StevenZ12 : Good holidays Readers. I hope you all are doing well. As the playdown of pokemon Sun and Pokemon moon as settled, I feel like i can go back to writing once again. Becoming a Pokemon VG Judge and many less fortunate events has cut my concentration and my inspiration for the story, for that, I do apologize. I have also taken some time to thing on my story so far, in order to see how i can improve. I am indeed a romantic, which is always funny to se whenever i reread the chapters of my story. That aside, this is still a adventure, then a romance story, and i'll have to remind myself of that for the future chapters. I hope indeed that all of you enjoyed the latest installment of pokemon games, because it's great ! I hope that all of you who loves Sven will have some pleasure reading this chapter as our third hero finally comes back to our leading Duo.
Chapter 24 : The sorrowful Experiment
Temple of Xochi ( Morning) -
It was a rather fresh morning in the village where Sven, Snow and Andre were visiting. The gentle caress of the sun was heating the flowery garden where the trio and their pokemon had camped. A few Paramoths fluttered around the area, waking up from their slumber and were now heading toward the flower garden to claim their breakfast consisting of berries and flower nectar. Their sylverish scales were creating a magical, shimmering illusion that had everything to mesmerize the eyes. It's in this scenery that Andre woke up, cocooned in his sleeping bag and sorrounded by Aguade, Vulpix and Peppit. His newly acquired Chimpoca was snoring rather loudly on a tree nearby. A few meters further, Snow was still fast asleep, half-hugged by Alpint's trump...who was asleep while standing...On top of Alpint layed a slumbering Foliat.
"Sounds like i'm the only one awake yet...and also the one who's gonna be on waking up duty too." Andre groaned while doing his morning stretches. The Raven haired teen took the time to admire the scenery and feel the wind gently caressing him through, invigorating him with much needed energy. He soon felt like a new man, ready to take on the day.
The teen then went to wake up his pokemon, who all had...interesting reactions.
Aguade and Vulpix both jumped and respecitvely used wter gun and ember which Andre barely avoided before both team leader realised they had slept with each other and jumped away ackwardly, Peppit lazily opened his eyes before troting to his pokeball and getting sucked inside it, resuming his sleep in his cozy personal space, Chimpoca basically fell of the tree he was sleeping, requiring Andre to jump like a receiver to catch the imp before the monkey had a concussion from falling from that height. The clueless monkey's eyes fluttered open and let out a huge yawn before hopping on the ground and sitting up, scratching his head in wonder. How the heck was he on the ground when the last thing he remembered was him falling asleep on a tree branch, lulled by the quiet whispers of the forest the night before. Andre couldn't help but chuckle at how helpless his pokemon looked at that very moment. Picking up his chimpoca and placing him on top of his head, Andre walked back to the others.
Snow had woken up a few moments after Andre had left to wake Chimpoca, a little annoyed at the morning noise Andre's team had made. Her passing bad mood however soon faded upon laying eyes on the lovely morning scenery.
"Still can't believe that I get to travel and wake up to such a beautiful scenery." She thoughtfully said to herself. The silver eyed maiden then started humming a song while waking up Alpint and Flora . Few moments later Andre arrived with a gray furred pokemon on top of his head, making Snow laugh. Andre's eyebrows twiched upward.
"What is it Snow ?" He asked
His clueless expression made the whole thing look even more funny to Snow. " You should see how ridiculous you look right now ! " She replied, her face red with laughter.
Andre simply shook his head and made Chimpoca hop off his head. The baby imp pokemon, now wide awake, happily obliged, strutting toward his teammates. Andre walked to Snow and lightly kissed her forehead.
"Good Morning Snow." He simply said, giving her a quick hug before letting go. (slightly too early for Snow's taste)
The girl had been silenced, not expecting Andre to do that at all. "G-good morning Andre.." She replied, positively blushing. "How was your night ?" She managed to croak out, making all the pokemon snicker loudly.
"Haha Did you get a load of that ? The Poor girl couldn't even reply for a while." Peppit commented.
"I sure did Bro ! I have to say that it's rare to see Andre taking the lead in their relationship." Aguade commented, already searching for a berry to chow down.
Vixen Snorted. "Like you're one to talk, lizard !" She mocked, making the latter growl a little, but he didnt respond.
Chimpoca seemed to be a little alone as he was new to the group. Being the kind soul she was, Flora walked to the little fighting type.
"Hey there you, good morning !" She chirped with a smile.
"Hey..um... ?" The baby imp pokemon replied, not really knowing her name
The grass type giggled, of course he wouldn't know her name.
" Flora. My name is Flora and I ama Foliat . Happy to meet you." She presented herself, extending a wing.
Chimpoca took it. " I-i'm glad to meet you too Flora. I dont think I have a name for myself yet...but i am a Chimpoca !" He gently introduced himself. Foliat happy chirped and rubbed her beak on the imp's cheek in a friendly gesture. It warmed Chimpoca's heart and helped him be more at ease.
From afar however, Peppit felt his eyebrows frown upon seeing that. It made him miss the joke Agude was telling him, and his frowning expression didnt escape the salt lizard pokemon. "Yo Pit !" Aguade called.
"Huh.. ? What is it ?" said the dual typed bunny pokemon, now back to reality
Aguade chuckled. " That should be what I say man. You okay ?"
Peppit casted one last glance to Flora and the now happily talking Chimpoca then back at Itzatl. "Yeah, Nothing to worry about." He said, more to appease Itzatl than actually being truthful.
It worked.
"Oh okay then. It's all good then." The water type said as he left with Vulpix for a slight walk around the field.
Snow and Andre had finished packing and set up for an improvised Breakfast, as Sven wasnt there...
Speaking of Sven...
"Where is he ? " Andre asked out loud. Snow knew he was talking about Sven. The teen did miss him, even though his jokes were annoying, having him around to show them the ropes of travelling and the fact that he was older helped a lot. It made her even more secure. She sighed. "I sure hope he's okay and he'll come back soon..." She replied, starting on the Oran berries.
"Yeah.." Andre sighed as well.
…...
"Awww...I never knew I meant so much for you guys...gee ya making me go Mesprit !" A voice said.
Andre's ears perked up. " That perticuliar voice !"
Snow's eyebrows twitched. " These lame but hilarious puns..."
" This means only one thing..." Both teen said together while turning toward the voice.
Sven was walking toward them, his clothes strangely not even that dirty, his trusted Gilla o his right shoulder and...and...something weird on his left shoulder ?
The creature ressembled a translucid container filled one third with some strange liquid. Two purple eyes and a jagged mouth completed the whole attirail. What was even weirder was the fact that the pokemon looked happy beyond happiness.
Unable to contain himself more, Andre pointed an accusatory finger toward Sven. "Sven, where in the name of Arceus were you !" He shouted in indignation, Snow nodding her head in agreement as she was asking unspokingly the same question.
The Older teen ackwardly scratched the back of his head, laughing sheepishly... " You see..."
* The Day Before – The Village Pokemon Center*
Sven had left the pokemon center precipitedly after having received a call from the champion, Ahmad. The Black skinned man had informed him about some trouble erupting from a certain group within the Gold Jade forest neirbouring the village. As Sven was the closest of the place, he had called him to investigate. Of course, Sven had acceted and quickly proceeded to leave the two teenagers to themselves.
"After all, they have each other and it,s erfect this way !" Sven muttered as he entered the Gold Jade Forest.
The Gold Jade forest was slightly less humid than the Freen Oak Forrest, with only a single river deserving a pond in the middle. It was native to many species of Grass pokemon, who enjoyed the fresh air and the plants growing near the riverbank. Being around the hot hours of the day, the pokemon trainer expected the forest to be crowded near the upper leaves in order to take in their fill of warm sunlight, being grass type, and other pokemon heading to the river bank to drink the clear water of the lake. However, the forest was eerily quiet, and also almost no pokemon were in sight.
"Whatever is wrong here ?" Sven asked, not really understanding what was going on there.
"I agree with you Sven...There should be more pokemon here at this time of the day..." Gilla replied, hopping down Sven's shoulders in order to scout the area better.
It was around that moment when Sven actually noted something very inhabitual. The smell in the air was fairly sweet, which was a problem, since there were not much berries far from the lake, and even then they didnt smell as sweet. There was definirely a problem within the forrest...because the faint smell only meant one thing, and Scen knew that smell pretty well.
"It's that kind of Smell, isnt it ?" Gilla said, softly growling for emphasis, feeling that theproblem might be slightly more serious than they first anticipated it.
Sven nodded gravely. " Something jhappened in this forest...This is the Smell of Poison." He muttered.
- A little further in the forrest -
"Heyo Joselito ! I'm pretty sure we did good in wrecking that old temple. There were indeed a lot of Jade in there." One man with a funny accent cackled, haulingh a big bag over his Shoulders. A Persian and Murkrow were chatting next to him, seemingly comparing the goods they had manaed to take from the little temple.
"Si senor ! I have to say, those natives just didnt know what to do with all their riches so they had to offer them to them spirits or what not ! It's Ludicrous..." Another man said, a Croagunk and Stunky right next to him. Both man were wearing a black suit and hat, complemented by Emerald fingerless gloves. Their shirt were also Emerald with a back tie and a single bar orned all their shoulders. On a Gold coloroed hankerchief, a black O was printed. Strangely enough, this attire was comfortable enough to wear in all seasons and in any environment...so both man didnt feel bothered at all by being covered up in summer in the middle of the Forest.
The man called Joselito seemed to enjoy greatly the haul they had done, humming a Kalosian tune and quickly enjoined by his acolyte.
"I wouldn't say that the spirit pokemon are fake though Alejandro...We know for a fact that Arceus Exist...and So does Palkia and Dialga." Joselito added before taking a bit from his sandwich and sharing it with his pokemon.
Taking his exemple, the other acolythe took his break and fed his Pokemon, who greatly enjoyed eating human food, not at all harmful to them for the most part.
"I do ask...what should we do about the Pokemon that came out of the ruins to attack us.. ?" Alejandro asked as his pokemon were finishing their meal.
" Well...I do not know, but that pokemon is a little unstable...so i'd advise that we wrap up quickly and go back to the Oro Syndicate District Quarters back at Gol'pex city." Said Joselito, who returned his pokemon while releasing another one. A rather large bird with Three heads that noisily shouted their battle cry before settling down, each head receiving a pet from Joselito.
" Sure !" Said his partner, who hopped on a Dodrio of his own. Both acolytes quickly left the area, leaving a Gold feather near the shrine, as a signature.
- Back at Sven -
The black haired trainer had walked further deep within the forest, and confirming his suspicions. Many pokemon where lying there, poisoned. Some pokemon even had battle marks on them, and for good reasons too. Around where the battle and struggling signs had been seen, there were empty pecha bushes, indicing that the many poisoned pokemon most likely had lunged toward the nearest bush to ensure theirs or their childs safety from the poison. Sven knew that while to "teenage" and "Adults" Pokemon, poison was of no threat, at most pokemon would be sick for a few days before their system would expel the poison, but for younger pokemon, the trat of severly imparing them and even killing them was very well present, which was why a lot of the pokemons might have been going crazy for these pecha bushes.
"We must be very careful Gilla...It's really as if there was a mass poisoning in this Forest !" Sven mumured to his Purple companion.
"Sv-Sven !" Gilla fearfully replied, earning himself a look of confusion from his trainer. He hadn't said anything weird or funny hadn't he ?
"T-t-t-TURN AROUND YOU IDIOT !" Gilla shouted while Sven felt a gust of wind near him and jumped out of the way !
"What the heck Gillz !" Sven said as he landed, turning to face whoever was trying to air slap him away...and his eyes widened.
In front of him was a Giant Shftry...whose face was tinged a faint purple, sure sign of poison. Next to him was a little seedot, also glowing purple with poison. The big Grass type looked at Gilla with Hatred, probably judging him as the cause of their suffering.
"Shift ! TRY !" The wicked pokemon shouted while harging a Dark Pulse within his fans...
Gilla, we gotta calm him down the hard way ! Use Venoshock now !" Sven quickly ordered, knowing that the Parent shiftry wouldn't listen to reason. With Grade A reaction time, the little lizard pokemon lauched a glowing green substance that effectively knocked the Shiftry out, being twice as effective while the Grass/Dark pokemon was poisoned. Despite his size, The Shiftry went down.
"Phew, I'm happy that he went down quickly..." Sven relievely said.
"Shroom..." a little voice chirped.
Sven looked around and saw his almost always asleep Ketruffle waking up and Glowing purple. The little bugger was evolving. Once the Purple light died down, a very new pokemon emerged. The body of the spore pokemon had now taken a purple furry hue, with White dotted Red mushrooms growing on his back. A strange bushy moustache had grown near the pokemon's mouth, Ketruffle now had evolved into a Perishroom.
"Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeey...I eeeeeeeevoooooooolveeeeeeeeed Sveeeeeeen." The Pokemon happily yet dopeyly informed his trainer, gently rubbing his mushrooms on his leg. The trainer was overjoyed and picked the Mushroom pokemon and hugged him tightly, making a now awake and poison free shiftry and his little Seedot Gasp in surprise. They thought that the teen was one crazy human to "Hug" a potentially toxic pokemon like it was a big Teddiursa. Sven patted the Perishroom on his head and put it down on the ground, walking toward the seedot andthe Shiftry, who had somewhat relaxed as they saw that the human meant no harm.
" I guess that you guys wonder how cani touch and wistand your poisoning and hug a Perishroom right ?" He said, with both pokemon nodding. The Pokemon trainer simply smiled as he cut his finger slightly and stuck it in Perishrooms fur, making both their eyes widen in alarm...then in astonishment when the human simply smiled and retired his hand from Perishroom's fur, his hand looking pristine and his perishroom dopeyly yawn before falling asleep once more, quickly returned by Sven afterward.
"It's a rather long story...but i am immune to poison, and actually i am cured by it for some reason." He explained. Now open your mouth Seedot, i am going to heal you from that poisoning. Sven said as he gently cut his finger once more and dilluded the little dropplet of blood in slightly salted water to clean his blood of pathologies and made the seedot drink. Within seconds the acorn pokemon was healed and bouncing happily near a very grateful Shiftry.
"Care to tell us how did you two ...and half this forest ended up poisoned ?" He asked the jungle lord, who took the duo to the Native Shrine to Patama. The once lovely shrine sorrounded by marigolds was a complete wreck.. Only the wooden statue of Patama had remained intact, probably so the culprits wouldn't be cursedor pursued by the legendary pokemon. At the northen entrance, Sven was able to see the single Gold feather and the footprints of two Dodrios down the forest path.
"So it was true...The Oro Syndicate does go around and rob temples...I wish it wasnt...this could escalate very quickly..." Sven thought, solemn, while Gilla and the Grass type family was talking about something slightly different.
"So you're saying that it was a strange, glass ly pokemon that spewed gases everywhere that poisoned you ?" He asked to the mother shiftry
"Yes. I was mad with poison so I attacked you because you look like a poison type...but if I had my head clear i would have made the difference..." Apologized the Shiftry while holding a sleeping Seedot in her arms. "Ir looks very weird that a single pokemon could poison an entire forest..but since this mon was using gases it could be a good explanation." reasoned Gilla. Sven came over and Gilla quickly and briefly explained the situation to him. Sven and Gilla promized to help the forest and left the area, with Sven picking up the Golden feather and putting him in his bag.
They walked across the forest, Sven healing all the pokemon he could see with antidotes and handling the most advanced cases with his own blood solution. Thankfully there werent a lot of pokemon needing his direct intervention, it could have been pretty dire for him.
Their steps led them to the lake's shore where a faint purple mist had covered most of the area. Many pokemon were laying down, suffering from the poison that came from probably a potent poison gas attack.
"Lord...what have happened here ?" Gilla inquired, his eyes wide in disbelief. How could there be so much poisonous gasses in the middle of the forest...at one of the place you definitely didnt want to be polluted. "Beats me...but i have the feeling that the pokemon responsible for this...is pretty close." Sven said, not knowing just how right he was...and just how close the pokemon was actually.
Lurking in the riverplants, was a glass-like pokemon, waiting on an occasion to strike. He was very afraid...as humans had already attacked him while he was at the temple, living his life normally trying to transform jade into gold.. He only wanted to try to do his thing.. but then was unjustly attacked and kicked out of his little place...making him panick and plunge half the forest in toxic fumes. His actions had attired him the ire of most pokemon in the forest..forcing him into a life of hiding. The little pokemon tucked in his little body...feeling bad about attacking people tht obviously were fixing his mistakes...but he couldn't take any chances at that point.
Breathing deeply, the little pokemon jumped off the bushes and launched a smog attack.
Sven quickly reacted to the attack, sending out his Perishroom. " Alright buddy, now use Clear Smog and extend it to the whole Area !" He shouted.
"Oooooooookeeeeeeeyyy !" Perishroom lazily said as he lauched a strong white smoke current toward the Phlask...who was lauced backward. The Clear Smog attack also proceeded to clear the atmosphere around the lake out of any toxic fumes wafting in the area.
The little pokemon looked a little panicked, now that he couldnt conceal in that purple mist anymore. He then launched many sludges toward both perishroom and Sven. The trainer stood in front of his Perishroom, despite the attack being of no treat to a Poison/Ghost pokemon like Perishroom. The attack covered the trainer in purple goo, and almost just as quickly was absorbed by the skin of the trainer, not feeling any harm whatsoever. Very surprised about this outcome...the little Phlask quickly tried to go back into hiding, now believing that his lasts hours had come...but Sven had other plans for him.
"Okay...that is enough Perishroom, Return !" Sven said as he returned his shroom pokemon right in his pokeball before putting his hands behind his back.
The little Phlask now looked at him in curiosity, wondering what exactly the human was doing...
Sven sighed slightly "Well that's one part of the problem down...I have his attention now.." He though as he inched a little closer to the poison type, who visibly relaxed. This human wasnt going to try to hurt him...
"What have happened to you Phlask ?" Why were you so afraid that you poisoned the entire area ?" He asked with the softest voice he could muster, not wanting to frighten the little pokemon.
The poison type looked up...and teared up almost immediately. "I was abandonned...after some strange folk came here with a bunch of relatives for some weird experiences..." He revealed, sorrowful about his lost friends.
Sven felt his blood boil. Like everytime he heard that Pokemon had been used then abandonned by humans... "Can I ask you what kind of experiments ?" He forced himself to ask before he got really angry ..
The litte fella seemed to be pensive for a short while...and then answered "I think it had something to do with trandorming Green Rocks and Shards into Emerald or Jade... And the persons had a strange suit with a Dark Handkerchief with that strange circular shape humans seems to call "Zero" I was scary...and sometimes they wouldn't even feed us...just make us use our gasses over and over without giving us the fuel we need to produce it..and in the end, they wrecked this strange construction over there and left me all alone...I dont know where the others have went..." The little pokemon sobbed.
"Those morons from the Oro Syndicate...it seems that Ahmad was right after all.." Sven Growled
"Yup Sven...they are on the move now ! But what should we do then..." Gilla noted then asked, his tail swishing left and right in thoughs.
The teen smiled and happily picked up the Little Phlask who gasped in surprise...however the touch of that human was more calming, especially since he knew he was immune to his toxic fumes...although that he wouldn't release anynow that he knew he was safe.
"I'll take care of you , as I train poison type pokemon and cannot really leave you in the middle of a forest where you'd stay all alone anyway. I'll call you Titanox..Do you want to Join me ?" He asked, making Gilla snicker. "This guy and his ways of catching his pokemons..." He muttered, already knowing that the Phlask would come with them anyway.
Overjoyed, the Phlask didnt think twice before foragging in Sven's bag and pulling out a pokeball. The little bugger had known pokeballs from seeing all the pokemon that were with the humans being sucked in and conveniently transported. He tapped the ball with his forehead and was sucked inside. The ball shook three times, and poof ! Sven had gotten himself a pretty affectuous Phlask.
Sven then looked at the sun and saw that it was about to set, so he left the forest with the Phlask after giving homage to Patama in front of the still intact statue. They arrived in the marigold meadow a little before nightfall and camped there, the little phlask clinging to Sven's leg on his first night out in a while.
At Dawn, Sven and his crew finally arrived at the temple...where he was met with some angry teenagers...and he sighed...he knew what was coming...
- The explanation done...-
Andre was doing his best not to shout in indignation ! 'So that was what you were doing ! Do you know how worried we were you little – beeeeeep- "!"
"Now now Andre...he had a good reason to leave...you heard him after all." Snow tried to calm Andre down.
The teen didnt seem to show any sign of calming down however as he opened his mouth to say another thing...but then saw the Phlask trembling behind Sven's leg and glowing slightly blue.
Snow noticed this as well. " So ? Who'se the new guy ?" She asked
Sven, relieved to be able to change the subject, was happy to answer. " This little fella's a Phlask. I know the name is horrible and Punny but he's a pretty resilient folk that I had to save in the forest...he kinda also covered me in toxic sludge too." He admitted sheepishly while rubbing his head. Not really seeing how the two teens's eyes had widened voluminiously.
"How are you still fine.. ?" Andre stammered in disbelief.
Sven just shrugged his shoulders and prepared himself to leave. " Let's just say that i was lucky that this little guy was very young so his poison isnt that potent yet..." He said, laughing as the trio took their leave from the temple and the priestess.
Snow suspiciously eyed Sven while the trio were walking down the Meadow just outside of the Vilage.
" Covered in toxic sludge and no harm...What are you hiding Sven ?" She wondered.
Sven quickly led the trio in front of a clearing leading to yet again another forest.
"There are a lot of those in this part of the region !" Andre noted, stretching after a few hours of walking.
Sven laughed once again. " Well it's kinda understandable you see, Green District is really known for their lovely forests after all. It's almost as if the whole area was like a gigantic national Park, i'd say," He commented before pointing to a sign. " This is through what well have to go in order to reach the next village. Snow, by the way, The next village will have a contest in it, so you might want to think about what you want to do then girl ! " Sven informed Snow, who smiled sweetly in return.
"Why thank you for the information Sven...i'll keep that in mind." Snow said. However the gears on the back of her mind were still turning at full regime. "Just what are you hiding Sven..." She once again asked herself before sighing. Not much would be able to be done now, she'd discover what was up eventually.
"So what's so special about this one ?" Andre asked.
Sven's expression turned dead serious. " This is the forest of illusions...and it is said that many trainers lost their very life in there. It is the home of one of the trickiest of Pokemon Predators...and Precaution is mandatory."
…
…
…
….
…...
"What the heck Sven !" Both teen shouted in fright, quickly joined by Aguade and Vulpix, who were walking next to each other, bumping into their trainers legs in shock
End of Chapter.
StevenZ12 : I want to wish a merry remainer of Holidays to all my reader. I wanted to get this chapter out and set up the next mini-Arc pretty quickly...but life being life kept me from doing so. But here as i am about to turn 22 i decided not to let another year of life go by like that without doing one last chapter as a newly world wide major:) I hope that you will have enjoyed the chapter, rate, review and have fun. I honestly love you all for taking the time to read my story. May 2017 brings all of the Pokemon Fan together and one last time, happy birthday Pokemon ! Thank you for those 20 years !