We travelled till about midday before stopping for lunch. Most of the way was silent expect for the sounds of the forest. Jennifer was also seemingly happier than she was this morning. So at least that was a step in the right direction. I think? I was still worried that I wouldn’t be able fix what was damaged, but it is looking like I should be able to do so. It may take a bit but that was fine. I fixed worse relationships back in my old life!

But this constant silence was starting to unnerve me. Normally the two trainers would be happily talking about things and I would just tend to listen in. It was a nice system we had going, and I would hate if this almost complete silence would replace it. Even their pokemon after being let out seemed to distance from me but at least they seemed to acknowledge me. I guess this is the third time I’ve lashed out, almost harming the both of them.

Are all wild pokemon this unpredictable and that’s why pokeballs are necessary? Or am I just a unique case?

Jennifer and Oliver were sitting together under a tree next to the road with grass underneath it while their pokemon played in a small opening in the forest just a few meters back. I was sitting next to the opening while I watched the other pokemon.

Sune and Lumi both were staying nearby play fighting with currently Lumi winning which surprised me considering she seemed timider. They have gone about 8 rounds of tackling each other with her winning six of them. They didn’t use any moves, which at their level would probably only be Powder Snow and Ember. It still seems some what like a dream that I’ve basically adopted these two. Although I did want to have at least two kids in my last life. Preferably one boy and one girl.

That’s, actually, a really weird coincidence.

I heard the grass rustling behind as one of the trainers stand from their seated position and start walking this way. I was looking the opposite direction so I couldn’t see who it was. Although I had a decent guess of which of the two was walking up behind me. They stopped walking, standing a short distance behind me. And they just stood there for a while. 10 or so minutes pass before they speak.

“Hey Shade.” I hear Jennifer finally speak up and I turn to look at her. She looked nervous but at least she was talking to me.

Hey. I respond.

She stayed quite for a bit before asking a question which she seemed to have been holding onto for a while. “Why did you react like that last night?”

It takes me a few seconds before I respond. To be honest, I’m not entirely sure myself. I respond looking back out into the clearing. I know you were trying to help so I am not sure why I got so aggressive.

“O,kay?” She unsurely responded as I heard her walk away. She didn’t seem to have any worry in her tone, unlike when she asked the question, just confusion. I’m not sure what she will do now. I just hope it will help her feel more comfortable around me knowing I didn’t mean to act as I did. Also, it was that easy? Was it that easy to help her feel better about me? WHY DID IT NOT SAY THAT BEFORE WE LEFT! JESUS CRIST, I AM AN IDIOT! I just smacked my head into the ground, just dying inside. Just thinking how much awkward silence could have been avoided.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

Once my internal dying stopped, I decided to practise more with Puppeteer now that I had the ability to control a copy while making a bunch of Double Team clones to pose as a decoy for my decoy. It also seemed like we would be here a bit, so I guess why not use my time effectively while watching the others.

The sudden appearance of 7 of me startled the two foxes. I guess they still remember how intimidating I could make them. Surprisingly, Sune suddenly launched himself at one of the Double Team clones and passed straight through it, causing it to dissipate. I could see he was having fun already. He quickly made a dash for my Puppeteer copy and was very confused when he collided with it rather than just passing straight through. The copy created from my new ability seemed to be a lot more durable than just the original ones now. Makes me wonder if I could make it survive multiple strong hits in future.

Neat trick isn’t it. I say to him. Lumi suddenly makes a dash for it and smacks into it and while she simply falls down, it causes it to vanish. So, its still weak but hey! It would be a pretty convincing distraction if it keeps getting tougher!

Could you teach us that! I hear Sune eagerly ask.

I guess, but you first need to be able to use Double Team. He deflated a little, but it didn’t seem to bother him for long.

Make another one! I hear him ask and as soon as it appears, the both of them make a dash towards it. I wasn’t to sure why they didn’t take a shot at the real thing but I guess I don’t get hurt. I make it jump up and the two of the move bellow it and land on the other side as the copy makes an unsteady landing. It was one of my better jumps so far with the move, but it was still far from perfect. I noticed the other pokemon had started watching me and once I looked their way, they returned to their own training.

I really, don’t like this constant distancing from others I was playing with just the other day. My body was suddenly on edge as I felt and heard a loud crash that came from somewhere on the other side of the clearing. The other pokemon also heard it and they all ran over to me as a large amount of dust could be seen rising above the tree tops. They all preceded to hide behind me as I stood guard. The sounds got louder and louder as I stood defensively looking into the forest beyond the clearing.

I can hear the sounds of crunching leaves and moving foliage as the twins come towards me also.

“What is that?” I hear Oliver quietly ask.

I don’t know.

A bright line of white appears in the sky coming up on an angle from the ground. Even though it a decent distance away, I could feel the power behind that stray shot and wanted absolutely nothing to do with whatever caused that.

A large red lightning bolt suddenly appeared as the shockwave from whatever the previous attack was hit us.

WE ARE LEAVING! I yell to the group and we all make a run for it. We were on the road moving along at a rapid pace when I notice Jennifer doesn’t have her bag on her. I use Extreme Speed to make a rapid turn and quickly traverse backwards to where we swiftly just left. I quickly reach the bag and grab it with my mouth before repeating my speed based moved and getting back. They had stopped as soon as I went back for the bag and Jennifer quickly thanked me for retrieving the backpack. Moments later, a large white beam ripped along the ground and tore through everything behind us. Frightfully also passing through where the backpack, and thus me, where only a few seconds ago.

I don’t know what is trying to beat what, but I am absolutely not finding out.

You think we’re far enough away now? I say to our group as we ran for a solid 30 minutes at as fast as we could possibly go. Well, I didn’t cause as it turns out, that would mean me absolutely leaving everyone in the dust.

But how come all of this bad stuff seems to happen to me? I have been attempted to be abducted, actually been abducted, fallen into a sinkhole, and almost been shot by a random wild pokemon! I’ve only been in this world like two weeks! What the actual hell! How could anything go more wrong for me!

I suddenly picked up a presence of something moving around in the trees and immediately regret my words.