“Trouble!” I summon my Pal to my side while equipping my bow and drawing it in a smoother than normal motion. My attention centered on the glowing trembling Pal Sphere as cracks spread across its surface. “Get ready!” I let out my breath as I wait for the impendingly lethal battle before us.

“Bwark!” Trouble jumps in the air with his wings held out to the side. Large meteors streamed through the clouds before coming to a complete stop behind Trouble’s form. They just hovered in space, as if held back by the magical glow surrounding their flaming bodies. “Bwar…” My Pal menacingly stared down the sphere as well.

[Ding! Cong-] My Paldex dinged as the Pal Sphere flashed into a bright light.

“Ah!” I let the arrow loose and held up my hand as the bright light streaked towards me, before beelining into the Paldex. “Huh?...” I fell on my ass while blinking in confusion.

“Kaw? Kuha…” Trouble lowered his wings in disappointment while his glow faded away, taking the meteors with it. “Bwa?” It looked at me like it was bored now.

[You have caught your first Alpha Zone Boss. Future Tech points avail-] The Paldex tried to inform me.

“Forget that! What happened to the sphere?” I stood up, picking up my bow while glancing around for an attack. A chime sound popped open a screen above my wrist with a blinking section. “Party list? Wait, why is it there… I caught it, seriously?” I store my bow as I scratch my head and blink my eyes while over thinking about the situation. “Lucky me?” I looked at Trouble while shrugging and chuckling.

“Bwa bwak bwa.” Trouble rolled his eyes and shook his large head in annoyance.

“It could rub off.” I joked while reaching up to rub his head. He let me briefly enjoy the downy softness before brushing me off like a shy teenager and a parent.

“Kah bwak, bwark!” He flapped his wings at me in a quick shooing manner, before turning around in a huff. “Bwa?” Trouble tilted his head at something.

“What’s up Trou-” I ask as I pick up another shiny rock off the ground.

“Ho there!” A loud deep voice called out from the other side of the clearing. “Nice morning for a hunt, no?” A large gruff looking man started to chuckle with an ax resting on his shoulder.

“Back up buddy, slowly.” I whisper to Trouble, who rustled his feathers and was about to attack.

“Bwak.” Trouble shook himself and slowly shuffled behind me.

“Good morning gentlemen, fine weather indeed.” I walk a few feet to the nearest bush before grabbing and eating some berries as the man leads a few others into the clearing. “Are you here to grab some breakfast too?” I ask the group of grinning ax wielding men.

“We appreciate the offer, but we have other plans here.” They look around the clearing looking for something. “Have you seen where the Chillet wandered off to?” The leader asked as their faces lost the friendly smiles, the axes were made to be ready at a moment's notice.

“What’s a chill-it? Sounds spicy, is it a type of pepper?” I try my best to act a fool, if only I didn’t read that party list.

“Ha!” One of the men in back yells out and chucks his sharp looking ax into the bushes that moved slightly. A squeal of pain echoed out, as a green monkey showed itself with the ax lodged in its chest. “Just a bloody Tanzee.” The brutal guy chuckled as he kicked the Pal in the head before pulling out his ax and finishing the job. It poofed into a cloud of sparkling dust leaving behind a few items the guy looted.

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“So, did you catch it?” The leader asked me, while standing in the center of the clearing. “You obviously didn’t kill it.” He laughed while looking me up and down with a pitying look. “Is that your Pal? Seriously?!” He broke out in laughter, followed by his mates.

“Move.” I commanded Trouble to back up further, we had to make a break from these guys. A whooshing noise passed by me, as a solid ‘thunk’ sound deafened my right ear.

“Don’t move.” The man growled while pointing at me.

“Shit…” I turned my head to see the tree next to me disappear into a pile of wood, while an ax rested in the tree a bit further beyond it. I put my hands up, while Trouble shook with fear before my back. “Get ready.” I hissed before coughing to hide my words. “I surrender, please don’t kill me.” I shout at the leader.

“Then hand it over.” He held out his hand, demanding something.

“I’m afraid I can’t do that, he’s the only friend I have in this hell!” I cried out in false horror and turned around to hug Trouble. “Please don’t take him from me!” I yelled out loud, trying to attract anything’s attention.

“We don’t want your worthless Chikipi, brat!” The other hunter yelled out.

“Hand over the Alpha, or else.” The leader was only a short distance away by now.

“You hear that bud, they don’t want any Trouble.” I winked at Trouble before turning back to the leader. “Wait, did you mean the cute blue otter that was sleeping over there?” I pointed to the right side of the clearing, where the explosions came from.

“What’s that?” One of the hunters squinted at something sending up a smoking signal in the distance.

“Now.” I pull out my bow and release an arrow while running to the right. The leader calming side steps to my left and swats the poorly shot arrow away.

“Really kid?” The leader chuckles while not paying attention to my Pal.

“Bwak!” Trouble’s wings glowed an orange hue before he reached them as far back as he could, then pushed them forwards with a cry. Two flaming swirls of powerful miniature tornados erupted from his wings and began to move towards the hunters. “Bwark!” He cried out while huffing with strained effort.

“What the-” The leader jumped further back, rolling away from the oncoming flames.

“Damned Lucky Pals!” The other hunters just looked annoyed as they dodged with ease. “I’ll roast you for dinner tonight!” The brutal one threw his ax at Trouble.

“No!” I stretched out my hand and thankfully recalled him in time to avoid the blow. “You can have this!” Another sphere manifests into my hands, and I give it a good heave over their heads before backing up some more towards a cliff with a hill on the other side.

“Kwoo!” A chilling cry rang out, it was cute, but cold. My limbs began to shake, like night was falling.

“Get it!” The leader shouted as he dodged an icicle barrage.

“Why am I so c-c-cold?” I shivered as I turned to watch the fight. “No!” I reached out to recall my newest Pal when one of their axes slashed it across the back. The sphere rushed back to my grasp, while the cold vanished as well.

“I said, hand it over!” The leader had recovered his ax by now, and was furious.

“Or, I could do something stupid, like this!” I yelled as I drew my bow back and fired. The arrow went high over the hunter’s heads.

“Seriously?” The group shared a look before laughing out loud. “How could you miss?” The brutal one laughed while slapping his knee.

“Who says I did?” I joined them laughing while watching something approach from where my arrow landed. “How could I miss such a large target?” I pointed to the incoming Pal behind them.

“”Huh…”” They all turn in unison, while I turn and sprint away.