I can’t believe I was running through a forest following a wisp of smoke.

My life had taken a drastic turn into the strange and the dangerous. Within minutes of waking up in this crazy forest I was rushing headlong into what was most certainly something deadly. I always avoided taking any risks in life. I was an average student scoring C’s in almost all my classes. I never tried out for any sports or any extra curricular activities. I didn’t even want to get my driver’s license as I was afraid of causing a crash but got it anyways because my mom pushed me to. Well my mother wasn’t there to push me now so why was I running?

“Keep up,” The smoke called back to me. “I think they’re over this hill.”

The smoke had been zigzagging through the forest well above the snapping branches of the undergrowth. I felt a hint of frustration at the floating creature every time a twig whacked me in the face. At one point I had to stop because my cap got caught on a low hanging tree limb. If anything else bad happened today it wouldn’t be me losing my favorite hat.

Before I knew it I had pushed my way through a large bush and below a wide hill. At the top I could see the smoke swirling in a circle. A sensation of impatience touched my mind as I watched it.

“Hurry.” The smoke called out to me. I let out another frustrated sigh and started up the hill. Beyond the hill I could hear the hissing sound grow louder as the woman’s cries continued. Once I reached the top of the hill I lost the rest of my ragged breath.

Below me was a short cliff that dropped off to a shallow pool. On the other side of the pool was a large willow tree with long draping branches that stooped over the water. I could see a woman wearing a turquoise jacket and matching hat. She had a pair of round glasses and long brown hair tied in a ponytail. She was clutching to a long branch frantically searching the area.

“Hello? Is someone there? Please I need help.” She called out.

“Yes… Umm… Are you okay? What do you need help with? Are you stuck?” I answered back.

“Sort of. There’s a Pondfang slithering around. I don’t know where it went. It disappeared once you showed up. You don’t happen to be a Bonder Trainer?” Her voice was quivering as she spoke, and she continued to look around.

“A Bonder?” I replied as I found a footing on a lower rock shelf. “I… I don’t know what that is.” With as best dexterity as I could muster, I made my way down the rock cliff. It was only about a ten-foot drop but it still made my heartbeat fast. I landed on the ground, dusted off my jacket and jogged over to the willow tree.

“Oh, good you have a Null Essence.” The woman said with relief.

“Uh… yeah. And?” I shrugged my shoulders as the smoke swirled up next to me.

“Please tell me you’ve bonded a design.” She said sitting up to get a better view of her surroundings.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” I said.

“Great. Just my luck. The only Bonder Trainer for miles and he’s a complete beginner. Listen you need to get out of here. You’re no help to me. You’re going to get hurt.” She said waving at me to leave.

“What? You were just yelling for help a few minutes ago and despite my better judgment I’m apparently here to help.” I looked around for anything I could use to help the girl down from the tree. There wasn’t much nearby but a few boxes that I assumed was hers. There was even a backpack tossed at the bottom of the tree.

The girl continued to rabble on about something, I kind of tuned her out as I made my way over to the stack of boxes. Maybe I could stack them on top of one another and help her down.

In a blur of motion, the smoke whipped up in front of my face. “Watch out!”

I heard something splash out of the water and let out a deafening hiss. The hair on the back of my neck shot up and my heart skipped a beat. A shadow loomed over me. I could feel its presence slithering up to me. I turned around and was greeted with a large brown and green-spotted snake. It was at least fifteen long and two feet wide. It had dark eyes and fangs like knives. Around it’s body streams of water flowed like small tendrils reaching out to grab anything that would get too close.

“Run!” The girl in the tree yelled and without another thought I turned and followed her advice. I made it only two steps before being hit in the back knocking me forward and breaking one of the boxes.

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“Are you okay?” The smoke orb asked.

“Am I okay? I’m being attacked by a giant snake. Can’t you do something?” I asked rolling onto my elbow.

“I can’t do anything without first bonding with a design.” The smoke said.

“I don’t know what that is!” I cried back.

The giant snake, the Pondfang, was slithering ever closer. I laid there frozen in terror. I couldn’t do anything. Everything around me seemed to slow down and all sounds started to muffle together. My focus was entirely on the creature about to tear me apart then I saw something out of the corner of my eye. The girl in the tree was pointing at me and saying something. What was she saying? What did she want?

I tore my attention away from the deadly snake and realized she wasn’t pointing at me but a small metal case that had fallen out of the box I had broken.

“Take a Core! Hurry!” The girl yelled at me.

I had no idea what she meant but my gut told me to trust her, but before I could do anything the Pondfang had reached me. It let out a shrieking howl, mouth wide, fangs sparkling in the light. Whatever the girl wanted me to do I was too late. I was going to die. I closed my eyes and waited.

“Noooo!” The shrill voice of the smoke echoed out as it flew past me and barreled into the snakes' eyes. It clearly wasn’t hurting the snake, but it distracted it long enough for me to grab the metal case and click it open.

Inside I saw several colored cards. They looked like the old floppy disks I had seen in my mom’s office only thinner and translucent. Inside the weird cards I could see colored energy swimming around. It reminded me of the logo I saw when I looked at the armband’s screen. There were over twenty of the cards from what I could see, and I had no idea what they could be used for.

“Pick one!” The girl screamed.

“Which one?” I screamed back.

“Any of them.”

I grabbed the first one that caught my eye. It was a dark green color and had streaks of black lines like the wings of a dragonfly.

“Now what?” I asked holding up the card.

“Place it in your ARC Band and Bond it to your Null.”

I didn’t understand half of what she said but I did my best. I placed the card into a small slit on the side of the band and watched as it suddenly disappeared as if absorbed into the device. The device’s hologram flared to life before me and displayed new words.

Core Essence Acquired

Species Core Essence Analyzed

Insect Core Essence Analyzed

Do you wish to bind the Core?

Yes! I yelled in my mind as I read the final sentence. In an instance I felt energy leave my body as if I had suddenly run for miles. This wave of exhaustion curled through every part of my body until it pooled into my arm and to the band. There was another burst of light like when I first touched the band, but it didn’t come from my wrist. It came from the smoke.

The light grew brighter and brighter until I had to shield my eyes with my arm. A warm energy also pulsated outwards from the smoke’s location. Then as quickly as it had appeared it had vanished.

Core Essences Bonded

Species Core Unlocked

Species Core Insect Unlocked

Essemon Design Crafted

Hopper Essemon Discovered

Name [Unspecified] Abilities Level 5 [Unbonded] ☆☆☆☆☆ Rank 1 [Unbonded] ☆☆☆☆☆ [Unbonded] ☆☆☆☆☆ Traits Element [Unbonded] ☆☆☆☆☆ Stats Species [Insect] ★☆☆☆☆ HP 9 Territory [Unbonded] ☆☆☆☆☆ ATK 2 DEF 1 Rarity Uncommon SPD 5 Form Hopper SPT 3

I slowly lowered my arm and to my surprise the orb of white smoke was gone. In its place was a giant grasshopper. Why did it have to be a grasshopper?

Title Unlocked

[Bug Catcher]