“Palina, we’ve discussed this endlessly. My answer will stay the same no matter where you ask me.”
“Irida, please listen to me! He’s not ready!”
Irida hated talking to her sister like this.
“Unless you have an idea of any other way to manage this next eruption without a Noble Arcanine, it has to happen.” She couldn’t even muster any authority in her voice, just exhaustion. Sinnoh, she was tired.
Beside them, Alec shuffled his feet, clearly uncomfortable. Yet another person caught up in this issue that should’ve been resolved far sooner.
As chief of the Pearl clan, Irida was no stranger to tough decisions. Her very status as chief was itself a tough decision—she was extremely young compared to tradition. Even in her early twenties, an adult by any standard, her maturity was constantly questioned by the older members of the clan.
Getting her elders to follow her, even as their superior, was especially difficult. Gaeric and Calaba were both especially difficult, with many even calling for one of them to replace her as Chief. The worst thing Irida could do was give them any more reason to doubt her.
She had to be confident. Commanding. Proud. Perfect. Always making the right decision and never second-guessing herself. And now was no exception, especially not with her sister, where her doubters could accuse her of familial bias.
“Then we’ll figure something out! There has to be another way, anything else that doesn’t risk this much. He’s not ready to bear all that power!”
Palina simply didn’t understand. She never understood responsibility. Irida supposed it made sense for the younger sibling to be unaware of the eldest’s burdens. To put it simply, there was no such thing as being ready. Preparation was one thing, but readiness was a myth created by anxious minds not strong enough to trust themselves. Palina could spend years preparing her young Noble for the dangers that it would face, yet it would never be enough to call him ready in her eyes. To look the volcano in the eye and say, “I’ve done all I can.” Never.
This simple fact was something Irida was intimately familiar with. Her position as chief had been contingent on that very argument, seven years ago.
“Hold on a second,” Alec interjected. Both sisters swiveled to stare at him, fierce glares inherited from their fight cutting him down.
“I—uh,” he stuttered, “What’s the problem with Growlithe evolving? It won’t be able to control its fire very well, but an early evolution is nothing to be this concerned about.”
Palina cracked a faint smile. “In an ordinary case, you’d be right. But here, we’re dealing with a Noble. A Pokemon blessed with a sliver of Almighty Sinnoh’s power. Sinnoh is ever-present and careful with its boons, but evolution is also a sliver of Sinnoh’s power. These two things combined will be far too much for him to control.”
Irida opened her mouth to snap a retort back at her sister—perhaps insulting her intelligence or belittling her abilities as a Warden—before her judgment caught up with her. Angering Palina wouldn’t help their situation at all. When she finally spoke, her voice came out exhausted and battered.
“Palina, please. Look at things from my point of view. The clan watches my movements like a prowling Sneasler. I can’t afford to show weakness like this, especially with you being my sister.” She took a deep breath. “There will be risk, but I am confident your Noble will be fine.”
“But—”
“Palina. I’m no longer speaking as your sister. I am your chief, and my judgment is final.”
Those words, small as they were, seemed to occupy a mountain’s size of space. The air itself contracted, suffocating them. They slammed into Palina and she stared back, looking like she’d been slapped across the face.
Irida turned to Alec. “It was nice running into you here. I’m so sorry you were caught up in this. I wish you a good day in Sinnoh’s vast space.”
She turned her back and strode off.
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That night, Alec sat at a makeshift campfire, his Pokemon by his side.
It was a strange feeling, preparing to fall asleep in an unfamiliar area. Logically, he knew it was all the same as sleeping outdoors in the fieldlands—he was vulnerable and exposed all the same—but it felt so much more dangerous. Maybe it was that his human friends were so far away.
His Pokemon friends, however, were a godsend in comforting him. While searching for a place to spend the night, Alec came across a small cave along the rock wall. It was only about ten paces deep into the mountainside yet was strangely welcoming. The rock structures were just the perfect height to act as a comfortable seat for him and there even was a patch of floor just flat enough for his bedroll.
The only downside was that the stony surfaces were slick, damp, and cold. It seemed only fitting that the humid air of the coastlands would produce damp caves. The campfire helped though, making the sheen of the rocks shimmer brilliantly as if coated in a layer of plastic. The red-orange warmth of the campfire ricocheted all throughout the cave.
Alec groaned as he sat down, having just placed their dinners on the fire’s edge. Five bean cakes. He sighed in disappointment, already imagining their bland and coarse texture. It was a necessary sacrifice, though. He tried to travel light and carrying tasty food would just weigh him down. The natural produce of the coastlands had been lacking compared to the fieldlands and the mirelands too. Any hopes of grabbing berries were quickly squashed.
Auster was finally rested and back to his usual self. He still had a hint of grogginess weighing him down though. Alec and Tricky were exhausted from the day’s activities too, so it fit together nicely.
Alec yawned—the others following shortly after—and reflected on the latter half of the day. Listening to Irida and Palina’s argument had been exhausting.
In the end, Irida had pulled rank on her sister. It seemed like she even agreed with Palina that Growlithe wasn’t ready to bear all that power. She just thought it would be better to chance it than to go without a plan.
Her hand’s forced, she doesn’t have any other options, he thought. I wonder what I’d do in that situation…
He looked down at his Pokemon, both cuddled up on either side of him. Even the idea of sacrificing one of them to save Hisui felt wrong to him. Like someone asked him to chop off his own arm. Definitely not.
The whole situation was a disaster. The only reason this year’s eruption was an issue in the first place was because there wasn’t a Noble to hold back the geological activity. They’d mentioned another Noble who controlled the seas and was still alive. At least there wouldn’t be any aquatic natural disasters, but the earthquakes…
Wait a second…
Alec thought back to the festival at Solaceon Village that the Diamonds had thrown for him after he’d quelled Lilligant. That had been an awesome night. He’d met all but one of the Diamond clan Wardens there, one of which being the Warden of the coastlands, Iscan
Mentally, Alec tried to remember everything he could about Iscan. He knew the Warden lived in the southern end of the Coastlands, but that was about it.
The Noble itself was definitely a Water-type, for Irida to say that it could control the water. What he didn’t know was whether it was one that couldn’t live on land, like Gyarados, Kingdra, and Tentacruel. Slowly, a plan hatched:
Just like with Wyrdeer, Alec would enlist the Noble’s help to take him to the volcano. It was safe to go for now since it wasn’t erupting. Maybe he could find some other solution there, like a strong Fire-type that could dampen the eruption. Admittedly, the plan was pretty fuzzy from there.
Alright, I don’t have a plan, Alec thought with a groan.
Though, the thought of meeting a new Noble reminded him—he’d likely get another Plate.
The thought filled him with unease. I don’t even know what I’m supposed to do with those, he mentally groaned. Arceus told me to protect them, as if something’s gonna try to take them from me…I don’t want to get caught up in some battle for ancient relics.
But the train of thought continued, and he remembered he had another Plate buried in his satchel, the Ground-type Plate from Ursaluna. He’d never seen what power it gave him.
After casting a tentative glance around the cave—more for peace of mind than privacy—he shifted his stuff around and pulled it out. It was a deep brown color, reminding him of rich soil on a farm and mud after a spring rain. The air even seemed to smell different, tinted with the scent of petrichor—the pleasant smell after a rainstorm.
He’d have to dismiss one of the two powers he currently had to gain the Ground-type’s power. Currently, he held the Psychic and Grass powers, granting him weak telepathy and increased healing, respectively. At the moment, the Grass plate wasn’t of any use to him.
Immediately after dismissing its power, the strong scent of earth magnified. Alec coughed at the sudden change, drawing confused looks from his Pokemon. “I’m fine, just a cough,” he said with a hand wave.
Slowly, he tapped his finger against the Plate’s cold metallic surface—
And his eyes flew open.
Distinctly, the world around him changed. No longer did he see reality as a spectrum of colors through his eyes, but as the potential for change.
Every aspect of life was like fertile soil—ripe for growth! His body was like clay, he could shape it into any form he wanted. There was limitless potential inside him and inside his Pokemon.
Like a rock slowly eroded from a cliff face by the natural elements, everything had to change, but that change was an opportunity for growth! For progression! Something beautiful always grew from a seed planted in fertile soil.
Alec laughed aloud. No, disregard his plan about going to the volcano. He had to prepare! He had to till the soil, figuratively speaking, of course, and make preparations and—
—And the moment ended, returning him back to the cave.
“Huh,” was all he could say. Auster and Tricky stared up at him, concern in their eyes. “I’m alright,” he eventually forced out.
That was…bizarre, he thought. Strangely, it seemed to be stronger than usual. Even though he’d gotten used to the overwhelming energy of the Plates, that one came off rather intense. Arceus had said his body had adjusted to the radiation effects of Type-energy, but maybe the Ground-type Plate was stronger than the ones that came before it?
The Type itself seemed to represent the idea of growth. He recalled imagery of erosion and potential for change, something it shared with the Grass-type. They were distinct, with the Grass-type focusing on the results of growth rather than growth itself.
After a moment, he turned his mind to figuring out what the Plate itself actually did. He flexed the muscles in his arms and curled his fingers a few times, trying to see if he felt any stronger.
Huh, I would’ve guessed that the Ground-type would give me physical strength or durability. I don’t feel any different…
He rubbed his fingers on the cave floor, feeling the thin layer of dust and gravel. Nothing new jumped out at him, so it didn’t affect his senses either.
He yawned again, feeling like rubber bands were holding his eyelids down. Oh well, it can wait ‘til tomorrow. He stood up and ambled over to his bedroll.
----------------------------------------
In the distance, the sound of crashing waves on the shoreline filled the coastlands’ tropical soundscape. The salty air felt unfamiliar on Alec’s tongue and increased the humidity a hundredfold.
He walked with a sense of purpose through Aipom Hill, an area on the southwestern end of the coastlands. According to the map, it was separated from the tip of the cove by a tall outcropping of rock deposits that were barely visible in the distance. His hair was heavy with sweat and he kept having to brush it out of his eyes. An immature piece of him yearned to tear his shirt off and jump into the ocean to cool off.
Not even a single sign of anyone for miles, he mentally grumbled.
Earlier, Auster had offered to fly around and see if he could find anything, but Alec had turned him down. For some reason, he knew where he was going. A strange instinct at the back of his head seemed to point at a specific point on the map and tugged him toward it. He didn’t physically see or feel anything—it was like his body was being magnetically tugged toward somewhere, and he was absolutely sure it was somewhere he needed to be.
Wait a minute, Alec thought. Come to think of it, that feels a lot like the Bug-type Plate. A weird new instinct that I’ve never had before, suddenly helping me out. This is definitely the Ground-type Plate’s power.
To put it simply, Alec concluded that it was like a sense of direction. He had an end goal in mind—Iscan’s home—and the Plate took care of the rest. It made at least a bit of sense, with it almost being like a better connection to the world around him, meaning he could navigate it better.
It was certainly a strange feeling, but he had no reason to distrust it, so he pressed forward. As he proceeded, the tugging started to feel different. It didn’t increase in intensity or start to bother him, it merely felt like a piano playing a different note. Distinct, yet the same. He figured it meant he was getting closer to his destination.
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
Shortly later, he slowly trekked to the top of a small hill. Once he reached the top, he looked out over the area, seeing dozens of species of Pokemon. There were Aipom, Growlithe, Slowpoke, Shelder, and even a massive Snorlax sleeping beneath a tree in the distance. His eyes were drawn to a specific area with dense trees near where the beach began. Sure enough, a small wooden log cabin was tucked inside, neatly obscured from wild Pokemon and shaded by the trees.
This must be it, Alec thought. He headed closer, noticing just how close the cabin was to the shoreline. Dozens of lanterns were also scattered around the clearing, hanging from tree branches or poles driven into the ground. He examined one, finding a small pile of charcoal and ash inside. The charcoal was still faintly smoking.
This was just used recently, probably last night, Alec realized. Good, that meant the Warden was definitely here.
He confidently knocked on the door. The several-second-long silence that followed was palpable. Alec briefly glanced over his shoulder, second-guessing if he’d made the right call.
Just then, a deep voice echoed from inside: “Who is it?”
Alec cleared his throat. “Iscan, right? My name is Alec. We’ve met before, in Solaceon Village during the celebration for Lilligant.”
The door slowly swung open, revealing a tall, dark-skinned man and a brightly lit room. Iscan’s face immediately lightened in recognition when he saw Alec.
“H-hello there,” he said cheerfully. “It’s good to see you again. Please, come in.”
He stepped backward, allowing Alec to enter. Iscan’s house was very homely-looking on the inside—it was well furnished and had potted plants scattered on nearly every surface. The walls were covered with windows, filling the room with a warm natural light. A pleasant smell drifted forward, fresh like the ocean air.
Alec stepped inside and shut the door gently behind him. As he did, he took note of the four steel bolts on the doorframe. The fact that Iscan would need to worry about break-ins in the middle of nowhere puzzled him. He glanced over and saw that Iscan was moving to sit down and had his back turned. Alec said nothing, not wanting to put Iscan on edge but made a note to speak carefully.
Iscan sat down with a soft groan. He folded his hands in his lap and began fidgeting with his fingers. “W-what brings you to the coastlands?” he asked.
Alec sighed. “I heard about the volcano. I wanted to—”
“Stop,” Iscan asked, his tone inflected more as a request than imperatively. He stayed seated but continued twisting his hands nervously. “Did Palina put you up to this? I’ve already said—there’s nothing I can do.”
Alec swallowed the spit that was forming in his mouth. “No, no one asked me to do anything. Palina doesn’t even know I’m here. I just wanna ask you some questions.”
Iscan visibly relaxed at Alec’s words. He seemed weary, like a man pushed to his wit’s end defending himself from all angles. “Oh,” he sighed. “I’m s-sorry for my outburst.”
Alec smiled sympathetically. The midday sun moved behind a cloud, darkening the world around them. The windows dimmed slightly, deepening the shadows inside the room. “What does Palina want you to do?” he asked.
Iscan shrugged. “My Noble’s domain is the ocean. Normally, when Firespit erupts, both Nobles work together to ward off any disasters. She’s desperate; she’ll do whatever she can do not to push her Growlithe to evolution.”
“ Is there even anything more you can do?”
Iscan’s large figure seemed to wilt, like a massive palm tree sagging under the weight of a hurricane. “No…there’s not.”
“Is there anything I can do?” Alec ventured.
Iscan looked up sadly at Alec and smiled sympathetically. “By Sinnoh, that attitude will take you far in life, Alec. But this isn’t something you should be involved in. This is different than Kleavor and Lilligant.”
“But I want—”
“Why?” Iscan cut him off. His voice suddenly turned sharper than a razor. “Why do you want to get involved in this so badly?”
Shocked, Alec took a deep breath at Iscan’s sudden outburst. He seemed perplexed at Alec’s insistence—and was that a hint of insecurity in the back of his tone? Alec wasn’t one to take no for an answer when lives were on the line, so he pressed on.
“Because I want to help people, Iscan,” Alec retaliated, taking a bold step forward. “That’s why I got involved with Kleavor and Lilligant. That’s why I push myself and my Pokemon as hard as we can go. I want to help.”
Iscan shook his head. “A-alright,” he forced out, wincing. “But I can’t allow you to go with your two Pokemon. Y-you have to go get another, or else I won’t take you to the island.”
Alec furrowed his brows, so Iscan explained. “Your strongest Pokemon is your Dartrix, correct?”
At Alec’s nod, he continued. “The Pokemon of Firespit Island are basically all Fire-types. No matter how strong it is, it’d be deadweight against an enemy that can incinerate it with a swipe of its paw. Your Shinx might stand a chance, with how small it is…”
“Luxio now,” Alec interrupted.
Iscan smiled. “Even better. I also want to face you in battle, to test your strength myself.” He lifted the hem of his shirt up a bit, revealing a line of three Pokeballs clipped to his belt.
“Got it.”
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The scarlet evening sun hovered in the distance. Alec slowly headed back toward his cave, where he’d camped the night before. He had to return—he’d left some of his camping supplies there, next to the remains of his fire.
As he walked, he slowly looked around through the trees and tall grass, just in case.
I need to find another partner Pokemon, he thought, remembering Iscan’s words. He told me I needed one more.
His satchel was heavy, full of caught Pokemon he’d snagged from around the area, but none of them were his team . It was a strange inequality. Logically speaking, they weren’t loyal to him at all as he hadn’t earned their respect in any meaningful way. That should’ve been reason enough to discount them, but Alec thought about it further.
To him, catching a Pokemon was like a promise. He swore that he’d train and provide for them. That was so much more than a Pokeball’s touch could connect.
All that goes to say, Alec wanted to find a Pokemon specifically to add to his team. I need to keep good Type coverage in mind, so definitely not any more Grass or Electric types, he considered.
Suddenly, Alec heard a strange, familiar sound nearby.
It sounded like whispering winds and rustling trees, though broadcasted to be much louder than it normally was. A high-pitched ringing also assaulted his senses, making him reflexively flinch. He looked toward the direction where the sounds were coming from, seeing an eerie purple glow alighting the forest in the distance.
He stood, perplexed, for a moment or two, before a voice screamed out in terror.
Immediately, Alec recognized that it came from a Pokemon. He froze for a second, letting his thoughts catch up with his emotions, before sprinting forward.
He burst into a clearing, immediately seeing two Pokemon: A Mismagius and an Eevee. The Mismagius’ eyes glowed an electric purple, coloring the trees an unnatural shade. A tendril of transparent, hazy energy connected them, rippling like it was siphoning energy from the Eevee. The Eevee tried to struggle to its feet before collapsing with a groan of exhaustion.
The Mismagius quickly turned to face Alec before cackling wickedly at the sight of more prey. It sounded hoarse and wheezy, similar to whispering wind and a gurgling river. The tendril evaporated as it lost interest and shifted its focus to a new target.
Immediately, Alec began to feel a little lightheaded and dehydrated, like he’d stood up too fast after sitting for a few hours. He foggily noticed a similar tendril connecting him to the Mismagius, barely registered its wicked laughter. His eyes unfocused and refused to cooperate, no matter how many times he blinked.
In the corner of his eye, he saw the Eevee look up at him, wide-eyed with fear, before bolting away. It turned away behind a tree and vanished.
I’m confused, the small remaining rational part of his mind thought. I can’t think straight right now…
Alec groaned, trying not to stumble or let his knees buckle. His body tingled with a restless feeling. With a weak groan, he tapped on one of his Pokeballs, following his muscle-memory-trained reaction for what to do when he needed help.
A strange flash of light and a few seconds later, the feeling suddenly stopped. Alec heard a shriek , like a thunderstorm’s drone filtered across a knife’s edge. He looked up just in time to see the Mismagius’ twisted and mangled form hovering in the sky before it righted itself and vanished with a pop.
Tricky—who was the one Alec chose—checked on Alec. The only injury he had from the encounter was a minor headache that he figured would go away by the next morning. Alec still faintly heard a rustling noise from behind the tree the Eevee ran away behind so he slowly walked over to check it out. He crouched down to appear smaller and walked carefully so his footsteps were quiet.
Alec’s brows furrowed in confusion when he saw the area behind the tree. The Eevee from before was curled up on the ground and breathing heavily with its eyes squeezed shut in terror. It clutched one of its forepaws, hugging it tightly to its chest as if the Mismagius would try to snatch it. It softly whimpered with every exhale.
It’s hurt! Alec realized. He quickly bent down and pulled a vial of leek extract from his satchel. The liquid turned a strange burnt orange as the setting sun glinted off the glass. He yanked off the stopper with his teeth and spat it aside.
The Eevee, hearing the pop sound, hesitantly opened its eyes. Its panicking subsided a little and it stopped squirming—just enough for Alec to place a gentle hand on it and administer the extract. The strange substance formed a massive glob on the bottle’s rim before falling onto the Eevee’s swollen forepaw.
The three of them—Alec, Tricky, and the Eevee, watched in silence as the leek extract kicked in. It soaked into the skin, fizzing and bubbling like vinegar mixed with baking soda. Alec shoved the now-empty bottle into his pocket.
Alec’s best guess for how the leek extract worked was that it helped the body reabsorb excess blood. He remembered that bruises were caused by burst blood vessels that leaked and pooled beneath the skin, leading to inflammation and swelling. He wasn’t a doctor; the exact details would take centuries of study.
“Vee?” the Eevee said, slowly looking up at Alec.
Now that the situation was under control, Alec allowed his mind to relax and wander. He quickly saw the opportunity before him—an Eevee would be a magnificent addition to his team. He couldn’t believe his luck, encountering a Pokemon that was uncommon to find in the wild! The versatility she offered would be unmatched with its eight potential evolutions—Alec noticed it was a girl.
“It’s gone, we’re safe,” Alec calmly said. He saw her breathe a heavy sigh of relief.
“Can you walk?” he asked. From his own experience, he knew its wound would still be tender for a day or two, even with the leek extract. She shakily pushed herself to its feet and tried to take a step but winced as she shifted her weight.
“Do you want to come with me?” he asked. “You can rest with us at our campfire tonight, and you can leave in the morning when you feel better.”
“Luxio, lux lux,” Tricky said. Alec shot him an appreciative grin, figuring he’d vouched for Alec’s trustworthiness. The Eevee looked them up and down before slowly nodding.
And so, Alec tapped a Pokeball on her forehead, twisted the clasp off, and headed back to camp.
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The campfire worked wonders in relaxing Alec’s worried mind. There was a lot eating away at his mind—the volcano, Growlithe, catching a third Pokemon…it was exhausting. Man, this mission isn’t easy, he thought. I can’t imagine why Arceus chose me to do it.
He took a bite out of the oran berry he’d grabbed for dinner, a drop of juice staining his lip. Legendaries Above, the berries here were delicious.
The Eevee seemed to share the same opinion as she happily dug into a Sitrus berry. She sat on the opposite side of the campfire, wanting to put as much distance between herself and Alec as possible.
Alec took another bite. He needed to convince it to join him.
Auster and Tricky rested across from him, near the Eevee, both eating their dinner as well. Every so often, one of them would say something to her, trying to start a conversation. Short responses were the only thing they got in return—not counting the fact that Pokemon could somehow speak entire sentences in a few words. Alec could tell that the Eevee’s responses were short and nonconversational.
Outside the cave, the weather was really starting to pick up. The wind ebbed and flowed, whispering a chaotic song. A particularly loud gust flew by, making an eerie whistling sound that echoed through the cave.
“Ee!” the Eevee shouted, jumping up and looking around frantically.
Startled, Alec tried to find what scared her. The wind? he thought, confused. Then he realized that it sounded similar to the Mismagius that attacked earlier. Eevee’s afraid of Mismagius, Alec realized.
“Hey, the Mismagius is gone—you don’t have to worry about it anymore.”
The Eevee shook her head, looking up at Alec.
“You’re not afraid of the Mismagius?”
Just then, another gust of wind whistled through the cave. The sound struck a specific part of Alec’s memory, reminding him of how he’d helped a child and a Drifloon back in Jubilife Village. The wind sounded exactly like the Drifloon had. The Eevee recoiled in fear again.
“Oh, I get it. You’re afraid of ghosts, not just Mismagius.” She hesitantly nodded still scanning the darker shadows around them for any signs of movement.
“You don’t have to worry about that here,” Alec said. “Almost every Ghost-type I’ve ever met here has been pretty much friendly to me. And even if one does try to attack us, I know Auster and Tricky are strong enough to protect you.”
The Eevee stared at him, thinking about something. It glanced out the cave’s exit several times, then back to Alec, then to his two Pokemon.
“You know, there even was a friendly ghost that followed me around for a little while, back in another part of Hisui.”
The Eevee looked at him, slack-jawed in shock. “Vee?” she asked, curious about how he was still alive after something like that.
“Yeah, it’s true, ” Alec replied. “It snuck some food from me one night, so I started leaving extra out every night. It even rooted through my bag when I forgot to put food out for it. I never got to see it, though; it always hid in a bush or something. I wish I could’ve—I wanted to meet it face-to-face before I left for other parts of Hisui.”
The Eevee barked softly several times, still sounding confused. It slowly stood up and moved closer to Alec, taking care not to put too much weight on its wounded paw. She gradually moved closer to Alec, Auster, and Tricky’s side of the fire.
Alec shifted his posture, sitting on the rocky floor and leaning back against the log. “Yeah, I figured that since it was taking my food, it was probably hungry all the time. At the very least, I wanted to see it to make sure it was alright.”
He shot a glance over at the Eevee, and noticed that she was deep in thought. Maybe it was his imagination, but the wind outside seemed to soften, maybe just by a little.
“Dar?” Auster chirped. Alec looked over and saw him nudging the core of his Oran berry with his talon, picked completely clean. He looked pleadingly up at Alec.
He chuckled. “You want another?”
Auster nodded eagerly. Alec cracked a grin as he rummaged around in his satchel to grab more food for his ever-hungry team.
Wait a second, there’s …
“EEVEE!” she yelped, stumbling back and leaping behind a log to hide. Alec’s head snapped over, his hand instinctively flew to the Pokeballs on his belt despite his team already being out. He quickly turned to see a small figure—about the size of Eevee—peeking out from behind a rock. It was dark grey with white stripes, with strange blue tendrils like trails of smoke drifting up from its body. Its bright yellow eyes widened when it realized it had been discovered, and it vanished into thin air.
Alec shot to his feet, grabbing his survival knife. What was that? his mind raced. Beside him, Tricky stalked forward, growling threateningly.
Then it hit him.
“Wait a sec, Tricky,” Alec said. “It’s okay. Eevee, you’re still safe. I know this Pokemon.”
He stowed his knife and grabbed a berry he’d accidentally dropped in the panic. “I recognize you,” Alec called, projecting his voice. “You followed me all the way here?”
No movement from the rock. Alec racked his brain, flipping through every species of Pokemon he could remember like a deck of cards. None of them matched what he’d seen—dark grey with blue tendrils.
“If you’ve been following me for so long, then you should know by now that I don’t want to hurt you,” he said, slowly creeping forward. His footsteps were careful and deliberate, not making any unnecessary sounds.
Silence. The strange Pokemon wasn’t making a sound.
“You’ve followed me ‘cause I’m the easiest way for you to get enough to eat, right?” He glanced down at the berry in his hand. “Here.”
He set the berry on the ground and took a few steps back. Behind him, he saw Tricky standing protectively in front of Eevee, who was trembling in fear. The berry remained untouched for a moment or two.
Like soft clay, the rock that the strange Pokemon was hiding behind suddenly started to twist and disfigure. It shrank like an inflatable running out of air and shimmered like it was coated with glitter. Its shape congealed into a familiar quadrupedal figure.
It stared up at Alec inquisitively. The two seemed locked in a standstill—neither one dared to move or breathe. A moment later it looked away, unbothered, and strode over to the berry. It sank its sharp-looking teeth into it, eating ravenously.
Alec defiantly cracked a wide grin, satisfied with himself. Recruiting it to his team was an appealing option—he knew a Ghost-type would bring unparalleled versatility to his team. He couldn’t believe his luck! The two Pokemon he’d met by chance in one night—both perfect additions to his team!
Tricky had clearly already taken a liking to the Eevee. The two were sticking close, mostly because Eevee was still wary of the intruder. Was that a hint of protective, fatherly instinct kicking in? Alec figured that only time would tell.
Though, the obvious tension between Eevee and the ghost Pokemon was going to be a bit of a roadblock. I wonder if I can come up with some training exercise to get them to trust each other more, Alec thought.
As Alec tried to come up with a plan, another thought occurred to him—he had no idea what species the ghost was. Calling the Eevee “Eevee” just felt awkward, and calling the ghost “Ghost” felt even worse.
Still, he’d promised the Eevee that he’d give her a choice to follow him the next morning, so he opted to hold out on any nicknames until then. That just left one thing to do in the present.
“Hey, mind if we give you a nickname? I don’t really know what to call you, and calling you “ghost” just feels weird to me.”
The newcomer looked up from its berry. “Zor?” it barked. Its voice was a touch raspy, like it was rarely used.
“It’s what we do here,” Alec explained. “Auster is a Dartrix, but we call him Auster because it’s more personal that way. Your nickname is uniquely yours, not something to call your entire species by.”
It looked down for a moment, clearly confused by the concept. It eventually nodded.
Alec smiled appreciatively. “Then welcome to the team, Silver.”