Carlos knew he was about to adopt another Pokemon, whom’s family had been brutally killed and was most likely traumatized. That being said, he wasn’t particularly angry at the Hydreigon. He despised how they had gone about their hunt, but he was in no place to point fingers.
In order to increase his teams survival, Carlos had been observing the power dynamics between Pokemon in half the dozen or so valleys he passed through, he was keenly aware, him and his team were at the bottom of the food chain. In his observations he had seen quite a few Pokemon fight like they did in the anime but this was mostly amongst their own number.
Most first evolution’s were definitely just as cute if not cuter, than what the anime showed. But it began diverging by the second and third evolution quite a bit. Tyranitar had always looked cool in Pokemon anime and games, here they were downright terrifying. Any rocky mountain, you ran the risk of running into them and sentience notwithstanding, they were just like a Texas farmer when it came to protecting their property. Not even the most ornery Salamence dared bother them.
The fanatical Geodudes and bunny valley, had been the only exceptions he encountered so far, that had something very upbeat Pokemon about them, he suspected that the biggest reason is that none of the mon’s had experienced the war all the other mon’s often referred to whenever talking about trainers.
He felt none of that upbeat feeling, walking down the hill towards the dying Typhlosion and crying Cyndaquil. The sight didn’t provoke some grand resolve to make those Hydreigon’s pay.
He was mostly just sad. The Hydreigon’s may be absolute trash as sentient beings. But he couldn’t fault them for hunting. He and his group did the same. If Carlos and his mon’s hadn’t, they would starve. Or die due to TE starvation.
TE trees or bushes were rare and were carefully guarded and usually harvested the moment it had a fruit. Walking through the various valleys in this godforsaken mountain range had made it clear, that Pokemon with a more vegetarian orientation or who didn’t have the stomach to digest meat, Safeguarded those trees religiously, usually with superior numbers.
Even with the abundance of TE trees in bunny valley, he had received one TE fruit and no more from the Lopunny. The way it had been reverently handled and given, had surprised him. He had picked up the cultural cues quickly and thanked them as appropriately and respectfully as he could.
What vegetarian Pokemon couldn’t get naturally from eating the meat of TE infused Pokemon, they had to get from TE fruits. Random berries or some of the wild potatoes Poochyena had found, did nothing for your TE. TE on its own would regenerate but very slow. If Carlos had to guess it would take a full week for it to recover. Months if you were injured. Roughly 10 TE was used to heal 1 point of health while sleeping. Caught without available TE, was a death sentence.
The lacking access of TE fruit, lead the carnivorous Pokemon to hunt. The checks and balances in these mountains wasn’t some enlightened harmony and balance followed by all. It was centered around conflict and an extreme version of survival of the fittest. “Not that different from nature back home.” He thought. According to the Pokemon, there were in fact animals but besides annoying bugs and critters, the grizzly bear on the first day had been the only one he had seen.
Carlos got close enough for him to hear the little cyndaquil sniffing and whimpering.
”Cynda. mommy, please get up! You can do it! Quil!”
It had it’s paws on the Typhlosion trying to help it get up in vain. The Typhlosion’s breath rasped with each intake. Small splatters and goblets of blood came out of her maw with each exhale. Up close he could see her entire body covered in thin but deep wounds, gashes and indentations where he guessed, her bones cracked.
The Typhlosion saw them coming. She got up growling, splattering blood on the ground. The little Cyndaquill begged his mother to lay down.
Carlos was keenly aware that even in her dying breath she would still easily turn him and his pokemon in a bloodstain if they weren’t careful. “Like snapping a toothpick” he thought.
“Please, for the sake of your son, lay down. We aren’t here to eat or hurt him if that’s what you’re worried about.” He motioned for his Pokemon to stay back and he sat down on a nearby knocked over tree. Trying to be as non threatening as possible.
she scoffed but got down. “Fucking trainers….This little one won’t serve you well as a fire type! He struggles with a basic ember. He won’t be a good addition on your team. Begone!”
Carlos sighed. “And what in the name of Arceus, praised be his name, are you going to do for him?”
the Typhlosion groaned when Carlos praised the lord of all. “OW Arceus save me. That lunatic golem and his fanatic’s got to you hewmons too?” Carlos ignored it and continued.
“You are dying, no matter how magnificent you fought, no matter how tenacious you are, your wounds are many and there is nothing I can do about it.”
The little cyndaquil began to wail but the mother snuggled him under her massive paw and shushed him, she glared at Carlos but eased when she saw the sadness and pain in Carlos’s eyes. She was very protective of her cub and as a parent he understood her quite well.
”Answer my question hewmon” she growled.
Carlos grinned weakly. “They got to me. Just a bit, they wear you down you know? I figured they were lunatics but every time I used that little phrase, the Mon’s around these parts, seemed to treat me with a lot more respect. I take it, not all mon’s in these mountains follow his tenets?”
“Ow Arceus no, that golem is insufferable and completely obsessed, he’s notorious around these parts.” She hackled a cough that sounded like laughter. “Mind telling me who you are to him?”
So Carlos told her the summary of what happened.
”You have any idea what you have set in motion?” She asked. Carlos shrugged.
”Something along the lines of rock Pokemon traveling these mountains asking each mon: “do you have a moment to talk about our lord and savior Arceus?”
This made the Typhlosion grunt again. “They already have a annoying catch phrase?”
Carlos laughed “No I was just paraphrasing, and I won’t apologize for what I did. It was the least I could do, I owe them a life debt.”
“You just had to be an honorable shit to em didn’t you?” She mocked, Carlos shrugged at that. He saw her eyelids slither slower and slower the eternal sleep was near for her. Her raspy breath became easier her eyes got a Euphoric glint to em that Carlos knew, it was part of the dying process, to ease the passing.
Carlos had taken the opportunity while talking, to observe the cyndaquil. He pretended to scan him with his pokedex. He wanted to be discreet with his Arceus system. The way each pokemon who knew something of the war had talked about star-children. Gave him the distinct impression that he would not be welcome among humans if they knew.
Cyndaquil
Lvl1 Fire Developing HP 60 Normal 300 Atk 10 A/U/S 5/5/5 Defense 7 A/U/S 5/5/5 Reflex 7 Badger Speed 8 Unyielding Timid Male (Hidden)
Timid: You don’t like being the center of attention and are soft spoken.
Badger: Known to punch above their weight class , you have superior A/U/S, both for offense and defense. Amazing health and slightly better reflexes and defense.
Additionally you gain 3 egg moves that each becomes a cardinal move. defense curl as Cyndaquil, Dig when evolving into Quilava and Rollout when evolving to Typhlosion.
Unyielding: for each 2% of missing health, gain 2% increase to defense and reflex. Can gain 3 protective moves of any type as Cardinal moves.
Known moves Cyndaquil intense Survive Prevents lethal blows 0 Ember
(S) Fire(developing)
1
Defense curl (Egg, U, cardinal) normal, 1 Tackle (U, A) Normal 1, 2 Smoke (U) normal 1-3 Endure (U) normal 1
Cardinal moves: 1/10
Ember: split flames at your enemy has, 10% additional chance of causing burn. (Burn deals 100% of initial ember damage over 4 seconds.)
range: 78 feet (40*1.3*1.5 = 78)
damage: 19 (10*1.3*1.5=19
Smoke screen: spit out smoke. While within your own smoke, reflex goes up. While others, lose reflex.
Tackle: increases speed of user by 150% for 1 second to deliver a base normal attack. (7*1.3)*1.4 = 12 damage. During the one second tackle is active, the user may use speed, instead of reflex to deflect or dodge blows. May evolve into quick attack and eventually extreme speed. This portion comes in two parts. The tackle requiring 10 normal TE. And the attack requiring 20 normal TE.
Defense curl: (cardinal) Signature move of the Geodude line due to how the Geodude’s by and large make a curling motion to activate this move, it ended up with the Name Defense curl.
Most species adopt a similar movement, in order to direct the movement inward and fortify their body. can stack 3 times. (6 times as cardinal.)
each time you use Defense curl you gain 1 (2 if cardinal) stack of defense of 3. (Def*0.3*1.5= 3.15)
duration of a defense stack lasts 6 seconds.
Endure: reduce damage received by half for specified duration. Endure is the evolved version of Defense curl and thus belongs to the cardinal domain of defense curl.
endure prevents the outright death of the user but a potential lethal blow will instantly faint the user.
duration: 0.9 seconds (base 1*0.6*1.5=0.9)
cost: 30% of max TE. (60 fire & normal TE)
“There are a few things we need to talk about, before your flame truly extinguishes.” Carlos spoke softly.
”I will take your son with me and he can stay with me for as long as he likes, I give you my word on that. As far as your worries… it seems to me, after scanning him and analyzing the data. Cyndaquil is a late bloomer when it comes to his fire TE.”
” CYNDA NO I WONT LEAVE MOMMY!”The little Cyndaquil howled in agony. It had paid rapt attention to the conversation. It didn’t go unnoticed how his intelligence and pronunciation had much more clarity to it then either of his first two mon’s.
”shush little one, i——won—t w—alk the p—aath m-u-ch lo-nger” The typhlosion’s strong front had waned completely, struggling with speaking.
Carlos waited for the two to finish and continued.
“From what I can guess, this might be connected to his timid nature. He has immense potential. If he fights even half as ferocious as you and your mate. I would be ecstatic to have such a dependable partner but as a trainer and my promise to you, is that I wouldn’t be satisfied if I couldn’t get him to be just as, if not stronger than you.”
Carlos had gotten more and more passionate as he was speaking and took a moment to settle down.“However if he decides he wants something else, I will try and provide him a safe place to do so.”
The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.
Cyndaquil was outright sobbing. Carlos felt a pang in his chest, seeing the little one have the intelligence and depth of mind to fully understand what was happening at such an obvious young age. The sheer weight that came crushing down on the poor little guy.
Typhlosion looked at Carlos observing Cyndaquil. Carlos turned to her and saw almost the exact same expression the Lopunny liaison had given him a week before. Carlos couldn’t place it but it was very distinct. It seemed to be an emotion he wasn’t familiar with.
“Go with this one, little one.” She said to Cyndaquil. She had a moment of crystal clear lucidity. Pouring out her motherly warmth.
She nodded to Carlos. Her breathing was slowing. She was about to speak but Carlos motioned for her to save her strength.
”One last thing, does your species have the same tradition of passing on the spirit of their family members like the Mankey and Poochyena?”
Typhlosion shook her head slightly, Carlos sighed in relief. The Typhlosion wanted to move but Carlos rested his hand on her head.
”Just tell me.” He said.
Typhlosion whispered softly. “F—feed h—im the he-a—-rt of thhssat b—-ast—” she exhaled for the last time and Carlos watched the light go out in her eyes.
”I can do that.” He said reverently.
“Mommy! Please don’t leave, I can’t do this without you.” Cyndaquil whimpered bawling out his eyes. But his strength was gone, his voice raw and hopeless. Huddled into his dead mother.
Carlos got up. “Poochyena. Watch Cyndaquil, Mankey with me. We need to cut a bastard’s heart out.”
Cyndaquil kept sobbing and calling for his mommy.
Everyone hopped to it. Carlos glanced at Poochyena, as she quietly did what was asked but the usual spring in her step was missing. He knew she was waiting for a name. He had promised and then drew a blank, paralyzed by indecision. She didn’t say anything but he could tell she was getting hurt by it, it gnawed at his conscience.
He walked towards the dragon that had burned to death first. The other Hydreigon that suffered the bear hug from the now dead dad. Was a smoldering pile of ashes.
As he came closer he realized it wasn’t dead yet, although it soon would be. Watching it. His Dark TE began to swirl on the inside around the vengeful fire that sparked. It wasn’t rage but a singular focus, an almost overwhelming intent.
Mankey took a step back and observed his boss curiously watching a black purple auric edge wrap around the knife Carlos was holding. The iris’s of his eyes normally a deep brown were purple.
Without even realizing it, he gazed at the the dragon’s chest half burned and scales incinerated to ashes and his eyes landed on an inconspicuous spot and slammed the knife, hilt deep, releasing all of the energy held.
New move unlocked!
Assurance: (A) this moves ensures finishing an opponent already injured. Deals more damage the closer an opponent is to feinting or dying.
deals base Dark TE damage + 2% to your atk and speed for each 1% missing health of the target. Whenever used, as a follow up and landing as a decisive hit, the move will do full damage, regardless of the missing health of the opponent.
due to its use in finishing of a vastly superior opponent you gain a slight amount of experience from the kill and full mastery of the move.
Not just that, he leveled up. He went from lvl3 to lvl 7.
updated stats are in pre chapter notes
Carlos was confused about the whopping increase to his stats. Especially his atk stat, some reverse math in his head he realized he had gained 10% on his lvl 3 stats to the power of 4, instead of the 10-20% increase of his base. His attack stat gained a whopping 20% to the power of 4.
He looked himself over. He didn’t seem different but his pools of TE, previously a tingle, were very noticeable to him now. Strength and vigor previously an ember, roared in his body and mind.
Mankey didn’t say anything. Carlos and him got to work. Carving out slabs of meat. Would be a waste not to take some of the meat although there wasn’t much left that was usable.
”I never got to give either of you a name. With all that has happened”. Carlos said. His voice tinged in guilt.
Mankey shrugged. “Boss worry about Boss stuff. name is super-nice but hewmon custom, we can live without for bit longer. Man.”
“you? Sure but your sister seems to be impatient for one” he quipped. He smiled but it was an empty smile.
Mankey simply shrugged. “Sharp-sister isn’t as soft and tender as she pretends to be. She is sharp, cunning, patient to catch her prey, including you.”He looked at Carlos.
Carlos didn’t want to dismiss it out of hand but did retort. “Do you pretend to be stupid? Or are you simple-deep? Sharp sister has fangs but doesn’t bare her fangs with the alpha because she doesn’t need to.”
Mankey shrugged. “Maybe. Me no like these talks. Goes too deep, makes hurt-head. It’s boss-mon-deep not mankey-deep.”
The two men did the rest of their bloody work in silence till they got to the heart. It was huge.
After catching Cyndaquil in his ball they continued their march in silence. For the time being, he was kept in his pokeball. His body required a certain level of heat he wasn’t able to provide for himself.
The coolness of the mountains was nice for the other three but frigid freezing, to the little guy, while walking the shaking of the stout little Pokemon didn’t stop. shaking, not just from his grief but from the relative freezing cold.
His body felt cool to the touch when Carlos couldn’t take it anymore and had picked him up a few hours later, which worried Carlos immensely. He fed him some of the dragon strips, which Cyndaquil initially refused but after he told the little one his mother would want him to be strong and healthy, he began nibbling on it. Afterwards he fell asleep from exhaustion.
They kept walking in silence for a bit longer till a light went up in Carlos. “Poochyena! Come here for a sec.” She hopped over quietly and looked up at him, her mind distant.
“We need to find a place or a cave with fire types. Or preferably a volcano. Cyndaquil is still young and growing and needs something to keep his body warm. Preferably a fire stone or something of the sort that keeps him warm but not strong enough to trigger an evolution.”
Poochyena nodded.
“We close to a fire mountain, you can smell the ash.” She pointed to the mountain with smoke billowing out of its tip, to their right. It was off course but also partially in the direction of the Hydreigon’s flight.
“You happen to smell another place we could go to?” Poochyena noted his concern but shook her head. “No nothing at all, even with the winds.”
”It’s the winds that worry me, they carry our smell to the dragons.”
”The cold will hurt new-brother, badly. Won’t last long, ball won’t fix.” She countered.
”I know, thank you Diane, let’s stick to the shadows ok?”
Poochyena halted at that and looked up. “Poochyena… Diane. What a pretty name. Is that all I am? Pretty?”
her words had a nasty bite to it that Carlos didn’t appreciate. “Sheathe your fangs girl. It is after Dianna, the roman goddess of the hunt. Of course it’s pretty, it’s female but it is a name that carries power.”
Carlos was a tad bit hurt by her reaction. He spoke stern and stoic. This was the first time she had spoken to him with underhanded guile. He understood why, but his position as a trainer, required of him that he always held their respect lest they ignore him in a crucial moment.
Realizing her mistake she stammered. “Im sorry! I … “ she deflated while walking in front. Leading them through safe paths away from potential threats. “I want to be pretty but I need to be strong. My name needs strength. I judged too quickly.” Carlos caught up and scratched her behind the ear.
”I took this look long because I don’t take such things lightly Diane. And whether you like it or not.” He smirked. “You are now stuck with that pretty name. After two days, for the life of me I can’t think of a better name for you ” He grinned. “I can be petty too you know” he said in jest but softly, as to not hurt the sensitive girl.
“I love it fath…alpha.” Her eyes glimmered. “It has softness to it, much like my father’s soft-love, but softness got him killed.”
Carlos took a deep breath. “Ow you foolish little girl. Love hurts, it’s supposed to hurt just a little. Not a lot like it did to you or us. However you can’t run away from that when you get too close, your life will wither if you do.”
Again Carlos realized, he was talking more to himself than Diane at this point. However they both needed to hear it.
”Hey! Whats my name!?” Mankey growled. He had been quiet but couldn’t hold back anymore.
“I was thinking Tyson, after a legendary fighter. Wukong after the monkey king or Kong after a massive ape that fought till the end.”
“Me like Kong. Short, simple strong. Like me” Carlos smirked. “Kong it is.”
With their spirits lifted and sticking to the shadow. They slowly got closer to the mountain. The smell of ash and sulfur was palpable now, so was the increase in the temperature. Carlos saw the vegetation shift before his eyes. The heat of this volcano, with all the tracks of what were obviously fire pokemon, was intense enough to change the eco system around it in close proximity.
Carlos didn’t think the volcano was active, judging by the smoke coming from the top. but with pokemon borne of lava, you could never be sure.
He gathered 2 branches dipping them in some treesap he knew would burn slowly and gave one to Mankey. He had to prevent Mankey from licking it who thought he got a lollipop. Both mon’s were pouting now for their denied lollipop. “All three of you will get one after,” he said smirking and chuckling.
Eventually they came to a smooth molten entrance. Carlos took a deep breath and let Cyndaquil out of his ball. He seemed to do a lot better in the sweltering heat but his timid nature had him curl up. Carlos picked him up and placed him on his shoulder. He was still cool to the touch but not as badly as before. “Hey little one. I know you struggle with ember but could you light these branches? We need some light.”
Cyndaquil nodded slowly. Still shaky and let out a puff of fire. Carlos noted how painfully pathetic it was but it did the job. Both him and Kong had a makeshift torch.
”How is the temperature little one? A bit better?” Cyndaquil nodded again. And spoke for the first time in a soft shaky voice. “C-can you c-call m-e something else? I only want to remember mommy calling me that.”
”For someone timid, he sure is brave enough to speak his mind.” Carlos thought. “What should I call you then?” He asked.
“Can I have a name like Diane and Kong?”
They moved deeper into the caves, the heat became oppressive. But Cyndaquil remained cool to the touch. The many tracks of Pokemon overlapped and it was impossible to tell what lived here. The only distinctive print was a molten duckfoot print.
Carlos sighed “Sure why don’t you tell me something about yourself? What do you wish to aspire?”
”S-slay. Dragons. So mommy can rest easy.”
“Well that makes naming you straightforward and simple. There are 2 names that come to mind when you say dragon slayer. Beowolf and Gawain. Both were hewmon like me but became powerful warriors and eventually strong enough to slay a dragon in combat.”
”I like Gawain.” Cyndaquil said for the first time without shivering.
“Good, Gawain it is.”
The 4 of them went deeper into the cave and the heat rose fast and quickly, making it hard to breathe. Around the bend, in front of them a fiery bipedal creature, radiating intense heat came into view. It reminded Carlos of magmar. But there were quite a few differences. For one it looked to have hands or claws that could shape itself into cannons.
It was big, easily ten feet and it rumbled out with a deep, hot, fierce but not an unfriendly voice.
”MAG I see you carrying the pup of someone I know. MOR And from the smell of it, you killed their assailants.TAR.”
“Just landed the killing blow on one that was already dying and out for the count. We promised Gawain’s mother to take care of him. On that note I was wondering if you perhaps have a flame rock. You know, the ones that have a flame burning inside them. It doesn’t have to be a strong one. Just one good enough to keep Gawain from dying of the cold.”
Gawain shivered at that. And spoke to the Magmortar. “Please uncle, I’m still struggling with my fire. The nights are cold outside of the mountains.”
The magmortar looked them over and started walking deeper into the mountain.
”COME MOR”.
He rumbled. “You are looking for a stone to keep him warm, not to trigger an evolution are you not?” He looked over his shoulder. There was a judgmental tone to his voice.
Carlos was starting to get a little annoyed at this constant distrust of humans. “Of course not! What I know of those, Exposing Gawain to an evolution stone would be the worst idea, not just for his growth but his mental state as well.
Just a stone that helps him understand and regulate his fire TE.”
The magmortar rumbled in agreement. “Sorry for the distrust, I needed to be sure. I would hate to see Typhlosion’s progeny be wasted due to an unfortunate mistake. Wait here I know just the thing. I doubt you and your group can handle any more heat than this. Besides the … air.. vitality? Is too low for non-fire types.”
Carlos sat down on a nearby rock and immediately got up again. Everything around him was scalding hot. It didn’t take long for the Magmortar to return with a thick chain ebony steel linked choker with a fire stone wedged in between.
“Come here little one.” He called for Gawain. “Yes uncle!” Gawain hopped off Carlos and skipped over to the magmortar, who with surprising deftness attached it around Gawain’s neck. Carlos could see tension ease away from Gawain’s body and he let out an exhale of relief.
Carlos walked closer. “How does that feel?” Gawain looked up to him and for the first time he seemed somewhat relaxed considering what he just went through.
“better”. Carlos picked him up and for the first time he felt hot to the touch. “That’s good, here.”
Carlos gave him another strip of meat.
“MAG, Make sure he eats a variety of foods, the Cyndaquill line are omnivores MOR, only meat will lead to stunted growth on his part. TAR” the Magmortar rumbled. His observations of Carlos seemed to put him at ease but he was still quite reserved.
“Thank you so much mr? magmortar, this stone will help Gawain grow properly, I will take my leave now.”
Carlos was about to turn away but Magmortar stopped him. “What did you tell its mother for her to not kill you outright?”
Carlos was surprised by this, he gathered this Magmortar knew both the Typhlosion’s from before. Gawain calling him uncle was proof enough of that. “I promised to her I would make sure Gawain would be just as strong, if not stronger then her.”
Magmortar glanced at Gawain, who nodded resolute. “Yes uncle! mr Carlos here promised mommy, he would treat me well.”
Magmortar seemed satisfied, “May Arceus light your Path young ones, and Celebi bless you with peace, you seem the sort who needs it.”
Carlos nodded, “farewell.” while he used his pokeball to return Gawain, who hadn’t objected yet to sitting inside one.
He walked out the cave wondering why the Typhlosion’s had left the presumed safety of numbers and those you considered Kin. He wiped A smudge from Gawain’s ball. He could feel Gawain’s mind fully asleep. Restfull now in his pokeball.
all of this was a testament to what depth Carlos mentally had been in and how far he had crawled out of that pit of despair.
All three had confirmed the same. Sitting in a pokeball was a sort of stasis, half asleep half awake. You didn’t experience the passage of time but did have some form of idea what was going on, especially the emotional state of their trainer. Him Carlos.
Coincidentally, that was the biggest reason both his first mon’s disliked sitting in the ball. Carlos was a worrywart at heart and went through all the worst case scenarios on the daily, the first few weeks, often spiraling into a continuous depressive state, that while he could hold it back from his young mon’s in normal social interactions, he was laid bare to them inside their pokeball.
As ruthless as the wild Pokemon had been, at heart every single one of them was upbeat in some way. Carlos’s depressing thoughts in the first few weeks had been anathema and almost soul crushing to their thinking.
Carlos after close to a month of survival, had by necessity moved on and stabilized mentally. He still had bouts and got triggered from time to time but it had improved by leagues. Even Diane that sensitive girl; didn’t mind it anymore, sleeping in her ball when the situation called for it.
He knocked on wood. “We are gonna be ok guys. We are gonna be ok.” Both Kong and Dianne fell in step. Both emboldened by their wise and kind Alpha.