Authors note: This is personally my favorite chapter so far as it really gets things going story-wise.
Tending wounds with nothing but the wilderness really gave me a run for my money. It took all day to figure out any sort of temporary solution, and here I was hoping I could get right into the action.
Taking a quick glance around, I initially didn't see any useful things to help heal my wounds. Eventually I found a bush full of berries, they looked like a sort of yellowish berry with greenish dots all around it.. It might have been a sitrus berry. I recall sitrus berries restored some Health to a Pokemon so I took a hold of one and pulled it off the bush with a satisfying crack. Hesitantly I took a slow bite, hoping it didn't have a nasty effect on people and…. Wow! It tasted really good, there was no direct taste to any sort of food I could think of, but it still tasted generally sweet. I was hoping that would help my pain, but it seems there was no immediate effect, I'll have to think of something else.
As I sat there wallowing, albeit halfheartedly considering my biggest dream finally came true, my ears twitched a little when I heard the sound of a stream quietly drifting. I breathed, getting up and walking towards the stream. "Wow it sure is pretty" I muttered to no one in particular for the 2nd time today. Kneeling down, I tested the waters to feel the cold seep into my dirty hands. I had no qualms with being dirty, but I figured now was a good time as any to clean my wounds and myself off.
Taking a few minutes to refresh myself, I finally dipped my hands fully into the water, rubbing them together to get off the dirt and have the water wash over the small cuts and bruises on my hands, resulting in me shivering from the sharp pain every so often. During this time I also noticed that across from the stream were an array of different forest pokemon taking a glance at me, interested in whatever it was they thought the human was doing. I pulled my hands back, taking a second to look around for any sort of thing to wrap my hands around.
The leaves on the trees around here were too short to fully wrap around my hands,however, so it was safe to assume there was nothing I could do at the moment. I sighed ,taking in the surrounding area, this place truly was gorgeous; even if I didn't frequently go outside in my world I always had a soft spot for nature. My eyes glazed over each little detail, from the soft grass, waving slowly around like a dance, to the baby blue sky, now turned into an orangish hue that reflected the color into the forest, I relaxed for a moment, laying my back on the gr- BOOM!
I frantically moved to my feet, suddenly dazed and confused. I looked to the other side of the stream to see the forest critters running away from the explosion. Taking a look over into the far treeline opposite of me, I could see smoke and a cleared area, radiating heat even from all the way over here. I ran forward, jumping over the stream in a frantic leap, landing a bit rough on my feet and continuing to run past into the treeline. Once there I clung to a still standing tree, looking over its side to figure out what's going on. Glancing over, I could see two large figures standing opposite of me, looking towards my direction, but not directly at me.
One had the look of a human shape, but after a moment their image came into display, and I could see him fully. He was a tall man, with a jet black jacket hung around his long sleeved red shirt and himself, accompanied by his same colored crew cut hair. He had on some blue jeans and finished it off with brown cowboy boots. His demeanor told me he was annoyed and angry, but his face told me he was more then mean, he was evil.
Staggering over him was a turtonator, gleaming in red and yellow coloring, rocks penetrating out of his shell's back. The turtonator also didn't look all that friendly, unfortunately. Upon closer inspection, I noticed they were both looking down at a small bluish pokemon. Was that… a riolu? It totally was.. They're really rare and for a good reason, they're incredibly strong when evolved… Suddenly a low, unwelcome voice spoke with a raspy tone "Get over here you little punk, you'll fetch a pretty penny in the black market" The riolu whimpered, and I noticed that it could barely move and was in critical condition. "TURTONATOR USE EMBER!" The tall man shouted ,pointing at the hurt riolu. Why would he use a move on it now? It's clearly too hurt to take another attack.
The turtonator moved swiftly, blasting a puff of fire out of its mouth. Without thinking I quickly sprang into the clearing, crossing my arms into an x pattern in front of the riolu. The ember blasted me, throwing me backwards over the riolu. "Kid, what are you doing? This is my catch, stay out of this or you'll get a beating." I willed my body to stand up, the heat getting to my body, my arms limp, legs reddened, clothes half burned.
"What are you doing? You'll kill this riolu if you hit it with another move, do you even plan on using a pokeball?" I questioned him, hoping all those terms would fit in. "The boss said he didn't care if this runt was dead or Alive, he just wants it, and if you stand here trying to act like a hero any more you'll pay just like this runt did for scratching my precious face" At the moment I looked at his rough face, and he wasn't wrong, the riolu really did cut him, most likely in self defense.
I looked over at the riolu one more time.. If only this thing could talk and let me know what's going on... I do a double take and realize the riolu is staring at me, hoping I could help it; I could tell it was begging for my help so I nodded, and walked over in front of the riolu once again. "You sure are an annoying pest kid, but I did warn you. TURTONATOR USE DRAGON CLAW" The turtonator ran at me at full speed, holding it's claws up and forming a purplish hue around them, he then slashed them down at me, ripping my clothes on my chest into claw marks and massive marks already swelling onto my chest. I fell straight down onto my back, nearly unconscious, I could barely breathe and my vision was failing me.
"Let's end this with one more move, TURTONATOR USE FIRE BLAST!" The turtonator built up a massive amount of energy, piling it up in its stomach and then, suddenly releasing a blast of fire. It was about to hit me and the riolu, so without thinking I wrapped my arms around the riolu and shielded it using my body. My body clenched itself, preparing for a wave of heat, only to find… nothing?
I looked up from my position on the ground, and a massive dark blue beast was in front of me and the riolu, seemingly having taken the fire blast like it was nothing. The beast stood there for a moment, before enveloping itself in some odd energy…The beast then released a large energy of pink aura, throwing it at the turtonator, blasting it backwards into its own trainer and out of the clearing… possibly even the forest. That first move looked very similar to geomancy…but if that's the case then that means this is an xerneas…halfway through my thought, a voice echoed into my head, it was a loud voice, but also incredibly benevolent.
"Thank you human for protecting this Pokemon of the forest.." I gawked at it for a moment before responding "Aren't you Xerneas? The life pokemon, and also a legendary?" Xerneas looked like it smirked for a moment, before saying "Yes.. I am. I hadn't noticed the initial attack on this riolu from this trainer however, and only when you came to protect it from attacks did I arrive" I was about to stand up, but then I stalled and fell to my knees.
"You're very hurt.. Human. I would heal you but my powers here are limited… I'm sorry but the best I can do is help you up on your feet." I felt myself getting tugged around, my body being pulled up fully so I could stand. "Can't you at least heal the riolu?" I responded quickly, hoping to save it. "Even that, I can not do, however I do know of 'poke centers' you must bring it there and heal it, the nearest town should be just past these trees, where the other trainer was sent flying. I must go now, another Pokemon needs my help."
And just like that.. It disappeared. I was hoping it could be of more use here, but considering how things have been so far, I wasn't all that surprised. I picked up the limp riolu, and cradled it in my arms, it must have fallen unconscious after I decided to save it… I speed walked past the trees and into the view of a town about half a mile away. I felt rain droplets hitting me in the head and then a long and loud thunder crack happened, signaling an incoming storm. "As if anything could get worse" I mumbled, before willing myself to run to the town.