Pokémon USUM: Hero Born of Darkness (book 1 of the HBoD series)

Prologue: The Many Beginnings

Kanto: Unknown Forest

I ran as fast as I could, jumping over fallen trees and bursting through bushes as heavy rain pelted the forest. The moon was hidden by dark storm clouds and lightning flashed, followed by a clap of thunder.

I was startled by several Oddish, who came running out of the bushes to the side of me. They dived into a thicker bush as I stood there to catch my breath. I was soaked to the skin. I didn't have a coat of any kind because I had to get out of there fast.

Suddenly I heard footsteps behind me. I whirled around to see two Team Rocket grunts in battle positions, both holding a pokeball.

The one on the left gave a crooked grin. "Well well. Look what we have here. The boss really wants ya back Zeno."

He and the grunt on the right tossed their pokeballs and two Golbats sprang out.

"Use screech!" They both yelled.

They opened their mouths wider to unleash a horrible noise like fingernails on a chalkboard. I covered my ears and backed up. I tripped over a tree root and fell in the mud. The noise stopped as the grunts rushed to get me.

When they got close, I jumped up, kicking a grunt in the process. I ducked as his friend swung a fist, then knocked her legs out from underneath her. The other grunt began to pick himself up as I began running.

One of the Golbats flew in front of me to use confuse ray, but I dodged and jumped into the Golbat, slamming it into a tree. I regained my balance and kept running, aware of the pounding footsteps of Team Rocket.

The mud and trees gave way to rocky terrain and I could see that it ended at a cliff. I stopped mere inches from the edge, loose rocks breaking off and falling. I could see a roaring river below, twisting and churning. Turning back towards the forest, I could see a dozen or so Team Rocket grunts running out of the forest, cutting off my only way to escape. Or was it the only way...

The grunt with the crooked grin spoke. "Come with us kid. Giovanni doesn't like to be kept waiting."

"I'm never going back!" I spat. "Never!"

I turned and jumped off the cliff and into the roaring river below as thunder boomed overhead.

...

Alola: Aether Foundation

A girl in a white dress and hat ran through the corridors of the Aether Foundation, keeping her bag close to her. The creature inside whimpered quietly, but the girl had no time to stop and comfort it. Suddenly several Aether employees appeared out of nowhere and blocked her path. She turned to go back the way she came, only to find it blocked by two more employees.

The girl hugged the bag and closed her eyes. Suddenly a bright light emitted from the bag and caused a mini explosion. When the smoke cleared, the girl was gone.

...

Alola: Iki Town

A dark skinned boy sat in his room only have been awake for a few minutes, but already ecstatic.

"Only a couple more days now." He murmured to himself.

He picked up a book off his floor and opened it. He normally didn't like to read, but for the occasion happening in just a few days, he had to know everything.

"Litten... nah. Evolution gets to bulky for my taste." He said to himself. "Popplio, always an option. Rowlet, loses the flying type to ghost, but that's not that bad..." He looked at the clock on his dresser read that it was 2 in the morning. He quickly shut the book, turned off the light, and got back in bed so his grandfather didn't catch him up late again.

...

Alola: Ruins of Conflict

The Guardian Deity known as Tapu Koko rested in the shadows. Suddenly his eyes snapped open. The Tapu had seen a boy in his dreams. He seemed unimportant, but something about him interested Tapu Koko.

A sentence from an old Alolan prophecy suddenly surfaced in his mind.

"A Hero Born of Darkness shall rise and confront Alola's Darkest Night."

Tapu Koko sparked with electricity as it flew out of the ruins and into the night sky. He sought his brother and sisters, the other Tapus, to confer with what he had remembered.