Episode 1: Terelm, the Land of Hybrimon!
"Why are you always better than me...?"
"You have proven your worth, young one."
"We both know we can't do it if we're alone, but..."
"That strength of yours... You've only just begun to realize it."
"...You're not going to turn back now, are you?"
"Everything's ridin' on your shoulders, dude."
"The light... Isn't it beautiful, everyone?"
"I... can't... afford to lose you again...!"
...
Memories... Proof of a life lived.
In all of those memories... I became who I am. They became who they are.
But... Those memories, the ones that just flashed before my eyes... When did they happen?
And... You. When you...
"I... can't... afford to lose you again...!"
When you said that, you... I...
Who...?
Who are you?
...
... ...
... ... ...
...Darkness.
No matter where I look, there's darkness, as far as the eye can see.
And yet... I get the feeling that there's light... somewhere, within this endless void.
Wasn't that light... Something else?
"...ey!"
...A voice? Where's that coming from?
"Hey! Wake...!"
Are you... telling me to wake up? But I'm wide awake over here!
"C'mon! Just wake up already!"
Just as I'm about to shout at the disembodied voice, a light shines behind me. Was that... the same light I was sensing? Lured by the brightness, I turned around and approached the light. As I did so, I was filled with a familiar sensation.
This... feeling...
The feeling of being filled with life... I reveled in it for just a second. Then I stepped into the light, ready for whatever would come next... And I opened my eyes.
As the light began to subside and my vision began to clear up, the first thing I noticed was a capped boy, kneeling right over me. A yellow mouse with red pouches on its cheeks was perched on his shoulder. With my peripheral vision, I could see the sun, shining directly above us, a sunny sky, and edges of trees all around us. ...Are we in a forest?
"Oh, you're awake!" The boy sighs with relief. "Thank goodness, I thought that fall would've done you in!"
As he spoke to himself, several questions started popping in my head. What fall is he talking about? What happened to me? Is he telling the truth? What was that curious mouse on his shoulder? But despite it all, one question couldn't stop bugging me. So I decided to put it to rest by asking...
"...Who are you?" I ask the unknown boy.
"Oh, me? I'm Ash Ketchum!" He then rubbed the yellow mouse's cheek. "And this is my partner, Pikachu!"
"Pika!" The mouse— Pikachu— squealed.
"...Pikachu? What's going on...? I'm so confused..." I rubbed my head as I sat up. I had no idea what had just happened to me...
"Are you alright?" Ash asked me. He grabbed my hand and pulled me up, much to my surprise. "Man, I thought you would've died to that fall... But look at you! Not a scratch!"
I looked at my hands, my wrists, then my arms. He's right. Not a single bruise to be found. If he's telling the truth— A ludicrous one, at that— My body would've been busted. REALLY busted.
"By the way... I don't think I've gotten your name yet."
"My name? Oh, I..."
The words suddenly stopped forming. I dip into my memories, trying to pull out an answer. But the question I should be asking is...
What memories? I don't remember anything at all! What happened to me? Where'd my memories go?! Did I just... forget everything in an instant? And did that "fall" have something to do with it?! There's no way that can be true, can it?! There's gotta be some memories in this noggin of mine!
C'mon, just calm down... and focus! At the very least, remember your name!
...
My name... My name is...
...My name... is David Herotis. I'm 14 years old. My birthday's July 7th... Right? Yeah, that's right! That's who I am!
Alright! I'm remembering! Might not be anything big, but at least I know all of my memories weren't wiped! As much as I'd love to remember other things now... I just can't. It's like that part of my memory was just erased.
"...Hello?" Ash's voice faintly echoed, snapping me back to reality.
"Huh? Oh, sorry... You see, I don't really remember what happened to me... But at the very least, I remember my name. I'm David Herotis."
"David Herotis, huh? That's a nice name."
"So, uh... Like I said, I don't remember anything at all other than my name. I don't know where the heck I am, or how I got here..."
"Hmmm... Y'know, I feel like Professor Camphor could explain things better for you than I can."
"Who?"
"I'll tell you later. C'mon, let's go!"
August 9th, 2019 (Friday)
Daytime - Grama City
Ash led me out of the forest, and he took me to a huge city. It looked like your run-of-the-mill city, save for the huge castle in the distance. It stuck out like a sore thumb— If you were to examine the layout from overhead, that'd be the first thing you notice.
"What is this place?" I asked him.
"This is Grama City!" Ash replied. "This is where I live. ...For now, anyway."
"'...For now?'"
"You see, you could say... I'm a traveler. I'm just restin' up here until I finish something I wanna do."
"And what's that thing you wanna do?"
"Take down Shizen at the Grama Gym!"
"Uh... Take down... What...?"
"Huh? Do you seriously not know what the Grama Gym is?"
"And what exactly is the Grama Gym, anyway? I did lose my memories, y'know. I don't really think I remember much about this place, if I've even been here before."
"Oh, right... I forgot about that. Well, I think I should wait until we get to Professor Camphor's place. C'mon, it's this way."
Ash took me down the path. I followed him as we took a right, a left, another left, then another right... And then to our left, a house with two floors and an orange roof came into view. That must be Camphor's house Ash was talking about, right?
"This is the place," Ash announced, confirming my suspicions in the process.
"Looks like some ordinary house," I remarked. "Didn't you say she's some sorta professor? You'd think she'd have a better house than this...?"
"I thought the same thing, too. But then again, Professor Kukui lived in a house similar to this one..."
"Who's Kukui?"
"I'll explain later, okay? For now, let's just go in."
Ash's statement left me pretty confused, but I pushed that thought aside as the two of us entered the house.
Daytime - Professor Camphor's House
When we stepped in, all I could think was how... normal the place looked. On top of the exterior looking generic, the interior was really basic, too. You'd think for a professor, this house would be kinda fancy or decked out in the latest technology.
"I'm back, Professor Camphor!" Ash called out.
"Hey, welcome back, Ash!" A voice called back, which I assumed to be Camphor's. "That was pretty quick. Was catching a Pokemon really that easy?"
Pokemon...?
"Nah. I came across this guy in the Wild Area that needs our help."
"Our help...? Alright, just hold up for a sec and I'll be right there!"
I could hear Camphor frantically typing on a keyboard. She was probably working on some project on a laptop. As we waited for her to finish, I looked out the window. All I could see was grass, a few trees, and the occasional car that drove by. But then I saw...
A kid? What's she doing all by herself? And that hair bow of hers just doesn't sit right with me for some reason... Wait, is that a spear strapped to her back?! Why does she have a weapon?! I think Ash needs to see this...
"Uh, Ash?" I tap him on the shoulder to get his attention. "Take a look at this."
"Yeah? What is it?" Ash asked.
"There's this kid, she's got a—"
"...What kid? I don't see anything."
"Huh?"
I looked out the window again, and... the kid was gone.
"Were you just imagining things?" Ash chuckled.
"N-No, I'm sure I saw a kid! And she even had a frickin' spear!"
"A spear...? Now that's just crazy. Why would a kid even have—"
"Alright, I'm done!" Camphor's voice interrupts us. "So, what's goin' on?"
"Y'know, let's just talk about this later," I tell Ash.
"Yeah, that's probably best..." Ash nodded as Camphor came into the room. I observed her appearance— She wore a beige cardigan with a white lab coat tied around her waist, and she wore pastel blue yoga pants. She had her brown hair tied into two long ponytails, each dangling from either side.
"Is this the guy who needs our help?" Camphor asked.
"Uh-huh. I found him falling out of the sky for no reason. And by some miracle, he survived the fall! ...But unfortunately, he didn't walk out unscathed... His memory's gone."
"F-Falling out of the sky?! And no memories?!" Camphor seemed to be shocked at this. That reaction seemed to be exaggerated... And even more bewildering is when you consider we just met.
"Y-Yeah, it's true," I manage to say. "I don't remember anything at all. Though I doubt just falling's what made me get here..."
"...Your memory loss can't be that bad, right? Do you at least know your name?"
"Oh! Well, I remember my name, at the very least. My name's David Herotis."
"That's a relief. If you didn't know your name, your memory loss would've just been plain old amnesia. But you don't remember anything other than that, right?"
"Yeah... I don't. I don't know where the heck I am, what happened to me, why I'm here..."
"Then I should probably tell you the basic stuff about our world."
Wait... Our world?
"This world is full of creatures we call Pokemon. They're practically everywhere! In our towns, the seas, even the skies. And some people catch Pokemon to be their companions, or train them for battle. We call the latter Pokemon Trainers."
"Pokemon? So Pikachu on Ash's shoulder there... is a Pokemon?"
"Yup, that's right!"
"What kinda Pokemon is Pikachu, anyway?"
"I think I'll let Ash's friend explain that, okay? Hey, Rotom!"
Huh? Ash's friend? Who's Rotom, anyway?
Suddenly, something flew into the room, taking me by surprise. It spun around the three of us, until it screeched to a halt beside Camphor. It had arm-like appendages, feet but no legs, and an antenna-like needle protruding from its top. It seemed to have a screen on the front.
"Hello, Professor Camphor!" It spoke with a robotic voice. "Is there anything you need help here?"
"Rotom, please explain what type of Pokemon Pikachu is to this young man."
The red device— Or rather, Rotom— floated in front of me, and stuck out one of its arms.
"Pleased to meet you! I am Rotom Dex, a Pokemon-controlled Pokedex designed to give assistance when necessary. My dream is to become the greatest Pokedex in the universe! What's your name?"
I was perplexed at that statement. "W-Woah, that's... quite the dream, Rotom Dex... And my name's David Herotis."
"David Herotis... Hm."
Rotom Dex did a 180, then seemed to press a button on its screen. Whatever it did, it caused a camera on its back to trigger. As soon as it was finished, it turned around again.
"Data updated! And by the way, Rotom's just fine. Now, what was your question?"
"Could you describe what kinda Pokemon Pikachu is?"
"Right away! Pikachu. The mouse Pokemon. An Electric-type. Pikachu have pouches on their cheeks that can store electricity, which release if threatened. Male and female Pikachu have differently-shaped tails."
"Woah, that's quite the explanation! But I think I got it... Earlier you said you're a Pokedex, right? And judging by the name 'Pokedex...' I'm guessing your role's to give info on Pokemon when needed.
"Exactly, my friend!"
"Rotom really is awesome," Ash smiled.
"Well, that's one thing outta the way," I smiled back. Then I turned back to Camphor. "Now, one thing I wanna know is... Where the heck am I? And I don't mean what city this is, because Ash already told me that. I'm asking if you know what continent or island I'm on..."
"You could say that this is a small continent," Camphor shrugged. "You're in the Terelm region."
"One last thing. When we arrived in Grama City, I saw a huge castle in the distance. What's the deal with that?"
"That's the Grama Gym! Several Pokemon Trainers go there to challenge the Gym Leader, Shizen Fujimori, for their Nature Badge. Think of it like a symbol of your skill as a Pokemon Trainer!"
"In fact, that's the reason I'm here!" Ash cut in. "I'm going all around Terelm, and I'm gonna get all four Gym Badges!"
"Wow, you're going all around a small continent just for that?!" I gasped. "How many have you gotten?"
"Um... I haven't gotten any yet. In fact, I only got here a few days ago..."
"Oh... Well, I guess that's understandable..."
"So what're you gonna do?" Camphor asked me.
"What am I gonna do, indeed... That's a good question. For starters, I'll want to get my memories back... But I don't even know what to do."
"Maybe you could come along with me?" Ash suggested, after a short silence. "Maybe you could help me become a stronger trainer, and I could help you get your memories back and show you the ropes on being a Pokemon Trainer!"
"That's a splendid idea, Ash!" Camphor and Rotom exclaimed at the same time.
"A deal, huh?" I thought about it for a while. Help Ash become stronger... And in return, he could help me in my search for my lost memories?
...You know what? That's a pretty solid deal!
"Count me in, Ash!" I grabbed his hand and shook it.
"Alright! Awesome!" Ash was practically beaming, while Camphor and Rotom smiled at one another.
"So, what's the first thing I have to do to become a Pokemon Trainer?"
"Well, you gotta catch your first Pokemon. And I know just the place! Remember that forest I found you in? That's a part of the Grama Wild Area, where you can find so many Pokemon. I'm sure you'll find a good one there!"
"Also, it's not far from here," Rotom adds. "The entrance to the Grama Wild Area is about a fifteen-minute walk from here!"
"Wow, not only can you give info on Pokemon, you can also measure the time to reach a destination? What're your other functions, Rotom?"
"I'm glad you asked! Although, I think the list would be too long..."
"...Oh." I imagined the earful I would get from Rotom as it explained its list of functions. At least it knew to warn me... But I stopped imagining things and turned my attention to Ash. "So, what're we waiting for, Ash? We should leave for the Wild Area right away."
"Yeah, you're right! Rotom, you comin' with us?"
"But of course!" Rotom spun happily.
"Alright! Off to the Grama Wild Area, let's go!"
"Be safe, you guys!" Camphor called out as we rushed out the door.
"We will!" I called back. "See ya soon, Camphor!"
For some reason, I couldn't help but feel like I was getting caught up in the adventure of a lifetime. But looking back now, that would be an understatement. I didn't know it at the time, but the adventure I thought awaited me was much bigger than I thought...
August 9th, 2019 (Friday)
Daytime - Grama Wild Area
It was then that I realized that Rotom's calculation about the time it took to reach the Wild Area was pretty accurate— It did only feel like fifteen minutes to get there. But that could barely hold a candle to what I saw at the entrance. I saw a gigantic, sprawling field, with a large forest off to the side. There were hills everywhere you looked, and rivers flowed throughout the Wild Area as well. And on top of that, Pokemon were all over the place. Is this what they call awe?
"This place is ginormous!" I gasp. "And it's so beautiful, too!"
"Isn't it, though?" Ash smiled. "I had pretty much the same reaction the first time I was here!"
Meanwhile, Rotom bleeped as it made some more calculations. "I'm estimating there are over five thousand Pokemon living in the Wild Area right now! I wonder which one you'll catch, David?"
"That's the million dollar question, ain't it?" I nod. "Who's gonna be my first Pokemon...?"
"Well, one thing's clear," Ash says. "You can't catch a Pokemon without a Poke Ball."
"What's a Poke Ball?"
Ash pulls a small ball out of his pocket. It seemed to be divided into red and white halves, with a button in the center. By just pressing the button, he expanded it to fit in his palm.
"This is a Poke Ball! If you throw it at a Pokemon, you might catch it. But if you want a better chance at catching a Pokemon, you gotta weaken it in a fight first. I'll let you have it."
He gave the Poke Ball to me. Curious, I pressed the button again. Just as I expected, it shrunk back to its normal size. I put the Poke Ball in my pocket.
"So that's how you catch a Pokemon, huh? Then we should get started. Let's see..."
I analyzed my surroundings for nearby Pokemon. I started by checking some tall grass that wasn't far from the entrance, but so far, I hadn't had any luck. Rotom told me that some Pokemon did hide in the grass, so I just had to keep looking a little more.
Finally, I heard something. The grass behind me was rustling. That had to mean a Pokemon was hiding there. I remembered Ash's advice— If I wanted to catch a Pokemon, I'll have to weaken it in a fight, right? With that in mind, I dashed at the rustling spot, pulled my leg back, then kicked at the hidden Pokemon with all my might!
As I expected, my foot made contact, and a gray figure flew out of the grass. It hit the ground with a thud, but it pulled itself to its feet. It was small and gray, but its muscular structure was plain to see.
"What's that Pokemon?" I asked Rotom.
"That Pokemon is Machop," Rotom answered. "The superpower Pokemon. A Fighting-type. Machop have muscles that never tire, no matter how hard they exercise. Machop have enough strength to throw one hundred average-sized adults."
"O-One hundred?! Th-Then that thing must be REALLY strong! I think I chose the wrong target..."
"But hey, if you catch it, then you'll have a strong Pokemon partner, too!" Ash said optimistically. "This might be a tough fight, but the reward'll be worth it, right?"
"Huh, when you put it that way..." I smirked, dashed forward a few steps, and entered a battling stance. "I wanna fight it myself!"
"Wait, what?! That's not a good idea, you know!"
"Relax, Ash! I've got this, I can fight! ...I think..."
I suddenly started to have doubts. Why did I say I could fight? I don't even remember having any battle experience... Ugh, focus on what's happening! I've got a Pokemon to beat! Before Machop could make another move, I ran at it, and landed another kick to its face. Machop went flying, but it quickly broke its fall. I might've done some good damage to it, but this fight was only getting started.
I dashed at it again, but before I could get a third kick in, it kicked at my legs, making me trip. And before I even hit the floor, it followed up with a powerful uppercut! That uppercut was enough to launch me, and I landed hard in front of Ash.
"David, are you alright?! I told you you shouldn't have fought Machop by yourself!"
"Y-Yeah, maybe you were right..." I massaged my now-aching forehead, but I forced myself to stand. "I can't do this myself. I'll keep fighting, but I'm gonna need your help for this."
"So you want Pikachu's help, huh? Whaddya say we get in there, buddy?"
"Pika!" Pikachu squeaked happily.
"Then let's do this! Go, Pikachu!"
Pikachu leaped from Ash's shoulder, and took up a battling stance beside me. We stared down Machop, who did the same. Machop suddenly charged in, preparing another one of those powerful punches, but Ash had other plans.
"Pikachu, stop it with Thunderbolt!"
Pikachu slapped the pouches on its cheeks, focusing its electricity. Then it released an impressive thunderbolt, zapping Machop and stopping it in its tracks! Machop collapsed, and I took this opportunity to follow up. I ran at Machop again, picked it up, and threw it up in the air, then did a roundhouse kick as it came down. The kick launched Machop a few feet away, and it didn't break its fall this time. I expected Machop to get up again... But it collapsed again halfway.
"It's weakened!" Rotom announces. "David, this is your chance to catch Machop!"
With lightning speed, I grabbed the Poke Ball from my pocket. I pressed the button, expanding it to a size more suitable for throwing. I winded up... Then threw the Poke Ball at Machop with all the strength I could muster! The Poke Ball hit Machop's head, sucking it into the ball with a red light. Soon, the Poke Ball fell to the floor, and it began to shake as the button on it flashed red. Once, twice, three times...
But against all odds, Machop broke out of the ball! As soon as it did, it ran for the hills. I slapped my hand into my still-aching forehead in disappointment.
"Aw, man," Ash sighs, also disappointed. "I thought that would've done it."
"You were doing really well, too..." Rotom noted.
I walked up to the Poke Ball and picked it up. To add even more to my displeasure, it was broken. I stashed the broken Poke Ball in my pocket and made a mental note to throw it out later.
"Sheesh, we almost had it," I grunted. "And to make matters worse, the Poke Ball's broken."
"Eh, it's really like that," Ash shrugged. "But don't worry, I've got quite a few empty Poke Balls. Here, I'll give you some."
Ash gave me a bunch of Poke Balls this time, and I counted them. He gave me ten Poke Balls in all. I made sure they were shrunk so they fit in my pocket.
"But man, even if you didn't catch it, you were awesome out there!"
"Huh?"
"I mean, not many people can fight Pokemon by themselves, y'know? They normally need help from their Pokemon. But you... You fought just as well as any Pokemon, even if you're not a trainer yet!"
"Yeah, where does your fighting prowess comes from?" Rotom queried.
"Oh, uh... I dunno, really," I shrugged. "I guess it came naturally...? That's kinda weird, considering I have no memories... But I guess Pikachu and I make a great team, right?" I smiled at Pikachu, and it smiled back at me.
"Yeah, you really do!" Ash grinned. "I'm pretty sure we'll be able to catch at least one Pokemon with your combined strength. Now, why don't we check the forest over there? Rotom, what's the chance of encountering a Pokemon in that forest?"
"The encounter rate in that forest would be..." Rotom bleeped as it made some calculations. "Eighty-nine percent!"
"Wow, that's a pretty high encounter rate!" I said in amazement. "How do you calculate stuff like that?"
"Are you sure you want to know? My methods are kinda complicated, and I don't think you'd get it..."
"Yeah, and I can agree with Rotom," Ash nodded. "When it explained to me, all I got from its explanation was a headache..."
"O-Oh..." I was suddenly glad I didn't know. "Well, that's fine. All that matters is that eighty-nine percent encounter rate, right? Then let's get into that forest! I'm still itching to get my first Pokemon!"
"Alright! Let's go, everyone!"
Afternoon - Grama Wild Area Forest
Not gonna lie, fighting alongside Pikachu trying to catch a Pokemon was really fun. I mean, sure, I took a few hits here and there, but thankfully I wasn't hit with anything really fatal, and Pikachu helped immensely in weakening Pokemon. The bad part? I ended up using all of my Poke Balls, and I didn't catch a single one. Either there was something wrong with the Poke Balls themselves, or I was just having really bad luck.
I think it was two or three hours since we entered the forest, and I was tuckered out. Ash and Pikachu looked like they were ready to throw in the towel, too. We were sitting on some rocks, trying to catch our breath. Despite my lack of energy, I was able to speak up.
"Should... Should we go back...?" I gasped. "Fighting's done quite a number on me..."
"I think we should, yeah..." Ash huffed. "Professor Camphor might be getting worried, anyway."
"Is... Is that really best though?" Rotom asked us. "We've been in here for quite a few hours, and we're just gonna walk away without a single Pokemon?"
"As much as I'd hate to do that, we don't really have a choice, do we? Let's just try again tomorrow. C'mon, guys."
"Y-Yeah, just hold up a bit..." I stood up and got ready to leave with Ash. But before I took a step, I felt someone's— or something's presence.
I turned around. But... There was nothing. And yet, I couldn't shake the feeling I was supposed to do something...
"David?" Ash called after me. "Are you coming?"
"Wait," I say. "There's something... that's..."
Why do I feel like I'm supposed to go that way, towards a deeper part of the forest? I had no idea what I was sensing, but I went there anyway.
"Wait, David!" Rotom bleeps. "You're going the wrong way!"
"Rotom's right, David!" Ash shouts. "Where are you going?!"
I ignored them and kept moving, undeterred. Walking turned into running, which turned into sprinting. I dashed through the forest, passing greenery and Pokemon as I went, the voice becoming clearer and clearer all the while. Finally, when the voice became its clearest, I pulled apart a bush in my way. And I could barely believe what I saw next.
A sword. A sword stuck in a rock, with light shining down onto it. Trees, bushes, and vines were everywhere, making me feel like I was within an enchanted part of the forest. The sword was radiating a bright light.
"David!"
Ash and Rotom's voices rang out as they joined me. I could tell they were wondering what I was doing running off by myself, but they turned their attention to their sword jutting out of the rock.
"What is that thing?" Ash asked himself.
"Looks like a sword," Rotom replied.
"I felt like it was... calling me here for some reason," I explained. "I had no idea there was something like this out in the forest."
"Maybe we should take it to Professor Camphor?" Ash suggested. "She might know what to do with it."
We nod, and Ash steps forward to pull the sword out of the rock. But as soon as he touched it, he yelped and pulled his hand back.
"Ow! It shocked me!"
"What the—? Swords don't shock people out of nowhere, to my knowledge..."
"This is quite the unusual sword, that's for sure," Rotom said to itself. "Why is it here? Who left it here? And why does it shock people?"
I should've known better to touch the sword after seeing Ash getting shocked, but something about it just... told me otherwise. I stepped forward, ready to pull the sword out of the rock.
"David, no!" Ash tried to stop me, but I ignored him. "You'll get shocked, too!"
Unfortunately for him, it was too late. I already grabbed the handle... But the weird thing was, it didn't shock me. If anything, it did something else. As soon as I wrapped my hand around the sword handle, it released a bright light.
"W-Whoa...!" Ash reeled back, unprepared for the sudden flash. But I kept going, and managed to pull the sword free from the rock. I don't know why, but I soon found myself pointing the sword skyward. As I did, the sword's light flowed into my arm, then into my body. Power pumped through my veins as I absorbed the light. After what seemed like forever, the light finally subsided.
"What was that...?" Rotom gasped.
"I... I don't know, honestly," I say as I turn to face Rotom. "But... I feel awesome! There's so much energy flowing through me!"
"And... where'd that sheath come from?" Ash pointed to a strap that seemed to have appeared on my body. I realized I could feel something resting on my back, and I looked over my shoulder to see Ash was telling the truth. A sheath had suddenly appeared on my torso.
"This is so weird, but... I'm fine with it for some reason."
"I... I think we should let Professor Camphor know about this. We should go back."
"Yeah, you're right. She needs to know."
Afternoon - Grama City
We left the Wild Area soon after that. I might not have gotten any Pokemon, but I got a cool sword, and some power I don't even know. This was a really weird day, and even I knew how much of an understatement that was.
Ash and Rotom were still digesting everything that just happened. They were probably wondering where the sword came from and why it shocked Ash, but I didn't really worry about it. For some reason, having this sword with me was... comforting.
Camphor had to know about this. Maybe she'd know something about this sword we don't? We're just a few minutes away from her house when—
"AHHH! LEAVE ME ALONE!"
Ash perked up. "Did you hear that?!
I whirled around with him. "Yeah, I did! What was that?!"
"SOMEONE, HELP ME! HEEELLLP!"
A girl came into view, frantically running from three teenagers with dyed hair. She's far away, but I recognized something about her— She had that weird hair bow and that spear on her back! Was she the same girl form before?
"C'mon, David!" Ash shouted. "We need to help her!" Before I could make a move, Ash ran off. I was a little stunned, but I followed him, with Rotom close behind. We passed by some sorta square with a fountain, and then we ran into an alleyway. To our horror, the girl was trapped, and her pursuers cackled as they approached her. I couldn't see everything about them, but they all wore identical black jackets, and their hair colors consisted of red, blue, and green.
"Alright, brat!" The blue-haired punk pointed at her. "Yer comin' with us!"
"S-Stay away from m-me!" The girl yelped. "O-Or do you want to get hurt?!"
"Oh, please," The green-haired hooligan shrugged. "What's a kid in a fight?"
"Yer right. This ain't some sorta fairy tale, kid," The red-haired villain laughed. "You're nothing when it comes to a battle. Us, on the other hand... Hahahahaha!"
He laughed maniacally as he grabbed an axe I didn't notice from behind his back, and ran at the kid. She grabbed the spear on her back and pointed at him, but she was shaking with fear. I knew she couldn't hold up under this kinda pressure...!
"D-Don't come any closer...!" The girl shrieked. "I don't wanna die!"
"Too bad, kid!" Her assailant laughed. "This is where ya meet yer maker!"
"We need to do something!" Rotom shouted.
"Pikachu, get 'em with—" Ash gasped as I dashed forward. "W-Wait, David?!"
My instincts kicked in instantly. With lightning speed, I weaved between the gaps in the trio's formation, and stepped in front of the kid. I pulled my sword from my sheath and—!
*CLANG!*
"Wh-What the heck?!"
Thank goodness I made it in time! My sword was able to block the axe before it made contact. I raise my leg and kick the ruffian, knocking him far enough to regroup with his friends. As he regained his footing, I pointed my sword at his head.
"You won't lay a finger on a hair on this kid's head!" I shouted furiously.
"And who do you think you are?" The blue-haired punk muttered.
"Nobody in particular. Just someone making sure villains like you don't get away with this!"
"Hahaha! Oh, that's rich, kid!" The green-haired hooligan laughed. "You think you have any chance of stopping us? US, of all people?! Do you even know who you're dealing with?!"
"I'll admit, I don't know who you are. But I do know I'm not fighting you by myself! NOW, ASH!"
Behind the villains, I saw Ash nod. "Right! Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!"
Pikachu unleashed another powerful thunderbolt on the trio, zapping them all into unconsciousness. They all hit the floor with a satisfying, synchronized thud. Phew, that could've been worse...
"You alright, kiddo?" I put my sword away and pat the girl's head. Strangely, I got no response. "Kid?" I waved my hand in front of her. Still nothing.
"Is... Is she in a state of shock?" Rotom asked itself.
"Ah... Ah..." The kid was able to squeak something, but I couldn't make it out. Then she just collapsed.
"W-Woah, are you alright?!" Ash gasped.
I put my ear to her chest. "It's alright, she just fainted. Probably got scared half to death."
"Then we gotta take her back to Professor Camphor's house. She needs to rest."
"Yeah, that's probably for the best." I lifted her up in my arms. But...
...Why does that hair bow of hers still bother me? She looks kinda weird, to be honest...
Evening - Professor Camphor's House
...Sheesh.
How long does it take for someone to recover from fainting? It's been about four hours since we rescued this mystery girl from her attackers. Professor Camphor was shocked to see us carrying an unconscious girl, but she let us take her to a vacant room to rest. Ash and I took turns keeping watch over her, in case those punks broke down the door and we had to protect her again. Thankfully, that hasn't happened yet.
But I'm starting to get impatient... Geez, just wake up already, kid!
"How much sleep do you even need, kid?!" I burst out.
"...Ngh... Ugh..."
Ah! She's waking up!
"Oh, finally! You were out like a light, kiddo."
"It's you!" The girl exclaimed. "You're the knight who protected me, aren't you?"
"Uh, I'm not really a knight. But yeah, I'm the same guy. Are you alright? You weren't hurt, were you?"
"No, not at all."
She threw the covers aside and got off the bed. As she stood up, I took a look at her appearance. A cyan t-shirt with pink stripes, a leather strap wrapped around her body, blue shorts, pink-and-white shoes with an arrow design... And she had pink hair that was weirdly reflective, as well as that weird hair bow. She grabbed her spear that was leaning on the wall and strapped it to her back.
"Is something wrong?" The girl looked at me curiously.
"Oh, not really. Ash and Camphor are waiting downstairs. We should go back to them."
I opened the door leading to the rest of the house and led the girl out. The girl seemed to be nervous, as she clung tightly to me. With the girl still clinging to me, I went to the living room where Ash and Camphor were waiting.
"Oh, look at that!" Camphor smiles. "The girl's awake."
"Ah! You're...!" The girl suddenly lets go and eagerly walks up to Camphor. "You're Professor Camphor!"
Camphor giggled at the girl's reaction. "Yes, that's right. Why don't you take a seat? We have a lot to talk about." The girl complied, and I sat next to her on a couch. "For starters, we should introduce ourselves. You already know who I am, so why don't you go first, Ash?"
"Alright," Ash nods. "I'm Ash Ketchum! My dream's to become a Pokemon Master. I'm currently living with Professor Camphor for the time being."
"And I'm Rotom!" Rotom announced. "I'm Ash's partner, and my dream is to become the greatest Pokedex in the universe! Pleased to meet you."
"Wow, those are some awesome dreams!" The girl's eyes sparkled. "And you get to live with Professor Camphor?! I'm sooo jealous!" Then she looked at me. "And what about you, mister knight? What's your name?"
"Oh, me? I'm David Herotis," I introduce myself. "I've lost my memories for some reason. And I'm not really a knight, I just happened to pick up this sword in the Wild Area's forest."
"Oh, you've lost your memories? That's too bad... I hope you get your memories back soon." She seemed to be somewhat disappointed in what I just told her, but I wouldn't put it past her.
"Well, we've introduced ourselves," Camphor says. "Why don't you tell us your name, little girl?"
"Oh, right! My name's Liana Hikari! It's nice to meet all of you." She gave us a cute smile as she introduced herself.
"Liana, huh? Why do I feel like I've heard that name before...?"
"Um, do you know me, or...?" Liana gazed at Camphor curiously.
"Oh, uh, never mind. Now, Ash? David? There's something you need to know about this girl. She's a Hybrimon."
"A Hybrimon?" I repeat.
"What's a Hybrimon, Professor Camphor?" Ash asked her. "I've never heard of one before."
"In a nutshell, a Hybrimon is a person with Pokemon-like abilities and features," Camphor explained. I could see her "Professor" side coming out. "They're half human, and half Pokemon."
"That's so cool!"
"I know, right?!" Liana nodded excitedly. "In my case, I'm a Normal- and Electric-type! You see my hair? It's not like normal hair— It's tentacle-like hair that can store ink I can shoot in a fight. And I can electrify it, to boot!"
Her explanation made me realize something. "Hold it, Liana," I interrupted her. "Tentacle-like hair? So this hair bow of yours is actually...?"
"Yup! It's tentacle-like hair tied into a bow!"
That creeped me out for some reason. "U-Uh... That's... Kinda weird...?"
"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?! I've seen Hybrimon with weirder looks before, y'know!"
"Professor Camphor, there's another thing I wanna know," Ash asked her. "She was being attacked by three guys in black jackets. Do you know who they are?"
"Oh, I do." Professor Camphor seemed to be somewhat agitated. "Those guys're part of Team Noir, a criminal organization that specifically targets Hybrimon. They'll do anything to hurt Hybrimon. Assault, theft, arson, scams... The list goes on."
"H-Huh?!" Liana gasped. "S-So those meanies that jumped me... Were part of Team Noir?!"
"That's right. You were pretty lucky to have Ash and David swoop in and save you."
"I've heard of them before, but to think I'd actually get attacked by them..."
"Ugh, those guys remind me of... them..." Ash scoffed.
"What was that, Ash?" I asked.
"Uh, nothing... But if that's the case, then isn't it dangerous to be wandering around by yourself, Liana? Where're your parents?"
"I... don't know," Liana shrugged. "They've been missing for a long time. I'm looking for them."
That didn't seem right to me. I mean, it's nice that Liana's looking for her parents so she can be safe again, but... What about when she's by herself? Those guys're gonna jump her over and over again, until they...
No, I can't let that happen! I'm not gonna sit by and watch this kid get hurt by those villains! Maybe I've never used a sword before, but I could at least use the sword I got from the forest to keep her safe!
Alright. Now that that's decided, I need to get that across to Liana!
"Hey, Liana?" I tap her shoulder, and she looks at me. "I was thinking... It'd be dangerous for you to be by yourself, looking for your parents while Team Noir's out to get you."
"I know that," Liana nodded. "But I'm sure I can take care of myself."
"Maybe you can outrun them. But who's to say they won't give up? At some point, you'll be forced to fight for your life. Remember when they cornered you? You grabbed your spear to protect yourself. I'm sure you know that, too."
"I, uh... What're you saying, David?"'
"I'm saying..." I bit my tongue, having second thoughts. Ugh, no! I can't turn back now! "I'm saying until you find your parents, I want to protect you."
"Wh-What?!" Everyone gasped.
"I mean, I can't just sit by and watch as those guys hunt her down, right? At the very least, I could use this sword to keep the kid safe."
"But surely you know you'll get hurt, too!" Camphor exclaimed.
"Just like her, I'm aware of the risks. And they're risks I'm willing to take. I'd rather go down in a fight instead of living the rest of my life knowing I never tried!"
"Wow, David..." Ash whispered.
"...David?" Liana tugged on my shirt's sleeve. "...Thank you. But..."
"What is it, Liana?" I ask.
"You know you can't fight them yourself, right? I mean, Ash and Pikachu also played a part in saving me. So... How about this? Instead of you just protecting me... I'll protect you, as well. We can watch each other's backs as we fight them off! So..." She jumped off the couch and pulled a Poke Ball out of her pocket. "Why don'tcha catch me?"
"H-Huh?! Catch you?!"
"I mean, if we're gonna protect each other, then it's only right you become my trainer, right? C'mon, David!"
"That's awesome!" Ash cheered. "Your first Pokemon's actually a Hybrimon?! So cool!"
"Hehe, who would've thought she'd be your partner?" Camphor giggled.
I thought about it for a bit. I thought Pokemon and Hybrimon were supposed to avoid being caught, but... Looks like Liana's a special case. And besides, what reason do I have to say no?
"It's a deal, kiddo!" I take the Poke Ball from her, and noticed that it wasn't like the Poke Balls Ash gave me. The red half was actually pink, and there was a replica of Liana's hair bow resting on the top half as well. "...Just one thing, though. What is this weird Poke Ball?"
"It's a Hybri Ball," Camphor told me. "It's a specialized Poke Ball meant to catch a Hybrimon. All Hybrimon carry one, and they give it to a trainer they like so they can become partners. It doesn't work on Pokemon, though, so don't bother."
"Well, what're we waiting for?!" Liana jumped up and down excitedly. "C'mon, catch me!"
"Alright." I get up and walk a fair distance away from Liana. "GO, HYBRI BALL!"
I threw the Hybri Ball at Liana with all the force I could muster. It hit her arm, and it sucked her in with the familiar red light. Her Hybri Ball fell to the floor, and it whirred as it shook. Once... Twice... Three times...
*CLICK!*
The button flashed green after the third shake, and the Hybri Ball emitted some sparkles. That had to be a signal that I caught her! Practically smiling from ear to ear, I picked up her Hybri Ball in wonder.
"You did it, David!" Rotom bleeped as it frantically took pictures. "You got your first Pokemon— Or rather, first Hybrimon!"
"Way to go, David!" Ash cheered.
"Now, why don't you send Liana out again?" Camphor smiled. "Throw the ball again, and she'll come out."
"Okay! C'mon out, Liana!" I threw the Hybri Ball upwards, and it released a blue light this time. Liana emerged, overjoyed. "Starting today, we're partners, kiddo! Whaddya think of that?" Before she said anything else, Liana happily jumped at me, and I reflexively caught her in my arms. As we embraced, I couldn't help but notice how huggable she was as she nuzzled me happily.
"I couldn't be happier, David!" Liana chirped.
And just like that, I caught my first Hybrimon, Liana Hikari! We've made a deal to protect each other from Team Noir if they came after us again, but for now, she's coming along for the ride. So many questions were left unanswered. What was this place? Why is this place filled with such charming creatures known as Pokemon? And most importantly, where did my memories go, and what kind of past did I have? But I wouldn't get anywhere by just thinking. I had no idea at the time, but my adventure in the Terelm region was just beginning!
(Author's Note: Alright, I'm giving this story one more redo! I can't promise this'll be the last time, but I hope it'll be better than the second attempt. You may have noticed I've removed what kind of music plays for a certain scene, and that's because I felt like that was a mistake. And the battle scenes aren't going to be as dragged out, I can promise that much. But other than that, please enjoy the third edition of David's adventure in the Terelm region!)
NEXT EPISODE PREVIEW
David: Alright, so where do we go next?
Ash: I think you'll have to get used to using that sword and commanding Liana in battles. So let's start training at the Pokemon Center!
Liana: U-Um, I don't think I'll be pretty good... I mean, I haven't participated in many battles...
Ash: Well, that's the whole point! By the time we're finished, you'll have a feel for it, Liana.
David: ...Uh, guys? Who're they?
Liana: Three trainers, each with their own Hybrimon... Are they having some sorta free-for-all?
Ash: Awesome! I wanna jump into that battle!
David: W-Wait, Ash, is that even allowed?!
Next time, on Pokemon: Arcane Quest, our heroes head off to the Pokemon Center for training! But who will they meet there? Find out in the next episode...
Episode 2: Battling Against Newfound Friends!