A/N: Part 5 should take a bit longer than usual, gotta get through finals and all that good shit.
I don't own Pokémon. If I did, the Aipom line would have gotten the move Tail Slap from the beginning.
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"Staraptor! Wing Attack!"
"Quick Attack! Then Echoed Voice!"
Like a furious comet, Starpator descended from the skies. The flying type raced towards your Pokémon, the nearby treetops rippling from the force released during the dive.
With a burst of white, Meloetta shot several feet backwards. The Pokémon then pulled in a breath of air to perform the follow up move.
Unfortunately for the mythical Pokémon, it would not get to complete the attack. Staraptor spun out of her dive in midair, and took with her all of her momentum. The senior Pokémon then drove a muscular wing into Meloetta's solar plexus, knocking the wind out of the psychic type.
Your Pokémon was thrown backwards across the ground with a weak yelp. Staraptor shot towards the skies one more, never once stopping her movement.
Even when it reached the peak of its path, it still circled far above the arena. Only the shadowy outline of the Pokémon was visible in the burning sunlight.
"A good attempt, but your movement patterns are predictable. Switch your strategy up, the same trick will not fool an experienced trainer twice," Inga called. Exploud stood at her side, his eyes shifting between the two Pokémon doing battle.
"Meloetta!" You yelled out. The Pokémon in question rose from the ground. It was bruised, but still far from out of the fight. "Use the nearby debris, and make a shield!"
"Me!" Nearby rocks about the size of your palm were suddenly surrounded in an eerie, purple light. "Lo-Ta!"Two dozen or so stones surrounded Meloetta, spinning around it like a miniaturized cyclone.
It's important to note that these stones are fundamentally different from the ones produced by a rock type move.
When a Pokémon uses a move, they infuse it with natural elemental energies corresponding to the type of the attack. Where these energies come from is a source of great scientific debate, but that was a topic for another time. In summary, these rocks would not be 'super effective' if used against Staraptor.
That doesn't mean they wouldn't still sting like hell.
Inga lifted an eyebrow. "Quick Attack!"
In one heartbeat, Staraptor began her dive.
During the next, she was already Upon Meloetta.
"P-Psybeam!" Your original intent was to use the rocks to temporarily hinder Staraptor, so that Meloetta had time to complete its attack.
It partly worked.
Meloetta managed to fire off its attack, but Staraptor broke through the improvised barrier with little resistance and sent Meloetta flying again. A particularly unfortunate tree was the victim of the Psybeam. The beam of purple light struck the nearby timber dead center. At first, the tree appeared to be unharmed by the move. But the bark soon began to twist and bend, before it was suddenly blown to smithereens.
Psychic types were rather scary.
"Unfortunate. But at least we were closer that time." You had been trying for a while to get Meloetta to replicate that barrier it had used to shield you from its Hyper Voice, but you were ultimately unsuccessful. Rather than the unbreakable wall from back in the forest, Meloetta was only able to conjure a flimsy barrier that did little more than protect against weak attacks. The shield resembled a rather rudimentary Light Screen, perhaps it could be refined into said move.
You had asked Inga about this discrepancy, and she had told you something about Pokémon gaining unexpected bursts of strength during extreme stress. This was also the reason so many Pokémon happened to evolve during intense battles.
It was like an adrenaline boost, just kicked up to eleven.
"Anime logic strikes once again." You locked eyes with Meloetta, giving the Pokémon an encouraging smile.
Staraptor was circling again. You had to plan fast. If there was one thing you learned during your training with Inga, it was that she hated wasting time.
"Wing Attack! Once more!" The flying type let out a deep screech as she spun towards the earth.
"Psybeam, then Quick Attack!" Eyes glowing, Meloetta released a beam of energy directly upwards towards Staraptor. The avain Pokémon spiraled around the beam without missing a beat, never once leaving her original trajectory.
Meloetta then rushed Staraptor as the latter Pokémon descended. Staraptor tucked its body inwards to dodge the Quick Attack, but was not as successful this time around.
Both Pokémon struck each other simultaneously. Meloetta's legs struck Staraptor's chest, while the flying type's wing struck the smaller Pokémon on the side of the head.
However, only Meloetta plummeted out of the air as a result of the exchange. The damage it had taken over the course of the fight had finally taken its toll.
You rushed over to the downed Pokémon. Pulling out an oran berry, you held it up for the Pokémon to eat.
"You did well, Staraptor. Now Return." The flying type glared at you as it disappeared into its Pokéball.
"You've improved, but you've still got room to grow." Inga had finally deemed you and Meloetta suitable for battle, and you had been participating in these mock battles in the past day or two. "Staraptor, and many other airborne Pokémon tend to pick up a lot of speed when diving. Pulling out of that dive takes quite a bit of energy, and slows the Pokémon substantially. Try executing multiple Quick Attacks when these Pokémon come close to the ground. That'll give you more distance." She gestured for you to finish.
"And...that means the Pokémon will lose more speed trying to close that distance?" You guessed.
Inga continued, "Exactly. If you plan on overcommitting to an action, you make damn sure you execute it successfully. Try raising the distance your Pokémon can travel with Quick Attack as well. It'll save you energy in drawn out battles."
"Lo-ta?" Your Pokémon tugged on your arm lightly.
"You did great Meloetta." The Pokémon preened itself as you patted it on the head.
"Ploud. Ex-ploud."
"He says good work to the both of you," Inga translated. The bulky normal type had continued its training with Meloetta over the course of the past week. For this exact reason, you were forbidden from using Hyper Voice during the sparring matches. Inga didn't want your Pokémon to wear itself out, and she compensated by having her Pokémon also hold off on their stronger moves.
That was honestly a blessing. As you expected, Meloetta couldn't take physical hits too well.
Speaking of stronger moves. "Say, Inga?"
"Hm?"
"How does one go about combining moves together?" That was one piece of information that would be invaluable. You were pretty sure Ash had done it at some point in the anime, but you couldn't remember the specifics of the event. No such equivalent really existed in the games either. There were the elemental pledge moves, but those required two Pokémon to attack simultaneously.
Inga sighed, "Combining moves is simply not feasible for beginning trainers. In order to create a new attack, you first must fully master the components."
Damn, what a letdown. But at least you didn't have to worry about every trainer you encountered having some odd combo move.
"Exploud." The Pokémon motioned towards his trainer.
"Ah." Inga straightened her body. "Thanks for reminding me. When do you two plan on leaving?"
"Soon...Probably. If it's okay with you, that is." As it would happen, Professor Juniper had sent you quite the generous sum of money, 10,000 Pokédollars to be precise. You had picked it up alongside your eviolite earlier this week.
This expedited the start of your journey significantly, as you wouldn't have to continue taking odd jobs in order to make ends meet.
Inga rubbed the bridge of her nose. "I'm not your momma (y/n). If you think you're ready to go, then go ahead."
"Lo-Me!" Meloetta gave a little cheer in support.
"You...you don't think I need more training?" You looked up to Inga.
"You're obviously still a greenhorn, but getting out there and gathering experience will help you grow faster. Even if I try to switch my battling style up, I've still fought the same way for decades. You can only learn so much from sparring against me." You suppose that made sense. Inga was a very aggressive individual in battle, preferring for her Pokémon act quickly and efficiently.
Employing the same strategies you had learned with her against more passive trainers would lead you to failure.
"If we're talking about leaving, then I still have to buy supplies for my Journey. Are there any specific things you would recommend purchasing. L-like more obscure stuff you wouldn't think to bring, I mean?" There were numerous online resources dedicated to describing what items to bring along for a new journey. But once again, a more experienced guide couldn't hurt.
"Tell you what kid. I've been meaning to go up to the Pokémart for a while now. Gotta grab some Pokéchow and such. I'll meet you up there around two."
"Gotcha, well...see you then." You and Meloetta waved goodbye. Inga and her Pokémon returned the gesture.
...
Inga stood at the entrance of the Pokémart just as she said she would. She had a small bag slung over her left shoulder, and was shooting disapproving looks at anybody who strolled too close to her. She turned to face you as you drew closer to her.
"(y/n), are you ready?"
"As...as ready as I'll ever be."
"Then let's get moving. I'm an expert at this, so just follow my lead." Inga moved with
"An expert...an expert at...what exactly?" You and Meloetta shared worried expressions as you picked up a cart to place items in.
"Get out of my way-Get out of my way." Inga pushed past some people, drawing quite a few surprised looks. In all fairness, they were standing in the middle of isle, but-
"Sorry about that...she's uh...having a bad day." A middle aged woman shook her head as you sped up your movement to catch the rampaging old lady.
"Here we go!" Inga called from the end of the aisle. She gestured to a rack of bags, the majority of them adorned with a Pokéball logo.
You looked up the rack of bags. "These are...those storage bags, right?"
Inga nodded. "Get one of the backpacks...they won't get in your way as often." You obliged, and as you turned to face her-
"Lo-Me!" Meloetta was pointing off in some direction.
"Where the hell is she running off to? The store isn't closing soon or anything."
You caught up to Inga momentarily. "Thought I saw something interesting, but I was mistaken," she explained. "Hmm, gotta get you some clothes too."
"I have clothes...the hotel gave me them. I guess I need boots and such, but..." You raised an eyebrow.
"Well, the hotel did you awfully dirty. Gave you the ugliest pair of britches I've ever seen. You can do better than that." Inga sighed. "Besides, those clothes are good for civilian life. For trainers, they make specialized stuff that's resistant against the elements." Inga gestured to a rack of shirts. "Toss one of these in the freezer, and it can hold a chill for twenty four hours straight."
That was pretty neat, a look at the packaging revealed that the technology was developed based on how certain Ice and Fire type Pokémon thermoregulate.
Inga led you through a variety of clothing racks, and by the end of it all you swore you enough to outfit an entire expedition team. Thank goodness Juniper paid well.
Next came the food.
You reached down towards several bags of normal type food, but Inga pulled your hand away. She then proceeded to pull the most expensive bags of Pokémon food off of the shelf. "This stuff is the best for nutrition. It restores stamina and aids in healing better than any other brand."
"Does...does it taste alright? Meloetta seemed to like the other stuff."
"I'm...not entirely sure." Inga replied. "Pokémon food supposedly tastes different for humans. I've tried it once, too extreme for my palette. Speaking of...those bags keep food fresh for an extended period of time as well. Bring some non-perishable food along just in case, but I recommend preparing some foil-packet meals as well."
You tossed the recommended items, as well as a bag of snacks Meloetta was eyeing up into your little cart.
After that came the Xtransciever models. You almost opted for a Holo Caster, but those were apparently in short supply. Lysandre Labs apparently liked to keep its business centered in Kalos. Nonetheless, it was quite a relief to have something similar to your phone from back home. The devices also provided detailed maps of the Unova region, which would be invaluable for your expedition.
...
All in all, even with the brisk pace Inga had set, it took you about two hours to purchase all of your supplies. With all of the clothing, food, and camping supplies you had to purchase, you had very little left over for Pokémon items.
Most of those remaining funds went towards Potions and other healing items, so you had very little left for Pokéballs.
Inga showed you how to use your fancy magic backpack. Everything you purchased was able to fit inside seamlessly, and the weight of the bag didn't even change one bit. You stuck your Eviolite and White Herb into one of the more secure pockets, and then tuned to Inga.
"Well old lady...I'll probably leave tomorrow morning." Goodbyes we're always an awkward affair, especially with people you weren't particularly close with. "I'll be seeing you then."
"Indeed...I expect you to put your lessons to good use. Speaking of..." Inga reached into her bag, before pulling out a piece of white fabric. "I'd like you to take this, consider it a token of thanks."
You reached out to take the item, and were immediately quite surprised. Do you know that therapeutic feeling you get when petting a cat?
Well, multiply that feeling times ten. The cloth was so soft, you had no idea how it could even have been made by human hands.
"It's a silk scarf, which makes normal moves stronger. I figured that it'd be a good fit for your Pokémon." So that was what she was grabbing earlier.
"Y'know, I should probably be the one paying you back. I'll admit I wasn't too enthusiastic to learn under you at first...but I don't think I would've been able to grow so fast otherwise."
"Me-Lo-Ta!"
The old lady frowned, before glancing at the Pokéballs at her belt. "If you really want to pay me back...come back and fight me someday."
You grinned "I can certainly manage that. And when I fight you again...I'll finally defeat you."
Inga gave a smile back. Said smile promised death and suffering, but it was nonetheless still a smile. "Don't be too cocky, kid. I don't plan on making things easy for you."
A flash of light, and Exploud emerged from its Pokéball. The elder Pokémon leaned down and began an exchange with Meloetta, that you could only assume was some form of a pep talk.
"One more thing, give me your Xtransciever." You handed her the item in question, which she fiddled with for a few moments. "I put my phone number in there. I'd like to hear routine reports on your journey...Just don't call too late!"
You laughed slightly, then bid your goodbyes. As you turned around one last time, you couldn't help but smile back at the dopey grin Exploud wore on its face.
...
The alarm on your Xtransciever sent a shrill ring across the room. You groggily shook yourself awake, and nudged Meloetta awake as you stood up to stretch.
"Whose bright idea was it to get up so damn early." You wanted to get moving by sunrise, to maximize the amount of daylight you had for travel.
"Really does feel like I'm back in school, Huh." You began to bundle up, as a drowsy Meloetta spun aimlessly across the room.
With you things packed, you made your way to the front desk. The man who had been monitoring your stay raised an eyebrow as you approached. "Leaving so soon? I hope the room wasn't too bad."
Awkwardly rubbing the back of your head, you answered the man. "It was fine, I'd just like to get a jump start on things."
"Jump start? Most trainers have already made their way up the gym circuit, the routes should be pretty clear for you... But I guess a bit of initiative never hurt anybody."
You handed over your key, and after some more incredibly exciting paperwork, you were home free.
The morning was just as cold as the previous ones. The streets were rather empty, with only a few lone pedestrians ambling along towards their day jobs. The tall buildings draped the streets in a heavy layer of darkness, giving the normally comfortable town a feeling that was both ominous and surreal.
The sign marking the beginning of Route 2 sat just north of the town gate. Meloetta pulled itself into your shoulder as you stared down the dark wilds once more. The rising sun in the distance painted the treetops in a shade of red, the woods shaking slightly from the morning breeze.
The Pokémon's actions gave you an idea. Reaching into the bag, you pulled out the Silk Scarf Inga gave you and wrapped it around the Pokémon's neck.
"Me-Lo?" The Pokémon raised an arm to rub at the fabric.
"There! That should help keep you warm. Now-" You took your first steps into the dark path, "Let's get moving."
The woods still gave off an eerie feeling, but this time, any feelings of fear were overtaken by wonder and excitement. Regardless of your current situation, you were still going on a Pokémon adventure.
The sun rose higher as you shuffled your way through the woods. Aside from a few down branches, the main path was rather well maintained.
In a nearby tree, a Skovet let of out a series of chirping laughs as it chucked off acorn shells at a severely pissed off Venipede. The bug type let out a series of furious hisses as the projectiles harmlessly clinked off its armor.
As Venipede began slamming its body into the tree, you contemplated trying to catch one of them. However, you decided to hold off for now. Both species were rather common, and you had very limited Pokéballs to spare.
Furthermore, a series of flashing orange lights deeper into the woods caught your attention. Meloetta let out a gasp, which drew the attention of Skovet. Said Pokémon then jumped out of the tree, fleeing deep into the woods. Venipede took after it, a dark energy coating the body of the poison type as it ran.
Wary of potential danger, you moved silently towards the source of the light. As you drew closer, you recognized the clear sound of human voices.
"Are they doing construction? I don't hear any equipment..." Out of nowhere, a bright purple spotlight began sweeping across the trees. It came from somewhere high above you, casting everything it touched in an ethereal glow.
You instantly tensed up, no small amount of fear creeping up your neck. And the moment your emotions spiked, the light snapped onto you.
You and Meloetta were illuminated against the treeline.
"Hey! Who goes there!" A male voice shouted.
No sense in trying to hide now, you made your way into the open, and were greeted with a group of Pokémon rangers. Towards the front of the group stood a Beheeyem, its arm outstretched.
"I'm just passing through...don't want any problems." You raised your arms to the sky in an attempt to appear non threatening.
"He's clear everyone!" A pair of arms sliced through the crowd. Beheeyem lowered its arm. The purple light disappeared, and a set of flashing green eyes shifted towards Meloetta.
An unfamiliar face stepped forward. "Names Clyde!" The man was rather tall, with tanned skin and a deep scar over his left eye. Sensing your confusion, he continued. "Doubt you remember me, but I saw you around home base."
Upon your identification, the rest of the group went back to whatever the hell they were doing previously.
Various conversations broke out as the Rangers scattered to the surrounding area. You took the time to analyze your surroundings. The road was blocked by a row of barricades, and a pair of armored Jeeps sat nearby. A set of flashing lights atop the vehicles was clearly the source of the earlier phenomenon.
You let out a sigh of relief, "Nice to meet you...what's...going on around here."
"Poachers," the man let out a groan. "Those scumbags are taking advantage of the recent disaster to try and catch displaced Pokémon. Some genius decided to try and nab Salamence. Three guesses as to how that went."
Surely Salamence and the Poachers became the best of friends, going on to start up a successful business venture together.
"Anyways, they got the old dragon all riled up again, and he went ahead and started rampaging."
"So...the path is closed." What shitty luck, on your first day of adventuring too.
"Fraid so...we don't want anybody becoming a Dragon's supper...But that's why Beeheyem is here! If you want, he can Teleport you straight to Straiton." You nearly jumped out of your skin when the Pokémon in question materialized mere inches away from you. It waved its blinking arm around in what you assumed was some form of greeting.
You awkwardly waved back, which seemed to satisfy the Pokémon. "I don't know...I was hoping to explore a bit..."
Clyde chuckled, before continuing. "There is another way around. It's a bit longer, but at least the view from the cliffs is nice."
You booted up the map on your Xtransciever, and sure enough, there was an alternate path. Unlike the mostly straight routes in the Black and White games, the various routes contained many branching paths. Most trainers opted to follow the main path, which was the most well guarded and maintained.
The screen of the Xtransciever showed one of these alternative paths, the route taking you in a large loop past a bay area. "No way I'm making it to Straiton anytime soon." Good thing you weren't in a rush.
You thanked the man, before going along your merry way.
...
The first day of travel came and went rather uneventfully. Outside of the incident with the rangers, nothing of note really happened.
You spotted quite a number of Pokémon, but most of them opted to stay out of your way.
You were thankful you hadn't experienced the classic Beedrill gag the anime was so fond of. The alternative path was rather empty, which left very few trainers to potentially battle. You did encounter some lone hikers. Unfortunately, none of them carried Pokémon.
No doubt most people had opted to stay clear of southern Unova in light of recent events. The wild Pokémon were likely cautious for the same reason.
While uneventful, your journey was certainly still exciting. It felt...liberating in a sense.
You had no school to attend.
You had no job to grind through.
There was no social status you needed to maintain, no appearance you had to worry about.
Out here, it was really just you and Pokémon. When you weren't fighting for your life, it was a really nice feeling. Perhaps this is why people in your old world were so fond of going out into the wilderness. This was the freedom they sought to attain.
You had spent most of yesterday walking, until you found flat ground to set up your tent on. You then prepared a rather basic meal for you and your Pokémon. Meloetta had shoveled its own food down in about ten seconds flat. "Guess the kibble was a hit, or maybe it was hungry." A look at the label revealed that the brand contained no small amount of sugar, in addition to the more beneficial nutrients you expected.
Go figure
Afterwards, you had the Pokémon go through its daily voice exercises, just as Exploud had taught them.A few wild Pokémon had gathered to watch the show, and you had taken great enjoyment in watching a Fletching catch the food scraps you tossed to it in midair. After eating, you turned in for the night, opting to sleep in a bit later than you had the previous day.
As you had made your way west, the forest's thickness had diminished. Towering rock formations had taken the place of the dense timbers. The weather had grown even chillier, in spite of the sun intensifying within the past few hours.
You had eventually stopped and torn into your lunch, deciding against making a fire. It was getting quite windy, and there were little options for shelter out here.
Speaking of winds, the breeze had become distinctly salty, meaning you should've been going in the right direction.
Eventually, the craggy path has led to a worn, wooden bridge. Beneath said bridge was a forty foot drop, the only thing waiting below was a series of jagged rock. Waves broke against the stone below, sending splashes of white foam and seawater high into the air. The only thing stopping somebody from falling off was a flimsy rope net lining the sides.
"This feels like a future lawsuit." You took one step onto the rickety bridge and felt it shake slightly beneath you. You paused, taking a moment to regain your footing.
"Lo-Ta?"
"I'm just...being cautious here. I doubt they'd leave this up if it wasn't secure, but..."
*Plop*
The noise resembled a stone or something similarly heavy being tossed into water. You peered over the bridge to look for the source, but the mist combined with the glare from the sun obscured your vision. "Probably a fish...or a Pokémon, I guess."
Another sound, and you then spotted a pair of Dwebble attempting to skip stones across the water. They weren't very good at it, only getting a few bounces before their projectiles sank. An exhausted looking Crustle seemed to be trying to teach them the ropes, but the Dwebble obviously weren't listening.
You wondered whether the Pokémon had witnessed people doing this, or if it was something they had managed to figure out on their own.
Eventually, the Dwebble just gave up and started throwing rocks at each other. Crustle let out a groan, retreating into its shell.
You returned your focus to the task at hand. Inching your across the bridge, you made it across without accident, only for-
"Man, really?" You could see at least a dozen similar bridges, connecting various rock formations that jutted out from massive cliff sides that stretched high into the sky. The bridges formed a clear path to the horizon, which was coated in a thin layer of fog.
One by one, you made your way across the structures, pausing only to maintain your stability. Dotted among the natural terrain were remnants of what appeared to be ancient buildings. You even spotted a completely intact stone brick tower, the bottom of which was partially submerged in the waters below. The bridges eventually led to a flat, yet narrow section of rock, which was dotted with thin patches of grass.
You propped onto the ground, and Meloetta took its place next to you. "Guy was right, the view is nice." While still a bit foggy, you could see the massive pillars of rock that rose from the bay. "All in all-"
Your thoughts were interrupted by Meloetta yanking you by the shirt, a stinging pain racing through your back as you were thrown onto the ground.
Before you could even garner what was going on, you heard a loud popping noise. A small section of rock behind where you were sitting was immediately blasted to pieces by a heavy burst of water.
You pulled Meloetta down, the Pokémon was frantically searching around for whatever tried to shoot at you. Peering over the edge of the rock, you spotted your attacker.
Through the mist and crashing waves, you spotted a...Clauncher, was it? It was quite far out there. Had it not just tried to kill you, you would have been pretty damn impressed by its accuracy. The shrimp themed Pokémon was coated in a thick shell of blue armor, and was emitting bellows of steam from its bulky left claw. A pair of eyes were looking directly at-
"Shit!" You pulled your head back just in time as another jet of water was shot at you. The attacks strongly resembled the Water Guns Jellicent had attacked with back then.
While said move was rather weak in the games, anything with a good amount of speed and pressure behind could become quite lethal. Case in point, sufficiently powerful streams of water could slice through even metal.
You turned to your Pokémon, "See that Pokémon Meloetta."
"Me-Lo!"
"Blast it with an Echoed Voice, I doubt it's in the mood to talk."
Your Pokémon took in a sharp breath, before sending a sharp burst of sound towards the water.
You popped your head up just in time to see Clauncher get struck.
It did not fall gracefully. The Pokémon was launched tail over head, its legs flailed awkwardly as it was sent tumbling through the air.
A dull splash sounded as Clauncher disappeared into the waves. "We won't be seeing him again."
You stood up, dusting yourself off. "Let's get going, Meloetta." You were kind of out in the open here, and the locals were apparently not too amicable.
As you continued along the path, the bridges got longer and more shaky, until you reached what appeared to be a series of caves situated throughout the cliffside. The path was marked by a wooden railing that lined the edges of the cave. A series of gaps and holes in the ceiling illuminated the tunnels.
There were even some ornate steel plagues scattered throughout the caverns. Although the text on them had clearly faded with time, you were able to glean that this area had quite the historical significance.
Ages ago, armies had set up encampments along these cliffs. Soldiers had used these fortifications to bombard enemy ships that were attempting to enter the bay. Rather than any conventional weaponry, they had used native Gigalith. Once the Rock type had absorbed enough solar power, the energy beams they launched could allegedly sink ships from miles away.
"That's a bit strange, I always remembered Gigalith as a physical attacker." Meloetta hummed lightly as thoughts swirled in your head.
Well, that explains the ruins you saw earlier. In addition to those, you spotted a castle that was mostly intact atop the cliffs. It would be quite the interesting place to explore, assuming it was legal to do so.
Oh! You were out of the cave system now. Crossing a particularly long bridge, you found yourself on a circular rocky platform. The only way off was another bridge that stretched across the open waters. A small wall of stony brick stood between you and the open ocean.
"Me-Lo-Ta!" Your Pokémon frantically tugged on your shoulder.
You followed it, gaze down towards the water, and cursed under your breath. Clauncher was back, and it had brought along friends this time around.
Quite a distance out, A trio of bulky sea stacks jutted out of the water. As waves crashed against the bottom of the rock formations, you could see no less than two dozen Clauncher making their way up the rocky towers.
Even at this distance, you could hear the chorus of clicks and cries sounding from the Pokémon. And while you were no expert on the species-
-they didn't sound too pleased. The following jet of water that nearly turned you into another piece of ancient history confirmed your theory. You dived behind the rock wall, onto the platform. Meloetta pulled itself down just in time to avoid the dozen or so bursts of liquid that were sent flying over your heads. A series of thundering bangs sounded, and you could feel the platform you were on tremble.
"Alright, here's the plan." You pulled Meloetta close. "Drop down behind the tower we're on. Nail them with a Hyper Voice. After that, we run like hell." If there were that many here already...then there could very well be more hidden below.
"Lo-Ta!" The Pokémon gave a salute, before diving behind the tower. The wall continued to shake from the impact of the water jets, and various chips of rock bounced onto your head due to the aftermath of the attacks.
You covered your ears just in time for the massive wave of sound that followed. The bridges connected to the tower shook due to the resulting shockwave.
It was not nearly as powerful as the one in the forest, but despite that...
You peered your head out to see the group of now stunned and possibly unconscious Clauncher tumbling into the waters below. Said waters were rippling even more fiercely than before due to the aftermath of Meloetta's attack.
"Me-Lo!" The Pokémon had returned, tugging on your arm to ensure your safety.
"H-Hey, I'm alright." You patted the Pokémon on the head. "Good work out there, you really saved my ass again."
Goodness, fate certainly did not like being tempted.
A loud clicking noise took you and Meloetta out of the moment. From beneath the waves, one more Pokémon emerged.
In the wild, Pokémon often lived and fought in groups in order to maximize their chances of survival. These groups often consisted of Pokémon within the same evolutionary line, with the strongest member appointed as the leader. The Pawniard line was the classic example of this, forming a strict hierarchy of authority based on how far along the evolutionary chain a Pokémon was.
A lone Clawitzer made its way up the sea stack, its focus directed onto the waters below. The Pokémon's signature weapon was absurd as you expected, the claw shaped artillery piece easily exceeding the size of your torso.
Clawitzer then shifted its eyes onto your own, and you began a silent stare down with the Pokémon. And just when you thought things weren't going to escalate again...
The Pokémon again lowered its gaze to water below, before facing you once more and letting a series of clicks that dripped with a fury you had seen only in Pinsir.
The water type shifted its weapon, a burst of steam escaping from the massive claw. You had no time to dive down, or even issue a command to Meloetta. In the blink of an eye, Clawitzer released a wave of pink energy directly into the raging waters below. The ocean then began to emit a rosy glow.
Emerging from beneath the waves, the swarm of Clauncher from earlier surfaced. Their bodies were undamaged, and you soon found their gazes upon you and Meloetta. A series of clicks and chatters emerged from the Pokémon, no doubt they were in disarray after what just happened.
"Claw! Claw-zer! Clawitzer!"
The group fell silent. You did not act, still clinging onto the futile hope that the conflict could be resolved without further violence. Perhaps Clawitzer could act as a voice of reason here!
As soon as the evolution cried out, the Clauncher scattered. Some made their way onto the Sea stacks. Others remained floating within the waves.
However, the majority began swimming past your position, attaching themselves to various other rock formations.
"Oh shit." The Pokémon were not fleeing.
They were surrounding you.
"The bridge-" As soon as you turned to flee, a beam of water as wide as you were tall reduced the bridge on your left to a cloud of dust and splinters. The other bridge suffered a similar fate, the remains of your only means of escape plummeting into the waters below.
"Claw." You jerked your head up to face the Pokémon. It gave only a slight nod to you, before training its weapon onto Meloetta.
You felt your heartbeat hasten as you threw yourself behind the wall once more, taking your Pokémon with you. "M-Meloetta!"
The Pokémon dove to its feet, standing protectively in front of you, its eyes glowing purple as it gazed at the Clauncher below. The water types weren't attacking, but they all had their claws trained directly on you.
"A-Alright, I need a plan here. If we can just take out..." You never got to complete that thought. A furious roar assaulted your eardrums, before a beam of turquoise energy sliced through the rocky tower you were standing on. You instantly fell backwards, plummeting directly towards the water before you felt a tug on your body.
You watched as the rock formation you were previously standing on crumbled and fell like the world's most unfortunate game of Jenga.
Meloetta held an arm outstretched, its eyes glowing purple as it held you suspended in the air. The Pokémon was panicking, trickles of sweat flowing down its face as it kept you afloat.
Clawitzer did not wait. A deep blue glow formed within its titanic claw.
"Meloetta! Hyper Voice!"
A mystical spiral of roaring water answered the Explosion of noise. The force of the clash rocked the valley, parts of the nearby cliffs breaking off and tumbling into the waters due to the force of the two attacks. Despite its power, Clawitzer's Water Pulse was instantly pushed back. The Pokémon let out a desperate cry as the Hyper Voice tore into its outer shell.
Just as Meloetta was about to win out, a series of water jets struck it in the back. Just for a moment, you felt the psychic hold on you shake. You felt yourself plummet towards the sea, before Meloetta could get a hold on you once more. Your stomach heaved, and you felt great regret for the generous breakfast you had consumed earlier.
Meloetta let out a cry of shock as its attack was directed off course, the wave of sound obliterating the sea stack Clawitzer was on.
The tower crumbled, and the Pokémon fell into the turbulent waters as it lost its footing entirely.
You searched around frantically, looking for any sort of out.
A Goldeen gazed at you curiously, what the hell was it even doing?
You soon found sanctuary, a flat area of rock jutting out from the cliffside. "Meloetta, t-toss me onto those rocks. O-once it comes back, attack with Psybeam, and keep moving with Quick Attack!"
Your Pokémon obliged, and not a second too early. Just as you landed on the rocky surface, Clawitzer emerged from the water. Using the recoil from its shots, the Pokémon blasted itself through the air like some demented missile.
Meloetta wrapped itself in a curtain of white just as Clawitzer aimed its weapon on the psychic type. A series of water bursts from the Clauncher passed harmlessly through Meloetta's previous location. Clawitzer let out a hiss of pain as a purple beam struck in the back of the head.
The Pokémon fell, and its form disappeared within the turbulent bay. The Clauncher stopped shooting, the Pokémon waiting in nervous anticipation for their leader to appear.
The waters near you erupted into a massive splash, and a swirling blue Sphere of compressed energy was sent flying towards Meloetta.
"Dodge with Quick Attack! Then Hyper Voice!"
Meloetta shot backwards, skidding across the air as it pulled in the energy to launch its sound attack. Unfortunately for the both of you, it seemed Clawitzer was playing with aimbot.
The sphere of energy curved its trajectory mid-flight, chasing down Meloetta as if it had a mind of its own. Meloetta was rocked by an explosion of azure, never getting the chance to complete its attack.
Things must have been going too good for you, because the universe decided to chuck another curveball your way.
The rocky ledge you were sitting on began to crumble, chunks of earth plummeting below. Leaning back against the cliffside, you began to look around for any sign of Clawitzer.
"Meloetta, Teeter Dance!" While Sing would have been a better option to disable the Clauncher, Meloetta had to maintain much more focus to cast the latter move.
You simply could not afford for your Pokémon to be a sitting duck.
Another chunk of rock fell, you had little time until you fell again.
Fortunately for the both of you, Meloetta's attack was working. You knew well enough to avoid staring directly at the psychic type as it performed the odd dance.
The Clauncher were not as wise, and the Pokémon began aimlessly firing off attacks. Stray Water Guns were launched in all directions. A few Clauncher who weren't confused began trying to rally their friends. They were caught in the crossfire, the chaos only intensifying.
But where was...
The water rippled nearby, and Clawitzer was rocketing toward the skies once more. Its claw was wrapped in a familiar turquoise glow, the visage of a snarling dragon coating the weapon.
"Meloetta! Use-"
"That's enough!"
You froze.
Meloetta halted its dance.
Clawitzer stopped its attack, the Pokémon plummeting towards the waters once more.
Even the Clauncher below stopped their erratic movements.
The voice spoke with absolute authority, and your instincts knew it would be foolish to disobey it.
Desperately clinging onto your platform, you forced your gaze toward the skies. A figure stood at the edge of the cliffside. All features were unidentifiable, the beating sun provided only a shadowy outline of his figure.
"Who the hell?" Clawitzer raised its head out of the water, eyes locked onto the mysterious individual. "Why did it stop?"
The figure then leapt off the goddamned cliffside. plummeting well over a hundred feet down onto a nearby spire of rock.
His legs should have been shattered...No, he should have been dead. A human surviving that high of a drop would have been a miracle.
But no, the man landed in a crouch perfectly unharmed. He then straightened, casually stretching his back as if nothing extraordinary had just happened.
He was a tall man, well into the six foot range. His flaming orange and red hair was immediately distinguishable. No less than a dozen worn Pokéballs were situated around his neck and waist.
"Well then," Alder adopted a kindly smile as his gaze swept across the area. "Now that we've settled down, how about a nice meal?"
...
The clouds had rolled in by the time Alder had gotten a fire going. After things had calmed down, Meloetta had lifted you to safety.
Alder had then taken you all to a flat section of the ruins, where he had taken to preparing a meal for the lot of you. He had said it was imitation seafood, the champion was not comfortable with eating Pokémon.
Such a view was rather common among trainers, but most people took little issue with consuming Pokémon. Obviously, certain species were consumed more often than others, with Pokémon like Magikarp being the most common.
You and Meloetta sat on one side of the bonfire, and the wild Pokémon had taken their place opposite to you. Clawitzer stood closest to the fire, the group of Clauncher cautiously keeping their distance. By some Miracle, Alder had convinced them to join you.
From its place on your left knee. Meloetta fixed the evolved water type with a wary look. Clawitzer returned the gesture, snapping its larger claw threateningly. Up close, you could see the various faded scars that adorned the Pokémon.
Alder whistled as he stoked the fire, before leaning backwards onto a nearby rock. "Hey now, no need to get violent. Nobody's gonna hurt each other." He tapped his hand against his chest, right above where his heart was. "You have my word."
You patted Meloetta on the head. "We can trust him." The Pokémon loosened up, but the awkward atmosphere did not vanish.
Alder stroked his chin as he turned his gaze onto you. "Young man, I don't believe I got your name."
"Uh...I'm (y/n), and this is Meloetta." The psychic type gave a little wave. "I'm a new trainer, just out of Accumula."
Alder retrieved the food from the fire, divvying it up onto a number of small plates he pulled out from under his plate. "Accumula...Huh? Quite a nice place, I assume you've seen the local music group?
"I have, it was pretty impressive."
It smelled pretty good, and apparently the Clauncher agreed. A chorus of happy cries emerged from the Pokémon at the promise of food, until Clawitzer silenced them with a snap of its weapon.
Alder chuckled as he handed Clawitzer its portion, the champion making sure to keep a respectful distance as he did so. The man then moved to pass out the rest of the food.
Clawitzer only gave the Clauncher a signal to eat once you and Meloetta had received your food, and the normal type had dug in with gusto. Taking a bite, you were surprised at how it tasted. "Must have been pre seasoned."
"That's the spirit! C'mon, you can't grow strong if you don't eat right!" The champion grinned as Meloetta and the Clauncher tore into their food. Clawitzer took in slower bites, routinely stopping its meal to ensure the safety of its brethren.
Despite the quality of the food, you weren't able to finish the generous portion you had been given. Out of the corner of your eye, you spotted one of the wild Clauncher staring at your plate. You set the remaining portion on the ground, and the wild Pokémon strolled over and began eating. "The food is great Mr. Alder, I'm just not too hungry right now," you clarified. You didn't want to look rude in front of somebody who just gave you a free meal.
Somebody who possibly saved your life, as well.
"Ah, don't worry about it (y/n)...and just call me Alder. Out here, we're both just trainers! One in the same!"
"Claw-Clawitzer!" It seems the wild Pokémon had finished their meal. They ate rather quickly, but you suppose they could not afford leisure in an environment as dangerous as the ocean.
Alder turned to face the Pokémon. "Leaving so soon?" The Pokémon nodded. "Well then, keep yourselves safe out there, you hear?"
The Clauncher began to gather behind the evolution, ready to disembark.
You let out a sigh. "No sense in having beef with a Pokémon I'll probably never see again." Alder had let you share your side of the story with the Pokémon, which had certainly helped to lessen Clawitzer's anger. In spite of that, the Pokémon was obviously still hesitant to trust you.
"Hey, Clawitzer?" You called out.
"Claw?" The Pokémon stopped as it turned to you.
"Sorry that we hurt your friends. I-I might have been able to resolve things more peacefully, but I wasn't thinking straight." You could have had Meloetta just Sing the first Clauncher to sleep, but the thought never crossed your mind. Who knows why that Clauncher attacked you in the first place, perhaps it had bad experiences with humans in the past.
"Lo-Me!" Your Pokémon gave an apology of its own.
"Clawitzer." The Pokémon turned to one of the Clauncher following it. "Claw-Itzer!"
A lone Clauncher stepped out from the crowd, bowing as it faced you. "Clauncher!"
Seemingly satisfied, the leader signaled the crowd once more. The Pokémon crawled over the edge of the ruin, and disappeared into the waters below.
"Well done, you two." Alder peered over the edge into the waters. "Clawitzer seemed satisfied. Hopefully, he'll be more trusting of humans in the future."
"Is that what you were trying to do?"
"Indeed, in times like these, Humans and Pokémon need to stick together more than ever." Alder frowned, "I simply cannot allow the recent disaster to tarnish people's view of Pokémon!"
You hadn't even considered that. If Pokémon could cause that much damage in a rampage, then some people may suggest hunting them down out of fear.
Alder continued, "I'm heading down to route 17 to help with disaster relief."
"Route 17..."
"After that, I'll pay a visit to the nearby towns."
"Right off of route 17 is..." Then it clicked.
"(y/n), what do you think..."
"The P2 laboratory."
That meant Genesect.
You felt like a fool for not realizing it sooner.
Genesect was the cause of the recent tragedy. It lined up...it even matched the silhouette you saw in Meloetta's memory. But...you didn't remember something this severe happening in the games, or the anime for that matter. Wasn't there a movie about Genesect?
Did that mean the events from the games wouldn't play out in the same way you expected? Could...say, Team Plasma's plan succeed?
Could Team Galactic's plan succeed?
"T-that's...oh, fuck!" It seemed your prior knowledge would not fully carry you throughout your journey?
"Lo-Me?" Meloetta tapped you on the arm.
"(y/n)? What's wrong?" Alder leaned down, worry written across his face.
You must have been wearing quite the panicked expression. But...what the hell were you supposed to say? "Hey, there's a chance that the world may end at the hands of this random group. Don't ask me how I know this."
Hell, by that logic, Plasma and Galactic might not exist at all. You made a mental note to look into the teams.
"It's nothing...just..." Meloetta fixed you with a sad expression. You gently patted it in an attempt to soothe its worries.
"I understand." Alder raised his arms. "There's no need to explain if you're uncomfortable."
"Thanks...but I'm curious." You tried your best to divert the topic. "Why did you come out this way? I'm sure there are more direct paths to route 17."
"You are correct," Alder grinned, "But there's nothing wrong with going off the beaten path. I've met many interesting people and Pokémon by doing so. Besides, I wouldn't have met you two if I hadn't."
"I suppose so..."
"Well (y/n)...why don't you tell me about you and your partner. What do you hope to achieve by being a Pokémon trainer?" The champion leaned back.
You shrugged. "I...I've always liked Pokémon. Even when there weren't any around, I thought they were the coolest. I...never had any real plans of becoming a trainer, but things...just fell into place. I'm not really interested in becoming the absolute strongest or anything. Becoming powerful is just a path to my ultimate goal."
Alder raised an eyebrow, "Which is?"
"There's a certain Pokémon I want to meet. Besides, Pokémon are great." You rubbed your partner on the head, and Meloetta smiled up at you. "Why wouldn't I want to spend time with them?" You rubbed the back of your head. "I'm aware that might sound cheesy to some..."
"Wa-ha-ha! You just need a bit more confidence
(y/n). It's a fine goal indeed, I wish you luck on your journey!" Alder frowned. "Though I certainly hope this experience didn't taint your expectations."
"Ah, not really. A Pokémon already tried to kill me before...I knew what I was getting into."
"Well, to deny the dangers of Pokémon would be foolish...But I believe that just makes the partnerships that people and Pokémon form even more incredible." Alder paused for a moment. "Keep that truth close to your heart, and you will not be led astray."
"Was that...why you decided to be a trainer? Just to meet Pokémon?"
"No. I loved my Pokémon, but I never fully treasured them until I lost my first partner. Before then..."
Inga had told you about Alder, the picture she painted of him was very different from the sagely mentor you remembered from the games. To put it simply, she described him as an aggressive hothead. In spite of that, she regaled him with a reverence you did not believe was possible from the old lady.
One of the three great trainers of his era that carved themselves into legend.
A monster of a trainer that everyone either respected or feared.
At the center of that was his ace. Alder's first Volcarona was apparently an overpowered menace. So much so that the public began believing the species to be Legendary Pokémon outright. Volcarona's clashes with Drayden's monstrous Haxorus were said to have "shaken the entire Unova region."
If Inga was telling the truth, that Volcarona also seemed to have some variation of the drought ability. The sun had shone brighter whenever the Pokémon had hit the battlefield.
You certainly did not remember that from the games.
When said Pokémon died, part of Alder had allegedly died with it. When Alder re-emerged into the public eye, he was a changed man. His strength was still top notch, and his spirit burned as fiercely as ever. But the ferociousness he was known for had fizzled out.
You chatted with the champion for a while, sharing bits and pieces of your life in Accumula. Meloetta occasionally interjected, it seemed quite enthusiastic to be part of the conversation. Though eventually the topic shifted to other things...
"Y'know, my old rival Drayden has a new Protege. You remind me a bit of her...similar outlooks on life."
He must have been talking about Iris. "I heard about that." You actually had read a brief news story about the dragon type experts the other day. "I reckon she'll end up being pretty strong."
"Indeed, Drayden also believes as much." Alder looked toward the sky, a grin stretched across his face. "Times are changing, and I believe a new generation of trainers will rise up and bring change across Unova."
He didn't know how right he actually was.
Alder continued, "And...that's why I would like to ask a favor of you."
"A...favor?"
Alder reached into a bag under his cloak. "I'd like you to take care of this for me."
"...What?" You stared at the egg in the Champion's hands. It was very similar to the ones Linoone had, only the green spots were red on this egg. The object was surrounded in a protective casing, clear sides allowing you to see the egg inside. You looked at him, puzzled. "Why?"
"I've been looking for ways to help aspiring trainers recently." He chuckled, "My grandson actually came up with the idea. Said people having tough Pokémon will make for more fun battles in the future. So...will you take it?"
"I mean...I'd be happy to. But...you sure you want to give this to me. I seem to have recently found my new purpose as...a trouble magnet, let's say."
Surely that trend would not continue.
Alder waved his hand. "Bah! All trainers are trouble magnets, it comes in that line of work. As for 'why you'..., look at your friend." You looked down to Meloetta, who was seated on your lap.
"I would always trust the judgment of a Pokémon," Alder explained. "Your Partner obviously trusts you, and I wouldn't give this egg to somebody who wouldn't treat it properly." He smiled as he gently cradled the object in his arms. "(y/n), please ensure it grows into a healthy Pokémon."
You briefly glanced down at Meloetta, and the Pokémon nodded up at you. "I'll do my best," you replied.
The egg was very warm, even through the container. You and Meloetta huddled over the case, enamored by its contents.
"The egg is due to hatch rather soon," Alder added. "Should be ready in the next few weeks. The case will keep it warm until then, make sure to feed it properly when it hatches." He scratched his chin for a moment, "Is there anything else you'll need to take care of it properly?
"I...think I should be fine. Aren't Pokémon supposed to be pretty hardy after they hatch?" Pokémon weren't in fighting form the moment after they came out of the egg.
But give them a week, and they were supposedly as tough as any other pocket monster. It was honestly absurd, Pokémon still continued to shock you.
Alder nodded. "They are, just take things lightly at first." The champion stood up, dusting off his hands.
"Are you leaving?"
"Indeed, I am needed elsewhere." Alder waved as he made his way towards the edge of the ruin. "Good luck, you two!"
He then fell backwards off the edge.
Before you could run over and check on him, a massive shadow shot towards the sky at speeds you could barely comprehend. In spite of the power the Pokémon possessed, no gust of wind accompanied its ascent.
Such a phenomenon was only possible in a Pokémon with incredible control.
You watched in wonder as Alder and Braviary disappeared into the distance. A few feathers slowly fell from the sky, one landing on your feet.
"Well," you turned to Meloetta. "Why don't we take a break. It's been...quite the day."
"Me-Lo-Ta!"