| Rio POV |
The sun's barely up, and I'm already regretting agreeing to walk out of town at this ungodly hour. Null's clunking along like some oversized metal puppy, Combusken's practicing kicks at anything that looks remotely like a rock, accidentally kicking another poor Geodude... Seriously, do those guys just sleep anywhere they can?
Ralts is floating beside me, looking way too awake for someone who spent half the night snacking, how someone so small can outeat a Snorlax is beyond me....
And there, standing at the city gates, is Roxanne. Arms crossed, smirking at me like she knows something I don't. Which, let's be real — she probably does.
"Well, well, well. The Pink Flash himself, off to cause chaos somewhere else," she teases, pushing a lock of hair behind her ear. "Don't tell me you're finally tired of wrecking my Gym."
I groan. "It was an accident. Accidents. Plural. Besides, your walls are stronger now, right? You're welcome."
"Oh, sure," she says, eyes twinkling with amusement. "Best renovations I've ever had — courtesy of one overpowered Lucario and his meteor-throwing partner. Really spruced up the place."
May snorts, adjusting her bag. "If we come back and she charges us rent for the damage, I'm blaming you, Rio."
"You were there too!" I protest.
"Details," she says, already walking ahead.
Roxanne steps closer, lowering her voice so it's just between us. "Be safe out there, okay? You better come back and visit. I want that rematch — when you're done playing hero."
I blink. "You serious?"
Her grin softens into something gentler. "Dead serious. Now get going before I change my mind and make you pay for those pancakes you stole too."
Null lets out a soft thump of his tail, like he's agreeing. Combusken bawks like she's ready for another battle right here, right now. Ralts waves shyly at Roxanne before grabbing my paw, tugging me forward.
I glance over my shoulder one last time as we start down the road. Roxanne's still standing there, hands on her hips, watching us go. She gives a small wave.
…Yeah. She definitely has a humiliation fetish or something. No one is that eager to lose.
"R-Rio!"
I glance at Ralts, raising a brow. "Don't look at me like that. You know I'm right."
The rest of the team look at us weirdly as we speak on our own private channel, Star and I hop onto Null's back as we head out to route 116,
And that's when it happens.
I freeze, mid-bite with Rats feeding me some of her chips, as that familiar annoying text flashes across my vision like some cosmic pop-up ad.
[New Quest Unlocked: Forgotten origins]
Objective:
A lone and injured Pokémon is nearby. Find it before it's too late.
Optional Objective:
Don't get it killed, no seriously, don't get it killed.
Rewards:
Level cap update 20 - 30
+1 IV Point
I had a level cap? Don't ascendance quests start when I reach it? Not... Two thirds of the way there? Oh I levelled up twice from beating up Roxanne's team, neat.
[SYSTEM ALERT: NEW QUEST UNLOCKED]
ALRIGHT ALRIGHT! Stop flashbanging me dammit!
Great. Now the universe wants me to play rescue squad. I sigh, already scanning the surroundings with aura sight. "Okay, team. Keep your eyes open. We've got a stray to save."
May gives me a look. "And you didn't just make that up to delay us?"
Null thumps his tail twice. Even he knows this isn't a joke. Good boy.
"Nope. This time it's legit." I pat Null's head as his tail kicks up a whirlwind, a Wurmple getting picked up by the violent air current and thrown out into the distance.
| Wurmple POV |
Today was going to be a good day. Wurmple just knew it. The sun was shining, the air smelled like fresh berries, and — oh! There he was! The nice Riolu from long ago, the one who helped Wurmple find home when it was small and lost, now all grown up, but still recognisable.
Wurmple wiggled in excitement, heart set on saying hi. Maybe the big strong Riolu would remember! Maybe they'd be friends again!
It inched closer, antennae twitching happily.
Then...
WHOOOSH.
A wild gust of wind, kicked up by that giant masked creature's tail, blasted through the clearing like a hurricane. Before Wurmple could even squeak, it was airborne, spinning helplessly through the sky like a leaf in a storm.
Wheeeee...
| Rio POV |
Uhh... it'll be fine... I think... For now, onwards!
The wind's picking up as Null lumbers down the path, his tail occasionally kicking up more unfortunate pokemon, twigs, or pebbles that ricochet off rocks with satisfying pings. Combusken's strutting ahead like she owns the route, occasionally pecking at bushes like she's hunting for snacks.
Ralts keeps offering me chips like she's on a picnic instead of a rescue mission. I take one. Never waste free food, and never hurt our Star's feelings.
"Route 116's kinda boring," I mutter, scanning ahead with aura sight. "Nothing but trees, rocks, and wild Pokémon trying to pretend we don't see them."
A Zigzagoon looks me and Null in the eye before turning onto its back and playing dead, mood.
Null lets out a soft whump of agreement, while May pulls out her map. "Rusturf Tunnel's just ahead. Maybe whatever stray you're looking for ran for cover there?"
"Maybe." I'm about to make a snarky comment when something flickers at the edge of my aura senses. Weak. Faint. Like a candle burning low.
I straighten, ears twitching. "Hold up."
Combusken pauses mid-peck. Null halts so fast I nearly slide off his back.
"What is it?" May asks, eyes narrowing as she tucks the map away.
"There's someone — something — up ahead. And it's not moving much."
Ralts clutches my fur, her usual cheer dimming a little. Hurt?
"Yeah. Let's go."
The tunnel's entrance looms, shadows stretching out like some giant mouth waiting to swallow us whole. I note the eery atmosphere of the place, how a cave you'd expect to be ambushed in every two steps by a Zubat seems almost... Lifeless.
And there — just off the main cave path, half-hidden behind a boulder, barely breathing — is a Treecko.
Her body's scraped up, tail limp, breathing shallow.
But no Brendan. No PokéNav. No trail. Just silence. I don't like this.
I get off Null's back and approach with may besides me, the closer we get, the more the air feels wrong.
No, it's Treecko's aura that's… wrong.
Not just hurt. Not just scared. Warped.
There's this oily black shimmer to it — like her life force got tangled up with something that doesn't belong here. Like watching a flame flicker inside black water. My ears flatten. This isn't just an injured Pokémon.
I step closer, ignoring the cold prickle down my spine.
And then I see it — the faint glow under her skin, along her scars — this sickly, violet light, pulsing weakly, as if ready to burst out at the slightest touch.
"What the hell…" I whisper.
May drops to her knees beside her, already pulling out a Potion. "Rio, help me stabilize—"
But I'm barely hearing her. That light. That feeling. This is no normal wound.
Rotom hovers closer, screen flickering. "UNREGISTERED ENERGY SIGNATURE DETECTED! ALERT: UNKNOWN TYPE! UNKNOWN TYPE! SEARCHING DATABASE! Searching... Searching... Found something :D"
"Come out and say it then idiot!"
Null growls low, his instincts picking up what I feel. Combusken's feathers puff up, wary.
"This Treecko has been exposed to unsafe levels of x-energy!" Rotom goes around doing cartwheels around us.
"And I'm supposed to know what that is?" I snap, ears pinned, trying to keep my voice steady as that sickly violet pulse from Treecko's body keeps drawing my eyes.
Rotom pauses mid-cartwheel. "X-Energy! A dimensional contaminant originating from a parallel universe! Nicknamed 'Xenoverse'! Causes corruption of biological matter, unpredictable mutations, high risk of—"
"English!" May cuts in, voice sharp.
"Black goop bad! Black goop Make Pokémon crazy! Black goop Maybe make Pokémon go boom!" Rotom's screen flashes with confetti graphics, spinning like this is all a game show.
Boom?!
I take a careful step back, cursed energy flickering at my paws. "And how exactly do we stop that from happening?"
Rotom's screen does that stupid loading swirl. "Hmmmmm. Data inconclusive! Recommended action: seek containment or cleansing specialist immediately! Preferred action: RUN!"
Great. Just great. I glance at May, who's trying to treat Treecko's wounds without touching the glowing patches directly. Ralts looks ready to cry. Null's tail is wagging slow and low — on edge.
May glances up at me. "There's no sign of Brendan. What if he got… whatever this is, too?"
I grit my teeth. "Then we're screwed. But first things first — we're not leaving Treecko here to melt into goo or whatever happens when this X-whatever takes over."
Null gently steps forward, lowering his armored head beside Treecko, protective as always.
"Okay," I mutter, pulling my aura tight like a shield. "We get her out of here, fast, before this corruption spreads. And if anything so much as twitches the wrong way… We incinerate first, ask questions later."
Combusken flares up beside me, her flames crackling like she's just waiting for the word.
"... I SAID YOU'RE MEANT TO BE A PHYSICAL ATTACKER GODDAMIT!"
Word Count: 1546
Poor Treecko. First she loses her spotlight as the main character, now she's one bad pulse away from becoming a science experiment.
MC: And that would be my problem to fix, thank you soooo much...
You're welcome, also, someone please tell Combusken she's not a Charizard.