Nix wandered around. He was no longer alone. This realization brought him great joy. No longer did he envy others with Pokémon; he was the one others envied now.

He strolled beside a small stream. The first Pokémon he saw was a Caterpie, which looked very spooked by Nix's arrival. It began to flee.

"Quick," Nix clapped. Starly used Quick Attack. The Caterpie took a lot of damage but managed to flee. However, it's String Shot glued Starly to the ground. It was very difficult to undo.

After freeing Starly, Nix walked around while taking in the beautiful scenery. He could make out a massive forest and a town in the distance. A flock of Pidgey flew over him. The grass and trees danced in the soothing wind.

Nix took a fishing rod out of his bag. He was going for a water Pokémon next. He sat next to the stream, waiting for a Pokémon to take the bait.

"All this stream has is Magikarp-roto! Early trainers are recommended not to catch them-roto!" RotomDex said. Starly was asleep on Nix's head.

"Just one," Nix said.

He waited patiently for a while. RotomDex was surprised by this. According to its data, children were supposed to be very impatient. It hurriedly started taking notes.

After a while, there was finally a bite, which startled Nix. He pulled the fishing rod with all his might, reeling in whatever was in the water.

"You can do it-roto!" RotomDex cheered on.

After a long tug-of-war, Nix finally pulled it out. A Magikarp was on the hook.

"It's a Magikarp-roto!" exclaimed RotomDex, whose screen suddenly turned into an information panel. "Magikarp! Fish Pokémon! Water Type! Its swimming muscles are weak, so it is easily washed away by currents. It is virtually useless in battle as it can only splash around. It is considered to be weak as a result. However, it is actually a very hardy Pokémon that can survive in any body of water, no matter how polluted."

Nix pulled the Magikarp onto land, where it started splashing around and spewing water everywhere. He hurriedly pulled out a Pokéball and aimed at the Magikarp. With a good throw, the Magikarp entered the Pokéball. The ball fell on the ground and started shaking.

"Bloop," the ball went with a swirl.

"Bloop," it shook again.

"Khack," it sounded as it broke open, and the Magikarp jumped back into the stream.

"And it was almost there-roto," RotomDex said, disappointed. Nix didn't want to wait long for a useless Pokémon, so he went back into the grassy fields, staying close to the trees. In the grass, he saw a Bellsprout and an Oddish, but was able to catch neither. "Today might not be your lucky day-roto!" RotomDex said, looking bored. Starly had completely given up and continued to sleep.

Tired of walking, Nix sat down and drank some water. He had come far from Professor Clart's lab, but there was still a long way to go. His newfound freedom overwhelmed him. He had a big smile on his face.

"What is it-roto?" RotomDex questioned, looking confused. Nix shook his head and stood back up. He went into the grass again. He was determined to catch something. Just then, he saw something from the corner of his eye. Starly had woken up and was also watching it.

Nix's started walking faster. He stayed away from the grass, remaining close to the trees.

"You won't catch any Pokémon like this-roto," interrupted RotomDex.

"I know," muttered Nix.

"Then why avoid it-roto?" asked RotomDex, puzzled. It was the first time it had seen someone intentionally avoiding the grass with so few Pokémon.

Nix signaled for it to be quiet and continued walking. Moments later, the sound of twigs snapping broke the silence. Starly already knew Nix's intent; somewhere close was a Rowlet, and Nix was tracking it.

"I don't understand-roto," said RotomDex. Nix was getting close to The Rowlet, but RotomDex's sudden chatter startled it. With a flap of its wings, the Rowlet flew away.

"Oh-roto," exclaimed RotomDex, surprised, as both Nix and Starly looked at it with disappointment.

"It wasn't intentional-roto! But I marked its location on my cam-roto! We can still track it-roto!" reassured RotomDex. Its screen displayed a map showing Nix's position and a blinking marker indicating the fleeing Rowlet.

Nix and Starly, who was still perched on Nix's head, both gave RotomDex a thumbs-up.

Nix ran, closely following the marker. He spotted the Rowlet several times as it flew above, but soon the Rowlet disappeared into the vast forest.

Navigating through the thick forest was challenging. Nix avoided many Pokémon crawling through the grass. He focused on one goal: catching the Rowlet.

"This may be a bad idea-roto! This forest is very dense-roto. If we don't get out by nightfall, things could get tricky-roto!" warned RotomDex.

Nix simply nodded and continued his pursuit of the Rowlet.

"This is a very bad idea-roto," RotomDex warned again.

Nix kept running, growing more tired with each step. He was soon out of breath, huffing and puffing.

"You should take a break-roto!", RotomDex insisted. Nix agreed and sat down, pulling out a large bottle of water and drinking it all in one go. He rested his back against a tree. Starly fluttered down to sit in his lap, snuggling close. Nix hugged Starly; it was so cute he couldn't resist.

Just then, they heard cries of multiple Pokémon, which sounded as if they were in pain.

"That sounded bad-roto! Maybe we should check it out-roto?" suggested RotomDex. Nix nodded. He gently lifted Starly and placed it back on his head. He secured his bag and headed towards the source of the sound.

He eventually arrived at the scene. The cry came from a group of Pansages trapped in a huge net and being attacked by flying Pokémon.

"This is awful-roto! The Pansages can't fight back while they're stuck in that net-roto! We need to free them-roto!" said RotomDex. However, it didn't realize that its data was based on another Rotom which had been a partner to one of the best Pokémon trainers to date. It expected everyone to act the same way, but that wasn't always possible.

Despite that, Nix ran to the net and pulled out a pair of scissors from his bag. They were useless; the net was too strong.

"What to do-roto! What to do-roto!" RotomDex buzzed around Nix in circles. Starly watched the scene with interest. Then it suddenly sprang into action.

"Urrr!" it demanded.

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Nix glanced at Starly for a few seconds.

"Wing," he muttered quietly and then punched the air. Starly understood Nix's intent and went for a Wing Attack. Its wings began to glow, and with a powerful thrust, the net ripped open at one end.

The flying Pokémon attacking the Pansages immediately turned their attention to Nix and Starly. Both felt a chill as many Pokémon now focused their hostility on them.

Nix tried to run, but he kept getting tangled in the tall grass. Meanwhile, the Pansages had escaped the net and were now fighting alongside Nix.

Suddenly, they all went quiet. The flying types fled as shouting of people approached.

"Is the food ready yet?" asked a woman's voice.

"It's not! The Master Chef said you need to circle around fifty times!" replied a man's voice.

"This is so tiring-nyar," said a third voice, hoarser and higher pitched.

After a pause, there was sound of something falling.

"Hey, is it just me, or is our net suddenly empty?" yelled the man, pointing at the net where the Pansages had been.

"YOU'RE RIGHT! WHO DID THIS?!" screamed the woman in anger.

"Who are you-roto?! Show yourself-roto!" demanded RotomDex.

"When you say: Who are you-roto?! Show yourself-roto!" the woman echoed.

"Let us tell you our names!" exclaimed the man.

"Flower's face, willow's waist, the moon and flowers hide in her wake! A single flower of evil in this fleeting world! Jessie!" yelled the woman.

"Nobility and elegance, like a dragon dancing in the clouds. The apostle of darkness fighting back against a tragic world! James!" yelled the man.

"It's all for one, and one for all! Even in close friendships, an evil star shines with a golden glow! It's Meowth-nyar!" said a weird-looking cat with a golden coin on its head.

"Team Rocket is here!" the two screamed in perfect sync.

"Oh yeah!" said the cat.

"Wobbuffet!" yelled a blue-colored creature.

The four struck a dramatic pose together. Every Pokémon around them looked on with disapproval.

"Hey, isn't that the brat boy's Pokédex?" asked Jessie, pointing at RotomDex.

"That can't be right. Brat boy is supposed to be in Galar right now, remember?" said James while opening a cup of instant noodles. "Maybe all Rotom Pokédexs are the same-nyar?" the talking cat said, in a hoarse and high-pitched voice.

"Wobbuffet!" said the blue creature.

"Nix, we should get away from here-roto! These guys are bad people-roto!" RotomDex warned Nix, who had finally freed himself.

"Not so fast, Brat Boy Number 2!" Jessie shouted from the other side of the forest. She took out a Pokéball and pressed its button. Glittering light spewed forth, and a Grotle emerged from the Pokéball. The Grotle roared, scaring most of the Pansages away. A single Pansage remained on Nix's side, looking quite furious.

"Grotle! Grove Pokémon! Grass type! Appears wherever there is clean spring water. The fruit that grows on the shrubs on its shell is sweet, nutritious, and truly delicious!" the RotomDex narrated. "Damn right! Sir Giovanni gave us this beauty specifically for events like this!" James shouted.

"Grotle! Use Bite!" Jessie screamed, pointing at Starly.

The Grotle charged towards Starly. It was surprisingly quick for its heavy body. Nix moved his hand to face the Grotle, and somehow Starly already knew what he was asking it to do. Starly's wings began to glow as the Grotle leaped, opening its massive jaws. Just as Grotle lunged, Starly flew forward, right into its mouth, and used Wing Attack. The impact sent Grotle slamming into the ground.

"It's super effective-roto!" the RotomDex announced, now an enthusiastic commentator.

But Starly wasn't unharmed. It was hurt even more than Grotle due to their vast difference in experience. It kept flying but looked pained.

"Good going, good going!" Jessie cheered. "Go for it! Use Razor Leaf!"

"Quick!" Nix clapped his hands. Starly, catching on to Nix's urgency, tried to speed up. But it dropped to the ground mid-flight. "It flinched-roto!" the RotomDex narrated.

"Hey, this brat boy isn't as hard to deal with!" Jessie taunted.

"Don't drop your guard-nyar!" Meowth cautioned.

"What are you doing just standing there? Use Scratch!" Jessie dictated to Meowth. "AND YOU! Stop fooling around and bring a net!" she yelled at James, who was sitting on a rock, eating instant noodles and enjoying the scenery. He sighed and ran off to fetch a net.

Grotle used Razor Leaf. The bushes growing on its back shed some of their leaves, which flew towards Starly at high speeds. Starly was on the ground and couldn't do much. Nix tried to signal another Quick Attack, but failed. The Razor Leaf hit poor Starly. Even if it wasn't very effective, their difference in experience made it hurt like a bullet. Starly wailed out a cry, still on the ground. Meowth came running, its claws now a lot bigger and glowing. It struck Starly with them.

But Starly was protected by the lone Pansage. The Pansage had taken damage, but it stood strong, booming out a war cry that sounded like a child crying. Starly got back on its feet and spread its wings.

The Pansage looked back at Nix, who looked both surprised and relieved.

"It's helping you-roto!" announced the RotomDex.

"Ugh, that Pansage is going to be annoying," Jessie said, irritated. "Meowth! Use Fake Out on the Pansage! Grotle! Use Tackle on Pansage!"

Meowth ran towards the Pansage. The Pansage braced for Meowth's attack, but instead of attacking, Meowth clapped its hands hard. This surprised the Pansage and made it flinch. The Meowth jumped up. Grotle was following closely behind, charging in for a tackle.

Nix knew it would be the end if he didn't do something. He raised his hand and pointing at the Grotle, stomped the ground. Starly obeyed his command. It charged up a Wing Attack and hit the Grotle, which sent it flying into a tree.

"Hey! You done yet?" James said, carrying a new net with him. "Whip," muttered Nix. Pansage obeyed and used Vine Whip. Vines extended from its arms, latched onto Meowth and pulled it towards Starly, who was ready for a Quick Attack.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! THROW THE NET!" screeched Jessie. James threw the net over the three Pokémon.

"Starly! Pansage! Meowth! We've got them all!" James exclaimed. "But I was already with you-nyar," Meowth said, looking annoyed. "See you, Brat boy number 2! Thanks for the Pokémon!" James yelled, laughing as they ran in the opposite direction. Jessie withdrew Grotle into its ball and also ran away, laughing.

"THIS IS REALLY BAD-ROTO! STARLY AND PANSAGE WERE POKÉNAPPED-ROTO!" the RotomDex screamed. "WE NEED TO FOLLOW THEM-ROTO!"

Without a second thought, Nix ran after the two. They were a lot faster, but he pushed himself harder, determined to save his Pokémon.

"Hurry up-roto!" the RotomDex urged, its screen displaying the map. The distance between Nix and Team Rocket was slowly increasing. The Rowlet was already gone from the map, out of RotomDex's range.

Nix ran, tears flooding his eyes. The first companion he ever had was stolen from him. He was in the middle of the forest with his dream slipping further and further away. He ran with all his might, but his ten-year-old body couldn't keep up.

Night was falling. The sun disappearing behind the trees. The forest grew darker, making it hard to see. With a soft "plink", Team Rocket's marker disappeared from the map. Nix kept running, now wailing in the direction Team Rocket had gone, but it was of no use. He had already lost them. He was now in the middle of a massive, dark forest, all alone, in the chilling night.

Exhausted, Nix stumbled to a stop, his breath coming in ragged gasps. He dropped to his knees. The weight of his loss was heavy on his shoulders. The forest around him was eerily silent, the only sounds were his own sobs and the occasional rustle of leaves.

The RotomDex hovered nearby, its light providing a small comfort in the darkness. "It's okay-roto, we'll find them-roto," it said softly, trying to console Nix.

Nix sat down on the grass, resting his back on a tree. He hadn't eaten anything since morning. His throat already hurt from all the talking he did today. He curled up, weeping and crying, his face buried in his knees. All the adventures he thought he would have had were gone in the blink of an eye.

"Battery low! Shutting down in 30 seconds," the RotomDex said in a different tone. Nix hurriedly scoured his bag for a charger, but there wasn't one. The RotomDex shut down. Nix was left alone in the dark woods, with no way of knowing how to escape without a map.

Nix's breaths were shaky. He couldn't call out for help. He felt utterly helpless, lost in the vast forest. Tears streamed down his face as he thought about Starly. He hugged his knees tighter, shivering in the cold night. The forest's shadows seemed to close in around him. Nix felt more alone than ever.

Minutes passed, then hours. The cold was seeping into his bones. His mind drifted away, exhaustion overtaking him. As he slipped into an uneasy sleep, a faint rustling sounded nearby. But Nix was too worn out to notice, lost in a fitful, dreamless slumber.

Nix’s adventure had come to a sad halt.