So I started yet another fic, not to worry, I'm updating Resolute Light next, then The Intruders, then lastly The Shattered Sword.
As usual, let me know what you guys think of it so far.
Aching head, check. Bones that feel like they just got hit by a freight train, check. A sense of unfamiliarity with my surroundings and the feeling of being watched, check and check.
"For hell's sake..." I muttered as I slowly raised myself to my feet with all manner of pain erupting across my legs.
I looked around the area. It appeared to be a heavily wooded forest, the scale of which I knew nothing about.
How could I have even ended up here? Last I remember I was doing my normal routine of monotonous errands that seemingly had no end. Can't say that I'm complaining, I'll take anything over what I was doing previously.
I check my pockets and find everything to still be in order in how I left them. My ID was in perfect condition, showing my name with my birthday below it and citizenship. I still had some money in my wallet.
My phone was still in my pants pocket as well, however after I turned it on I could tell something was off about it.
I checked my sweater's pockets and found my revolver in its holster still, no bullets were missing and it seemed just as clean as how I left it.
Then I realized the charge was full on my phone despite me having used it before I ended up here somehow. I know I've been using it throughout the day, how is it fully charged now of all times?
I grunted as the pain my legs were exerting grew to borderline unbearable levels like they were broken somehow.
Nothing made sense at the moment, it's like I was dragged and dropped out here without any of the evidence to support that hypothesis. Getting dragged and dropped out here doesn't explain my phone, nor that my money and ID are still in my wallet and that I'm still alive. If it was some form of kidnapping I'd be stripped of anything valuable.
A small pond caught my attention.
The reflection showed a great deal of detail. My light grey button up sweater and plain black hat seemed to have no grass stains or anything to suggest I was there for very long. The same went for my sweatpants.
It's almost like I appeared here without warning. Dropped into a strange land that I knew nothing about…
I collapsed to my ground as my feeble attempt at a limp failed to get me anywhere further than this damned pond.
I'm not getting anywhere fast at this rate.
I roll over and check my phone for a signal, finding that nothing is working on it surprisingly. Fully charged yet wasn't working properly, simply marvelous.
I couldn't help but laugh because this whole thing was playing out like it was a dream. Maybe it's not just my legs that are broken…
Self doubt at this point will only make this situation worse, I have to stay cool and collected in order to survive this mess.
A sudden rustling in the bushes caused me to be still and quiet.
Please be nothing but a squirrel or a deer, please be nothing that has any taste for blood…
Something blue exited the bushes.
It looked human at first glance, but closer inspection showed that it wasn't.
My mind jumped to it being a Greninja the very second I saw the weird scarf it makes with its tongue around its neck. Now I'm starting to get even more confused, maybe something really was broken. It was looking right at me with an intentful stare, should I be scared of it? It's probably just a hallucination from something that might be in my system.
It also had a weird badge and purple bandanna around its left arm.
I waved my hand sarcastically at it, hoping it'd wave back or just disappear.
It continued to stare at me, unfazed by my action in any way.
Guess it might just be a hallucination after all.
I looked back to my legs after pulling back my pants, nothing looked wrong visually. Meaning whatever was wrong might be internal, which would be worse for my situation. I have no medical knowledge besides how to make sure nothing gets infected and how to prevent myself from bleeding out should I lose a limb. I'm out of my league with this type of injury.
The 'Greninja' had seemingly gotten closer while I was turned away from it.
"Are you real? Or just a figment of my imagination?" I angrily half-yelled at it.
My patience is starting to wear thin like a strand of string. Whether it be because of my lack of options, or that I'm starting to suspect that it's real.
It changed into a battle ready stance in surprise. At least it finally reacted to something I did, which might not be a good thing if it perceives me as a threat.
Slowly I reached for my revolver, just in case it tried anything…
More rustling in the bushes caught my attention.
"Who yelled that?" someone said as they exited the bushes.
A whole Gardevoir and Gallade exited the bushes, either I really lost it or I'm in really big trouble. How could they talk normally like that? They aren't even supposed to technically exist where I'm from.
They seemed to both have a purple bandana wrapped around their left arms along with one of the weird badges on each of their chests.
They caught sight of me and mimed the expression that the Greninja had.
Something inside me clicked that this wasn't going to end well if I didn't at least try to get away.
The Greninja took another step towards me.
In one movement I rolled backwards onto my knees with my revolver now trained directly on it.
"One more step towards me and the tree behind you gets decorated with your brains." I said in a much more panicked voice then I would have liked, as the hammer on the revolver clicked into place.
Its expression intensified, until it finally spoke in a deep voice that I wasn't expecting, "Just calm down..."
It took another step.
The crack of a shot going off echoed throughout the entire forest as the Greninja staggered back in some form of shock.
I missed purposely, hopefully that'll keep them away from me.
The hammer clicked again as I spoke, "Stay at a safe distance away, and nobody gets hurt, do you understand?"
It nodded as the Gallade and Gardevoir also stopped their approach.
"What happened to you?" it asked.
No harm in answering most of its questions, "Can't remember, I just ended up here without any memory as to how and why."
I'm going to neglect telling them about my legs for right now, they could be trying to get me to put my guard down.
"... What is that thing anyway?" the Gardevoir asked.
First things first, where the hell was I? "Before I answer that, I want to know where I am."
The Greninja spoke, "In a forest south of the town that we currently work from."
Working from? Guess I'll ask them about that after.
"I'm talking about the region's name." I said calmly.
"Oh, then in that case the region itself is known as Etyth. And the town is a seaport known as Narkin." the Greninja added.
Guess I really did end up in a different world to my own, that is a simultaneously intriguing and terrifying thought. Maybe it will do me good to be a little more friendly with them.
I carefully put the hammer back into a safer position as I lowered it, still keeping it in my right hand for the time being.
I looked at the Gardevoir, wondering why it hadn't tried to use its psychic powers yet. Maybe it didn't know the extent of my weapon, or was unfamiliar with what a human is. Either one gives me somewhat of an advantage here. With them knowing nothing about me, while I on the other hand know enough about Pokémon to know which ones are ones I should run on sight from.
Gardevoir and Gallade being two types of Pokémon I'd run away from, but alas my legs are hurting even worse than before.
Meaning I'm stuck with them until further notice, and the Gardevoir did ask about my weapon…
A howl suddenly pierced the tense silence from behind the group of Pokémon.
"Ferals..." the Gallade mumbled as he turned around towards the bushes.
"Kira, how many are there?" the Greninja asked the Gardevoir.
The Gardevoir's powers flared up as she took beside the Gallade, "Can't tell, me and Ronin guess they're dark types."
"Can you stand?" the Greninja asked me.
"My legs are busted," I said as the hammer clicked into place again. "But I'm most certainly not defenseless."
He nodded as he took position with the others while still keeping somewhat of an eye on me. I don't blame him, I nearly shot him after all. It was probably that very shot that attracted these 'ferals' here like moths to a flame.
About seven Houndours led by a Houndoom jumped through the bushes.
"Keep 'em busy." the Greninja said in a tone that seemed to radiate annoyance as he disappeared from sight.
"You three know what you're doing?" I asked.
Guess I should ask why these Pokémon are different from them later.
The Gallade chuckled, "Yes we do, just stay low and away from their flames."
"But I can't move…" I muttered as I took aim.
The Houndoom let out another fear inducing howl that rallied them to start their assault.
Should be similar to fighting against wolves, just keep a cool head and aim true.
Ronin, who I guess is the Gallade, charged up a bright blue ball of something and threw it hard at an approaching Houndour.
The ball blew up in its face and blasted it into a tree.
Kira, the Gardevoir if I remember correctly, charged something similar up except it appeared above herself.
What looked to be a blast of light slammed into two of the Houndours and knocked them down.
The one that was half inside the tree didn't even look alive, while the other two got to their feet and continued running mindlessly at us.
I wanted to start laughing-
A flamethrower attack hit both of them from out of nowhere and knocked them further out as two more Houndours jumped in front of me, cutting me off from the others.
Smiles that could best be described as malicious were planted on both their faces. They thought I was defenseless. However a sudden look of confusion took precedence as they realized I wasn't afraid of them in the slightest.
I simply raised my gun as they attempted to slowly approach with what looked to be Firefang, active and ready to incinerate my sorry crippled ass.
The noises of battle were drowned out as two more bangs sounded in quick succession.
I hit the first one square in the head.
While I completely missed the second.
It charged before I even had a chance to shoot again.
Pain riddled up my ribs and legs as I was knocked back several meters away from where I was.
It bit down on my right shoulder as I landed and started throwing me about like a ragdoll.
I punched its eye in a desperate attempt to get away from it.
Which earned getting myself thrown into a tree.
It growled in anger and slowly approached, but stopped short…
I rolled away just as flames ignited my previous location, turning it to ash.
My legs refused to allow me to run or stand up despite the adrenaline coursing through my body.
I took aim again as it charged directly at me, it started realizing its mistake far too late.
One more bang sounded off as it dropped dead.
Battered, bruised, and now bleeding out of my right shoulder with my legs crippled for reasons unknown. I could feel everything throbbing with some form of pain, my breaths ragged and short with my vision beginning to blur.
But I stood resolute, staring at the battle that was still raging in front of me. Most of the Houndours were taken out, only two remained with the Houndoom.
Ronin was fighting them off with the Greninja, Kira was missing…
"Need some help?" I heard asked.
It was Kira, and she looked the least beaten up out of everyone.
"Would be much appr-"
Kira was barely able to block some fire in time as the Houndoom knocked out Ronin with a blast of pure fire that even I felt.
The Houndoom changed targets to me and Kira, as the other two Houndours were going up against the Greninja.
She looked down at me briefly before snapping her fingers.
I suddenly appeared a little further away from the battle.
Kira should be able to win this with relative ease…
The Houndoom grinned maniacally as if it was imagining ripping us apart. Must have used nasty plot if I remember what it did correctly.
Suddenly purple smog started to form around its mouth.
It appeared to be a poison type move, and it seemed Kira didn't notice as she teleported behind it as it released whatever it was around itself.
Kira began to cough and waver significantly as she stepped away from it in panic before falling over.
I started crawling towards them to get a better shot.
The Greninja started attacking to draw its attention from Kira as she began to slowly get to her feet.
A fierce blaze of fire exploded from the Houndoom and struck both of them to the ground as the Houndoom pounced on the Greninja with its fangs bared.
I grunted in pain as I lifted my revolver up, it felt heavier than usual.
"HEY." I shouted at it to get its head to turn in my direction.
The Houndoom stared at the weapon in my hand as one last bang sounded off.
My bullet sent it a few meters off of the Greninja, a pool of its blood starting to form around where it now laid dead.
A small smile cracked across my face as I laid down on my back.
The Greninja shakily got to his feet.
Kira appeared to have healed herself with something, as the poison seemed to no longer be affecting her. She then tossed a berry at the Greninja, and then just woke up Ronin who both seemed healed after eating them.
"Do you still need help?" I heard Kira ask me.
"Yeah, one of them messed up my shoulder and burned me a little. Plus my legs are still busted."
Instead of tossing me a berry of sorts, she began to glow brightly for a second as the wounds on my shoulder began to dissipate a little. Providing some much needed relief from all the throbbing of my wounds.
Kira then examined my legs, her expression changed to one of shock briefly before she regained her composure.
"Your legs are… broken, to the point where only a psychic with healing abilities can fix it with intensive treatment. I know we've asked this before, but what happened to you?" she asked in a surprised tone.
I glanced at her and rolled my eyes, "I said already that I can't remember, and if you are a psychic, then why haven't you just read my mind yet to fact check anything I've been saying?"
"Who said I haven't been trying?" she retorted. "I'm only trying to see memories that are related to how you got here, but there's nothing there."
I sighed, "So everything checks out and I'm stuck here with no way of getting back..."
"Eh? Getting back where?" Ronin asked.
"Home." I said bluntly. "What can you see anyway Kira?"
"All of it, truth be told I could ask you questions all day about the things I can see in your memories, but we need to get back to Narkin to fix your legs and recuperate first." she responded with while fixing her dress and hair.
If she could see everything… then I'm royally screwed for a number of reasons.
The Greninja approached with what looked like makeshift crutches made of the branches of the nearby trees.
"My name is Mason." I said to the Greninja as he helped me to my feet with the crutches.
He shook my hand briefly as I started getting balanced, "Mine's Lloyd."
Lloyd then left me alone as Kira was helping Ronin with his wounds, he got messed up pretty badly by the fire. However I was somewhat worried for Kira herself, she was poisoned and I don't know the truest extent that it can go to. But maybe she already cured herself since she is a healer after all.
He seemed to be talking with them, probably about what to do with me. I just hope that this world doesn't have a thirst for human blood.
Because if it does, I don't have the bullets to take all them on.
I was working my job as an assistant to my dad in various police and detective stuff not even a few hours ago. And now I've somehow ended up here and already killed three Pokémon in the span of around twenty minutes. This whole situation is insanity, but not hopeless.
I noticed that Ronin had approached me as Kira and Lloyd seemed to intensify their conversation.
"I never did ask if you even lived around here did I?" he asked lightly.
I shook my head, there was no easy way to even begin to describe what I had. "Before I answer that, would you mind answering something that has been nagging at the back of my mind since I saw you three?"
"Sure."
"Do you even know what I am?"
He looked me dead in the eyes with a fiercer tone manifesting, "I do, you're a human. A race long thought gone to the sands of time."
"Listen bub, I have no idea what you're talking about. Humans are still very much alive and well where I am from." I said in a monotone voice.
His voice lowered to a whisper, "Then keep that a secret. There are those who call your race a bunch of monsters, most however, couldn't care less what you are."
"Well, from what you've told me… I'm in a different world then." I mused.
That shifted his tone again to one of curiosity, "What's it like back in your home?"
"More emphasis on cities and countries, plus we have things that make my weapon look archaic." I said as I imagined all the wondrous things I had.
Something seemed missing though, something that was important that I cannot recall…
Then it hit me, Pokémon don't exist in the 'real' world outside of entertainment through various media.
I'm not having that conversation right now.
However something else was bugging me, "You mentioned that the humans were gone to the sands of time, what happened to them?"
"A war happened hundreds of years ago, many have forgotten about it surprisingly. It was between humans and a sect of Pokémon who claimed to be on the side of Arceus himself. Few believed them, but were too afraid of them to join the humans side. And those who did…"
He trailed off, seemingly in great thought.
Ronin came to and continued, "... Were made examples of. Eventually those who survived the sect created The Guild Federation to combat them; however they were far too late to save humanity." He finished then settled himself against a tree, looking at me as I did the same to take in all this information.
Pokémon that hate humans, Pokémon that tried to save humans, and a bunch of neutral parties. Seems pretty straight forward from the outside.
"So humans were wiped out and forgotten about for the most part huh. Guess seeing me must be pretty big for you then, but like I said before I ain't from around here." I said with a feeling I couldn't describe festering within me.
Ronin looked like he was going to respond but stopped as Lloyd and Kira joined us.
Lloyd sighed, "So here are your options for right now," he began. "You can stay out here by yourself and figure your own thing out, or you can tag along with us so we can fix your legs up back in Narkin and we can go from there."
Zero clue where I was, zero idea how to fix my legs, and zero idea how to get back to my world…
There was only one logical option.
"I'll tag along," I raised my hand to stop Kira from starting a teleport. "But I want a quick rundown of what can happen afterwards before anything else."
"Well…" Lloyd looked at everyone else, who then nodded silently. "You could possibly join our team."
A small look of shock briefly invaded my calm demeanor as I contemplated that proposition.
This is the best case scenario, no doubt about it in any way. Other than my legs being busted up this whole thing might not be that bad.
"Alright, I'll join your team."