Once Adam and I had rested after Volt rescued us, I was hoping that the moment I woke up, this was all just a bad dream. We wouldn't have been stuck in this virtual world. We would be back at home, with Mom and Dad. I mean…after all, I knew that Adam looked completely horrified. I just wanted this nightmare to end for the both of us.
Alas, that never happened. The moment I woke up, I was still in Talis. I held my paw up at my face, realizing that unfortunately, this was real. The horrors of my life started to sink in, as I was on the brink of losing myself once more. However, as I turned over to Adam, I could see that he was still fast asleep. He was still a Torracat in appearance, but at the very least, he was alive. But I knew for a fact he hated being here. I was just scared of what was going through his mind.
It didn't take long for the both of us to wake up and be given some apples to eat, courtesy of the Lycanroc member of Team Delta, Wulfrock. Adam woke up to see him for the first time, and ultimately jumped back out of fear. Wulfrock winced upon seeing Adam so scared of him, where he reassured "I swear, I'm not going to hurt you. I'm Wulfrock. I'm with Team Delta."
"Team…Delta?" I asked curiously.
Wulfrock smiled as he gave us both a nod. He held out his team badge, indicating an Ultra Rank player, much to my own surprise. "I'm sure you've already met with Volt and Rin," he mentioned. "The three of us are on the same team."
I sighed with relief, knowing that at least this guy seemed rather nice. Once Wulfrock placed his badge away, I asked him "How long do you think we'll be trapped here…?"
Wulfrock couldn't help but pause his actions as he looked at the both of us slowly. From what he could gather from the both of us, he could tell I was nervous, and that Adam was scared beyond belief. The Lycanroc quietly sighed and shook his head. "I don't know. But I promise you, we'll look out for your safety. The last thing we wanted was to lose you. You guys should consider yourselves lucky."
Adam whimpered a little, trembling as he curled up into a ball. "I want to go home…" he muttered out.
I couldn't help but feel sorry for him. Adam never asked to be in this position. And the same could be applied to me, though if you ask me, I was feeling conflicted with what I was doing here. I wanted another adventure with my team…and what I got instead was a one-way ticket into a virtual hellscape. I didn't deserve this, and I wouldn't even think about how this was affecting Adam, since he seemed to be the most intense about it.
Wulfrock soon sat down on a chair, and quietly asked the both of us "So, what happened? What exactly led you two here?"
I didn't know if I could give a straight answer. If the entirety of Team Delta were military, I didn't want to give them the wrong impression. So, instead, I gave him a version of the truth, hoping to avoid any sort of implications against me. "I…picked up some passes from a hacker… It was those that got us trapped here, I'm sure…"
Wulfrock nodded as I gave my answer. "I see. Care to give a description of what he looked like?"
I nodded. "A Nuzleaf. That's who gave them to me. I swear."
Wulfrock understood as he listened carefully, giving a nod to the both of us. "Well, it's not exactly unheard of. There were rumors spreading that players were starting to instantly vanish because of some strange phenomenon that was dragging them into the virtual world. Their spirits merge with their avatars, almost becoming one and the same. And the moment they take heavy damage, their bodies bleed. The indications that this player is trapped is with a beating heart in their chest, and the inability to access a menu of any kind."
Adam and I were kind of surprised he knows about what was going on with us. Curious to know more, I asked him "How did you know that…?"
Wulfrock smiled as he then turned to face the door. He whistled someone to enter the med bay, and all at once, Adam and I were greeted by the sight of a Charizard in our midst. I was almost in awe at how confident this Charizard looked. Adam even sat up and was rather amazed at seeing a Charizard up close. We both had no idea that there was a Pokémon like this living inside of the Solace Guild. This Charizard had the makings of being a strong, capable leader.
"Boys, I would like you to meet Infernick," Wulfrock introduced as he motioned to the Charizard. "The leader of the Solace Guild."
The Charizard bowed his head in a friendly greeting. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Though, if you want, you boys can call me Nick."
I caught a faint hint of an accent on him, though he did what he could to try and hide it. Curiously, I asked the Charizard "What kind of accent is that? You're imitating a Midwestern American accent, like what we have, but that isn't your natural inflection, is it?"
"Well, funny you should mention that," Nick said with a smile. "I'm half-Russian, from my father's side."
"Russian?" Adam and I looked at each other before we both silently agreed that this was an odd thing to bring up out of the blue. As I looked back at Nick, I asked him "So…you're with the American military, despite your Russian heritage?"
"Let's not dwell on my background, please?" Nick insisted, trying desperately to maintain an American accent. He caught on that I have a Russian accent? He has good senses. Maybe he's smarter than I previously thought, given what Mike reported… Nick gave a slight chuckle, mentioning to us "I just have one question I wish to ask the both of you. I hope you don't mind."
"A question?" Adam asked. "What do you want to ask?"
Nick gave a cheeky grin at the both of us, before asking "How do you see yourselves in a few years?"
Ah, jeez… This again? I took a few seconds to try and think things over, before mentioning "I always wanted to be a writer…"
Nick noted what I was saying, but was quick to brush us aside. "No no, I meant how do you see yourselves: back in the real world as humans, or trapped in here as Pokémon?"
Adam and I were stunned by his question, and were quite impressed with the fact that he was wanting to help us. All at once, Adam and I both shouted out "We want to be human!" I turned to glance at Adam, and I saw he was lowering his head, sulking, as he wanted to return home desperately. I couldn't help but give a pitying smile towards him. Hopefully, we can return home sooner, rather than later. I don't think Adam can take it.
Nick nodded at both of our responses with a smile. Taking a glance at Wulfrock, Nick ended up telling him "Go and inform Volt and Rin. We're going to put these two to the test."
Wulfrock couldn't help but tense up a little, asking Nick "What kind of test are you implying?"
"A survival test, mainly," Nick answered. "If these boys want to return home, they need to be ready to face the world ahead of them with their heads held high. Therefore, I'm going to do what I can to train them until they've grown stronger in my eye. I promise you, the moment we return, Josh and Adam here will be different than when you first met them. I'm shaping them up to be the perfect fighting team."
Adam couldn't help but get instantly anxious over the way Nick was phrasing this. "Uh…w-what are y-you saying, sir? What do you mean training?"
"It's exactly what it sounds like," Nick mentioned, turning his attention to us again. "I'm taking you boys out of Talis, so that way, we can finally begin our training. I want to test your survival skills, combat strength, resource management, among other things. If you want to return home, I need to mold you into the ultimate fighting force."
Adam and I were practically uncertain if what Nick was implying to be in store for us was going to work. After all, how long were we going to be training? Where were we going? When will we be able to return home? Honestly, we weren't so sure. And if I was being honest with myself, I couldn't help but find this idea to be full of risks.
Nick saw our concerns, and gently brought up "Not to worry. I'll be monitoring all of your activities myself. The last thing I want is for the both of you to die on my watch." He then turned to Wulfrock, giving him a trusting smile, and said "You don't have to worry about me, Wulfrock. We'll be fine, as long as I'm there with them."
Wulfrock wanted to argue back, but he was rather quick to relent, and nodded in understanding. After giving Nick a salute, he stated "Best of luck, sir!" He then left the medical wing altogether, leaving just the three of us all alone.
Nick smiled as he returned to looking at us. "I'm sure you boys have a ton of concerns, but don't worry. I've trained for literal years in this game, and grew to gain quite the reputation. I've been here since the game's launch, so I know a few tricks of the trade that can help you both grow stronger. Now, are there any questions before we start traveling?"
I looked at Adam, and I could tell he was scared. If anything, he wasn't sure that training was going to be enough for the both of us, and didn't even speak up. I'll admit, I felt the same way as well, never knowing what lied ahead of me if we went through with this. Nervously, as I looked back at Nick, I asked him "Where are you planning to take us?"
Chapter 47: The Zero Isles
It wasn't very long for us once Lucian teleported us into the town square of Volcanica. Now, Adam and I haven't exactly entered Volcanica proper until this moment, so when we both were struggling to catch our bearings from just how Lucian's teleporting worked out, Adam and I were practically amazed over how interesting the place was.
Lucian adjusted his glasses, before telling us "And here we are: Volcanica. It sure is beautiful, isn't it?"
"Beautiful isn't really the word I'd describe it," I muttered as I looked around the town. Obviously, a town located right next to a volcano is supposed to look practically rugged by design, so I wouldn't really call it serene or beautiful. The town was impressive, sure, but I sure as hell wouldn't call it "beautiful."
"Thank you, Lucian," Nick said calmly as he gave the Meowstic a bow. "I'll see you once these two are stronger."
"I'd give it a month or two," Lucian stated with a smile. "It's not every day where a pair of players get the chance to change physically and mentally, but I'll let you figure that out for yourselves."
What is he talking about? I thought as I gave this weird look towards the Meowstic. Does he even know how to talk to people? That has to be the strangest thing I have ever heard…
Lucian chuckled a little as he then looked at me. "I've been called strange quite a bit. My mother, father, sister, cousins, friends, colleagues, patrons… They all think I have a few screws loose."
"Understatement of the century…" I mumbled. However, the weirdness of the interaction took a drastic turn when Lucian ended up touching my cheek as he stared blankly into my eyes. "Uh…what are you doing?"
You have a lot of growing to do if you think you can leave this world, J, Lucian muttered in my head, causing me to be stunned silent. Which reminds me, if you want to leave this world alive, focus mainly on protecting your brother. I've seen his thoughts, and he looked like he was ready to throw it all away. Life is precious, so don't waste it.
I wanted to question him further. But then, I felt like my head was being split open, as everything in my vision suddenly went white.
I found I was then floating in a vast void, and the only thing that I took note was that it was like I was floating in a black area littered with stars. At least, that was what I assumed was going on as I looked around. I was almost scared at what I was looking at, wondering what it was Lucian was up to. But then, that was where Lucian's voice soon picked up.
Amidst the shadows of your mind, you will find the sole reason to keep fighting.
Do that, and your small flame will blaze into an inferno.
It is through trials of fire and lightning you will gather up your flames;
And united, you will rise up against the encroaching shadow.
Battles will be rough, and lives will be at stake;
Once the truth is revealed, the war will begin.
The heavens will fall, and hope will be at its end;
But after clarity breaks through, your true strength will lie within.
Gather up the eight, and rally up your troops;
The world will be at the mercy of a manipulative shadow force.
With light breaking through to overcome the dark;
An exit it shall provide as freedom runs its course.
Oh, wave guiding-hero, know your true passion;
Oh, flame-bringing hero, rise to your true ambition;
Oh, noble, gallant hero, complete your true mission;
Only the prayer of light will save you.
"Lucian?" I questioned as I looked around. "Hey! What are you talking about? Where am I, even?" However, just as I was questioning it, I was once again engulfed in bright light.
I gasped as I suddenly found myself once again in Volcanica. I backed away from Lucian, resting a paw at my head as I tried to process what it was that Lucian subjected me to. Adam looked at me with worry, asking me "Josh? Are you alright?"
"I don't know…"
"Ah, so you've given him one of your 'famous' prophecies," Nick said as he looked at Lucian. "Give a word of warning next time, alright?"
Adam and I were quite confused by what Nick was talking about. As we looked at the Charizard, I asked him "Wait…a prophecy?"
Lucian smiled at us as he mentioned "I happen to come from a long line of psychics. Fortune telling, ESP, parapsychology. It's quite the long career that my family have been passing down for generations. I'm essentially the 9th in line, as it were."
I had no idea how to react to Lucian's response. He seemed to be rather calm as he explained his profession to us, almost like we were supposed to just accept this at face value. Is this guy serious? He's an actual psychic? I tried to test him further by asking him "So…you can see into the future and whatnot, right?"
Lucian nodded at my question. "I can see branching paths to every possible outcome that will occur in the future. I mainly want to utilize my talents to benefit the safety of the players in this game. Ideally, you guys."
"Us?" I questioned. "But…why us, though?"
Lucian just ignored my question, before looking at his wrist like a watch was attached to it, before quickly stating "Oh, would you look at the time! I'm afraid I can't stay here. I've got duties to fulfill, after all." He then gave a nod to the three of us. "Josh. Adam. Nick. Adieu." And just like that, he instantly teleported away, leaving the three of us in Volcanica with many questions I seriously wanted to ask him. I was perplexed, but ultimately, there was something that needed to be said when it came to that prophecy he gave me. If he was the real deal, then this prophecy might just be our ticket out of here.
I took a moment to ponder what he said. A small flame will rise into an inferno… I wonder what that's supposed to mean?
"Hey! Josh!"
All at once, my train of thought was interrupted when I looked over to where that shout was coming from. I recognized that voice from practically anywhere. And much to my surprise, a familiar looking Raboot was running towards me. "Ace?"
The Raboot ended up hugging me out of pure joy, ultimately ecstatic to see me again. While he hugged me, I could tell that he seemed to be rather worried about me. "OH! I've been so worried about you! I heard about your school being under attack, and I've feared the worst!"
The mere mention of the school attack gave me some form of PTSD flashbacks in my brain, as I pictured everything that happened that day. I nearly trembled as I was reminded of what happened, but not wanting to feel weak or insecure, I patted Ace on the back. "Nice to see you too, Ace."
Ace finished hugging me as he looked at me in the eye with a hint of curiosity. "So, where are we going today? Any news regarding what happened to Flutterfly? I've tried calling him, but apparently, I've been getting no responses except the pre-recorded messages."
Crap… I have yet to tell him what happened. But how do I break the news to him? He looks so carefree and supportive. How would he react? I nervously averted my gaze somewhat over the mention of Zach, which Ace was rather quick to notice, causing his smile to waver as he looked at me with genuine concern. I knew that he was going to find out eventually, so…I ended up placing a paw on his shoulder, a sorrowful look on my face as I looked at him. "I'm afraid he won't be coming back."
Ace was rather confused, worried about my tone of voice. "What? What do you mean he's not coming back?"
"Uh, what I mean is…uh…" Come on, Josh. Focus. Give him an honest answer. Not even thinking too deeply on what to say, I just told him "I need some time by myself."
Doubtful about my response, Ace took a look over at Adam, where he asked "Both you and your brother? I hardly call that time to yourself."
"This is a family affair, alright!?" I shouted at him in frustration. Ace looked positively shocked by my tone of voice, seeing how I was deeply shaken about what happened. Good going, Josh. Real smooth. With a sigh, I requested "How about you and I talk in private, okay?"
Ace didn't know what I was implying, but he was more than willing to listen to what I had to say. He gave one final look towards Adam curiously, before understanding that there was something he seemed to be missing. He nodded, and the both of us ended up walking away from Nick and Adam as we approached the corner of a nearby building, out of sight from most people. Ace was starting to get a little bit fed up with my behavior, so he asked me "Alright. Care to explain what is going on, Josh?"
I could feel my heart beginning to race, as every nerve in my body tensed up and left me shivering. I had to tell him the truth. Not the whole truth, but I wasn't going to let him go idly by without some information. I sighed, looking Ace in the eye, before telling him "Zach is dead."
Ace was practically shocked to hear what I had to say. "He's dead? How?"
I averted my gaze and rubbed at my arm out of fear. "He got involved with a knife fight against m-" I soon caught myself before I confessed who killed him, so I ended up correcting that sentence with "…Against a monster."
"Jesus…" Ace pondered on what to process from that information, a clear look of sadness strewn over his face. "I'm sorry to hear that…"
"Yeah…" Tears were starting to form in my eyes as I was reminded once more over his final words before dying in my arms. Whimpering badly, I told him "Ace, I…want to disband Team Ignis."
"D-disband?" Ace asked out of worry for me. "Is this part of the reason you're traveling with Adam? To abandon me?"
"It's not like that, Ace," I mentioned. "It's just that…I can't exactly leave him alone in this world after what happened to the both of us."
Ace was more than understanding, but even then, he still felt confused. "Then why are you trying to abandon me? I thought we were a team…"
"We are a team," I reasoned as I rested a paw on his shoulder. "But I'm afraid I can't take you with, Ace."
Ace was ultimately starting to get a little bit frustrated. He set his paws on my shoulders, giving me a stern look, before asking me "Why, Josh? Why can't I go with you? What exactly happened?"
"You wouldn't understand," I tried to argue.
"Understand what? Why don't you just tell me what's happening, otherwise I'll have to tag along with you anyways!"
I soon got flustered, and I ultimately gripped one of his paws, and rested it upon my chest. Ace could feel it then. How I ultimately have a sudden heartbeat in my chest, which ultimately caused him to only be more confused. So, bitterly, I told him "This! This is why I can't have you tag along, Ace! I'm sorry!"
I soon shoved Ace's paw away, his confused and worried expression dotting his face as he saw how clearly upset I was. It took me every ounce of strength I had to try and show I didn't need to get him involved. It tore me up on the inside, because deep down, I wanted Ace to come with. But unfortunately, telling him he's better off without me not only felt like a betrayal of my trust towards him, but it ultimately made me feel like I was the aggressor in this scenario.
Mainly, at the time, the reason I came up with to keep Ace away was because I didn't want to force him into learning the whole truth regarding me, Zach, and the whole incident. The last thing I needed him to know was that I was responsible for Zach's death. After all, how in the world was he going to react if I told him the whole truth? I couldn't place that on his conscience. But most importantly, I still hoped that he and I would still be friends, even though what I was doing was the exact opposite of what a friend would do.
Ace wanted to speak up, but I brushed him aside, before saying "You're better off just looking for someone else as a teammate. It's probably for the best that I'd stay away from you…" Because I simply don't want you to end up like Zach because of me. Without another word, I just turned away, and walked off. I had tears coming out of my eyes, which I ultimately ended up wiping away with my arm to show that I could still be the tough and kind player I always yearned to be.
However, as I was already a good distance away from the building, that was when Ace ended up grabbing my shoulder from behind, forcing me to stop. I could feel his aura was a vivid orange in color as I could sense it behind me. Ace was quick to ultimately let go of my shoulder after a few seconds of taking a deep breath. And calmly, he told me the one thing I never thought I would be happy to hear him say.
He said "I'll be waiting for you. Once you're done with whatever it is with Adam."
I turned around to him, as I saw he was crying a little as he looked at me with a determined expression. "Promise me that we will meet again!"
I felt so touched by his kindness, I couldn't help but smile at him. I stepped towards him, giving him a hug, a few tears coming out of my own eyes as I embraced him. "I'm glad I have you as a friend, Ace. Stay strong for me, because I want to stay strong for you." I finished my hug, giving him a gentle nod of my head. "I promise that one day, we will see each other again."
Ace couldn't help but smile back as he saw how much I still cared for him. Giving a nod to me, he returned to shedding some tears, before whimpering "I hope so, my friend."
We both gave our heartbreaking farewells that day. I was going to miss him, really. Ace was always so upbeat and friendly, and I couldn't help but find that infectious sometimes. The sad truth is that Ace and I wouldn't properly reunite for a long, long time. I still think about him from time to time, but even after all of the years I've explored this game with Adam, I could never really find where he is. It was as if he's moved on, and formed a new life without me. It was heartbreaking to know that he must've moved on. But hopefully, that wouldn't be for long, since I've had so many adventures I wanted to share with him.
Speaking of which, the first big adventure Adam and I took part in was a simple one. Nick wanted to take the both of us outside of Volcanica to begin our training. Once we reached the coastline, overlooking some cliffs, Nick ended up pointing towards the horizon beyond the sea. "Just down that direction, only a few miles away, you will find the Zero Isles," he mentioned. "It is there where we will begin our training."
"The Zero Isles…" I muttered as I looked at the horizon.
Adam was primarily curious about this, so he turned to look at Nick and asked him "Why are they called the Zero Isles again?"
"Well, that's because the dungeon itself is rather convoluted in nature," Nick answered with a smile. "You cannot enter with any items in your possession. And furthermore, the moment you enter those islands, your levels will reset all the way back to Level 5. It's like resetting from where you first began, only with a few extra bells and whistles."
This caused Adam to nervously add "And…we're going to cross the ocean to get there?"
Nick gave a gentle nod. "That's the idea. Hardly any players are brave enough to take on this challenge. I barely managed to last in there for a few months myself before I had to teleport back to town."
Out of all the things I was expecting to hear, that had to have been the most impressive feat I have ever heard. As I looked at Nick with utter surprise, I asked "You've survived a few months on the Zero Isles by yourself!?"
Nick couldn't help but give a grin towards me as he was given praise. "I'm often referred to as Infernick of the Blue Flame for a reason. I've spent months of training on those islands alone to the point where I've managed to master my own survival and combat skills in a relatively easy manner. What I am expecting will happen is that you two are to follow my example, and pick up a few tricks of the trade."
"And, how long will that be?" I asked.
Nick thought about it for a while, before he then guessed "I think we'll only go so far up until the both of you evolve. After all, you boys have a long way to go before you reach that point anyways!" He then gave a hearty laugh to show how confident he thinks this plan is, before he looked over at the horizon.
I couldn't help but feel nervous at this learning opportunity. But still, if it meant we could get stronger, this honestly wasn't a bad idea. It was going to take a lot of luck, but if we could achieve this, I had a good feeling we could achieve anything.
But as I looked over at Adam, I could practically feel the fear in his eyes. He knows that evolving into an Incineroar means he has to reach Level 34. Before we were both trapped here, he only made it as far as Level 27 before logging out for good long ago. Unfortunately, realizing he was going to have to start again from scratch wasn't really the most encouraging thought. But as he then looked at Nick, he nervously asked him "So…how are we supposed to get there?"
At this question, Nick gave a grin towards Adam. I had an idea on what Nick was planning, but Adam wasn't really going to like it, based on the fact he was sweating profusely.
"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH! GET ME OFF! LET ME GO!" Adam was in full panic mode as we were flying over to the Zero Isles. I was sitting comfortably on Nick's back while Adam was being carried in Nick's arms. However, Adam's panicked state caused him to flail a little as he was straight up terrified of heights!
"Stop flailing around, or else I will let you go," Nick warned Adam. "I don't want to be responsible for you falling into the ocean and drowning on my watch!"
This only made Adam even more scared, resulting in my Torracat brother to sink his claws onto Nick's shoulders, causing the Charizard to wince a little. Adam closed his eyes as he shivered with fear over how high he was in the air, not wanting to fall off because guess what? Adam also can't swim as a Fire-type! So, try to picture my reaction as I couldn't help but find Adam's fears all rolling into one (heights, the ocean, and being on four legs), and the only thing I could do was give a snicker over Adam's behavior. Adam couldn't help but hear my snickering, before yelling at me "STOP LAUGHING!"
"I'm sorry," I said with a smile. "It's just that I'm still surprised you're afraid of heights after all of these years."
"YOU TRY HANGING ON FOR DEAR LIFE, KNOWING YOU'LL END UP ON A WATERY GRAVE IF YOU FALL!" Adam screamed out. "I JUST WANT THIS TO BE OVER!"
I was trying my hardest not to smile, but seeing Adam clinging on to Nick as we flew across the sea was honestly kind of adorable. Even back home, he was terrified of heights. I once tried to convince him to scale up a rock climbing wall that stood 50 feet up, but Adam didn't want to go up there, even though he would've been fine with a safety harness. Even today, Adam's fear of heights was honestly one thing that made me really appreciate him as my younger brother. His lack of experience with things was rather adorable. But if there was one thing that I knew for certain, he had to shape up if it meant we both had to survive. And that was one of the few things that stood out to me as we approached our destination.
Once Nick landed on one of the islands, I leapt off of his back, feeling the sandy beach beneath my paws. Adam, meanwhile, took a while to disconnect himself from Nick as I saw he was still shaking with fear as his fur stood on end. His claws still dug right into Nick's shoulders, even after we made it to land once again, and Nick was starting to get a little irritated. "Adam…you can let go now," Nick insisted.
No response from Adam. Just pure petrification from fear. I sighed as I walked over to my brother, telling Nick "I've got this." I then crept up to Adam from behind, where I ultimately ended up gripping his tail in an attempt to pull him off of the Charizard. Unfortunately, all of my efforts trying to pull him off only caused Adam to yowl in pain as he ended up gripping Nick harder. Alright, Plan A didn't work. Time for Plan B.
Plan B, as it turned out, was me biting down on Adam's tail. This thankfully caused a reaction off of Adam, as he ended up getting a little agitated with me. He thankfully let go of Nick, firing off an Ember attack my direction. Having learned my lesson the first time, I leapt out of the way as the small flame ended up making contact with the sand instead. "I thought I told you not to do that again!" Adam yelled angrily at me.
"Well, sorry, but you aren't going to spend your training glued to Nick's shoulders," I stated. "And besides, Nick seemed pretty annoyed at you for driving your claws into him like that."
"We were literally hundreds of feet in the air!" Adam argued. "You know as well as I do that I have a fear of heights!"
"That's no excuse to be leaving Nick injured and bleeding on his shoulders like-" I paused as I took notice at Nick's injuries, seeing claw marks and blood over his shoulders. Adam turned to Nick's direction, and gasped as he also saw that Nick was bleeding. I put the pieces together immediately. "You're just like us…" I muttered in disbelief. "You're trapped in here just like us."
"Yes, but I can live with it," Nick commented, pulling out some bandages that he ended up wrapping around his shoulders. While he was dressing his wounds, he told us "I've been stuck here far longer than either of you could imagine. I was here since the beta stages of the game, actually." He scoffed a little at himself. "Imagine me, Nick Gustov, a general in the US Army stuck in a game like this…"
Adam and I were both at a loss for words as we looked at him, wondering what it was that led to him in this predicament. But, as we looked at him, I asked "Do you want to be set free?"
Nick stopped tending to his wounds for a bit as he looked at me with a glum expression. I could tell that he didn't want to talk about it that much, so I chose to silence myself after that.
As for Adam, he spoke up, asking "If you've been surviving here for so long, how come you haven't found an escape for yourself yet?"
Nick sighed, returning to dressing his wounds as he chose to keep quiet about it. I honestly couldn't help but think that something must've happened to him that he's not happy about. I wonder what happened to him?
Upon finishing applying bandages over his injuries, he turned to face us, returning to a more charismatic and stoic personality. "Now, I don't think this needs repeating, but unfortunately, apart from medical supplies, none of us have any items to use for survival on these islands. This place is filled with wild Pokémon of various shapes and sizes. The longer you stay here, the more powerful they become. My record time was three months. The sole purpose of our training is to see how you boys can survive on this island. I will be monitoring your activities and provide some assistance when need be.
"Furthermore, now that we're all on the Zero Isles, our levels have been reset to Level 5. It should go without saying that I intend to train you boys until you both are able to evolve. That means pulling your own weight and engaging in combat as much as possible. Our training will revolve around three things." Nick then held up a finger. "Firstly, I intend to have you both not only navigate around these islands every day, but we are to relegate ourselves to sleeping at a different island every day. That means we need to set up shelters for every island. Our shelters should include water containers, food storage, proper bedding, and should have a roof over our heads in case it starts raining."
He then held up a second finger. "Secondly, I encourage you boys to grow stronger through combat. No matter what way you look at it, without gaining experience, you can never grow. I expect the both of you to give it your all as you fight any wild Pokémon you come across. Of course, since you're both reset to Level 5, that means your recent move pools are to compensate for that. Start from the bottom, and rise up to the top, as it were. Only by growing stronger through battle will you both ultimately change into more refined fighters."
Finally, he opened up his entire hand to show the third finger. "Lastly, and this should go without saying, don't die. Since you're both stuck here, that means that unfortunately, things are going to be far more brutal than you previously thought. That blood is no joke. The moment your heart stops, that's it. If you die either from starvation, the elements, traps, or because a wild Pokémon bested you, that's it. No retries. So, I'm advising caution from this point forward. Be alert. Be observant. Be vigilant. Starting today, the training wheels are coming off. Today, you will be fighting like your lives depend on it. So, work together as a team, and watch each other's backs. Do I make myself clear?"
Adam anxiously stared at Nick like he was close to breaking into a panic. As for me, I could feel my heart race in my chest over the circumstances of what this training was going for. I had never before been put into a life and death scenario like this one. However, I knew for a fact that Nick was more than willing to help when he can, and the fact he's spent a few months here on his own helped boost my confidence a little. So, with a little bit of optimism, while Adam seemed to be mostly pessimistic, we both shouted "Yes, sir!"
Nick smiled at the both of us, before he then crossed his arms and gave us a nod of approval. "In that case, let us begin by testing out combat training. The three of us should find some wild Pokémon to battle. Hopefully, we can use it as an opportunity to gather supplies and find us a place to build a shelter. Now, with that said, let's get a move on, you two!"
To summarize what we did on the first day, our first priority was to figure out what moves we had now that we were brought back to Level 5. It wasn't easy, considering that it took quite a bit of convincing to encourage Adam to try and give it a shot. Regardless, once we ran into a few wild Pokémon, they seemed relatively easy to deal with. Some of the first wild Pokémon we were forced to go against included Hoppip, Togepi, Exeggcute, Aipom, Cleffa, Chewtle, and Machop (among others). I'll be honest, starting out with just basic moves was honestly a bit of a pain, but it wasn't anything I couldn't handle, since Nick and Adam also contributed to helping out.
My starting move pool on the Zero Isles were as follows: Quick Attack, Feint, Endure, and Circle Throw. At the very least, I had two moves I originally had on my repertoire with Quick Attack and Circle Throw, so it wasn't that difficult an adjustment period. It just took a bit of getting used to, but sure enough, I believe I got the hang of it.
Nick ultimately had his move pool changed as well. I had no idea what he had before arriving at the islands, but from what I could gather, he was able to showcase what he had knowledge of. His moves were as follows: Dragon Claw, Heat Wave, Smokescreen, and Ember. Three of those moves proved to be to Nick's benefit, admittedly enough. He was rather lucky, all things considered.
As for Adam, he didn't adjust as well as we did. His move pool was this: Scratch, Growl, Ember, and Lick. I think out of all of us, he had it the worst. So despite how much Adam was struggling to keep up, he only managed to defeat half of the enemies that Nick or I ended up defeating. He also didn't seem confident over the fact that no matter how much I tried to explain things to him, he never even once adjusted to moving on four legs. Sometimes, he just stumbles here and there, barely even moving all that much because it hadn't sunk in for him how much he needed to move on four legs.
That was also an issue on our first day. Our training was moving relatively slow. It didn't help that Adam wasn't as experienced with combat as Nick and I were, since he hadn't been as involved in this game ever since he deliberately chose to back away months prior. His own lack of self-confidence in his own capabilities was equal parts frustrating to deal with in a practical sense, and worrisome for the future for us all. If anybody needed to leverage themselves in order to gain confidence in their abilities, it had to be Adam.
My only concern was whether or not he was going to actually evolve, since that was going to be a contributing factor for us during training.
Hours upon hours of training later, the sun was starting to set, and Nick advised we should find and make a shelter while he was off to gather some food. Adam and I did just that, and found a convenient cave to take shelter in. It was rather dark as we approached it, and we had no idea if it was inhabited or not. Turning to look at Adam, I told him "Light the way inside."
"Huh?" Adam asked out of curiosity.
I stared at him with a look of disdain, and I added "You're a Fire-type. You figure it out."
Adam just looked inside of the cave timidly, unsure of whether or not he could actually dare to step inside. Doubt was flooding his mind as he looked inside, before asking me "How do we know that this cave isn't already inhabited? What if we get ambushed?"
I patted Adam on the back and gave him a smile. "Hey, in case something happens, I'll be right here by your side. All we need to do is just light up the cave and see if anything is inside." I then gave a bow as I motioned for Adam to try and light the way using Ember.
Adam tensed up, but after he took a deep breath, he muttered to himself "You can do this… You can do this… Just…fire an Ember in there, and you're good…" Adam then took a breath in, before firing an Ember attack into the cave to light the way. And much to our surprise, his Ember attack ended up striking the back of a Bagon which was trying to sleep inside.
The both of us were genuinely surprised to see this Bagon suddenly get up, glaring at us intensely as we apparently have trespassed into its territory. It let out a roar at us, before it then started to run our direction, attempting to land a Headbutt on us. Adam backed away slowly, not wanting to deal with this threat. However, I just grinned wide as I charged into the cave. Upon seeing me rush in there, Adam yelled out "Josh! Wait!"
I ignored my brother's hesitation, and I ended up using Circle Throw as I ended up grabbing the Bagon by the head, before tossing it towards the exit of the cave. I turned towards the exit, shouting "Heads up!"
Adam was in a near-panicked state, unsure of what to do in this moment. His indecisiveness unfortunately ended up biting him hard as the Bagon ended up crashing right into Adam, knocking the both of them away. Adam groaned from the sudden impact, while the Bagon ended up disintegrating into pixels on top of him. I winced as I saw Adam was injured, before I ended up rushing out of the cave to check up on him.
Once Adam was helped back up onto his feet, I asked him "Are you alright?"
Adam shook his head as he tried to steady himself. "A little warning the next time you do that, alright?" he stated in annoyance.
"I'm sorry! I just thought you would react and finish it off. You know, landing the finishing blow like a proper team!"
Adam huffed a little before he then entered the cave. "Well, don't ever do that again," he said.
I couldn't help but feel sorry for him. Here I was, trying to be the sensible big brother, giving him a free shot to finish off an enemy. It would've given him plenty of EXP as well if he landed a hit, so I just assumed that Adam wanted to survive. Sighing deeply to myself, I silently followed Adam into the cave.
Nightfall soon followed as Nick helped to set up a fire in the cave. He gave the both of us some Big Apples to munch on, silently watching the campfire in the cave as we mulled around eating our dinner. I took a glance towards Adam, feeling rather worried about him. He seemed rather testy with me, almost like he wasn't in the mood to speak with me after our little escapades today. As far as progress with leveling up is concerned, that's where Nick came in a brought with us a portable scanner.
I looked at the device, asking Nick "What does that do?"
"It's to help monitor what our current levels are," Nick answered. "The GMs of Gelassenheit were able to design it so that I can keep track over how much I've grown ever since I was trapped here. With no access to a menu, this makes for a decent alternative. It doesn't give stats, but it does dictate our current levels and moves." He then pointed the device towards me, before saying "Hold still."
The device that Nick carried with him ended up running a scan over my body as I just witnessed a cone of blue light move up and down. Once a beep was heard, the light faded, before a hologram display was placed over the campfire. The hologram ended up showing my username, EmanationJ, before it then showed my current level and moves. As it turned out, my current level was 7. My moves were relatively untouched.
"That's pretty impressive," I said with joy.
Nick chuckled as he listened to me giving praise again. "Thank you. You'd be surprised on what someone can do to help accommodate for your lack of knowledge. I ended up using this thing for years, ever since I got stuck here. It's been pretty reliable since then."
That soon got me thinking for a bit. Curious, I asked him "So…how did you get stuck in this game? What happened?"
Nick looked at me like I was asking if he ended up killing a bunch of people in a war. He looked rather disinterested with what I was asking, so he ultimately changed the subject and said "How about we just keep focusing on the now, alright? I want to see just how strong we can all get." He then pointed the scanner at himself, and after a few seconds, another hologram appeared above the fire. It displayed Nick's username, and that his current level was 9. Clearly, he spent far more time training than the both of us, and ultimately had a field advantage.
Adam finished up his Big Apple, before he then began to curl himself up and attempt to go to sleep. He didn't say a single word, or acknowledge anything. Nick couldn't help but take notice of this. "Your brother seems awfully quiet, Josh," he commented. "Is everything alright?"
I didn't know how to respond to him. So instead, I just quietly took a bite of my apple, before looking over at Adam with concern. I understand you don't like it here, Adam. I know that. But please, don't be so negative like that. You're starting to make me worry.
Nick sighed a little, before saying "I guess it's best to not question it." He then pointed the scanner at Adam, and after a beep is heard, Adam's data was shown over the fire. And much to my surprise, Adam was still at Level 5. Nick couldn't help but feel slightly nervous upon seeing this. "Has Adam ever…you know…fought before?"
"That was months ago," I confessed somberly. "Long before we were trapped here. We only managed to play the game together for what felt like 4 months before he decided to log out for good."
Nick was curious to learn more. "Why's that?" he asked me.
I finished up my apple, before I ended up staring at the fire. After thinking for a few moments, memories started to flood back into my brain. And the image of when Adam left stung like a dagger.
It was when we helped out Ace with his mission. Ace ended up bowing to the both of us out of pure joy, saying "Thank you so very much! You guys were amazing!"
I blushed a little out of embarrassment, before saying "Hey, it's just part of the job. No need to be so modest."
Ace chuckled as I made that remark. "Regardless, I am forever in your debt! You cannot believe how difficult it was to keep Aaron out of danger! I told him not to fall for those traps set up by hackers, but then you showed up! And most importantly, you taught those hackers a lesson! And you're not even fully evolved!" He then held out a friendly fist, before saying "Mad respect!"
I smiled as I fist-bumped him. Ace had this childhood friend of his, Aaron, who was prominently like a little brother to him. His username was KingCoal, and the species he took was a Rolycoly. He would eventually form a team of his own later in life, calling themselves Team Charcoal. And as it turned out, that team was primarily about using Pokémon that were mainly useful when exploring caves and mountains. Their main headquarters later in life would be in Volcanica. They tried to establish a guild there, but unfortunately, those plans didn't fall through.
Anyways hearing about Ace thinking we were such capable and compassionate heroes was more than enough to make me filled with joy. "Well, in case you need any help in the future, be sure to call me!" I joked.
"Oh, I wish I could!" Ace stated with excitement. "You and your brother are incredible together! Tell me, what team name do you go by?"
I stopped for a second, thinking about what he was talking about. I gave an awkward laugh, before confessing "Actually…we technically aren't an official team yet…"
"What?" Ace questioned. "But…you and Adam were incredible there! You seemed perfectly in sync!"
"Look, I don't know what you saw, but I didn't really do very much," Adam was quick to point out. "I only ended up escorting your friend out of danger. That's all." Adam sighed deeply, before saying "I'm not that brave to face against hackers, Ace. I'm sorry…"
Ace was quick to then point out something to Adam. "Bravery isn't about being unafraid. It's about recognizing fear, and facing it directly."
Adam scoffed a little, before mumbling to himself "If that's the case, I simply took the cowardly approach…"
Ace then sighed as Adam looked away in embarrassment, before telling me "Well… I guess if you want, how about we form a team?"
This immediately drew our attention. "Excuse me?"
"What I'm saying is that after what I witnessed, you guys seemed like pure and genuine heroes," Ace admired. "You guys not only saved our bacon back there, but you even managed to surprise us with how determined you are to preserve peace!" Ace then placed a paw on my shoulder, smiling at me. "So how about it? Would it be alright if we formed a team together?"
I was rather nervous, mainly because I knew for a fact that if I accepted his request, Adam was probably going to leave. After all, our agreement was that he only tagged along with me on these adventures until we found somebody for me to form a team with. I looked over to Adam with concern, but I ended up only seeing a smile on the Torracat's face as he gave a nod to me.
"I think you should do it, Josh," Adam suggested. "You need other people aside from me to make team with, after all. I've only scrounged about as much as I did because I was hoping for a moment like this."
"Adam…" I felt conflicted, but I understood what he was saying. Adam wasn't really one to learn quickly on game mechanics. He's also not the most physically active. No matter what I tried to suggest to him, he always felt like he wanted to place up a barrier of sorts, blocking people out of his own little world. In a way, it was disheartening, especially since I've always adored and loved the memories we shared together back home.
But at the time, I respected Adam's decision to leave. I told Ace "Could you give me a minute?" Ace nodded silently as I then approached my brother. Once I stood in front of him, I gave a rather pained smile. "I'm going to miss you, you know."
"I understand," Adam said without hesitation. "But believe me, you need someone like Ace in your life. He has the makings of a genuine fighter. Not me. I think he's the right choice for a teammate."
I whimpered a little, before I ended up giving Adam a big hug. Adam ultimately ended up patting my back, smiling at me as well. However, I could tell this was likely going to hurt him as much as it was going to hurt me. I reasoned with myself that this was probably for the best. Adam wasn't meant for this virtual world, after all. Even after evolving into a Torracat after months of adventures with me, he still felt like he didn't belong here.
Once our hug ended, Ace ended up saying out loud "Ooh! I know what to call our team! Team Ignis!"
I stifled a laugh over how Ace was so quick to come up with a team name. "Ignis? The Latin word for 'fire?' Why's that?"
"Well, I'd say we'd be like a flame of hope! Bringing peace and justice to players everywhere!" Ace couldn't help but strike a pose so enthusiastically over this notion.
I sighed a little, before saying "Alright. But only if Adam agrees to one thing."
This caught Adam by surprise, asking me "What is it?"
I patted his head, before telling him "I'll only form this team if you agree to be an unofficial member. You don't have to play the game. Just…" I took a deep breath, knowing what I was about to say next was partially selfish of me, but I couldn't help it. "I want to be reminded over how much fun we had together up until now. These past four months went by so quick, that I can't even figure out how to express my gratitude."
Adam sighed deeply, looking at me with a little bit of annoyance. However, he smiled after giving it some thought, where he then stated "Fine. If that will make you happy, I'll do it. Form a team with me in there, but for the love of God, don't ever call me back in this game. I don't know how much more I could take before I lose my mind."
The way he phrased it sounded like he was frustrated, but he gave the impression he was partially joking with us. No doubt he felt conflicted as well. He just didn't want to admit it. I nodded over his decision, and with a smile, I said "Deal."
As I stared into the campfire that night, Nick just sat there, awaiting an answer from me. I somberly stated "Adam's…never been much of a proactive person…"
Nick was slightly puzzled by my response, so I continued. "I only brought him in to play PMDO because I didn't want to have him alone and isolated all the time. He was never really that good, socially speaking. And he's never really been brave enough to face the world out there. No matter what happened, and no matter how much I've begged for him to try out something new, he would always show resistance. Mainly because he's always so insecure with himself." I sulked a little, staring at my brother as he was fast asleep. "His biggest problem is that he's far too reserved. I'm just afraid that now that we're here for the foreseeable future, he might not stand up for himself when it matters most. He's all I have in this world. If he dies here, I wouldn't know what to do with myself."
Nick was more than understanding in my plight, taking great pity over the both of us. He saw how scared we both were, and knew that we were facing an uncertain future that lied ahead of us. He was quick to then pat my head with a reassuring smile on his face. "You're a good brother, Josh. Not many people nowadays would ever say that. I'm so happy to know that you care so much for him." I smiled back at the Charizard, pleased to hear that he was so upfront and caring. "I promise you, Josh. Once this is over, you and Adam are going to be home free. Just give it time, and I swear to you that we will help you as much as we can."
I nodded to him, before I ended up yawning deeply. With one final look at Nick, the Charizard volunteered for lookout duty, moving away from the fire as he stared out at the outside jungle before him. I felt so tired after that day. I simply just lied down on one of the makeshift beds that Nick made for us out of leaves, and slowly closed my eyes.
Before sleep overtook me, I stared at Adam, noticing how much he was at peace while asleep. However, I could tell that deep inside, he was just as scared as I was. I promise you, Adam. I won't let anything bad happen to you ever again. For now, we just need to survive. I don't want to lose you after everything that happened. I don't know if my heart could take it.
Sleep soon overtook me, and I went out like a light. I had a dreamless sleep throughout the night, mostly because I was just wondering how everyone back at home were worried about us. Our parents must be so worried. I honestly wouldn't have wanted anything more than to see them again.
Adam slightly opened up one eye as he saw me fast asleep, only pretending to be asleep as he ended up overhearing everything that Nick and I were talking about. He saw how much I seemed to be holding in my doubts and insecurities as I was out like a light. He felt sad. Not just because we were trapped here. But because he was ultimately terrified of the worst-case scenario.
He closed his eyes shut, a single tear coming down his face. And with a silent whisper, he mumbled "I want to go home…"