Zoroark crawled out of her cave located at the edge of the Alabaster Icelands. Heavy snow came down from the purple sky as constant sparks appeared and vanished around her every other second. This… wasn’t normal, to say the least. A loud roar emerged from inside the cave she had just escaped from, causing her to wince.
Moments ago, a bipedal creature with long white whiskers and a dark horned shell on its head had appeared with a flash of light inside her cave. After briefly looking around in silence, it had locked its eyes onto her and immediately attacked her with a water pulse that had pushed her against the wall, pushing her back into jagged rocks. She would have fought back but a second later she felt a pulse of dark-type energy forming, the intruder preparing a follow-up attack that she had no desire to take. A pulse of her own ghost-type energy allowed her to create a few illusionary copies of herself to ‘fight’ the creature, each one being nothing more than an identical copy made from the spite that boiled inside her. Hopefully, it had poor eyesight and wouldn’t be able to easily spot that they were fake. As her copies distracted the creature, she had snuck out of her cave, hoping to recuperate and have a plan to force the invader out.
It was likely it had caught on to the fact she wasn’t there, given the roar. She needed to move.
It was fortunate she was alone. If the pack was here… Things would have gotten complicated. Her goal had been to find a new safe place for the pack to split and be further away from the eyes of humanity, at the behest of the Alpha. She was beginning to grow angry at being sent here.
The humans had gotten bold and curious for unknown reasons, the fearful people having grown courageous and explorative. She loosely remembers one child tossing those accursed “Poke balls” at essentially everything that moved. It was becoming blatantly obvious that the Bonechill Wastes were no longer offering the safety they once had. Now she was here, in a forest at the edge of the Icelands. Far away from home. Alone.
Fortunately, that meant she didn’t need to worry about the rest of the pack. Unfortunately, it also meant she’d need to play it safe, given there’d be no one to help her out should she need it.
She heard loud and heavy footsteps coming up from the hole in the ground she had made her resting place for the last few nights. Deciding it was best not to be around an angered dark-type, the type prone to aggression and attacking indiscriminately, she ran further into the forest. Her eyes drifted upwards every few moments to examine the sky. This was one of those… Distortions? Something like that. But it had been months since the last one. A frown came over her as her feet carried her into to a clearing. Things were definitely off.
Another flash of uncontrolled energy appeared, the space-time phenomenon covering the forest having kidnapped another dangerous Pokémon to bring it here and now, placing it right in front of her as though the universe was demanding she fight her way out. A yellow feline-like creature covered in black zigzags appeared, seemingly confused at where it found itself. Its confusion turned to anger, and it struck the area around it with an electric discharge, attacking everything indiscriminately. Zoroark took a step back, taking cover behind a tree to avoid some of the incoming attack. Despite the wood taking the brunt of the attack that would have hit her, some amount of the damage still managed to pierce through. She clenched her teeth as electricity flowed through her, her muscles tensing and locking up for her a brief second. She tasted iron in her mouth and was unable to contain a snarl. Twice now, she had been hit. Fine. If she needed to fight, she would.
She emerged from behind the tree and prepared an attack, a low growl coming naturally to her as ghost-type energies formed inside her mane, the hairs along her head standing on edge. The feline Pokémon locked its eyes onto her. Similarly, it prepared its own attack, its arms raised and aimed at her as electricity built up in each one.
Right when Zoroark was about to prove her superiority, a red insect with a carapace of steel rammed into the feline, having appeared from the treeline out of seemingly nowhere. The cat cried out an “Electabuzz” as it fell over, its built-up attack harmlessly launching electricity up into the air. The Scizor flew off, the bug repeating its name as it erratically flew around in its search for a way out. Hmm… It wouldn’t be a bad idea to just escape, all things considered.
Zoroark let out a sneer as she looked at the fallen Electabuzz. Ha! At least it got what it deserved for hitting her. She maintained her hold over her prepared attack just in case the feline got back up or anything else came by. Nothing seeming to happen, the baneful fox decided to experimentally squeeze her arm a few times as she begun to walk away, wincing from the damage she had taken and the sore spots already forming. Only two attacks and she was this harmed… What exactly was going on here? The Pokémon were more powerful than they should be. As she walked away, she kept her eyes on the Electabuzz, who refused to get up. Her eyes then turned to where the erratic Scizor had ran off towards, the bug already gone. Fortunately, nothing else showed up.
Zoroark sped up her pace, deciding it was best if she stuck to one direction. She didn’t know how far this distortion extended but having seen a few in the past she knew they tended to cover very small areas. So long as she didn’t go in circles, she’d likely get out without too much trouble.
Unfortunately, more Pokémon were appearing and would often opt to fight rather than flee. Zoroark found a large mass of blue vines ahead in the forest, its vines viciously whipping around it and attacking all Pokémon that it saw indiscriminately. Right when she was about to change directions to avoid it, its eyes locked onto her. It formed a fist and threw it at her and Zoroark’s eyes widened as the vines of its arm extended towards her, allowing the fist to reach her. She quickly formed an illusion and dodged by falling back, the illusion vanishing as it took the hit for her. She buried herself in the snow and, after a moment, peeked over. A sigh of relief came out as she saw the grass-type was no longer interested, the Pokémon deciding to attack another in another direction.
She paused as the air around her shook violently and the constant sparks around her grew more erratic, as though there was still more yet to come. Zoroark thought for a moment before settling on finding another path out of here, rather than fighting or trying to sneak by the blue and aggressive giant made of vines. She began to crawl away and, once she was far away enough that she was confident she wouldn’t be seen, returned to a run.
She was now going through the dense pine trees in the hope of avoiding any other unknown threats and using them as cover. Every few moments, she was forced to change directions due to the appearance of a new and aggressive Pokémon. She comforted herself in the knowledge that she wasn’t the only one struggling, at the very least. All around, the sounds of attacks and Pokémon could be heard, the fighting not limited to her immediate vicinity. There was no doubt in her mind that the forest wouldn’t be the same by the end of the night.
What bothered her is the fact there hadn’t been a distortion in months, and now the first one to reappear had Pokémon that were far more aggressive than any other. Furthermore, she was certain this was one of the largest distortions she had ever encountered, given she still hadn’t spotted the edge of it. Something was clearly wrong.
Zoroark was mused out of her thoughts by a massive beam of light that was shot through the trees a distance away, vaporizing them almost instantly. It then swept around towards her, Zoroark being caught in the hyper beam’s track. She turned her back to the attack and tried to dive away from the attack, knowing no number of illusions could stop that. Despite her attempt, the beam hit her for less than a second as it passed by her and razed more trees, clearly not having her as its intended target. Regardless, the damage she had taken was severe. Her back was beyond bruised, most of the hair on it missing as she glanced back at it with heavy breathes. She was angry. Her ghost-type aura flared up in response to her emotions as she looked for the source of the attack, her Bitter Malice on the ready to strike as she poised herself to attack whatever dared to harm her.
She searched for the source of the attack and her rage died almost as quickly as it came, giving way to fear. In the distance, she spotted a dragon with a distinctive yellow star-shaped marking on its nose and a large fin along its back. The massive beast let out an earth-shaking roar, the Pokémon clearly intent on making its superiority known to all. There was no chance of her fighting that and getting out unscathed.
Zoroark took a few cautious steps in the opposite direction of the Garchomp and winced in pain. That one attack brought her to the brink, it seems. Unfortunately, she had no other option than to move forward. The dragon didn’t seem intent on following through on its attack, its focus solely on scaring away any Pokémon that dared to approach it. It stood in the clearing it had created, as though it didn’t want to leave. It merely roared any time something approached it before launching an attack to fight them off. She couldn’t help but notice the slightest bit of movement behind its leg and, upon looking up to the sky, a flying shape circling above it.
The air shook around her once more, cracks adding themselves to the purple sky above her as though the world was threatening to shatter. She didn’t need anymore encouragement to leave this place behind, but it looked like the world was fully intent on giving it. She struggled to run so she settled on limping away, forcing every fiber of her being into escaping from the dragon and the space-time distortion. Every few steps she was forced to stop for a moment as she winced in pain, heading in the opposite direction of the dragon.
This was going to be difficult. Yet she had no choice but to move forward.
She kept moving, avoiding more fighting up ahead.
She kept moving, only hiding away from a canine that was prowling through the forest as though it owned it.
She kept moving, ignoring the pain.
Just as Zoroark began to fear that the distortion had no end, bright lights appeared behind the treeline, right behind a thick purple barrier that encompassed the space-time disturbance. They were slightly distorted, but there was no doubt as to what was beyond. Zoroark stopped and hesitated at the sight, unwilling to move forward.
Figures clad in thick furs were aiding an assortment of Pokémon as they stumbled out of the forest, the Pokémon having been driven out of their home by the unexpected space-time event. The figures yelled out to each other and ran around with an assortment of Pokémon, each one trying to minimize the damage that was being caused. Crates that were carried by sleds were left at the back of their makeshift camp as lanterns helped keep the place illuminated.
Humans. It had to be humans. And they were helping Pokémon. That… was new. It also stirred a variety of emotions within Zoroark. To say she was bitter at the sight would be an understatement. Now they were helping Pokémon. Perhaps now they realized that not all Pokémon were out to harm them. Zoroark stood a distance away from the barrier that divided the forest from the snow-filled plains, snarling at the sight of dozens of people. The pain from her injuries was making the world look and feel darker, yet she couldn’t help but feel anger. Unfortunately, she knew her injuries meant she wouldn’t be able to fight or do much of anything, her energy beyond expanded. Besides, she still needed to escape the distortion, so she couldn’t afford this sort of distraction. Her eyes locked onto the barrier before her as she questioned her next move, her breath growing heavier by the moment.
One of the humans on watch pointed in her direction, having noticed her presence. They yelled out to the others. Their voice was audible yet slightly distorted by the barrier keeping the space-time energies contained. “Incoming Zoroark! We might need a few extra hands here, looks pissed and injured!”
It didn’t take long for two humans to appear beyond the barrier, ready to intercept should she traverse. A woman with brown hair and a man wearing a straw hat. Each had a stylized G pinned to their clothing. A slight twinge of fear passed by the two as they approached, tales and legends no doubt coming to their mind at the sight of the baneful fox. Her snarl deepened as she realized they feared her, despite her current state. It would have amused her, and she would have done something to tease them for their fear, were she able to.
The man spoke up first, only showing the slightest amount of hesitation in his voice. “Hey! We’re here to help. You’ll… be safe here, so long as you behave. I promise. We have supplies and…” his words trailed off, uncertainty and something all too recognizable to Zoroark revealed itself in the way he shifted and how his features grew stiffer. Her eyes narrowed as she silently judged him and found no reason to trust the man. She had no doubt he was a coward.
Safety and help were what was offered. She looked to her injured back and bruised body for a moment. They might be what she needed right now, but there were no guarantees with humans. Nor would she be so stupid as to trust empty platitudes from them, especially knowing how broad ‘behaving’ can be. Her eyes went to the Pokémon milling about and those that were receiving treatment. So far as she could tell, there was no signs of danger there. Nothing showing blatant abuse. And yet… She couldn’t find it in herself to give humans a chance. They were the reason they were sent to Hisui, after all.
“It’s not willing to come out. Get the commander! We need to get it out of there! Now!” the woman of the pair called out, the man not hesitating to run off at her order. She swore under her breath, then took a few steps closer and spread her hands. She placed herself right in front of the barrier and kept her palms open, hoping to appease Zoroark. Her head darted back between the camp and the fox before she spoke. “I know you might not trust us, but we’re just here to help. Please jus-”
She was interrupted by the barrier shaking, the barely contained energies of space and time growing within the distorted sphere. Zoroark looked up. Even more cracks were appearing along the sphere, some beginning to even manifest in the air itself, as though the world was going to crack. She then turned her eyes to the woman, knowing that she was on multiple timers yet still finding herself hesitating. It was… Frustrating, to say the least.
The woman panicked, clearly realizing time was of the essence. She looked over, her eyes growing resolute as she turned her gaze back at Zoroark. “Please trust us. There isn’t much time left before this whole thing collapses. We don’t know what will happen when it does, but it can’t be good. I… I know your kind aren’t the best with people, but…” she trailed off.
Zoroark took a deep breath and stared. The woman was sincere, yet she couldn’t convince herself to trust them. Even if this one was trying to help, there were at least dozens of others being actively harmful. Their fear always outweighed their kindness. And every moment she spent hesitating was a moment she wasn’t escaping. Her injury was the only thing keeping her around.
Another human was approaching. This one had a stern expression and a thick set of facial features, a pair of bushy brows furrowed as he looked towards her. He wore a set of black plated armor, each step he took causing the plates to ring against themselves. She stared back at the man.
She couldn’t help but narrow her gaze onto the man’s eyes. Those were the type of eyes she had come to expect from humanity. This man was a warrior, used to fighting off Pokémon. He was already gouging her as a threat, searching for any signs of aggression. Signs that she would need to be ‘put down’, should this she be judged to be dangerous. There was no doubt this was the type of human that made Pokémon bend to their whims.
Zoroark took a step back, followed by another, before finally turning back to the forest. No, she didn’t want to risk her safety here. Not with men like him around. The commander put more gait into his steps, noticing Zoroark preparing to leave. That only caused her to move away faster, despite her injuries causing her to wince in pain as she tried to run.
She tried to conjure an illusion to fool the humans but failed to manifest one, her body too exhausted and in pain to pull out the necessary energy. Her breath was heavy. With a paw, she felt at her back and found her fur to be dyed red. Her blood, no doubt.
Despite her injured state, she moved. She weaved her way between the pine trees to stay out of sight of the humans, none wanting to follow through into the distortion. She kept the barrier that contained the distortion in sight, however, simply opting to find an area far enough from the humans where she could escape and heal up her wounds without having to rely on human aid. Every few steps, she winced in pain but bore it, using a tree to support herself. She was confident that she could do this.
Unfortunately, she had also caught sight of the commander, who opted to follow her from beyond the barrier. He was sitting on a gray and white bird with purple flames coming from its brow that easily kept pace with her, the commander’s eyes following Zoroark’s form despite the forest obscuring his view. She tried to speed up her pace, ignoring her injuries as best as she could, yet he followed along without an issue. He did not speak, seemingly intent on intervening the moment she emerged from the sphere of rampant space-time. That… That was a problem. And not one she was equipped to handle.
Frustrated, she entered deeper into the woods, using the cover of the pine trees and the falling snow to keep herself hidden. It had grown quiet without her noticing, somehow. No Pokémon were making a sound. In fact, the only sounds were coming from her footsteps in the snow and her own breath. It was occasionally broken by the growing cracks in the world around her, the very fabric of reality falling apart as she struggled to move forward. Yet she was certain if she pushed just a bit more, everything would work out.
She couldn’t help but look around as she moved. There wasn’t a single Pokémon in sight, so far as she could tell. That… Didn’t seem like a good sign, considering how many were around what felt like moments ago.
With doubts creeping into her mind, she looked up at the growing cracks filling up the purple sky. Time was of the essence and… She didn’t really have a choice but to exit now, human be damned. She was aware she was letting her fear control her, yet she couldn’t fault herself for it. But now she had no other choice but to leave. She’d just have to confront or get by the persistent man.
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
She steeled her will and then moved in the barrier’s direction. Her legs moved slowly as she struggled towards it, catching sight of the armored human scanning the outskirts of the barrier from atop his bird. He was likely searching for her, so a confrontation was unavoidable. It wasn’t impossible she was being irrational, though the man following her so far did make her question his motives.
A sound like glass shattering emerged from behind her. Just a single sound, yet Zoroark knew it was the sound of the end. She turned her yellow eyes and saw a massive crack that reached all the way to the sky at the center of the space-time distortion.
The light grew more and more intense by the second.
The world shattered a moment later and a blinding light consumed her.
And then the world turned black.
The space-time distortion vanished from Hisui, taking everyone inside it with it.
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A sharp gasp of air filled her lungs. Her eyes widened and she started coughing.
Slowly, Zoroark rolled over and struggled to comprehend just what had happened. The last thing she recalled was passing out in some sort of dark void that had bits and pieces of the world in it. It was just plain wrong and felt like a nightmare. She loosely recalled some sort of living shadow, yet her memories felt fuzzy at best.
It took a moment, but her eyes focused on the ground beneath her, noticing it was a deep green. The sound of birds chirping and insects singing filled the air.
She let out a huff of air in relief, realizing it was just that – a nightmare. That relief then turned into another sort of panic as she realized there was no snow beneath her. This wasn’t the Alabaster Icelands.
She tried to get up and was quickly reminded of her injuries. Her paw went to her back to rub at the sore spots, causing her to wince. She brought it back and saw it came back red. Less red than before, but still a cause for concern. She also felt sore all over and generally sluggish, an assortment of bruises covering her.
Great. She could survive going through whatever that was but wouldn’t live through what amounts to a glancing blow from a dragon.
The world truly was unfair.
Zoroark winced once more as she struggled to get up to her feet. Her eyes moved to examine her environment. From the looks of it, she was in a massive forest. Tall and wide trees surrounded her, green leaves growing out of the branches overhead and the canopy just barely giving way to the sun.
This place felt alien to her, as she was far too used to the year-round snow of the Alabaster Icelands. Her eyes couldn’t help but squint up at the sunlight, noting that it was night when she had last checked. Unless she passed out - which felt unlikely – time had somehow moved forward without her awareness.
A nearby chirping caught her attention. Her yellow eyes slowly drifted to a small flock of Pokémon nearby, the birds staring down at her curiously.
Each bird was small and brown plumed, the plumes on their chest and face white. Their feet and beaks were orange, save for the brown tip of their beak. All of them were similarly small except for the slightly larger variant of the group that sat on the highest branch and was watching her with a far more critical eye. The larger bird’s gaze drifted between Zoroark and the flock, the Pokémon behaving like a worried mother. Further away, a black insect hung from a branch. Leaves covered its small body and two stick-like appendages emerged from the bottom of its hanging form. It looked occasionally at Zoroark, but its gaze was mostly locked to the flock of birds as it tried to blend into the background, hoping they wouldn’t take an interest in it.
Zoroark kept her eyes locked on the birds. They didn’t look like opportunists that would attack her, but she chose to play it safe by scaring them off. She let out a low snarl while attempting to pull out on her Bitter Malice. Tiny strands of ghost-type energy pulled out of her, each one a struggle to bring out. The attack failed to form despite her best efforts, leaving her with pitiful strands of energy coming out of her body.
It was a pathetic showing, yet it was enough to make the guardian of the flock chirp out a “Staravia”, the bird ordering the flock to fly away. They did so under the watchful eye of the Staravia, who then followed suit after glaring at Zoroark. She was tempted to glare back yet lacked the energy or will to do so. There were more important things to do.
Her eyes then turned to glare at the bug, who seemed relieved at the disappearance of the flock before squirming once it noticed her gaze. She let out a snort and released the pathetic amount of energy she had managed to pull. The bug was no threat.
A familiar roar suddenly emerged in the distance, the branches above Zoroark stirring in its wake. It was then followed by a loud thud as something heavy and large fell to the ground.
Hesitation came over her, uncertain if she should approach. In the end, the baneful fox decided to move towards it. She struggled to get up to her feet, her body leaning against one of the trees to help her stand. She then limbed forward, her spite driving her to move forwards.
After all, that was a dragon’s roar, and she had a bone to pick with it.
It didn’t take long for Zoroark’s steps to carry her to a large clearing. In the center of it was the dragon that had harmed her, the beast laying on its stomach as it took heavy breathes. Bruises littered its body, yet there were very few scales missing despite the obvious damage it had taken. It was clearly exhausted. Despite that, it was keeping its eyes wide open, the dragon vigilantly on alert for strange Pokémon. Unfortunately, she was a strange Pokémon in this case, the dragon’s dark eyes locking onto her the moment she emerged. It growled out a ”Chomp” at her as it struggled to get back up due to its exhausted state.
It then sat back down at the command of a human that emerged from behind its massive form, dragging a bag with them as they looked at what was the cause of the disturbance. Well… That was unexpected. It was also most likely bad. She was hoping to confront the dragon, but now she found herself confronting a human.
The human in question wore white, blue, and yellow clothing. Their blonde hair was tied to the back of their head and kept beneath a blue and yellow hat. Next to them was an opened bag, a few of its contents poking out. She could barely make out an assortment of stones, yet she couldn’t parse their use. The human had been apparently applying medicine along the dragon’s bruises and treating it for the damages it had taken so far, if the pot in their hands was any indication. That somehow felt unfair, as though the world was telling her she never stood a chance against the dragon.
The human locked their gray eyes onto her, causing her to shiver as she tried to analyze the situation. The dragon had a trainer. It was unlikely it was their only Pokémon, and she was in no state to fight. She would have to run and try to recuperate by… Finding a Chansey? Her options were non-existent. She had a grudge against the dragon, but it was a futile one.
The human mused Zoroark out of her thoughts by doing something she was not expecting. They offered her a soft smile, the expression falling into place with an ease that can only come from practice. He – for the human was no doubt a man, given the depth of their voice – then began to speak.
“I wasn’t expecting company. And such unique company, at that,” he spoke out, his amusement evident. He took a moment to look her form over, causing her to glare at him. “You’re also injured,” he added.
Zoroark couldn’t help but let out a snarl. There was something off-putting about this man, beyond the fact he was treating a dragon. The implications of that were disturbing enough, Zoroark knowing that some humans took to weaponizing Pokémon. With the way the man was looking at her, she was certain he was thinking of ways she would serve as a weapon. Just like the dragon he had tamed.
The human was staring at her, evidently catching on to her discomfort and trying to understand its cause. He then seemed to be stuck in thought as he rubbed his smooth chin, only for a brightened expression to appear.
“I can tell your injuries might be making you a little more anxious than you usually would be,” he spoke up. “Medicine is a little tight, but I do have something that can fix you up.”
The man reached into his bag slowly, Zoroark watching the movement with intensity. He pulled out another pot, the near white pot likely filled with a product that was similar to what he was applying on Garchomp. She narrowed her eyes, realizing it could also be a poison of some sort. “I’m likely a long way from home and this is all I have left. I’ll need a little assistance from you in exchange for it. But before that, I’m Volo, and this is Garchomp,” he gestured with one hand to the prone dragon, who merely stared at her with intense focus.
Despite Volo’s casualness, Zoroark did not feel at ease. Given the way he was speaking, it seemed the man didn’t realize she wasn’t local to the area either.
She couldn’t help but turn her eyes towards the pot in the man’s hands, evaluating the risk taking it posed. He knew she needed it, and she hated the agonizing feeling that she couldn’t deny that. As if taunting her, Volo shook the item in his hand. Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly at that. That angered her, yet she was aware she had nothing to pull on or any way to retaliate that wouldn’t harm her. She tried to formulate a plan, yet nothing came to mind, the vigilant dragon making things beyond difficult.
“This is my last full restore. It should heal you fully, should you accept it,” Volo said, the man explaining what he was holding and acting like if she had a choice. She was doubtful of its effects, yet her doubts were eased as he spoke. “Knowing your kind, you’re a bit doubtful. I’ll ease your worries by telling you that all I want in exchange is the information you have about humans, Pokémon, as well as the general area. I’m aware Zoroark can communicate through illusions, so it doesn’t seem like it’d be impossible for you.”
Ah, he wanted a guide. Something she couldn’t do, but the man clearly didn’t know that. The question was whether she should play along or not, yet once again she realized she had no real choice. It was either agree or hope for the best for her injuries.
She reluctantly nodded her head, agreeing to his terms. She’d have to put aside her barely contained hatred for the dragon, recognizing that it was likely tantamount to suicide to try and fight it, as well as her hate for humans. But it would let her live.
The man offered her a smile and took a few steps forward, causing Zoroark to frown. He stopped as soon as he caught a glimpse of her face. “I see. You don’t trust people, clearly,” he said with a sigh.
The man pulled out a Poke ball from a small pouch hanging off his bag, causing Zoroark’s eyes to widen. He wasn’t going to throw it at her, was he? He tossed the red and white apricorn ball forward, a blinding light appearing momentarily as the creature within was released. Zoroark let out a sigh of relief, not having to worry about breaking her way out of a ball. She then looked down and found herself unimpressed once she saw there was nothing more than an oddly shaped unmoving stone. Did this man capture a rock of all things?
“Come on out, Spiritomb,” Volo said. A purple and green ectoplasmic form made its way out of a tiny crack at the top of the stone, coalescing into a spiral pattern that was constantly shifting. The sound of constant whispering began fill the air as the Spiritomb appeared, only to vanish as soon as it fully formed. Zoroark eyed the ghost dubiously, recognizing a hateful ghost when she saw one.
She was a ghost-type herself and knew the type was often connected to the darker type of emotions. Ghost-types came in many forms, depending on the Pokémon. In some cases, it was merely a Pokémon that had become engrossed so deeply in a negative emotion it became a source for them to tap into. Zorua and Zoroark were a prime example of this, having been able to survive the harsh conditions of the Alabaster Icelands thanks to the type change.
The ghost before her, though? This was a hateful, mischievous being that had a vendetta against everything. She could feel it broadcasting its emotions out, the spirit clearly taking great pleasure in the discomfort it was creating. Trees shook as curious Pokémon fled, not wanting to be in the vicinity of something so hostile. The only ones seemingly unaffected were Volo, who stood stoically beside it, and Garchomp, who narrowed his eyes at the display and scoffed, seeming to believe it was lesser than him.
The Spiritomb cackled as Pokémon ran in fear, the sight clearly pleasing its nature. As it got poised to do something, Volo finally spoke up. “Easy, Spiritomb. You’re not here to fight, you’re here to help our friend out,” the man said as he pointed to Zoroark, who was frowning at the sight of the ghost. He then held out the item in his hand. “Take this to them,” he ordered.
Before she could protest and question why the man thought the best idea was to have the ghost carry out his will, Spiritomb extended its ectoplasmic form towards Volo’s hand, forming its body into what loosely resembled a hand. The hand-shaped spirit picked up the item, swallowing Volo’s hand whole before it dragged the full restore away. There was no reaction from the man to the ghost’s touch, his eyes merely watching it with the sharpness of a Braviary.
Likewise, Zoroark kept her eyes on the ghost as it approached, doing her best to hide her anxiety. She briefly considered trying to run, but the thought of it catching her leg and dragging her held that idea at bay.
Once it was right in front of her, it held out the item in an open ghostly palm. She caught sight of its eye and mouth within the hand, the ghost offering a mischievous smirk as it seemed to have noticed her discomfort. The whispers returned and, though she couldn’t make them out, they seemed to be trying to taunt her.
Hesitantly, she reached for the potion with her claws, only for the ghost to drop it before she could grab it. She inhaled a sharp breath before letting out a relieved sigh, the potion harmlessly falling in the grass as Spiritomb cackled while it returned to its stone.
She couldn’t help but bare her teeth, Spiritomb clearly wanting to do much worse. Fortunately, it appeared to be restraining itself due to the presence of Volo or, more than likely, his Garchomp. She caught a glimpse of Volo frowning at it, yet he didn’t say a word. Seems even he had trouble controlling it. At least the whispering was gone with it.
Despite the complication, she picked up the potion. It wasn’t broken, fortunately. She just needed to open it.
She struggled with the pot, uncertain as to how she was supposed to open it. She narrowed her eyes as she stared at it uncertainly.
Perhaps it just needed some amount of pressure. She gripped the top with her claws and squeezed as hard as she could. She then pulled, the bottle resisting. Yet she was certain that if she just used enough-
The potion burst apart. Glass harmlessly broke against her fur and cut into the skin of her hand. The liquids of the pot flew everywhere, though she somehow managed to catch most of it on herself.
Fortunately, that seemed to be enough for it to work. The potion soaked into her, making her feel significantly better. She moved a paw to her backside and supressed a groan as she rubbed some of the gel-like substance that caught on her paw into her wound. She could feel it closing, relief flooding her as she realized she wasn’t in immediate danger anymore. The same wounds she had just gained from the glass shattering closed as well, the full restore doing as was promised. The only thing it didn’t get rid of was her exhaustion.
She looked up to Volo, who was supressing a laugh with a hand over his mouth. His Spiritomb did not hold itself back like its trainer, however. Its mocking cackle was openly on display as it took great pleasure at her expense, seeming to find her attempt to open the potion very amusing. Embarrassment overcame her and quickly morphed into rage. How dare they! How was she supposed to know how to use a human item?! She slowly got up, feeling a great deal better. Now she would-
Spiritomb’s eye locked onto her and she saw its grin widen. Joined by it was a glare from Garchomp, who seemed ready to intervene should she do something it deem unacceptable. That killed her rage as quickly as it came, her survival instincts keeping her from making a horrible decision.
After giving her a few more moments to check herself out, Volo finally spoke up. “Well, now that you’re all better… I’d like to know everything you know about this place.”
Zoroark looked at Volo oddly. He maintained his gaze but faltered after a few too many quiet moments. “I was under the impression your kind could communicate,” Volo said. “According to legends and mythology, stories involving Zoroark commonly had them using a human voice to-“
“I can speak,” a distorted and distinctly female voice interrupted, the words coming from Zoroark’s direction. Her mouth didn’t move as she spoke, the fox merely set on staring a hole into the man. “I know nothing.”
Surprise flickered across the human’s face at the voice, his eyes searching around to verify it did in fact come from Zoroark. “Well, that was surprising. I was almost certain you were male, but that might explain the-” he caught his words when he saw her baring her teeth, Zoroark clearly unpleased by what he was about to say. “Sorry,” he awkwardly offered. “But saying you know nothing… I’m a little confused.”
“I’m not from around here,” she provided, keeping her words to a minimal.
The man rubbed his chin in thought briefly. After a surprisingly short amount of time, he snapped his fingers, and he began to share his thoughts. “Ah! Perhaps You’ve come through with us, then? From the Alabaster Icelands, in the north of Hisui? You know, general cold weather.”
Zoroark slowly nodded as her eyes narrowed ever so slightly. Volo was quick to catch on. He had reached that conclusion with a minimal amount of information on her part. Her hope was to give elusive answers to get some information in turn, yet that plan may be in shambles already. That did not bode well.
“Then perhaps you were sent here for a reason,” Volo quietly mused to himself, the words almost inaudible to Zoroark. The human stood there pensively, his eyes to the skies. He slowly rubbed his chin in thought as Zoroark considered trying to flee yet found her eyes drifting to Spiritomb every time, realizing the ghost may just be there to keep her from running off. Eventually though, Volo did speak up again, his eyes kept to the sky.
“You fell through a space-time distortion, just like we did,” Volo eventually said. “We should be hundreds of years in the future or past, if not more.”
She stared, unable to comprehend what he just said. The man had to be lying, right? Yet… This odd and unfamiliar environment clearly wasn’t the snowy landscape she was used to. But to claim she went through time, of all things? The idea was absurd.
“I don’t believe you,” she replied with some amount of anger. “How do you know where we are?” she asked, her illusionary voice growing somewhat more erratic as the ghost-type energy kept within made itself known.
Volo thought for a moment, caught off guard by her line of questioning. “Well, let’s just say I’m intimately familiar with space-time distortions,” he offered back. “A fair number of people appeared in Hisui due to them and the rift that used to be over Mount Coronet. I’m guessing the opposite of what happened to them happened to us.”
She paid apt attention to his words, trying to spot the obvious lie. It all sounded absurd, yet the man didn’t seem to be being dishonest. She was aware of distortions bringing odd Pokémon into the region and of things appearing due to the rift. There had to be something he wasn’t sharing, however. She recalled the image of Garchomp in the distortion, the dragon having stayed in of its own volition. “You stayed in to get taken on purpose,” she accused. “Why?”
“Ah, you saw us? Well… I confess that I was hoping to end up somewhere else on purpose. There are certain things I can no longer do in Hisui, so I thought it wise to find a better place,” Volo said, a smirk lining his face. He then fixed his eyes onto hers, gray staring into yellow. “I’m going to take a chance here, since I doubt your kind will disagree with the idea,” he added. He paused for a moment. “There are many things wrong in the world. I’m looking to fix them, by any means necessary.”
Oh. He was insane.
“I’ve read and heard about what happened your kind, Zoroark. I don’t know all the details, but I do know enough to know you were wronged by humanity. You aren’t alone in this, nor will you be the last,” Volo spoke on, his words laced with certainty.
Zoroark took a sharp breath. That sounded like an admission of guilt, although it was an indirect one. She had always expected humanity to defend their decision to prioritize themselves above others. Yet the fact it was an insane man saying it dampened the sentiment.
“I wish to prevent awful things from ever happening again,” he added. “And I want you to help me.”
She blinked. Then her eyes narrowed as she looked at the pouch on the man’s bag, no doubt filled with other Pokémon and their accursed capture devices. Of course, it was always about control with humans. Right when she was about to firmly decline being another one of Volo’s pets, he spoke up before she could voice her thoughts.
“I won’t be asking you to join me like my other Pokémon have,” he said, evidently having caught her distaste from the glance to his pouch. “I firmly believe you can assist me, but I don’t need a battler. What I need is…” he trailed off, thinking for a moment. “Something like a friend or ally, I suppose?” he finished, seeming to search for the right term.
Zoroark couldn’t help but tilt her head in confusion. A great deal of questions came to her mind, yet she knew she wouldn’t find any easy answers. The proposal was somewhat intriguing, in the sense she’d keep her freedom. at least to her understanding. Yet she needed to understand more before deciding. She still wasn’t convinced this was in the past or future. Unfortunately, she was stuck here either way and it didn’t seem like the brightest idea to go into the unknown without a plan.
“Why?” Zoroark asked once more.
“Well, there are many reasons,” Volo replied. “For starters, we’re both in a place we most definitely don’t belong. The world we knew may well be gone and replaced by an advanced or primitive society. For all we know, humans may even be gone, having been eradicated by Pokémon or their own choices. Regardless, your illusions will be useful under most circumstances.”
Zoroark nodded slowly, finding no issues with his logic so far. He was admitting to seeing her as a useful tool, which frustrated her, yet it also went both ways. She could use him for protection. She highly doubted there were many Pokémon that could take on his Garchomp.
That’s assuming neither of them betray each other, of course. She frowned slightly at the thought, uncertainty waging its way in but being pushed out. Uncertainty had brought her into this scenario. It had no place here.
“Of course, I will offer you general knowledge I have that may be useful, such as ways to more easily fool people and techniques I’ve used for my team,” he added on.
That sounded useful, though the idea that the man knew of ways to easily fool people did raise some concern. On the other hand, she sent a quick glance to the watching Spiritomb and the seated Garchomp. If she gained even a portion of what they had… She could easily compete with Alpha Pokémon and live out on her own. There was much to be gained, there.
“Besides a few other obvious reasons, such as safety, there is one reason that might sound a bit odd,” Volo stared off distantly as he spoke, the man clearly thinking of something as he did. “After careful consideration, I’ve realized I have squandered both my potential and the potential of my team.”
Before she could react, he spoke on. “We were defeated by someone wielding might beyond their understanding. Unlike me, they did not tame their Pokémon with the desire to wield them. They…” Volo paused, seeming to think on what the right word was to use. “They were chosen, I believe. They became friends with their Pokémon and grew at a seemingly impossible rate. They became mightier than any man or Pokémon has any right to be.”
He looked pensive, his eyes drifting off. Garchomp and Spiritomb likewise seemed to be mulling over his words, both with different reactions. “They were a champion to man and Pokémon.”
Volo then turned to Zoroark, who seemed confused by the man’s ramblings and highly doubted the claim. If there were stronger humans out there, she had no desire to meet them. Regardless of her thoughts, he had more to say. “I firmly believe I must do something like they did to reach new heights. By any means necessary.”
The blonde took a deep breath and sighed. “But that’s besides the point. I’d like you to join us for now, even if only temporarily. I won’t force you to, but I believe I can learn a lot by befriending you.”
Much was left unsaid after that. Zoroark mulled over own thoughts.
The man sounded like a lunatic, yet some of what he said made sense. She couldn’t deny she stood to gain by joining him, even if it was on a temporary basis. There would be nothing to keep her trapped with the human, though the thought of being around one filled her with unease still. He could also change his mind, yet if she focused on situations that could happen… Being in an unfamiliar land with no knowledge could lead to anything. The protection offered far outweighed the risks.
A part of her blamed humans for her predicament, knowing that if the “commander” and the others hadn’t been there she would have escaped unharmed. A doubt had crept into her, however. Maybe, just maybe, if she had trusted the humans she wouldn’t be here. If that were the case, it was possible the same thing was happening here.
After thinking it over, Zoroark decided to play along. She could always try to escape, should the situation grow dire.
“I accept,” she said in a much less distorted voice.
After all, what was the worst that could happen?