Adapting to an Unwanted Life (Pokemon TF)

[Swag Striker]

Warning: This fanfic will have dark themes in certain chapters. I'll say it now and won't be giving a warning before each chapter

I'm uploading this from Fanfiction.net. I wrote this story to help improve my writing technique before starting to write proper novels. I'm uploading on this platform, Space Battles and soon A03 because fanfiction.net is glitchy and makes it hard for people to give reviews, so please give any form of critique, I won't be offended by anything. I will be copy and pasting from fanfiction.net the current 12 chapters which will have more info about what I was doing at the time and the reviews others have given me, but if you want to add to them then please do so despite the fact that I may have already learned from them.

 

[Swag Striker]

Chapter 1: pride leads to consequences

A/N: Hi all. I'm a new writer who's hoping to increase his writing skills and one day become a professional author. I'm writing this fanfic to increase those skills and would very much like any feedback in the review section. This fanfic isn't solely for the plot and is really what comes to my mind at the moment, but obviously, I'll make sure that the plot is enticing.

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon only my original characters. Pokemon is owned by Nintendo and that includes its characters.

And with that out the way, enjoy.

Chapter 1 START

"And in conclusion, its hooked claws are sharp enough to slightly pierce through the ice, so it doesn't slip through the icy terrain when running for its prey... and done" he finally finished the ending of his report. He swiftly put the pen down in the mug containing the rest of his utensils along with the clipboard, letting out a banging noise and letting out a sigh of relief that had been waiting for hours to come out. He sat down, lift his aching legs onto the desk, and took a sip of his cold tea. He didn't expect himself to take this long, but the polar bear that the staff had started to call Jimmy, felt like being lazy today and made it harder to record any data.

No use complaining now. After another sip and another minute of relaxing, he took another sip and then waited for another minute. Yeah, I'm bored already. Despite being upset about the uncommon long session of waiting for the subject to yield any results, Theodore Nieoldiek wanted something else to do. His ever-thinking brain couldn't stand not being occupied with something, doesn't matter what it is as long as it was something. Other than his work in this well-known vivarium, he didn't have anything else to do. He's been looking around for a while now for a hobby, but whenever he tried something it felt dull. For some reason, studying animals and their adaptations in nature always came back to his mind.

He looked towards Jimmy, who was lying on his side in the small makeshift cave. He walked and knelt next to the glass of the artificial habitat. It wasn't so big that it fully encapsulated the same feeling of being in the Arctic, but it was good enough for their studies. When the polar bear noticed him, he quickly got up and immediately went into a hunting position.

Such a strong creature. Can rip up seals into shreds. The bear was slowly treading along the makeshift snow.

Have so many adaptions coming from generations of evolution for you to survive and grow. Jimmy's eyes were completely focused onto Theodores' and his claws were out, not only to move through the icy layer underneath the snow but to tear his head off.

Even the smaller things like your semi-webbed paws are essential to your survival. If a few things were missing from your DNA you would die. All of these things work together to make you at the top of your particular food chain. However... The polar bear struck, powerfully lunging with a widened maw that could crush a watermelon with ease. His teeth met nothing but glass. Theodore didn't flinch even slightly as he saw small scrapes being left on the glass before Jimmy kept staring at him in the eyes.

You will never be at the top. You will never reach greater heights. You will never be anything more than what you are now; a polar bear stuck in captivity for the rest of its life until you fade away into dust. Then thrown out just for the process to repeat itself. Do you even know that this home of yours is fake? Is there any thought in that brain of yours other than food and taking a shit? Of course, there was no response as the polar bear turned to walk back into its cave ready to sleep till the next day, only to eat and excrete again.

Theodore let off a proud smirk. We, humans, can see beyond the horizon and innovate something new from something so basic. Even from the bare minimum, we can be a force to be reckoned with. Take a stick and a sharp rock, BOOM a spear which, when handed to a single human, can kill most things in nature. Give a spear to multiple humans and even the largest of animals isn't safe. We don't just stop there- it's not enough to satisfy us- we go further to invent things you aren't capable of thinking of. You should always remember- if you could- to learn your place in the world, beneath ou-

"Hey, you gonna check out or stand there looking at Jimmy all night?" A familiar voice shouted from the door, startling Theodore.

"God damn Nathan! You scared the crap out of me", he held his beating heart that steadily slowed down. He walked up to Nathan, who stopped leaning on the door frame and saw the old Nintendo DS in his hands. "Still playing on that thing. I didn't know we were in 2012. I don't even remember any other game I used to play on mine other than Mario Kart" he leaned over to see what game he was playing.

"Not right now. I need to earn this final gym badge that I've been dying on for the last 2 days" Theodore didn't push on after seeing the few beads of sweat running down his colleagues' forehead, but his curiosity pushed him to ask what game he was playing.

"What game is that? Woah!" he had to duck his head to dodge the backhand aimed at his face. It was a narrow dodge. Nathan removed all his attention from the DS screen to look at him in complete shock as if he had just committed a crime.

"Seriously! You don't know what Pokemon is? Dude, what kind of childhood did you have or have you spent your entire life looking at animal anuses all day?"

"Oh. Is that what it was? Yeah, I know what it is, but I've only ever watched the cartoon. Never was interested in the games. I didn't think the ads for the game were very interesting, but I'm glad I stuck to the cartoon. I heard each season was pretty much the same, so I only watched the current one at the time which was black and white. Dang that was pretty good, wasn't it." he looked at the screen again and saw the almost downed Garchomp Nathan was using. He was currently playing Pokemon Platinum. "I've always been fascinated with their designs. They're really cool. Especially the dragons like the one on your screen. What's it called again?"

"Garchomp" Nathan replied dismissively before jumping in utmost joy with arms in the air as he finally beat one of the hardest bosses in the game. "Yeeeesssss! After 3 days of sleepless nights after shifts, I've finally beaten him! His Pokemon are at such a high level. I've been grinding for so long and it's finally paid off."

"Garchomp... Garchomp. I'll remember that." They went past their boss's assistants' desk while Theodore placed his long-written report down next to the papers of his other colleagues and walked to the end of the hallway to the car park.

"Guess I'll be seeing you tomorrow then" Nathan said with a smile.

"Sure, whatever" Theodore left, turning his back on Nathan's waving hand. He wouldn't consider him and probably never would. At most, Nathan would only be an acquaintance and he made sure to treat him so. That was probably why some of the staff disliked him since they all liked Nathan's cool, cheerful nature.

Theodore was really good at his job, like really good. It's what happens when you've been studying high-level biology- mostly anatomy- even before becoming a professional biologist. This was most likely why those staff members wouldn't call him out for his cold behavior, as it would upset their boss for potentially having a great biologist leave his lab and costing him valuable data to use and sell. Money talks people. Money talks.

It didn't upset him that this very reason was also why he never had any friends. He hadn't had any since his childhood. It wasn't just because all the kids thought he was weird due to his constant animal projects, but he genuinely didn't want to befriend them because he thought they weren't worth his time or his greatness.

He went away in his car, went to his apartment, to his bed, and immediately covered himself in the duvet before sleeping.

Dumb animals. Who needs them anyway? He closed his eyes, shoving away those hateful thoughts he had of almost all those around him. He quickly fell into unconsciousness and let the darkness cover him.

- (In the dream world)

In the realm of dreams, the line between reality and imagination blurs as Theodore caught himself moving through a swirling vortex of memories and emotions. The vibrant colours and shapes of blurred memories decreased the deeper he went until he found himself transported to a surreal realm that seemed to exist beyond the boundaries of space and time. He was standing on hard, glass-like ground. Bathed in pale, icy light, the landscape appeared as a crystalline wonderland with towering ice formations that varied in size, with ones nearby as big as a house, and some as big as mountains in the far distance.

The air was filled with a delicate chill that caressed his skin, leaving behind a tingling sensation. When he looked up he could see shimmering auroras that painted the sky with ethereal hues. Hold on a second.

He shouldn't be having this amount of control and sensation in a dream. For him to be able to touch, see, feel, and be able to control his decisions as much as he could if awake shouldn't be possible... except. He pinched his arm. Nothing. Slapped his face hard. Again, nothing. This has to do something. He put his left elbow on his right knee and pushed down his left forearm using his right hand in an attempt to break it.

SNAP

It broke, but Theodore didn't scream. It didn't hurt, so he placed it back to how it was as he realised that he was currently in a lucid dream. A hint of excitement rose from his conscious figure's chest. This was his first time ever having a lucid dream. He's read descriptions of how it felt like from university studies when he was studying the human brain and, after the wish of having one himself that night, he's got one.

However, before he could start thinking of what to do with his almost infinite possibilities, he felt a cold chill gush through him.

In front of him was a mysterious figure. Their silhouette was swathed in an enigmatic mist that seemed to dance and weave like wisps of frozen breath. Glowing eyes, as ancient as the universe itself, gazed upon him with an intensity that bore into the very core of his being. The haunting voice resonated in the air, carrying a weight of wisdom from immemorial, as if the echoes of countless generations spoke through it, wrapped in an otherworldly wind.

"Theodore Nieoldiek, I have been watching you for a while now." the voice declared, its words resonating in this icy terrain. "Your entire life has been lived around your pride in humanity. Ever since you were a child you've always been fascinated by science and wanted to know the secrets of the universe. However, you have only been looking forward through a very narrow keyhole and will never see beyond that."

Theodore didn't expect this in his lucid dream; not a voice talking to him. However this thing had appeared can piss off from whatever figment of his imagination it had come from. Didn't it know how long he's been waiting for this opportunity? He was about to ignore the entity's words, but when he heard the words 'pride in humanity', he couldn't help but humor the entity's words for just a bit then get on to what he was doing.

"Well what do you expect? Humanity has come a long way from just sticks and stones. We have traveled to the moon, made ways to communicate with each other over very long distances, can see planets from millions of light years away. We have achieved these things because we adapt to our surroundings and grow using our unrelenting perseverance and will continue to do so forever. A spider can't do this. A whale can't build a particle accelerator. Heck, the gorilla, the second smartest species on the planet, can't even build a basic log house. So, after hearing all this, what do you mean that I'm only seeing through a narrow keyhole when we are the ones who are rightfully at the top?"

"It's true that humanity has accomplished many things using its blessing of being the epitome of intelligence and capabilities, and it's something I admire to a great degree. However, you have also caused much destruction and bloodshed on to yourselves and your environment." the voice spat. "Have you seen an ant cause pollution to the sea- killing millions of sealife for its own pleasure? Have you seen a dolphin cause racial genocide over others' faith? Have you ever seen a tiger captivate its own species to be sold as slaves?" Theodore took a moment to respond.

"I guess it's what makes us winners." It was a truly horrible thing to say. How could one be okay with this if it meant being at the top. All those screams and all that blood spilt just for you to sit on the peak. Theodore would regret those words later down the line. He just had to wait for that moment to come.

"Intelligence only brings ruin if it isn't paired with wisdom. The ones who understood this were the ones who were the true apex of your species. They realised that even though they had to adapt to their surrounding, if they remained righteous and moved forward with true strength coming from their mind and hearts, they will be able to reach what is beyond that narrow keyhole. I know it sounds like optimistic nonsense, but think about it for a moment, if society as a whole got rid of its arrogance and decided to take responsibility, how far would humanity have progressed in such a short amount of time? I'm not saying be a pacifist; violence/war is a part of humanity, but you should be a warrior who knows when to keep the sword sheathed."

Theodore didn't want to put up with this crap any longer. He couldn't comprehend the words the entity was saying due to his sheer arrogance. Although, the entity wouldn't let have a choice in the matter.

"Your pride blinds you from the beauty and true accomplishments you can bring to the world, but you have been given a rare opportunity to transcend the confines of your human body to explore life from a different vantage point." he didn't want to hear this gibberish any more, despite the truth of the entity's words. He tried to will the being out of existence and bring forth a lion, so he can begin his observations. It didn't work.

Huh, is this not how you're supposed to do it? Why isn't this thing going away? He wondered, perplexed. From what he had read, lucid dreams can be whatever the user wills within the dream using his conscious.

Suddenly he felt a strange sensation like the very fabric of the dream's reality seemed to unravel around him. In a second, he was even open in a torrential maelstrom of sensations.

"You have to let go, Theodore. It's the only way to save yourself from self-destruction." Waves of searing pain surged through his entire body, causing him to convulse with agony as his body was undergoing an agonising transformation. "You have to let go!"

His limbs twisted and contorted, shortening and reshaping in ways that defied the laws of nature. Bones cracked and realigned, fusing together to form the formation of his new structure. He looked in horror at his hands and toes, once so familiar to him, melded into sinewy paws, each digit elongating into razor-sharp claws.

The pain had gotten excruciatingly worse when each of his thousands of muscle fibers was torn and reattached into specific shapes; compact and strong to fit his new form. The pain he felt was unlike anything he had ever experienced. Each nerve screamed in dire protest.

He clutched his chest, trying to anchor himself amidst the chaos of sensations. His heart thundered in his chest and he gasped for breath as the agony intensified. A cold sweat beaded down his newly shaped forehead as his skin erupted; the once-familiar strands of his human hair fell off like an insect's skin when molding, and out came a flurry of thick and sleek fur of red, grey and white. It was a lustrous coat of midnight-black fur.

And finally, the process was over. The metamorphosis was complete. Theodore fell forward in exhaustion onto his new arms. His body started to pulse with a gentle light- a celestial radiance that spread throughout his entire being, the soft luminescence swirled around and danced around his foreign organs, muscles and bones. It felt like being wrapped in a tender embrace that gradually rode all of the pain.

However, Theodore was too mentally drained despite the healing he had received. He wanted to sleep to forget what happened here, but he was already asleep. He's felt pain in dreams before during the rare nightmare that popped up like that one time when he got continuously stabbed by roadmen on the street, but this was beyond compare to that or anything before. It was too extreme that if he was able to think at the moment he would think that this wasn't actually a dream, but something else. He's not sure what, but something else.

Fatigue caught up to him. His conscious figure's eyes rolled back as his arms tiredly gave in and he fell forward face flat. His eyelids closed and the sound of his small, fresh body dropping onto the icy floor echoed throughout the landscape. He saw darkness again.

- (in the other world)

Urgh what happened? Why do I feel so weird? Theodore tried opening his eyes only for them to quickly snap shut. It was too bright, he assumed, as he couldn't really make out an image in a split second with his half-awakened mind. He was about to try again until he heard the loud howling of a very furious ice storm a short distance from where he was laying down. He could recognise one easily from his many trips to the Atlantic Laboratory of Mammal Biology to study mainly sea creatures there. But why am I hearing that sound at home? Is my phone playing up?

This time he slowly opened his eyelids, cautious of the bright objects on top of him. When they were fully opened, he rubbed his eyes to clear them from the blurriness. The first things he saw were the small stalactites of ice hanging from the ceiling, varying in size. They emanated a dim glow that lit up the whole area enough for him to see. He moved his eyes and saw the smooth stone of the caves walls that didn't show a crack nor any sign of wear.

Where am I? There's no way I'm in a cave in the north. I've not been kidnapped by vegan cultists, have I? I hope not, those guys would torture me by feeding me nothing but broccoli all day. His mind was in a haze of confusion. He struggled to come up with any answer to the situation in front of him. As he took a moment to think, he heard the rhythmic drip of water echoing from the cave, the sound resonating like a distant heartbeat, and the cool air that surrounded him bringing a sensation of grounding. Well, there's no other way than to get up and see exactly where he is if he wanted answers.

A wave of dizziness washed over him as he attempted to stand on his legs, but this body felt unfamiliar and unsteady, as if it was something he'd never moved before yet knew how to move like an instinct. He placed a hand on the cold, damp, rocky ground for support until he felt a wrong sensation on his hand. He couldn't feel five fingers anymore, but only 3 big ones. He looked at his what the fuck!

His human arm was no longer there. It was replaced by a sleek, lean, short arm covered in grey fur. His hand now turned paw had 3 huge, white claws that looked like the ivory tusk of an elephant, sharpened to be knives. He looked down at his legs and it was the same thing there. Shortened, muscular legs with toes replaced by claws. His feet were slightly wide, probably to spread his weight throughout the bottom of his feet and decrease pressure whenever he walked.

Panic began to surge within him as he struggled to comprehend what happened to him. The dream, it wasn't fake! Everything in there was real; the voice, the icy place, and the transformation. He was sent to some dimension and talked to an otherworldly being and then- he paused when trying to recover the memory of the transformation itself. He knew it had happened, but due to the extreme and unrelenting pain he felt during it, his mind was forcefully keeping him from recalling the trauma his body went through.

The overwhelmingh sensation of being disconnected from his own body enveloped him, and he staggered as he tried to stand upright using his new arms to try to balance himself. He wanted to walk forward and his new legs felt like little, nimble appendages that seemed to defy gravity with every step. After a few clumsy steps, he fell forward. He needed to get used to his new body's proportions and center of mass. Another attempt to walk again, he stumbled and lost his balance, struggling to maintain control. He let out a small growl as he got up one more time to try again. This was like an experiment. Walk and see which muscles he needs to use at a time. It was like one of his observations at the lab except now he was in the shoes of the subject observing himself.

After ten slow and steady steps that grew quickly in speed, he realised that his new contradictory instincts that came with the body was helping him learn to move, so instead of going against it, he let it guide him around the cave. He felt a small tinge of joy as he immediately knew how to walk and was making some circles, it was like he had been walking like this his entire life.

Looking around the cave, he thought it was huge, much bigger than anything he'd seen. Although, he also thought of the possibility that, instead of the cave being big, he had gotten smaller. There was nothing he could use as a way to measure himself. The stalactites could have been big due to how wet the cave used to be. A small pebble on the floor would have been a good reference to use, but it felt like weak evidence. He needed something better.

This thought was immediately snatched when a part of the caves wall was slightly covered by a thin layer of ice and he could see a blurred image of himself. His heart started to lightly pound in his chest. What was he going to see? Was it going to be some sort of monster that you would see in the movies? From what he can make of the blurred image, it was going to be something daunting. With a deep breath, he mustered the courage to walk toward the icy mirror. As he got closer, the image got clearer and clearer until he stood a few feet away from it, his features being as clear as day.

His main body was feline; slender like a tiger's and covered with the same fur as his limbs. They flowed like a cascade of shadows, accentuating the streamlined contours of his form. He had a red-furred tail that he somehow didn't notice when walking. The same red fur was on his neck, but very long which made it look like a scarf. A head that was as big as his main body. Gracefully curved ears that were pointed and looked capable of hearing sounds from a very far distance. A yellow gem on his forehead. A small stubby nose. However, what was the prominent feature of his face were the two big, glacial-like eyes that were counterparts of his human eyes.

This was a familiar form he's seen as a child. No, it can't be can it? He was now a weavile, a Pokemon that lived in the cold, mountainous hues of the Sinnoh region and was seen many times in the Pokemon cartoon. Specifically, the diamond and pearl season. It was most famous for being a partner of Paul, the next stuck-up rival for Ash Ketchum. Why was it here? Theodore wondered. Why is it looking at him in the face? He wanted to deny it with all his heart, but his scientific mind wouldn't allow him to. It was himself he was looking at in the mirror. He was the weavile.

That being! He was the one who did this to me. Turned me into this thing. That bastard! When I get my hands on him I'll strangle him to death. Theodore took a moment to think why the being would do this to him until he remembered the conversation. Does he really think I'll value others if he turns me into a weavile. Fuck that. Humans are the best and nothing will change that fact. We dominate others and put them beneath us where they belong. Let go of my pride pfffft it's just accepting reality. Now forget about that. What do I do now?

He looked outside the entrance of the cave and saw that the storm had subsided. He also saw the adjacent mountains and found that they were much much taller than they should be. No mountain on Earth has ever been that big, so it's official, he had decreased in size. With some quick maths; using the average size of the mountains he was surrounded by, and their distance from his viewpoint, he estimated that he was around 3 ft 7. A small size should help hiding from the dodgy governments we now have, he wondered, not excited about what would happen if he were caught.

He needed to move forward. He couldn't stay in this cave if he wanted to get turned back into a human. He'll have his normal life back and prove that being wrong and give him a slap while he's at it. He may not know where to go exactly, but getting down this mountain would be a start.

He looked down from the snowy mountainside he was on and saw the long road down. He couldn't even see the end of the snow he would have to cross. He sighed. Yeah, this is gonna be a long day.

 

[Swag Striker]

Chapter 2: fighting with hatred

A/N: Hi all, thanks for all the support you've shown me, I really didn't expect my first chapter to do this well. I would appreciate it if you gave me some feedback via reviews; constructive criticism is always welcome.

Btw some facts may be made up about Pokemon and I'll be changing some things like settings sometimes for the sake of the story. I may have learned science to a high degree, but I might write things which aren't fully accurate/sci-fi ish although most things will be true to the real world.

And with that out the way, enjoy.

Chapter 2 START

"Fuck fuck fuck fuck FUCK!" Theodore kept screaming while scrabbling for a way to stop his descent down the icy mountainside. His heart was pounding and adrenaline was racing, every fiber of his being focused on the desperate need to regain control.

It started with looking down at the cave's mouth, gazing out at the vast expanse before him. Despite how pissed off he was a moment ago, he caught his breath and stared in awe at the view. The Mona Lisa had nothing on this. This was different from the times he was transferred to the north for his research. The first time he came out of the private jet and looked at the new biome, he thought nothing of it, but now it felt different and he was astonished at what he before thought wasn't a big deal.

Not having a set pathway down, all he could do was slowly climb down, but that failed quickly when his feet slipped on the icy underlayer. Now he was skidding on the snow moving franticly with his blood moving around his brain many miles per hour in order to find a solution. There was no instinct for Weaviles when in this predicament. How can you find an ice type slipping on ice, ridiculous!

When the untrained human is in a fast-paced environment, no matter how much knowledge they have, they will do what first comes to mind. Theodore slammed his right paw on the ice and his claws slightly pierced it, slowing the fall as they let out a loud screech. His eyes widened when he saw a small hillside sticking out underneath the path where he was falling. He was still going at a speed. He clenched his eyes, bracing for the impact.

"OW!" He fell on his butt. That's got to leave a mark. Slowly pushing himself outright, he took stock of his surroundings. The cliffside provided a small pocket of safety. It was completely flat, so it was no big deal if he fell on his ass again. Finally, something that doesn't cause me a panic attack. Fucking being. Actually, he needs a name if I'm going to curse him because I suspect I'll be doing that a lot moving forward.

At least now he could experiment and find a solution to his slipping problem. He took a step and immediately moved his arms to balance himself as he almost slipped. Another step and another close call to falling. He took a breath. He was a bit calmer now that his head was straight. He was patient; developed after many hours of waiting for animals to move a single inch. He looked down in contemplation. Surely Weavile has an adaption that I'm missing otherwise these cold mountainous areas wouldn't be its natural habitat. There must be a way.

He noticed a small detail while staring at his feet claws. They weren't flat like a gorilla's nails nor too curved like a tiger's. They're slightly curved and look similar to a polar bear's in structure. That's when he realized how he could walk on the ice. He shifted a bit of weight towards the end of his feet and tried walking a few steps. Success.

"Ha ha. Knew it wouldn't take long." After orientating himself properly on the steep mountainside again, he slowly climbed down. The claws offered a great amount of grip and would get rid of any beginner climber's anxiety. After a fair distance, he started moving quicker as he was getting more familiar with his Weavile form. Each step that had once been a dangerous hazard now felt like an intricate dance beneath his nimble claws.

After what felt like a few hours, Theodore turned to see a lush green forest in the distance. Its tall sturdy trees looked like a canopy with the tops holding the snow from the earlier snowstorm a stark contrast to the rest of the land. Eager excitement surged through his veins as he took in the sight and thought of the possibilities it could lead to. There's a high chance that there's gonna be a cabin belonging to a local hunter. I could do a sneak attack the next time he comes out and attack him in a way he wouldn't suspect, afterwards take his resources and find out precisely where I am. If ther-

However, as he was looking out, he had accidentally leaned too far forward, his agile body tilting precariously. Panic flickered in his glacial eyes as he realized his mistake, but it was too late. The ground beneath him gave way, and he found himself tumbling forward as his claws were let loose.

Time seemed to slow as he plummeted through the air. The world around him became a blur of colours and sensations, the wind rushing past him in a dizzying whirl. He tried desperately to recover for a moment and use his claws again to slow his descent, but he kept rolling down, quicker and quicker until he rolled to a tree within the forest.

With a jolt, he hit its trunk headfirst, the impact sending a shockwave throughout his body.

"Awww who put that there? I can't even get somebody's insurance like this." He unsteadily got up. The tree had also felt the impact and the snow the branches were holding onto dropped onto him, encompassing his body, but leaving only his head sticking out. "Pluh pluh. That shit tasted like dry ice. Um... well shit. I can't move my limbs and I'm stuck in a giant snowball isn't this just fantastic?"

Honestly, he was wondering if he was in some sort of anime or a crappy fanfic written by a noob. It was starting to feel that way with these annoying cliches or his luck was bad today. He struggled more, but it was useless. The snowball had him completely immobilized.

"What are you doing?" asked a small innocent voice. Theodore looked slightly up and saw a polar bear cub? No, it's a Cubchoo, but why is there a Pokemon here? No. Please no, anything but that! There was no denying what he was seeing in front of his eyes. He was stuck in the world of Pokemon; a very famous anime/game made for kids and now he is one himself. Am I in the show or is this just a parallel universe? Forget it, I'll leave this train of thought for later, but for now find a way to get here.

He stared at the 1-foot polar bear cub-looking creature. There wasn't much difference except it was bipedal, had cyan fur covering its head and neck, and a constant runny nose with a snot bag falling from its nostril. Disgusting. It looked like a teddy bear that a little girl would undoubtedly dote over.

"I've never seen a Pokemon like you before. But mommy does tell me to stay in the cave until I'm older, but I'm a big boy now and can go anywhere on my own. Hey, do you want to be my friend? You will be my first one and we can play all sorts of games." He sounded excited.

"How old are you?"

"I'm half a moon cycle old."

Moon cycles? What kind of measurement is that? Oh, the Cubchoo has never encountered a human before, so wild Pokemon must measure their age by the phases of the moon instead of the Gregorian calendar. Humans still use this in the lunar calendar, but society generally read time via the cycle of the sun. Maybe trained Pokemon use the moon too? If I had to calculate, half a moon cycle is around 15 days. Theodore smirked. Perfect, he's a child.

"Okay kiddo, I'll be your friend."

"Yay!"

"And as your new friend, I'll be the first to pick a game. How about we play a game of digging."

"Digging? How do we play that?"

"It's simple. You dig me from this snowball as fast as you can, then I'll do the same with you. Understand?" Cubchoo was confused about the game. He wasn't in a snowball himself for his new friend to dig from.

"Okay!" He said excitedly before moving to the entrapped Theodore and using his small paws to dig away at the snowball that was twice his size. Theodore was kind of impressed at how quickly he was removing the snow. He could feel his limbs move around a bit as his cacoon was weakening.

Just a bit more. When it was small enough, he exploded himself free and sent small debris flying everywhere. He clenched his fist and arched his back and grinned fiercely. Freedom will always feel wonderful.

"Wow, that was fun! Is it my turn now?" He looked back at the Cubchoo and saw the innocence in its face. How incredibly naive. It was one of the things Theodore hated the most. He pitied the fools who thought the world was filled with people who collect roses and dandelions. That face would make anyone obey except Theodore; having no effect on him.

He walked away and dismissed the exhilarated child, but he followed him in glee.

"Go away kid. I have no more use for you."

"B-but I thought it was my turn now?" Cubchoo tilted his head cutely in confusion.

"I said get lost!" Theodore turned around and brought down a hard backhand across the Cubchoo's cheek. The child fell onto the floor before bringing a paw to his stinging right cheek. He stayed there and cried; tears and wailing gushing out loudly where even a Pokemon from a mile away could hear it.

"Annoying brat." Theodore said before casually walking away again and ignoring the Cubchoo's cries. So if there's a Cubchoo here that means I'm in the Unova region. Good because that was the only season I've watched. It was over a decade ago and I don't remember much, but it's better than being in another region. If I get exposed to the sites in this region I might remember more things. Maybe even a way to go back to Earth?

I don't know what forest this is, but forests are usually near a city or a small town. Heading there would be a good place to figure out what to do.

He didn't even move 10 metres until stopping. A loud thudding was constantly heard and reverberated in the empty forest. The ground shook with each footstep which made him freeze. Coming out from a small clearing was a gigantic Beartic that looked like it could topple down small trees; the next evolution of Cubchoo.

When she looked at her son and saw the small bruise, she immediately ran to him making the ground shake even more.

"Snowball!" She cuffed him into her arms. His snuffling decreased when he saw his mother.

"Mommy. T-that bad guy hit me. I j-just wanted to play, b-b-but waaaah!" He went back to crying again. The mother having heard enough, snarled menacingly before putting on a soft motherly look on her face.

"Don't worry dear, I'll take care of it. You just go back to the cave and don't come out of it again, alright? Will you listen to mommy this time?"

"Yes"

"Then go on ahead. I'll be there in a moment." When he went with his small chubby legs and left their sight, she stared at Theodore angrily, the snarl coming back. "How dare you! He's an innocent child why would you hit him?! Don't you have any dignity? I've never seen a Pokemon like you before, but I know that no species would do something so horrible."

"Ha ha ha ha. Oh please. Hitting him is like swatting a fly, irrelevant. I don't feel anything doing anything against dumb creatures like you." Apparently, that wasn't the response she was looking for. She stomped towards him until they were only a few feet away from each other. Theodore had to look up to meet her angry eyes, but wasn't intimidated the least by her despite her being 3x bigger than him.

He's been face to face with animals much larger than him already. What threat could she be to him? Her fist glowed bright red before she swatted him across his body. Theodore didn't even touch the floor until he was sent well away.

"W-what was that?" He said, shakily getting up. He groaned when lifting himself with his now aching right arm. He saw the Beartic slowly coming towards him. The temperature rose quickly despite the very cold wind brushing against his fur. His eyes dilated and fur rose.

This was no joke he realized. There was no special glass to protect him from the dangerous beast that was getting closer and closer.

It was the first time he'd ever been physically attacked in his life. After all, no matter how much he was hated by people from his childhood up to his colleagues, they've never taken any action other than a complaint to the teacher/superior, in which case didn't bother him at all. The artificial habitats for animals like elephants or hippos; there was some way where he would be safe if they ever tried to attack him.

As Mike Tyson said 'everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face'. The unfamiliarity of the situation along with his heart suddenly pumping led him to do what others would do. Either fight or flight and Theodore chose flight.

"Oh no you don't." The Beartic chased after him. He didn't look back for a second, instead his Weavile instincts guided his senses as he kept running through the dense forest, using his agility to weave through them and slow her down. He could see details he never would've noticed before from the small gaps that would be the best to move through to the many small humps of snow covering tree roots that he avoided tripping over.

The Beartic luckily stumbled over one giving him time to see a dead darkened tree up ahead standing on its last legs. Its truck was cracked all over and was bent on one side. It only needed a slight push for it to topple down. perfect. It was just beyond a large clearing. She was getting closer now. Even though a Weavile is meant to be way quicker, Theodore isn't finely tuned to his new running pattern yet and now the wild Beartic was getting too close.

Oh no! Sweat was falling down his forehead like a waterfall as frantic thoughts were filling up his head. I'm going to die! She lifted up her paw, claws out and ready to strike. He was only a metre away from the tree when she brought it down.

"Argh!" He powerfully jumped to the side while she- unable to stop her moment- collided into the tree. CRACK that was the last straw and it came crashing down on her back. She was stuck under its weight and unable to get up.

Theodore sprinted further into the forest while she was trying her best to lift the trunk off of herself. Jumping over a fallen log, brushing past withered bushes, and avoiding slipping on muddy patches, he was so focused on getting away that he almost went past a large boulder that was the size of a house. He hid behind it before taking a small peak around.

The Beartic had somehow managed to lift the tree, but it was fine as long as she didn't know where he was. After looking around she sniffed the air which made his eyes widen. Crap. Polar bears can smell prey from many miles away. It's how they find seals on the edge of water. He turned back when her nose was bringing him to the boulder. She had lived in this forest for many years. She knew what smells were not naturally in here.

"Come out now. There's no point in hiding. I'll give you a chance if you show yourself to apologize to Snowball then I'll forgive you." There was only the noise of the trees rustling. Theodore had forcefully slowed his rapid breathing into small deep breaths while keeping himself as still as a statue. "Stubborn brat. If that's what you choose then so be it."

She crawled around the boulder like a tiger ready to pounce.

"Hah Found you...huh?" She wasn't expecting to see Mycena Acicula; a small mushroom adapted to cold environments and can be found growing on decaying wood, mosses, or in soil. It often has a slender stem and a cap that can range in colour from pale to darker shades.

She thought she had found the small Weavile, but ended up finding a rare mushroom. He must be far now. Believing that chasing him further would be senseless, she turned and slowly left for her cave.

Theodore waited till she left and much longer just to be sure she was gone. Peaking over, he only saw the fungi that had saved him from who knows what and silently thanked god that it was there. He stayed motionless, trying to calm his breathing and planting a hand on his beating heart. They slowed down allowing him to finally think normally.

What just happened? Never before have I felt like that. He looked at his arms, still shaking in the aftermath. He'd been running throughout the forest fearing for his life. A-am I scared? Is this fear? No...No no no no no. NO! I'm not scared, I refused to be from that thing. How dare it make me even think that! No, I'm not scared.

He clenched his teeth and eyes were filled with fury. He couldn't feel the icy wind as his body tightened with pure rage, refusing to believe it was inferior to that little creature. His pride wouldn't allow him to admit defeat to the Beartic. I will hunt it down and destroy it. Make it pay for what it tried to do no matter what it takes even if I have to give up my hand for it.

That was when he vividly remembered what happened before that mess. Her fist glowed a bright red. If I remember correctly then that was the move rock smash. Of course! I'm a Pokemon now and all Pokemon can learn special moves up to a maximum of 4. That Beartic's done it. I'll tear it apart using I don't know dragon claw, I guess? What moves do I know anyway?

He looked himself over. His sleek Weavile form, once elegant and composed, now bore marks of the pursuit- testaments to the intensity of the chase and the nasty terrain. His midnight-black fur, which had once shimmered with an ethereal glow, was now matted with patches of snow, dirt, and pine needles. The iridescent crystals that adorned his body were dulled by the residue of the chase, the luster subdued by the chaos of the pursuit. His fur was ruffled and uneven, strands sticking out in disarray as if the very forest had tried to grab onto him.

There were also small abrasions and scratches underneath them and on his skin, souvenirs of branches and underbrush that had sneakily tugged and scraped against his form. One of his pointed ears bore a little tear, it was actually from the close encounter with the Beartic.

He didn't care though as his eyes were drawn to a towering tree- the kind that stood as a testament to time's passage. A surge of inspiration gripped him, and he saw it as an opportunity to test his newfound abilities.

With a purposeful stride, he made his way to the base of the grand tree, its towering presence casting a protective shadow over the snow-laden ground. He recalled the Pokemon moves he had read about when he was 11 years old and watching Pokemon black and white. He was eager to channel the essence of the Weavile he had become.

Taking a deep breath, Theodore's eyes glowed with determination. He envisioned the move in his mind- a graceful display of power that would surely beat even the toughest of opponents to the ground. He focused on his claw, aiming to conjure that power into a force that would embody his essence.

With a swift movement, he leaped into the air, his lithe form twisting as he endeavored to execute the move. He extended his paw, expecting some sort of mystical energy to respond, to form into a manifestation of his intent. Yet, to his dismay, nothing happened. No shimmering blade of frost appeared, no power surged forth.

His second attempt was met with the same disappointment. Despite his intense concentration, the power he sought to summon remained elusive. He leaped, he focused, he tried to draw upon the energy that was now part of his being. But each attempt was met with failure, the silence of his unresponsive claw a reminder of his uselessness when against the Beartic after she had punched him on his side.

"Forget this. This is just a waste of time. I'll find it and teach it a lesson with or without a special move. I hope to make it squirm from pain till it begs for forgiveness. These sharp claws should be good enough" His heart pulsed with a fiery resolve, and at that moment, the failed attempts at summoning a move seemed trivial in comparison to the raw hatred surging within him.

He began to move through the snow-covered forest, his steps purposeful and resolute. The intensity of the chase had not been in vain- it had ignited a fire within him, a fire that refused to be quenched by failure.

"It's clear whose footprints are whose. Mine aren't deep enough compared to hers, maybe that explains why she sniffed the air instead of just looking at my footprints." He followed them back for a while till he returned to the spot where the chase had initially begun.

"Now there's too many footprints here, some obviously belonging to other species of Pokemon. Great, now how am I going to find her?" He scanned the area, his ocean-blue eyes searching for any sign of the Beartic. But to his dismay, she was nowhere to be seen. His heart sank, a mixture of frustration and disappointment gnawing at him.

"This isn't going to be a bitter pill for me to swallow. I promised I would find you, no matter what." He circled the area, his gaze narrowing as he scoured the further surroundings. She did mention something about a cave; her child had wandered off from there out of boredom, but a curious kid could go miles without feeling like he's in danger.

His ears twitched, his senses on high alert, but nothing availed. He couldn't help but feel a surge of anger rise within him- anger at himself, anger at the situation, anger at the Beartic for evading him.

Just as his frustration threatened to consume him, a new sensation washed over him. A subtle shift in the air, a whisper of scent that carried on the wind. His nostrils flared, and he inhaled deeply out of curiosity for what it was. The rush of air carrying with it a myriad of scents- the crispness of snow, the earthiness of the forest floor, and something else- the faint but distinct aroma of a polar bear.

His heart quickened with renewed anticipation, and he turned his head, following the trail of scent with his enhanced sense of smell. The world seemed to narrow down to that singular sensation, his focus unwavering as he picked up the trail. He brought his nose up and kept inhaling, each one guiding him closer.

Hold on a second. What am I doing? This is something dogs do not us humans. He paused for a moment wondering if he was lowering himself down to the level of dogs. I'm still a human from within no matter what body I'm in. My train of thinking proves that... but that Beartic. I want to hurt it so badly.

He forgot about his animalistic behaviour as rage hazed his thoughts and went back to sniffing. With each step, the scent grew stronger, guiding him through the intricate labyrinth of the forest. The world around him faded into the background as his nose became his compass needle.

And then, in the midst of silence, he caught sight of her- a flash of white against the snowy landscape. The Beartic stood before him in front of her cave on the side of the mountain's base, its gaze meeting his with a mixture of curiosity and recognition. The tension in the air was palpable.

"Mommy what's going on?" Her son was standing behind her leg, gripping it in fear as he saw the Weavile who struck him standing with a malicious smile. The smile looked unnatural like it wasn't from this world. She had seen some very mischievous Pokemon in her lifetime, but none had a smile like that, no one.

"Go inside Snowball."

"But mommy-"

"I said go inside!" She shouted and the little Cubchoo reluctantly went to the deep end of the cave away from sight. She didn't want to shout at him, but she felt that something bad was going to happen if the Weavile's expression wasn't enough of an indicator.

As they faced off, an electric current seemed to crackle in the air when their eyes met. Theodore's snarl etched an intense determination onto his features, a fire that burned fiercely within him. Yet, it was the sinister undertone of his expression that caught the Beartic off guard.

The Beartic's stance faltered imperceptibly, its own confidence wavering in response to Theodore's unsettling demeanor. The glint in his eyes and the predatory curl of his lips seemed to weave a tale of an unrelenting force. It was an aura of dominance, an unspoken challenge that sent a shiver down the Beartic's spine.

Theodore POV:

I lunged forward with determination burning like a blazing fire. The Beartic's eyes locked onto my form. Her massive frame seemed to tense, its powerful muscles coiled with an instinctual readiness. I didn't care that she was 3x my size, I can't lose and let her prove herself superior.

Despite wavering, she brought back a fist and summoned a familiar energy into it. Yet again she was using rock smash. I froze, eyes dilating and fur raising as I remembered the severe pain when she did it before. I closed my eyes in fear which was a big mistake proven when I felt the force of the blow send me backward.

Fuck that hurts. If I knew how a broken bone felt I would say I broke one. Damn, how does that one strike hurt so bad? Her bigger mass shouldn't give her that much more force. That's it! Weaviles are both dark and ice types which are weak against fighting type moves like that rock smash making it super effective against me.

I ignored the slight shaking within me and sprinted towards her with much more caution. I can't afford to let her hit me again otherwise it's game over. The Beartic growled fiercely and summoned the power of the same boring special move which made me-

No, whatever you do don't close your eyes! Force them open or I'll tear them off. Keeping them open by fighting off the human instinct to blink, I was surprised to see the attack unfold with an unexpected sluggishness. My reflex kicked in, and I swiftly sidestepped the descending strike, a mix of astonishment and adrenaline coursing through me. The realization that the Beartic's move was slower than I had anticipated ignited a spark of opportunity within me- a chance to turn the dynamic of the battle.

"Got you now ha ha ha" I furiously swiped multiple times at her legs. She's bipedal and has huge legs if I stop her mobility then such a large creature won't be able to move around and that's when I destroy her. Yet as my claws connected I was shocked. Her hide proved to be a formidable defense as my strikes barely left a mark. I remembered that all species of bear play by biting and scratching only because their hide was thick enough to withstand it.

Infuriation churned in my chest as I retreated. For a moment I tasted victory and loved its flavour until it was replaced with the taste of my sweat. I wasn't going to accept my razor-like claws being useless when they were the best weapons I had on me. I rushed in repeating the sequence again to see another slash of mine not even making a scratch. Fuck that! This thing deserves pain. As I grappled with my rising emotions, a memory stirred from the back of my mind. Weird, I don't remember doing anything like this before.

Like a boxer slipping past a jab after practicing thousands of times, I felt something akin to that except it was a move I had never practiced with. I focused on that unfamiliar energy within me and channeled it into my right claw. In a burst of darkness, an ethereal shadow had surrounded my entire forearm and taken solid form. It was a shadow claw!

With a heavy strike more powerful than the ones before, I cut through her defenses and left behind a trail of darkness that marred her otherwise impenetrable hide.

Triumph surged within me as I saw the impact of the move. That one strike was enough to leave three deep wounds on her legs. I don't know why it wasn't bleeding when it should be from that depth. (Actually I don't want Pokemon to bleed or break bones especially in battle. I might write parts in the future where Pokemon will bleed, but for now just ignore this plothole).

She let out a loud yelp before falling down and rumbling the ground; the weight of her defeat echoing the clearing.

My eyes remained fixed on her, a mixture of relief and exhaustion flooding my senses. I could feel the adrenaline slowly ebbing away, leaving behind a sense of accomplishment that mingled with the heaviness in my limbs.

The sound of my rapid breaths gradually slowed, each inhale and exhale a rhythmic reminder of the intensity of the battle. As I stood there, my heart still pounding in my chest, I couldn't help but feel a surge of pride- of course I would win there wasn't any doubt that I would. See guys what did I tell you? You can't beat humans it's as simple as that! And now I'll truly put it into her why you shouldn't think otherwise.

Gingerly stepping forward, I approached the fallen Beartic, the snow crunching softly beneath my feet and being the only sound heard in the now silent forest. The sight of her still form served as a reminder of the challenges I had faced, the obstacles I had overcome, and the depths of my newfound abilities.

It's getting hard to walk.

"Do you see it now Bearshit? What made you think you could possibly win against a human when you never stood a chance? Don't look at me like that, it's simply nature or rather your own incompetence. Look at you; a once proud predator now brought to the floor. You know what, I really wanted to tear you into pieces and leave it for the wolves to eat." I brought the shadow claw to her eyes- they were still on. She clenched her eyes waiting for the promised pain to come.

"But That pathetic face of yours is enough for me. It reminded me of the animals back at home when they were sad from a more painful experiment. Their whimpers were like music notes to my ears. I hope you've learned your lesson you weakling of a mother."

3rd pov:

When she heard the word 'mother' she cast a longing glance back at the small cave. Her gaze fixed on the entrance, her thoughts lingered on her son before a sense of fierce protectiveness welled within her.

Theodore deactivated the shadow claw, his claws now returning to their normal size. He turned to leave her in her pained state. The weight of the encounter was evident in the way he carried himself, his every movement reflecting the toll the battle had taken.

BIG MISTAKE

One should never turn their back on their opponent until the very end and Theodore would learn this the hard way. With a burst of energy that defied her wounded state, she channeled her remaining strength into one last, potent attack.

At the corner of his eye, a sudden movement caught his attention. An explosive orange burst of energy was hurtling toward him. It was huge and looked like a strike of lightning that was about to evaporate him. He barely had time to react as the Beartic unleashed a hyper beam, the attack surging forward intensely and not giving his reflexes time to kick in, taking him off guard.

The impact was staggering as a searing wave of force and energy collided with his form. Agonizing pain radiated through him as he was sent flying away, his world spinning into chaos. The forest seemed to blur as the attack's power subsided. Somehow it was stronger than the rock smash despite the latter being super effective. She really must have put her all into that last attack.

Theodore pulled himself out of unconsciousness to dodge the small obstacles he was about to roll into. He fell into another steep hill and slipped down it without being able to latch onto the ice for recovery.

I don't *huff* *huff* have enough energy *huff* left. And couldn't move out the way of the larger obstacles and had to take them head on, adding more bruises onto his heavily injured body. Pain rose with each impact. The forest's trees were quickly decreasing in density as he fell until they were no more. Now the only obstacles were rocks ranging in size instead of the small sharp branches stuck in the snow that were cutting and piercing him.

The sound of his labored breaths mingled with the harsh grating of rock against his form. His attempts to regain control were futile, his body at the mercy of gravity's pull until he collided into a hedge of bushes at the base of the hill. The prickly embrace of foliage provided a sudden halt to his chaotic tumble.

-(Somewhere close)

"Aaaaahhhhh. Isn't the smell of all these flowers just wonderful Athena?" Said a young girl in a satisfied tone.

"Ralts Ralts." Responded her companion also with a satisfied tone.

This was Sarah a short, young girl venturing forth on her journey. With wide, curious eyes the hue of an amethyst, she took each step with an exuberance that mirrored the colourful world around her. She had a stubby nose on a well-rounded head and a white metal hairband on her long purple hair. Her attire was what you would see from a young girl; a simple knee-length white dress with a purple cardigan over it that had a love heart on it. She wore long pink socks covering the rest of her legs and purple pumps.

It's clear that she liked the colour purple. She also held a brown strap along her waist with 6 small button pockets that could hold a shrunken pokeball. It was new, something her parents bought for her 2 days ago before she left for her Pokemon journey.

Walking beside her was a Joyful Ralts. She was a foot-tall humanoid covered in a white dress that was actually longer than her whole body, so it was dragged behind her when she was walking. Short green hair covering her large red eyes and a blunt red horn protruding from the top of her head. She also smiled, her demeanor mirroring the girl's happy spirit. She was practically the living embodiment of cuteness.

"I can't wait to battle in the Striaton gym. Then we'll win the Striaton Gym badge and put it in the case, so it's no longer empty. Isn't it exciting Athena, we'll win and be one step closer to going into the league then we'll bring the trophy to mom and dad. They'll be so proud." She almost felt like skipping her way to the gym.

"Ra Ra Ralts." The small Pokemon imitated her trainer's excitement. She too wanted to make her parents proud. She was born only a few moons ago, but could remember the loving gaze her parents and human family showed and thereforth had the resolve to accompany Sarah in her journey to win the league. Just you wait, in no time they'll win.

*Rustle* *Rustle*

They both turned their attention towards the huge hedge of beautiful bushes, clipped and maintained daily. Having the silence broken, they were curious at what caused the unexpected disturbance. A Pokemon perhaps they both thought. It was common for some bug/flying Pokemon to be living around there as there were some delicious, ripe berries growing there during the summer. Or It was because of the quality gardening here making it a great place to nest at.

As the bushes parted, a figure emerged, and the sight that greeted them left them momentarily stunned. It was Theodore, his once sleek Weavile form now battered and bruised, cuts and scratches marring his fur like battle scars. The vivid hues of his icy blue eyes were dulled by pain and exhaustion, and his movements were a stark contrast to the grace they had always witnessed in their own Pokemon friends.

Horrified, the young girl rushed forward, her heart throbbing with empathy and concern. The Ralts followed suit, her cute demeanor replaced with fear when seeing the amount of wounds he had. The state of the Weavile was a jarring contrast to their expectations, leaving them grappling with a mixture of shock and empathy.

"He-help me" He whispered before finally fainting. Dark swirls replaced his eyes. She held herself back not knowing what to do. She's never seen such a sight before.

"Uhh what can I do? What do I do?" she said to no one while shaking.

"Ralts Ra Ralts" The small Pokemon was tugging on the bottom of her dress. When she looked at her she saw her pointing at her strap where her Pokeball and a few spare ones were stored.

Genius! she thought at the idea. Enlargening the spare pokeball then throwing it at him, he was absorbed into it. After shaking for a bit it left off a ping since he couldn't try to fight against it. Grabbing it quickly, she ran towards the Pokemon centre- the short Ralts having a hard time to catch up- and ran pass the automatic doors before they could fully open.

Multiple people- trainers and others- yelped and complained when she pushed past them. They were much larger than her, but she didn't care as she would get this poor soul healed. When Nurse Joy saw a kid rushing towards the counter, she thought it would be the rare instance where they got too confident and lost on their first gym battle, but what she heard next made her immediately go into action.

"N-n-nurse J-joy this Pokemon i-is hurt real bad. If you don't h-help him now something b-bad will happen. PLEASE HELP HIM!"

 

[Swag Striker]

Chapter 3: A new family

A/N: Hi guys, I know it's been awhile and I'm sorry about that, so I made this chapter extra long just for you. Let me know what you guys think in the reviews.

Chapter 3 START

Athena's POV:

The Pokemon centre was bustling with activity, trainers and their companions coming and going from the front desk where they either collected their pokeballs containing their Pokemon from the Audino working there or leaving them there to be healed. Some sat on the side and waited as most of the time the healing process didn't take long or at least that is what I concluded from seeing some trainers immediately leave after having their pokeballs taken away for only a few minutes.

It was a good thing that Nurse Joy wasn't needed right now and her Audino assistant could deal with all the trainers as she was currently talking to Sarah, who's sitting beside me. Her racing heart from a while ago after the unexpected encounter with the battered Weavile had subsided after hearing what Nurse Joy had to say.

I watched her talk with that warm smile. I wasn't able to understand all the words that were being conversed because I'm still very young, but I still can pick up a lot of words humans use when speaking. When Pokemon hatch from their eggs, they are able to comprehend the basics of human and Pokemon language very quickly, even quicker than human babies. It's only for a short period of time, about a moon cycle which is why it's good to engage with hatchlings as much as you can during this moon cycle.

It's still not fully understood why this mechanic exists in Pokemon, but researchers believe that it's an evolutionary trait we've developed when Pokemon were heavily used for war in the past. They were bred for war, so they needed to quickly understand at least the basics of human language especially attack moves, so they could be put in the front lines.

I was able to make out a few key words through their conversation like lucky, capture and most importantly healed. I loved that word. It always brought me and everyone else happiness and it was the one that I understood the most. When Sarah's mother was ill a week before our journey, my mother who's an Audino used her healing abilities to help cure her. I was in such awe that I excitedly asked her what she doing and she explained that she used her healing abilities to help others who are injured. Thereon I admired her more and became fascinated with healing even though I wanted to be a fighter.

"He has been treated and is resting comfortably now. He's one tough Pokemon, but even the strongest need a helping hand sometimes."

Sarah nodded, her relief evident in her eyes. She couldn't help but smile and I could sense her emotions going from anxious to happiness which made me also feel happy.

"Thank you so much for taking care of him. I was really worried when I saw him like that. I don't like seeing Pokemon in distress so when I saw him all beaten up, I couldn't help but jump in and help." Nurse Joy's smile widened, pleased to see the selflessness within the new trainer.

"It's our duty to help trainers and their Pokemon in need. We're always here to provide care and support. He'll be conscious soon, so you can see him after I bring him here." She turned and left through the long hallway.

Theodore's POV:

When I woke up I wasn't surprised to still see that I'm back in the forest. Did I really fall asleep in the middle of nowhere though? In a new world where flaming dogs and massive bees exist, it would be a careless move that I would never do, so why am I just randomly in this annoying place again? I would've at least gone to the mountainside and warmed up a fire in a cave or make a camouflaged tent on the treetops.

However, the feeling of tranquility hit me, stopping all questions in my mind.

"Wow. I've never felt like this before." I flexed my fists and felt like I had the strength to crush a skull with it. It wasn't like that before.

"Then lets try this...Woah! Hey! Ahhh!" I luckily landed on my feet and not my head after I took a high jump and was surprised by the distance I reached. This is amazing! I could feel the freedom I now possessed to be able to do what I want. I smiled. With a few more sloppy acrobatic moves that I've seen on YouTube, I now realize that this is how my body is meant to be at full strength.

"This is the best sleep that I've ever had. I didn't know you could feel this refreshed after just another night. Is this what those guys are on about when they say sleep is important because if it is then I've been missing out." And as much as I would love to keep jumping around, I would rather spend the energy trying to find civilization.

When walking a few steps I saw something very strange. I wasn't in the same forest before heck it was only a group of trees I just walked out of. I was in some sort of miniature snowy landscape like someone had shrunken Antarctica into an island. Although it was freaky, it did make it enchanting in its own diminutive way. A tiny mountain dusted with a delicate layer of snow. A quick-ending river with a few icy patches floating on it.

However, what was the most disorientating thing to see was the absolutely pitch white background in the sky and beyond the view of this island that reminded me of the first time I met with the being. Actually, before I carry on narrating my perspective, I'm going to call him Shinigami because calling him 'the being' all the time is annoying and yes I know that is a Death Note reference. I just saw an episode and remembered the name...anyway back to the story.

Am I dead, like actually dead this time? What else could have happened. I must have died from the Beartic when I turned around and let my guard down. Dang, a rookie mistake that cost me my life. At least I beat it. Sure it may have killed me, but I proved that I'm the superior one. Imagine if it had won due to it being better than me. Just the thought of that makes me shiver in fear.

"So this is Weavile purgatory or something. Gotta say It's not that bad. I haven't played on a PS5, but if that was here, I think it would be quite chill. Pun not intended. I walked to the edge to see if this island was actually floating or where the small river's water was going to.

*Bump*

"Ow." I couldn't look over the edge because when I got there a glass plane hit me. It was very high-quality glass as It was completely transparent. I felt over it and yep, it expanded over the whole island like a dome. My heart clenched tightly for a very brief second thinking that I was trapped in here until I put pressure on my claws and there were scratch marks over the glass.

Excellent! If I can scratch it then I can definitely break it. And sure enough, after a few hard punches cracks started to form. I smirked.

"Hah! If they think that I can be trapped here like a zoo animal then they have another thing coming." After a few more punches, the cracks expanded so much that many pieces fell out at once and formed a hole just big enough for me to fit through. Behind the hole wasn't the Garden of Eden, but a pitch-black background that was darker than anything I had ever seen. Even more than Kim Jong Un's soul.

It was ironic and a bit creepy to see completely opposite colours in their absolute forms next to each other and it made me take a step back from whatever was behind the hole.

"I can't be arsed to sit in this icy winterhole, so wherever you're gonna take me better be prepared for my gracious furry ass." And I dived in, ready for any unexpected scenery that would unfold onto me again.

Nurse Joy's POV:

While I was walking to the Restoration Machine, I couldn't help but think again about that Weavile. How did it get so injured? It was a wild Pokemon, so while they do tend to fight they never get pushed to this extent. If a fight occurs one side backs off after a few blows. It reminds me of when some trainers come in with their Pokemon companions very injured after pushing them too far during training, and I have to tell the stubborn trainers off.

Also, the data I got from the automatic scan in the restoration machine was messed up, like literally. The data didn't come out right like the time when I was still an assistant and placed a pineapple to scan. Anyway, I should just be glad that Sarah was there at the time and captured him in a Pokeball. The Restoration Machine can heal Pokemon in their pokeballs completely, but can only be done once every week. I won't go into the details of it because it's not important.

Many trainers don't know this but you can capture a fainted Pokemon only if it's in a very dire condition just in case something like this happens.

When the doors automatically opened, I saw the Weavile already out of its pokeball standing in confusion. Not a shock as he had been captured without a battle. I let out a giggle after seeing him curiously looking around the room, cutely. They aren't native to Unova, but Sinnoh, and even though they can be found rarely in other regions, they aren't found in the wild of Unova.

So how did this mystery get here?

Theodore's POV:

I swear it's annoying how I get transported from one place to another. Where's next your mother's ass? It was so nice in that little island ohh the sensation I felt there was like no other. Maybe I should have just stayed there if I'm going to be sent to some other place... Nahhh that isn't my style, I only move forward and trample on others.

looking around the room, I found myself in some sort of hospital-looking ward except it was only the actual architecture and there weren't any beds or anything. There was one thing, a large intricate looking machine that had some futuristic effects that you would find in a sci-fi movie. It had six spherical molds on the top. There were many of them in rows, each connected to their own single plug. The one I came out of had a pokeball on it.

So I'm still in the Pokemon world huh? Hold on, if what I was in was the inside of that pokeball then that means I've been captured. But I didn't face a trainer or any human for that matter, I was still looking for a city.

"Hello Weavile."

"WEEAVE" I jumped a few feet in the air after hearing a voice from behind me. Unexpectedly, it was a young woman dressed in pink and white nursing clothes; it was Nurse Joy from the anime. I wonder if the 12 sisters look exactly the same now that I'm seeing this without cartoon graphics. She approached me before kneeling so we could get to eye level.

"He he sorry about that Weavile." she chuckled. "You are in the Pokemon centre because you were badly injured and then saved by a very kind girl. I had to say, it was quite a shock that you gave us, but don't worry now, you've been completely healed."

I was saved? That's a strong word to use for a medical professional.

"Hey lady, my mind is a bit fuzzy so I'm going to need you to fill in some details."

"Come, I can take you to her right now." She ignored my request. I don't like rude people.

"I just asked you someth-"

"Follow me" She turned away and walked to the door.

"Hey didn't you he-" And that was the first time I truly heard what was coming out of my mouth. This entire time I hadn't realized what I was saying because every conversation I had was as if I was talking to another human being in English, but now that I intently listen to myself, I only hear the word Weavile. I now remembered that Pokemon only speak using their names.

So that's how it works; something in the Pokemon brain that automatically translates what other Pokemon are saying. This is bad. If I couldn't speak to people then how am I supposed to find Shinigami or get the resources to do it. Nurse Joy was at the door so I hurried to her to meet the girl. I'll deal with this issue later.

When we got there I was instantly tackled by a mini wrecking ball, a bit of spit flew out my mouth. She hugged me tightly with a vice-like grip.

"Arggh! Get off me you weirdo!" I pushed the ball of cloth away and escaped the hug. I almost suffocated and panted for a moment before regaining myself.

"Hi there. I'm Athena." said a sweet young voice. I looked around, but no other child was there. Oh there she is. A ralts? I didn't expect one to be in Unova, but they appear in all regions don't they. She was a third of my size, so small kids back at home would have kicked her like a football if they saw her on the sidewalk without even realizing what she actually was.

"Uhh Hey?"

"I'm sorry about that, I'm just so glad you're okay. You have no idea how scared I was back then. Anyway, my name is Sarah and this is Athena, my partner."

I honestly don't know what to think of this. A little girl and Ralts were my amazingly powerful saviors. My chest squeezed and face scrunched as my pride took a big blow. It was just cringey to believe that I wanted to forget it. I should at least know what happened though. I may not be able to talk to the girl but I can talk to the Ralts.

"Hey Ralts."

"My name is Athena."

"Uhh sure. Tell me what happened to me that I w-"

*GROWL*

3rd POV:

A sudden and unexpected sound broke the conversation- a low, rumbling growl emanated from Theodore's stomach. His eyes widened in embarrassment as he was flustered by the untimely interruption. Nurse Joy, with a warm chuckle, leaned closer to him.

"I think someone's hungry." She remarked, her laughter filling the air. "Don't worry, the cafeteria is open, but it'll close soon. You should all grab a bite to eat, it has been awhile since you've been sitting here Sarah."

The young girl grinned, her Ralts sharing in her excitement. Theodore, though still slightly embarrassed, nodded in agreement. Yes food sounds like a good idea. I haven't eaten in about... I need to eat right now. Watch out chefs because daddy's hungry.

The cafeteria was just like the ones you would find in a secondary school. Round tables and all. The girl, Sarah, told me and Ralts to wait at the table on the edge. It was next to a wall made of glass showing the view of a well-kept garden. She went to the food section to get us our lunch. Damn it I forgot to tell her what I wanted. Please bring me a steak. Pls pls pls.

But then he remembered something more important.

"So Athena. Tell me what happened. Where was I when you found me and why was I so badly injured that it got Nurse Joy acting like I was about to die?" The small creature who had to use Sarah's bag to boost her up to a seat, turned to face him.

"We found you by the forest down the street." she said simply. "You came out and looked really really sad, but don't worry, Sarah and I helped you and got you all healed up."

So I was in fact injured heavily. What could have caused it, the only thing I remember before this is... YES! Now I remember. The end with the Beartic. It used what I assume was hyperbeam when I turned around. Shit I shouldn't have done that, I should have expected it. Stupid stupid stupid. You should never turn your back on an opponent. It will never happen again.

"I'm so excited to have you as my big brother. I've never had one before." she said with a smile.

"What do you mean older brother?"

"Oh Sarah hasn't told you yet, but she said that you're now my big brother. You're so cool. We'll go train, then beat the gym, then train then build a sand castle, then beat the gym wait did I already say that? Then we'll..." Theodore shut off the rest of her rambling, contemplating what she said.

Big brother... Theodore remembered coming out of that pokeball back at the restoration machine. I've been captured. Nurse Joy said it was necessary to get me back here but now that I'm officially that girl's Pokemon, she has my future in her hands or at least that's what they think. I'm a human, not a Pokemon and if they think I'll be treated like one of those circus animals then they have another thing coming.

It was back in his childhood when he sat on the couch and it was the first time he had watched the Pokemon black and white cartoon. He was excited to see creatures with extraordinary abilities and unique personalities. But as the episodes unfolded, a sense of disappointment washed over him.

In those early episodes, Pokemon often seemed to act like loyal servants to their trainers, obeying their every command without question. At first, he thought that it was just a plot thing that the writers didn't want to deal with, but instead rush things to the good part, so he ignored it. However, he saw no development of their partner's character. Sure there may have been some things here and there but that was it. Most partners just came and went for their trainer's convenience.

The concept of the Pokemon world, where these incredible beings formed partnerships, had left a bitter taste in his mouth. It was as if the very essence of what made Pokemon remarkable was being overshadowed by the notion of subservience.

As he watched, he couldn't help but draw a comparison between Pokemon and domesticated animals, like dogs. It had left him with a lingering belief that these creatures, despite their incredible powers, were somehow inferior, reduced to mere tools for human desires.

Screw being in a team of Pokemon, I've got better things to do. Help this girl win the Unova league? She doesn't even look like she can go through the forest by herself. Theodore woke up from his thoughts after hearing the clang of 3 plates on the table. Sarah sat down next to Athena and started her pasta with chilli con carne. Athena herself dove into the Pokemon food like one would in a swimming pool.

"What the hell is this shit, is this Pokemon food? It looks like you took a dump and smeared it over some pebbles you found on the street. Fuck's sake it's not even in a plate, it's in a bowl." It felt like karma had hit him after his monologue of Pokemon being like pets then he is the one eating from a bowl.

However, as the aroma of the meal wafted up to his sensitive nose, his mouth began to water uncontrollably. It was a struggle to resist the enticing scent that his stomach was begging for, and he found himself torn between his reluctance and the tantalizing promise of a satisfying meal.

He looked at Sarah's pasta and would rather eat that instead. He almost pounced on it if it wasn't for the fact that he didn't know whether Pokemon were allowed to eat human food. He didn't know if Weaviles had the same digestive enzymes as humans that could break down human food or if he would find himself like a dog eating chocolate. He could be poisoned and not the status type of poison, but death poison.

He didn't want to risk it. Arghh but... Survival triumphed over pride. If it was any consolation, at least he could say that he proved his statement right; humans will adapt to any case to win. With a trembling hand, he picked one of the pieces up to his face. A bead of sweat went down as he stared at it. Come on! It's for survival. It's for survival.

*Crunch* *Crunch*

A second passed but for Theodore, it felt like an eternity. Immediately, he was scooping fistfuls of the food and devouring it greedily, his earlier reluctance completely forgotten. It was surprisingly delicious, a mix of textures and tastes he had never experienced before. This taste, it's like if you get your favourite food then times it by ten then... I can't even think anymore. The taste is that good!

Sarah and Athena paused from eating as they watched in amused astonishment when the Weavile was practically shoveling the food into his mouth.

"Wow you really were hungry weren't you." she said sweetly with slightly widened eyes. "I've never seen a Pokemon eat that fast before and I've seen my dad's Snorlax eat." She couldn't help but chuckle at this sight. Theodore took a small pause, his bowl only having a thin layer left.

"I have been told that I eat a lot. Most of my bag back at work had my lunch and a bunch of snacks, but what can I say. A genius's brain needs energy to think, although I've never had something as delicious as this." Truly, when was the last time he could enjoy a meal like this. Before, everything used to taste bland and had lost its flavour back when was in the lab, obsessed with his research. Truly, when was the last time he could sit down and instead of thinking about science, he could taste his food?

Right now it was like his eyes had opened slightly to something he couldn't see before.

...

Theodore finished the rest of the bowl in one swoop. He looked at himself and the crumbs all over his coat and claws. He frowned and grabbed a tissue that was on Sarah's tray before wiping it off. Sarah was amused as she figured that Weaviles were on the graceful side. She and Athena were now done with their meals, so she took the plate and bowls before leaving the table.

"You two stay here alright, I'm just going to give these to the front." Theodore ignored her as he immediately dropped from his seat before stretching his limbs. A few cracks were heard as he groaned in satisfaction.

Alright, I've been fed, healed, and now ready to get out of here. He tries to take a step towards the cafeteria door, but a childish voice called out to him.

"Where are you going? Sarah told us to stay right here." She gets down by holding on to the side of the chair before dropping. She's so small. "We have to wait for her."

"Listen kid, you and uhhh kid helped me out and apparently saved me. So for that, I kindly give you this handshake." It was more like a finger shake with her small hand. "And a wholoping fuck you." He said before leaving again.

"What does fuck mean?" For god's sake.

He swiftly turned, hand raised and eyes glowing. He snarled at her annoyance and was about to move, but a small potent jiz from his heart went around his body, stopping him from any movement. Then to his shock, the Ralts in front of him was no longer there but was instead a familiar Cubchoo looking at him in curiosity. He sighed and put down his hand that was threatening to be enveloped in shadows.

Perhaps it isn't a good idea to be running around without any resources or guidance. She also has my pokeball which is kind of now my prison.

"Is everything okay? I thought I told you both to stay at the table." Theodore jumped slightly when Sarah appeared right behind him. Her voice was slightly worried and that was when he noticed some of the surrounding trainers and their Pokemon staring at them. Whoops was I a bit too loud?

"Nothing is wrong Sarah. Me and Athena were just having a delightful conversation." He knew she couldn't hear him, so he had to put up an expression to get his message across. He forced a smile that felt foreign and uncomfortable. He hoped it was convincing enough to hide his true feelings, but the ache in his cheeks told a different story.

"Yeah, I learned the word fuck" He was glad Sarah couldn't understand her. She put up a genuine smile that radiated brightly before kneeling down to him face to face.

"Hey Weavile, I know we haven't been together long, but I want to offer you the opportunity to join the family."

"Weavile?"

"You can journey with us throughout the region and then we can beat the Unova league and become the champions of Unova. So what do say?"

"Hah! You winning the Unova league, I would like to see you try. I bet you can't even beat the first gym, but I'll entertain you for a bit." He nodded and Sarah smiled even wider.

"Great! welcome to the team, I promise you won't regret it. We'll have so much fun together!" She said, eyes dancing with enthusiasm. "So first things first is a name. All members of team Sarah must have a nickname."

Theodore shot a glare at her that could freeze a Magmar. His name is Theodore Nieoldiek, a renowned biologist who's been part of many papers and won't be called anything else. He won't accept any she gives for this mockery.

"How about Sweety?" She suggested, ignoring his glare.

"Oh come on this isn't diary of a wimpy kid." That name reminded him of the scene in the third movie where they bought a dog and fought for what to name him. He shook his head.

"Then what aboooouuuut Fifi?" He facepalmed when she jumped, thinking it would be so cute to name him that. Again he shook his head, furiously as his patience was wearing thin.

"NO! THAT'S NOT EVEN A BOY'S NAME! You named Athena after a Greek goddess you could at least say Hercules. Not that I'd accept it anyway, but it's better than your other suggestions." They continued to exchange responses. One giving childish names meant for a girl's hamster while the other kept shaking his head to the point he became dizzy.

"Noooooo! Please just stop, I can't handle the cringe!" He huffed as sweat was starting to form and... was he cross-eyed? "I know you're a teenager- a petite one at that- but this is ridiculous."

He wanted to simply say his name was Theodore, but this damn language barrier prevented him from doing that. That will need fixing soon if I want to make my intentions clear. Sarah, seeing his dissatisfaction, relented.

"Alright, since you don't like them we can think about it later. Weavile return." she pulled out his pokeball and his eyes widened in alarm. He instinctively extended his arm to halt the process.

"NOO-" his world blurred and twisted as the red beam sucked him into the pokeball where he met a familiar gaze. He sighed tiredly. Sarah and Athena exchanged surprised glances when the pokeball on Sarah's sash opened and emerged Theodore in a flash of energy. It was an unprecedented sight for both of them; They've never seen a Pokemon autonomously exit their pokeball before. The Weavile stood before them, panting and clearly irritated, fixing an icy glare at them.

"Don't do that again." He growled, his frustration evident. Although, Sarah was unfazed.

"I guess having you out is okay. There's only two of you so far so I won't mind. Besides, you're pretty tiny." The comment did elicit a faint blush, a reminder that he was about the size of a child. "I've already booked a room for us, so lets go. We're planning to challenge the Striaton Gym first thing tomorrow so an early night is in order."

He looked outside and saw that the sun was giving off its last rays of light as it descended into the horizon. Did I wake up that late? I have been running around in a foreign body in a place where any person would die without supplies, so it's a reasonable indulgence.

When they got there, he couldn't help but be astonished. After getting the keys and going to the bedroom, he didn't realize how big the Pokemon centre was until he the number of floors on a signboard. The centre was part of a large hotel meant for traveling trainers when they were getting their gym badges.

Actually entering the room had given him a large feeling of nostalgia. The bedroom- along with its facilities like a shower, fridge, TV, and a few other things- were almost a replica of his own back in his old world. He can remember when he first kept a pet Daddy Long-legs in the corner and removed each of its legs to see how it would move. It's only been a few days and I already miss it... Dang this feels a bit wierd. I've never reminisced about my stuff before.

"What's wrong?" Athena asked next to him, startling him.

"What makes you think anything's wrong? I'm not scowling am I?"

"It's just that you see I can feel a weirdness from you I haven't felt since me and Sarah left home." She can sense my feeling of nostalgia!

"How...how are you able to do that?" She giggled, happy to tell him about her feeling power.

"My horn picks up emotions that others send out, so if someone is happy, I can sense their happiness but if someone is sad then I sense their sadness. I don't like sadness, I would rather have everyone be happy."

"So It's true, the Ralts evolutionary line can sense others emotions. I just remembered that it's one of your most famous abilities. Awww this is so awesome!" This was the first time she sensed happiness from him, so she smiled widely too. "How does it work; do you pick up chemicals from the air like warrior ants when attacked or is it like sea turtles who sense the magnetic field of the Earth or maybe it's..."

Athena just stared at Theodore while he kept walking in a circle and spewing words she couldn't understand, but she kept smiling as she now sensed intense curiosity, stronger than the one she felt after being born. It was so concentrated that after a moment, she had to block off her horn's sensor cells when they got overloaded. This only happens when the emotions from the person weren't just mere feelings but obsessions.

"Athena Weavile it's time to sleep." Sarah called out, already in her pyjamas and tucked into bed. Athena jumped onto it- to Theodore's surprise- and tucked herself in too. They both looked at him as Sarah patted the spot next to her to which he rolled his eyes.

"Pfft you're not my mother." He huffed before climbing in anyway. He shivered from the immense comfy fluffiness of the cover which he didn't expect. If this is made of Mareep wool then our sheep would pale compared to them. It's like I'm in a capsule of comfort... Actually, it's a bit too comfortable.

"Weavile can you tu-" He switched the lamp off by pressing the discrete button at the top of it in his first attempt before she could get a word in. Smart.

Little did she know what he was planning as she hugged her Ralts and mumbled goodnight. She wouldn't be expecting to wake up in the morning to realize her new furry friend missing. It was taking a lot of will for Theodore to keep his eyelids open as the darn bed kept pulling him to the depths of sleep. He had to fight the desire for what could be the absolute best sleep he was to ever experience if he wanted to execute his plan and having droopy eyelids wasn't helping.

must resist... I must resist. Come on Theodore think about escape. Just.. j-just think of being free and...

He went to sleep.

However, a persistent nudge from his brain, a small whisper reached out like a beckoning hand, compelling him to awaken. Grudgingly, he woke up and rubbed his eyes before looking out the window. It was still pitch black out there, so he jumped out much to his dismay, and carefully tip-toed around the room.

Whoops mustn't forget about my pokeball. He clenched the prison within his hand that almost cracked it. Silently, he reached the impending obstacle standing in his path, the door. He trod lightly, thanking god that his Weavile form- built for stealth- didn't bring out a faint squeak from the floor, before easing the door behind him. He took a deep breath before moving onward.

Pass the hallway, to the stairs to ground 3 where there should be another set of stairs taking him to the exit. Excited, he navigated through the hospital, ready to be hugged by liberty. At least that's what he thought. After maneuvering past some trainers who were going to their rooms, no doubt to challenge the Striaton Gym or to see other magnificent sights, Theodore found himself in a storage room.

"Brilliant! I went through the whole hospital like a badass ninja and now I'm stuck. I can't even ask anyone except their pets for some directions. At least give me some time to fix this stupid language barrier! Why doesn't this Pokemon hospital have any signboards, the place is massive." As he looked around at the many boxes sorted out in neat piles, he contemplated. Maybe this wasn't a bad idea. He might find something useful in his journey as he didn't know how currency or shops worked.

They never explained that in the anime they just showed them asking for something then getting it. Ooooh They have some flavoured Pokemon food! At the top of a huge stack there lied in big bold letters. GIOVANNI'S PREMIUM BEEF & VEGETABLE POKEMON FOOD. The thought started to make him salivate and unconsciously climb up to it. He didn't bother stacking shelves as he thought his new Weavile skills could let him climb it right?...Right?

When he reached the top, his weight shifted unsteadily, causing the stack to wobble. With a sudden bad angle of footing, he fell all ten feet, landing with immediate pain spreading all across his precious backside. The Stack also fell apart and like Jenga blocks, crashed onto the ground causing a loud noise to echo around the room. However, the heavy crate of Pokemon food fell down on his furry head with a cringeworthy snap.

After waking up again, he looked around in confusion and his answer came from the many crushed cans, ripped papers, and other items scattered across the floor. It was one hell of a fall. Holding his head from the pain, he walked out to find the exit whilst looking like a zombie from the walking dead. He groaned from even the slightest of noise as his headache was beginning to worsen.

"This looks good. Clean and bright lights fit for the front of house." But when he fully opened his eyes and rubbed them off their blurry mess, he saw a few teenage girls all focusing on him. One had stopped her applying her lipstick just to see the new arrival and after a moment of awkwardness, many things quickly happened.

For the trio of girls, they had carried on what they were doing. Sometimes the odd Pokemon stumbled into the bathroom, but who cares; they weren't interested in human parts. But for Theodore, he rushed out of there like his life depended on it with a myriad of thoughts. Many of them being apologies while the rest were about the consequences he could potentially face after seeing some underage girls in the bathroom.

Covering his eyes as shame took over his body and made him run without any direction, he didn't realize he was running directly into a wall. He felt the impact and guess what... fell unconscious ag- no wait. The Pokemon body is, including the bones, stronger than a human's, so he wasn't Mr Lewis to cut his eyebrow on it. (Guess where that reference is from in the reviews). However, the unsteady shelf above him had finally broken, and the many metal gadgets it was holding had fallen, hitting his head and sending him back to the shadow realm.

Fuuuuuuuck ami I dead yet? God please take thy soul already, I can't be arsed with this shit. He woke up with a pounding head, wishing to find the darn exit before

"What time is it!?" He looked out a nearby window. Struggling to reach there, he was glad it was still night, but the sun was beginning to rise and show its celestial rays. He had to hurry before they awake or it's goodbye freedom.

He took one step before almost dropping as his nausea made the world appear upside down. It was a struggle before he got his bearing, but after 13 minutes, he finally found what he was looking for. His eyes sparkled and his furry ass tingled from the sight of the waiting room, if the setting wasn't obvious.

"Nurse Joy isn't here too delightful! Freedom my darling, I've missed you" He walked towards the exit. "I know I haven't visited in a while but please understand that I've- you know what forget the formalities and lets just kiss." And yes he was about to kiss the naked fresh air that will hit his face as soon as the doors open.

"INCOMING!" He felt his spine break as he was powerfully knocked back by a little pink puffball whose looks disguised the wrecking ball she was. She was carrying a huge crate of medical resources above her and carelessly ran through the waiting room. She wasn't even paying attention to who she ran into.

"Happiny, how many times do I have to tell you to stop running through the centre like that! Honestly, one of those packages will end up on somebody's head one day." Nurse Joy scolded her, arriving after tending a patient to see how her new apprentice was doing. She let out a weak frown as she knew it will take this one a bit of time to get up to scratch with her ecstatic behaviour. "Hey, are you okay?!"

She spotted a grey and red plushy laying behind the reception desk. After close inspection, she let out a breath of relief. She obviously recognized who the Weavile was, and apart from a nasty bump on his head- almost hidden from his shaman hair- he was fine. But why is he here, shouldn't he be in Sarah's room or did he somehow wonder here? That's careless of Sarah. She didn't carry on the thought; you see weird things when dealing with Pokemon.

At first, she thought of getting Happiny to take him to Sarah's room but removed it immediately. She would end up breaking down the door or his back. I need to get to another patient so I can't go through the entire hospital myself... what do I do? She jumped back slightly after hearing Theodore groaning. He got up, dismissing her outstretched hand, and limped back to his room through subconscious directions.

Opening the door and not bothering to be stealthy, he hopped into bed and pulled the remaining blanket onto himself. Sarah and Athena were still asleep despite the constant creeks he left. Good, because he really wanted to be in heaven's pocket without hearing another voice.

(Timeskip)

The two got ready; bathing, brushing, and getting dressed swiftly as today would be an exciting day for them. Athena grinned as her trainer groomed her dress, making it as smooth as a Perloin's fur. Sarah was beautifully humming in the background. They weren't exactly subtle, Theodore put a pillow over his head and wanted to scream in anger. He's lived alone his entire adult life and doesn't put on background music when writing reports.

Seeing this, Sarah threw his blankets off, revealing him to the bright sunny sky.

"Rise and shine Weavile, today is the day we take on the Striaton Gym, so I need everybody in tip top shape." He grumbled but got out anyway before walking to the bathroom. "Wait, don't you want me to brush you. Athena's given me 5 stars."

"Ralts Ralts."

"I can ready myself, I'm not a child." It only took a few minutes for the two to finish off the remaining makeup; it made them more adorable than they already were. He too was done; bathed and groomed surprisingly well for someone who's only been a Weavile for a few days.

"Wow." Sarah gasped at his majestic appearance. She didn't see him other than being bruised or scruffy, but now she just wanted to hug him all day long. If this is how he's meant to look like then she's sure he would destroy coordination battles in Sinnoh.

They packed their things, thanked Nurse Joy for everything then left the centre. Theodore was slightly nervous as he hadn't seen the city before and didn't know if it represented the anime or something else. After seeing the excited nature of Athena he couldn't help but get a bit angry at himself.

Come on man she's a child and you're the one getting nervous. Pull yourself together.

"There's no shame in being nervous you know. When I came to the city for the first time, I was nervous too." Athena said.

"Nervous? I'm not nervous just ready to beat the gym leader." Athena's mouth made an 'o'.

"But the feeling you're releasing is the same Sarah did after leaving for her journey. I can remember the face she made is a bit like yours, but don't worry I'm here for you."

"...Sure." When they got through the door, he immediately scouted the streets. "My god."

The view was wonderful. The buildings, tall and wide, were the peak of modern architecture. The bricks, paint, and windows weren't weathered in the slightest as if new. They were taken care of frequently. They were adorned with colourful banners and decorative facades loomed overhead.

The streets themselves were captivating. Made of cobblestone, they wove through the heart of Striaton, where people with their Pokemon strolled leisurely, creating a lively tapestry of sights and sounds. It drew him in, the smiling, cheering, laughing paired with the clean streets which weren't polluted in the slightest, reminded him of Shinigami's words. It went something like 'you gain more from looking after your community'. He wanted to reject them, but his logical mind kept a feeling at the back of his head, one that considered them true.

Walking the path to the Striaton Gym, they went past lushus parks and gardens that provided great pockets of greenery for relaxation. There was a Leavany gently pushing a small boy on the swings as his parents were seated on a royal bench, watching in delight. There was great joy with the families as they kept smiling like nothing was wrong with the world.

"...Hmph."

If Theodore could remember correctly, the anime proposed the Hym's interior as a restaurant and after some words, Ash got to pick his opponent although he picked all three of the triplets.

Cilan's Pansage is a grass type and is weak against ice type attacks that I should be able to use. Perfect, this should be an easy battle. Hopefully, the kid isn't dumb enough to not use me and use the Ralts. Actually, it's her first gym battle so she might. Hmm this could be troublesome oh yeah If you're thinking why I care, it's because of last night. You don't get knocked out three times in a row unless something earie is happening, so Shinigami might be doing some crap to keep me with her and 'learn my lessons' fucking sloppy twat.

He knew it would be best to move forward then see his next steps. They arrived at the Striaton gym and a feeling of nostalgia hit him. He was sitting on the couch and confused at seeing a restaurant inside a museum-like building and now seeing it for himself brought some excitement. Curling his toe claw, he moved ahead of Sarah and opened the door himself.

The two girls' cheery smiles fell to confusion at the many tables and the three familiar waiters catering to a few people. It wasn't rush hour right now, so most tables were empty. Sarah just stood there not knowing what to do, she expected a battlefield where she could put her skills to the test, but found this. One of the waiters, Chilli saw her and came.

"Hello ma'am, if you could take a seat at table 4 then I'll take your order."

"Oh no you see I'm actually here for a aaahh!" she was nudged to the table where she couldn't help but sit down as Chilli brought out his notepad and pen. Theodore looked over the menu to see many delicious wonders which he genuinely to try. That was an odd thought to him because before, he wouldn't care about the taste of his food only his work.

"So ma'am what would you like to eat. We have some great sales today like the dessert menu has an exclusive 10% off or you can have today's special; a lobster supreme." Poor Sarah was a little overwhelmed and shyly asked.

"I-i'm sorry but I think there's been a misunderstanding. I'm Sarah and I'm looking fo-"

"And with the special comes a great mojito; freshly cooled and a delight to have in this wonderful weather."

"No sorry b-but I-"

"Or if you're a vegetarian then we have-"

Theodore couldn't help but enjoy the show. He was grinning with his legs on the table while Athena looked neutral, she had never seen Sarah this flustered before.

"Alright pretty boy that's enough." Theodore pulled Chilli's attention. He looked at him in confusion, first from the need of disturbing him when he's giving service then at the species of Pokemon he is. Aren't all three gym leaders connoisseurs?

He started to throw a few jabs at the air which made Chilli alert of what he was conveying.

"Oooooohhhhhh you want a gym battle. I see I see. Boys looks like we got another one." The other 2 waiters heard their sibling and all went towards the back wall. The customers knew what this meant and moved away in preparation for the spectacle.

"Alright Sarah I'll grant your request."

"So you're a challenger then you'll receive a welcome as pleasant and hot as a new day's sun."

"No I think we should be cool like a refreshing water... chilled of course."

The families that were eating cheered happily as they saw their stars in the spotlight. They couldn't help but be ecstatic at the sight of the first gym battle for the day. Theodore felt deja vu at the sight before him. Replace Sarah with Ash and it will be exactly the same scene from the anime.

"I don't understand what's going on." Sarah timidly said.

"We're the Striaton triplets and we will be your gym leaders today. So now it's showtime." They got into their poses as the back wall opened up, revealing a large Pokemon battlefield made of a rocky ground layer and filled with many boulders. On each side was a stand for the trainers and overlooking them were elevated seats for the spectators that were taken up by the families.

The challengers looked in awe at the first time of seeing a battlefield firsthand instead of behind the screen.

"So now is the time for you to choose who your opponent will be."

"I have to select one of you to battle?"

"Correct! You can choose either me, Cilan, Chilli or Cress. Beating either of us classes you victorious against the Striaton Gym and will earn you the trio badge. Before choosing here are our partners." They all released them from their pokeballs.

"Pansage!"

"Pansear!"

"Panpour!"

All monkey Pokemon whose fur represented their types looked in anticipation at me and Athena. Athena was clearly nervous seeing her first opponent first hand, but Theodore didn't look impressed. Actually, he had a bit of a weird expression... it was the same one he had when he kept toying with the test monkeys by taunting them with their food. Ah, it was funny when I kept putting food in front of them then taking it away. How they kept struggling and jumping around in rage but could do nothing.

"I'm honestly not sure who to pick."

"WHAT! Didn't you do any sort of preparation it's your first gym battle for god's sake. Pick Cress, he's the best bet we've got." Theodore pointed at the blue-haired gentleman.

"U-uh okay. I guess I'll pick Cress then."

"Excellent choice madam. I'll make sure your first gym battle will be an experience of a lifetime." Chilli went to the spectator seats while the battlers went to their stands. Cilan stayed on the side to be the referee of this battle.

"Panpour you're up!"

"Panpour."

"Athena I'll pick you. Sorry Weavile, I said to Athena that our first gym battle would be together, but in the next round I'll pick you." So he was right in his hypothesis, but that's fine, he could see how well they battled together and if things get ugly, he'll jump in and win this.

"Sorry to tell you this madam but there are no substitutions. You can only use one Pokemon in this gym battle, so your Ralts will be the only one who can battle."

Now that made his heart rise a bit. If they lost then that will delay them on their journey and will keep them in this city. He needed to move forward if he had any hopes of going back to his human self again. Sarah Athena you better not lose. He stood behind Sarah to watch the match.

"Attention for our first battle at the Striaton Gym, it's Sarah the challenger against Cress the gym leader. Only one Pokemon each and when one side is unable to battle, the battle is over. Begin!"

"Alright Panpour lets start with watergun." Cress made the first move as Panpour released a steady stream of water across the field, aimed right at Athena.

"So um uhh Athena jus-" It was already too late. Athena yelped as she was struck in the chest and sent flying back, hitting the boulder behind her. It was clear that a good amount of damage had been done when she had difficulty standing despite only being hit with one attack. Her evolution line is not known for their defense which is why most trainers tend to work on their speed.

That's a flaw. If you don't learn to take a hit then when you do you're down for the count. Just from that clash I can already see where this is heading.

"Again Panpour. Hit her with watergun but more power this time." Cress's eyes narrowed, seeing how weak Athena's defense capabilities were, and was intending to take advantage of this weakness.

"Athena jump to the right, don't let it hit you!"

At least Sarah's learning. If she didn't dodge that then the dent on the boulder would've been on Athena's skull. I only hope she gets her battling mode on because, at this rate, she's gonna get pummelled.

"Now Athena use hypnosis."

...

"Seriously, you don't even know your partners' attacks!" Theodore exclaimed as the poor Ralts stood in confusion about what the attack was meant to be. Cress didn't wait around for Sarah's next command as Panpour let out another water gun aimed at her legs. She leaped to the top of a nearby boulder, narrowly dodging the attack meant to send her back to the end of the field. Cress was planning to keep spamming watergun until Sarah would finally counterattack.

And now was the perfect time; Athena had the vantage point on the monkey and could use her lines specialty- ranged attacks.

"Now Athena use tackle." Unfortunately, she used the one attack she wasn't meant to use and Athena leaped from the boulder and like a cannonball, was going to tackle Panpour.

The monkey's too nimble, you're not going to hit him.

"Panpour gracefully dodge." He easily moved out the way of the upcoming attack like he was walking in the park or swinging from a tree in his case. Athena only hit the rocky ground and cried out in pain. The aura of confidence Theodore felt from her left long ago.

"Alright that's enough." Too frustrated, Theodore jumped to the field in the middle of the two combatants and stopped any other command from being released. Everyone looked at him confused. "Athena go back to your dumbass of a trainer, I'll deal with this myself." She did as she was told, too upset from her poor performance to reprimand him for interrupting their highly anticipated battle.

Cilan watched on and couldn't help but look in pity. This was against the rules but he might make an exception this one time; the trainer clearly had no idea what she was doing and didn't prepare in the slightest. Usually, he would send such trainers back, but seeing the bold blue eyes of this Pokemon whom he's never seen before and only heard about, made him conclude his decision.

"Usually I would call this a disqualification, but just this once I'll give the challenger a free pass. If you want you can let your Weavile battle instead or you can choose to forfeit and come back another time. If you do decide to the latter then perhaps some preparation would be a good idea."

"No!" Sarah declared. She was appalled at her own performance and felt terrible at what she had put Athena through due to her own negligence. She didn't even know her own Pokemon's attacks what kind of trainer does that! She didn't want to lose, she didn't want to turn back after the whole build up. Later she'll fix up her mess, but for now, she just wanted to win. "I want to carry on battling. I pick Weavile to be my next Pokemon and I know he'll win."

What else was she going to tell her parents, Sorry guys I lost because I didn't know my own Pokemon's attacks. It left a bitter taste in her mouth just thinking about it.

Theodore looked slightly impressed at her unwillingness to give up. He'll have to win this himself which was fine, he would never allow himself to be ordered like a pet in his life. He shooed her away with his claw and her eyes lowered to the floor at the dismissal.

"If we're all on board now then I think it's my turn. Panpour water gun." Using this attack from small range made it less effective, but Theodore quickly sidestepped, not wanting to get hit.

He could smell the subtle fragrance of Cress's cologne lingering in the air, a strong ocean breeze which aggravated Theodore and after a quick glance to see his smile, his resolve to win increased massively.

"Your trainer thinks I'm like the pitiful Ralts, but I'll show him his wrong!" In a burst of energy, he lunged at Panpour who was startled, not used to an opponent moving without command. He sent a flurry of sloppy punches, swipes and kicks which were all dodged effortlessly as Panpour kept jumping around the battlefield, from boulder to boulder. Theodore didn't let up and was determined to do some damage, so he followed using his new mobility to steadily catch up.

"Now Panpour double team." Theodore's heart jumped in shock when his fist went directly through his face, a phantom ghost disappearing and leaving Theodore to hit nothing but air. He looked around and everywhere were many Panpours looking at him with a slight gleam in their eyes.

They're just fake clones made by the double team, they can't do anything except look at me. Problem is which one is the real one.

He was swiftly turning around to eye each one to see if he could recognize the real body. Not knowing how good the illusion's effects were, he tried to see if there would be any slight deviations that would give him away. Nose, tail even shadow were how they were meant to be if the bodies were real.

He didn't hear the command for Panpour to use swipe before he brought his arms to hug himself as the many monkeys jumped at him, ready to attack but only one's attacks caused two cuts on him.

Theodore slipped on a rock and quickly crawled back as his fur rose and eyes dilated when looking at the monster who was once half his size to suddenly become humongous, leering with a calm smile.

H-how dare he! How dare you! It reminded him of the Beartic when he was being chased through the forest running as though his life depended on it. He felt small fickles of memories of his heart pounding and adrenaline rushing. He wouldn't accept something as humiliating as that no way.

Cress's smile fell a little when looking at the field. The air around him grew a bit denser, something he hadn't experienced before but when watching the Weavile who just stared at his claw with a menacing scowl, his skin grew colder.

Theodore's claw shook in anger. He won't accept it no no no no NO!

Remember what you felt. Remember when you wanted to crush that Beartic like the tiny ant it is. She was not the predator but you were, ready to devour her. An ethereal shadow grew out of his wrist, growing in size and enveloping his whole forearm, solidifying and becoming a dangerous clawed gauntlet.

"Let's see how you like this bitch!" A great attack from Theodore soared to the nimble Pokemon's head, set on ending this match right now. However, he missed yet again. His eyes widened.

That's it! Monkeys are known for running away from prey because of their lack of strength against other animals. Let's see how he deals with this surprise. Another attack was meant to be coming for Panpour so he stepped to the side and was momentarily stunned when the claw didn't go past him but was only halfway in motion. It was redirected to where he was now.

A scream of great pain echoed through the hall as Panpour clutched onto his head where three deep cuts laid. Cress's tongue stilled at the unexpected change of battle after he was so sure he was gonna win.

Luckily for him after a jump to the other side of the field, Panpour recovered and although he struggled, he kept standing.

"We need to end this in one final move, finish this with watergun the most powerful one you've used!" From the other side of the field, Panpour inhaled and filled his inside with the most condense water he's ever done as a gym leader's Pokemon.

Theodore wasn't idle, he ran quicker than even from the Beartic, nimbly maneuvering through boulders and using his feet claws to make sure he didn't trip on the ground similar to a cheetah when sprinting.

Panpour released the powerful jet of water as it broke through many small boulders, leaving only dust in their path. He smiled at the display.

"Ha ha now I've got you!" Emerged Theodore, jumping through the dust and with a mad smile, summoned a shadow claw and thrusted it downwards.

Panpour jumped at the silly attack- didn't he learn that he can just out maneuver him, but that's when he realised. There were boulders all around him, blocking his little frame from any escape. Not even a small hole for him to monkey through.

His attack landed and boy if the painful cry wasn't enough to tell everyone the battle was over then it was certainly the black swirls on the eyes of the fallen Pokemon.

"Oh no." Cress sighed, taking out his pokeball and returning Panpour before giving it a smile. "You battled well Panpour, we'll get you healed up in no time."

"P-Panpour is unable to battle and Weavile wins meaning the victor is Sarah the challenger." Cilan announced after a moment of silence. The audience watched in awe at the rare display of strategy coming from the first Gym in Unova. It was even better that the Pokemon fought by itself against a recognized Gym leader and won.

Cress walked over along with his brothers with a small tray containing a badge with 3 gems that showed their respective hair colours. Sarah looked at it in awe, her first gym badge in the Unova league and the first milestone to becoming champion.

"Congratulations Sarah, this is your proof of beating me and the Striaton gym. It's called the Trio badge, you've earned it." Cress said even though he didn't mean that last part. Sarah and the crowd smiled nervously as they too knew it was true. The battle was a complete mess, filled with irregularities. Cress would have told her this if that look of determination from earlier wasn't an indicator she would change herself as a trainer.

"Thank you and thank you Cilan for giving me that extra chance."

"It's not a problem. It was a unique spice when your Weavile used Panpour's strength against him, something you don't see with beginning trainers."

"Thank you, I'll make sure to improve so the next gym leader will see a whole different Sarah." Everyone waved her goodbye as she left with her Pokemon by her side. They went outside where the sun was shining even more than before.

Great, now we can finally go to Nacrene City. There's a library in there, so maybe I'll find something interesting to read... or I'll have to battle for Sarah again. I don't want to do that so I might need to help her and Athena improve.

"I can see you want to go to Nacrene City Weavile, but first we're going to be going to the Dream Yard. I was thinking a new friend would be helpful for the next gym."

Or maybe later...

 

[Swag Striker]

Chapter 4: the dreamyard

A/N: Hi guys, I hope you like this chapter, and don't forget to leave a review at the end of what you think; it can be anything.

Chapter 4 START

The Dreamyard was considered one of the wonders of Unova. Despite being a research laboratory, many tourists made sure to take a tour inside and see the numerous kinds of wonderful projects there. It was also a great place to meet a renowned Pokemon professor, who would pop up from time to time.

It was made to research greener ways of producing energy using the powers of Pokemon other than electric types. This could include taking advantage of certain grass types' enhanced photosynthesis capabilities, the body heat of fire types, etc. However, the most notable of all were the ones surrounding the dream mist produced by a Munna or its evolved form, Musharna.

Dreams have always been considered a mystery, so when the opportunity came to study what they're capable of, lots of sponsors came to enlarge the facility into a towering sci-fi glory. That was when it really popped off. A few of the smaller yet significant projects had been completed so more focus was put on the 'Dream Science' project.

Unfortunately, something went wrong. They don't know what caused it, but a huge explosion near the ground floor destroyed its surroundings and came down crashing the rest of the tower. The steel framework collapsed, the glass windows shattered, and families were crushed. The tourists outside also felt the impact. It was all over the news, known as one of the worst things to happen in Unova.

The team trenched through the surrounding landscape, looking in interest at the gray architecture hiding behind a chipped brick wall. It was a distance away. Sticking out were steel beams bent from their original position like pins in a string ball. The second floor mostly had no ceiling, so the sun shone on the completely discolored walls. The ceiling that remained was chained together to stop more devastation from happening.

They were all surprised when they could walk through the grass like how they would in the park even though they expected there to be debris everywhere. Guess they must've cleaned everything outside for safety. Actually, why did they come here? Oh yeah, Sarah's mom used to be a doctor here and luckily didn't have a shift that day. If it was even one day earlier… Sarah cut off the thought before it could continue. So she recommended her to come here, thinking it would be a good learning experience.

Theodore desperately wanted to see the inside, salivating from the unique experiments the Pokemon world had in store for him. Pokemon are much more durable than a stupid ape. I want to see the testing they did on them. Unless they were more on the lovey-dovey side then the research they'd gained wouldn't be much

After a long walk that didn't even cover most of the Dreamyard's perimeter, they reached the gigantic gate.

"Do not enter." Theodore read the red graffiti. "I don't know if you know this gate but I listen to my own rules." He tried to push the double doors to no avail. The rust accumulated after so long kept the doors together.

Plan A failed then it's time for plan B

"Wait what are you doing?! We're here to sightsee not break the law." Sarah exclaimed.

"Who cares there's no one here. Besides don't you have other things to worry about like your Pokemon's moves?" He sneered. But she couldn't understand what he was saying so in disregard, he jumped the whole ten feet onto the wall.

"Fine you big meanie, we'll go inside." She pouted before looking for a way to get in. It was just a wall but she wasn't a climber to climb through the small cracks.

"Athena, do you know psychic?" Theodore asked. She shook her head. Right because they gain it once becoming more powerful. How should I get them over?

He looked around for anything on this side of the wall. There certainly was debris the cleaning team couldn't be bothered to clear up. There was a long rope on the floor. Some barrels too, probably empty. There wasn't anything useful here either except broken concrete and steel beams. Pondering around, he noticed something on the overhanging ceiling. There were three rotating pipes that used to be used as part of an elevator when constructing the wall. Theodore clicked his fingers.

That's it!

"Sarah." He got her attention.

"Weave Weave Wea Weavile Vile Wea." He said, pointing at the ceiling over her head before jumping down on his side and getting the rope before jumping over. Attached to the end was a big rock. The two girls looked in wonder when he jumped and wrapped the rope around the three pipes in a weaving way. It was long enough for the rocky end to reach them.

"Weavile Weave." He was now pointing at the rock.

"Y-you want u-us to get on it?" She asked unsure. Even when he nodded, they were still uncertain but got on anyway. Athena jumped into Sarah's arms before Sarah planted her feet onto the rock and held the rope.

"Aleyoop!" Theodore jumped down. Sarah and Athena gasped when they were moving against gravity and smoothly reached the top of the wall. Taking a step, they looked down at the whole ten feet. Theodore jumped back whilst still holding the rope. He then demonstrated his use of the rope slowing his fall down the other side of the wall via the rock. Throwing the rope to Sarah, she did the same thing.

No one spoke when walking through the junkyard grassfield to the remains of the facility.

"How did you do that?" Athena jumped off of Sarah to walk beside him. She looked at him in admiration, curious Of the mechanism she'd never seen before.

"It's called a pully system. With the pivoting points, you can create tension force from the ceiling to the rope and reduce the amount of force needed to pull someone up. It's how I picked you both up despite weighing less and I've lost you haven't I?"

"…I know what tension means." She said sheepishly.

"The more cylinders you wrap the rope around the easier it is to pull someone capiche." She nodded.

They reached the building. Despite losing its height, it was still humongous in width. Most rooms they saw were exposed as no walls were covering them. There was a signboard remaining on its last legs next to the doorway. On it was the plan of the first floor. It was simple. Most were facilities for tourists most definitely run down now. There was one in particular catching Theodores' eyes, 'Data Room'. My man legged it before Sarah could put her arm out. She didn't bother chasing him, if he had the intelligence to do what he did back then then he could probably navigate the place without getting lost. On the other hand, Sarah was interested in the facilitated battlefield. Slightly ecstatic she went off, looking forward to any tips she could gain to help her as a trainer.

Theodore's POV:

"Awww how good it feels to get my hands on a computer." I quickly reached the room. At first, when entering, I was pissed off at how run down the place was. Moss was growing in the corner, there were pieces of glass I narrowly maneuvered through, and the still intact Pokemon test tube had nothing in it. However, once removing the spiderwebs under the desk and blowing the dust off the monitor, I booted up the PC and got aroused by the screen glowing. It took a moment for it to show the desktop which was more advanced than one back at home.

"100 petabytes holy shit!" I looked into the computer's info

What kind of storage is that! And such processing power! For what is considered a slightly advanced computer it is too far forward than ours which makes it all the more exciting!

Going onto documents, I didn't have the patience to read through the files' titles so clicked on a random one. Forget about a synopsis and just get reading.

"Yes, it worked, they didn't need a password. Come on babes show me what you got. Let's see it's 20th October 2023 and during the 26th test, we finally got a signal. After recalibrating the electron gun's wavelength to a certain frequency, they were able to collide with the dream mist particles and cause a higher generation of electricity compared to what we started with. Considering the amount of dream mist produced by a single Muarnna is about insert numbers and units here then these results could bring us a cleaner/higher energy source than any other method used." My jaw dropped. For a moment I didn't see the room around me as the words in front of the screen etched themselves into my brain.

Do you have any idea what this means? It means these guys were incredibly close to finding a better way to generate electricity than even nuclear fusion. If you didn't know, we on Earth were currently investing tons of money, labour, and time into a project called ITER which was meant to emulate the sun and produce energy by sacrificing mass. After 35 years we barely have anything to show for it. Incredible, simply spectacular. I have nothing but utter admiration for the ones who accomplished this research.

All they needed to do was build more electron guns and from there it would have been energy heaven. If the facility hadn't blown up, the people of this planet would have reached a new age.

In the midst of my thoughts, my pointed ear flicked towards the right wall after hearing a sound. It was so small that if it weren't for these sensitive ears then there's no way I would have noticed. Probably some screeching metal.

"So now to the next day, the file says- HEY! Whichever of you two is whimpering quiet down or I'll slap you. Don't you know a genius is at work here, I don't want to deal with a papercut…. Jesus Christ." I facepalmed. The only good thing I've come across in this world and it gets disrupted immediately. Listening carefully, I noticed that the whimpering wasn't too far off from here. Actually, it's on the other side of this soundproof room.

"The exit should be right about here. There we go. Alright, which cocksucker is disturbing my love time. Is it you- what the hell happened to you?" What am I looking at right now? It was a bipedal dog creature. It was sitting on its skinny black legs. It had black fur in its twiggy torso that contained dirt and little sticks and protruded a small lackluster spike. Its blue face was the biggest indicator that it was based off of a canine creature with its black fur moving up to its eye, covering it like a mask. There were two tear-drop bangs on the side of its head looking like they were able to sense something. Its eyes though were a very dim red like they had no more weight to them as tears easily fell down its cheeks.

"Why is a Riolu, tied by its hands, feet and muzzle, sitting in an abandoned facility… unless you were used in a science experiment. Yes! So the humans in this universe are just like at home- abandoning others for power." The Riolu flinched when I mentioned the word 'power'.

I went to remove the small rope tied around his muzzle to hear an explanation, but when close, he weakly shrugged back. His legs moved so slowly, it was clear he had no energy left. I moved closer and reached for the rope despite the strained turn he tried to make.

"Now that you can talk, fess up. Who left you? I know a high-class professor doesn't have the heart to do this." He responded with silence, looking at the ground with those half-lidded dim eyes. At first, I thought he couldn't due to extreme thirst, but after a solid 10 seconds

"…Useless…" He muttered with the voice of a young boy. It was raspy like scraping metal with sandpaper

"Hm?"

"I am useless." This time it was louder but came out more lifeless. "..trainer abandoned…too weak…"

"Using my all-knowing brain I can put it all together. Your dodgy-looking trainer saw you as a gold bar because of your evolution line and took you in but after losing so many battles compared to the rest of his strong Pokemon, he tied you up, made up some sob excuse for doing what he's doing then left you." His eyes fully opened for the first time before looking at me gobsmacked. Got it on the dot.

"So now that you've chosen to take his words to heart are you just going to sit there and slowly decay away?" The Riolu once again looked towards the ground, squeezing himself with his arms more as a cold breeze of wind flew past.

This is so juicy. Sitting on a small smooth Boulder over there, I grabbed a small pile of rocks at the side.

"Useless." I threw one at him. He didn't respond at all.

"Hey useless, I'm calling you." I lazily threw more, one at a time just to get the satisfaction of it.

"Your trainer *clunk* abandoned you because you're weak *clunk* you're a useless *clunk*. You're a loser." This is nice.

"Loser loser loser." I didn't know it but deep within the canine's head were these words reverberating over and over again.

Riolu POV:

Loser loser loser loser loser loser loser. These words wouldn't escape from my mind. They kept coming over and over again like rain droplets onto a puddle during a dark, gloomy thunderstorm. It was then that I remembered something.

(Flashback)

"Riolu use brick break!" A mug voice called out. I ran towards the flying Pidove, jumping into the air, ready to give him my strongest attack.

"Hah your Riolu hasn't been able to hit my Pidove once. Pidove use air slash." His wings glowed brightly before he descended with immense speed. I had no time to react as a strong combination of a punch and a slice hit me in the stomach, sending me to the ground. It was hard to get up but I can keep going…just a bit more. My eyes slowly closed before turning into black swirls, the last thing I see is Conner getting out my pokeball with the similar look he gave during my previous losses. Although, this time I had a bad feeling about it.

"Useless." I barely hear before getting sucked in.

(Present)

Conner said I was useless and now he is too. Am I really so useless, why can't I do anything right? All I wanted Conner was for you to be proud of me, but no matter how much I tried, I kept failing. Sniff I'm sorry I was too weak to do what you wanted me to do. It's okay though, I'm going now forever and ever and hopefully, you'd have found a better partner than such a stinking Pokemon like me.

…

But I don't want to go. Why WHY am I so useless!? I don't want to be weak, I want to win. Please somebody out here, help me. Sniff.

"Sniff…please…"

"Hmm got anything to say, if you do make it worthwhile."

3rd POV:

"…want strong not…uselesss…" He struggled to get out. He looked at Theodore with red eyes filled with more tears. They stared at him, their hues becoming a brighter shade of red as they held a small bit of hope. Theodore took a step back as an unfamiliar feeling hit him.

His eyes were those of that of a puppy being kicked, but there was the oddity. Theodore used to cause those when injecting mid-stage vaccines into puppies to see their effects. Not going to lie he may have punched a few to get them to comply better. They had shown similar eyes- the look of abandonment but this time was slightly different. Somehow it moved him. Maybe it was because of the intelligent difference between the dog Pokemon and an actual dog- he can talk after all. Theodore didn't know but he certainly didn't like the feeling.

"Urggg fine! Get up." He walked up to him.

"Huh?"

"I don't like pitiful beings who never win. I reject weakness and only respect power. If you truly want to be strong then you have to do everything in your power to get it. Or you can simply fade away, forever knowing that you gave up as a loser. So do you want that huh do you truly want to stop being useless." Riolu gave a small nod.

"Then get up and make a difference. There's a little girl with a Ralts looking for a new partner or as she would say a new family member. You can join because God knows she certainly needs the help. Having a Riolu in the team would be anyone's dream and I know she's going to put in the effort to train you and her Ralts." He didn't forget the look of conviction when Cilan told her to work on her glaring weaknesses.

He used his claws to carefully cut off the remaining ropes, allowing the Riolu to move freely. It took a bit of effort, but he did manage to get up while using the wall behind him as support.

"Holy shit, you're malnourished as fuck. Stay here, you can't be moving without any energy. I'll see if I can find any Pokemon food around here. It's a research facility so there's probably some long-lasting cans somewhere." And he left.

Sarah's POV:

I was here. It was a small battlefield made from blue metal which had dent marks. There was a lot of rubble from the ceiling on it making it impossible to battle on. It was surrounded by many sensory-looking objects and had a few seats on the side. At the edge was a small glass pane where a room filled with computers faced the field.

They went to it as the field had no use for them but the research may help. Psychic types are usually researched the most and Athena was a Psychic. She entered and switched on the light. She looked over the computers. Broken. Then the papers. Shredded. Maybe the books might have something. A Felines Guide to- no. The Muscle Fibres of a Machop- no. A Trainer's Guide to Battling by Shauntal of the Elite Four YES this is what I'm talking about.

Page 1) if you're a starter trainer then you may be thinking 'How do I win my first gym badge'. Well no worries, I got you covered even if you lost your first battle because you didn't know your Pokemon's moves.

"…Anyways."

And that should be your first step; learning your partner's moves. This will determine how you should battle e.g. if your Pokemon has more long-range attacks then you should try to keep them at a distance. If they have more short-range attacks then you should keep them close to their opponent. Also, che-

"Ralts!" Athena startled me with a loud shout. She pulled my sleeve desperately and pointed to the back door of the room. She didn't have that smile of hers that I always see. I didn't hesitate to pick her up and go where she wanted me to.

After walking through the mossy hallways, Athena kept pointing at the various junctions in silence which gave me a sense of unease. As we got closer to wherever we were heading, her soft grip held my arms tightly. I've seen her like this before and I didn't like it.

After a few more empty hallways, it was then where I heard a loud cry.

"Munna!"

Coming from the next room was the cry of a Pokemon I hadn't seen before. Peeking around the corner, I saw it had a round body, its skin a soft shade of pink, and it had a distinctive pattern resembling floral shades on its plump cheeks. The ruby eyes were large and expressed fear. Its overall appearance was charming and somewhat dreamlike.

I would have thrust my arms at something so cute, making sure it would be cuddled next to me if I ever wanted to go to sleep. However, I couldn't when seeing how terrified it was. Sneakily ducking behind what was left of a wall, I looked at the more clear view and saw 2 people talking.

There were 2 men with average looks you could find from any generic guy; normal height, normal physique, and normal features. However, they were dressed in the same clothing. They wore loose white and grey hoodies, gloves and boots with a black shirt and trousers underneath. The most notable feature was their emblem which portrayed a P over a black and white shield. I had seen these type of people back in Accumula Town where they were preaching something about Pokemon liberation. I didn't really get what they were saying, I was paying more attention to some strawberry drops in the sweet shop at the corner.

They were towering over the Munna, their shadows encompassing her as she anxiously tried to back away. It was hard when she was right in the middle of the two.

"Come on Munna give us your dreammist!" The one with black hair shouted. Munna only squinched her eyes together.

"Come on Munna give it to us!" The other one with ginger hair also shouted yet yielded no results.

"GIVE IT TO US!" My breath got stuck in my throat while Athena looked on with completely wide eyes. He had just kicked the Munna powerfully, making her cry out in pain. I can't believe what I'm seeing. Did that just happen? I almost dropped Athena to the floor.

"Woah dude!" His partner shoved him back from the Munna. Like getting out of a trance, he realized what he did.

"Oh gosh, I'm so sorry." He shakily apologized to them both. He looked at the pink Pokémon before unsteadily taking a few steps back and using his hand to hold his other arm. Pokemon abuse from a human was considered a severe taboo, not because of the physical attack itself as it didn't do much, but more of a symbolic sense.

"It's okay dude. But please don't do something like that again. I think you've been spending too much time with that scientist."

"Brrrrr don't remind me. I can't believe Lord Ghetsis thought bringing him to Team Plasma was a good idea. I trust the Lord but seeing him replace Professor Colress with that madman does make me question what he was thinking."

"I know, and you've seen a few more experiments of his compared to me when he asks for your assistance sometimes."

"Yeah, after the first few times, I was done. I couldn't handle seeing such horrible and inhuman behaviour from someone. He had no sympathy for those Pokemon, NOTHING! Is he even a human being, those were things no human from this planet would ever do." His breathing was quickening.

"Dude calm down. We'll just get this dream mist and go home." He relaxed his friend. I think that is the first sign of a panic attack.

I can't keep watching the poor Munna be attacked like this. I was admittedly scared from what was in front of me but I'm not going to run away no matter how much I want to hide and forget about this whole thing.

Although, how am I supposed to win? I already lost horribly against the Gym, so why will anything end up different here…OF COURSE! It's exactly like the book said, you need to learn about your Pokemon's attacks before going into battle.

Taking out my Pokedex, I went to Athena's information which was automatically put in when I captured her. Regrettably, I had the settings on 'read out loud' mode.

"Ralts's moves are confusion, psybeam, and double team." A robotic voice said aloud, startling all three people including the Team Plasma members, letting them know of my presence. There was no point in hiding, so I stood up and faced them. They looked at me in bewilderment.

Why would anyone be in this abandoned facility? But they smirked after seeing Athena.

"Well well well look at what we've got here. A little kid and her Ralts wondering about lost in their tracks. Shouldn't you have been walking along with mommy while holding her hand?" He laughed as he grew closer to me.

"Yeah, now hand it over or we'll take it away from you. " they had taken out their pokeballs, attention away from the Munna, and now onto me. This is what their goal is; Pokemon liberation.

I tightly hugged Athena, there's no way I'm going to give away my best friend.

"Go Partrat!"

"Come Purloin!"

The respective Pokemon came out and immediately stared us down. I shook slightly. I was nervous, but I'm going to take the first charge.

"A-athena use psybeam at the Patrat." She released a beam of purple rings at him and it was surprisingly fast that he didn't even get to dodge it. He yelped and was knocked back quite substantially.

Wow, I didn't know Athena had that much power. Despite being only born a few weeks ago she packed quite a punch.

"Purrloin use fury swipes." The Purrloin had unsuspectedly jumped at Athena from the side, striking her with many swipes with her long glowing claws.

"Ralts!"

Oh no! She won't last much longer if this keeps going and that Patrat is already getting up. Two on one really isn't fair.

"Athena jump and use confusion on Patrat!" She evaded a swipe by jumping onto the erected pipe behind her. Her eyes glowed blue before staring deeply into Patrat.

"Come on Patrat, we can't let a little girl beat us. Use tackle." But he couldn't because when he looked into Athena's glowing eyes something strange happened to a few of his senses. The Plasma grunt watched on as he kept tackling against the left wall, hitting it with his head until small cracks started to appear. But it was too late, by the time his senses went back to normal and he broke out of the confused state, the cracks increased in size until the whole wall collapsed onto him, burying him in the rubble.

…uhhh great. I totally meant to do that.

"Now's our chance Athena, we can win if we take of them while they're isolated. Use psybeam again." She tried from her elevated spot but Purrloin was too quick.

"Dodge it then use sucker punch." If that hits it will be game over. It was then when I remembered something.

'If your Pokemon has more long-ranged attacks then you should try to keep them at a distance.'

"Use double team." Purrloin stopped her advancement and froze in her place as there were now many copies of a Ralts all around her. She growled at each one that was looking at her with a calm smile. However, the one furthest away from her smiled a bit menacingly.

"Psybeam the most powerful one you've got!" All clones were charging up their attack. The grunt and his Purrloin watched anxiously; helpless to do anything. She was right in the middle of the clones without anywhere to jump. They all released a large psybeam that were double their normal size and hit her.

"Purrloin!" The grunt shouted, wondering if his Pokemon was okay, however, he was stupefied when she got back up without any visible injuries. In fact, it was like she wasn't attacked at all. "Whoops, I forgot dark types are immune to psychic types. Ha ha ha Purrloin finish this off."

Athena kept taking steps back when Purrloin's claws glowed white again. She kept walking back until she bumped onto the corner and looked at her awaiting misery. Sarah watched on while tears started to form in her eyes.

"N-no Athena."

3rd POV:

"PEAKABOO!" Everyone looked at the grey furball who came sprawling in with a shadow-enveloped claw and slammed the surprised Purrloin to the other side of the room.

"Weave Weavile."

"Big brother I'm so glad you came!" Athena jumped and clung to Theodore's face. She cried as teardrops fell onto his fur, staining them while he was trying to get her off his face.

"Ghtt ggrreet ge-get off me! Jesus Christ, why do you have such an iron hug?"

Behind him was Sarah who held her heart in relief. Her friend had come just in the nick of time. She thought she would lose and they would take Athena forever. She wiped her tears as a new sense of hope lit up in her heart.

Theodore sprinted with his shadow claw.

"Quickly Purrloin dodge it." Fortunately, even Purrloin couldn't match the speed of a Weavile, especially a power hungry one. With one more devastating slash, she was out.

"Grr Purrloin return."

"That's one down, one more to go." He watched Patrat, who had finally dug himself out of the rubble, get ready for what was looking like a tackle.

"Patrat use bide." Charging himself with the damage he had taken from the walls collapse, he gained a powerful red glow and went to tackle Theodore. The grunt smirked. This was Patrat's most powerful attack and it has never failed him so far. Theodore uppercutted him and he fainted.

"That was dramatic." He said as the grunt returned his Pokemon before they both ran away. They left the Munna, who shivered when they went passed her.

Sarah collapsed. Her heart was racing a thousand miles per hour. In one hour she had faced more stress than she had ever faced in her entire life. Athena walked to her before she was quickly swooped and given a look-over. She was fine, not that badly damaged.

"Oh yeah by the way, here's a Riolu." He casually pointed at the rare, famous Pokemon like you see it every day on TV. He was fearfully peaking around the corner, observing her behaviour. Sarah noticed how thin his arms were and how his cheeks drooped like sacks. Her heart welled when she saw the after marks of the ropes and immediately knew what happened to him.

She gently walked over to him, slower after he retreated around the corner.

"It's okay it's okay. I'm not going to hurt you. I don't know who did this to you but I'm not like him. You can trust me." She went around the corner and the Riolu was sitting and heaving large amounts of air. His stomach hasn't fully digested the canned Pokemon food to give him the energy to move anymore. The walk here was already straining enough. His eyes showed fear when she opened her arms.

Sarah saw his bangs slightly rise which was a sign a Riolu or Lucario was sensing something using its aura. He must be sensing whether her feelings were genuine. He was shocked. He couldn't sense any sort of fake emotions from her. There was no darkness in her aura. He thought for a moment.

Can I really trust her?

It was a risk he didn't want to take. Already giving his trust to a human didn't pay off so why should she be any different? Her arms wrapped around him in a gentle hug like a mother would with her child. She soothingly caressed his fur.

"I told you can trust me silly." She giggled. "I'll help you get back on your toes, and I promise I won't abandon you. We will look after you; me, Athena and Weavile will be your new family."

She took out a pokeball.

"Do you want join us?" Riolu hesitated to put his paw onto the pokeball, but ultimately let himself get sucked into it. He made his decision and was taking a risk because he wanted to be happy.

He wanted to feel loved.

Theodore yawned at the scene while Athena watched in delight.

"Yay new big brother! Or is he little brother?"

"He's definitely older. Anyway, now that you guys have got a new member, can we please go to Nacrene City."

"Mhmmmm I agree. I don't like this place, it has weirdly dressed people who are really mean."

"That was Team Plasma; the liberators of Pokemon trainers. Thou holy people who truly think they're doing what's best for the world. It's like a cult. And their cult master, Cyrus, has done a great job at tricking them." Theodore maliciously smiled.

And that's what makes him such a good character, he lies to others to get what he wants.

"Anyway, now that the PC's emergency battery finished, I have no reason to be here. Let's hurry to Nimabasa City already."

They all left through the same route. Theodore was pleased by the whole experience; learning the anatomy of a new creature, seeing this world's advanced technology, and slapping a cat across the face. What more can one man ask for? However, Sarah was uneasy. The sight of a Pokemon being abused and one being abandoned and left to starve had her stumbling a bit across the grass. She stared a hole into the Riolu's pokeball.

I promise you'll get the love you deserve, no matter what.

The Munna was watching them leave. Her crying had stopped as she was left stupefied. D-did they forget about me?

They were on their way to the Pokemon centre much to Theodore's dismay, despite only leaving it a few hours ago. When asking Nurse Joy to heal the Riolu she caught, without telling her about his special circumstances, she simply nodded and did so. She thankfully didn't read his data as she assumed it was a normal catching.

Afterwards, she let him out in a quiet area in the park. He was still malnourished, but clearly in better shape. His fur was clean, his toned muscles were sticking out of his healed skin, and most importantly his eyes were brighter. They now held a small crimson glow.

"Hello Riolu, I brought you to the Pokemon centre and you're already looking much better. I want us to introduce ourselves properly this time. My name is Sarah and these are my partners, Athena and Weavile."

"Hi, I'm Athena!" She squealed delightfully.

"I'm not actually her partner I'm just going to be using her for my own benefit." Theodore crossed his arms.

"And as a new member of the family you get to have your own name. I was thinking Anubis would be good." Theodore looked at her wide-eyed.

Tha-that's a pretty good name. I know some Pokemon were inspired by ancient Egypt mythology but I didn't think they would have some sort of history with them here.

Riolu liked the name, so he weakly nodded.

"Great! I said I wouldn't abandon you, so to show that promise I'm going to leave you out of your pokeball. We're going to Nacrene City which isn't too far away." She said before going in for a small head pat. Anubis recoiled when her hand got too close. She pulled back in wonder before Anubis slowly walked and hid behind Theodore.

"What are you doing?" He asked him.

"I d-don't like humans." He said, looking at Sarah anxiously.

"I don't care, why would us humans care when someone isn't of use to us? I just hope you aren't going to be behind me this whole walk."

But he did. Theodore got annoyed while his female travelling partners giggled seeing his face as his patience was wearing thin. Anubis kept holding onto him and flinched from every movement in his surroundings from the trees bristling to the man promoting his noodle stand. It made Theodore feel like he was being a babysitter to some PTSD kid. To make matters worse, his legs became tired due to his slow recovery.

"C-can you c-c-carry me," He asked, timidly.

"…what?"

"I-I said-"

"I know what you said!" Anubis flinched from the loud shout. "What makes you think I'm going to carry you, I thought you said you were going to stop being useless."

That was the wrong thing to say as he looked down before his eyes became watery. That same feeling from before that Theodore couldn't recognize hit him in the heart. It was uncomfortable.

"Grrr fine! I'll carry you on my back but I'm not holding you, you better hold tightly." He lowered himself a bit so he could get on, piggy bank style.

"Aww that's so nice of you Weavile. Helping your fellow little brother." Sarah cooed.

"He's not my brother nor friend."

"After him can I have a turn?" Athena asked. "It will be like what my dad used to do. I do miss him but I'll see him again in one of those magical glass things. Sarah promised her parents we'll talk to our family back at home once we reach Nacrene City."

"First of all, it's called a monitor. Secondly, no you can't have a turn. I'm only doing it this one time."

They had now reached the end of Striaton City. There was a beautiful garden over a small metallic bridge. It was even better than the ones in the park.

Everyone stared in awe for a moment at the sight before them. At the side there was a small green sign pointing up ahead, saying 'Route 3'.

Theodore was the first to walk ahead. Getting to Nacrene City would be the next step to reaching Shinigami.

It will be a flash before I get back home, just you wait.

 

[Swag Striker]

Chapter 5: testing intelligence and a new face

A/N: 33 favs and 59 follows! That's insane. Once again, thank you all so much for the support, I really didn't expect myself to do this well on my first story on fanfiction. I will start to do a Review Response at the bottom of each chapter from now on, but I won't give any spoilers. After all, this is a write-on-the-move story.

EDIT: I've fixed the Nimbasa City to Nacrene City mistake. As you will see from this chapter the story will have darker themes that will appear in certain chapters moving forward. This is what I want the story to move towards as it gets more plot-filled.

Chapter 5 START

Team Sarah was casually walking along Route 3 for a few hours now. They would have been slightly further ahead if it wasn't for Sarah's constant stopping to dote over the Pokemon inhabiting the grassy land. Right now she was stroking a Lillipup.

"Awww who's a good boy. That's right you are o yes you are." She said, rubbing the small dog's belly.

"Lilli pup pup!" He had his tongue out from the pleasure. "Awww yeah, that hits the spot. Just a little down and yeeeeesssss."

Theodore wanted to observe the specimen but was too busy growling over his aching arms.

"I've been carrying you for over 3 hours. Are you telling me you still can't walk?" He asked Anubis, who had gotten a little too comfortable over Theodore's great generosity.

"I still can't." he replied, digging his head deeper into Theodore's scarffy neck. It was so comfortable that he almost fell asleep multiple times. If it wasn't for Sarah screaming PUPPIES, he would have. Sarah had stopped cuddling over the Lillipup, who had disappeared into the tall grass.

"According to my pokedex, if we keep a steady pace- without stopping for any cuties- then we should reach Nacrene City in 20 hours. Quite close really."

20 hours isn't too long! Haven't these guys heard of a motorway.

"Alright, that's enough." He tried to drop him, but Anubis kept his hold. "I said get off fam."

Sarah looked at the 2 struggling against each other before sighing.

"I suppose this would be a good time for a break. Athena get the table ready we're having lunch." She said, putting down her bag before pulling out a foldable, brown table from it. This startled Theodore. Even in its folded form, the table was way too large to fit into her backpack. His eyes grew larger when she pulled out more camping equipment such as a camp stove and a pan.

He had to know how this was possible. With newfound strength formed from his curiosity, he dropped Anubis who faceplanted onto the ground. He walked to the brown bag.

It's just a simple 35 by 50 bag. That's how it looked like on the outside. It was a normal backpack a child would take to school, not a camping bag that would have many other pockets for extra storage. From what I suspect, it wouldn't need those.

The inside showed a whole different story. Sticking his head in, he saw how huge it was; it contained many more things like a tent and other crap. It was like a rucksack.

"What the fuck is going on?" Looking out again... backpack. In again... Storage unit. He kept sticking his head in and out the backpack that it made him dizzy before falling backwards.

"If I hadn't seen it before I would be startled too." Sarah said. "It has special properties made by psychic type energy that makes the inside bigger than the outside. It's made by Nexacore."

Athena yelped at the name. She had seen them many times on TV.

"I remember seeing their new mango, strawberry ice cream coming out in Castellia City." She gained a dark aura for a moment that caught him and Anubis by surprise. "And we better be the first ones to eat it otherwise...he he he there will be heads rolling."

"...You said that pretty grimly." She broke out of her stupor.

"Huh, what were we talking about again?"

Theodore was thinking in his head about how psychic energy worked. Was it brainwaves coming from their head or maybe it's like the energy I use when summoning shadow claw but they send it as a disorienting projectile or it could be like a Lucario's sensory bangs. Even then it shouldn't be able to change space itself unless...

Anubis watched Theodore go off on one of his rambles again while he was going around in circles. Transverse, dimensions. He didn't get a single word he was saying.

"Hey Anubis, can you help me put the table together?" Athena asked, struggling to reach some parts with her very short arms. She was confused when he turned his head to the distant forest.

"Huh, didn't he hear me? Anubis do you want to help me, I need a tall 'mon for this." She shouted, but again he didn't answer her. She approached him, but when she got close he scruffled back. Her smile fell.

Doesn't he trust us, we did save him from the Dreamyard. I wish you wouldn't hide from us and realise we're your friends. NO Athena, Stop! You shouldn't be selfish. He was hurt by some mean people and needs some space. Athena's smile returned, brighter than ever and filled with resolve. Don't you worry Anubis, you will succumb to our cuteness and be our friend.

She walked back, using the power gained from her new resolution to properly unfold the table and put it upright. Theodore had broken off his rant. Aww I did it again.

He looked at Sarah, wondering what was taking her so long. She was struggling with working out her camp stove and frequently checked the manual before pressing the supposed buttons.

"C'mon work with me, I have to show I can look after myself." After seeing a lack of results for a few minutes, he walked up to her and snatched the manual. He quickly looked over the instructions. So she wasn't struggling for no reason. These instructions are total garbage. The pictures weren't in the best order and the writing part was more wordy than necessary. He could picture himself throwing the whole thing in the bin on a bad day.

Sarah observed her furry friend. He wasn't aimlessly looking around the pages. He can read! He twisted a nozzle of the camp stove where a small red light began to illuminate. He then looked over the manual again before pressing another button, then another, then a final one before the fire had started. She stared at it in bewilderment. This Pokemon had managed to figure out how to start her machine in under a minute whereas she would have been standing for an hour trying to get it going.

She wasn't going to let this go, it intrigued her curiosity. Especially not after what he pulled off in the Dreamyard with that weird pipe trick.

"Weavile did you have a trainer before?" He shook his head strongly. "Then how do you know so much? You're smarter than any Pokemon I've come across heck you're smarter than some humans like you were able to read the manual. Did you learn human language by yourself?"

"...Weavile."

"Heh, should have known." She giggled. "Nevermind, we can explore the secrets of your brain another time but for now, lunch. Athena, Anubis come I've got your food right here." She placed 3 bowls of Pokemon food on the ground. The 2 quickly jumped in like there was no tomorrow, but Theodore glared at his.

Nope. nu uh. I'm not going to eat out of a bowl that's on the ground this time. I may have done it the first time for my survival but this has become too demeaning.

Theodore had an idea. The pebble-looking food had a gravel-like texture that would melt in his mouth. He first got a spare plate from Sarah's bag along with a knife and fork, then placed the food on it. Just like play-doh, he molded it into a familiar gourmet food usually representing the rich. It was a steak; not a good-looking one but hey... it's a steak.

"Ahhhh dinner is served." He cut a big piece and quickly ate it.

"You're going to make it seem like you're a traveling companion instead of my Pokemon." She took a bite from her rice curry.

"I'm neither *crunch*." After finishing, cleaning, and then packing, Anubis approached Theodore with a similar guilty expression.

"C-Can you carry me again?" He asked.

"...No." He turned and walked away along the path. He stopped though, startled once hearing quiet sobbing. No way is he crying? They all saw the small tears coming out. This isn't how I expected the famous Riolu to behave.

"Weavile!" Sarah half yelled. "You should be helping Anubis not making him cry. Come here Anubis, I'll help you."

She scooped him up and cradled him like a newborn child. With his weight, he might as well be one. He didn't look comfortable in her arms though, not relaxing himself into her embrace. Theodore smirked when he saw her bag on the floor.

"Whoops, I forgot about the bag. I can't carry you and the bag so what do I do hmmmm?" She looked at the sky for a moment. Should I ask Athena to- no that wouldn't work. That's when an idea popped into her head, causing her to slightly grin maliciously. This always works.

"WEAVIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIILE." She cried. Literally. There was a waterfall of tears falling onto the ground. "PLEASE HOLD ANUBIS PLEAAAAASSSEE PLEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-"

"Alright for fuck's sake, I'll carry him just shut your fatass mouth!" His long ears were tightly folded as was Anubis's. Their sense of hearing was higher than a human's, so it felt like a speaker was playing right next to their ears. Athena watched the display, shaking her head in dismay. Here we go again.

"Awwww thank you so much Weavile, I never knew you were so kind." Her tears magically disappeared.

He gave Anubis another piggy bank ride, his arms now recovered. His infuriated eyes contrasted with his ocean-blue irises.

"I'm so-"

"DON'T!" Anubis kept his mouth closed. Theodore mumbled, "A dog like you should be the one carrying me."

To make his day worse small drops of rain fell as dark clouds widely surrounded the forest. The group grimaced as they ran along the path while getting soaked. Sarah quickly recalled Athena and Anubis while Theodore reluctantly stayed out. They ran as quickly as they could as Sarah kept a note in her head, buy a chocolate fudging umbrella.

"Now I know why cats hate water. I feel so heavy."

"There! there's a place over there." she said before they ran to a large flat building in the distance. The sign showed that it was a nursery. Frantically knocking, the door opened where a female teacher with a suit and a skirt had seen their soaked form before ushering them in.

"You're lucky it's a school day otherwise you would have been stuck in that god-awful rain. You can stay in the classroom where I'll be having my next lesson. I'm Emily by the way."

"Thank you so much. I'm Sarah and this is Theodore."

Sarah was drying her jumper near the fireplace where Theodore and Anubis sat. Theodore had already dried off. Athena sat next to a chubby kid, clapping her hands as they all sang the nursery rhyme of ABCs.

"W X Y and Z. Now I know my ABCs. Next time won't you sing with me." She was greatly enjoying herself.

"What are they doing?" Anubis asked.

"They are learning to read and write which is a large part of human language and is greatly underestimated in modern society because they don't see the consequences of being without it. It's very powerful as it allows the preservation of knowledge which brings exponential progress in a species' advancement."

Anubis looks attentively at Emily writing her name on the board. He grabs a nearby pen and paper. He tries to imitate her grip fo the pen but it kept slipping through his fingers.

"Dummy, this is how you do it." He picks it up before placing his fingers in a specific way. "You have an opposable thumb probably due to the bone rush move. It's very useful for grip. Here you go."

Anubis looked again at the teacher's name but narrowed his eyes at each letter when they got too difficult to comprehend. He tried copying the symbols on the board, but Theodore only saw a bunch of scribbles.

"What's wrong? You just saw how she wrote those letters, so you could at least be a little accurate." He took this as a reprimand and stuttered.

"I-I don't know. The symbols when I look at them it it feels like I don't understand them when I know what they are. I-I just...I-" Theodore sat right next to him before holding his paw with his own. He guided his paw to write in an intricate way, showing a symbol he didn't seen on the board.

"This is the letter 'A'."

"A." He repeated, struggling to comprehend the letter for what it is.

"Next is 'N'."

"N." they repeated a few more before ending with the letter S. Anubis held the back of his head in pain.

"Just one last thing. How many fingers am I holding?"

"2." He responded. This proved Theodore's suspicion.

The primary visual cortex gets sent the visual information of written words then transmits the information to two other places in the brain until reaching Wernicke's area for comprehension. The primary visual cortex does exist in Pokemon shown by him being able to read my 2 fingers and give that sign a meaning. However, him having a headache from trying to comprehend a few written letters shows that it doesn't have as many neurons as a human's.

"Do you know what you've just written?" He smirked at the canine's confusion. "It's your name. It is you, 'Anubis'."

He stared in wonder at the word despite the slight pain it was causing to his brain as he tried to absorb the visual information. I've written my name, 'Anubis'. For the first time in so long, he smiled. A genuine smile from his own success and not the one trying to abysmally impress someone. He made sure to ingrain these letters in his head.

"Ha ha, you should see your face. It's like you're 5 years old." Theodore doubled over with mirth.

"I'm 12 moon cycles old." This made him stop his laughing fit.

He's 3 months old yet is able to read and write. a human child 3 times that age would struggle. He wondered what else the young Pokemon would be capable of. After all, they just happened to have come across this teacher's lesson on the alphabet, so who's to say that there weren't other things he could accomplish. Theodore now saw him in a different light.

It made Anubis feel a bit uncomfortable; the look of respect shown on his face is very rarely given to others. I may have underestimated you Pokemon.

The bell rang signalling break time. The kids got excited as it was wet break and they could play with their toys in the class. They brought out a huge box from the corner. Athena got excited before walking over, grabbing Anubis's paw, and taking him to some wooden building blocks that the kids weren't using. They were simple blocks that had the alphabet written on them. This is a good opportunity to test him.

He decided to join them. Athena was building a basic tower while asking Anubis to build the garage, but he didn't know what a garage was so that made it awkward.

"Why don't you build your name. Lets see how well you remember it despite your brain's development."

"How would I do that with the blocks?" He asked.

"Look at the symbols on those blocks. Some of them are the same from before." When he narrowed his eyes on the blocks, the letters from before had become slightly visible. Grabbing the correct ones with a bit of struggle, he built his name.

"Excellent excellent! You showed symbol pattern recognition." Theodore clapped his hands.

"Can you show me how to spell your name." Anubis asked before remembering he wasn't given one by Sarah but is stunned when he hears.

"Theodore."

"Hm?"

"My name is Theodore Nieoldiek." He grabbed some of the blocks and spelled it out for him. Anubis made sure to ingrain his friend's name even more than his own. After all, he was his saviour.

The bell rang much to the kids' dismay. It felt like 2 minutes even though it was actually 15. They reluctantly put away their toys before sitting in rows on the floor again awaiting for the next lesson. Theodore went back to the fireplace, Anubis did too to take a small nap while Athena sat on the lap of a little girl and paid attention to the teacher.

"All right class we're going to carry on our maths lesson from yesterday. Can someone remind me where we left off?"

"It was adding 2 digit numbers." A chubby kid said proudly.

"That's correct Simonns but please put your hand up next time. As you can see class when you blah blah blah."

Athena was fidgeting with her fingers as she looked around trying to understand what the humans were saying. She didn't know what that symbol Emily was writing was. When she added more symbols and called them by their names, it was starting to give her a headache. '2' the only two I know is when I want two more scoops of ice cream.

"Athena, come here." Theodore called her for some reason. She got off her friend's lap which made the girl aww in dismay then sat in front of him.

"I have 2 apples-" He held 2 fingers

"Really! Can I ha-"

"Don't interrupt! Now as I was saying. I have 2 apples, my friend gives me 2 more." He said, holding up another 2 fingers. "How many apples do I have now?"

"4." She simply answered. Good, maths mainly relies on the intraparietal sulcus which Anubis proved Pokemon do have.

"I now have 5 apples. I give 4 to my friend. How many do I have?" Athena didn't answer casually this time, using her fingers like Theodore to help her.

"1."

"Correct." Now for the true test.

"My friend wants 15 apples. I can only give him 3 apples in batches. How many batches do I need for my friend to have 15 apples?" There's no way she's going to get this right. "Here, you can use these lego pieces to help you count. Each lego piece is 1 apple."

It was taking her a while. Once, she had accidentally made a mistake and restarted. Her headache was growing more painful, but she really wanted to complete this for him. It seemed important to him.

"15." Theodore choked on his own spit when he heard that. After hitting his chest a few times, he asked her to repeat herself to hear '15' again. Impossible. I know multiplication is fundamentally addition, but it is its own principle. It's very difficult for us to make a new principle from not learning it before yet she- A POKEMON- was able to do it with ease.

"Incredible. You're incredible Athena." He said softly.

"Really!?" She glowed, all pain disappearing in a second.

"I-I mean." Before he could retract his statement, he was tightly hugged in a bear grip.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" Theodore felt another unfamiliar feeling in his heart. It was as if a long-forgotten sensation, dormant for years, had stirred up from its sleep. His chest tightened uncomfortably from the sensation he had distanced himself from.

"Get off me." He growled to which she broke the hug. He stared at the teacher, seeing her write a new set of equations. He wondered. Today has reminded me how powerful writing is and oh my god I'm an idiot. I could have communicated to people through writing this whole time. He facepalmed.

The bell rang again signaling the start of lunchtime and waking up Anubis. Perfect timing as the rain had stopped 5 minutes ago. The kids rushed off to the small yard before Emily could hold them back.

"Heh, kids. So Sarah do you want to join me for lunch in the kitchen? I have a bunch of sandwiches and some leftover cake. If your Pokemon aren't hungry they can play in the yard."

"Thank you so much, Emily I love cake. Are you guys hungry?" They shook their heads. Actually, Anubis was hungry but Theodore told him it wouldn't be wise to eat full meals in the state he's in and it would be better to gradually increase his meal size over time. They went to the yard.

Athena stared down all the different playground equipment at her disposal. Kids were playing on the swings, the slide and some were climbing the climbing frame. She saw the empty playhouse isolated in the corner on top of a sandpit. With no time to waste, she grabbed Anubis's paw and carried him there. He looked back at Theodore with a worried gaze, but Theodore wasn't paying attention to them.

"Let's build a sand castle." He didn't like this; being stuck in this tight structure that was a bit dark. The lonely atmosphere reminded him of the Dreamyard laboratory. Just the thought made him shiver and hug himself.

"Hey, come on." She tugged at him, reminding him where he was. "If you want to be part of the family then you have to let us treat you like one. Here, here's a spade. You first dig some sand and put it in this bucket then you tip it over and veola. Good job, you made your first sand castle."

"Woah." He looked in awe at the magnificent structure only fit for the gods. Then he slammed it. He giggled, finding it amusing to crush the sand castle until realising that Athena was the one who built it. Anxiety hit him as the thoughts of what she would say made him shiver. She's not going to shout at me is she or worse she'll pummel me then tell Sarah. She'll tie me up and bury me under the sand, making sure I can't escape. Theodore wouldn't help me either after seeing the disappointing display.

His thoughts were cut short after hearing a loud unexpected laughter next to him.

"Nice. Let's build more and then we can build a huge pyramid." The anxiety leaves him as he joins her, still a bit hesitant, but happy in their creative activity.

Theodore was incredibly bored as he slouched on a bench in the corner. It had been a whole 2 minutes of watching some snotty little kids messing around uselessly in the yard. Like seriously, go study about black holes or something.

He grabbed a small rock and threw it at a large lego house some of the kids were still building. They cried which made him snicker before walking over to the ones on the swing and then pushing a boy with glasses onto the floor. He scraped his leg leaving a small bleeding wound. The nerdy boy cried loudly from the searing pain.

Emily threw open the door hearing the multiple cries from the other room. Sarah had followed behind her with a concerned look.

"What is going on here!?" Emily angrily shouted, thinking that it was a typical child's fight, especially when seeing Jimmy's injury. All the kids had pointed at an unexpected suspect, the Weavile. She doubled back, confused about why a Pokemon would do that. Sarah had apologised profusely to Emily and the kids before stamping her way to the grey furball with a deep frown. His eyes widened slightly, thinking she couldn't ever be angry with her dandelion personality.

"Theodore, what do you have to say for this! Go and apologise to those poor students, honestly, I would never have expected you of all Pokemon to do something this immature." She can get cross when she needed to be.

"Weavile weave. It wasn't me."

"I know that wasn't a sincere apology. Now go and properly say you're sorry." The shouting was so loud that Athena and Anubis stuck their heads out the mini-house's window to see what was going on.

"Listen brat, I'm not your child, not your Pokemon, and certainly not your friend. You've only been holding me back with your crap when I could have reached Nacrene City by now. You know what forget you, I'm leaving. I don't need you!" He leaped over the 4-foot fence and walked away. Anubis gave immediate chase, but stopped at the fence, unable to jump over with his still recovering legs.

"Wait don't leave me! Please come back!" He screamed, but Theodore didn't look back. Sarah only looked at the grey feline in disdain as he was starting to disappear into the forest.

Wait, why didn't I take the pathway to Nacrene City? Shit. Theodore found himself lost in the midst of large trees that seemed neverending. He tried walking back but ended up deeper in the forest. A slight panic rose at the back of his head as this felt like those stories of people wandering in the forest and never being seen again.

Nah I've got this. I'll show her I don't need her. I can read English and I understand technology what more do you need? Cutting some bushes out the way with his claws, he wandered around for what felt like hours to see the same sight over and over again. He was growing infuriated.

*SNAP*

Theodore swiftly jumped to the side, narrowly dodging a skinny tree that would have crushed him. He was stunned. That was a very random thing to happen to him at that moment. He inspected the tree, seeing its weak trunk before carrying on as normal. Another minute passed.

*SNAP*

"What the fuck!" Another one fell in front of him, so he dived to the right. A loud crunch of its branches was heard along with the rustling of the leaves. The wind had quickly started to grow quicker and quicker until it was like a tornado. Many more snaps occurred as he rapidly glanced at his surroundings, seeing a bunch of trees falling towards him. They gave chase. He sprinted with no direction as many trees kept falling; trailing him. He could hear their crashes getting closer.

There! Just 400 metres away, was the pathway, and behind it was the nursery. There was a small graze of a sharp branch on his back before he dived into the opening.

"Fucking hell that was an experience. There's only one explanation for this." He said before looking up to the sky and bringing up both middle fingers. "Screw you Shinigami, suck my nuts."

Anubis was sitting Isolated, facing the corner of the classroom with Sarah and Athena's worried gazes on him. He was thinking that there was no way Theodore would abandon him. Nu-uh. He saw how impressed his friend was when he had spelled out their names. He could tell from his aura that it was genuine. However, the dark thoughts returned. Maybe it wasn't good enough. I should have been better and not required any help like the Lucario I'm trying to become. My line needs to be beyond that.

The slamming of the door had broken him out of those thoughts and made him beam. It was his saviour. He would have jumped on him if it wasn't for his wearied frown.

"It's only been 20 minutes, it felt like a few hours." He looked at the clock. "Time does fly when you're having fun."

He walked past the stupefied Athena before grabbing Sarah's hand and forcefully taking her to the board. Shinigami's messing around with me whenever I'm away from her. It's clear that the 'lessons' he wants to teach me rely on her and the team, so even if I take away my pokeball I'm still bound to her. I have no choice but to stick with her, but I won't accept being a dog.

Ignoring the teacher, he grabbed a white chalk and wrote on the board. 'LETS MAKE A DEAL'.

They gasped. Emily brought up a shaking finger.

"D-Did your Weavile J-just." Sarah didn't answer and was more interested in what he had to say.

"Go on."

'I'LL STICK WITH YOU AND HELP YOU ON YOUR JOURNEY WITHOUT BEING A PAIN IN THE NECK AND IN EXCHANGE YOU HAVE TO FULFILL MY REQUIREMENTS'

"Which are?"

'I HAVE TO REMAIN OUTSIDE OF THE POKEBALL AT ALL TIMES. IF I REFUSE TO DO SOMETHING I DON'T WISH TO DO OUTSIDE OF THE JOURNEY THEN I DON'T HAVE TO. AND FINALLY, IF WE COMPLETE THE WHOLE CIRCUIT OF UNOVA THEN YOU HAVE TO TAKE US TO SPEAR PILLAR IN SINNOH. ALL OF THESE ARE TO BE DONE UNLESS SAID OTHERWISE'

It was an odd set of requests coming from a Pokemon, but he wasn't an ordinary Pokemon. She gave it a small thought and decided.

"Alright, I can do that. I'm not exactly sure why you would want to go to Spear Pillar though." When going over some memories of the Pokemon anime, he realised that the best way to get back to his universe is to go to none other than the ones who control time and space because he's not going to be meeting Shinigami anytime soon.

He held out a hand for her to shake to which she did. This was the next step of both of their journeys and one that will forever change their lives.

(someplace else)

"What are we going to tell him?" The black-haired plasma grunt nervously asked.

"Me! You're the one who lost against a baby psychic Pokemon while having a dark type. If anyone should tell him of our failure it's you."

"Do I have to?" He hesitated to walk through the automatic doors. He didn't even want to be in the same room as the Doctor let alone his experiments.

"Ahhhh isn't it my favourite assistant and some other guy. I take it the mission was successful. That Dream Mist will bring wonders to my research." The Doctor was a tall man with scruffy blonde hair and pale skin. He was wearing a lab coat over standard clothing. He had his back towards them as he inspected the edge of the scalpel he picked up.

He dug it deep into whatever he was cutting open and slowly opened the incision. He only wore plastic gloves and nothing more; no mask and no sterilisation as if he didn't care about the subject's life. The grunts had to hold their noses because of the strong smell of iron stenching the room. Doctor Vikasa moved to the side to record some things on his computer. The grunts closed their eyes before they could see the remains of the hapless Pokemon; one of them was traumatized enough. If it wasn't for Lord Ghetsis telling them how this was to help the Pokemon race become free then they would have left Team Plasma.

"Umm well you see sir the thing is, is that we got the Munna and were very close to extracting the Dream Mist but..."

"But?"

"T-There was a trainer with a very powerful Ralts and s-some other Pokemon I don't even recognise and they were a force to be reckoned with sir. She stopped us before we could extract a sufficient amount of the Dream Mist. If it wasn't for her then-"

"Stop." He simply said, silencing them to the point he couldn't hear their breathing.

"Excuses excuses." People exaggerate a story when they're defeated to save face. "I know that it was only a child who beat you. How humiliating it is for Team Plasma to have such weaklings to accomplish our goals, although a Ralts would be an interesting specimen to dissect. One thing I hate in life is weakness. I only respect power and nothing more. I'll let the two of you go this time, but next time failure won't be tolerated, understood."

"Y-Yes sir. Understood sir."

"Then get lost." And they both hurriedly left.

"Pid?" The Pokemon had stirred slightly awake with a numbness in its abdomen growing more and more searing.

"Great you're awake. Perfect timing too as the anasthesia should be wearing off, so while I observe a bit of your organs, I can test your tolerance to pain too. A 2 for 1 deal." The frightened Pidove trembled, her delicate chest rising and falling in shallow, rapid breaths as she watched the menacing tip of the scalpel inching closer and closer. Amidst the silence of the night, only the echoes of her screams pierced the air.

Chapter End

Jeyko: You brought a smile on my face.

CryptidQuest: I definitely am.

Kezoka474: After reading your review I almost thought you were the author. Malice is an interesting word that we'll be seeing throughout the story. Also, Theodore has now given his requests in the deal as he won't allow himself to be a subservient slave.

Clam The Zooted One: Theodore can you come here for a second. "Yeah, what's up." Can you do me a favour and never hit Athena, I think this guy will kill me if you do WAIT, WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?

Ralmos: I won't be making the characters too complex as this is my first proper story, but I do want them to have their own unique personality and feel more than some cliche anime character. I will try to handle Theodore and Anubis carefully as you're right in how they can go off the rails if not handled properly. Trust me, this story will only get better. Great feedback.

 

[Swag Striker]

Chapter 6: nacrene city

A/N: Not much to say really except enjoy.

Chapter 6 START

"Finally." Theodore said, looking at the gates holding Nacrene City. "FINALLY!"

After an unbelievable, excruciating, painstaking 20 hours of walking, the team finally arrived at Nacrene City, the city known for its famous museum that remained a beacon of its cultural heritage for centuries since it was first built.

Theodore had thrown his furry companion right off his back as he ran past the gates and practically hugged the concrete floor. He'd never thought he would miss the city atmosphere after only being away from it for 20 hours. It reminded him of that time he'd gone camping a decade ago just to prove to himself that he could survive in an unfamiliar atmosphere then threw himself to the nearest hotel once he completed the 60 day challenge. He almost forgot that he did that since he'd immediately move on to the next thing that would hopefully provide him a hard challenge.

The rest stared in awe as they entered the city. It was huge. It made Striaton City look like an ant. There were many buildings that were actually warehouses lent by the city to artists. As they walked pass, they saw them being used as shops to sell souvenirs, jewellery, and miniature artifacts or were used to display the various artwork the artists made. There was one currently using a power sander to carve a foam statue of a Gyarados. It was a magnificent sight to see.

The streets varied in colour as it was like a rainbow wonderland. There were drawings of people and Pokemon in various styles drawn on anywhere where there was space. If that was happening on Earth then it's either a pride parade or some dudes trying to piss off the government.

The two beside her were as ecstatic as children could be at a huge tourist attraction, but Sarah saw everything differently. To her, it felt like freedom tinged with a bit of regret. She was a shut-in who kept her little-girl attitude until she left Accumula Town, wasting her years inside her home. Don't get her wrong, it wasn't because she was held by her parents or she feared the outside, she just wasn't interested in what was out there despite her parent's insistence. However, after she strayed from her mother during a small shopping trip, she entered the forest and saw many Pokemon for the first time. She felt a deep curiosity and happiness seeing them interact with their families and living their lives in strange ways.

She knew she had to see more. Her nights after that day weren't the same as she kept wondering about what was out there. So when she turned 12 and became eligible for the Unovan Circuit, she picked up her bags and left. She knew it was the best decision she made when she felt the peaceful atmosphere upon reaching the gardens of Striaton City.

Theodore wasn't paying attention to the sights around him. He was just glad they finally reached the next milestone after the distraction of the Dreamyard and the nursery. He remembered how Nacrene City had its famous museum which also contained a library. He was feeling giddy at the idea of sitting there with a stack of books about Pokemon anatomy. It would be dick-raising if he found out the workings of the organs responsible for breathing fire or shooting ice beams. He was already drooling from the thought. He walked in front of the team, stopping them in their place.

"Alright you cunts. We're finally in Nacrene City, so we all know the first place we're going to." Sarah caught on from his enthusiasm that they were thinking the same thing.

"You're right Theodore." She pulled out her pokedex and went to the map feature before smiling in glee. "The first place to head to is the mall."

"Library... wait what?" His smile faded to dread when he saw the young girl shaking in anticipation. Oh no, not another distraction.

He kept waving his hand to her. He wouldn't go on her stupid shopping trip.

"Come on Theodore, it will be fun. I can buy you something if you want."

"Nope, ain't happening." He picked from her pocket a small notepad and pen they thought would be useful for communication.

THIS WASN'T PART OF THE DEAL. IT'S NOT RELEVANT TO THE JOURNEY, SO I DON'T HAVE TO GO.

"But isn't buying supplies essential for a journey? What will happen if we run out of food or water or how are we going to stop getting drenched from the rain again without an umbrella?" She smiled victoriously as he tried to write something but nothing would come out. He sighed in defeat and wrote.

I CAN'T ARGUE WITH THAT. YOU GOT LUCKY THIS TIME.

"Yay! To the mall we go." She said, pointing to a colossal building in the distance that towered over the rest. He had a bad feeling about this.

Aaaaaaaaaaaand he stood correct. All those times he disregarded Nathan's complaints about his girlfriend's shopping trips, he had thought they were just him complaining of having to carry 2 bags of clothes around the mall, but now he knew he wasn't exaggerating in the slightest.

He was carrying with his small stature bags upon bags of fashionable clothes. They kept on piling as they walked around the shop even with his new Pokemon strength, he was finding it difficult to hold them. He couldn't see in front of him anymore as Sarah threw another cardigan on top of the red dress. Who wears clothes like these anyway they're too exotic as if they were trying to cosplay anime characters. If you look like this in my world it would be cringe.

"Oooff!" He bumped into a manakin and fell on his ass, the clothes scattering all around him. He deadpanned at Sarah while she looked at him with a sheepish smile.

"P-perhaps that's too many clothes. How about I pick only 2 pairs instead." She decided to be reasonable and kept a knee-length purple dress with a pair of pink wellingtons. She loves those colours, doesn't she.

He sat there with a pair of trousers hanging off his head. He was about to take it off, but that was when he realized something he should have noticed a long time ago. Something very VERY important. Something integral to his very humanity; he was NAKED. This entire time he didn't notice at all as his now Weavile body kept his privates covered up and his fur felt like clothes that were glued to his body. However, it didn't matter now that he was self-conscious of his naked self. He was wide-eyed and looked around himself in instinct, wondering if anyone was watching.

"Are you okay?" Athena asked, sensing his anxiety. He didn't answer as he tried to fight the instinct to cover himself with the clothes scattered on the floor. He gave a slow shaky nod. He gathers the fallen clothes and hands them back to Sarah to put them back in their appropriate place. While heading to the checkout, many thoughts were going through his head as he couldn't leave this issue alone. It felt wrong and it was constant.

I can't exactly wear a shirt and trousers around in public, it would be outlandish. Even a robe would be too much and how would I prevent them from being ripped in battle.

The store member was scanning the clothes. He saw, over her shoulder, the few rows of manakin heads wearing scarves fit for different climates and occasions such as a feathery one one would wear at a fancy party. His eyes widened at the idea. Yes, I can wear a scarf! Sure it doesn't cover my whole body but it will give me some comfort knowing I'm not an animal. I want to be left with at least some dignity while I get around this world like this. Just some.

"You can buy it if you want, Sarah won't mind." Athena said. "Thanks to you in the Striaton Gym, she got a whole lot of cash. That's why she's in this clothing shop as she has a lot of expendable money. She said it herself remember, she was happy to get you something."

He didn't reject the offer as he had to get one of those scarves. It would look normal and wouldn't get in the way of a battle, but it felt humiliating to ask a little kid to buy something for you. He was a grown man and ever since his younger years, he's always tried to be independent even when it came to providing for himself. He reluctantly pulled on her dress and pointed to one of the scarves.

"You want me to buy you that one? Good choice, the colours fit you perfectly." He didn't realize it until she mentioned it, but the scarf was for winter, it was grey and had red tips. What a crazy coincidence that it matched his Weavile form perfectly. The only reason he picked it was because it was similar to the one he had before and could be used as a reminder of home... when did he get this sentimental about his home?

After a quick stop at a camping shop to better prepare them for their long treks, Sarah thought it would be a great idea to go to the cafe for ice cream. Athena was delighted while Anubis was confused about what ice cream was. Theodore, on the other hand, just smiled as he walked through the mall with his sexy self and his new scarf.

They arrived at the cafe and it was huge! There were a lot of people filling the tables. They walked to the front and instead of a person to take their order, there were tablets with the various options offered.

Suddenly, The boys felt a strangling sensation around them. Theodore quickly glanced around as he thought it was one of Shinigami's shenanigans but no. Anubis hid behind him as he felt the aura of the two responsible. He never imagined the sisters who were always bubbly to have this menacing aura to them. Sarah sent a narrowed side glance to the small fairy Pokemon.

"As you know Athena, ice cream has existed for many centuries, first made in Persia to be enjoyed by royalty. Ever since then, it has spread across the world to be enjoyed by many. It has always been the pinnacle of dessert since that time and now has many different flavours."

"But Sarah, we both also know that only one flavour can reign supreme as the best and unfortunately for you, that throne belongs to strawberry." Their fingers dug into the tablet with such intensity that small cracks began to form under the pressure.

"No it's not, it's vanilla!"

"Strawberry!"

"Vanilla!" they were butting heads at this point, pushing each other back and forth.

"Why don't you pick bo-"

"SHUT UP!" They both shouted, making the ice type shrink back awkwardly. He looked at the options ranging from mango to mint and even mixed ones. He contemplated which was the best flavour. I know.

They stopped their pushing competition when they heard the tablet printing out a ticket which Theodore gladly took.

"Chocolate." The ticket said the ice cream cost $10 dollars which is around £8 and to go to table 9 for their order. He wondered how money worked in the Pokemon world as the anime didn't show any transaction whenever a character bought something... Ah who cares, Sarah can deal with that crap. Anyway, as long as we keep winning battles like Athena said then we should be fine.

The sister dejectedly walked to their table slumping into their seats. Heartbroken, they gave Theodore who smirked, the stink eye. But coming from them it only made him laugh.

"Never imagined I'd catch you without that radiant smile. You're usually the epitome of cheerfulness. Perhaps it's in a Ralts's genes," he remarked to Athena. His surprise peaked as she swiftly did a 180 and flashed her trademark bright smile once more.

"Yes, the chocolate ice cream will be great for my tongue. I can't wait for it to melt into my mouth." He sighed and turned away from her. It was annoying how she always remained positive, looking for the best in every situation. He said it could be part of a Ralts's genetics as a joke, but now he considered it. It was disgusting as he never found the point of being positive all the time. It was a weakness; only the desire for victory can bring him happiness.

He says that yet studies have shown that the positive people are the ones who live the longest. If evolution was about survival and giving your genes to the next generation then his point of view would be wrong.

The waiter arrived with the bowl of ice cream that came from heaven. Only $10 dollars for this! There was no time to describe it as he picked up his spoon and dug in with the others. Anubis held his scoop in front of him, inspecting all the different details from the smooth surface to the rainbow sprinkles. He slowly ate it, making sure to get all his taste buds activated. He stiffened. This is amazing. How can humans create such a delicious treat. He made sure to eat as much as he could before the sugar lovers could ravenously empty the bowl. He noticed the curious stare his friend was giving him.

"Am I doing something wrong?" He asked which made Theodore chuckle.

"Nah it's just that chocolate is usually poisonous for canines. Their bodies metabolize theobromine- a compound found in chocolate- much more slowly than humans do, leading to toxicity even at lower doses. I guess you Lucarios and Riolus have the sufficient amount of enzymes to digest it perfectly fine."

"This ice cream is made from poison types, woah." He said adorably, digging deeper into the remains of the bowl. Theodore too took a few spoonfuls, the taste being more apparent than ever.

After dropping off the shopping bags at their room in the Pokemon Centre, they rushed, at his assertive suggestion, to the famous Nacrene City museum. He was excited as he wanted to see all the different artifacts, read many books on Pokemon anatomy, and finish it off with a gym badge. What more can one man ask for. Too bad for him that there was a sign on the door saying 'Sorry but the museum is closed due to the new artifact delivery'.

"What?" Sarah exclaimed. "That can't be right. I booked a gym battle for 2:30 and they didn't tell me they were closed."

She checked her pokedex and it said she was pending for her gym battle. Maybe the battlefield is a separate part of the museum and is still available.

She knocked on the door a few times awaiting a response. Theodore seethed in anger. What kind of service is this. Back at home, this would be the immediate downfall of any tourist attraction after getting swarmed with negative reviews. They better have an answer for this or they'll have to face a shadow claw to the face, better yet, I'll steal their artifacts.

The door swung open, unveiling a middle-aged man sporting short brown hair and soft green eyes. He was clad in a neat sleek grey suit, perfectly complemented by a neatly knotted tie.

"Hello, may I help you?"

"Yes hi. My name is Sarah and I have a gym battle at 2:30, but apparently, your museum is closed." The young man looked at his watch before his brows rose.

"I'm so sorry ma'am, but we will have to move your appointment to a different time. Unfortunately, our shipping arrived earlier than it was supposed to. Lenora, the Gym Leader, had no choice but to sort that out so she'll only be available this evening. Again I'm sorry for the inconvenience, but if you want you can use the library as that section isn't closed.

"Yes!" Theodore yelled. "Library library library."

He kept bounding on his feet with a large smile she hadn't seen on him before. He looked so happy that it would have felt as if she committed a crime if she didn't accept the offer.

"Alright, we'll go." She said with a smile but the man knew it was forced. It looked wrong for a young girl like her to have anything other than a true smile.

"Tell you what, just for you, I'll also give exclusive use of our private training room to train your Pokemon." Now that got her smile to reach her eyes.

The boys went to the library while the girls, who were more interested in preparing for the upcoming gym battle, went to the training room.

"Why don't you go with them? Some exercise would help your condition." He asked the shy Riolu.

"I d-dont really trust Sarah. I'm okay with Athena b-but not her."

"You're an idiot." He said bluntly, making him almost trip over. "Sarah has no bad blood in her. She's naive, kind and too innocent to have any ill intentions toward you. You've read her aura. What's the difference between her and Athena... exactly, nothing."

"Yeah, but still she's a human. I've already been abandoned by one, so why should she be any different."

"Humans are incredibly unpredictable creatures. One can be a tyrant while one can be charitable. You won't find in her what you found in your previous trainer I can tell you that, but if you don't want to trust her then suit yourself. Just so you know, I can spend days in the library reading, so I better not hear any whining if you're bored."

The library was small, about big enough for a secondary school. It was pretty standard with rows of shelves filled with thick and thin books. He wanted to orgasm on the spot. This is what he's calling is. With no time to waste, he grabbed a random book, sat around the small table in the corner and opened the front page of the glorious bank on knowledge. Anubis sat on the chair next to him, narrowing his eyes at the tile, but couldn't make out the letters. There were some he hadn't seen before and there were a lot more.

Pokemon moves from 3000 years ago

Chapter 1: Introduction

Everyone in the current generation assumes that the world has always been a happy dandy place where one could simply become allegable to be a Pokemon trainer at the age of 12. Where one could travel to most parts of the world without worry of wild Pokemon. This was never the case during ancient times back when war was always prevalent around the world. During these times Pokemon who were the most powerful weapons at the time, were constantly being bred to replace their parents on the front lines. However, there was no time to teach them the original Pokemon moves.

Back then, Pokemon were able to learn more than 4 moves that had advanced versions of themselves, although, they would take a long time to learn. So over time, they had evolved parts of their brain to instantaneously learn a basic version of a move. Scientists still aren't sure what the requirements to be met are for a Pokemon to learn a move, but it seems to revolve around using all the individual's senses.

Since the constant wars kept causing detrimental damage on the planet, the Great Pact was formed between all nations of the world 434 years ago where it was sworn that humans will never engage Pokemon in a grand scale conflict nor abuse them for any extreme cause. This is why it is illegal to do either for even a small scale reason other than a type of police force. So now, human-Pokemon partnerships are celebrated via an honourable battle representing-

"Blah blah blah. No one gives a shit about that." He skimmed the rest of the introduction which talked more about the species' relationship till he got to the good part.

Luckily, using their biographies written by scientists at the time. We've been able to identify how some moves looked and functioned. Unfortunately, we and top trainers have been unable to find a way for any current species to perform these original moves. We've recovered the information of 16 moves. On the rest of the chapters, we'll be going into them in detail.

Chapter 2: The Forgotten Move 'Cadence Illusion'

There were pictures of an unrecognizable bipedal Pokemon, long extinct, performing the move.

In battle, the user enters a state of heightened focus and concentration. They move using precise steps in a pattern which creates a mesmerizing rhythm that echoes around them. As they move they create a subsequent trail of afterimage illusions that disorient their enemy.

The move capitalizes the opponent's senses by exploiting all vision, hearing, touch, and smell. So if the opponent sees these afterimages, they will quickly experience horrible nausea and will be rendered from using any of their own moves until recovered. While in this state, the user will use this opportunity to deliver a precise, decisive blow.

This move is the original version of double team, but unlike it, can form continuous illusions as long as the user is moving so it can't be broken with a quick AOE attack. It can also cause some serious temporary effects on their opponent's brain.

It was found in a few manuscripts that those who master this technique can create a fake clone during their movement to confuse stronger enemies who can overpower the nausea. For example, if the user dodges to the right of an ice blast then as long as he has made those precise movements earlier in the battle then they can create a clone who dodges to the left.

Chapter 3: The Forgotten Move 'Techtonic Fist'

This move could only be used by a rock and ground type. The user wou-

When everything was going well, Theodore was interrupted by his small reading session when he heard his unwanted brother rubbing his knees and groaning in pain. He was pissed at how he told him not to whine yet he does it anyway. A weak creature like this should only be disciplined through an appropriate measure. He was about to slap him across the face, but then he remembered the deal he made to Sarah that he wouldn't be a pain in her journey.

Stupid dog. He groaned, but maybe it would be a good idea to help his mobility otherwise he'll be carrying him everywhere. He can also try the original move, sure even champions have never gotten their Pokemon to do it but he is THE Theodore Nieoldiek. No one can be compared to him. He looked back at the images of chapter one and ingrained the demonstrator's movements into his head.

"Alright, let's go to the training area since you wanna be a baby. You'll need some strength training to help your muscles not rest."

He was stunned after opening the door at all the different equipment. Some he recognized as they were either ones you could find at a normal human gym or ones he's used in animal tests, but some he hadn't seen. They were specialized to train different Pokemon types and many types of attack, ranging from ranged to close combat. They walked past the other two, who were doing their own thing, to the dumbells.

"I know how dog and human muscles work and you seem to be the combination of both, so I'm the perfect trainer. Your knees were hurting earlier so to help the patellar tendon you'll start with some wall sits." He moved his back to the wall and put him in the proper position. "There now stay there for 50 seconds then take a small break. Afterwards, do it again another 4 times."

Anubis found the first 3 sets pretty easy but struggled on the last 2. His knees were feeling a searing pain as he kept counting down the seconds, wishing the exercise to be over. He made sure to complete it though as he didn't dare to make himself look like a failure in the first task given to him. Theodore then showed him a couple more exercises- some needing dumbells- and let him get on with it while he was going to try to do Cadence Illusion. Sarah saw them at the edge of her eye, smiling at them working together. They both had issues, but as long as they have each other then hopefully those issues will go way before they know it.

Remember what you saw. Moving to a space, he vividly saw the starting position of the extinct Pokemon. Based on the description, the move could be used in any type of movement including running. but the images were showing a baseline to how to do it. He went to a basic stance before walking incredibly slowly. This move needed precision which he knew he could do. It was meant for assassins which a Weavile was so this should be a piece of cake for him. Slowly and slowly, he was going in a circle around a pretend enemy. Slowly and slowly, the walking seemed more like a recording put on loop as he kept making small adjustments so the opponent would see an echo in his movements. After 20 minutes of walking non-stop, sweat was beginning to fall as the training was frying his muscles and his brain. It took a shit ton of concentration to get his steps to be absolutely the same as the last where even a minute detail would count.

Anubis had completed his exercises and rested on a bench, wondering why his saviour was so focused on walking. When he was taking his last few steps he could have sworn he had seen a blurry copy of him right behind him. After blinking a few times it disappeared. It must have been a sweat falling from his eyebrow.

Theodore moved onto stretches with him which were even more painful, ranging from his calves to his back, but afterwards, he was shocked by how different he felt. By how free he was. He was able to stand perfectly upright like a Riolu should.

"See, you're no longer hunchbacked anymore. Try going through that square thingy." He said pointing at a simple climbing frame in the shape of many cubes. When he tried, he was able to vault through, easily climb, and softly jump down without any issue. Sure, his muscles weren't completely activated yet, but it was a huge improvement compared to an hour ago. There was an increase in respect he had for his friend and his knowledge. He already knew he was smart, but now he thinks he may know everything.

"Good again." Athena blasted another psybeam at the training dummy designed to take impact from psychic type attacks. She wanted to focus more on her moves instead of physical conditioning as she didn't have the body for that yet. The most she could do was work on her evasion.

After the hype of her strategy working in the Dreamyard, it fell apart in the end due to her ignorance of psychic type moves not working on dark types. It was so embarrassing, so this time she checked what type this gym specializes in; it was normal types. She also found out that fighting types were supper effective against normal types. She eyed Anubis as he was sitting on the bench. She didn't want to use Theodore this time as he seemed to be doing everything for her. No! She wanted to do this herself with the Pokemon she caught.

"Athena you carry on. I'll be using you for the gym battle so that psybeam needs to be stronger." She nodded and carried on sending them one after the other. They were noticeably larger and faster than before.

"Anubis Theodore. I have an announcement." She gained their attention. "Later on I'll be using you, Anubis, and Athena. Sorry Theodore, but I have to do this on my own. I wanted to prove myself and show that I can do this."

He whistled at her boldness and respected it. He would always respect someone going over an obstacle for self growth. He could see fellow Pokemon looking at him nervously, wondering what to do.

"Actually, it's a good idea. Those exercises have left you with complete mobility, and you Pokemon have a lot of endurance, so a big stimulant should help your muscles regain their remaining strength. And don't start having those thoughts of self-doubt, only losers have those. Trust me when I say you can do this." He wasn't trying to make it sound like words of encouragement, he was simply saying the facts. A Riolu- a fighting type- going against a normal type is an easy win, but to Anubis, they were. So, ignoring the small whisper at the back of his mind that threatened to grow larger, he pumped his fist into the air.

Sarah took out her pokedex to scan him before the same thing would happen like in Striaton Gym.

"This Riolu is male, 2 months old, and has no special abilities. His moves are quick attack, detect, and brick break. Warning! Weight is under the average amount; suggested to feed healthy Pokemon food in small amounts consistently t-"

"Yes, we already get that part. So with these moves how should I use you in battle?" She hummed to herself in thought. Based on that book and his species' fighting style, I should only use him in close combat. His moves prove that too. I can bring him close to his opponent using a quick attack then use his other attacks to inflict damage.

The closing of the door broke her out of her stupor. Came in a large black woman with a simple white shirt, and loose blue trousers. She had a large blue afro and wore a smile that radiated strength. She knew immediately that this was the gym leader of Nacrene City, Lenora.

"Well well, hard at training I see. That's good, I always like to see trainers hard at work. Hi, I'm Lenora and you must be Sarah." She stuck out her hand which she took.

"Yes, that's me. I came here for a gym battle, but it got cancelled." Lenora's smile slightly fell as she crossed her arms.

"I'm very sorry about that. I told the guys yesterday that the delivery for the extinct Pokemon was meant to be tomorrow, but they still somehow mucked that up and I had to push forward my schedule. Luckily, it didn't take as much time as I thought so if you want we can have our gym battle now, but looking at your Pokemon, I don't think it would be wise to do so." She said before Sarah saw the 3 of them slightly huffing in exhaustion. "Tell you what, I'll open the museum early tomorrow morning so I can have a battle ready just for you. It will be at 7:30 sharp. Will you be able to make that?"

"Yes!" They officially organized the time before Team Sarah left for the Pokemon Centre. Sarah left the boys in the room as she wanted to talk to her parents like she'd promised she'd do when reaching this city. She was in front of a video booth wearing a nervous smile while clenching her dress as she didn't know what their reaction would be. She felt a small hand on top of hers. Athena gave her a small nod, telling her it would go okay. The booth showed an image.

"OMG! Dear, come quickly it's Sarah. She's reached Nacrene City." Exclaimed a woman with gentle eyes and a warm smile that lit up her face. Her hair, usually styled in a practical yet stylish manner, frames her face in soft waves or a tidy bun. She wore a soft, oversized sweater paired with faded jeans, giving off an effortlessly casual vibe.

Swiftly came a man who beamed in excitement. Dressed in sturdy jeans and a faded t-shirt, he embodied the resilience of the everyday worker striving to provide for his family.

"Woah my little orchid I didn't think you'd be there that quickly. How are you so far on your journey, it must have been quite difficult."

"Thanks dad, it's been quite the trip. I didn't expect half the stuff I've encountered so far. I guess you were right when you said it will be difficult, but it's okay because I'm a big girl." She said placing a fist on her chest. Her parents though didn't share the same enthusiasm.

"Are you okay, do you need more money or a new bag?"

"Or did you lose your pokedex. Dang it, I knew we should have put a GPS in her bag." They both yelled.

Her smile faltered before she sighed. She knew they would react like this, they always did when she suggested going on her journey. What did he say about a GPS? It was hypocritical how they were the ones who insisted she leave her home to do something else other than watch TV yet now they're acting like this. They tried to discourage her from entering the circuit and become a normal traveller, but with her resolve, she refused and left through the door of their house.

"Guys relax, I'm fine. I've got Athena here to protect me and I've got two new Pokemon to join my team. They're not here right now as they were tired from their training, but they're super cool. One of them is a Riolu, like an actual Riolu can you believe that! He was abandoned by some trainer and got hurt real bad, so he doesn't trust me much, but he'll eventually overcome it. It's a work in progress. And the other is a species I've never seen before, and he's so smart. He was able to read my camping manual and turned the stove on. And guess what, he can write in English. I've never seen a Pokemon able to do that before."

Everything she said didn't help her parent's anxiety. They just wanted her to at least have a normal journey, and with a small desire, have her fail the circuit and come home, but this... this sounded like something else. For now, they'll carry on supporting her and see where she goes.

"Alright dear, but always remember that if you ever need anything, we're right here."

"Mooooom I'm not a baby. I can take care of myself."

"Yes but still, you'll always be our little baby, and Athena dear, your parents are here too if you want to talk to them."

"Ra Ralts!" Her parents, a Galade and an Audino showed up. She was excited to see them again. Her mother was a doting character whereas her father gave a cool stoic look but she knew he wanted to see her too. He just didn't want to look like a softie. They had asked her how she was and if she was training right.

"Trust me, when we come back home, we will come as champions. It'll be the strongest Gardevoir ever, that's a promise." They were glad to hear that; a fighting Pokemon should always aim to be at the top. With everyone's final goodbyes, Sarah and Athena went back to their room.

"Alright misters, we all smell like trash after that trip so it's bath time." She said getting out the bodywash, conditioner, and other stuff. "What are you guys waiting for, let's go in."

There was no way Theodore; a grown ass man was going to jump in the showers with a little girl. For the other two it wouldn't matter as they were kids, actually, no Pokemon would care but he wasn't an ordinary Pokemon now was he. He got his notepad out from underneath his scarf; it was a convenient place to put small objects in without them falling out.

I ONLY SHOWER ON MY OWN

She stared at the words in confusion before shrugging.

"Alright then mister privacy, I know you like to sing in the shower and are too shy for us to hear your beautiful voice."

"That's no-"

"But I'll respect it. It's not like we're going to have to pay for it. Come on Anubis, I really want to see how you'll look all groomed and stuff." She picked him up by the scruff of his neck before he could resist. She was already daydreaming what the end result would be.

She locked the door on all three of them before getting undressed and shoving them into the shower cubicle. He didn't like this at all. His arms were shaking in fear. Having the door locked, getting stuck in this small room, and having a human reaching for him. It was a replica of that day.

"Huh, your fur has a lot of dirt in it." She said as his now wet fur was still stiff from the dirt. He didn't realize there were droplets of water falling on him. He was breathing slightly quicker as his muscles tightened He looked over at Athena who was already washing herself with bodywash as she knew what she was doing. Honestly, how can she be in this encased space and not find it imprisoning. When she noticed his stare, she could only smile like how she always does, oblivious to his inner thoughts. He then remembered what she said to him in the nursery.

If you want to be part of the family then you have to let us treat you like one.

This was not something he liked. He didn't want to take the leap but screw it. He'll take the risk of falling into despair again if it means he can live a better life. Relaxing his muscles, he let himself have the bodywash put on him by Sarah, who was happy to encompass him in the whole thing. He knew what Theodore said about her that she'll never hurt him or make him do something he doesn't want to do.

"It's a good thing I bought the one that helps muscles relax, perfect for fighters like you."

Ooooohhh that feels good. It was pleasurable as she rubbed the muscles aching from training. Also, his fur wasn't getting pulled every time he moved and was now as smooth as that time he got groomed in Conner's mansion; back when he was first born but he'll not think about him for now. Right now, it was just this.

After drying off and leaving the shower, Sarah got out her special unknotting comb and began doing her thing to Athena. Theodore couldn't care less of her treatment and took some of Sarah's toiletries to the shower, taking a spare towel from her bag.

It only took a few minutes with how small Athena was for it to be his turn. He had to say, he was impressed by how smooth her dress turned out to be. He could hear all sorts of giddy sounds from behind him as he was getting brushed. She brushed everywhere from his face to his tail. He looked down at his torso where his fur wasn't sprouting in random directions. He was excited to see the final result.

The move to the mirror. His jaw dropped as he saw his reflection. He was absolutely majestic, more than any Riolu to had seen before not that he has, but he knew that they were nothing compared to him. He looked complete. He turned to Sarah with a smile. It seems like the risk to let his guard down around her paid off. There was still some anxiety at the back of his head, but it was still a step forward to happiness.

"Alright, I'm out. What the hell you look so happy. I've not seen you smile like that before." He snatched the comb from her hand and began grooming himself as he looked at her handiwork. It was a different sight to see a Riolu how they should be. He didn't want to admit it but the word adorable was in his mind. Although he was still skinny, it was way better than 2 days ago. It amazed him how quickly he was recovering. It should only take about a week for a full recovery. These Pokemon may have some genes he would want to look into.

Anubis POV:

After we ate, we all tucked in together early. We wanted to be ready for tomorrow's battle. Everyone else had fallen asleep before me as I looked up to the ceiling and wondered about my time with these guys so far. They were interesting and not what I expected. From my experience in Conner's team, I was at first treated about the same as I was now, but after the losses started to pile up, that was when things changed. I got dirty looks from him and his other extravagent Pokemon constantly bullied me.

It definitely was surprising how these guys didn't abuse me when I first met them, they actually helped me improve and it's only been two days. Athena was fun to play with, she always exuded this cheerful aura. Sarah felt like a mother figure; always being protective. Theodore was cool, he was smart and strong and always knew what he was doing. Although, he was strange for a Pokemon, but that might be because I'm still 3 moon cycles old and haven't seen enough of the world yet. This is how I feel about each of them even though I haven't experienced what a family feels like since I was bought as an egg.

This can really be my new family.

I closed my eyes with a relaxed smile on my face.

Tomorrow, I'll win. Not just for them, not just for approval, but also for myself.

For the first time in my life, I felt a resounding confidence well up in me. It was a nice sleep that night.

Chapter End

PurelyHilarious: Thank you very much. This fanfic is a combination of many things like science, character, etc. I wanted to add my own input into the transformation fics.

Ralmon: I've looked into how to make a better villain introduction and there were some changes I could have made. I won't change what I've done since we'll be seeing more of his character later on.

 

[Swag Striker]

Chapter 7: I did it!

Chapter 7 START

Ghetsis was upholding himself with the strong confident pose he held when facing the sages, the grunts, the people; no matter who he faced he would never waiver. This was required if you had the ambition to take over the entire Unova region and reign above all others. Everyone would know to bow down in respect wherever Ghetsis went. Even Alder, the current Champion who truly deserved that title, would realise his place and submit to him.

However, for the first time in his life, he struggled to uphold himself as he looked at the calm yet deranged eyes of his newly appointed scientist. They were alien. He acquired him after he saw how his abilities triumphed over Colress's and sent the latter packing without a single glance. He wanted to achieve his goals and achieve them now. He had no time for second-rate subordinates to help achieve them.

"How is your research getting along Doctor, it won't be long before we go to meet the legendary dragon. If we want to liberate Pokemon from the evil humans then we'll need to show them that they are causing nothing but oppression to them. We need a legendary Pokemon's power if we want to accomplish this dream."

"It won't be long now. I assure you I will give you the results I promised. I only need more subjects to study before I can make the mind control device. Without them, this will take longer and make us more susceptible to the authorities."

Ghetsis took a small glance over Vikasa's shoulder before quickly pulling back. It made him furrow his brows. His experiments were inhumane and a complete turnover to the culture the current generations were brought up in. Sure, you get those who are downright evil committing crimes like murder, rape, and all sorts but it was very rare. It's unfortunate that he was willing to go to this extent for his dream but it was what it was.

"I will get you more once the operations team reaches Nacrene City. They will kidnap some Pokemon when they are in their Pokeballs in a Pokemon Centre away from their trainers."

"Thank you. I too want Pokemon to be away from such oppression." No, I don't. "And these ones's sacrifice won't go in vain." Ghetsis nodded his head.

"Carry on with your work."

Don't tell me what to do. He goes back into his lab where the doors shut themselves separating him from the leader of Team Plasma. The fucking idiot thought he would actually listen to his pathetic whims. He walked past the few tables that each contained a Pokemon with their body parts open up. Noticeably, they were all bird type Pokemon one could find in the Unova region. Opened wing flaps, removed muscle tissue, one even had his ribs open. The good thing was that they were dead and didn't have to deal with any more suffering.

He placed his hand on a particular place on the wall. It wasn't any different from the rest of the lab. It made a small hissing noise before slowly opening up, revealing a dimly illuminated room with more lab equipment. These ones were more high-tech as they showed pristinely detailed features on them. There was a large mechanical square bed in the middle of the room that had what looked like a scanner connected to it as an overhang.

It's been a month now since I arrived in this world and I've got to say, I'm lovin it. Having been taken away from Earth to a new world with technology beyond what we could've fathomed, it just shrivels my balls. As a scientist, I had no choice but to quickly learn what this world contained and it didn't disappoint. Gadgets, medicine, and even space travel have advanced highly.

However, nothing compared to the discovery of these strange alien creatures called Pokemon. This world didn't only have humans as the highly populated species. These marvellous creatures were ones you would find in a fairy tale. They had fantasy-like appearances based on the normal species on Earth like foxes and cats, but they were able to harness the elements for fighting similar to magic; being able to shoot flames and conjure shields.

I had to learn about them, they were more important than any type of technology this world had to offer me. If there was a chance to find another sentient creature, who could potentially be the apex species of this world, then I had to know about it.

Immediately I got to work. I found Team Plasma, replaced Colress in exchange for my superior biological knowledge, was provided with a home, food, and most importantly a lab, and started to find out as much as I could about them.

...I was severely disappointed. At first, I was excited to find out that they were, in fact, sentient possessing intelligence far beyond Earth's next two smartest creatures, the ape and the dolphin. There was no way the human nature would allow them to just be without some sort of control and I stood correct. Looking at this world's history I found a disappointing revelation. They never fought for their own domination instead they acted as tools for us, dying to fulfil our needs. This was even when they could have easily wiped out the human race, but now it's too late. This society has advanced too much and my species has proven itself to be at the top.

This isn't what I wanted. I wanted to see if there was a creature that could surpass the status of a human, but I guess no matter what world we're in, humanity will always remain at the top. No matter.

He walked to the large table that had much machinery coming out of its sides connected to the singular creature in the middle of it. It was a Galarian Sirfetch'd that found itself in the Unova region somehow, and now part of a grand experiment. He was currently asleep with cords attached to various parts of its body but were mostly attached to the brain, the throat and the heart.

I will have to create the ultimate being myself. This world is inhabited by nothing by inferior creatures even the humans are weak. Where was the rampant crime, where were the people eating each other over competition?

This is the research I'm actually working on. The mind control device will be a side thing to impress Ghetsis, but my focus is mainly on this. He will be the first step to achieving my goal. I will create the creature who will dominate this world and destroy anyone who stands in his way. 'Why?' You may ask. Simple. because I hate weakness, so all those who aren't able to stop me deserve to be beneath my power.

It's not as messed up as you think it is, not at all. The world is always operated by those in power- mostly gained from tyranny- so this will just be a step up from that, and if you ask the question 'what if the creature turns on you?'. It won't, I'll make sure of that. I'm not dumb enough to fall for that cliche.

He was looking at the vitals shown on a tablet protruding from the side of the bed. Everything was stable from the heartbeat to the brain activity, but for some reason, the Sirfetch'd remained in its coma. The first and most important stage of the project was increasing a creature's intelligence, so he transferred some parts of a human brain from a child he kidnapped from the countryside to this Sirfetch'd. He didn't know why, but its species was greatly compatible for it.

This would be considered an outlandish experiment or a useless one. It would have labelled him stupid if he tried it back home as combining two brains is far beyond impossible. He sighed as he sat down on the adjacent chair. After 2 weeks nothing major has happened. He shouldn't think that he would get results in only 2 weeks despite the fact that he shouldn't get any at all, but he liked quick results.

BEEP...BEEP...BEEP

The holter monitor was starting to get really annoying. He gripped the tablet tightly. Perhaps he did get over his head. I mean what was I thinking? He slammed it down on the nearby desk before swiping aside some diagrams. There was no way this was going to work. He huffed in place, placing a hand over his eyes as they were starting to turn red.

BEEP BEEP

He gasped, immediately picking up the tablet to read the heart rate. That was different. No, maybe it was just a one-off.

BEEP BEEP...BEEP BEEP BEEP

The monitor was showing a pulse that was increasing in rate. He quickly turned to the table. The Sirfetchd's eyes were slowly opening and his mouth parted to take in deeper breaths. He threw the tablet on the floor, ran to the table and yanked every single plug that was attached to him. He carefully inspected the Pokemon as the Sirfetchd's eyes weakly stared at the doctor. He was starting to regain more of his consciousness as his vision was clearing up.

"I...did it?" Vikasa asked not believing what was in front of him. "I did it! I ACTUALLY DID IT!"

"S-s-s-ff-th-"

"Shhhhh it's okay it's okay." He assured him with the most gentle whisper he could muster. He looked at him like one would to their newborn baby. "You, my beloved creature, have become the first of those who've been improved."

(with Team Sarah)

"Alright, you two it's time to bring our A game. This is the real deal." Sarah said to the two companions beside her. "We're bringing home our next badge."

"Are you nervous?" Athena asked Anubis, sensing the small burn of anxiety in him.

"Don't worry. Even though I lost my first gym battle, which was definitely Sarah's fault." She mumbled the last part. "I know we're going to beat Lenora's Pokemon."

"Y-yes you're right. We've got this. I've got this." He took a deep breath and tried not to think too much about it. All those doubts were just whispers in his mind, they don't exist. As long as he didn't listen to them he'll succeed.

"It's good to be confident. The trainers who are able to beat me have to have it. The only ones who get lucky are those who are rich enough to buy some strong starters." Lenora said leading the group past the library along with her husband Hawes.

Now that made it harder for him to ignore the thoughts, especially since he was bought by a rich household, but couldn't fulfil his end of the bargain. They reached the end where the two stood facing them while standing next to a bookshelf.

"Before we begin our battle I like to have trainers study up on what's coming their way in the future as a Pokemon trainer. If you fail to prepare then you prepare to fail. I would recommend starting off with this book." She said pointing at the thick book behind her.

Sarah's smile fell. She had been waiting for a gym battle since yesterday, got her booking cancelled without any kind of notification, and is now told she has to go through a study session before she can actually battle her...This felt illegal.

Why are they smiling like that? She raised a brow at the duo. Something was going on here, did she miss something? Instead of thinking too much about it, she took the book that Lenora recommended to her. If she was going to read one she might as well pick the one the Gym leader suggested.

As soon as she tried picking up the book she let go as there was a slight rumbling around her. The bookshelf itself was slowly moving apart and revealed a staircase going below. Lenora smiled at her goofy face.

"It never gets old does it dear."

"Nope, it certainly doesn't."

"What is this?" Sarah asked

"It's the battlefield of course. You see I do a test on every trainer who wants to earn their gym badge. Seeing their reaction tells me what kind of trainer they are. 9/10 they don't pick the book I tell them to as they would rather go their own way. That shows either arrogance or solitude. The ones who like to rush through life without planning pick the thinner books, thinking it would get them their gym battle faster and the others would pick ones they're interested in which shows that they haven't gotten their priorities straight. If you're going to have a gym battle then you should have your mind in the game. All of us Gym leaders know what we're doing and we'll teach those who truly want to become amongst the top."

Sarah could only watch her in awe as she now realised how knowledgeable and experienced Lenora was. She had to ask.

"What is it you see in me, what kind of a trainer am I?"

"You Sarah are one of the uniques. You're shy, naive and I can tell you've been a shut-in for most of your life. You want to go out there to prove yourself, but find yourself quite lacking." Sarah didn't like what she was hearing despite it all being true. Lenora's smile widened.

"But you have a good and strong heart. One that will never waver against any challenge. As long as you keep true to yourself and don't change the path that you're on then you will accomplish your goals. Well, come on then we ain't got time to waste."

They went to their respective positions before Hawes called out the rules.

"This is the Nacrene City gym battle between Sarah, the challenger, and Lenora, the Gym Leader, will begin by each selecting two of their Pokemon, and when either the Gym Leader or the challenger's Pokemon are left unable to battle the battle will be decided. In addition, both Pokemon can be freely substituted at any time."

Lenora took out a pokeball from her pocket and let out her first Pokemon, a Lillipup. Sarah squealed, bringing her hands to her crying heart at the adorable little puppy. She pulled out her pokedex while shaking in delight and pointed it at him.

"Lillipup, the puppy Pokemon. The long hair around its face provides an amazing radar that lets it sense subtle changes in its surroundings." The robotic voice said. Sarah was slightly annoyed that it didn't tell her any other information, but it was expected since he wasn't registered to her.

"Since you're bringing out Lillipup, I'll bring out Athena." The Psychic Pokemon jumped from Sarah's side to the plane dirt battlefield, her smile vanished as she eyed her opponent. It was battle time.

"Let's start this off Lillipup with Roar." He inhaled a large amount of air. Team Sarah had to hold their ears when he let out a huge roar that shouldn't be coming from a Pokemon his size. It sent waves of sound to their side but didn't do any damage to Athena.

"...What did that do?" After a moment Sarah questioned the results of the Roar when nothing happened.

Lenora eyed the three pokeballs on Sarah's sash. The Riolu was sitting on the side as the battle went along, so she knew that one of them belonged to the Weavile.

"Where's your Weavile?"

"I didn't want to use him for this battle as I've been too reliant on him so far. I'm going to show the Nacrene City Gym Leader what Sarah Grace can do. He's at the library, it's like his natural habitat."

Well there goes that opportunity

"I told Lillipup to use roar as it's a move that forces the trainer to switch their Pokemon. I wanted to surprise you and see how quickly you can adapt to a new situation without time to plan, but I guess I can't do that. It's good to try to be less reliant on someone whom you've depended on for so long, so let's see what you can do." Her Lillipup let out a bark as he got into a defensive position.

"We'll fulfil your request. Athena use Confusion." She sent a large ring of yellow energy to her opponent.

"Dodge it." Sarah's eyes widened when Lillipup dodged to the side with incredible speed. He's quick.

"Now use Take Down." An orange aura surrounded him as he dashed to Athena.

"Q-quickly use Double Team." Athena spread many clones around her side of the battlefield just in time as Lillipup went through one, dissipating it. Sarah sweatdropped as the move looked like it could have caused a lot of damage. "Use Confusion again."

Athena sent another Confusion but it was again dodged.

"Shadow ball." Lillipup opened his mouth gathering the energy for the growing ball before shooting it.

"Double Team." Athena sent another wave of clones with one of them facing the shadow ball and dissipating.

He looked around, wondering which one was the real one. It's not often you get beginning trainers with Pokemon who could use Double Team. He used his facial hair in an attempt to find her; any physical difference in the area as an illusion wouldn't trigger his hair. It was hard, but he could discern which one she was.

"Use shadow ball; multiple but weak." He sent the four shadow balls at her. Sarah clicked her tongue as she knew that this was a great counter for another round of Double Team.

Athena narrowly dodges them as she kept hopping back when a shadow ball almost hit her. These weaker ones were also slower but Lillipup's attack were already too quick. She huffed in place.

She's getting tired. Double Team is a move that requires a huge amount of energy. Weak but multiple she said. I didn't even know you could do that. She knew this would happen from the very start. Is this the strategist of a Gym Leader.

Sarah felt a surge of admiration within her before she smirked as she stared at Lenora's eyes. She wasn't going to give up so easily, not without putting up a fight.

"Use Psybeam." Athena sent out a purple beam of consecutive rings. The training yesterday wasn't for nothing as it was quick enough to hit the dumbfounded Lillipup. He staggered, trying hard not to fall down as the attack did a lot of damage.

"Good, I see that the fruits of your training are going to pay off today...if you win. Use another Take Down." She shouted, intending to end the round. Lillipup surrounded himself in the same orange aura before dashing to Athena.

Athena braced herself for the impact. Lillipup's charge was already a metre away from her. Everyone became confused when he changed direction and ran to the side, hitting his forehead onto the wall causing small chunks to break off. He had to sit down as the recoil did a huge amount of damage to him. Both trainers saw from his eyes that he was confused, it came from the Psybeam.

Sarah smiled as she planned to take advantage of it.

"Now! Keep using Psybeam until he goes down."

"Don't let them, land the next Take Down!" Lillipup charged his attack again which came close to hitting Athena but a slight deviance led him to hitting the wall near her. He needed to sit down from the recoil. Using his vulnerable state, she sent many powerful Psybeams as quickly as she could. Sarah knew that if he broke out of his confusion then she would lose this round.

Lillipup yelled in pain as they overwhelmed him. Swirls appeared on his eyes as he fell on his side, fainting. Sarah jumped into the air in victory as she had won the battle. Athena limped her way towards her side getting a ruffle on her green hair. One down, one more to go.

"Well done for defeating my Lillipup." Lenora said, recalling him before grabbing another pokeball. "But here comes the true challenge. Watchog come on out!"

Out came of the red beam a maroon meerkat with huge frontal teeth and yellow stripes. He stood up straight with his arms crossed giving his challengers a serious glare. It was a bit intimidating like seeing a bouncer staring completely at you.

Sarah didn't bother scanning him with her pokedex when her adrenaline was at an all-time high and she needed to keep the streak going.

"Anubis come up." He was sitting on the side the entire time watching his small friend fighting with all her might. Seeing the action welled up a feeling of excitement since he was a Pokemon and fighting is what he does. The various moves made him watch in awe. Although, now that he was being called up, his heart started to burn up and tighten. He slowly walked to his side of the field.

"Take a deep breath." He heard from behind him. Sarah took a deep breath and then slowly blew out. He repeated the notion. Hey, it worked! The burning sensation surprisingly went away and helped him focus on his opponent.

Let's see if I can still fight.

"Watchog use Confuse Ray." He threw a yellow energy ball.

"Use Detect to dodge it." Sarah realised that speed is Lenora's forte which is the opposite of her Pokemon. Anubis's focus increased tenfold, allowing him to notice even the slightest movements of his opponent. He watched his arms as he threw the Confuse Ray, reading the trajectory and seeing exactly the way it would reach him. It was easy from there to avoid it as he jumped to his left.

"Low Kick." Watchog suddenly appeared before Anubis, startling him before he went down and sent a strong kick to Anubis's leg. He fell down as the kick hurt a lot and swept him off his feet.

That was when he froze as he looked at the particular part of his leg where a bruise started to form. Watchog went back to Lenora, waiting for his next command, but Anubis just sat in place and stopped breathing. Sarah grew worried. He's been traumatized. Dang it, I shouldn't have brought him out so quickly I'm so stupid. No, I will help him get through this.

"Anubis get up! I know what your trainer did to you before but I promise you I'm not like that. I would never hurt you in any way no matter what. Just please...get up."

He could only feel a terrible pain from the attack, not because it hurt as much as it did but because it's been ingrained from what he felt on that day. When Conner tied him up in the abandoned laboratory so he could wither away with no one knowing, alone. He tied him from his legs, arms and mouth, but even then from the love he had for his trainer despite the bullying he went through, he had hopped his way to him to follow him. Conner only responded by giving an annoyed remark and sending a hard low kick to his leg, sweeping him and letting his head hit the floor. He was shocked then teared up when he walked and never came back.

Those dark thoughts from earlier found their way to his head when it was most vulnerable. She's going to aban- Shut up! She'll le- I said shut up! I made my declaration last night to give her a chance. I won't disrespect her nor myself by giving up now. If I do I won't forgive myself.

Anubis quickly got up and jumped before Sarah. He calls out to her, breaking her out of her stupor before giving her a sharp and determined look. We've got this. She nods before pointing at Lenora's Pokemon. If she wants speed then we'll give it to her.

"Use Quick Attack to get close to him then use Brick Break." Lenora gapes as she hasn't seen a starting trainer use a move in that way before. He dashed in a flash leaving a white trail behind him. He instantly reached the Watchog like he did to him and sent a glowing white fist into his stomach.

Watchog was sent flying back and hit the wall, cracks appearing behind him. Lenora's eyes widened by how much power was in that attack. He may not have the best speed despite being a Pokemon of mobility, but he has whopping power. The move was also super effective against normal types. She knew Watchog couldn't handle another one of those.

"Bring down Thunder Bolt." The lookout Pokemon stared menacingly at Anubis as he charged his body with electricity shooting around him before releasing a huge bolt of lightning against Anubis.

"RIOOOOO!" He shouted in pain.

"Withstand it Anubis I know you can do it! If there's anyone who's tough enough to beat a Thunder Bolt then it's you. Keep moving, ignore the pain and end this with one last punch!" She shouted hoping he would listen.

It was hard to open his eyes but he did and saw his opponent not too far from him. Withstanding the pain as he clenched his entire body, he slowly walked forward towards him.

"More power!" The Thunder Bolt grew in size and made a loud thunderous noise. It hurt a lot, but he still wasn't going to give up. His opponent was just a few feet away. He got ready a glowing white fist when he was right in front of him and with all his might put in it, brought down his fist onto Watchog's head.

He smashed him to the ground creating a small crater on the battlefield. It sent a small cloud of dust around, but it was clear who won when Watchog stayed on the ground motionlessly. Anubis could barely keep on standing as he huffed in place.

"Watchog is unable to battle. Anubis is the winner which also means that victory goes to Sarah Grace, the challenger.

I-i won...I did it? I...r-really did it. I DID IT!

Anubis, ignoring the screaming his body was telling him, kept jumping in place as a huge smile adorned his face. He almost fell when his legs gave way but was caught when Sarah rushed through the field. They both had blurry eyes as they wrapped each other in a soft yet firm embrace.

"I-i'm not a-"

"I know. you don't need to tell me I already know." That was when he could confirm for the first time in his life he was in safe hands. Athena felt a huge surge of happiness and determination through her horn which also pushed her forward.

"Hey, I want a huge too." She wrapped her tiny arms around them despite being too small to properly embrace them but it doesn't matter. The team had a moment. Lenora watched the scene that almost made her cry if Hawes didn't bring a hand to her shoulder. This was why she became a Gym Leader; to give trainers valuable knowledge and to show them the power of bonding with their Pokemon.

Hawes takes out something from behind him before they move to the trio. They broke their embrace before gathering themselves. Sarah let out a sheepish smile while wearing red puffy eyes from their little moment. She wondered what it was that Hawes was holding until she remembered that it was another badge, similar to the one she got from the Striaton Gym.

"Congratulations Sarah. For showing great strategy against a weakness you had to overcome and for bringing out the bond you have with your Pokemon, I present to you the basic badge. This shows your determination as a trainer and completing the second milestone in your journey."

Sarah took the badge and kept staring at it. It was a purple rectangle with small squares on the top and the bottom. It deserved its name as the basic badge as it didn't symbolise any particular Pokemon type or fancy quirk. It looked like the side of a book which showed her just how important strategy is in a battle. Speaking of books, she had to pick up Theodore from the library.

"Thank you, Lenora and Hawes. I'll treasure this experience." Lenora only nodded with her motherly smile.

"Good. I've seen many trainers come and go, but sometimes there are those unique ones who pull out the unexpected. Sarah, you are one of those unique ones. As long as you keep moving forward no matter how hard it gets then you'll succeed."

Sarah bowed and thanked them again before they all left. She went to the library with a skip in her steps. She wanted to show her companion the badge.

"Theodore!" She shouted his name which echoed throughout the library, but after a minute, he didn't come out. "Theodore, come on out, I've got a surprise for you...Theodore?"

Still no response. Her friend couldn't be that invested in his books to not hear her in a silent library, could he?

Maybe he's outside.

They found him standing next to the library's entrance, leaning against the wall, looking out into the distance. She smiled gleefully.

"Hey hey guess who won the basic badge, yep, it was me. Now I've proven that I can win a gym battle by myself. Oh my cupcakes you should have seen the battle it was epic. First Athena used Confusion then Lenora's Lillipup went roar and then...What are you looking at?"

She saw that he just nodded over her sentences without really paying attention. he still kept his attention at the distance. When tracing his line of sight, she saw a large crowd gathered in a circle with their Pokemon beside them. Odd, I know I keep my team out but some trainers don't, not as much as this.

"Do you know what the crowd is about?" She asked. Theodore finally paid attention to her. He took out his notepad and wrote.

IT'S TEAM PLASMA. THEY'RE CARRYING ON THEIR PREACHING NOW IN THIS CITY.

Team Plasma! Now she had no choice but to go to the crowd and see what they had to say. There were all sorts of people with their Pokemon ranging from beginning trainers to just casual families. They had their full attention on the singular figure in the middle surrounded by members with the uniforms she'd seen in the dreamyard. It made them all look pretty much the same.

The figure wore a thick brown cloak that went to his ankles. It was creepy as it had huge eyes designed all over it making it seem like he could see everyone around him. He held a cane that had the Team Plasma Emblem on it. Strangely, he wore a single red glass on his left eye. All this made him look like a villain Sarah had seen in one of those movies.

The way he stood with his grunts standing strongly around him made the crowd look at him with respect, but not the type you would see from a lovable leader but a tyrant who commanded it. Already was Sarah getting bad vibes from this guy.

This was similar to the scene in Accumula Town where the figurehead was surrounded by a crowd of people telling everyone about their goals of Pokemon liberation. Admittedly, Sarah was daydreaming about a pink Ponyta, so she didn't hear what they said and realised she missed the whole speech when everyone had dispersed. However, after the incident with the Munna, she had no choice but to pay attention and listen to what they had to say.

"People of Nacrene City I am the leader of Team Plasma; Ghetsis." This immediately sent alarm bells in her head. She remembered the name the grunts mentioned when trying to extract the dream mist from the Munna. It was Ghetsis.

"For how long have Pokemon accompanied us throughout our day to day lives from casual living, to work, even for the sport of battling. They've been with us humans throughout our entire existence ever since we were first made and from that time we have united and created the heaven we live in today."

Everyone in the crowd agreed. They were nodding their heads and giving their smiles. The Pokemon beside them held onto them whether it was with their paws, tails or whatever appendage they had; they held tightly. Unfortunately, that would quickly vanish.

"But has that always been the case though, have we always lived in this heaven? No, we haven't. Don't forget history. For thousands of years, we, the destructive humans have only used Pokemon for our selfish gain. They were used in wars, as tools, and are now trapped in the little devices we call pokeballs to be used as slaves. I have asked you to bring out your Pokemon. Look at them are they really the friends we think they are or have we tricked them by putting them in these confined little spaces."

Everyone looked at their 'friends', at their eyes. There was nothing wrong with them, no hint of repulsion against their trainers. But now Ghetsis placed a seed of doubt in them from the idea. Have they unknowingly manipulated them to be this way for their own gain? Humans have been excellent when it comes to their manipulative capabilities, it's the reason why they are considered special in the world, but he was right on one point; humans have severely abused Pokemon for their selfish needs in the past.

Everyone is taught, a small amount, in the later years of school about the Great Pact. This was to prevent society from going back to their old ways by showing them the horrors of what would happen if they did. Obviously, this didn't stop everyone, but it has had overwhelming success.

"The truth is that we've made a dystopia for them and have convinced ourselves otherwise to run away from the truth. History has shown that we humans repeat our mistakes over and over again and will never change. So for once, I ask you, to give up your Pokemon and let them return to the wild. For once let's go against our nature and let them have their freedom otherwise they'll end up getting hurt by us again. If you truly care about your partners then you'll do so. Thank you for listening."

The grunts surrounded him like a shield as they left with the crowd parting ways for them. Throughout the speech, Sarah was keeping herself from lashing out and exposing the lies they were uttering. What she had personally seen was a complete contradiction to what they were preaching. What made her madder were the small conversations happening around her in the crowd where people were actually considering his words.

Seriously. Wasn't the miraculous city around them built by BOTH Pokemon and humans proof enough about the harmony they could live in. Her proof was shown in Nacrene City and no one would be able to convince her otherwise, she just can't believe that it was this easy to trick people.

"Lies...they're all lies." Came a small voice from behind her. She turned to see a young man- not much older than her- glaring at Ghetsis as he left with enmity in his eyes. He wore grey trousers, a rolled-up white shirt, and a black and white cap. He also wore an interesting pendant around his neck. He was quite handsome if it wasn't for the expression he was wearing.

Theodore was shocked. N...what is he doing here? He's meant to show up later in the series in some far-end city.

"What Team Plasma is doing is wrong. They don't try to save Pokemon from humans nor try to bring them a better life. Instead, Ghetsis is lying to us to weaken the League. I've seen what Team Plasma is doing... those damn horrible experiments on my friends." He says with clenched teeth before sighing. "But I don't suppose you would believe me. No one ever does anyway."

"No no!" Sarah quickly said waving her hands. "I believe you. I've seen what some members have done at the Dreamyard when they were trying to get some dream mist for their research or something."

N's eyes widened. This was the first person to have believed him and not turn away after giving a random excuse. He could tell she was being resolute too. He nodded.

"I've been investigating Team Plasma for a while now. Their goals were always reaching domination over Unova, but recently they've changed. They have a new member, who popped out of nowhere, committing atrocious experiments on Pokemon for the name of 'science'. My poor friends are in pain and I need to help them get out if it's the last thing I do."

He broke out of his stupor when seeing Sarah's concerned gaze over him despite her being 2 feet shorter than him. He rubbed the back of his head, his sour face turning cheerful as he wore a soft smile.

"Sorry, my name is N and I try to help Pokemon in any way I can."

"My name's Sarah and this is Athena, Anubis and Theodore." She said pointing to each Pokemon. "That's a nice goal to have. I try to be the same."

"Thank you, that means more than you realise." He looked at Athena and Anubis as they wore very happy smiles, ones that almost made him take a step back. He could feel the incredible feeling of love in their hearts for Sarah like they would do anything to protect her. However, the Riolu did have some fear deep in his heart. It was small but still there, though N ignored it because it wasn't significant.

"Your Pokemon really love you. I've come across trainers with strong bonds with their Pokemon but yours is definitely strong." Sarah flustered slightly before telling him to stop it.

"How can you tell anyway?"

"You see, I have the ability to read a Pokemon's heart and sense how they feel similar to your Ralts's ability. Mine is just more towards intention." He could also understand pokespeech but he likes to keep that to himself. He never wants Ghetsis to know how strong his ability is.

He looked at the final Pokemon, Theodore, standing further away from the group with a bored look. He tried to see what was in his heart.

...What?

N has spent his life around Pokemon and seen the vast nature of their feelings. Their hearts usually are simple to read like black and white. They were either sad or happy or angry etc. However, sometimes one would appear with complicated emotions like grey that were harder to talk to. They were the ones who asked the complicated questions that didn't have a simple answer to them. He hated those questions, they infuriated him. The problems this world has has simple solutions to fix them. There were no ifs or buts about it.

Theodore's heart was like those Pokemon but much deeper. He couldn't decipher what type of character he was as his heart showed every emotion all flowing around another in a chaotic mess. No, in that chaotic mess, there was an absence of the two emotions he valued the most. Love and joy.

When looking at his blue eyes that reminisced of the ocean they didn't make him feel its cool peacefulness. They made him feel uncomfortable even though he couldn't explain why. He was like a wilted flower in a garden of blooms.

He's still a friend who needs freeing. Don't worry Theodore, there will be a day when you will be freed, and experience love and joy.

"Your Pokemon are very interesting some of the most unique I've met so far. Anyway, I'll see you around I'll be going to Castelia City." With a wave, he turned and left. Sarah waved back in delight.

He was a nice guy but strange.

"So what was I about to do again... OH YEAH! Theodore, guess what, we won! We beat Lenora!"

SHOW ME

He looked at the simply designed badge and smiled victoriously. This was another step towards home.

"So you know what that means don't you, another bowl of ice cream, but strawberry this time." She exclaimed before Athena, like a bazooka, launched herself and headbutted her. Sarah yelped in pain before scowling at her little fairy counterpart. They walked to the Pokemon Centre where they would serve a less exotic bowl.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Theodore asked the canine Pokemon who let out a stupid grin with sparkles in his eyes. He held himself from exploding in excitement.

"Well, I won my first ever gym battle." He puffed out his chest proudly. "So..."

"Oh uh cool I guess." He awkwardly nods at him before Anubis almost fell. His smile falters a bit as he turns his head.

Was I meant to do something? Theodore stood there confused. For some reason, like an instinct, he brought his hand on top of his head and started rubbing it. Anubis's smile came back as he closed his eyes and moved in delight. He leaned closer to his hand. This felt different for Theodore as it wasn't like rubbing the head of an animal he tested on by injecting some potential medicine; it wasn't for manipulative purposes.

Actually, keeping his mood up by praising him could help future performance. the smile he wore definitely wasn't due to the satisfaction that Anubis won after the training that he provided. He let out a small chuckle.

He saw the sisters still bickering about which flavour of ice cream truly reigned supreme. He smiled in amusement as his eyes softened a bit in a way they hadn't in a long time. Chocolate is the best.

(back to Vikasa's lab)

"Aubu bi b-b-B." The Sirfetch'd strained out to say the letter B. He was huffing in place as it was taking a lot of energy to go over the letters of the alphabet. It hurt to use his new vocal cords, but at least he was quickly learning the English language. He no longer felt the difficulty in 'seeing' it like he did before.

"It's okay if you can't carry on. This should be enough for now." Doctor Vikasa stopped the projector showing the alphabet on the wall. He was so ecstatic from how much progress they'd made in a single afternoon. Already was his successful experiment gaining a grasp of the new capabilities that came with his new brain parts.

When he pronounced the first few letters correctly, the doctor literally pranced around the room. From this, he now exceeded every other scientist that exists in this world and his last- No. He looked at the notes on the desk beside him that helped the preparation for the transplant immensely. They were reports and diagrams about a duck's brain written by the one and only Theodore Nieoldiek; the greatest scientist- in his opinion- to ever live. He's glad he could recall them to a T just from memory.

Doctor Nieoldiek was the only person- no, it's being now- that he would consider his superior. His research papers were what led him to the truth of the world. That the ones at the top were meant to dominate any that get in our way.

"Let's move on to mobility therapy." He picked up the ragdoll-like Sirfetch'd from the large science bed and placed him behind some makeshift rails to get his legs working again. Turns out, the 2 week coma was his brain parts accepting each other and fusing their neurons together. The pre/pro synaptic neuron ends must match shape in order for this to work. With this electric impulses can properly travel through one another and allow movement. However, the consequences of the transplant had led him to lose all memory memory except a vague idea and small snippets of his Sirfetch'd life which was perfect for Vikasa to make him realise how much he had done for him.

He held the hand-like winged appendages of his subject to assist him as he walked with his wobbly duck legs. It was slow and unsteady, but they knew that it wouldn't take long to get him up and running, literally.

"I should give you a name. It will make you stand out from the rest of your species like the unique Pokemon you are. You will show them the path to greatness you're walking on and make them realise how much better they can be."

"Sir?" He tilted his head.

"That celery stick sword of yours was a joke. No creation of mine will use that in a battle and shields are gay anyway. I think I'll call you Garland. He was a warrior who used to wield a giant sword to crush his enemies. Yeah, Garland will do."

"G-gg-g-gar-" he started coughing as his vocal cords strained from overuse, but you could tell that he was very happy with the name. He looked ahead at the rails with further determination. The fire in his heart that was always there as it was for all Sirfetch'd grew larger. He let go of his Lord's hands, much to his astonishment, before catching himself on the rails before he could fall. It takes one step at a time. One step.

Chapter End

jiubantai-taicho: As I've said before this fic isn't meant to portray a message through a story but using a message to write a good story. What Shinigami said in the first chapter was used to show that humans can be very destructive creatures if we choose to just for the sake of the story. Don't overthink it.

 

[Swag Striker]

Chapter 8: useful talents

A/N: I've changed the Restoration Machine's instant healing to every one week instead of two. I've already fixed this in chapter 3. Also, I've realized that I may have been pushing the plot too quickly for the sake of the villains, but for the next few chapters, there will be more of the journey and battles.

Chapter 8 START

Doctor Vikasa was looking out the window, marveling at the sight before him. It was so clear. The clouds went past the serene blue sky and shriveled through the rotors just to be replaced by more of itself, but now in different shapes and sizes. As he watched this endless dance of nature, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of nostalgia for simpler times, when he could afford to lose himself in such beautiful moments without his obsession for biology always in his head

How beautiful, how disgusting. He didn't have time for this dramatic fluffy shit. Man ain't got time for that. He had some science to do. What was fascinating was this mission he was on. He was sitting in a large quadcopter that looked similar to those drones but on a full-scale size. They would need a vehicle this big for storage. Ghetsis was going to do what he promised and get him the subjects he needed by kidnapping them from low-level trainers In Nacrene City. It was a smart move, if they were strong then there would be a chance for them to escape and he hated failure.

He was going along this time. It wasn't too important to have collected the dream mist, but fuck he wanted to mess around with that shit, so this time there wouldn't be any mock-ups and he'll see what they would bring him firsthand. This was essential mostly for Team Plasma as there was a specific type of Pokemon he needed for his mind control device. Ghetsis had been pestering him about its progress recently and he could only give out so many excuses before he saw through his bullshit. One doesn't become the leader of what is basically a cult without cognitive abilities.

The rest would be for him to play with. When making the ultimate creature you have to see the pros and cons of the lessers. That is how you can make the creature who will dominate the world and he will be the one to bring it forth. What wonders he could create like Garland. Dang, he loved the little guy. Every time he looked at him it made his heart swell with pride. He still couldn't believe he actually brought his creation to life. He's almost completed his therapy and will be ready for his missions.

"Woah!" Came an excited voice from next to him. Of course, he wasn't the only one in this helicopter. He was accompanied by two rookies, one of which was flying the helicopter. She hadn't made a single sound aside from the occasional yawn before casually going back to the control panel. Her half-lidded eyes showed how much of a shit she gave for her job and would make one wonder why she signed up for the team in the first place. Whatever, he didn't care.

The guy next to him had been staring out the window this entire time, not even sparing him a glance.

"Hey dickwad, you good or something?" Vikasa said in a mocking tone. Now the grunt would have no choice but to look at him. He realized he was just a random grunt that you could find amongst the newbies.

"Eeeer y-yes sir!" He responded a little louder than he intended.

"Doctor. It's Doctor Vikasa. I didn't get 8 PHDs for nothing you know and what's wrong with you, you look like a melting ice lolly." Vikasa looked at the sweat dripping from his forehead. It's not that hot, in fact, the weather is really nice.

When he couldn't respond, his teammate spoke for him.

"He's afraid of you sir."

"Rizzy!" He whispered through his teeth, but it was hard for Vikasa not to hear when he was sat right next to him.

"Ho ho ho and for what possible reason could that be for huh? Don't you know that I was once paid a million pounds to sit next to the Prime Minister of England...okay that's not true, but you get my point." He said before putting an arm around his assailant which totally didn't make him feel more uncomfortable. "And dang I didn't know a woman would be here, but hey, I do respect fenisism-"

"It's feminism."

"And don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

The grunt was actually the other one who failed him during the dream mist operation. He was praying that Vikasa wouldn't realize that or he would be fucked, maybe literally. When being around him, who knew what would happen.

Vikasa was going to interrogate him further when the radio had kicked in.

"Agent-107 are you at the location?" A robotic male voice had come through.

"Yes, we've just arrived and are ready for landing." Sally, with her same half-lidded eyes, was clicking buttons all over the control panel. The helicopter had remained in position for a moment before descending. Vikasa looked out the window to see an average-sized warehouse in the middle of a large forest. There...There were his babies ready to show him their powers.

He cracked his knuckles before stretching his back, a dark sadistic grin forming on his lips. It's showtime.

(Team Sarah)

"I am so goddamn bored right now." Theodore was sitting on the lounge of Nacrene City's Pokemon Centre, waiting for two rascals to be healed. After yesterday's victory they had celebrated with an ice cream then booked a room in the Pokemon Centre. Anubis and Athena- with their dopamine rush- ignored their body's need for rest after giving it their all in the Gym battle. It was in the morning that he had a rude awakening from their pained shouts. Sarah apologized profusely for forgetting her Pokemon's needs, but at least she admitted it and took responsibility.

Perhaps it was because they were all kids why they could act that way; so innocent and carefree. It was funny and admittedly calming. He's now realized that perhaps being as tense as he is all the time isn't a good idea.

Don't blame him though, he was born and raised in East London, and let's just say that if you aren't aware of what's around you, you could find yourself at the end of a machete. This wasn't the case here, you could walk next to a fire-breathing dragon, who could destroy buildings for fun yet didn't have to worry about any sort of harm.

Anyways, he was starting to get off topic. Here he was in the boring main area of the Centre watching trainers come and go after getting their Pokemon healed. Sarah was sitting next to him sorting some stuff out on her pokedex. He should probably check those things out because they seemed more than scanners with information about Pokemon. From how he's seen Sarah use it, it definitely had additional features not shown in the anime.

She was waiting longer than the other trainers because it's been less than a week for Anubis to get healed from the Restoration Machine back in Striaton City, so Nurse Joy will just be using some potions on him. Although, Athena could use it.

Theodore looked around the room, wondering.

Come on come one, surely there's something to do. My Nieoldiek brain needs some sort of stimulus. He kept looking around, hoping there was something to engage with his intellect like a puzzle or a book. Don't get him wrong, it's not like he has ADHD, but just sitting down and being unproductive really pissed him off. It was inefficient of his time and the word 'inefficient' doesn't belong to him, the peak of humankind.

He took a glance over his pokeball on Sarah's sash. He remembered when he was in it and felt an incredible amount of peace. No, don't consider it. It's your prison for as long as she has it then you can't escape, especially when Shinigami's bound you to her. But then he took a quick look around the room where there was nothing to do...

"Fuck it, it might as well masturbate in it. Besides, what's the worst that can happen? I know that I can get out whenever I want, so it's not like a solitary confinement." Sarah jumped when her furry companion, who was sitting next to her, pressed the button of his pokeball and turned into a red beam getting sucked into it. She blinked.

I thought he hated being in a pokeball. He always looks at it in disgust like it's an offense to his being. Whatever, he's a weirdo so let him carry on being weird.

When Theodore got inside he couldn't help but leep into the air. The mini island consisting of a mountain, a snowy area, and a frozen river was the perfect place for him to mess around in. There was no limit to how much he could stimulate himself since there was no one around nor would he have to hold himself back. However, since there wasn't an intellectual stimulus, which he would've preferred, he would practice an issue he had that other Pokemon didn't. The fact that he would have to keep his eyes open after an attack that was too close to him. It was a weakness and he hated weakness.

He grabbed a small branch from the floor before throwing it into the air, directly above himself. When the branch came spinning down, he watched as it was getting closer. He made sure not to flinch just before it hit his face, but out of instinct he did it anyway.

Damn it! I can't believe I did that! He stood up, grabbed the branch, and tried again. Not this time. Whatever you do don't blink.

He was doing his best to ignore the electrical impulses going to his brainstem, the part responsible for reflexes. He kept opening his eyes after they narrowed when the branch came. He blinked. So he tried again with frustration. He didn't think about why felt frustrated when he himself knew that he could quickly accomplish whatever task he had to do. It would only take a few minutes and he would already be done.

After a few minutes, he realized how tiring the day was after having to babysit some brats. Is this what parents feel at the end of the day? He would only take a small nap while the others were healing.

Sarah was about to get back to whatever it was she was doing in her pokedex until she heard a ding reverberate around the main room. When she looked at the front desk, Nurse Joy was looking in her direction, nodding her head. He put her device away and went. Immediately, Anubis jumped onto her while calling out his name in glee. She caught him and took a step back. The funny little guy was like a cannon. He nuzzled his head into her shoulder as she caressed his back.

"Anubis, my sweetie, were you being a good boy for Nurse Joy?"

"Rio!"

"Yes, he was." Nurse Joy answered. "He was a delight to take care of and he went through the pain of the potion formula with no problem. I've also seen his report from Striaton City and he's in a much better condition. Well done Sarah, you're doing a good job at raising him."

She blushed while rubbing her neck with her remaining hand.

"Aww thank you Nurse Joy, but I couldn't have done it alone." She said looking at her pokeball. "I had help from her friend."

"Then he must be a good friend who knows his stuff." You have no idea. "Also, here's your Ralts. She is healthy and ready to get back to battling."

Sarah gave her another thank you before reaching the pokeball, but before she could, the both of them had turned to hear a loud metallic sound over and over again. It was a strange black sphere with grey outlines bouncing across the floor till it reached the centre of the room. At first, Nurse Joy was going to slap her forehead thinking that it was some kids who hadn't learned to respect the Pokemon Centre, but before anyone could react, the sphere exploded, releasing a condensed smoke cloud throughout the room.

Sarah had to bring a hand over her eyes. She heard two sets of footsteps run past her, then heard the slamming of a door. She couldn't see who they were because the smoke cloud could make it where she could barely see her hand in front of her. The ventilation, having sensed the smoke, increased their power and quickly removed it all.

"Wha-what happened?" She looked around to see other also confused trainers wondering the same thing.

"The pokeballs!" She saw Nurse Joy sprint through the opened door. Sarah knew something bad was happening. She tried to get Theodore's pokeball out, but she only grabbed her sash.

"Huh? He-he's gone. Hold on." She looked at the desk where Athena's pokeball was. "She's gone too! Anubis get down, we need to follow Nurse Joy to where the pokeballs are. Those guys have got Theodore and Athena."

When he heard the danger they were in, he nodded and they both ran through the door. He was a Pokemon and was quicker, so he slowed down for her to catch up. When they got to a point where there were three hallways they stopped to wonder which one to take. They had missed the signs and didn't have the time to go back.

Anubis concentrated, clearing his mind and stopping all senses other than his eyes. His bangs raised as was using aura to find a reading on where Nurse Joy went. The people who had thrown the smoke bomb were too far away for his aura to sense them. He was only a few moon cycles old after all. He pointed to the hallway on their left.

"That way, then let's go." She hurried herself. She won't let her friends be taken away from her. After a few more hallways, they reached the room meant to temporarily keep the pokeballs of trainers getting their Pokemon healed. Nurse Joy sat on the floor with a devastated look on her face. Around them, the placeholders of the pokeballs were empty. The two guys had taken all the Pokemon.

"They're gone. I can't believe something like this would happen. Who would do such an awful thing?" Sarah had an idea that she knew was undoubtedly true. She looked out the broken window where she saw a small helicopter ascending and starting to fly away. She put a hand on Nurse Joy's shoulder.

"Don't worry Nurse Joy, I promise you I'll get them."

"Ri Ri"

"Sorry, WE'LL get them." Nurse Joy had strongly held her hand as she wiped her tears away.

"No! I'll tell the league about this and they'll send some rangers and police officers on the case. You can't go yet when you've just started your journey, it's unsafe." She yanked her hand away from her hold.

"I don't care. They took away my family and taken away a part of us. They're not going to get away with that!"

She ran out back through the entrance where she stumbled and almost fell. With annoyance, she took off her pumps and put on her trainers. She doesn't like wearing them because they aren't cute enough, but sometimes you would need them when journeying across Unova. She also ripped the bottom of her dress on the sides. Now she was able to run quickly without any trouble.

They could see the helicopter quickly getting away as it went over Pinwheel Forest. The Pokemon Centre was located on the edge of the city and right next to the forest so it was smart for the kidnappers to do their operation here. They knew they would have to go through it so they kept tunning. They looked above their heads and through the tiny gaps of the trees' canopy, they went in the same direction.

There was nothing else going through her head. No questions or thoughts of worry, but only thoughts of getting her siblings back and an anger that she didn't know she was capable of feeling. She didn't realize it but her breathing was starting to get erratic and it wasn't from the running she wasn't used to.

Poor Athena, won't know what's going on. If she awakens and sees herself in a cage then she'll get scared and I won't be there to help her. I don't want her to go away and what if I don't find her!? And Theodore, he's smart and could probably find his own way out, but what if Team Plasma finds out how smart he is and experiment on him. Maybe they'll force him to work for them or maybe, maybe-

She broke out of her chaotic thoughts when Anubis shook her arm. He held her in place and stopped them from running further.

"What are you doing? If we stop then they'll get away?" He placed her hands on her chest. She was confused as to what he was doing, but he took a deep breath in then out then in then out. They were the same motions she had shown him in their gym battle against Lenora. She repeated the motions and all thoughts had disappeared, and she found herself able to think.

"He he he. Thank you Anubis, I needed that." She ruffled his head.

Right, now I can think. They kept running in the direction the helicopter went, but she could no longer see it through the gaps in the canopy. It was too fast and is now gone. Why are they going through Pinwheel Forest when you could go back to your base. Remember Sarah, what did the bad guys do in those cartoons when they kidnap the main character's friends? They don't go to their base because if detected they'll be compromised. They instead go to hidden temporary area to hide them, so that means that Team Plasma also has a temporary base within Pinwheel Forest that I just need to find.

"Anubis, can you use that aura ability you used in the Pokemon Centre to find where the pokeballs went." He tried to use his aura sense again, but he only saw a few local Pokemon within the forest. The helicopter was too far away. He could only give a disappointed shake of his head.

"I'm sorry Sarah, I'm just not good enough." She could sense what he was saying and hugged him.

"It's okay Anubis, you've already done more than enough. Honestly, I don't think any Riolu could sense the grunts at this stage let alone a Lucario. You should be happy with what you did." He hugged her back in delight.

"Sarah!?"

"N!?" The green-haired mysterious boy came out of the bushes.

"What are you doing here and why do you look like that. You look as if a Beartic was chasing you." He chuckled. He was on his way to Castelia City.

"I have to hurry! Team Plasma used a smoke grenade distraction and stole all the pokeballs from the Pokemon Centre with the trainer's Pokemon inside." His eyes narrowed and teeth bared at the team's mention. Usually, he would be okay with trainers having their Pokemon stripped from them, but knowing the direction the organization was going his friends were better off with their abusers.

"How do you know they were Team Plasma, they're usually sneaky in their operations. They wouldn't do this big of an act if it meant compromising their true intentions to the league."

"I know, I just feel it, I mean, who else would it be." Yeah, she was right there. There's no other organization in Unova that had enough followers for their 'cause'. They were starting to get more daring.

"I'll come with you. I told you that I've been looking into their operations, maybe I can help."

"YES! That sounds like a great idea. With you, we can get our friends back for sure." She smiled, already knowing that they'll get their friends back.

"Actually, you should stay here."

"Uhhh what?"

"Yes. It's too dangerous for you and I don't want to see one of my friends getting hurt due to Team Plasma's disgusting acts."

"No way dude! I can't sit back while my family are probably in a cage, scared. As their train-no as their sister, I will do whatever it takes to free them even if it means risking myself in the process."

N's eyes widened. The amount of care she was showing for his friends was only found amongst a few trainers. He could see the fiery determination in her eyes that shows that he won't be able to stop her. Her Riolu, too, brought a fist to the air and smirked.

"Ri Riolu." He knew what he was saying. We'll free them no matter what.

"Thank you Sarah ,those words mean a lot more to me than you realise. Then let's go."

"Their direction was that way." She said pointing North-East before they all ran.

(to the other two)

Theodore yawned loudly without placing a hand in front of his mouth and rubbed his eyes.

Man that was the worst sleep ever. There were so many loud noises and I could've sworn I felt the ground shake.

He shook his head clear before stretching his back. He needed to get that crack on his shoulder blade but then the world turned dark for a moment.

He looked around wondering what happened. He was in a cage that fit his size so a small one. It was a simple metallic one that he used to use when transporting animals from one zoo to another. It was a box bare the front which had bars. The barred door had a simple lock on it. He looked back at the man who had his arm stretched with his pokeball before he walked away. He was dressed in the same outfit those Team Plasma grunts wore in the Dreamyard

In a second, hundreds of thoughts were going through his head to figure out an explanation for what was going on until, after a second, it concluded to the most plausible. This was a kidnapping. This was supported when he looked outside his cage where they were in an abandoned warehouse. It was hard to tell it was abandoned when the walls were still sturdy and the ceiling didn't have any holes in it, but there was rust on the walls and the corner of the ceiling had slightly collapsed.

Inside there were other small cages, the same as his own, scattered across the floor or placed on top of others. The cages were filling the back of the large room. There were a lot, about 53 cages from what he could see. There was a lot of chatter from the Pokemon inside; some were conversing with others, some were huddled in the corner of their cages and looked around in panic, and a few were sleeping and didn't realize what was going on around them. They were all low level which was smart because it would take more effort and resources to contain a Dragonite or a Krookodile

He saw Athena across him talking to a Kirlia, who was a few meters away. The Kirlia was on top of a Stunfish.

"-And then I told her no way, my dad is way cooler than the Milotic on TV and then Sarah was like-" She broke her conversation when she saw he was awake and yelped in delight.

"Theodore! I'm so glad you're okay. I was trying to wake you up for so long, but you weren't waking up and I got worried and then some Pokemon got mad at me and started yelling and and uhh." Her brain struggled to catch up to her mouth.

"Okay okay I get it. So do you know what happened here, how we ended up in these cages?"

"No, all I remember was that I was supposed to be healed by Nurse Joy, got healed by the Restoration Machine, and then ended up in here."

"Same as the rest of us." Said the Kirlia, her voice feminine. "I asked the others and none of them were out of their pokeballs when we were taken. This was an organized kidnapping."

"Huh." This was obviously Team Plasma, they were the only ones with the resources and manpower to do this sort of thing. Well, there's no use wondering about it. Might as well get out. He quickly summoned a Shadow Claw and slashed at the cage, but only made a small dent. This is not your normal metal, but a stronger alloy. From their technology, I'm not surprised they've found stronger yet dispensable material.

The warehouse's large double doors opened and all eyes turned to who entered.

"Wow!" A man whistled. He was wearing a lab coat over some simple clothing. His facial features were clean shaved and his hair was scraggly like it wasn't taken care of for days. He was looking at all the Pokemon in utter excitement. "Those guys did a sick job, I mean, look at all these test subjects just waiting to be improved upon. Look at that one, he's practically screaming at me to put him at the other end of a scalpel."

He was going around staring deeply into all the Pokemon that interested him. Behind him were two grunts, a nervous boy and a stoic girl.

He went to a cage at the front where there was a Growlithe and on top of it was a Herdier.

"Awww yes." He licked the bars of the cage as he stared at them with a crazed eye before whispering. "You two have just reminded of the double headed dog experiment in Ukraine and unlike them, I have the tools to keep the form sustainable. Thank you for volunteering to take part."

Theodore couldn't hear what he said when he got close to the cage. Did he say Ukraine or something? Nah must have been something else, although, who is he anyway? He's not in the show, the only real scientist there was Doctor Colress. Of course, there must have been others but he was the one given screen time which showed his significance. For this one to be acting this way and having the whole operation solely for him means he's significant too. This is odd.

But what bothered him more were his eyes. When looking at the Pokemon, they became very similar. They were the same as his when he worked with a new animal which he hadn't seen before like when working on a penguin after working on a sea lion. They were the ones he saw whenever he looked in the mirror before his next day of work where he planned to do his personal projects in the lab in secret because they involved some cruel methods. Actually, if it wasn't for the appearance then he would have thought that that was himself right there.

He picked up the cages in a surprising show of strength and threw them behind him at the two grunts. For the first time had the girl showed an expressions as they- surprised- barely caught the cages, the Pokemon inside tumbling.

"H-hey, what the hell?"

"Yeah, watch what where you're throwing that!"

He didn't pay attention as he kept throwing more cages for them to take to the quadcopter.

"I'll take this one and this one and ewww you're pretty garbage aren't you and...hold on a second." He said looking in Athena's direction. He rubbed his eyes.

The Kirlia quickly went to the back of her cage before charging forward. The momentum was enough to make the cage fall the one under it and land on its side. She was now covering Athena from view. His eyes were cleared.

"Holy shit it is! It's a Kirlia, I've been looking for one of you low level psychics for ages." He said as he put his hands through the cage and gripped the sides of her head, bringing it so their eyes almost touched.

A creature that dealt with telepathy was something very interesting he wanted to look into. There was no animal on earth that could do something like that. The closest thing to it were like insects releasing warning chemical signals into the air. Warrior ants and bees do this when there's a threat to the colony/hive. Because of this unchartered territory, he didn't want to risk using a strong one. It would also be useful for Ghetsis's mind control request.

The Kirlia could sense the sick emotions that the scientist was radiating and became scared, but still stood strong. She had to be for Athena or she would find her being taken instead and she couldn't let her be separated from her caring family especially when she told her of such happy tales.

They must be a wonderful bunch. Keep them close Athena as they will be your source of strength. I only wish I could return to James and my friends.

But she was a kid unlike her. Hopefully, with how young Athena was, she wouldn't be able to recognize the emotions the doctor was letting out. Her cage was taken by him personally to the copter.

"Hey Fizzy-"

"It's Rizzy."

"We're going now. Someone else is going to fly the copter. You stay here and keep an eye on them alright." The stoic girl sighed as she didn't really have a choice. She gave a weak salute as they left. When the doors closed she put her hand on the panel and the locks were enabled. They had preinstalled these when they found the warehouse in case the Pokemon escaped, you can never be too careful.

She looked at the Pokemon in the cages at their saddened and panicked faces, but shrugged and brought a dusty chair, which she cleared, and sat next to the door, going on her phone. Her gameplay of Guitar Hero played out loud. Now was the perfect time for escape.

Theodore thought for a moment. That guy did not give a shit about those Pokemon. Even Team Plasma grunts show a certain amount of respect to them despite what they would use them for and the people here are too righteous and weak and aren't capable of such deeds. I don't know why but I'm getting a bad feeling, even though, after this we shouldn't come across Team Plasma. The team and I shouldn't get involved in this crap.

He looked through the keyhole of his cage where he confirmed it was a simple padlock. You wouldn't need a high-security one when dealing with Pokemon. Locks like this have small pins in them where if you don't have the key, you can click each pin individually. They have to be done in a certain order, but after some trial and error you just need to find a way to twist the cylinder and it will unlock. How does he know this? simple.

I am not a crook!

Unfortunately, his claws were way too big to actually do this. If only I had a pin. There could be- ah, there's one.

"Big brother, where did they take her?" Athena asked referring to the Kirlia.

"I'm not sure." He did and could guess why, but didn't tell her the potentially gruesome answer.

On the ground, two meters away from him, were two bobby hair pins perfect for this job. They were amongst a bit of rubble and dust. He couldn't reach it with his small arms. It was too far to even utilize the extra reach Shadow Claw granted.

"Hey, you, yes you. Give me those pins would ya." He was talking to a Sunkern whose open bars were literally in front of the items and could be thrown to him.

"These black things...errr I can't reach. No arms you see." He smiled sheepishly at him.

"Are you serious, it's literally in front of your face and you're telling me you can't give it to me, even a Swaddle could use String Shot and shoot it at me." He said annoyed. "What are you anyway? You're just a seed, what a useless creature. I'm surprised you have a trainer in the first place like who the hell says 'oh I want a seed for a Pokemon to get me through the league because that sounds like a great idea'."

At this point the Sunkern had tears coming out, taking great offense to his words. He was looking downcast at the metallic floor. A small puddle began to form beneath it, a mix of tears and the dew that normally kept its leaves glistening with vitality.

"Theodore, that was really mean!" Athena, who was opposite him, had reprimanded. "Apologise to him right now!"

Theodore was thinking of a way to get those two pins. The nearby cages were either facing away from them or had Pokemon who weren't close enough. He was thinking in his head until he looked at Athena's horn, ignoring her scornful gaze.

"That's it! Athena, you're a psychic type so do you think you can get me those two pins over there."

"Err, maybe, I don't think I'm strong enough to do that though. Using telepathy is an advanced technique."

"Just try."

"Not before you apologize to that Sunkern." She said, pointing at the seed Pokemon who was now sniffling, but tears were still dropping.

"Who cares about that thing."

"I care!" He knew he wouldn't be able to get anything done without her. Usually, that's not the case and he tries to be independent as possible.

"Alright fine." He said facing the Sunkern. "I'm sorry for saying all those things to you."

It was so fake, but the naive Ralts took it as enough. She focused on the pins bringing out all her psychic energy to get it moving. It only moved an inch before it stopped moving. She was groaning and her horn was hurting. She had to let go before huffing in place.

Theodore clenched his fists before letting go and taking a breath. There's no time to get angry just think of another possibility. How can I move those pins in the padlock without the hair pi- ah another idea.

"Listen to me. I need you to do exactly what I say okay."

"Okay."

"This is going to be a bit difficult for you to understand but I know you can do it." He then explained the mechanics of the padlock as simply as he could for the child. He then explained the process of unlocking it with her psychic energy.

"Come on. You can do it you can do it." He said quietly, so he didn't distract her. She was currently going through each pin and he got excited after hearing the click of the first one. After 8 minutes, the final pin clicked into place. He gasped. She twisted the cylinder and opened her cage. She got the two pins and gave it to him.

Ecstatically, he lockpicked his own in under a minute and slammed the door open.

"Huh, what was that?" Rizzy said, pausing the next song she was on. After a minute of silence, she went back to playing. "Whatever."

Theodore rubbed the back of his head at his mistake.

"Athena you adorable genius." He picked her up and gave a quick kiss on her forehead. Surprised at the action coming from him of all Pokemon, she melted into a puddle from utter adoration.

"Big brotherrrrrr."

He jumped through the cages not caring for the noise. This got Rizzy's attention as her eyes widened in surprise.

"Quickly Vanilish get ou-" Before she could summon her Pokemon, Theodore had summoned a Shadow Claw and slashed her on the head. She was knocked out immediately.

"That was meant to chop her head off. I didn't hold back that much." There was a long cut on her head but it wasn't too deep. he couldn't even see her skull. He took her left arm and with his claw pushed down hard on her skin to the point where could feel bone.

Her skin and muscles are much tougher than they should be. I guess Pokemon aren't the only ones to evolve from war.

He tried the same thing on himself but with Shadow Claw. He had to tighten his mouth to stop himself from screaming from the searing pain. After going past the skin and then the muscles he realized only a small amount of blood was coming out and the capillaries underneath had rather slipped out of the way of his cutting. It was an efficient method of reducing blood loss he hadn't seen before.

He couldn't go deeper, there was something stopping him. Painfully, he widened the very deep wound.

"What the fuck?" He muttered. The arteries and veins were jumbled together underneath the muscles rather than the skin. Usually, they only house the major ones, but here they housed almost all of them. Also, they were behind a thick membrane that, even with Shadow Claw and a huge amount of effort, He barely made a scratch. There was a slight hint of fear within him.

These Pokemon have such powerful adaptations. I'm gobsmacked. These guys are way better than the animals on Earth, I mean, Anubis was showing that he could read.

Was he wrong about Pokemon, about how crap of a species they were? With these magnificent bodies and abilities, he was starting to doubt himself. Anyway, there were more pressing matters. He ripped a piece of Rizzy's clothing and wrapped it around his forearm as a makeshift bandage.

He lifted her hand to the panel.

"Access granted." Said the user interface and the sturdy double doors automatically opened.

"The sweet taste of freedom." He smelt the air and it didn't smell like a room full of cats. He walked out with Athena behind him. They walked to the forest's edge until she looked at him confusingly.

"Hold on a second, what about the others?" She said pointing at the rest of the Pokemon who were still stuck in their cages.

"What about them?"

"You forgot to free them."

"I didn't forget, I'm just not going to free them." He saw her confused expression. "I mean I don't want to free them. These guys aren't worth anything. Look at that Sunkern, it couldn't pick up something that was right in front of him. That's a useless creature, so what makes you think I'm going to save him?"

She looked horrified, disgusted even. Her mouth opened to say something back, but she had to pause to process his words. It was hard for her to do so, but now she knows what type of person he is.

"You." She said, pointing at him. "You're evil, aren't you! You're a bad guy who only cares about himself!"

Her eyes narrowed with a mix of anger and disappointment, scrutinizing every detail of his reaction. The accusation hung heavy in the air, challenging him to deny it or prove her wrong. He only shrugged and using her horn to sense his emotions she could tell that there was no remorse.

"Fine then." She said going back into the warehouse. "If you won't free them then I will. I won't be like you and watch them suffer when I can help."

She got to working on the padlocks like how he instructed her. A shame too, he was the one to show her how to do it and how it could be used for the Pokemon around her yet now he just wants to abandon them. It seemed like a waste of talent to her.

Theodore groaned. He couldn't go back to Sarah without her and who knew what Shinigami would do if he left her. With how long she was taking on that lock, there could be trouble coming their way. He went inside and started working on the first cage. While she took 6 minutes working on hers, Theodore already completed 5. it took over half an hour to free everyone.

Every time he freed one, the Pokemon expressed their utmost gratitude, wiping away tears and snot, and happy to be reunited with their trainers. Hah, he was only doing this because of Athena's stubborn selflessness otherwise he would've dipped. Like him to be someone's savior other than his own.

"T-thank you." The Sunkern from earlier said when he freed him.

"Shut up!" I can't believe I'm doing this.

"Okay." He stayed silent for a moment.

Everyone was out and waiting outside. A Hierdier from the front said he would lead them using his superior sense of smell to find their way back.

"Wait!" They stopped when Theodore shouted. He went back to the warehouse. He wiped his claws with some of the blood from the grunt and wrote many things across the walls.

"What are you doing?" Athena asked from behind, not disgusted by the blood. Her mother is a healer and was once active so you tend to see wounds from the neighbor's kids from time to time.

"Best part of a crime scene, make it look as bad as you possibly can. With this, the league will put this event higher in the investigator's priority list." He had written on the walls sentences you would find in a horror movie like 'you can't hide!', 'where's mommy', 'death is found in pain!', and other nonsense that sounded messed up.

"Alright." He wiped his laws of the blood. "let's go."

The group slowly rummaged through the forest, changing directions sometimes when the Herdier smelt a particular scent from somewhere. It was a quiet and slow walk as they had all calmed down from the stressful experience. They pushed through the bushes, vines, and overhanging branches and sometimes asked some bug Pokemon for directions. Athena was, for some reason, very quiet contrary to her cheerful attitude.

"Theodore." She called him. "Do you hate us? I don't mean Team Sarah, but us Pokemon."

"What brought that up?"

"Well, this isn't the first time you mentioned some Pokemon being useless creatures. But why does a Pokemon's capabilities determine their value. We're all creatures who are alive and should be respected, so it doesn't matter how strong your thunderbolt is, you don't dismiss others like that. This isn't how it was before the Great Pact, we've come a long way since then." This was surprisingly mature for her. Her English was getting better too.

"Athena, who am I talking to right now?" He asked.

"What do you mean, you're talking to me, Athena the adorable Ralts." She said pumping her chest out.

"Am I talking to Athena?" he responded confusing her. "Or am I talking to a Ralts who just happened to be called that. If I talked to another Ralts I found on the street then would there be any difference between you two, I don't think so. To me, you're all just the same old boring creatures that have no sense of uniqueness. When I think of Athena, what would pop up into my mind. What I'm trying to say is that are you your own individual who is her own person, has her own interests, and has her own personality. So far the only thing that comes to my head when I think of you is ice cream, which is good because that shows something unique about you."

He was an individualist. He cared more about the person himself than a group because if you aren't your own person with your own perks then you're nothing but an animal to him. She understood what he saying. She smirked.

"I'm not just Athena, Sarah's Ralts she uses to win her battles. I'm more than that, but you know what, I won't tell you what that is. You're going to discover it by being with me." She said taking hold of his hand. "Stay with us and you'll find out there's more to us Pokemon than you think."

"...I guess we'll see then." Not like he could get away from you guys anyway. They carried on walking

(Back to Sarah)

She stared at N weirdly.

How are his navigation skills so good? She was thinking. He was leading them on, looking around for clues. He deducted most of the path from how the helicopter's rotors must have blown some of the leaves away and ended up in certain locations. I mean who even thinks of that?

He was being weird though. When he ducked to scan the leaves, he 'accidentally' started walking on 4 legs like some Pokemon before walking like a human or when he sniffed the air by bringing his nose up for any scent. When questioned about it, he nervously tells her that he used to live with Pokemon for most of his childhood and he may have picked up some of their habits. He dropped the question quickly.

She didn't want to go deeper because he seemed like a troubled guy and might get offended, but the way he was acting was suspicious; animalistic.

"Riolu!" Anubis half-yelled grabbing her by the hand and bringing her to the ground. N ducked too.

"What is it, did you find someone?" He didn't answer and kept his ears pointed towards their front. When they didn't move, staying as still as they could, they could hear some footsteps and the leaves crunching coming towards them.

"Man, I can't believe we got stuck with some boring mission. Find some potential Pokemon to recruit in Pinwheel Forest, hah, I would rather be preaching in Driftveil City. This wasn't what I was expecting when I joined Team Plasma. Did you Swadloon?"

"Swad Swad! No, I didn't.!"

"Maybe next time we can join some high end operation." The grunt said putting his hands together. "I know we would make Ghetsis proud."

"Hey, stop right there!" Sarah got up and shouted. "I have questions for you. What did you guys do in Nacrene City, and where are Theodore and Athena!" He brought up his guard when he heard her mention 'Nacrene City'.

"I'll tell you nothing! Swadloon use String Shot!" It shot out a thick white string that quickly approached Anubis.

"Use Quick Attack to avoid it and get in close, then use Brick Break!" Anubis shot out with a white blur of normal type energy exuding from behind him. He ducked from the String Shot going past his head. His arm was coated in white as he was about to slam it on the tiny Swadloon's head.

"Use String Shot again on his arm!" The grunt said desperately. Anubis's arm was now coated in this thick white string and when he hit the Swadloon it cushioned the blow. "Now use Razor Leaf."

Anubis took on many sharp leaves point blank to his body. He yelped as some small cuts formed throughout his torso. He fell back from the damage as he was still recovering from Lenora's gym battle and the potions didn't completely heal him.

"Bug Bite on his remaining arm."

"Quickly use Detect!" He saw from the tiny movements underneath the Swadloon where his trajectory was going to take him. He saw in great detail his fangs coming out and where his dark eyes pointed. Despite the surprisingly quick speed the Swadloon showed, he still dodged him, just barely. "Use Brick Break again!"

With the Swadloon in mid-air and no way to dodge, he charged up his most powerful Brick Break on his remaining arm, bringing it back, then launching it. He punched it into a tree with enough power that the tree broke and a crack was heard. It was not just from the tree. The Swadloon had fainted swirls on its eyes.

"Swadloon return." The grunt said before returning his Pokemon and quickly bringing out another pokeball to Sarah and N's surprise. They thought he would have given up there. "Come out Boldore!"

"Boldore at your service."

Anubis was already bringing his arms up despite one of them being coated in the sticky white silk. N stepped forward and held his arm out.

"No, you two, I'll take of this one. I have to join in the fight against Team Plasma. Braiviary, I need your help my friend."

Out came a large, majestic bird with a powerful build and valiant appearance. Its feathers were predominantly red, white, and grey with a distinctive white, bushy crest on its head. Its sharp, commanding eyes and robust beak highlight its fierce nature. Its expansive grey winges were the embodiment of strength and freedom giving it its namesake as the symbol of bravery and valor.

"I'm ready to take out some villains." Said Braiviary with a deep and strong masculine voice.

"Idiot, don't you know that flying types are weak against rock types. Boldore use Rock Tomb." He summoned 4 huge rocks from the sky out of nowhere that came crashing down through the canopy of trees. The others had to get out the way to not be crushed themselves. It was a smart move as it would be hard for Braviary to go to the sky to dodge it when they came down, but he still did. Now the rocks have crashed and created a clearing for him.

"Braviary end Boldore's misery by using Steel Wing." He rose to the sky, spreading his large majestic wings that became coated in steel type energy. He was still able to bend them as he came descending down to the Boldore who weren't known for their dodging ability.

The grunt could only watch as his Pokemon took the super effective attack and instantly fainted. It was a one-hit KO and he knew there was nowhere for him to run. He returned Boldore and put his hands up.

"Alright, I surrender. Now what is it you want, I haven't done anything against you guys."

"Return Braviary, thank you." N recalled him. Sarah walked up to the grunt with furrowed brows.

"What happened in the Nacrene City Pokemon Centre, why would Team Plasma take the Pokemon there? My siblings are some that have been taken so you better hurry up and explain." Anubis held up the fist that wasn't covered anymore and showed it to him menacingly.

"I actually don't know much." Her harsh glare made him raise his hands again. "B-but I'll tell you what I do know. I had eavesdropped on some of the higher ups when they were discussing a kidnapping and apparently it's for some long intended goal they have, something to do with taking control of something and that's all I know, I swear!"

N put a hand to his head. He knew what that something was. It was for the mind control project they'd use to take control of Kyurem and take over Unova. They would be testing their methods on low level Pokemon first then move on to stronger ones until they eventually can control a legendary. The worst part was who was in charge of the experiments themselves. he could already sense the torment his friends were going to go through.

If only I had enough power then I would be able to stop this.

"So where are they right now?" He demanded.

"They're in that direction where they're inside an abandoned warehouse. They're in cages so they won't have moved from there." He moved past the grunt, eyes darkened. They had no time to waste on insignificant scum. Sarah and Anubis followed.

After 20 mins of walking where there was no discussion, they were surprised to find a whole group of around 40 Pokemon in the middle of the forest. Sarah glowed as amongst them were her friends.

She dashed towards them and scooped them in her arms.

"H-hey, get off me!" Theodore moved her face away from him but it was no use. The power of friendship is too strong.

"Sarah!" Athena groped her face as they nuzzled their cheeks together. She put them down after a minute and wiped her tears and snot away. "I missed you guys so much, I thought you would be taken away and I would never see you again."

She started crying again at the thought. Anubis went in front of her as he eyed them carefully, checking for any wounds. He saw the makeshift bandage on Theodore's arm but other than that it was nothing.

"I'm glad you're both okay." He tried his hardest to hold his own tears back.

"Aww thanks big brother number 2."

"At least you have some dignity not to hug us." He was so tempted to do that now just to mess with him. He held his mischievous side down before he really did.

The rest of the Pokemon had surrounded N as they conversed with him. His ability to read the hearts of Pokemon made him a charming character in their eyes. They all looked at him with hope as he promised to bring them back to their trainers. Theodore could see a glint of sadness though and he knew why. He would rather have them free completely, but it was better than being given to Team Plasma.

"Then let us leave at once shall we." He said, remembering the path back and leading them all. On the way he asked how they freed themselves from their cages as he had heard from the grunt and he knew that those cages aren't easy to break from low-level Pokemon like them. They all faced Theodore.

"then thank you, Theodore if it wasn't for you then a tragedy may have occurred." He bowed his head. Sarah beamed too trying to stroke his head, but he brushed her hand away. Then she tried using both to which he couldn't stop her. She saw a small smirk pop up on his face though, so maybe he wasn't the tough-guy act he tried to make himself look. N read his heart and a bit of comfort was in there. He probably didn't recognize it as he knew he hadn't felt it before. He smiled at the progress he was making.

Theodore did have a few disappointments though. He would rather have had them do it themselves rather than rely on him. Athena just proved that they were capable of it but they would continue on in ignorance rather than have a solution for a potential threat. At least Athena knew now, so that had impressed him a bit. She's still a piece of shit though.

They reached Nacrene City where they saw Nurse Joy in a conversation with Officer Jenny and some rangers. The trainers behind them looking worried or angry. There was guy behind held back by two others from going into the forest and saving his Darumaka. They all looked at the group emerging from the forest and in an instant, the trainers and Pokemon all ran to each other. There were tears, licks on the cheek, and other sentimental crap.

However, some of them didn't have their Pokemon in their arms and they looked around to find them, but they weren't there. They ran to the duo.

"E-excuse me, have you seen a Pidove anywhere?"

"Yeah, or my Roggenrola?"

"Or my Tranquil?" They all pleaded for their partners, but Sarah and N only gave them confused looks.

"Wasn't that all of them?" She said. "Sorry, but there was no one else there."

Theodore got his notebook and pen out from under his scarf and wrote to her.

SOME POKEMON WERE TAKEN WHILE THE REST OF US WERE LEFT.

They were all astonished by the fact that he could write, but quickly turned to horror that they would potentially never see their Pokemon again. One girl fell to her knees as she looked at the ground, emotionless, while crying. N could only put a hand on a boy's shoulder while he cried for his Oshawott. Officer Jenny and the rangers walked to them asking for an explanation.

They went to the station and explained all they could from what happened in the Pokemon Centre to finding the group of Pokemon in the forest. Theodore also told his side of the story. One ranger was being slightly paranoid about the event and asked him how he could write, finding it suspicious. Sarah quickly got to his defense but he held her back and gave an answer anyway.

I GOT TOO BORED IN THE FOREST, SO I FOUND AN ENGLISH TEACHING CHILD'S BOOK IN THE DUMPSTER AND GOT TO LEARNING. IT'S NOT THAT HARD ONCE YOU GET THE BASICS BUT HONESTLY, YOUR LANGUAGE IS CRAP.

He really thought that too. He knew multiple languages like Arabic which was a great language and was consistent in its rules, but English was a free for all. It is funny to see roadmen speak in the streets of London with their slang though.

"So now we're going to have to go to the warehouse ourselves and confirm everything you've told us." She finished writing in her notebook with a route to it.

"You don't believe us!" Sarah shouted, astonished. "We're telling you the truth. It really was Team Plasma, they're not the people who they preach to be on the streets!"

"Calm down, I obviously believe you. There's no going around this, but we need authentic proof if we want the league to look into this. Without it, we can't do much, especially with how popular Team Plasma has been recently amongst the people. This is something that needs extensive care."

"So they're not going to get away with it?" Sarah asked.

"If everything checks out then no, they shouldn't." Officer Jenny confirmed. "Thank you for your cooperation. We thank you very much for this. Good luck on your journey." She and the rangers placed a hand to their chests and bowed their heads.

"You're welcome."

After the whole ordeal, N and Team Sarah had left the station, tired from the mess of a day. Sarah hoped she wouldn't have to face Team Plasma again because it was making her deviate from her journey of completing the league. She wanted a normal journey to explore the Unova region and become stronger, more independent, not deal with this type of thing.

While they were walking, she noticed that Athena, who was on her shoulder, kept giving odd glances at Theodore. They were ones of caution. Ever since they came back from the warehouse, she wasn't her normal cheerful self and was trying to hide that behind a fake smile. Sarah could tell it was, after all, they were sisters. Hopefully things will return to normal after they take the stress of the day out otherwise it would need addressing.

N was thinking about the investigation. If only I had the power then I could have brought justice myself with no delay. At least most of his friends were free thanks to him and Sarah, she's a kind girl.

"So Sarah, where are you heading to now? I remember you saying you would go to Castelia City after beating Lenora."

"Yes, I am. How about you, weren't you on your way there too?"

"Yes, I was. Sarah, could I travel with you guys till we reach there." She raised an eyebrow. "I'm interested in your bond with your Pokemon, they're amongst the unique ones I've come across so far in my journey across Unova and I want to see more of it. Since we're going to the same place I hope you won't mind."

She quickly shook her head.

"Of course not, we're friends aren't we, and friends stick together."

"Friends?" He said. No one had considered him a friend before, at least not amongst humankind. They all thought he was weird and he hated his kind anyway, so there was no point.

"Yes. Friends." She put up her pinky finger and wrapped it around his. He paused for a moment to stare at the gesture then chuckled.

"Thank you, Sarah. Yes, we are friends."

"You're welcome. Now come on, there's still some daylight left and I want to camp in the forest this time. I won't stand staying in this city for another day."

And with that, Team Sarah, now accompanied by N, left for Pinwheel Forest.

 

[Swag Striker]

Chapter 9: training in pinwheel

A/N: I went over the story before writing this chapter and holy crap was chapter 1 bad. I'm okay with that though because I've seen how much I've progressed over the past year and am glad with the result. I just love writing. I know I have a lot more to learn so please leave any advice in the reviews.

Chapter 9 START

The group walked through the serene forest where the crunching of leaves under their feet was silenced by the many sounds of the forest. There were chirps, buzzing, and even the cracking of cacoons from some of the bug type Pokemon.

Sarah was stroking the head of a Sewaddle, slowly taking in the feeling of its strong leaf-like exterior.

"You're so beautiful Sewaddle. How are you so gorgeous?" She marveled as the creature moved its head to bask more of her soft hand, and ate the handful of nuts from the other. She saw N bobbing his head, ushering her to move along. "Sorry, but I have to go now. Here, you can have the rest of the nuts."

She put them in a small hollow next to the branch he was standing on. He looked down at the floor as she removed her hand from his head. Her touch was so nice, so motherly. She felt guilty but had to move through the forest. The rest of the scenery made that guilt go away as she looked on in wonder.

The well-kept gardens of Striaton City were polar opposites compared to the trees of this place yet the beauty was still there. Where they were short, spacious, and smooth, these were tall, grouped, and had intricate patterns that made her question how it was possible for a tree to grow like that.

The smell of the forestry was diverse as not only could she smell the lush plants, but the scent of honey, flowers, and the occasional beast like Pokemon who passed through. The whole experience made her heart jingle in delight.

My god was leaving home the right decision. She smiled as she moved past a Heliconia; a bush with vibrant colored leaves used to provide nectar primarily to hummingbirds or whatever Pokemon equivalent there was in this world.

Theodore was at the back, tracing the patterns on it. He could recognize a specific plant when he saw one and this was definitely it, but it was slightly different to how they usually were. They were larger and more flat likely indicating that they were used by Butterfrees rather than a bird Pokemon.

The leaves are very healthy and taken care of due to the lack of pollution in the area. This is probably true for the whole region based on how clean they kept Nacrene City. It was strange. He's been to many forests before, obviously for animal observations, but now is the first time he's actually marveling at the place for what it was. No reports or essays popped up in his head telling him the strengths and weaknesses of this plant's anatomy, heck, after coming to this world and being away from his lab his mind has been surprisingly light.

It happened in the snowy mountains too when he first woke up, when he could actually see the atmosphere.

Marvelous. He unconsciously thought as his claws went over the bark of the large Kapok tree.

"Theodore, keep up!" Sarah called out, breaking him out of his stupor.

"Coming mom." Don't tell me what to do.

Unlike routes 2 and 3 where she was able to walk along a clear pathway to reach the next city, Pinwheel Forest didn't have one, so trainers had to navigate the place themselves to get to Castelia City. The pokedex didn't show the area on its map to add to the joy of independently exploring the forest. Sarah didn't mind though as this was just another obstacle to prove her independence.

Of course, it would be foolish to let beginning trainers go to a forest where they could find themselves lost for days, so there were paper maps sold before the entry inside Nacrene City. Every trainer has their vitals linked to their pokedex, so if they did get lost they would be found by a Ranger.

"I swear, if we don't find a river nearby then I'm going to scream my head off." Sarah said, taking out the small twigs stuck to her hair. Her clothing wasn't exactly appropriate for this biome, the only proper thing she wore was her hiking trainers after the whole Team Plasma chase, and even then, she was so close to changing to her purple pumps because they weren't cute enough.

N stood back after she exuded a dark aura, pissed off from messing up her clothes. It reminded him of Anthea and Concordia whenever a dirty Pokemon, who played outside, came into the mansion and got dirt all over the floor.

He shivered when he remembered their faces.

Human females brrr who'd have them?

"Where's the map?" Sarah huffed as she kept rummaging through her Nexacore bag, even putting her head through it in case it was behind her camping gear. "Aww geez, that's just great isn't it."

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"W-well you see. The t-thing is err is that." She rubbed the back of her neck. "In all the drama earlier, I thought I bought a map, but I didn't."

She slumped down in dismay.

"Ha ha no worries. I can't blame you, it certainly isn't normal for a trainer to be dealing with stuff the league should be taking care of. You're lucky I decided to come with you otherwise you would have been lost here for days, especially without a flying type Pokemon."

She raised an eyebrow at him, wondering why she should feel so fortunate, but he, like a gymnast, jumped up the branches of a nearby tree till he reached the top. Her and Theodore's jaws dropped at the sixteen year old. Sarah knew it was a difficult feat, but also possible as she's seen the physical capabilities of the evolved humans in this world while he thought that there was no way he could have done that.

That's wicked. The pair thought.

N sniffed the air, adjusting himself as the scent of a crisp, almost sweet smell became stronger when facing northwest. He came down as expertly as he went up.

"It's that way." He pointed. "There's a river with a clearing where we can camp for today."

"How are you able to tell, I've never seen anyone outside of TV be able to do that."

"As I've said before, I was raised in the forest by Pokemon so this is kind of my natural habitat. I'd developed great navigation skills and my sensory skills can rival some species of Pokemon."

"Wow, that's incredible. I wished I had skills like yours." N flushed at the compliment.

Theodore narrowed his eyes at his explanation. It was true that when placed in an environment where certain senses are too weak to pick anything up or are even missing, the individual would enhance their other senses to compensate.

For example, the case of Ben Underwood, a teenager who had his eyes removed at the age of 3 due to cancer, had learned to use echolocation to see the world around him. He would click his tongue to produce a sound that would bounce off walls, couches, and cars, and would form a mental image that told him of the world around him. At first, Theodore didn't believe it, but when looking at the case further, he was shocked to find it was true.

Ben was one of the few in the world who could do this. He was an anomaly. So was N an anomaly too? To be able to find a river far from here with nothing but his smell was too far off. It was either that or he was wrong again about the enhanced bodies these humans had.

I don't think that's the case. He's definitely lying about how he got his abilities. He would keep an eye on him.

After about an hour of trekking, they reached the river. Sarah lifted her arms and let out a shout of relief before rushing to it. She put down her bag and told the two kids of the team to set up camp while she took out her supplies to wash her hair. She also put away her hairband and was going to replace it with a hat. N took out his two pokeballs.

"Braviary, Eevee come on out." The beam of the pokeballs revealed the huge bird of valor and a small fox with soft, brown fur and a bushy tail tipped with creamy white. It had large, expressive eyes, pointed ears, and a fluffy mane around its neck that a little girl would use as a pillow. It had short legs and a petite frame.

"Yo N, have you found me a sexy mate yet." The Eevee said rubbing his eyes before yawning. He stretched his back like a cat getting out a few cracks.

"EEEEEEEHHHHH!" Sarah squealed, dropping her stuff to rocket at the Eevee. "And who is this cutie! N, you never told me you had such an adorable cupcake with you... how dare you hide this from me?!" He gulped as she glared at him.

"Yeah heh heh that's me." Eevee said basking in the attention. "I'm cute, adorable, and I have a massive penis."

Theodore choked on his sip of water he was having from the river. He started to cough heretically as his mind had a hard time processing what was said. N only put a hand to his head at his friend's antiques.

"Whoops, probably shouldn't be saying that to a little girl, but you can't understand me anyway so it's fine." Sarah only held on for a few more minutes before going back to washing her hair, but she promised to properly comb him once she was done to his delight.

Ahhhh and this is why I don't want to evolve. I just have to pose like this and smile and free stuff comes my way. I call this technique, pretty privilege.

N coughed, gaining his attention.

"Braviary, Eevee we're sleeping here overnight. Can you set up camp on that tree please?"

"Of course N." Braviary nodded and got to work.

"Okay captain." Eevee saluted before joining him.

Eevee; known for its genetic adaptibility. It has the unique ability to evolve into various forms, each with a different elemental type encompassing over half the types. It has this ability due to its unstable DNA... if only one could do some genetic snip snip and force it to be stable, I wonder what would be the result of that? It's probably that it can change to any form at will. They probably haven't done it yet due to some ethical shit and any scientific team or whatever would think that it wasn't worth the price for a potential failure.

Theodore licked his lips in delight. If only I was in my lab, then I would chain that thing up on a table and stab a syringe in between hi-

His thoughts were broken when he heard the clattering of metal. He turned back to the two kids and saw them struggling with the tent. He sighed as he would have to teach them how to put it up.

Sarah, having finished washing her hair into its pristine condition and tying it into a bun so her beany could protect it, watched as N's Pokemon built a small shelter over a large branch of a tree. She wondered why he wouldn't sleep in a tent, but then realized that he didn't even have a bag. Not one this whole time.

He thanked his Pokemon for their hard work and recalled Braviary. Eevee went to quickly get his combing done before getting recalled. He jumped to the branch, crossed his legs, and put his hands behind his head.

"Wow, you're awesome." He raised an eyebrow. "I mean to live like that. Only using nature and no technology, it's so cool."

"Thank you. It's difficult for others to start doing though. It requires someone to grow up in the nature, but yeah, no matter how far technology goes nothing can beat the feeling of sleeping on a tree while staring up at the stars. I'm going to sleep now. Good night."

"Good night."

He closed his eyes. She and her two youngest Pokemon all jumbled together in her sleeping bag. It was tight but the three liked it like that as it felt warm. It would have been much tighter if Theodore decided to sleep with them and not sleep on a soft patch of grass. He watched the stars. Their patterns were different from his old world. That reminded him of his goal.

I need to get back to my human body. It still feels abnormal to be in this Weavile one. The back of my mind just refuses to accept it. It's a good thing that I am still myself and my brain is still intact- obviously aside from some of the Weavile instincts. As long as that remains then I'm not in too bad of a situation. Still though, I need to help these kids with their shit otherwise I'll be stuck like this forever.

Despite the negative thoughts he was having, he still watched the stars and then felt a wave of calmness that dispersed them. It helped him go to sleep.

Sarah was the first to wake up. She got up begrudgingly and looked at the time on her pokedex. 5:32am. She groaned and was tempted to lie back down and hug Anubis's soft and furry self; the ultimate teddy bear, but she needed to get up. Today would be a busy day. Letting out a yawn and stretching her arms she woke up her two cuddle partners.

She rubbed her eyes and saw N. along with his two Pokemon. washing a huge pile of oran berries in the river.

He's awake at this time! Geez N.

He waved at her when he saw her awake.

"Good morning Sarah, you woke up at the perfect time. We've got breakfast ready."

"It's a good morning to go back to sleep. I know you're used to the wild and would wake up this early, but personally, I would use it to sleep in especially when my mom isn't here to force me up." She can remember how her mom would throw her duvet away for her to get ready for school and sometimes there wasn't any school, it was the holidays.

She went to wake up Theodore and he too begrudgingly got up despite wanting to lie back down again. He slowly walked to the pile of berries with half-lidded eyes.

"The hell is this thing, I've never seen a fruit like this before. Hold on, this is an oran berry." He looked in wonder at the famous fruit that fit perfectly in his hand. It showed no similarity to a blueberry like he thought it would. Its spherical shape was perfectly round and its blue skin contained no dents or sign of imperfection. The skin refracted the light of the sun perfectly.

It does look good. I always wanted to try this when watching the show. The special berries of this world each have a certain property that can help a Pokemon once consumed. This one is supposed to heal and restore energy. Now let's see how it tastes.

He slowly took a large bite.

...

Bliss, it was all he felt. The sensation went from the papillae in his tongue up to the gustatory cortex in his brain. He almost dropped the berry as his body froze then his mouth chewed the bite as quickly as it could just so he could take another bite. He threw the rest of the berry into his mouth.

"Wht tthhe ffck!?" More, he had to have more. Grabbing more oran berries from the stack, he forced them into his mouth before he could even finish the previous one, not caring if he choked or not. The taste was beyond anything he had tasted from Earth, not that he could taste much anyway after he found his life to be so dull and boring, but if he could then he would easily say that this oran berry trumped them all.

Before he realized it, he had eaten half the pile meant for all of them. The rest stared and paused their chewing at the Weavile who was now covered in purple juices and had devoured half of their breakfast.

He wiped his mouth from the running juice and huffed in place. He felt great. It was like his body had rejuvenated and now contained the power of a thousand suns. he felt like he could run a marathon without breaking a sweat. His smile fell as he saw the other's faces and realized what he'd done.

"Ha ha ha!" They all laughed.

"Holy Arceus!" Eevee was now on his back wheezing. "You just went full Garbodor on those berries. It's like watching a Snorlax with the munchies after discovering the existence of all-you-can-eat buffets ha ha ha."

Even the stoic and disciplined Braviary covered his face to hide his small chuckles.

"S=s-stop laughing!" He said sternly as a small blush fell on his cheeks. It was almost invisible due to his dark fur. They carried on eating for a few minutes before stopping and seeing his still flustered state.

"Aww Theodore, if you were so hungry then why didn't you say so." Sarah said getting a growl in response. "Anyway, now that we've all finished eating let's quickly wash up and start the day. It's gonna be a busy one."

While combing her hair and tying it again, Sarah thought about today's training schedule.

Let's see, what do we need to work on hmmmm... When we fought Cress for the trio badge, the problem was that I didn't know my Pokemon's moves but I've scanned them all and know them now. The only problem is that Theodore only knows Shadow Claw which may not be too bad since he's powerful and fast but it's not enough and he would never let me help him learn a new one. He'll probably figure it out himself.

When battling Lenora... THAT'S IT. Speed was the issue for Anubis and Athena both in dodging and for Anubis specifically getting close enough to his opponent to attack. They can only use their special moves sometimes or they'll run out of stamina. We'll work on that today, although, I want Theodore to train Athena privately. She's been acting off, it's not like her. When everyone was laughing she only let out a few chuckles as she eyed him nervously. I don't know what happened between them with Team Plasma, but I won't ask. Hopefully, with this, they'll get along again.

"Alright." She clapped her hands. "Anubis, you're going to be training with me. Theodore and Athena, you will be training together. Theodore, you're smart enough to know what you're doing so I expect good results okay?" He sighed. He knew he had to help these kids for his goal but that didn't mean he liked it.

He walked past the others to the forest. when he got close to Athena she quickly hid behind Sarah's dress.

"Well come on then. You heard what your owner said, we're going to be training together."

Athena looked up at Sarah concerned. She gave her a pretty smile and ruffled her hair.

"It will be fine, you're just overthinking."

Was she though? After seeing his attitude in the warehouse she's been nothing but comprehensive at the one who would abandon others over some stupid and disgusting reasons.

But I did say I would show him who we Pokemon are and I don't intend to break that promise. Fine then, I'll go.

She let go and followed him. They went to a small clearing nearby.

"Be careful you two."

"Weave Weavile." He definitely didn't swear.

"You ready Anubis?" He pumped his fist into the air. "Good, I like the energy and we're going to need it. Let's start with a warm up."

She changed her dress to a shirt and normal trousers that were, guess what, pink and purple. They went on a small jog along the river, going for a few rounds. After they started to sweat a bit they changed to basic exercises starting with squats. Sarah made sure to join Anubis and do the exercises as well. A weak trainer would never make it in the higher leagues. She also needed to condition herself for the long treks and the more unforgiving territories that she would like to explore.

They went to push ups next. Their muscles were starting to get warmer as they continuously contracted. She was surprisingly able to do much more than what the average man could despite being a little girl who'd never trained before. She and the other humans of this world have enhanced genetics gained from millennia of fighting in non-stop wars. Now that the Great Pact was established, the kids can gain the physicality that a human from Theodore's earth would have to train a lot for.

After the next few exercises, they stopped to stretch. She mused.

When we were at Lenora's private training area, Theodore trained him with certain exercises to help his weakened state and it worked. So if you want to train a Pokemon's body, you would have to do certain procedures and target specific muscles. I may not be as smart as Theodore, but those leg exercises I saw gave me an idea.

She picked up a small boulder from the side of the river and placed it behind Anubis. She then got some rope from her bag and tied it around his torso. He had to lift it with his hands too to keep it steady because of how heavy it was. She picked up a few small twigs and pebbles then moved 5 metres away from him.

"I'm going to throw these at you and you're going to have to dodge them. You'll be doing it while holding that rock. We'll do 5 sets of 15 You ready."

He nodded. She threw the first few using an underhanded throw to find out how much force she should put and the angle. Once they were right she then threw them overhand putting some force into them. Anubis felt the resistance from the rock but it wasn't much. He jumped to the left then to the right then ducked under the next rock.

This is easy. He grinned.

She then started to put more force into her throws and his eyes widened when a twig got close to hitting his arm. The tiny obstacles that came after, having their speed been anticipated, were dodged just as easily. His grin was still there as he felt like what he was doing was impressive.

After a total of 15 of the debris, they took a minute break even though he didn't need it. She then put her whole force in the second set which made him put a little more effort into his dodges. After another break the third set came and that's when things changed.

"W-woah!" He was close to getting hit by a pebble. The boulder on his back no longer felt like an inconvenience but more of something double its size. He dodged left then left again. His muscles were starting to burn until they felt searing at the end of the set. He fell on his rear and huffed rapidly. He did not expect that to happen out of nowhere. He was doing fine 6 minutes ago. He messaged his leg muscles as they were hurting the most.

But I still have 2 more sets left. He wondered if he could even do it. No! I have to do it for her and for myself. I won the gym battle didn't I so I can definitely do this.

He got up before the minute was over. Sarah nodded at what she thought was enthusiasm.

"2 more and we're done for today." She threw a twig. He pulled his left leg back before it could hit his foot then he put his head down where the next twig went over. He squatted at an awkward angle and the rock felt like a Giglaith had stepped on him.

Uh oh! His muscles were completely finished. The next 3 obstacles hit him. In a last-ditch effort, he put all his remaining energy into diving away from a pebble coming to his chest. However, it didn't stop the remaining obstacles left to complete the set. Seeing him paralyzed from exhaustion, Sarah came to a halt.

She was starled when he growled. He yanked the ropes off and the small boulder dropped. He raised his fist that was enveloped in a white glow and brought the Brick Break down, smashing it into many small pieces. He didn't stop there. He let out a powerful punch on the tree next to him causing the trunk to crack and bend the whole tree to its side. He huffed harder as he sat and brought his arms around himself.

Dang it!

Sarah, breaking out of her stupor, tried to bring a hand to his head.

"Anubis, are you okay?" She felt her heart drop slightly when he moved his head away. He looked to the side with saddened eyes. I see what's happening. "Are you worried that you'll disappoint me?"

He still looked at the forest.

"He he silly boy, you know I would never be disappointed in you as long as you try your best. I'm not your previous trainer. I even bought you ice cream, your favorite. Actually, you haven't tried anything else so it may be something else."

He knew and she knew he knew. He remembered how, even after his declaration, he got scared in their battle against Lenora when her Watchog used a Low-kick on him. But he can't help it, he's trying, he's really really trying but it's hard for Conner to completely leave his head.

...

No, I can do this. It just takes one step at a time. he took a few deep breaths and moved his head to her hand where she kept stroking it. He shook in delight. He loved how soft her hands were, it felt so motherly.

"What do you mean 'other trainer'?" She screamed when she heard N's voice from behind her. She forgot he was watching them. "Wait, you don't mean!"

"Yeah, Anubis was abandoned. Not just left but he almost died until I found him, in the nick of time too. He had a few trust issues when joining the team, but thankfully, he's better now, at least mostly."

N snarled. Another Pokemon abandoned for the amusement of its trainer. What a joke.

"N, are you okay?" Sarah asked worriedly.

"Yes, sorry it's just not the first time I've seen this. I see it all the time when I'm traveling through Unova. You see, me and two of my companions own a sanctuary where we treat Pokemon who've been abused. Luckily, most of the time it's not too serious except for the mental damage, but there are cases where they've almost died." Sarah went silent almost not believing what he was saying.

Pokemon shouldn't be abused, it was preposterous to think so. It's in their culture that they should never do something like that, outside of training of course, but that wasn't abuse. They had come a long way from their ancestors over 400 years ago to create a society where both inhabitants could live together in peace. It was highly illegal anyway so if they catch the trainer who did that to Anubis then he would get locked up for a very long time, potentially for life. That would be after the butt kicking she would give him.

"Sarah, do you believe that Pokemon are better off without humans?"

"That's an odd question. We're living together happily and help each other progress in ways we couldn't before. Besides, we don't have a choice but to be together with how large our species' expand."

"I don't think that's the case. Ignoring the second point, I think we've caused more harm to them than good. What does it matter if they get stronger and have an easier time getting food when poachers exist and hunt them? We then use them in Pokemon battles and force them to fight one another."

"Pokemon battles?"

"Yes, what's your opinion of those?"

"Well, I've never really thought about them being forced to battle. I used to watch the league battles on TV and they were really cool. Hey Anubis."

"Rio?"

"Am I forcing you to battle or are you doing it out of your own free will to get stronger?" It's like what she said offended him. He sent out a few jabs before giving an uppercut. "I guess there's our answer. I would never force my Pokemon to do anything they would never want to do."

"I admire you Sarah and think you're one of the exceptions, but I can't take his word for it. It's part of the culture and I think it's a manipulation tactic used to freely abuse Pokemon and they, in their opinion, should take it."

"Hmmm maybe..." He could see how her smile faded.

"I'm sorry, I messed up the mood. I didn't mean to make you sad like that." He mused. "Hey, you said you wanted to explore and sightsee correct?"

She nodded.

"I can sense a waterfall nearby. How about we go there and take a break from your training." He saw her smile return and become wider than ever.

"That's a great idea. I've always wanted to see one firsthand and not through a computer screen. Hold on, I'll get Theodore and Athena, and we'll be on our way. Anubis, stay with N."

Anubis shyly nodded before she left. He didn't have the trust to be near another human while his family was away, but that's the thing though. N's aura didn't feel like any other human. It was weird like it was fake. He was young so he couldn't think of it further but it was strange.

Sarah went past the bushes, growling as one's thorns scraped her hand. She followed the direction Theodore had taken her sister until she found a clearing.

(With the the other two)

He had found the clearing. Along the walk, he'd eyed Athena and noticed how she kept fidgeting and taking cautious glances at him. For a moment he wondered what her problem was but then shook it off.

I don't give a shit.

But he would have to train her. He's kind of relying on them now to win the leagues so he can go to Sinnoh. If they didn't get stronger then he'd have no chance. He really couldn't be arsed to do this but it was necessary.

"Alright." He turned facing her. They were in the middle of the clearing. "Let's see what we have to work on. Because the Gardevoir line highly depends on their long-ranged attacks, they haven't evolved their bodies and now they've become weak, so trainers work on their special attack and ignore training their body."

"So we'll be working on my long-ranged attacks." She said getting giddy about how powerful her Psybeam will be at the end of the day.

"WRONG!" She jumped a few feet. "Only an idiot would think that. I've studied many animals and learned what made them strong, and even though this world has fire breathing foxes, some of the principles are the same. Although some animals do go for a ranged option, they still need a strong body or they're fucked. It's the same reason the Royal Navy trains into hand to hand combat despite fighting with ships at sea."

He looked over her tiny petite body and thought of the ways to train it. He saw a small log at the side and inspected its weight. Good enough.

"H-hey!" He placed it on her back startling her. She almost fell and slightly struggled against its weight. He got a few vines from the trees and wrapped the log around her body, securing it perfectly.

"You comfortable?"

"No."

"Don't care. You can't be reliant all the time on your Double Team ability or you'll run out of stamina quickly and be a sitting duck." She started to listen intently, no longer feeling that fear from earlier. He was right. In her battle with the Lillipup that almost happened. "We'll train your legs as they are the key for evasion. You'll be strengthening them by dodging my attacks, don't worry, I won't hit too hard in case you fail."

And because I don't think Sarah would be happy with seeing you with a lot of bruises.

He sent a jab to which she backed up then had to again after another one. That happened again and she was already feeling the impact on her legs. She was backed into a tree. She dived to the side to avoid a sharp swipe that would have cut her. She struggled to get up, but Theodore didn't stop and gave her a small cut on her chest.

"Ow!" She held the stinging cut. She quickly got up to avoid another one and jumped to her left. After a few more dodges her legs were starting to ache like they had never done before.

"We'll take a small break."

"But it's only been a few minutes." She didn't want to stop already, it seemed pathetic.

"You'll see." After around 5 minutes they started again. "Now tell me the difference."

He went for a couple of attacks that were slightly quicker. She blinked rapidly after evading them all. She too had gotten quicker and her legs, though still burning, weren't as much as before. They felt weird as if they were suddenly capable of feats she never knew about.

"Feel that. Because you've been neglecting your body for so long they can't perform at full. With this stimulation, they'll be activated and you can train them properly." He unleashed his Shadow Claw. "Prepare yourself."

He went quicker and she'd barely been scraping his attacks. There were a few cuts here and there as her body-infused dress became tattered. However, he was right. She found herself becoming quicker as her legs had finally become fully activated. She dodged a downward slash and she, once again, got backed into a tree.

"Use your hips. Don't become so static, and dodge in various directions."

She ducked and jumped past his left hook then ran into the middle of the clearing. Now she wasn't trapped in place. The next few hours were complete hell. She's never been in such a heavy training session before. They took small breaks but then, to her misfortune, carried on. She wanted to collapse. Her legs felt like jelly and Theodore's next slash would be his last. If she was going out then she wanted to do it with a bang.

As his Shadow Claw came near, she jumped higher than she ever did and front-flipped midair. She looked down and saw his frown as he pulled back his claws.

Oh no! I can't avoid that one.

"Ahhhh!" He didn't hold back with that one as he backhanded at her head, forming a large bruise that was covered by her hair. She held on to it as he looked down on her.

"You fool, this isn't a Jackie Chan movie. Doing those maneuvers may look cool on TV, but they don't work in the real world. When you jump that high to dodge an attack the opponent could send another one and you won't have the leverage to move again. You're not a flying type, so next time dodge in a certain direction or block it; even if you take damage it's better than being as vulnerable as that."

She nodded. So far, his training had been nothing but improvement for her. He knew so much and she couldn't help but replace the earlier fear with respect. It did make her question though, why didn't he use it to help improve the Sunkern? If he was as useless as he claims then why not help him and turn him into a diamond?

"We'll call it a day from here." He looked into the sky and saw it was already mid-day. His eyes widened.

"Holy shit." He stared at her. "You were able to keep going for that long, that's fucking impressive."

She puffed her chest.

"I told you we Pokemon are amazing." This made him cringe slightly.

"Don't get your hopes up too quickly kid. Anyway, I need a piss so stay here." He went deep into the forest.

She laid down on the grass, its soft touches embracing her. She slowly breathed relaxing her aching muscles as she looked into the sky. It was clear and showed its serene blue hue. The clouds moved along with no care in the world. The trees bristled and the flowers' pollen went through the wind and reached her nose.

"Achoo!" After a few minutes of waiting with no return from the Weavile, she decided to entertain herself.

In a town so small, I walk alone,

A shadow in a world of stone.

My face is lost in the crowd's disguise,

Yearning for a friend, a pair of eyes.

Oh, where did my heart go, lost in the night?

I dream of a world where I shine so bright.

Freedom calls, in whispers soft and sweet,

With a friend by my side, life's a beat.

"What are you doing?" She got up and saw Theodore emerging from the bushes. His head was tilted to the side.

"Singing." This made his mouth agape.

"You're singing." He repeated before frowning. "Is that something Sarah or her family made you do, and you suddenly started to like it."

"What! No, of course not. No one in the family except for me likes singing. I heard it on TV and loved the tune, so I decided to learn how to sing." He made an expression that she couldn't recognize. It was like excitement combined with relief.

"Yes, that's it! Don't you see Athena, that is part of an individual, it's a part of you. Athena likes singing. Keep going."

He ushered, and while smiling, she carried on finding no reason not to continue.

Echoes of laughter fill the empty streets,

But my voice is missing in the rhythmic beats.

I wear a mask to hide the tears,

Wishing for a companion to calm my fears.

He didn't realize the unconscious tapping of his foot and the nodding of his head as the song went along. He mimicked the melody as she sang with her voice that changed from the annoying childish tone to one that would perform on stage in front of hundreds. It was beautiful in a way that surprised him.

Oh, where did my heart go, lost in the night?

I dream of a world where I shine so bright.

Freedom calls, in whispers soft and sweet,

With a friend by my side, life's a beat.

There was a feeling in his heart he hadn't felt in so long that he forgot what it was called. He wouldn't be able to recognize it. It was deeply buried within a dark sadistic mist. It was fighting and slowly untangling itself against it, trying its best to come out. With every verse, it broke a cloud of the mist.

The lonely nights, they weave a tale,

Of a soul adrift, like a boat with no sail.

But hope is a light that guides the way,

To a friend who'll stay, come what may.

He looked back when he felt something moving. His tail, composing of two large feathery parts, wagged in delight. What was going on? As he kept hearing the song, he kept moving and felt something he thought he'd never felt before. No, I do remember this.

(flashback)

Theodore held his mother's hand as they left the nursery. His right hand, free, kept wiping off the tears that were trying to stop coming out but couldn't. He wiped his nose with his sleeve, making it full of snot from the previous times he did in that afternoon.

He had tried to play with a group of friends. The other kids, despite it being the first day, had already formed groups and immediately got along. He was excited, he wanted to join in. He tapped on who was the leader of a group and asked to join in. Boy, was that a mistake. They ignored him as they got back to their playing, but when he kept trying to get their attention, they got brutal. They sent a barrage of mean words that almost made him cry, but he was fine, he'll just go to the next group.

Y-yeah, I'll go to them and we can play with a ball.

He was sent insults and rejected again. He stayed optimistic, surely one of these groups would accept him. After the last group, he found himself sitting in the corner with his face buried in his legs. He silently cried, not wanting to alert the teacher who was packing up for the end of the day.

The bell went and all the kids left for their parents just like he did. When his mother saw his red face as he kept sniffing, she thought that it was because it was the first day of school and that he missed her.

"Oh dear." She knelt, wiping his tears before hugging him. "It's fine. Mommy's here now."

They were now close to the house.

I don't understand. He thought. They mainly said they hated a smarty-pants like me. I was able to answer all the questions while they couldn't but that doesn't make me a smarty-pants. I saw how they were angry when I did though. Couldn't they see the patterns?

When Miss Lesley asked the question 1+2 and none of the kids could answer, she demonstrated how basic addition worked and applied it to the question. They tried another one 4+2. The kids still looked clueless as some were biting their nails while others were scratching their heads. Actually, a few were just looking at the toy cupboard, wondering when break was.

Theodore looked at the symbols on the board. No one could answer because they didn't recognize them. That one right there, it was called uhhh 4? Yeah, 4! He associated the symbol with 4 of his fingers. The other one was three- no, it was two. He counted on his small stubby fingers. If he did what the teacher said and 'added' the numbers together then...

"Is the answer 6 Miss Lesley?" She looked at him jaw dropped.

H-how did, no, it must have been a fluke.

"That's correct Theodore well done." He smiled at the praise.

"Now try this one 3+6"

He didn't use his fingers this time. The names of the numbers had already ingrained themselves in his head and associated themselves with the appropriate quantity. Many thoughts came to his head at once comprsing of patterns, of a way to get from 3 to 6. It ranged from pictures to number lines to logical thinking, and so on.

"9." He answered after less than ten seconds. Miss Lesley clapped. A few of the kids snorted before whispering amongst themselves, calling him words he didn't understand. He could hear them, they were being quite obvious.

"Fantastic! Here is subtraction." She showed the symbol. "It's like addition, but it goes the other way around. It's the opposite."

That's all she said. It was an explanation that wasn't fit for a three year old as there was no demonstration, no example, and no use of fingers. And she knew that, but she wanted to see how far she could push this child. He could be an anomaly; one of the handful of prodigies that appear in a generation. If he could answer this despite her lack of a proper explanation then he had a bright future ahead of him.

There was the chance that his parents could have helped him with maths at home, but she personally knew his mother and knew that wasn't the case.

"This is 7-6."

The thoughts came back again, carrying with them those same diagrams, number lines, and some things he didn't even know he could think about, but they worked. They showed him the way to get 7 to the answer by 'subtracting' 6.

"1."

"Excellent, that's very good Theodore." She ruffled his hair, gaining the growls and angered looks of the other children. "You're very good at maths. Do you wish to be a mathematician in the future?"

"mathe-mat-tician." He tried pronouncing.

"He he nevermind. Kids it's break time, you can get the toys out."

His mother opened the door and let them in. She changed him and washed his face, removing the tear marks and snot, but his eyes were still red.

"How about I put on your favorite cartoon huh. It's 4 o'clock so it will be on for an entire hour. I'll make some fries while you watch okay dear." This made him smile. His favorite food was fries.

He sat in the living room with his eyes glued to the screen. It was about to come on.

"Come on come on, YES!" The screen showed the iconic picture of a cartoon dinosaur trio consisting of a red T-rex, a blue triceratops, and a yellow velociraptor. Under them was the title; The Dino Pals.

He jumped in place as the intro was coming. It was a song he would forever remember; at least he thought he would. He sang along, perfectly mimicking its tone. It was so catchy, he thought. It made him feel utter joy and got the adrenaline pumping as it should for a child his age.

He forgot all about what happened to him over 20 minutes ago. There was no school, no vicious kids, no equations bringing dozens of thoughts into his head. Nothing. He danced, swinging his hands wildly as he pranced around the room. The intro was about to end but he didn't care, he would squeeze every last second of joy he could.

His mother watched him through the gap of the door, smiling to see her baby back to his normal self.

(flashback end)

The light had broken the mist piece by piece, and though it was a hard battle, it had found a way to escape.

He started moving. His arms and legs going in random directions, moving erratically.

"W-what are you doing?" Athena giggled.

"I d-don't know, but I can't stop!" He kept dancing as the adrenaline circulated from his feet to the tip of his claws, energizing. This sensation. It was from that cartoon I used to watch as a kid. I said I would remember it forever, but I didn't.

Holy crap, the feeling, whatever it was, was unlike anything he'd felt before. It crushed any challenge, any knowledge, any form of superiority over another person. And he wanted more, much much more. It was like a drug.

"Go Theodore!" She said before joining him, but unlike him, moved in a dignified way.

It was an entire five minutes of pure ecstasy when he realized what he was doing and had slowed down.

This is childish. What am I doing? Me, Theodore Nieoldiek doesn't dance, that is only for the weak.

The dark mist rose again and pulled on the light, bringing it down the rabbit hole. Athena, noticing his slowed movement, grabbed his hand.

"Come on, sing along with me." She forced him to copy her movements.

Oh, where did my heart go, lost in the night?

I dream of a world where I shine so bright.

The light fought with all its might. It knew that if it fell then it wouldn't be coming out again. It pushed through every cloud of the sadistic mist.

Freedom calls, in whispers soft and sweet,

With a friend by my side, life's a beat.

He didn't resist, the feeling was too much. He copied her as they both went around each other weaving and turning and twirling and spinning. He looked down at their positions and saw how they complimented each other's positions. It was shocking because he'd never done this before yet they were so in sync. He joined her.

In a town so small, I walk alone,

A shadow in a world of stone.

My face is lost in the crowd's disguise,

Yearning for a friend, a pair of eyes.

They had been doing so for god knows how long, Athena no longer feeling any sort of fatigue as the adrenaline and joy of doing this with a partner took over. Eventually, their energy ran out and they collapsed to the floor, huffing in place. Their heartbeats sounded like drums in their chests.

Athena laughed out loud. He listened and then did so himself. It wasn't a sadistic, cruel, vicious smile, but a genuine one that came from his soul.

They both didn't notice Sarah watching them through the bushes, smiling as her goal was accomplished. She walked away from the laughing duo.

(Back with N and Anubis)

"So?"

"I think we'll be leaving them for a while. Let's just say it was a wholesome situation." He raised an eyebrow. "We'll go ourselves. So let's go o great explorer."

She pointed at the never-ending forest ahead of her then sweatdropped when N walked the opposite way. It was about a three-mile hike before they reached the place.

Sarah and Anubis's jaws dropped to the floor at the sight. It was utterly magnificent and destroyed anything they'd ever seen before.

The forest let out a massive hole in the ground the width of 60 feet. Inside was a grassy area with a large pond in the middle that reflected the calming blue of the sky. The walls were made of beautiful stone that were so smooth Sarah thought it was manmade.

The small waterfall at the side filled her with serene amazement as the water came flowing down and fed the pond. Inside the pond were several fish-type Pokemon who swam along and occasionally jumped which made her internally squeal as she wanted to run and play with them. She could hear the occasional chirping from the baby Pidove and Rufflet who were calling on their mothers to feed them.

They both wondered, would I have ever seen this if I didn't make that decision.

There was a large tree growing from the above layer with its roots in the pond. It sent a shiver down her spine as she approached it due it its humongous and imposing size that dwarfed the trees surrounding it. She could smell its natural fragrance that told her of how old it was with its fully sprouted and mature leaves. Her fear went away when she saw a narrow pathway that led to the bottom of the cove.

"Over there, quickly guys let's go."

"Wait!" N shouted. She stayed very close to the edge of the pathway looking down at the view. The stone under her foot fell and she slipped. Anubis was about to spring into action, but he was surprised to see N flash beside him, almost too quick for him to see, and pulled Sarah back, but due to his momentum, ended up falling himself.

"N!" She brought a hand to her mouth before the two ran to see if the teenager was okay. She saw him lying motionless on the ground.

"Noooo! N, speak to me. Please tell me you're not dead." She reached out to shake him but before she could, he rose up. Easily, with no hindrance. "Uhhhh what?"

"That was annoying." He dusted off the clothes. "So what do you think of the place? It's pretty nice huh."

She stared at him as if he had grown two heads.

"Dude, you just fell from a 20-foot drop and you're asking what I think of the view. Don't you feel anything, a fall that high should have at least broken a bone!" Not die, due to their enhanced human bodies, but at least a serious injury.

"I mean my arm hurts, but that's about it. Hey look, an Alomomola."

"Wait here mister. You're not moving until I've checked you."

"Bu-"

"But nothing. Now sit still." He reluctantly stayed as she rolled up his sleeve and saw a big bruise on his right arm. She took out an ice pack and a bandage and wrapped it around the wound. How he only has that is beyond me. "There, all done."

"I appreciate it Sarah, but this isn't necessary." She ignored him and left to play with the fishies. He let out his Pokemon so they could stretch their legs and enjoy the magnificent area.

It was around 30 minutes before the remains of Team Sarah stopped playing tag with the different fish type Pokemon. They had jumped, swam, and blown water at them; quite the mischievous ones they were. It must have been a while since someone had last come here. Sarah wanted to play something else despite having spent so much energy training. She got an inflatable volleyball from her bag and asked N to join in.

"W-what do mean you don't know how to play volleyball?"

"I mean I don't know how to play volleyball." He simply said. "I've told you, I was raised by Pokemon, so I don't know much about huma- I mean our customs."

"Fine." She sighed. "I'll show you. There isn't a net here so we'll have to improvise."

She explained the rules then asked Anubis to use his claws to set up the area.

"We'll do a two on two. Me and Anubis vs you and Eevee. Braiviary, do you want to join?" She got a tired squawk in response before he flew up to a tree and watched them from above. "Alright, so let's start."

She punched the ball toward her cutie Eevee. He turned and smacked it with his tail, the ball going over the imaginary net that was only shown its position by a row of pebbles in the middle of their makeshift field.

Anubis brought his hands together and punched the ball upwards. N jumped highly and, seeing the lax bodies of his opponents, sent the ball plummeting to their side of the field. She stared at the ball as it bounced toward the stone wall.

"And I believe that I've earned a point." She only grinned in response.

"So that's how it is. Okay, let's play."

What followed was an intense game that brought out the competition in everyone. They strived for victory, each side running and whacking the ball, trying to find any gaps in their opponent's guard.

The ball went to Eevee. The game was starting to feel long for him. He let out a smirk as his tail glowed white before having an iron exterior. He sent the ball rocketing to Anubis.

"Brick Break." Sarah said which he immediately listened to, punching the ball so hard it burst. The duo jumped beyond the line of the makeshift field with Anubis standing in front with his guard up. Eevee did the same.

"W-what Eevee!?"

"Come on N, I know you don't like battles but this is just a fun spar. Pleeeease." He brought out his sad puppy eyes that were irresistible to even the most cold-hearted. N sighed before standing behind Eevee.

"Use Shadow Ball." He opened his mouth, gathering the energy that was the same as Theodore's Shadow Claw, and sent it hurtling.

"Dodge it." Anubis simply jumped to the side before almost falling to the ground. His legs had been through the abuse of training, traveling, and volleyball and now he was to do this. He won't have much time so they had to end this quickly.

"Get close and use Iron Tail." Eevee flashed through the entire field before his tail turned to have its iron exterior again. He swung it at Anubis's stomach. Anubis grunted and bent over. He held back on his attack. He may look cute and seem like he couldn't harm a fly, but he wasn't a kid like Anubis and has been helping N in stopping Team Plasma operations. He was a tough, horny, chocolate chip cookie.

"Oh no. Okay um." Sarah mused. She saw his lack of mobility but shook her head. "Use Quick Attack to get in. We have no other choice than to get close. Then use Brick Break."

"You use Quick Attack too to avoid it; don't let him get close." He didn't need to give that order with Eevee's speed nor with the Riolu's slow attacks, but this was meant to be a friendly spar and he didn't want to hurt the duo's feelings. He sped around the field. Anubis followed, sending punches with his glowing fists.

Eevee graciously avoided them before jumping to a nearby boulder. Anubis jumped and sent down a hammer of an attack. N and Eevee's eyes widened as the rock he was on turned into rubble from the attack.

If that landed it wouldn't have been pretty.

"End this with Swift." With a whip of his tail, he sent many star projectiles at Anubis. They glowed in a celestial energy.

"Dodge it." But he couldn't go further, he was barely standing with his shaking legs. Sarah's eyes widened as he was hit with the stars. There was a small cloud of dust. When it dispersed she saw Anubis collapsed onto his hands and knees, gasping for air as sweat dropped from his fur to the floor.

She rushed to cater him on her chest.

"Are you okay Anubis!?" He smiled as his chest rose and fell more slowly before he closed his eyes. His breaths became small as he snored. She let out a quiet squeal as she brought him in closer. "My little teddy bear, rest well. You've earned it."

"You guys have a good dynamic and are good at close quarters. But..."

"Yeah, I know. find a way to deal with opponents at a distance without closing the distance all the time." He nodded at her answer.

"You should teach him a ranged move. He may be a close combat fighter, but having some versatility is important. It's proven its worth when I battle against Team Plasma."

"You're Eevee is strong." She ruffled his thick neck hair. "I'll find something."

Her stomach rumbled, echoing across the cove. Heat rushed to her cheeks, painting them a faint pink as she smiled sheepishly.

"I say it's dinner time." She saw through the canopy of leaves the sun setting. The day went past way quicker than she thought. I guess it's true, time does fly when you're having fun. "We'll eat and call it a night. What do you think?"

"I think that's a lovely idea." He smiled before they all left the cove.

Chapter End

I've tried some techniques with using emotion, and using the five senses to describe places as that was a weak point of mine. Tell me how I did