"I've been wondering, what's your gender?"

"?"

It had been half an hour since they had started walking. Right after waking up, Tet decided it was time for them to leave, not only to get farther away from the aggressive Pokémon that had been chasing him but also because staying in that cave just wasn't viable.

Who knew what other Pokémon lived inside? Tet didn't want to find out, at least not yet.

"I mean, I can't keep thinking of you as 'It.' I need some pronouns," Tet shrugged. "So, are you male?"

Mawile shook her head, stating that she was female. 'Or at least I think so. Mawiles aren't asexual, right?'

"A girl then?"

Mawile nodded her head, agreeing with the clarification.

"Good to know. I'm male, in case you can't differentiate between human genders. You can call me Tet. Is it okay if I continue to refer to you as Mawile?"

Another nod from her followed. "Glad we got that out of the way. Now, let's talk about my plan and see if you agree."

"We can't stay in that cave. I still have a Pokémon chasing after me, maybe. I'm not sure, but I'm not taking any chances. And that cave, where you came from, other Pokémon are living there, right?"

"Maw," she affirmed with a nod.

"Then we can't stay there either. I don't know how they would react to me, and you left for a reason, which I won't pry into. You can tell me later if you want to," he said, reassuring Mawile. "I also want to reach a human city. I can't survive in the forest; I don't have the necessary survival skills to live here 24/7. The berries can't sustain me. Do you agree? About the city part."

Another nod followed. "Splendid, now the only problem left is where and how far, or if there even is a settlement here."

"Maw maw," said Mawile, shaking her arms.

"What's that? Sorry, I can't understand what you're saying," Tet replied, not comprehending Mawile.

Exasperated, Mawile looked around for a stick, but not finding any, she grumbled and stared down, using her leg to draw on the ground. "What's that?"

Ignoring the human, she continued to draw, the image now forming clearer pictures. It was a box and multiple stick figures with round heads around said box.

"Are you saying there's a human settlement nearby?" Mawile nodded, earning her a smile from Tet. "Nice! Do you know where it is?"

A sad shake was her response. "Oh, I forgot this was your first time leaving the cave. But wait, how do you even know that there's a human settlement nearby?"

"Maw maw maw," Mawile pointed to herself, then to the back, indicating the direction of the cave.

"You didn't hear them say anything about where it might be?" Tet asked for more information to have a clearer destination. Another shake of the head denied that. "Then we'll just have to wing it. We need to leave this area; it's too dangerous, at least for me. And you want to go with me, right?"

Mawile nodded and moved closer to Tet. With no further questions, they resumed their walk. Now, walking with no specific direction in mind in a forest filled with superpowered animals might seem foolish, because it is, but Tet had no choice. 'At least Mawile is with me; I don't know how strong she is, but I feel a little relieved now that I have a Pokémon by my side.'

After a few more minutes of walking, Tet heard something. "Do you hear that?" he asked Mawile.

Mawile nodded in confirmation, prompting Tet to walk faster toward the sounds. As he got closer, the sound became clearer. 'No way?'

Mawile followed along with the increased pace, walking right beside him. When they finally arrived, they saw what was making all those sounds.

"The ocean."

The ocean stretched out before them, its endless expanse of shimmering blue meeting the horizon.

It was beautiful and clean, with no annoying tourists filling the beach. Similarly to Tet, Mawile was awed by what she was seeing. They looked at each other and nodded, running towards the water.

Tet quickly took off his shoes and joined Mawile in the water. They splashed and sprinted near the shoreline, not venturing any deeper.

"Take that, Mawile!" Tet exclaimed, laughing as he playfully splashed Mawile with salt water. In turn, Mawile retaliated, laughing as she splashed Tet. "Maw Maw!~"

They continued their playful splashing until Tet grew tired and sat down on the beach, gazing out at the ocean. Mawile sat beside him, also taking a moment to relax.

"We should probably get back to searching for the town; we can return here later," Tet suggested. "Let's follow the shoreline since we're by the ocean; the town must be nearby. And I have a suspicion about where we are."

A cave near an ocean, with a town nearby as well. It could be a coincidence, but I hope not.

"C'mon, let's go, girl. We have a long day ahead—," Tet said to Mawile but stopped as he noticed a large silhouette approaching.

Tet warned Mawile, who in turn tensed up, preparing to fight to protect both of them from whatever was approaching. Tet even quickly put his shoes on, ready to run with Mawile if whatever was approaching proved to be too fearsome. But his worries were put to rest as the large silhouette got closer and split into four. Tet cursed his weak vision for the misunderstanding.

The silhouettes became clearer and clearer until Tet could finally see them properly, which brought a sense of relief. It almost brought tears to his eyes. "Humans!" he said excitedly to Mawile.

"Heeey!~" he waved excitedly to the group, with Mawile doing the same. In hindsight, he should have been warier, but Tet was just too happy and relieved to finally meet other humans after days.

The humans noticed Tet, and in turn, they waved back, with the one in the middle waving back with the same intensity as Tet did.

Tet approached them, with Mawile following behind. The group also quickened their pace, wondering why someone was calling them. Tet went nearer and was finally able to see their features. 'No way.'

"Hey! What's going on?" The one who waved back at him asked. He was a brown-skinned boy sporting a blue jacket with jeans. He wore a green backpack and a red hat. "Do I know you?"

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

"Pika?" said the Pikachu riding on the boy's shoulders.

"Uh... N-no..." Tet stutters, taken aback as he didn't expect to see these people. It felt surreal to him.

"You look like a wreck; what happened to you?" This time, a boy, the youngest of the group, asked him bluntly. The boy had oxford blue hair and brown eyes, wore glasses and a green shirt, and was eyeing Tet suspiciously.

BONK

"Ouch!"

"Max! Don't be rude!" says a blue-eyed girl as she hits the young boy, now known as Max, on the head. She has light-brown hair and is wearing a red bandana alongside a red shirt with a white skirt. "I'm sorry about him! He has a foul mouth!" says the girl while bowing repeatedly to Tet.

"Uh... No, it's okay. I don't mind, and he's right," says Tet, waving her off.

"See, May! He says I'm right, why did you hit me for?!" says Max, pointing at the girl, now known as May.

"Max!" says May, about to hit him again.

"C'mon, break it up! Don't fight in front of someone," says a tall brown-haired and brown-skinned man. He wore a green vest over an orange shirt matched with brown jeans.

"Hmph!" "Hmph!"

The tall one smiles wearily and then looks at Tet, offering a handshake. "Nice to meet you, I'm Brock. She's May, the one with the glasses is Max, and the one with the Pikachu on his shoulder is Ash."

"Y-yeah, nice to meet you too," Tet greeted back, accepting the handshake. "I was gonna ask for directions to the nearest town; I'm kinda lost."

"Oh, and I'm Tet, this one is Mawile," Tet said, gesturing to himself and then to Mawile at his side.

Ash grabs a red tablet-like thing and points it at Mawile. A Pokedex? thought Tet.

< MAWILE, THE DECEIVER POKEMON, A CUNNING AND TERRIFYING POKÉMON, ITS CUTENESS MAKES OPPONENTS LET DOWN THEIR GUARD—AND THEN IT SWALLOWS THEM WHOLE WITH ITS HUGE JAWS >

"Eeek!" screams May, frightened by what she heard. Max and Ash similarly back away a little, wary of the little Pokémon.

Tet chuckled, "Don't worry, Mawile is a good girl; she won't hurt you."

A bit relieved at Tet's words, they relaxed a bit. Brock, seeing the situation calm down, decided to answer Tet's inquiry.

"The nearest and really, only town here is Dewford Town in that direction," Brock pointed. "You'll reach the place in about 30 minutes tops. But how do you not know the name of the town? It's the only town here on this small island."

"About that, I don't really know. I suddenly just woke up in the forest back there, then got chased by an angry Pokémon. I have no clue where I am, not until now, that is," Tet explained, scratching his head embarrassedly.

"Chased?! What Pokémon was it?!" Max asks excitedly. "Not the time, Max!" says May, admonishing the boy.

Tet chuckled at their antics but still answered the boy. "It's all a blur, sadly. I ran so fast that I didn't get a good look at it other than its color being white."

"White, huh!" mumbles Max, looking at his Pokénav, searching for something online. "I think I got it! What attacked you probably was a Zangoose!" he says with a proud grin.

"And how did you come up with that?" Ash asks suspiciously. "Pika pika," Pikachu adds, similarly confused as to how Max figured it out.

"Ash, you dummy," he says with a smug grin, waving a finger, making Ash irritated. "Aggressive, can be found in Dewford Island, and is colored white! That can only be Zangoose!"

Yeah, that could probably be it. If it really was Zangoose, then... I probably also know what Pokémon the egg is.

"If it really were Zangoose, then that would explain why it attacked me. I, for a reason, believe that I woke up in a Seviper nest. I have an egg right here too," Tet says to the group, opening his bag and showing them the egg.

"What?!" the group exclaims, all peering at the egg inside the bag.

"T-that is possibly a Seviper egg; it definitely looks like one. Yes, you're probably right," Brock says, looking intently at the egg.

"Cool! So that's what a Seviper egg looks like!" Ash says excitedly, grabbing his Pokédex again and scanning the egg.

> < SCANNING! 80% CHANCE OF BEING A SEVIPER EGG! >

Ash pressed a button, and the robotic voice continued.

> < SEVIPER, THE FANG SNAKE POKÉMON, SEVIPER SHARES A GENERATIONS-LONG FEUD WITH ZANGOOSE. THE SCARS ON ITS BODY ARE EVIDENCE OF VICIOUS BATTLES. THIS POKÉMON ATTACKS USING ITS SWORD-EDGED TAIL >

"Wait, I don't get it. Why did the Zangoose attack you when you were in a Seviper nest?" Ash asked.

"It probably thought you were an ally of Sevipers. Were there any Sevipers in the area?" Brock asked. With a shake of his head, Tet said, "No, I think it was battling the Sevipers who used to live in that nest; it was pretty injured. That's the reason I was able to outrun it in the first place. I kind of grabbed the eggs in a panic."

"Eggs? You have another one?" Ash asked a bit excited, probably planning on asking for one. "No, it was broken by the Zangoose during the chase, only this one is left."

"How awful!" May exclaimed, feeling a bit queasy at the revelation.

"You probably don't have a portable Egg Incubator, do you? You need to put the egg in an incubator or it'll die in a few days. You're also kind of injured, same with your Mawile; she looks like she hasn't eaten in weeks," Brock says quickly, showing a worried expression when he talks about Tet and the egg, then a slightly disapproving stare when it comes to Mawile.

You quickly explain that Mawile and you just met, resolving the misunderstanding.

"I see, in that case, you should really hurry up to town and go to the Pokémon Center. Ash, I'll go with Tet back to town, and you and May can go ahead. I'll catch up later," Brock says to his group.

"What? No, it's fine, I can find my way to town on my own," says Tet, not wanting to trouble Brock.

"No, you and your Pokémon need immediate care; it wouldn't sit right with me as a Pokémon Breeder to not help," Brock responds firmly.

"Should we go with you?" Ash says. "No, it's fine; I'll just catch up with you guys. Don't enter the cave without me," responds Brock.

Ash nods, along with May and Max. Tet and Mawile quickly gave their thank-yous and goodbyes and ran along with Brock to town.

They rushed towards Dewford Town, Tet carrying Mawile in his arms while the egg comfortably sat in his backpack. Tet followed Brock as they ran alongside the shoreline, and he noticed that as they got nearer to town, more and more people appeared. Mostly fishermen with their trusty rods, sitting on the sand, playing the waiting game.

The salty sea breeze filled the air, and the sound of waves crashing against the shore added to the ambiance. Tet would have liked to stay longer to relax if not for Brock's warning about the egg. He also wanted Mawile to get checked for any complications, as she hadn't had a good meal since they met.

Wingulls soared above, occasionally swooping down to investigate potential food sources left by the fishermen, mainly their bait. The good-natured men just laughed and picked some from their chum bucket to feed the amusing birds.

The town itself began to take shape on the horizon—a picturesque coastal settlement with charming, brightly painted houses nestled among palm trees. The scent of fresh seafood wafted from the local seafood stalls, inviting hungry visitors with the promise of delicious meals. Dewford Town's idyllic setting contrasted sharply with Tet's recent wilderness experiences, making him all the more eager to reach safety and get medical attention for himself and his newfound Pokémon companion, Mawile.

"Come, follow me," Brock said as he led the way into town, he moved with a sense of familiarity in his steps. Tet simply nodded and trailed behind, Mawile cradled gently in his arms, and he couldn't help but notice the curious glances directed their way, which was quite understandable given his current attire – a torn and dirty shirt, jeans in a similar state, and a battered bag.

Is the Pokémon Center free, just like in the game? And I don't have any ID, too, damn. Tet worried about what would come after they arrived, but his thoughts were quickly interrupted as Brock suddenly stopped walking.

"We're here," Brock said.

Before them stood a three-tiered building. Tet might have mistaken it for a chapel if not for the presence of an orange "P" sign, and that they were headed to a Pokémon Center.

As Tet and Brock entered the Pokémon Center, they were greeted by the soothing hum of healing machines and the cheerful atmosphere of the facility. Nurse Joy, in her pink uniform, warmly smiled at them from behind the counter.

"Welcome to the Dewford Pokémon Center. How can I assist you today?" Nurse Joy asked kindly.

"Uh... Please check on Mawile if she's okay. When I found her, she was really thin, and I've only been able to feed her berries," Tet said as he presented Mawile in his arms. "Also, I have an egg with me, it's a Seviper egg."

Brock stepped forward. "Him too, he looks injured."

"What? No, I'm fine, really. Just a little..." Tet began to protest but wobbled slightly, a tinge of red showing on his cheeks. "Okay, maybe a little."

Nurse Joy nodded, her expression filled with understanding. "Of course, we'll take care of Mawile and the egg right away." Then she gestured to the door at the back. "Please go inside there; a Chansey will be with you shortly to attend to your injuries."

Tet nodded and followed her instructions, but not before glancing back at Brock. "Thank you for your help, but you should probably catch up with them. We'll be fine from here on out."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, thanks again," Tet said, finally entering the room and giving a wave of goodbye to Brock. Waving back, Brock spoke to Nurse Joy for a moment before heading out to catch up with the trio.