Thanatos, the player character
Fallout: Kanto - A Pokemon CYOA is a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure topic run by HanOfTheNekos in 2015.
Prologue:[]
The world was once blue and green. Since time immemorial, the planet revolved among the stars. Shining with its vibrant aura, it stood out ahead of all other celestial bodies. And so, as time bore on, the world gave way to that most curious of phenomena: life.
Enriched by the very nature of the cosmos, the world had abundant resources for life to play its hand at creation. Small organisms appeared at first. Time went on and the organisms grew. Variety began to be abundant as the forces of evolution blossomed out of control. Before long, the planet was fully populated. Thousands of species blessed its surface. Now the world was not only beautiful. It was also a home.
Though the creatures on the planet all followed very unique paths of development, one species stood out among the rest. Where some species developed power, this one developed intelligence, engineering, industry... Before long, this one took its place as the master of all other species. And as master, they were not held back. Technology developed further, attempts to control others developed further, and morality fell by the wayside.
The development of this species reached a critical point and a great calamity occurred. Fueled by greed and thirst for power, the species destroyed itself and crippled the planet in the process. Natural lands were scarred. Many other organisms died out. For the last of the great species that doomed itself, it was probably assumed that all life would be gone.
But they were wrong.
The more hardy of creatures survived. The powerful animals once under the thrall of the master species were now their own... but order had been thrown into chaos. Just as they had believed, the law of the land truly became that of rule by power. So the remaining living things fell into place. Or, in many cases, they were killed. Life managed to cling on. But now, the world was grey and brown.
Let's begin with the most important questions:[]
1. What type of Pokemon are you?
- A. Sneasel
- B. Randomized choice
2. What is your gender/sex?
- A. Female
- B. Male
Introduction:[]
You yawn as you stretch your limbs above your head. Taking care not to wake your siblings, you climb off of the soft area where you sleep... the bed, as mother calls it. You carefully take step after step to reach the stairs without making too much noise. You are the eldest of your family. You have made this morning journey many times before.
As you descend into the lower level of the house, you take care to avoid the steps that creak. For your entire life, you have lived in this building. You know it better than the back of your hand. This makes it easy to find the best path to where you can take care of morning business. This involves not alerting the Nidorino downstairs to your presence. Brome is his name, and for better or worse, he takes care of your family. He provides protection to the den your mother set up in this old building. What she gives him in return for acting as bodyguard, you and your siblings can only speculate.
After carefully sneaking around the ground floor, you arrive at your destination. A curious chair-like object sits attached to the wall. It is covered in a thick layer of grime, but is white underneath. Brome always says it used to be usable, but lack of water rendered it useless. Instead, the larger area with the strange metal object hanging above was used.
After finishing up, you leave the room. Almost immediately, the sound of a hurried conversation cues you to be quiet. You sneak around a corner in the house and get close enough to hear your mother speaking with Brome.
Brome, a rude but protective Nidorino. He's totally nailing your mom.
"This is the fifth time this year woman... are you trying to make things difficult for us?" Gruff, rude... typical Brome.
"Please, it's not like it's my intention!" Your mother pleads with him. Unsure of what they may be talking about, you try to sneak back up the stairs. However, you only get halfway before you hear Brome call for you.
"We were just discussing something important." He says to you. You never liked when Brome spoke to you. "Your mother ah... well, let's just say you have another sibling on the way."
You glance at your mother. She is looking elsewhere, refusing to meet your gaze. She is an older Sneasel... life in the world has dulled her fur to be more matted and gray. A lifetime of harsh experience shows in her eyes. But for now, she does not meet your gaze.
"Isn't that a good thing?" you ask, keeping your eyes on your mother.
"Good? Hell kid, food ain't easy to come by." You wince as Brome's voice picks up in volume. "It's tough enough taking care of all you runts, let alone another five every year."
Finally, you see a change in your mother... a solitary tear runs out of her eye.
"Mother... what does this mean?"
Finally, she turns to speak to you. "I'm afraid... son, it's time for you to leave."
Leave? But to where? There are only a handful of spots on the windows in the house where one can even see outside. As far as what is even further out there... who knows?
Brome cleared his throat. "You'll need to clear out in an hour. Go say your farewells."
You cannot believe how Brome could be so cruel. Even more, you cannot believe how your mother just lets him call the shots. Even so, you know better than to argue with Brome.
Upstairs, your siblings are all waking up. You give hugs to all of them, telling them to be strong in your absence. You retrieve a potion from the box near the wall... your secret stash that has been here as long as you can remember. Finally you head back downstairs.
Your mother is crying as she bids you farewell. Brome hands you a small pack to wear on your back.
"Included in this is a small bag of berries," Brome says, "Make them last. Food is scarce out there in the wasteland. You say your final farewells and Brome escorts you to the door.
Chapter 1: Pallet Town - Grey Shades of Your Journey Await[]
Day 1: Morning[]
As you step outside, the sun almost blinds you. Your eyes adjust, and you take in the sights around you. There are a number of buildings like the one you just stepped out of. Not too many, but enough to provide shelter for a number of other families. There are also a lot of ruins where it looks like there were buildings, but that is just conjecture from you. There is even a very large building in the distance that looks like something you saw a picture of once. There are a few strange structures around... overall, it looks like a really poor version of the towns from some of those picture books back in your house. There is even a very large building in the distance that looks like something you saw a picture of once.
Your home... you turn around, but the door is already closed. You are cut off from the life you knew. And now... now there is an open world for you to explore. There is not much color in the environment. If you were to call it anything, you would say brown. Maybe grey. Even the nearby coast that you can see in the distance is bordered by murky grey water.
You are on your own now. The only question is... what first?
Where do you explore first?[]
- A) Check out some of the still standing buildings in town
- B) Explore some of the ruined buildings in town
- C) Visit the largest building in town
- D) Explore the wooded areas to the west of town
- E) Visit the coastline
- F) Head north - the only practical exit from town that you can see
Your first thought upon leaving your house is that you need to find somewhere else to live. There were a few other houses around town... but they were likely to have the same problem as your own. None of these abodes were particularly large, so rather than be turned away, you thought you'd look for something a bit... larger.
Of course, there was one really large building in town... most of the others were small or destroyed. This one definitely showed some damage, but it still stood. Compared to the size of your house, this place looked like it could hold ten families. At the very least, you could ask and be turned away.
The short walk to the building was rather uneventful. Occasionally, you would catch sight of some other living creatures. One even passed by you... a Raticate. However, he passed right by without meeting your eye. So it was not an event to run into another living Pokemon out here, you figured. Friendliness seemed optional though.
Before long, you arrived at the large building. A big sign in front bore some writing... most of it destroyed. Your limited reading ability managed to identify the word "lab" as one of the remaining legible things on the sign. Your mother always expressed the importance of reading as a skill. You picked up most of what she taught on it. She always said it might save your life some day. All you ever saw of it was her using the skill to entertain herself with the picture books in the house.
Elia, a female Cubone without a bone
As you approached the front door, you noticed a Pokemon standing right beside it. It was a Cubone... a curious bipedal creature that had a large skull around its head... or part of its head... you could not tell. The Cubone raised its head to acknowledge you. When your eyes met, you realized it was a girl. A few more steps towards her, and she spoke.
"You better not be here looking for trouble." Her eyes narrowed. "Because I've had it up to here with today, and I would gladly welcome an excuse." She finished her introduction by cracking her knuckles. She was tense, and you could see it. She made sure you heard it. Hell, you could almost smell it.
"I'm uh... not looking for trouble." You raise your hands in protest. "Trouble is not close to what I'm looking for... I think... I hope?"
The Cubone stared you down for another few seconds. Then, she tossed her head back and laughed out loud.
"You're not used to running into other Pokemon, are you?"
"Well, no..." you respond. "This is actually my first day out of my house-"
"No kidding!" She continued to laugh. You felt your cheeks redden in embarrassment. "Well, your fur certainly looks clean enough to fill the part. Listen..." Her chuckles died away, but she continued to speak with a smile. "You sure you want to be outside? The wasteland is not forgiving to newbies like yourself."
You were reminded of the events that happened a little earlier. "I... got kicked out."
"Really?" She looked at you incredulously. "What'd you do? Kill someone? Steal things?"
"Kill... no!" You were flabbergasted by her assertions. "I didn't do anything! My mother was going to have another baby and-"
"Another? How many does she have?"
You started to count out on your clawed fingers. "Uh... well. Let's see, there's me, then two sisters, then a brother, then another sister..."
"Man, your mother's really a floozy isn't she?"
Again, you were flabbergasted by her assertions. "What are you trying to say?" You challenged her. She saw your annoyance and welcomed it.
"I'm saying she's got a knack for entertaining guys." You felt your face grow hot with anger. "Hey, I just call them like I see them. Where do you think all your brothers and sisters came from anyway? Do you even know who your father is?" ====You had thought about it on occasion but...
Apparently, she felt like she took things a little too far, because she seemed to back off. "Listen, it's whatever. Moral standards are a thing from the past. Anyway, I don't care what you came to this place for, but unless you've got any secret to getting in... you're out of luck. Place is airtight, far as I can tell."
"Airtight? So there's no way in?"
"That's what I said, bonehead." She chuckled softly at her joke. "No way in, and I've circled the place a few dozen times."
"Do they not want to let people in?" You ask. She gives you another look that tells you she does not think highly of your intelligence.
"They? There's nobody in there. The place is deserted. Word is, tons of Pokemon lost their lives in there. Almost nobody would even want to go in there."
You scratch your head. If nobody lived there then there was no reason for you to get in. "So why are you trying to get inside?"
"Well..." her voice trailed on for a second. "Dead Pokemon happen to be just what I'm looking for." She gave you a wink as she finished her statement. A chill shot through your body at the creepiness of what she said. "Anyway..." she continued, "As I said, unless something comes up, there's no way in. So... see you around I guess. If you find anything out about getting in this place, let me know."
No big loss for you... and hey, at least you met someone without them ripping your head off. You cannot imagine Brome to be as cordial as this... if you can consider this Cubone to have been cordial.
"Well, it was nice meeting you." You say. "I hope you find a way inside... uh... what do I call you?"
"I'm Elia." she replies. "And yourself?"
"My name is Thanatos." Your reply instigates another round of raucous laughter. You feel yourself getting a little angry again.
"What a ridiculous name! Where did your mom come up with that?"
You blush once more as you recall - "She really likes reading these books that are full of pictures..."
"Reading? Hell, your mother must be more impressive than I previously thought. Well, good luck to you with whatever you're looking for, Thanny."
With that farewell, you turned and headed away from the building. Though the chiding remarks she made still bothered you, you were still a little happy to have met another Pokemon in the wastes.
Where to next?[]
- A) Check out some of the still standing buildings in town
- B) Explore some of the ruined buildings in town
- C) Explore the wooded areas to the west of town
- D) Visit the coastline
- E) Head north - the only practical exit from town that you can see
Social Links
(1) Elia, female Cubone
Day 1: Midday[]
After meeting Elia, you decided to explore a bit more. She was right: you were really new to this world. Best thing to do was experience what the wastes had to offer. And there was no way you would achieve that by sitting still.
You picked a direction... away from the lab... and decided to just go that way. While traveling, you spotted the occasional other Pokemon, but they tended to keep away and to themselves. You were alright with that. There was no telling if other Pokemon were friendly or not. Finding out how to deal with aggressive Pokemon... that experience could come later.
For the most part, the town was pretty monochromatic. The ground was all lifeless dirt. The ruins of various houses all looked like similar piles of rubble. Eventually, you found yourself at the edge of town. An interesting sight lay before you... a forest. Of course, all of the trees were dead. Like the town, it was a very bland sight. Once upon a time, this was surely a forest teeming with life. The close proximity of the trees would have limited travel by larger creatures and provided a great environment for smaller ones. Now, the dead trunks gave the impression of a very crowded graveyard. Nothing lived here now.
Well... the sound of something scuffling revealed to you that there was something alive nearby. You peered around a few trees and caught sight of a Pokemon just a few feet into the forest. You slowly approached. It was digging into the ground, oblivious to your approach.
It was a Poochyena. She was going mad at the ground, tossing a bunch of dirt behind her. Curious as to her actions, you took one more step. Of course, it was this moment that a twig decided to snap beneath your feet. The Poochyena jumped up and turned to face you. She quickly adopted an aggressive position and bared her teeth.
Remembering how Elia was when you met her, you quickly threw your hands up. "I'm not looking for trouble!" you stated. "I'm just... exploring the town."
"Oh really?" she asked. "You expect me to just believe that you were sneaking up behind me for fun?!"
"Uh..." you were stunted for words. "... Yes?"
In response, she growled and dipped into a pouncing position.
"I-I swear!" you exclaimed. "I was just curious about what you were doing!"
Keeping her eyes on you, the Poochyena closed her mouth and rose back up. "What does it look like I'm doing? I'm foraging. But if you think for one moment I'm going to believe your story, then you can give up now because I am NOT taking my eyes off you."
To show she meant business, the Poochyena walked around the hole she was digging and went right back to it. She kept her eyes on you at first, but as she dug more, she paid less and less attention to your presence. You didn't blame her... you could see the hunger in her eyes.
Here was a hungry Pokemon, foraging for food in a desolate land. You could share with her... you did have some berries, after all. She would probably be a lot more willing to trust you. But it would cost some of your supplies. You could suggest she go elsewhere. Or heck, you could practice fighting... she was distracted again, after all.
What do you do?[]
- A. Give the Poochyena one of your berries
- B. Suggest that the Poochyena look in town for food
- C. Attack the Poochyena using the element of surprise
- D. Walk away quietly
This Poochyena was not nearly as friendly as Elia. She seemed dangerous... but she was also very distracted by her digging.
Torn between helping and fighting, you figured what the Cubone had said to you was true - you were green. Amateur. A real wasteland-hardened Pokemon would have no problem beating on an enemy.
You took a stance and stretched out your claws. You waited... then jumped! The Poochyena looked up just in time to see you striking. She jumped to the side, adeptly evading your scratch. Growling, she counterattacked and managed to sink her teeth into your left shoulder. You shook your arm and she let go, flying a short distance away.
"Heh... delicious." she said, licking your blood off her snout. "Guess I'm eating tonight after all."
You bared your claws once more. The pain was blinding... you had never been hurt so bad before. But this was not the end of the fight. You heard her... she was hungry, and willing to eat. There was no way out of this one.
The Poochyena started slowly circling around you, her muzzle open revealing a sick grin of sharp teeth. On and one she circled as you rotated to keep her in her sights. Then... she stopped moving!
You tensed up, ready for her to strike... but it did not come. You relaxed...
Before you knew what happened, the Poochyena was right in your face, gunning for your neck. You flailed wildly, hoping to strike her off. You felt a connection... your attack struck!
As your adrenaline stabilized, you realized that you were closing your eyes. You turned to look for where the Poochyena had gone, to get ready for the next attack. You found her easily. A few feet away, she was lying on the ground, a large gash in her side. Her breathing was erratic, and she was unable to move.
You had won the fight... but you were injured. The Poochyena didn't have anything... she would not have been digging if she had. You started backing away, then turned and broke into a run. You had never fought another Pokemon before... this was both exhilarating and terrifying. Hormones still pumping through you, you barely noticed the pain in your shoulder as you widened the distance between you and the fallen Pokemon.
Before long, you had returned to town, rather close to your home. You were tired and the pain was burning. Your left arm felt weak. The sun was beginning to set. You took a quick look in your pack to take note of what you had... ten berries and the potion from your home. Not a whole lot there... you felt hungry. You definitely had to eat. But what else could you do?
Two questions... use the potion, and where do you go?[]
- 1. Use the potion on your wound.
- 2. Save the potion and hope that eating a berry will be enough.
- A. Search for a standing house to stay in for the night.
- B. Attempt to regain access to your house.
- C. Look for a place to sleep at a ruined house nearby.
- D. Go rest at the coast.
- E. Explore the exit north of town before it gets dark
- F. Return to the Lab and seek out Elia's help
Inventory: 10 berries 1 potion
Social Links: (1) Elia, Female Cubone
Day 1: Night[]
You delve into your pack to find the berries. Pushing the potion aside, you grab the small satchel and open it. You fish out one berry and close the satchel. You quickly pop the berry into your mouth, taking no more than two bites before swallowing it. These small blue berries were one of the few edible plants that were still able to be found. Natural antioxidants flowed through the trees and cleansed them of any latent chemicals. You had been eating these all of your life... Brome occasionally brought back some meat, but it was usually not very good.
As minutes pass, the fast acting properties of the berry take effect. You feel the pain in your shoulder dull. Sure, it was still there, but it was not as distracting as it was before. Still, despite the medicinal properties of the fruit, it was not actual medicine like a potion. Your wound stays open and fresh.
Ignoring the recurring urge to go back to your home, you decide to head back to the lab. Elia was one Pokemon you managed not to tick off... if you were looking for any help tonight, she would be your best bet. At least, you figure as much. There would always be a chance that she might randomly decide to attack you. After all, you proved that to be a real thing that some Pokemon do occasionally.
As you approach the lab, you notice that it looks just the same as earlier. The door was closed, it was dark, and Elia was nowhere to be found. You think to take a look around, but your tiredness takes its toll. You sit on the steps leading up to the main door and close your eyes for a few seconds. Those seconds turn into minutes.
A sharp pain wakes you. You let out a little cry, startling the Pokemon beside you.
"Yikes! What did I do?"
As your eyes adjust to the darker night sky, you notice that a Cubone is sitting beside you. It is Elia. You wince as you lift yourself up on the shoulder that is injured. Elia notices it as you raise yourself.
"Oh! My bad... where did this happen?" she asks.
"Ran into a little trouble with a wild Poochyena" you respond. Dolling up the truth to make you sound better seems to be an alright idea. "No worries though, I took her out."
"Hunh... I would've sworn you'd be offed by the first thing to attack you." Noticing the dirty look you were now giving her, she laughs. "Seriously though... you're not going to last long at this rate."
"I think I did fine for myself!" you retort.
"Really? You haven't dressed your wound yet. You fell asleep in plain sight... those two things alone are enough to kill you, let alone both at once."
You think about it for a second. "Why would sleepin-"
"If any other Pokemon came by, they might have killed you in your sleep. They would have at least robbed you for sure. I certainly thought about it."
You let her words sink in. She is probably right... after all, she is more experienced in these wastes than you.
"Well... what would I do instead?"
"For starters, you attend to your injuries. Here, come with me." Elia starts to walk off, beckoning for you to follow. You get on your feet and follow her lead around the lab. Around the side and a little ways off is a small pile of rubble. Elia approaches it and moves a piece of rusted metal aside, showing a small hollow interior with some soft materials.
"Shelter. It can be the difference between waking up the next day and... well, not." She gestures inside. "Go ahead, get in. I'll help you this once."
You step inside her small abode and take a seat on the ground. There is a little bit of room in there... enough for her to walk around you on either side, sit on the other side of you, and access the small amount of storage behind that. She does just that.
Turning back to face you, she brings a piece of cloth to your shoulder. "This is going to sting a little bit" she warns. It had been stinging all day, so you just grit your teeth and bear it. You underestimate how much it stings and you let out a painful gasp as she tightly wraps the cloth around your shoulder. Before long, she ties it off and gives you a pat on the back.
"There you go. Now you can live to make one more dumb mistake."
It crosses your mind that Elia just likes to talk like that. She acts a lot nicer than she speaks. You were really lucky to have run into her earlier. As you watch her put some materials away, she yawns. She throws a look in your direction and sighs.
"I suppose you can spend the night here." She scoots as far away from you as she can get. "Just stay on that side and don't touch me."
You thank her, and the two of you quickly get to sleep. You lay on your healthy shoulder, and figure that for a first day in the wasteland, you did alright.
Day 2: Morning[]
Elia's stirrings wake you up. As you open your eyes, you see her rummaging around her things. You stretch and get yourself up. Elia notices you waking and comes over to take a look at your shoulder bandage.
"Soaked through a little bit... but it doesn't look that bad." She begins unwrapping your wound. "Let's get a fresh wrap on there. Then you can be on your way, and I can keep trying to get into that building."
"What's the big deal about getting inside?" You ask.
"Well... if you haven't noticed, I don't carry a bone with me." It was something you had noticed, but did not think too much of. "A Cubone without a bone is like... a Sneasel without claws." The image does manage to scare you. "Word is, that building used to have a lot of Pokemon in it..."
You cut her off: "You don't have to say anymore."
"Right. Well, you're all patched up." She finishes tying off this bandage and grabs a few more things before heading to the exit of her little hut. "If you manage to find something out about the building, let me know. Otherwise, try to find your own place to sleep tonight." She leaves with those words.
You grab your own things and head outside, taking care to place the makeshift door back in place.
Where to on this day?[]
- A) Check out some of the still standing buildings in town
- B) Explore some of the ruined buildings in town
- C) See if the Poochyena is still where you left her
- D) Visit the coastline
- E) Head north to the town outskirts
- F) Search for clues around the lab
Inventory: 9 berries 1 potion
Social Links:
(2) Elia, Female Cubone
Quests:
1) Find a way into the Pokemon Lab
Day 2: Morning[]
You decide to take a look around the lab. Even though it is apparent Elia has been trying to get in for a while, you think you might be able to find something she has not.
Strangely, there is no sign of Elia as you poke around the lab. She must have decided to look for clues elsewhere, you figure. Oh well... no awkward conversations to be had at least.
The lab is pretty much the same all around. It may be old and visibly damaged like the rest of the town, but it is still a sturdy building. There are a few smudged up windows that you try to break through, but the glass is incredibly strong.
Around the back is a large previously-fenced-in area. Looking around, you can tell that there were a variety of environments here once upon a time. Rocky hills, rolling fields, a tide pool, and even the remains of a forest occupy the area. Unfortunately, they are now part of the same brown landscape as anything else.
You walk around the lab once more to give it another look, but nothing really catches your eye. That is, until you spy a small red object hidden amongst some rocks. You reach for it and grab the small ball. You wipe some of the dirt off of it to see what it is. Half of it is red, and the other... well, you assume it was white. There is also a small button at one point where the two sides meet. You try to press it, but it is quite stuck. You figure you can at least put it in your pack and figure out what it is later.
Eventually, you give up. As far as you can tell, there is no way to get into the building.
Where to next?[]
- A) Check out some of the still standing buildings in town
- B) Explore some of the ruined buildings in town
- C) See if the Poochyena is still where you left her
- D) Visit the coastline
- E) Head north to the town outskirts
Inventory: 9 berries 1 potion 1 mysterious ball
Social Links: (2) Elia, Female Cubone
Quests: 1) Find a way into the Pokemon Lab
Day 2: Midday[]
A thought crosses your mind as you leave the lab. Perhaps one of the buildings nearby has a clue to lead inside lab. You take a quick look around... there are no other buildings too close by... ruined or not... but there is what appears to be an old residential street just over a hill behind the lab. You head in that direction and begin looting.
As one might guess, the rubble has been sitting awhile and has been picked through already. For most of the old buildings, maybe two walls are standing. Some of the furniture is still identifiable, but not usable. Every house seems to tell the same story.
As time winds down, you are almost ready to give up. However, a glint catches your eye. There is a small metal object buried beneath the collapsed upper floor of what was once a house. You rummage around to pick it out, and finally manage to get it free. It is a cylindrical object... very dirty, but still solid. You examine it and eventually manage to pop it open.
Looking inside, you find a small red block. You empty it onto your hands, and are immediately greeted by a pleasant smell. There is no mistaking it - this is food. You take a small lick, and delight in the spicy taste of it. You put the block into your pack, storing it with the rest of your food.
You depart from the street. At least you managed to find one good thing out of it. The sun is beginning to set, but you figure you can check at least one other place out before you call it a night. There are a few houses still standing around town... you can see one atop a hill to the north. Additionally, the path north out of the town has a lot of open space... it will stay light there pretty well. The seashore would provide a nice view of the sunset. And you still feel a little bad about leaving the Poochyena injured where you did.
Also, the taste of the block got your stomach churning... you are hungry.
Dinner time[]
- 1) Eat a berry
- 2) Eat the red block
- 3) Do not eat
Where is the last place you explore today?[]
- A) Check out some of the still standing buildings in town
- B) See if the Poochyena is still where you left her
- C) Visit the coastline
- D) Head north to the town outskirts
Inventory: 9 berries 1 red food block 1 potion 1 mysterious ball
Social Links: (2) Elia, Female Cubone
Quests: 1) Find a way into the Pokemon Lab
Day 2: Evening[]
You quickly fish out a berry and pop it into your mouth. This time, you slowly chew on it and let the sweet juices wash over your taste buds. Even though you have eaten these for most of your life, they still manage to satisfy you. Feeling filled, you decide to explore one last place. The house standing nearby at the top of the hill seems like a good choice.
The climb to the top of the hill is almost uneventful. It is not a steep hill, but at one point the ground gives and you slip down a little bit. As you stabilize yourself, you feel that your shoulder has mostly healed. Soon, you reach the house.
You knock on the front door of the house and call out to see if anyone lives inside. There is no answer. Feeling confident, you twist the door handle and are surprised to find that it opens easily. You step inside.
The interior is much like your old home. However, this house is notably dirtier. It is dusty and unkempt. It seems as though other Pokemon have been through here before. The place has been ransacked and most items and furniture that could be found at your house are missing. Still, you search around in hopes of finding something of use.
It is not until you get upstairs that you find a reason why Pokemon might avoid this place... in the bedroom, a table lies in the center of the floor. By this table, two chairs. And in one chair is a rotten old skeleton.
There are a few rags of what was once some kind of clothing adorning the skeleton. Its jaw is slightly gaping... presenting some sort of strange grin. The atmosphere of the abandoned house is suddenly much spookier... any creak in the floor your steps cause set your hair on end.
You are prepared to leave when you spy a large piece of paper lying on the table. Just below the hands of the skeleton is what appears to be a map. You step towards it. It is indeed a map of some kind... perhaps very useful. However, you would have to move the skeleton's hands to grab it... something that gives you an eerie feeling.
Grab the map? (first to three votes wins)[]
- A) Yes
- B) No
As the sun goes down outside, the room gets darker. Shadows fill the room as you reach forward to grab the map. Ignoring the spookiness you feel is prevalent, you reach for the skeleton's hand...
... and grab it! You move it aside, then grab the map and very gingerly roll it up. You can take a better look at it later. For now, there is not enough light to properly see.
You get to the front door of the house before thinking about where you should go to spend the night. As always, there are numerous options. You could just stay in this house, though you cannot shake the eeriness of the place. Elia still has her little hut, though she did say not to return without information. Then again, you could always return to your original home, but that would mean dealing with Brome...
Where to spend the night?[]
- A) Stay in the spooky skeleton house.
- B) Attempt to regain access to your house.
- C) Return to Elia's hut and request lodging.
Inventory: 8 berries 1 red food block 1 potion 1 mysterious ball 1 town map
Social Links: (2) Elia, Female Cubone
Quests: 1) Find a way into the Pokemon Lab
Ignoring the hairs standing on their ends upon your skin, you decide to spend the night in the house you are currently in. And why not? It's not like you knew Elia that well. And all you have to deal with in this house is a very eerily nagging feeling that you are not alone. But it's just a skeleton, right?
You find the comfiest piece of ransacked furniture and lay down. Before long, sleep claims you.
Day 3: Morning[]
You wake up from a restful sleep. You decide to examine your new map first thing.
Located in the top right corner of the map are big letters saying "Town Map". It takes a moment to find Pallet Town on the map... that is where you currently are. The only exits to the town are north to a place called Viridian City, and south through a water route down to an island called Cinnabar. It looks like you were correct... north is the only way you can go to leave town now. Called "Route 1", the way north is a little twisty looking... but using the map, you can probably get to Viridian City in one day. What a useful find!
Rolling up the map, you put it back in your pack and leave the house. As you get outside, you shield your eyes. It is particularly bright today.
You wonder if that Poochyena is still around. Additionally, there are two exits to the town you could examine... the sea and the path north. You could always check in with Elia to see if she made any progress.
As you try to decide, you see something from your vantage point atop the hill. It seems as though a rather large group of Pokemon has gathered in the middle of the town. You could see what that is all about.
Where to today?[]
- A) Investigate the large group of Pokemon
- B) Try to find Elia and see if she's found anything
- C) See the seashore
- D) Explore the northern exit
- E) Check if the Poochyena is where you left her
Inventory: 8 berries 1 red food block 1 potion 1 mysterious ball 1 town map
Social Links: (2) Elia, Female Cubone
Quests: 1) Find a way into the Pokemon Lab
Approaching the large group of Pokemon, you find that they are all pretty similar. All of them have light blue-green bodies, walk on four legs, and have some sort of plant on their backs. The Bulbasaur family. There are about ten Bulbasaurs, four Ivysaurs, and one large Venusaur in the middle of the group. As you get near, one of the Ivysaurs notices you and walks up.
"Whatchu want, weasel?"
"Uh..." you're caught off guard by the sudden question. "Actually, I'm a Sneasel..."
"Tha's what I said. Now whatchu want?"
"I just came to check out what was going on." you reply.
"Hah! Get a load a this guy!" The Ivysaur alerts his companions of your presence. "'E jus' wants to know 'what was goin' on'". The number of grass Pokemon laughs. Noticing the commotion, the Venusaur turns to face you and the Ivysaur that you spoke to.
Varejao, leader of the Bulbasaur caravan family
"Come now, Elbert." The Venusaur speaks with much age showing in his voice. "Not every Pokemon is used to seeing such a caravan traveling through their town."
"Caravan? You sell things?" you ask the Venusaur.
"Aye. My name is Varejao, and this is my traveling merchant group. My family, as well."
Interesting, you thought. You did not know of any shops in town... it would make sense for a caravan to come through. "Do you come these ways often?"
"Oh, heavens no. We go where the sunlight goes... it is too hard to come by a nice clear sky nowadays." The Venusaur gestures to the sky. "It is almost always overcast everywhere. On days like this, the clouds thin enough to allow sun through. This way, we can feed and even defend ourselves better."
"Boss, you tellin' him a lot of trade secrets" the Ivysaur named Elbert spoke up.
"Nonsense Elbert... this one is young and hardly dangerous." You felt like you heard enough Pokemon say that recently. "Please, show him our wares. Do you have anything to trade, young Sneasel?"
"Uh... maybe." you say. You reach into your pack and pull out what you own.
"Hmm..." Varejao takes a look at what you are showing him. "Not interested in a whole lot there. But you've got one Pokeb, so you can possibly buy something we've got."
"Wait... what's a Pokeb?" you ask.
Varejao laughs. "That little ball... that's what Pokemon use as currency in this land."
"Oh... good to know" you respond. "And what about this cube?"
"That's a Pokeblock. A manufactured food... when you eat it, it gives you a certain... disposition, so to say. It's said that the flavor sticks with the one who ate it, and impacts how they deal with others."
"Ah, ok."
Elbert returns and rolled out a mat. He placed a number of items on it. Varejao explained: there was a potion, an antidote, three berries, a yellow Pokeblock, and an X attack.
"Each of these items cost one Pokeb... you want to buy?"
Purchase anything?[]
- A) Buy the potion
- B) Buy the antidote
- C) Buy three berries
- D) Buy a yellow Pokeblock
- E) But an X Attack
- F) Buy nothing
Inventory: 1 Pokeb 8 berries 1 red Pokeblock 1 potion 1 town map
Social Links: (2) Elia, Female Cubone
Quests: 1) Find a way into the Pokemon Lab
You take a good look at Varejao's wares. You already know what berries and potions are, and you just had Pokeblocks explained to you.
"What are these two things?" you ask, pointing at the antidote and the X attack.
"Ah... you do not know what an antidote is? You really are young..."
You are getting really tired of hearing that.
"An antidote is a concentrate made from an Oran berry tree... if you spray it on an open wound or ingest it, then it will flush any hazardous chemicals right out of your body. It is very useful for dealing with the large number of toxins in this world."
His description sold you right away. You had no idea how rare Pokebs were. You had no idea how rare antidotes were. But if there were a large number of toxins... well, it would be helpful to have one on hand.
"The X attack is a fast acting oral supplement that beefs up your adrenaline. You will hit harder and find yourself navigating fights better after taking it."
That too sounded interesting, but you decided to spring for the antidote. "I'll take this one" you say, grabbing the antidote. You hand off your Pokeb.
"Thank you for your business. If you wish to trade once more, just look for a place where the sun almost shines. We will be there."
You take your leave of the caravan. It was a good pickup, but now that you had your items identified, you had one less reason to go find Elia. Still, you could check in with her and see if by some chance she managed to discover something. You still had a nagging feeling about the Poochyena you left injured earlier. And then you could always explore the seashore or path north of town.
Where to?[]
- A) Try to find Elia and see if she's found anything
- B) See the seashore
- C) Explore the northern exit
- D) Check if the Poochyena is where you left her
Inventory:
1 antidote
8 berries
1 red Pokeblock
1 potion
1 town map
Social Links: (2) Elia, Female Cubone (1) Varejao's Caravan, Bulbasaurs/Ivysaurs/Venusaur
Quests: 1) Find a way into the Pokemon Lab
Day 3: Midday[]
As you approach the lab, you find Elia easily enough. She is sitting on the steps in front of the building, chin resting on her hands. She notices you as you get near, and she raises to greet you.
"Tell me you found something out. I am just about going insane here."
"Well..." you hesitate. She cringes.
"Why even come back if you haven't found out anything?" she turns away from you and walks up to the door of the lab.
Ouch.
"Listen," you begin, "I just wanted to find out if you made any headway. I've checked a few places out, but I haven't found anything yet."
"Well, as you can clearly see, I've made plenty of progress!" she exclaims angrily.
"I... did find a skeleton... if that helps you out."
She turns back to you. "What kind?"
"Uh... I'm not sure. Some relatively tall thing... up in the house on the hill."
She sighs. "That's just a human skeleton. I already saw it. The bones aren't nearly strong enough to be worth anything."
"Sorry... what's a human?"
She gives you another one of those looks. "I keep forgetting, you're fresh out here. Humans are... the creatures that made everything. All of these buildings, the items you find around, the towns... this entire world was shaped by humans."
"Where did they all go?" you ask. If humans made the world how it was, then it was weird that the only one you found was long dead.
"Nobody knows. The humans all seemed to die out decades ago. Maybe even centuries. It's hard to say."
"That's... interesting. And nobody has found out why?"
"Not that I know of." Elia sighs. "Apparently the world used to be a much better place. There was more life... now it's all gone to hell. And I can't..." she smacks her fist on the door of the lab. "... get in..." SMACK! "... to this stupid building!"
"... I'll keep looking." you assure her.
She barks out a short laugh. "Well, I guess two clueless investigators are better than one. You got any plans?"
"Well, I've searched the buildings around the area. I couldn't find anything, so I thought I'd look a bit further out." You pull out your town map. "I found this map, and it got me thinking... since this is a large building, it probably is pretty important as a travel destination. There are two exits to the town... see here and here. I thought about checking them out for information... any Pokemon or... human who would come to town would want to get to the lab. There could be clues at either one of these. There is also a chance that my mother knows something about the place."
"Hmm... well, I suppose it's a place to start. I'll tag along... might be easier to find things. There's enough time left in the day to check out one location, after we eat. Where to first?"
Elia has joined the party!
What to eat?[]
- 1) Consume a berry
- 2) Eat the red Pokeblock
- 3) Do not eat
Where to explore?[]
- A) The north exit of town
- B) The seashore
- C) Return home to seek information
- D) Convince Elia that it is a good idea to examine where you fought the Poochyena
Party (a level 3 social link means Elia will now join your party): Elia, female Cubone
Inventory: 1 antidote 8 berries 1 red Pokeblock 1 potion 1 town map
Social Links: (3) Elia, Female Cubone (1) Varejao's Caravan, Bulbasaurs/Ivysaurs/Venusaur
Quests: 1) Find a way into the Pokemon Lab
Day 3: Evening[]
You take out your small supply of berries. You are about to eat one when Elia grabs it out of your hands.
"Thanks!" she says. You give her a dirty look, and she laughs in response. "Don't worry, I've got some more food back in my hut, I'll pay you back."
Feeling mollified by her words, you explain that you would like to check out the seashore first. She agrees, and you two head in that direction. You tell Elia of the caravan you saw that morning, and how you have learned what Pokebs and other items are. Her sassy remarks throw you off, and eventually, upset, you just stop giving her ammo to make fun of you with.
Eventually, you reach the coast. It is rather dirty... there is quite the amount of trash piled up in the sand. The waves flow forward and back, though instead of being deep and blue, the water is a slimy looking gray.
"I think I'm going to go check out some of these buildings around. You can search the outside." Elia orders.
"You mean I don't get a say?"
"No." With that, she sets off towards a group of structures located a few hundred feet away. You sigh and begin walking along the coast, peeking into trash piles that you pass. They truly are piles of trash.
You begin to feel that this trip was not worth it. Maybe Elia was having better luck. The sun is setting and you know it will be dark soon. Tired, you sit in the sand and look out at the water. And you spy something floating just offshore.
You get up and move closer to it. At the crest of a wave, you see that the thing floating in the water has a head! A light blue one, too.
"Hey!" you shout at the floating figure. "Are you ok?"
The head seems to lift and a pair of eyes appear. The Pokemon then starts swimming quickly towards you. In mere moments it manages to get right up to the coastline. You can now see the figure more clearly. It is a Squirtle. His head lifts up.
"Oh wow! An actual land Pokemon! I never see any of you around."
"A land Pokemon?" His classification confuses you. You know you've seen books depicting Squirtles on ground. "Do you never come on land?"
"Heh... nah. Us Squirtles actually can't really do that anymore."
Seeing your look of confusion, the Squirtle swims closer until he is past the tide. He remains on all fours, and turns around. You can now see why the Squirtle does not stand on land. His shell extends past his tail and feet. It ends in a point about six inches below his feet. There is no way for the Squirtle to stand on two legs.
"Some elders tell us that we used to be more common on land." The Squirtle turns around as he continues speaking. "But since most of our kind live in the water, we mutated after the water was irradiated."
"The water is irradiated?" you ask.
"Yeah... I mean, it's not bad. You could go swim in it for awhile and be fine. And whatever originally happened to the water was ages ago... it's mostly diluted through now."
"Jeez... I'm sorry about that. The mutation, I mean." You offer your sympathy to the Squirtle, but he just chuckles.
"I probably wouldn't care to walk around much anyway. Swimming is a lot easier. What's your name, by the way?"
"Oh!" You realize that you never introduced yourself. "I'm Thanatos."
Jun, a mutated Squirtle who cannot go on land
"My name is Jun."
"What brings you out here, Jun?" You figure you might as well see if the Squirtle has information.
"My family sent a few of us out to look for a motor. I eventually found my way here... I'm told humans used to use motors by the coast a lot. In boats or something. But I've found nothing."
"A motor... what is that?" you ask.
"A motor is..." Jun thinks to himself for a moment. "It's like a box that powers up and moves things. Humans used to use them to move all sorts of large objects."
"Hmm... can't say I've seen anything like that around."
"Well, let me know if you do find one." Jun sighs. "I'll be sticking around these parts for a bit longer, searching. My family said it was really important to find one of these motors. Normally I'd hate going out this far, but... you know, gotta do what you gotta do."
"Yeah, I hear you." You decide to take a chance and see if the Squirtle can help you. "By any chance, you wouldn't know how to get into the lab located in this town, would you?"
"Lab? Nope. I'm completely new to these parts." It's now your turn to sigh. "But if I find anything suspicious, I'll try to hold on to it. As long as you keep looking for a motor. Deal?"
"Hmm... it's a deal." You do not expect Jun to be of much help. He seems pretty reluctant to even search for his motor. But you might as well keep the possibility open.
"Alright. Well, it was chill meeting you Thanatos. I'm going to head back out and find a place to call it a night."
"Nice meeting you too" you reply. Jun turns and slowly walks into the tide. When he gets deep enough, a wave takes him and he returns to the ocean.
You try to look around a bit more, but it is getting really dark now. Elia eventually returns.
"Well..." she starts, "Did you find anything."
"I'm afraid not." You respond.
"Oh well... getting into this lab seems to be a pipe dream anyway."
You step forward and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Don't lose hope. We'll find a way in."
"Sure, just after we discover what really happened all those years ago that destroyed the world. Oh, and we can bring back all the trees too."
The two of you decide to call it a night and Elia invites you back to her hut. When you get there, she takes her spot inside and makes it clear that she wants you to keep to your side. You fall asleep quickly.
Day 4: Morning[]
By the time you wake up, Elia is already ready to go. She ushers you to rush in your awakening.
"I've got a good feeling about today." She says. "Where do you think we should start?"
Where to?[]
- A) The north exit of town
- B) Return home to seek information
- C) Convince Elia that it is a good idea to examine where you fought the Poochyena
Party: Elia, female Cubone
Inventory: 1 antidote 6 berries 1 red Pokeblock 1 potion 1 town map
Social Links: (3) Elia, Female Cubone (1) Varejao's Caravan, Bulbasaurs/Ivysaurs/Venusaur (1) Jun, Male Squirtle
Quests: 1) Find a way into the Pokemon Lab 2) Find a motor for Jun
"The sea didn't really help us out... which means the other exit to town is more likely to have something, right?"
"I'm not sure that's exactly how it'll go down," Elia starts, "But it has been awhile since I've been in that direction. Maybe something will come up."
In a good mood, the two of you start heading north. Elia uses this time to try to pry into you for information about yourself. "So... what was it like in your home?"
"Hmm? Oh..." Memories of home flood through your head. You have been so busy with this new world that you mostly kept thoughts of your family away. "It was nice. Safe. Comfortable. Not at all like this world outside. I had lots of brothers and sisters, and we kept each other company. Mother would read to us and teach us to read..."
Elia cuts you off. "Wait, so you can read too?"
"Yeah... is that rare?"
"It's certainly not normal where I come from."
"And where is that?"
"Whoa now, we're talking about your home right now, not mine." You get the feeling that she does not want to talk about her background, but she might share that information if you two got closer.
"Alright... anyway, it was pretty nice. We were all fed, though occasionally Mother or one of us older ones would have to go with smaller portions. The only really problem with living there was Brome." You can't help but feel your eyes get a little wet as you remember being kicked out.
"Brome? Is that some kind of chemical or something?"
"He is a Nidorino. I never got the feeling that he liked me, and he never seemed to treat Mother well at all."
"Hunh..." Elia thought for a moment. "Say Thanatos, can you see your home from here?"
You had recently reached the crest of a hill. You look to the west, and sure enough, you can spy your old house in the distance. "It's that mostly undamaged one over there... with the red roof."
"More like with the only roof. You lived there?"
"Yeah... why?"
"I've seen the Nidorino out and about. He does a lot of foraging and gathering of food and supplies."
"Really?" You realize you never actually thought about where your food came from. "I always assumed he went out to do bad stuff. Like get in fights and drink beer."
"Beer?!" Elia bursts out into laughter. "How do you know about beer? That's a relic from the old ages."
"Mother always read about it in her books. She said one of the characters drank a lot of it... named one of my brothers after him. Thor."
"These books... you said they were picture books?"
"Yeah, completely filled with pictures."
Elia slaps a hand onto her skull. "The characters in those books were probably all humans. You never knew?"
"Well, Mother said they were 'Asgardians' and stuff like that... I thought they were just weird Pokemon. Or mythical creatures... but I guess the general shape of them would match the skeleton I found."
"Yeah... human bones aren't very strong. At least, not anymore. But yeah, beer... it's very rare. Kind of like a toxin from a poison type, but it just makes Pokemon loopy and happy."
"Is it good?"
"Hell if I know! Never touched the stuff."
"Ah... Thor liked it a lot."
"Your mom let your brother drink it?"
"No! Not my brother... the character from the books!"
Elia was laughing. "I'm just kidding."
You smirk, realizing the humor. You also think of Brome again. "So he really just gathered supplies and stuff?"
"Yeah. Don't get me wrong!" She says suddenly. "He always seemed rude. Other Pokemon would say he's a big jerk. But he is really, really protective of that house... no Pokemon would want to mess with such a tough guy. Probably why your family is still staying there. He's really adamant about keeping other Pokemon out."
"Wow..." You never thought Brome to have been that important to your family before. You always just thought he took advantage of your mother's house... not that it was the other way around.
You continue to walk with Elia, silence filling the air now.
"... You know Brome's totally nailing your mom, right?"
"Shut up."
About a mile north of Pallet Town, a small Pokemon was making its way down the path. He had traveled unbelievably far to get to this point. Grasping at the variety of papers falling from his small hands, he continues his way down the road. Despite his awkwardly shaped legs, the white Pokemon moves with good speed. Soon, he passes by a large dead tree that had two Pokemon at its base. He shoves his papers into one hand, and uses the other to adjust a pair of oversized glasses on his head. He moves them down to be level with his eyes. Not having a nose made it hard to have the glasses sit right, so he normally kept them perched on his front horn. Finally, securing them in place with his mind, he brushes his green hair out of the way so that he can clearly see the two Pokemon by the tree, who are eyeing him curiously.
"Hello there!" The Ralts exclaims. "Could you tell me if I am headed in the correct direction for Pallet Town?"
Twin mutated Spearows with long, long legs
One of the two Pokemon... Spearows... hops towards him on its long legs. "Yeh... this the way to Pallet alright."
"Great!" The Ralts says with jubilance. "I am so very glad to know I am going to right way. Thank you." He turns away from the two bird Pokemon and begins walking when the other one speaks up.
"We din't say nuthin' 'bout you gettin' there."
The Ralts turns to the Spearow once more. "What do you mean? Is the road blocked?"
The Spearows let out coos of laughter. "Nah... we jus' don't like ta let free food pass us up so easily."
"Free... food? I am sorry, I did not mean to imply I had anything to give you..."
"Give us? We ain't lookin' to eat sumthin' that you can give us... it's sumthin' we can take though..."
Noticing the hunger in the two birds' eyes, the Ralts realizes the situation he is in. He starts running down the path, but the Spearows are fast. They sprint forward on their longer legs, using their smaller wings to stabilize their running. The Ralts concentrates, and feeling his mental energy surging, he teleports away...
... About ten feet ahead. Teleporting was one of the strangest tricks any Pokemon had... and his use of it was quite limited. Still, periodic teleportations help him to keep pace ahead of the Spearows. Looking ahead as he runs, he catches sight of the town... but the Spearows were closing in.
"Why duncha stop runnin'? You make this easy on us, we won' start with your eyes."
Feeling tired, the Ralts knows he can run no longer. He teleports one last time before turning to face his assailants.
You finally exit Pallet Town. "Route 1," Elia states, "One of the more tame areas in Kanto."
"Kanto..." You remember reading the word on your map. "That's the... region we're in?"
"You got it. Hey... look ahead."
Squinting your eyes, you see a few Pokemon a short ways in the distance. It is hard to make out what Pokemon are there, but you can see a lot of movement.
"That looks like... a fight. Come on, let's go." Elia breaks into a run that you did not know she was capable of. You follow.
As you get closer, you can see the scene better. Two small bird Pokemon are surrounding another Pokemon that you recognize to be a Ralts. They move swiftly, jumping forward to jab at the Ralts with their beaks. He is attempting to fight back with something... you see some sort of light distortion going on occasionally in the direction the Ralts looks. He is having a lot of trouble landing more than one or two hits though.
Finally, the two of you reach the scene. "Ugh... Spearows... dirty creatures. Help me out here." She moves forward and lowers her hand to the ground. In an instant, she flings a glob of dirt from the ground at one of the two birds. "Shoo! Back off, vermin."
The Spearow receives the blast of dirt and staggers. "Ey! Back off, dis one's ours!"
"Disgusting... you were going to eat this poor guy?" Elia swipes another brush of the ground at the Spearow, but this time, it dodges. "Help me out!" She yells at you.
You flex your clawed fingers and rush forward at the other one. It responds by jumping at you and pecking you right on your forehead. The stinging blow makes you stagger, and it strikes you again in your torso. Before it can move in for another blow however, something blasts it away from you.
The Ralts has his arm outstretched, gesturing at the Spearow. The other hand is holding his glasses in place. The Spearow he just attacked is stumbling around. You imagine this to be what a Pokemon would look like after consuming beer. After taking a few more steps, the bird whacks its own head on the ground.
"Aiyyee!" You quickly look towards Elia who is shrieking. She is trying to bat away the other Spearow with her hands, but the swift flying type manages to dance around her, striking from every angle. You rush forward. Not seeing your advance makes it all the easier to strike out with your claws. Feathers fly as you scratch the back of the bird, and it replies with its own cry of pain.
The Spearow begins running away toward a large tree. The other one is incapacitated by the Ralts. It has fallen to the ground, knocked out. You see the Ralts concentrate hard, and the Spearow lifts into the air. Grunting, the Ralts swings his arm in the direction of the fleeing assailant and the KO'd bird flies in that direction swiftly.
You watch as the Spearow gets thrown a long distance and perfectly collides with its fleeing comrade. The two lie tangled in a pile, defeated.
"That certainly could have ended worse if you had not intervened." The Ralts says. "I mean, worse for me. It probably would have been better for them if you had not."
"Uh... yeah." Says Elia. "You ok then?"
"Oh, yes." The Ralts dusts himself off and starts picking up a few scattered papers around the ground. "I will need a second to recover and use a potion on myself. Meaning, I do not know the ability "Recover", so I will have to use a potion on myself..."
"Yeah, we get you." You say.
Lex, an intelligent but asocial Ralts
The Ralts finishes grabbing his things and adjusts his glasses once more. "I am very grateful to you two. My name is Lex."
"I'm Elia. This bonehead here is Thanatos." You shoot her a dirty look, but she responds with a smirk.
"You seem to be confused," Lex begins, "You are the one with the bone on your head. Did you mean to say 'This bonehead's friend' and gesture at the Sneasel, or..."
"Arceus, would you stop already? It's an expression?"
"Oh, sorry. I have trouble picking up on expressions sometimes. Also, I don't believe in Arceus."
Elia gives Lex another incredulous look and you sigh. You step forward before she says something more to the Ralts. "Like Elia said, I'm Thanatos, and we're glad to have helped out."
Lex acknowledges you. "It could not have come at a better time too... I am so very close to finishing a long journey."
"Really..." you respond. "Where are you from?"
"A land called Sinnoh. I have journeyed here in search of the famous Pokemon Lab of Pallet Town."
Elia barks out a laugh. "Of course, everyone wants to get in. Well, you're in tough luck pal. I've been trying for weeks and haven't managed to get in."
"Did you try the door?"
"The... of course I tried the freaking door!"
Seeing Elia getting steamed once more, you once again intervene. "We've been looking for clues on how to get in for awhile... do you have any ideas?"
"I was not aware there were any issues" Lex responds, surprised at your conundrum. "I will have to examine the lab myself. Can you show me the way?"
"Sure!" You reply before Elia says anything. You can tell she is still fuming a little bit, having difficulties with talking to Lex. However, you feel she will calm down as you all walk away.
After healing himself, Lex lets you lead the way back to town. As you are walking, situated between the two, Elia leans towards you. "You uh... handled yourself in that fight well."
"Oh... nah, I was having trouble without Lex's help."
"Well, I was having trouble without your help. So thanks."
This whole gratitude thing coming from Elia is really freaking you out.
"I hate flying types" she says. "Disgusting creatures."
"If they were flying types, then why weren't they flying?" you ask in response.
Lex hears your question and speaks up. "The further away from the ground you get, the dirtier the air is. Flying types have a really difficult time in the sky, so they have not been able to really fly around much. They have even evolved to deal with it... a fascinating phenomenon, really. You could see it with those Spearows... old pictures and skeletons show Spearows that used to have larger wings and smaller legs. Natural evolution aside from Pokemon evolution... truly astounding."
You realize that this new comrade is truly a well-read individual. You can also tell that Elia is not the most receptive towards his quirks.
As you get into Pallet Town, you realize that the two are following your lead. You could head straight to the lab, or take a detour if you want... your conversation with Elia had you thinking about home and Brome more. You also remembered what that Squirtle Jun had asked you to do last night. And there was always that pestering feeling that you should check on the Poochyena...
Lex has joined the party!
Where to?[]
- A) Straight to the lab
- B) Check out home
- C) Search for a motor
- D) See what happened to the Poochyena
Party: Elia, female Cubone Lex, male Ralts
Inventory: 1 antidote 6 berries 1 red Pokeblock 1 potion 1 town map
Social Links: (3) Elia, Female Cubone (1) Varejao's Caravan, Bulbasaurs/Ivysaurs/Venusaur (1) Jun, Male Squirtle (1) Lex, Male Ralts
Quests: 1) Find a way into the Pokemon Lab 2) Find a motor for Jun
4: Midday[]
As you walk through town with the two fellow Pokemon, you speak up about the meeting with Jun the prior evening. Elia snorts with derision, chastising you for talking with some random Squirtle instead of looking for clues.
"He said he'd help us if we helped him!" you exclaim, defending yourself.
"And what good is he going to do?" Elia retorts.
"Well... maybe there's an underwater entrance to the lab?"
Elia stops and thinks for a second. "I suppose that's a possibility..."
"I still think it would be wise to let me take a look at the place" pipes up Lex.
"And I really don't think you'll have much luck." Elia sighs. "Look, you can explore the place all you want... but if there's a chance of us getting an advantage by finding this motor thing, then I say we go for it."
"Very well... the best place to find such an object would be some sort of mechanic shop, or a boat dock."
You and Elia stop to stare at Lex. "A... what?" you ask.
"You know," Lex adjusts his glasses, "A place where vehicles are harbored or fixed. Something along those lines."
You and Elia exchange glances. "All that's around here are houses" she says.
"Yeah, and the remains of houses" you say, finishing her thought.
"Hmm..." Lex reaches up one of his small hands to scratch his forehead. "I suppose a small town like this would have little use for a dealership... but being on the coast, some sort of boating industry would only make sense."
"We already took a good look around the coast. You think we might've missed something?" Elia asks.
Lex affirms. "Completely possible. Besides, I believe I have a better understanding of such technology, so I might be able to see something you were unable to."
You shrug at Elia. "Sounds good enough to me."
She sighs and her shoulders droop in response. "I suppose..."
Your small party travels back to the coast, and this time you stick together. Elia takes you to a few of the larger buildings, but Lex insists on checking out some of the ruined ones as well. He mentions at one point that a lot of the docks, if not built of greater materials, were likely to have been destroyed by the sea.
Eventually, the three of you give up. You take a seat on the sand by the sea and decide to eat dinner. Lex pulls out a bag and produces one berry. "This is all I have left, so I will need to secure more food for tomorrow."
Elia gives you a look, and you comply, handing her one of the morsels as well. "I promise I'll make up for these!" she mumbles through bites of the food.
You are not quite hungry yet, so you just relax.
"So Lex..." Elia speaks up. "What makes you want to get into the lab so much anyway? You seem to have traveled a long way..."
"Is it not obvious?" Lex adjusts his glasses. "I am in pursuit of knowledge!" Elia sighs and you let out a little chuckle. Lex seems to miss it as he continues his tirade. "There are many locations of unknown power throughout the world. I am here to seek out the one local to this region. Also, this lab is well renowned... at least, according to various resources I have read."
"And you want these locations of power... why?" you question.
"To discover what happened to the world, of course! No Pokemon seems to know, and there are none who are old enough to have survived through whatever catastrophe occurred..."
"Well... I suppose that is a lot less selfish than my reason" Elia laughs.
"The lab would probably also be the best place to find a motor, given our search's failure."
"What?" You are surprised by this news. "Why didn't you say so earlier?"
"Well... I thought the purpose of finding the motor was to help gain access to the building. Though really, I am sure I could figure out a way in myself..."
Elia stands up. "We've wasted enough time relaxing. The sky is getting darker... grab something to eat, then let's get a move on."
What do you eat?[]
- 1) Berry
- 2) Red Pokeblock
- 3) Nothing!
Where do you go?[]
- A) Lab
- B) Home
- C) Poochyena Battle Site
Party:
Elia, female Cubone
Lex, male Ralts
Inventory: 1 antidote 5 berries 1 red Pokeblock 1 potion 1 town map
Social Links: (3) Elia, Female Cubone (1) Varejao's Caravan, Bulbasaurs/Ivysaurs/Venusaur (1) Jun, Male Squirtle (1) Lex, Male Ralts
Quests: 1) Find a way into the Pokemon Lab 2) Find a motor for Jun
Day 4: Evening[]
After relaxing for a bit longer and watching your companions eat, you build up an appetite. Reaching into your bag, you cannot help but feel curious about the Red Pokeblock. You grab it and move the morsel around in your fingers. It is soft and somewhat rubbery. After playing around with it a bit, you take a bit. Instantly your mouth is awash with a spicy taste... not too spicy, but it definitely has a kick.
"Hunh... you into spicy foods?" Elia asks.
You shrug in response. "It's alright. Not bad."
"Really? I feel the same way... still, I'd rather eat a berry if the block's not my favorite flavor."
"I never found any Pokeblock flavor to suit me" says Lex. "If I am traveling, then I prefer to bring the most economical food for space. In most of the world, that means berries."
You sigh. You like berries... but this new flavor was exciting to try. You pop the remainder of the food in your mouth and savor the taste as you slowly chew.
"Well, come on. Might as well get to the lab before it gets completely dark" announces Elia. You nod in agreement and follow her to the building.
Upon reaching the lab, Elia takes Lex to the front door. "Well, here you go!" she exclaims. "Explore to your heart's content. I'm sure you'll have the mystery unraveled in no time!" she finished in a sassy tone.
Lex adjusts his glasses with one hand and strokes his chin with the other. "Come here, you two."
You walk next to Lex and beckon for Elia to do the same. She rolls her eyes as she approaches. Lex reaches out his hands to touch both of you. In the next instant, you feel as though the whole world is folding in on itself. Your vision distorts as everything appears to be going rapidly down a drain in the middle of your sight. Soon, everything has disappeared... and been replaced with a new image.
"No... fucking... way..." Elia stands with her mouth agape. You take in the sights around you. Dim lighting illuminates what is a rather large and rather dusty room. You can tell the place used to be a sterile white, but time and grime have turned a lot of the floors and walls brown and yellow. There are a number of paper articles strewn about... some furniture for sitting, many shelves, and close to you are two Pokebs. You quickly pocket them.
"It would appear the generator is still working... I wonder what it is powered by" Lex ponders. "Some sort of pseudo-perpetual motion device? Perhaps an underground river..."
"This... this is it?" Elia gestures around. "You got us in... just like that?"
Lex adjusts his glasses once more. "Yes, this is the interior of the building we were just outside o-"
"YES!" Elia shouts while lifting up Lex in a bear hug. You are almost glad she is showing thanks to him and not you... that hug looks strong.
After putting him down, Elia starts walking around the room. "I don't think what I'm looking for is here."
"Me neither" announces Lex. "This room was probably used more for commercial aspects and non-scientific individuals."
"Uh... what?" Elia asks, confused by Lex's words.
"If we wish to find what we seek, we need to delve further into the lab." Lex points at the back of the room, where a large set of double doors are. "This way."
You follow his lead through the doors and walk through a few hallways before you arrive at an even larger room. You did not realize this place was so big from the outside. Inside this one are tons of broken computers, thousands of filing cabinets, plenty of shelves..."
... and a large enclosed area filled with skeletons. These ones are all of different sizes though... Pokemon bones.
"Finally!" Elia starts towards the area. It looks like it was enclosed with glass, but it is broken in enough places to allow access. As she gets close, she turns back. "This may be a little unnerving, so you might not want to watch." She finishes and hops into the graveyard where she begins examining the corpses.
"I will need a bit of time to find the information I seek" Lex states. He starts off towards a large set of filing cabinets.
You look around. You could help Elia find a good bone, you suppose. You could also hasten Lex's search for information. You could always look around for that motor, but you are already inside the lab, so chances are the Squirtle has little to offer you in return.
What do you do?[]
- A) Assist Elia in looking for a good bone
- B) Ask Lex if you can help him find what he is looking for
- C) Search around for a motor
Condition: Spicy (two days remaining)
Party: Elia, female Cubone Lex, male Ralts
Inventory: 2 Pokebs 1 antidote 5 berries 1 potion 1 town map
Social Links: (3) Elia, Female Cubone (2) Lex, Male Ralts (1) Varejao's Caravan, Bulbasaurs/Ivysaurs/Venusaur (1) Jun, Male Squirtle
Quests: 1) Find a way into the Pokemon Lab -> Explore the Pokemon Lab 2) Find a motor for Jun
Though Lex seems to be an alright Ralts, Elia has been helping you out this entire time. You would be remiss to not give her a hand now.
As you make your way into the enclosed graveyard, you spot Elia searching through a pile of skeletons. She lifts up what looks to be the bone of some Pokemon's arm and immediately whacks it down on a nearby set of ribs. The ribs cave in, but Elia shakes her head and tosses the bone in her hands away.
"So uh... what makes for a good bone?" you ask, approaching the Cubone. She continues digging through the pile of remains, not looking up to meet your gaze.
"Some Pokemon evolved to have stronger skeletons than others. A Pokemon that attacks physically will tend to have a stronger skeleton."
"Uh huh..." you say, nodding your head. "So like... my skeleton? Not that I'm offering."
She scoffs. "Sneasels are more agile than they are strong. No offense... a Nidorino would provide a much better specimen."
"Well, I know where we can find one of those..."
"Stop. I'm not using a fresh bone. That's gross."
You shrug. "So you're saying like... a Rhydon would be good?"
"Not a Rhydon either... most of the bones it has are too big. The smaller ones are a bad shape. I'm not looking for a rib, after all."
"Alright... I guess I'll take a look around and see what I can find."
"..." she does not respond after you announce your intentions. You start to walk to a different area when you hear her mutter a soft "Thanks".
The search through the graveyard is really unsettling. You step among the remains of what used to be a large amount of Pokemon, gathered here for some reason. You try to ignore the fact that they used to be living creatures, just like you, but every time you spot a skull you cannot help but linger on the empty eye sockets.
You try just glancing at skeletons as you go by, but none of them look particularly strong. Soon, you spy a pretty well sized bone... it seems to be from a winged Pokemon. You grab it and take it back to Elia, who is busy smacking another bone on the ground.
"Dammit!" she shouts, as the bone shatters against the floor. "I thought this was a Gallade... just a Gardevoir."
"Hey, how's this?" you ask, catching her attention and having hurt turn towards you. She takes one look and shakes her head. "Did that come from a winged skeleton?" You nod in response. She reaches forward, grabs it, then crushes it in her hand. "Hollow. They also don't age well."
"Well... what did you have before?"
"Heh... my brother and I each had a femur of a Raichu. Not the best, but our father gave them to us..." A shadow crosses her face and she grows quiet. Clearly, something dark is on her mind.
You apologize and continue searching elsewhere. As time goes on, you begin to wonder if you are really cut out for this. You glance up and see Lex in some corner of the lab, pouring through a number of books. You almost think you should go help him, right before tripping over a skeleton. You glance at it and notice its skull. A Hitmonchan... a Hitmonchan! You reach out and grab one of its arms, pulling on the humerus and yanking it free of its confines. You try bending it, then smack it against the ground a few times. It does not even dent. You swing it at one of the legs of the Hitmonchan... and the leg bone cracks in two. Smirking, you turn back towards Elia and head her way.
As you near, you see her sitting on the ground, examining two separate bones. She hears you approaching and speaks up. "I think I may just need to pick from what I have... if I try to be too picky, I'll just come away with nothing."
"Well... what do you have?" you ask, hiding your excitement.
"An Arcanine leg and a Tauros front leg. The Arcanine one is a little big, but stronger than the Tauros one. A back leg would've been good, but they were not in good condition."
"How about a Hitmonchan arm?"
She laughs. "That would be one hell of a stroke of luck." She looks up and sees you holding the bone out to her. Her eyes grow wider than you thought they could and her mouth gapes open.
"Is that... really...?"
You nod.
She quickly gets up and grabs the bone from you. She brings it down on the two bones she was looking at...
Elia has a bone!
CRACK!
They both crunch into pieces. She stares at the bone for about ten seconds... then immediately jumps at you, throwing her arms around you. Interestingly enough, she does not let go of the bone.
"Oh, Thanatos! Thank you so much!" she squeals with delight, her emotions completely catching you off guard. You never saw her a fraction of this... giddy, before. "This is perfect! Maybe better than what my brother has."
"Your brother?" you ask, trying not to get crushed in her grip.
"Oh..." she lets go of you and backs up a step. "Yeah... don't worry about it." Her face darkens once more, but then she looks at the bone in her hand and smiles again. "I've got to say Thanny... I never would've expected you to be useful in the slightest."
There she goes. Back to her usual self.
The two of you exit the graveyard and head over to Lex. He reads in silence as the two of you sit there, waiting for him. He flips through pages crazily, occasionally ripping a few out by accident, constantly adjusting his glasses. Finally, he closes up the book and looks up at you two.
"This is perfect!" he says. "I found everything I was looking for. The greatest location of mystical power in this region is the summit of the largest mountain in the northern range... also known as Mt. Moon."
"Mt. Moon, huh?" you reply. It brings back memories of one of the picture books your mother showed you, with what you now realized was a human clad in black with a silvery crescent moon on his chest.
"I've heard of it" says Elia. "It's one of the main routes of travel up north."
"Yes, true." continues Lex. "It says in these books that strange phenomena occur at the crater during lunar eclipses. Something about the sun not being able to interfere with the cosmic energy due to the planet blocking its rays... truly fascinating!"
"Uh... sure..." Elia says.
"And the best part... there is a lunar eclipse coming up really soon! In just thirty days, to be precise. We just have to travel up north and find the summit in a month."
Elia looks down. "I'm not sure that's going to be so easy."
"Why not?" asks Lex.
"Well... it's a tough world. Traveling around isn't always as easy as you'd like it to be."
"Bah, I have traveled enough in my time. I am not scared." Lex turns to you. "Thanatos, will you accompany me?"
Before you can answer, Elia speaks up again. "You guys are going to need help if you want to make it up there. Trust me." She sighs. "I'll tag along."
So much for you getting a say in the matter.
"So it is decided... we should head out tomorrow. It is a little late now." Lex announces this as you feel a yawn coming on. "Oh, and before I forget... I saw a motor."
"I'm not sure we still need it" you say, "But that Squirtle seemed decent enough. A little lazy maybe. I don't mind helping him out."
"Sure, just help out some Pokemon who has nothing to offer you in return." Elia says this, and you give her a dirty look in response. You glance down at the bone you found for her, and she actually blushes in response. "Sorry... we can grab the motor."
"Come, this way." Lex leads the group over to a wall across the lab. As you walk along, you take glances at all of the equipment and bookshelves that you pass. You think about how, some time in the past, this building was used by probably a large amount of people. A lot of Pokemon were here too. And now they were all dead. The humans, too. All of this equipment gone to waste. You can only wonder what happened to the world that led to such devastation.
Eventually, the three of you reach a wall and Lex stops. He gestures forward at a somewhat small device at the foot of a pile of metal and other junk. You move forward to grab it, and pull it from the pile. Some of the objects on it slide down, disturbed by you grabbing the object. It looks strange to you, but Lex insists it is a motor... you put it in your pack, and step back.
A strange whirring sound starts up. Startled, you and the others look around to try to find the sources. Soon you realize it is coming from the pile you retrieved the motor from.
"What... is that?" asks Elia.
A spot on the pile appears to "open up", and bright light is emitted. You shield your eyes. As they come into focus, you see a smaller red spot within the whole white area that moves around side to side. It eventually stops, pointing straight at you. You realize it is an eye.
"ZZzzz... zzzzzZZZZZZZnnnnnnzzzz..."
"Uh..." Elia's voice is wavering. "I think we should go..."
"zzzZZZZZZZONE!"
"Get down!" you yell, as you turn around and tackle your two companions to the ground. A bright light shoots above you and hits part of the glass that surrounded the middle "graveyard" part of the room. The glass shatters in an explosion. You pull your friends up as you glance behind yourself. The junk on the pile is being thrown off. Underneath is a large metal Pokemon.
"zzzzZZZZ.... ZONE!"
"Run!" you shout as the three of you book it. You hear another explosion as the area you just vacated gets zapped. There is a set of double doors nearby that get thrown open by some force... Lex's psychic powers, you figure. Behind is a dark corridor. You quickly lead the party down the hall.
After you get fifty feet down the hall, you hear another explosion behind you. Taking a look, you see the Pokemon bursting through. It floats through the air, with two U shapes rotating wildly on either end.
"What is this thing?!" you shout as you turn a corner with the other two.
An ancient, defective Magnezone
"A Magnezone!" Lex responds. "It must have been dormant for all this time... I wonder how old it is..."
"Let's not stop to ask!" yells Elia as you hear the Magnezone slam into the wall behind you, failing to take the corner as smoothly.
"zzzzZZZZZOOOOOOzzzzzz!"
After taking another turn, you soon arrive at a T-junction. In front of you is a pile of rubble blocking a door... without thinking, you quickly scale it and jump up onto an old light fixture hanging from the ceiling. Lex and Elia stare up at you bewildered. You then realize that they are not agile enough to follow you.
The Magnezone arrives in vision as it slams through the turn. Smacking against the wall, it shakes for a bit as it tries to regain its bearings. Lex runs down one hallway while Elia takes the other. The Magnezone is soon below you, and you feel your hairs stand up. From fear and static.
The Magnezone quickly looks both ways, seeing its targets running either way. It has not noticed you.
Gripping tightly to the light fixture, you realize a broken piece of the ceiling lies right in front of you. It is sizable... not enough to damage the Magnezone surely, but enough to grab its attention. You could probably direct the Magnezone after whomever you want... but who would fare better? Elia with her new bone, or Lex with his psychic abilities. Or you with your speed? You grab the piece of the ceiling...
What do you do with it?[]
- A) Toss it in the direction of Lex
- B) Toss it in the direction of Elia
- C) Drop it on the Magnezone and run down the way you came, luring it away from the others
Condition:
Spicy (two days remaining)
Party: Elia, female Cubone Lex, male Ralts
Inventory: 2 Pokebs 1 antidote 5 berries 1 potion 1 town map 1 motor
Social Links: (4) Elia, Female Cubone (2) Lex, Male Ralts (1) Varejao's Caravan, Bulbasaurs/Ivysaurs/Venusaur (1) Jun, Male Squirtle
Quests: 1) Explore the Pokemon Lab 2) Find a motor for Jun -> Deliver the motor to Jun
You do not think that Lex would be able to deal with the Magnezone. Elia might fare better... but this is your chance to make an impact. You drop the piece of rubble on the Magnezone, then quickly jump in the direction your group came from.
"ZZZZOOOOONE!"
You dash as fast as you can, not even bothering to see if it noticed until you reach the corner. Glancing back, you see a bright light emitting from the Magnezone. You dive around the corner, barely escaping from the electric attack. There is no doubt... it is coming for you.
You dash back the way you came, leaping over pieces of rubble left by the Magnezone's rampage. However, looking back, you see that it made it back to the corner faster than you can make it down the hall. Luckily, there's another door coming up on your side. You try opening it, but it does not budge...
Hearing the sound of the Magnezone charging up another attack, you quickly slash at the door handles as hard as you can. It hurts to break through the old metal, but you succeed in getting the door unlocked. You rush into the hall.
You keep sprinting down the new corridor, but feel yourself growing tired. Soon, the doors behind you are blasted off their hinges. You reach another T-shaped junction, but you could tell the Magnezone was closing in. You take a quick left, and run a few meters before you realize that you ran into a dead end.
You turn around, seeing the Magnezone crash into the junction. It quickly turns and sets its sights on you. It floats at you, making you take a step back. You step on a piece of rubble and lose your footing, falling onto your behind. You feel the pain as you land, but you are more worried about the approaching Magnezone. As it nears, you feel fear building up.
"Zzzz.... zzzZZZZZ"
The Magnezone is now right before you. You close your eyes and scream. However, instead of sound coming out, you feel an intense cold escaping your mouth. You open your eyes and see a flurry of frosty shards flying out at the Magnezone in a cone. It closes its eye as the ice attack hits its face. Soon, your attack stops. But it opens its eye, seemingly unfazed by the attack. It begins glowing as it charges up another attack.
Well crud.
In a flash, Lex appears before you, and lays a hand on your leg. You feel the same space-folding experience as earlier, and soon find yourself on the other side of the assaulting Pokemon. Lex helps pull you to your feet, and you return the way you came. The Magnezone does not turn around immediately, apparently believing to have vaporized you. You and Lex run back to the first T-junction, hoping to encounter Elia again. You head the way she originally ran, and follow through a long and winding hallway. Eventually, you reach a small room where you find Elia.
"You guys are alright? Did you beat that thing?"
"Uh... no" You reply to Elia. "We just ran from it."
"Then... where is it now?"
Answering Elia's question, the Magnezone bursts through another door in the room. Pieces of the building fly out, showering the three of you in rubble.
"ZZZZOOOONE!"
It begins glowing again, but this time it is a different color. The whole Pokemon is glowing...
Lex jumps in front of you and Elia and puts his hands up. A translucent purple wall appears in front of him just as the Magnezone expels its light. It is so bright that you are forced to close your eyes. It is also very loud.
The force from the Explosion strangely does not affect you... at least for a few seconds. Soon enough, you feel the force from the attack throw you back into a wall. You feel Elia land next to you, and then Lex lands atop you two.
As the smoke clears, you are finally able to open your eyes and see the results of the Magnezone's attack. The room has been destroyed. The path the Magnezone came through caved in... though the hallway you traveled through still stood clear enough. The other walls of the room however... they were completely down. Looking up, you could see the night sky. The Magnezone has literally blown a hole in the side of the building.
Elia groans as you roll Lex off of you two. He looks quite injured, clearly taking the brunt of the blow. However...
"Lex... you saved us" you say.
"It was..." he coughs, "... nothing special. You'd have done the same for me".
Elia reaches a hand over to address Lex's wounds. "You're hurt pretty bad... this will take at least a while to heal..."
Heal Lex?[]
- A) Use a potion
- B) Give him a berry
- C) Take him back to Elia's place to rest
Condition:
Spicy (two days remaining)
Party: Elia, female Cubone Lex, male Ralts
Inventory: 2 Pokebs 1 antidote 5 berries 1 potion 1 town map 1 motor
Social Links: (4) Elia, Female Cubone (2) Lex, Male Ralts (1) Varejao's Caravan, Bulbasaurs/Ivysaurs/Venusaur (1) Jun, Male Squirtle
Quests: 1) Explore the Pokemon Lab 2) Deliver the motor to Jun
INTERMISSION[]
Day 4: Evening (cont.)[]
You quickly fish a berry out from your bag and put it into Lex's mouth. He slowly closes down on it. As the berry pops, some of the juices inside splat onto the outside of his mouth. It almost looks as though there is blood trickling out of his maw.
He slowly chews and swallows. "Thank you" he croaks. "Let me... rest a bit..."
As Lex's eyes close, you begin to worry that he may be done for. Elia seems to see the worry on your face and chuckles. "Don't worry... he'll be fine."
"You're sure?"
"I've seen death before. This is hardly as terrifying."
The two of you sit there in silence, holding Lex as he rests. However, soon the sounds of Pokemon occupy the air. Soon, there is a crowd of Pallet Town occupants standing at the hole in the building. They are abuzz with small conversations... you have trouble hearing what individuals are saying. Your hearing is a little hampered by the Explosion from earlier.
Glancing across the crowd, your eyes finally fall upon the face of your mother. There she stands, Brome beside her, with her eyes wide in shock. As the two of you meet eachother's gaze, she squeals and runs forward to you.
"Thanatos! Oh honey... are you ok?!"
She is soon checking all over you, searching for injuries. You try to stay still to avoid shaking Lex, but your mother is relentless.
"Mom... stop... come on..." You see Elia watching the exchange with... sadness? Amusement? It is hard to make out her expression, but she seems very interested.
Finally, your mother stops and backs up. "Thanatos... what happened here? How did you get inside? Who are these Pokemon?"
Elia steps forward. "My name is Elia." She starts to extend a hand to your mother, but seeing her claws, decides to just bow a little instead. "I found Thanatos here a few days ago... I've been keeping watch over him since."
You blush, feeling utterly emasculated by your mother's actions and Elia's words. That all changes when Brome walks up. A lifetime of distasteful feelings wells up, and you stand, trying to look tough.
"Lex here got us in" you say while gesturing at the injured Ralts. "We happened across a large Pokemon that seemed to be rather ancient... angry as well." You looked behind your shoulder to the spot where the Magnezone blew up. "As you can see... we took care of it."
"Guahahahaha!" Brome's guttural laugh makes you cringe. "You mean it took care of itself! I know an Explosion when I see one."
Your eyes narrow in anger. You step forward, almost ready to challenge the Nidorino. Seeing what is about to occur, your mother stands up in places herself between the two of you.
"Come on. You three have been through a lot. You can stay back at home for tonight."
"I thought we already talked about this-" Brome started to argue, but was quickly cut off by your mother.
"For tonight. Look at them Brome... they're injured. Now come on."
Brome grumbles before reluctantly picking up Lex and tossing him on his back. Elia tries to protest, but your mother pushes her along. Before long, you are back where you started - at home. You feel comfortable... but you also feel like you do not belong. Before long, sleep takes you.
Elsewhere, a Pokemon flies through the sky. The clouds are thick with dust and radiation, but this one flies undisturbed. Before long, it turns its head downward and plummets into a steep dive. Clouds rush by its vision maddeningly fast, and soon it breaks through the cover about a mile above the ground.
Below the Pokemon is a city... or at least, what is left of one. Even despite the destruction, however, there seems to be much life throughout this place. Various lights help to brighten the streets at night, and a handful of buildings seem to be illuminated by some source. It is the largest of these buildings that the Pokemon is diving towards. In front of it, a few other creatures stand guard, and they soon spy the flying Pokemon above them. They point up at it and shout in fear.
The Pokemon, mere meters above the ground, pulls out of its dive smoothly and abruptly. It flies just a bit upward before spreading its wings and quickly descends to the ground.
The guard-Pokemon, a Graveler and a Golduck, quickly fall to their knees and bend their heads down. The Pokemon that just landed walks forward, as comfortable on the ground as it was in the air. The doors of the building fly open to allow it entry.
As it walks through the entrance, other Pokemon inside quickly drop to bow their heads to it. Ignoring them all, it continues to walk forward until it enters into the large chamber that makes up the majority of the building. It advances to the far side of the chambers, where in the middle sits a large rock chair. On the chair sits a small brown Pokemon. He smiles and greets his visitor.
"Welcome... friend. I trust your flight was comfortable?"
"Cut the shit." responds the gruff voice of the flying Pokemon. He glares at the Pokemon in the throne. "You know why I am here. Have you made any progress?"
The sitting Pokemon, seemingly unfazed by his visitor's demeanor, responds with a small wave of his hand. "I'm afraid to say that we have not been too successful. The items you are asking me to procure are... how to put this... impossible to come by?"
"If it were impossible, I would not have some in my possession!" The flying Pokemon yells back. "Do not forget what you owe me. I expect results. Continue to fail to provide them, and there will be a new scummy prick sitting on that chair."
The seated Pokemon raises his hand again. "Peace friend... I do have results. Just... of a different sort. We have found something in the forest. I believe it is another item you are searching for."
"..." The visitor remains silent.
"A weapon of sorts... man-made. There was a small quarry hidden away in the forest at one point. Some Pokemon were established there, worshiping their leader as if he were some sort of god. Can you imagine that? Being treated as a god?"
"..." The visitor continues to stare silently.
"Well, of course you can. Anyway, we ousted their deity... rather simply, I should say. Despite having power, he was unskilled in using it. The rest of their little cult was either eliminated or returned here to serve."
"... And the weapon?"
"Hidden somewhere. But do not worry - we found the location. It will only be a matter of time before we find it."
"... I see. Very well. I shall return in a few weeks. I'll be expecting you to have something for me by then."
"And I'll be expecting to deliver it to you. Glad you dropped by... sir."
The visitor made to leave, but was stopped by the seated Pokemon. "You have a flight ahead of you... allow me to give you some food before you go. You there!" He points at a Caterpie by the wall. "Come... bring food for our guest." The Caterpie approached the flying Pokemon with a small tray of food. "This is one of our new ones... from the quarry. He expressed great desire to serve, and, well, not die. So we kept him around."
The Caterpie reached the visitor and offered the tray. For the first time, the Pokemon smiled. "My favorite... how did you know?"
The Caterpie's eyes grew wide as the flying Pokemon knocked its tray to the ground. He backed up as the visitor came closer and closer. The last thing the Caterpie ever saw was the scar across the Pokemon's right eye before its beak closed in.
Day 5: Morning (29 days until Lunar Eclipse)[]
You are woken up by Elia, her hand shaking your shoulder.
"Come on Thanny, you can't sleep all day."
You groan and stretch your arms out. You see Elia beside you. Soon, your mother approaches.
"Good morning Thanatos. I spoke with Brome... you can come back. The fellow Pokemon who live here found a surplus of supplies in the lab... they are establishing a form of community to distribute the food. You three may have just helped to turn this town into a real town again."
Your mother's pride makes you grin like an idiot. However, you cannot shake the feeling of being an alien in your old house. You look over at Elia and Lex. You remember the decision to travel to Mt. Moon. "Mother... I can't stay. I've got to head out... make it on my own."
Your mother continues smiling, though there is sadness in her eyes. "I thought you would say that. Well... stay one more night. Your Ralts friend will need to rest here the entire day. You should leave tomorrow morning."
"Sounds good to me. Thank you for housing us." Elia offers her thanks to your mother as you check your inventory. Everything is still there.
You have the motor that Jun wanted, although you no longer require his assistance getting into the lab. You could check out what is occurring at the Pokemon lab. And there is still the case of the Poochyena that you left injured at the outskirts of town.
Where to?[]
- A) Pokemon Lab
- B) Outskirts
- C) Sea
Also... CONGRATULATIONS! You completed a quest!
Choose perk for completing "Explore the Pokemon Lab"[]
- 1) Lex's Favor (Lex will be more effective)
- 2) Elia's Favor (Elia will be more effective)
Condition:
Spicy (two days remaining)
Party: Elia, female Cubone
Inventory: 2 Pokebs 1 antidote 4 berries 1 potion 1 town map 1 motor
Social Links: (3) Elia, Female Cubone (2) Lex, Male Ralts (1) Varejao's Caravan, Bulbasaurs/Ivysaurs/Venusaur (1) Jun, Male Squirtle
Quests: 1) Deliver the motor to Jun