttering something. Henry called me out to stay with a signal from his hand.
After a while waiting for everybody to leave, the meeting room was nearly empty now. The quiet hum of the fluorescent lights filled the space, mixing with the faint scent of paper and stale coffee. Most of the higher-ups had already left, leaving behind scattered documents and a few abandoned cups. Only Henry and I remained.
I leaned back in my chair, arms crossed, fingers tapping against my bicep. Henry, on the other hand, looked completely at ease, lounging in his seat like we had just discussed weekend plans instead of a peacekeeping mission in the middle of a war zone.
For a while, neither of us spoke.
Then, Henry let out a long exhale and ran a hand through his hair. "You don¡¯t look too happy about this," he said, a smirk tugging at his lips.
I didn¡¯t answer right away, just tapped a knuckle against the table. "You¡¯re asking me to go into a war zone to play peacekeeper. I think I¡¯m allowed to have reservations."
Henry chuckled. "Fair enough. I¡¯d be worried if you weren¡¯t skeptical."
He stretched his arms behind his head, rolling his shoulders. Then, after a beat, he leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table.
"Listen¡ I gotta ask you something."
Something in his voice made me straighten.
"Go ahead."
He hesitated. Just for a second. His fingers drummed against the armrest, then he rubbed the back of his neck. "Look, I don¡¯t like doing this, especially not the first time we properly talk, but..." He exhaled sharply through his nose, shaking his head slightly before locking eyes with me.
"We need Loren."
My chest tightened, a cold knot forming in my stomach. Loren. I could already see her face, determined and fearless, ready to throw herself into danger without a second thought. My jaw clenched as I fought back the surge of protectiveness that threatened to overwhelm me. She wasn¡¯t just a skilled trainer, she was my partner, the mother of my child. And Henry was asking me to risk her.
"You need Loren?" I managed to spit out.
Henry nodded, looking uncomfortable for the first time since I met him. "Yeah. And I know how that sounds."
Silence.
I crossed my arms, weighing my words before I spoke. My jaw tightened, but my voice stayed controlled. "I have a family, Henry."
"I know."
I exhaled through my nose, rubbing a hand down my face.
Of course he knew.
I already knew what he was going to say next. That was the problem.
Henry leaned forward. "Look, I wouldn¡¯t be asking if I didn¡¯t think she was the best option. It¡¯s a low-risk mission, but if things go south, I need people I can trust. People who won¡¯t cut and run, people who won¡¯t freeze." He paused for a second. "Loren is one of those people."
I didn¡¯t say anything.
Henry continued, his tone firm but not forceful. "There aren¡¯t many trainers with her kind of skillset. Blaziken¡¯s mobility, Froslass scouting abilities-it¡¯s a rare combination. If the wild Pok¨¦mon situation escalates, we¡¯ll need every advantage we can get."
I let out a slow breath. "That¡¯s not the real reason, is it?"
Henry exhaled, a short, humorless chuckle leaving his lips. He shook his head. "No. It¡¯s not." He tapped a finger against the table before meeting my gaze again. "She saved my sister, Claude. That day in Mauville, during the fires. She stayed when others ran. That¡¯s the kind of person I want on my team."
My jaw clenched.
"She almost died for it," I muttered.
Henry nodded. "Yeah. I know."
Silence stretched between us again.
"If there¡¯s anyone I trust to bring people back in one piece, it¡¯s her."
I looked down at the papers in front of me. I wasn¡¯t reading them anymore. My fingers traced the edges of the pages absentmindedly.
I could say no.
I could refuse outright.
But what then?
Someone else would ask Loren.
And I knew her. She would say yes.
Henry must¡¯ve seen the hesitation in my eyes because his voice softened. "I get it, Claude. I do. You don¡¯t have to answer now. Just talk to her."
I exhaled, rubbing my temple.
Henry stood up, adjusting his tie slightly. The laid-back, joking demeanor from earlier was gone. For the first time, he looked every bit the Elite Four member he was.
I pushed myself up as well, rolling my shoulders.
Henry gave me a nod, then, with a small smirk, added, "If it helps, you can tell her I begged."
I scoffed, shaking my head. "I¡¯ll talk to her."
Henry clapped a hand on my shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze before turning toward the door. "Appreciate it. You are free to go, Ranger."
I watched him walk out, then let out a long breath.
While walking outside the building my mind kept returning to the same place. What if something happens? Should I lie to her? Who would take care of Aris? I know damn well who would, my father. But that didn''t make this any easier. I could say her to stay. Lie a little bit, just enough that it wouldn''t make sense to her to go with me. But what if she saw through? What if someone told her? My chest clenched thinking about what would happen, what she would think about me. I know well what she would do in my position. She would do the same thing every time if that means making the world a better place for our son.
My short trip ended.
I stood in front of the building, the cool breeze brushing against my face. From my pocket, I grabbed a ball. With a flick of my wrist, it expanded, and in a flash of light, Staraptor emerged, her majestic wings stretching out as she let out a proud cry. I stepped closer, my hand gently gliding over her glossy feathers, feeling their smooth texture beneath my fingers. Her feathers were warm, radiating a sense of calm and strength. I took a moment to appreciate the bond we shared, my fingers tracing the subtle patterns along her neck. Then, with care, I lifted the saddle and placed it securely on her back, adjusting the straps to ensure her comfort. Staraptor let out a soft coo, as if acknowledging my efforts. With everything ready, I took a deep breath, feeling the anticipation of the ride home.
This was going to be a long night.
Chapter 8: Goodbye
Arcanine''s big fluffy back was carrying me and my parents bags. When I was on top of it, it was surprisingly flat for such a majestic creature. Not too long ago we passed the last in-route sign that displayed "Route 108" in big white letters. Some young ranger was close to it and warned us about the Pokemon you could find in the route.
He talked for a few seconds until Grandpa showed him his badges from a retired A class ranger. The young man paled when he saw it, he almost bent his torso at a 90 degree angle doing a bow just to be stopped short by Silas.
The smell of raw nature never stopped to amaze me. The humid smell from the leaves, the salty flavor from the nearby sea, and the earthy, woody aroma that carried the history from the trees close to us. This is something I have never really put any atention before. Learning to survive the boredom without anything to do or smartphone to play was an experience by itself.
The sky was mostly clear, except for a few clouds drifting toward the horizon. To the northeast, one cloud seemed to ripple unnaturally. My eyes caught a dark figure streaking across the sky-a Pok¨¦mon with a rider clinging tightly to its back. From this distance, it didn¡¯t seem fast, but as it neared, the wind whipping around them made it clear they were moving at incredible speed. I guessed they were going at least 150 km/h. My mouth hung open in awe.
"Probably some tough guy who thinks can handle a new evolved Swellow. Moving at that speed..." Silas said after seeing my surprised face. How did he know that it was a Swellow?
"Could you?" I blurted out mischievously.
"Two years and change old and already questioning my skills, huh? Guess I really am getting old... Next thing I know, you''ll be telling me how to battle wild Pokemon too." He grinned
"Just choose the super effective move, old guy," I said. The words slipped out before I could stop them, and I immediately regretted it. Super effective? What was I thinking? This wasn¡¯t a game. But the laugh that followed was genuine, and I couldn¡¯t help but enjoy the confused look on Grandpa¡¯s face.
Silas'' eyebrows furrowed, he tilted his head with a puzzled expression. "Super... what? Kid, what in the world are you talking about?"
"Uh... I mean, just... hit them where it hurts!" I laughed louder. Maybe I should find ways to confuse him to see that kind of face more often.
"Hit them where it hurts? You''ve been watching too many TV battles, haven''t you? Battles aren''t about fancy words, kid. They''re about instinct, timing, and... well, I guess I''ll have to teach you that too." He grinned.
"Hey, hey, nothing about battling around here," Loren made a round gesture with her index finger "Not before he''s 8 or 9."
Silas gazed towards Mother, wrinkles from the age surrounded his eyes. "You talk like you didn''t sneak out to battle with your little duck when you were his age."
Mom¡¯s right hand flew up to cover her mouth--fake-suppressing a laugh, while her left thumb jerked sharply toward Silas, like he was some roadside attraction. "Don¡¯t believe this decrepit guy, Aris," she hissed behind her palm, eyes glittering with mock-conspiracy. "He¡¯s just trying to sound cool."
Silas touched his chest as saying ''I''m really offended'' "Times have changed Loren. Back in my day, kids were catching Pok¨¦mon before they could tie their shoes."
We laughed together for a while. I''ve seen Dad going on missions for a few days before, but this time it felt different. I didn''t know if it was because of the amount of time they were leaving or if it was because both of them were going at the same time. In my past life, I never had something like this. A family that jokes, that cares.
We walked for a while, Mom released Roserade and it spinned graciously as it walked by her side at all times. My dad was walking a few meters in front of us, he also released Staraptor at some point of our walk. Star screech could be heard from time to time above us, he would make circles around us and then disapear for a few minutes in the direction we were going and then come back.
Claude never said anything while his father and his wife talked, nor when we were making jokes and having a good time. His shoulders seemed tense and he would jump a little to any little movement from the route in front of us.
"So, what are you going to do when you are alone?" Mom asked Silas.
"A bunch of nothing, i''d say. Maybe I''ll bring the kid for a little trip to the beach. Vibrava have been adamant about seeing a little bit of sand for a while now." He answered
Claude slowed his pace to be at the same level with us. "I think you two should stay at Brookmere. Our house it''s more famliar for Aris." he said to his dad in a serious tone.
"And it''s also a town, a place with a lot of people. Silas'' house is quieter, safer." Mom answered quickly, her arms crossed in front of her.
"It''s isolated, if something happens--"
"Silas can handle it." Mom interrupted him
"I know he can. That''s not the point."
"Then what is the point, Claude?"
Silence insued. Both of them fixed on each other. Silas shifted his weight slightly, looking toward the sky, pretending not to listen. His hands where clasped behind his back.
"This isn''t about Aris, is it?" Mom finally broke the silence.
Dad''s nostrils flared, he exhaled loudly. His eyes followed dirt trail while mom was waiting for his response. His shoulders tensed, his jaw tightening as he avoided Mom¡¯s gaze. It was strange to see him like this. Usually so confident, now so unsure. I wanted to say something, to tell him it would be okay, but the words stuck in my throat.
"I just don''t want to risk... everything." He whispered to himself, doing it loudly enough that we could heard it too.
"Brookmere makes more sense, anyways." He continued, his voice was more calm and low now. He knew this argument wouldn''t go further than this.
Mom sighed, "You already said that." She smiled slightly getting closer to Claude.
"... Fine. Do what you want." He said with fake dismissivenes.
His wife laughed softly. "I always do." She said shaking her head as she hugged him by the shoulder.
Dad looked her for a moment, his lips threatened to open one more time before closing. We kept walking towards our goal.
---
When we were finally reaching Rustboro City, I saw a dozen or so tents in the outskirts. Many kids with varying ages were running with women behind them. Elderly people were sitting on benches, some of them were playing board games, I could even see two chess tables being used. The war had touched everyone, even here in Hoenn. But seeing my parents prepare to leave, I realized how lucky I was to have them.
Two members of the police force were making guard near the entrance. Their Pokeballs were exposed at a single glance. They were probably here in case a wild Pokemon got interested by the small campament.
After we pass the entrance, I saw a lot of people on the streets. Many of them with their Pokemon out, the typical Taillow, Zigzagoon or bug types were the species that I see the most. The most rare one I saw while we were walking was a Seviper. I laughed aloud, I don''t know what could have happen if Grandad decided to walk with Zangoose by his side and they saw each other. Chaos would probably ensue.
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All of the city was pavimented heavily, even when you smelled the air you could feel the slight scent of metal and concrete. To the north side of the city I saw grayish smoke filling the sky forming artificial clouds. When we got to a new street a wide building stood out from the others, on top of it was a colorful sign. "Refugee Support Center-Assistance for Families Affected by the War."
It wasn''t the first time I came to this city, but it really changed from the last time I saw it. The war from Indigo really reached this region. Well, it even reached my parents.
After a while walking we reached something like a plaza where a few stands with people on it. They were selling some kind of sky lanterns. When I asked about it, Grandpa told me it was something about a festival in the last week of November. So just a few days until it began I guess.
"It¡¯s called the Wishfall Festival," Silas said, his eyes lighting up with nostalgia. "Happens every year around this time. They say if you make a wish under the meteor shower, it just might come true. Of course, I¡¯ve never seen it happen, but it¡¯s a nice thought."
Mom told me we were really close to the spot right now. After a few minutes she pointed to some kind of school where kids about 12-14 year old were leaving the building. Apparently putting ads in top of places was a running trend in this world too because some "Devon" corporation was advertising their new watch that had a compass and some kind of technology that could make predictions of the weather reading the humidity on the air.
The kids were going to the courtside in the yard where a few of them were battling with some pretty common Pokemon. I stopped by for a few seconds before Mom told me to keep walking to watch the fight. There was one kid with a Treecko, the green lizard was small, and I couldn''t really see it from here. It was coiling on it''s trainer neck while they were waiting for their turn.
We finally reached the place where they would be leaving. They didn''t really have to make this trip, but it was the last opportunity to hang out as a family for a while, so we decided to go for it as the trip from our town wasn''t really long coming here. My parents showed identifications and some kind of official paper that said what and where they were going to and we could enter the place, Silas disapeared shortly after. Since we entered the City they have been carrying their luggage because Pokemon as big as Arcanine aren''t really allowed inside when it was as packed as today.
A big pidgeot and a Fearow were descending from the sky toward the empty place a dozen or so meters ahead of us. On the Pidgeot back was a police man with two kids and on the other bird was a police woman with what I thought was the mom of the children that couldn''t been older than 8. Another police man was talking with an executive looking guy close to us.
"They are the new family." The suited guy said.
"Yeah, poor mother. Being alone with 2 children in a unknown region... Come on, we have our work cut for ourself, move." The police man answered and they moved in sync to help the new family get off the giant birds.
My heart clenched a little when I saw scenes like this. I knew from waching the TV news that this world was as harsh as my previous one. Hell, with creatures that could spit massive bolts of fire it could be even worse. But, I knew that this world is not like the games. Being an elite was really difficult. I have never heard about someone on TV having some kind of really dangerous Pokemon, well what I could consider a dangerous one. Not even with the war in Indigo. For example, the only mention about a Tyranitar was a big earthquake that was reported near Mt. Silver, not a single mention about a trainer with a Dragonite. But I knew things that the rest didn''t. When I saw the declaration from the Kanto league, Agatha was there, and she seemed to be younger than her game version. So it was a thing of time that a young Lance took Indigo by a storm with his dragons.
When I stopped with the idle thoughts I walked closer to my family. Mom and Dad were close to each other, "You don''t have to really do this..." He said to her, making a last attempt.
Mom visibly frustrated, exhaled. "You really would be fine? Or would you want help a little too late? Maybe almost too late like last time?"
Dad''s mouth shut quickly, his body relaxed, as if finding new resolution and leaving a burden behind.
"We are going to be okay back there, as always." She said, they hugged each other. Dad hold tight to her, Loren said jokingly to let her go after a few moments.
Just as they were finishing their hug, Grandpa came back from wherever he was before. "All good, you can go." My parents took their bags and they dropped them closer to the "pads" where the birds would be starting their fly.
Mom and Dad released their team, Silas also released part of his team so they could say goodbye to each other. His Chimecho floated on Manectric''s muzzle and stayed tight to his face as if it was hugging it. The electric dog creature just stood there moving its head as if patting each other. Skarmory stood on the pad where they would be leaving the building. Grumpig and Vibrava were "speaking" with my parents Pokemon, before each one of them said goodbye to me in different ways. When it was their turn to say goodbye to Silas they mostly nodded their head in respect, even the ever crazy Staraptor was respectful and peaceful when standing in front of my Grandpa.
Silas patted Claude¡¯s shoulder with a firm hand before stepping back. His voice was lighter than usual, but the weight behind it was there.
¡°Come back safe.¡±
Claude gave a stiff nod. ¡°I will.¡±
Silas¡¯ lips curled into something that almost resembled a smirk. He turned to Loren, crossing his arms.
¡°Bring my boy back in one piece,¡± he said, voice tinged with amusement, like the idea of Claude needing protection was somehow funny.
Loren scoffed, hands on her hips. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t dream of doing otherwise.¡±
Silas huffed a laugh, then pulled her into a quick hug, patting her back before letting go. ¡°Good,¡± he muttered, stepping away. His eyes lingered on them for a second longer before shifting to me.
I swallowed. This was it.
Mom knelt in front of me, her fingers combing through my hair, twirling one of the looser curls between them. ¡°It¡¯s getting long,¡± she murmured, almost absentmindedly. ¡°We¡¯ll be in Slateport in three hours, then it¡¯s five days to Kanto.¡±
I nodded, watching the way her eyes softened.
Dad crouched down beside her, one knee on the ground, arms resting on his thighs. He looked at me for a long moment before finally pulling me into a hug. Mom wrapped her arms around us both.
Their warmth. Their scent. The feeling of being pressed between them. I wanted to stay like that. To let time stretch, to make it last. It was weird feeling this way. I was way too old to being this affected by a goodbye.
But Mom pulled away first. She reached into her bag and took out a small package, pressing it into my hands. I peeled back the wrapping to find a bundle of deep purple hair ties.
¡°I had a feeling you¡¯d need these,¡± she said with a knowing smile. She lifted my wrist and tied another around it, a simple braided bracelet made from the same material.
¡°You need to learn how to braid your hair while I¡¯m gone,¡± she said. ¡°Just like you did with mine.¡±
My fingers curled around the fabric. The lump in my throat was hard to swallow.
Dad¡¯s arms wrapped around me again, tighter this time. For a moment, it felt like he wasn¡¯t going to let go. I felt my vision warm, tears threatened to escape.
Then, slowly, he loosened his grip. His fingers lingered on my shoulders before he pulled back completely. His hands ruffled my hair--one last, familiar gesture.
¡°I love you, kid,¡± he said, his voice quieter than before.
¡°I love you too,¡± I whispered.
Claude opened his mouth, then closed it again. Like there was something else he wanted to say. But instead, he exhaled, shaking his head. ¡°We gotta do something about that hair when I get back.¡±
Mom smiled, then leaned in, whispering, ¡°I love you,¡± before brushing her fingers along my cheek. I felt my lips curl slightly at the warmth behind her words.
Then, it was time.
Dad turned toward Staraptor, tightening the strap on his bag before swinging himself onto the saddle. The bird let out a sharp cry, wings flexing as it prepared for takeoff.
Mom walked to Skarmory, pausing only when Silas grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into one last brief embrace. He muttered something only she could hear. Then he let her go and did the same with his son.
He turned to his steel bird, patting its metallic wing. His voice dropped into something rough, something serious.
¡°Don¡¯t fly faster than that Swellow we saw before,¡± he said, motioning at Staraptor with his chin. ¡°Go at his pace. Come back when you drop her off.¡±
Loren snorted. ¡°You act like I''ve never handled Skarmory before.¡±
Silas ignored her, instead leveling both of them with a look.
¡°Remember,¡± he said, ¡°It¡¯s not about how fast you get there. It¡¯s about getting there together.¡±
There was something else beneath those words. Something heavier.
Neither of them answered.
Then, without another word, the birds spread their wings. A sudden gust of wind swept over us, ruffling my shirt as their wings beat against the air, sending up swirls of dust. Staraptor let out a sharp cry, and Skarmory followed with a metallic screech.
As the metallic bird took off, I caught a final glimpse of Mom. She wasn¡¯t smiling, but she wasn¡¯t frowning either. Just looking. Memorizing, maybe. Then the wind carried her away.
I stepped closer to Silas, watching them ascend, their figures shrinking against the sky. I raised a hand, waving until they were no more than specks against the clouds. And then, finally, they were gone.
Beside me, Silas did the same.
We stood there for a while, watching the sky where their figures had disappeared. The wind carried the faint scent of metal and smoke from the city, a stark contrast to the warmth of their presence. Finally, Silas broke the silence.
Then, softly, he muttered, ¡°We better get going, kid.¡±
I nodded. My head was filled with thoughts about whether I should have said I love you one last time. Maybe I should have said I would miss them.
We turned back toward the city.
Chapter 9: Little bird
The cold wind blew the leaves over the surrounding forest. Sunlight filtered through the branches. The rough surface where I was sitting was a consequence from the wild weather in Hoenn. It was a fallen tree that was carved by a Pokemon from Grandpa, you could say it was sort of a natural sitting bench.
We came to Silas house shortly after my parents left, roughly two days after. It wasn''t that long of a trip really, just a few hours walking. Well, Grandpa walked, I was mostly on his shoulders or going slightly above ground with Skarmory.
A few meters to the side was a dirt trail that ended at a "official route", The house was to the east of the bifurcation that splitted route 104 and 108, so we were close to Petalburg, if we were to walk thorugh the forest or close to Brookmere town and Rustbory if going further north.
I''ve lived here for about a month now. Actually, I already had experience living with Silas, but this time was different, we were alone now. Nobody even visited this old man, just one or twice a week we would walk to a near location, mostly Brookmere to buy supplies to keep surviving the weather. At least, old man had electricity so I can actually watch TV and do something instead of watching how the trees move.
The sweetness from the Oran berries I''ve been eating this month really was something else though. Now I knew why Pokemon loved berries so much, maybe humans are Pokemon too, but we don''t evolve as fast as them.
I grabbed a couple more of berries from inside and I sat outside, on the same tree again. The first few times I sat here when we just arrived, something werid would happen, mostly I would get chills all over my back and just over my shoulders. I was looking straight towards the reason of it, Silas'' Zangoose apparently really liked to sit near the house''s entrance porch. My body answered for itself, it knew it was being watched by a higher being, by an apex predator. But instead it eases me now, how I would be scared of the silly guy that liked belly rubs?
The leaves kept falling on the half bench half tree. When I sat here, I often thought about if I should have said more. If I should have done anything, maybe I should have told Mom to stay, that Dad was strong enough to do everything. But I didn''t really know, when I think about it everything that I learned in militar school, my inner voice told me they would be a lot better going together. Silas told me Mom used to be an elite trainer, at her primer she collected 7 badges. A really high number considering the prematurity of the league''s circuit. When I heard that, it really helped me connect the dots about why she had such strong and rare Pokemon, for the ones i''ve seen since I came here at least. The same could be said for my dad, but he never really was a trainer. He followed Silas steps his first years as an ''adult'' and became a ranger. He peaked at rank B, but it was because he was poached by the police department. He was one of the youngest B rank all over the ranger union, and apparently Silas was one of the prior owners of that record too.
I still didn''t kn--
My eyes followed up instinctively. From the top of a nearby Mahogany tree a blur of blue, red and white was falling. My body didn''t answer for the first few moments until what my eyes were seeing reached my brain. Not a threat. This time I was frozen by decision.
A slight whistle cut through the air.
Rrrriiip
I blinked. The top of my left hand felt heavy and I couldn''t control it completely. A warm sensation accompanied by a slight pain on the zone welcomed the little guy in front of me. My head swerved to my left, where my favorite mutant mongoose should be laying.
But it wasn''t.
Right, this is better. That guy probably would have overreacted and slashed the air in front of me. I cackled internally when thinking about Zangoose potentially cutting my hands by an accident with a non-threatening Pokemon. Drops form cold sweat ran over my forehead.
The little bird was fluttering wildly on my hand, its chest was expanding quickly as its head moved erratically side to side trying to gain leverage over my poor sweater''s fabric. At least I wasn''t getting my hand mangled by it. I stood there frozen for a few seconds while the taillow flailed around, progressively it lost its edge and stopped acting so damn threatened.
When I fixed deeper on the bird''s figure, I saw that its plumage was clean but some feathers weren''t preened. It really looked like a swallow but a lot more ''compact''.
Unconsciusly I opened my left hand with my palm looking upwards. The glutonous beast still with one set of claws stucked on my sweater, came closer to my palm to eat one of the berries. Well, I could understand, they were really good and sweet. When it noticed it couldn''t reach it, it started squeaking faintly as if it was my fault somehow. Maybe food really was the door to people hearts.
When I stopped over-fixing on the small creature, I saw Silas waiting patiently a few meters to my left coming from the house. He slowly walked towards me when we locked eyes.
Silas knelt beside me, taking his time, eyes locked on the struggling Taillow with a patience that felt almost deliberate.
"Look at this little guy," he muttered, fingers hovering just near the bird but not touching it yet. "No scars on the body, claws are clean. No signs of old wounds, no missing feathers. You see what that means?"
I stayed quiet, watching the slight tremble in the Taillow¡¯s wings as it flailed against the fabric.
Silas moved with precision, his fingers gripping the spot where the bird¡¯s talon was stuck. With one practiced twist, he freed it in a single motion.
"The dive was too sharp," he went on, like he was thinking out loud. "Angles were all wrong, no fluidity in the motion. Young ones always do that, they think they¡¯re faster than they actually are."
The Taillow let out a sharp cry, flapping its wings wildly before launching itself into the air in a clumsy, erratic burst of movement that left a faint trail.
He''s in his early explorati-
"He¡¯s in his early exploration phase," my grandfather interrupted my thoughts.
The bird stuck its claws to a nearby branch. Its eyes watched our every movement, looking for whatever excuse to fly away from us. That, until Silas bringed out a couple of Sitrus berries and offered them to the bird.
The old man put the fresh berries on my injury-free hand and I offered them to the Pokemon just like he was doing before. The doubt from the Tailow was fluctuating, until the hunger won. It flew slowly towards me and plucked one berry, then went away once again in the same erratic pattern that left a faint transparent trail while it accelerated. Now that I see it again, it really shouldn''t be able to generate that kind of force with that tiny wings. Well, it shouldn''t in a world where wild animals couldn''t use some kind of isoteric energy that helped them do things, but here we are.
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When I looked in Silas direction to make sure if I was doing it right, I saw Zangoose hiding behind a tree. Hiding wasn''t the right word though, I knew I couldn''t see it if she didn''t want me to see it, so she probably really wanted me to know that I wasn''t in any kind of danger. Not that I think that with old man besides me.
The little bird repeated its actions bravely a few more times. Every repetition of the scene it forgot a little bit more how scared was before the berries. The first clumsy tries of what I think were ''quick attacks'' were advancing quickly to something a lot more refined. Now it went in more of a straight lane and at a steady and quick pace. Unconsciusly it was learning, being more efficent.
Only... to eat.
Silas watched the Taillow swipe another berry from my hand, its movements already sharper, more controlled than before. The hesitation it had at first was almost gone.
¡°See that?¡± he said, voice low and even. ¡°It¡¯s learning. The first few times, it burned too much energy darting around, overshooting. Now? It¡¯s cutting tighter, moving smarter. Won¡¯t be long before it stops wasting motion altogether.¡±
He flicked his chin toward Zangoose, still ¡®hiding¡¯ behind the tree. ¡°Same thing happens with them. Wild ones start out just like this--bold, reckless, picking fights they shouldn¡¯t. The ones who don¡¯t learn fast, don¡¯t make it long enough to get scars.¡±
I followed his gaze. Zangoose was still watching, barely visible except for the faint movement of her tail.
Silas smirked. ¡°She can understand full sentences, you know. Commands, too. If I tell her, ¡®Save Aris if something happens,¡¯ she¡¯ll figure it out. Hell, she¡¯s probably already decided what ¡®something happens¡¯ means.¡±
He didn¡¯t say it as a brag. He just said it like it was obvious. Like it was a fact.
I blinked, something clicking in my mind.
Back then, only the smartest animals could follow complex commands. Dolphins, elephants, primates, they could be trained, but only through repetition, reinforcement. Pok¨¦mon didn¡¯t need that. Even wild ones could pick up intent.
What changes them? Experience? Exposure to humans? Or was it something deeper?
I thought back to Psyduck and its ridiculous attempts to make a smiley face. I thought about Mom¡¯s Roserade, who could pick up on unspoken things as if she was reading emotions.
I thought about this Taillow, how young it was, how it hadn¡¯t yet learned fear.
¡°This isn¡¯t just a random encounter,¡± I muttered under my breath. There¡¯s some kind of system to this.
Silas raised an eyebrow but didn¡¯t interrupt.
Young Pok¨¦mon take risks because they have to. If they don¡¯t, they never learn. They don¡¯t evolve. It¡¯s a brutal system, but one that ensures only the most adaptable make it. Maybe evolution isn¡¯t just about battle experience. Maybe it¡¯s about survival in its purest form, adapting to the world, learning through trial and error.
I exhaled, eyes flicking back to the bird. This Taillow isn¡¯t afraid yet. That¡¯s the difference. It hasn¡¯t learned to be. The wild only respects those who survive long enough to know fear.
Silas crossed his arms. ¡°If you ever want to understand a Pok¨¦mon, don¡¯t look at its moves,¡± he said, his voice measured. ¡°Look at how it moves.¡±
That line stuck with me more than I wanted to admit.
I had spent years studying animal behavior in my other life, but I had never interacted with them this closely. Not like this. Silas just knew. He saw things instantly, read patterns like second nature.
And for the first time, I got what that felt like.
How it moves when it is alone. How it moves when its with others of his species. How it moves when there are other species.
"You are pretty sharp for a two-year-old, kid." Silas patted my shoulder, his voice carrying a hint of something, amusement, maybe. Approval.
I smirked, opening my mouth to throw something back at him when a rough voice cut through the air.
"I¡¯d stop feeding that Taillow if I were you, kiddo."
I turned toward the house.
A man stood at the edge of the porch, arms crossed over his chest. He was around Silas¡¯s age, maybe mid-fifties, but he carried himself differently. Where Silas had the stance of someone comfortable in his solitude, this man moved like someone who had spent his life constantly on the move.
He wore well-worn boots caked in dirt, cargo pants with a few rips near the knees, and a heavy brown ranger¡¯s jacket that looked like it had seen better years. A familiar insignia was stitched onto the sleeve, a bold "A" for an active Rank A Ranger.
His eyes, sharp and assessing, flicked from me to the bird. Then, he pointed to the sky.
A shadow passed overhead.
The wind shifted suddenly, kicking up the leaves around me. My hair whipped into my face as I followed his gesture.
Above us, a much larger figure hovered in the air, wings outstretched like a living warning.
Swellow.
Its chest feathers were slightly ruffled, its talons curled in tension. It wasn¡¯t pristine, not like some trained bird, its plumage had a few nicks, and one of its primary feathers was slightly chipped, but the sheer way it held itself made up for it. There was power there, power that came with age and experience.
"Bold little guy," the stranger said, eyes still on the bird. "But if that Swellow¡¯s its parent, you might wanna stop doing that before it gets the wrong idea."
The Taillow chirped sharply, hopping in place on the branch, seemingly oblivious to the stiff tension hanging in the air.
Silas didn¡¯t seem the least bit concerned.
"If that Swellow wanted a fight," he said, calm as ever, "it wouldn¡¯t be watching. It¡¯d be acting."
The man let out a short laugh, finally stepping off the porch and walking toward my grandfather.
"Guess some things don¡¯t change," he muttered, shaking his head.
When they were at arm¡¯s reach, they clasped hands in a rough, familiar grip before pulling into a brief, firm hug.
"Kid," Silas turned to me, still smirking. "This is Kai. Old friend of mine. We go way back."
"Way back," Kai echoed, rubbing his shoulder like remembering something painful. "First met this stubborn bastard in Oblivia. Was damn near forty years ago, now that I think about it."
Oblivia.
The name tugged at something in my memory. It was an old region, one I¡¯d seen mentioned in a few TV reports but never paid much attention to. A remote place with deep ties to Pok¨¦mon Rangers.
Kai grinned, flashing his teeth. "Silas ever tell you that story?"
I shook my head.
Kai let out an exaggerated sigh. "Figures. Probably doesn¡¯t want you to know he got lost in a jungle for three days straight."
"Two days," Silas corrected smoothly. "And I wasn¡¯t lost. I was tracking something."
Kai snorted, "Yeah, tracking your own bad decisions."
I pressed my lips together to hold in a laugh.
Kai shook his head, still grinning. Then his expression shifted just slightly--something quieter settling behind his gaze.
"You should come out more, old man," he said, more serious this time. "Some of the rangers still get together once in a while. You could drop by."
Silas gave him a flat look. "That¡¯s not for me."
Kai clicked his tongue. "Yeah, and that¡¯s why you¡¯re out here alone, in the middle of a forest, talking to a two year old."
Silas rolled his eyes, but I caught the way he exhaled through his nosenot quite amused, not quite annoyed.
"Come inside," he said instead, turning toward the house. "We¡¯ll talk there."
Kai patted my head as he passed. "You¡¯re sharper than your granddad, kid. Keep it up."
We followed after Silas. Before stepping inside, he glanced over his shoulder, throwing a short command over his back.
"Zangoose, keep watch."
From the corner of my eye, I saw a shadow shift. The leaves rustled near the treeline.
Kai whistled. "Still got her keeping an eye on things, huh?"
"She likes having a job," Silas said simply.
We stepped inside.
Kai shrugged off his jacket, draping it over a chair. "Gotta say, didn¡¯t expect to see Loren leave her kid behind." He let out a dry chuckle. "Then again, shouldn¡¯t be surprised."
I frowned slightly.
Silas leaned against the counter, arms crossed. "You got something to say, Kai?"
Kai held up a hand. "Nah, nah. Look, I get it. I respect it, actually. It¡¯s just... risky. Not for her, but for Claude."
Silas didn¡¯t answer right away.
Kai exhaled through his nose, shaking his head. "She¡¯s got that same look in her eyes her mother used to have. Stubborn as hell."
That caught my attention.
Her mother?I didn¡¯t know much about her. Nobody really talked about her. Was she a trainer too? A ranger?
I glanced between the two men, waiting for more, but neither elaborated.
Kai ran a hand through his graying hair. "And Claude, man¡" He whistled lowly. "That guy¡¯s holding it together, but I don¡¯t know. He¡¯s got too much going on in his head."
Silas exhaled. "Yeah."
That was all he said.
Silence stretched for a few seconds before Kai clapped his hands once, shaking off the heaviness.
"Anyway, I didn¡¯t come here to mope. You got any coffee, or do I have to wrestle a Pok¨¦mon for it?"
Silas smirked slightly, pushing off the counter. "You can try your luck with Zangoose."
Kai chuckled. Then, as Silas turned toward the kitchen, he clapped a firm hand on his shoulder.
"They¡¯re gonna be okay, man." His voice was quieter now, more certain. "Come on."
Silas didn¡¯t say anything right away. But eventually, he nodded.
I watched the exchange, feeling something settle in my chest.