Authors notes:
Hi! I've had this idea for a story stuck in my head for a while now so I figured I'd give it a shot. This is my first attempt at writing, well, anything so mistakes are bound to happen, I'm open to constructive criticism and will improve as I practice.
With how busy work keeps me, I can't promise an update more than once a month. Chapter 2 is almost done though, and significantly longer than this 'pilot' chapter, so expect that next week sometime. Anyway, content warning: There is violence, there is blood and there is a most definitely swearing (hence the rating). I won't be graphic when it happens but do expect the occasional dismemberment, death etc.
Oh and Fanfiction doesn't seem to have all the Scarlet and Violet character tags yet, unless I'm missing something, so I guess they'll just have to be a surprise :). Enjoy!
Edit: Made a few edits to some grammar issues and tried to space things out a bit more so its easier to read.
Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon or the characters in any shape or form.
"One of the gladdest moments of human life, methinks, is the departure upon a distant journey into unknown lands. Shaking off with one mighty effort the fetters of habit, the leaden weight of routine, the cloak of many cares and the slavery of home, man feels once more, happy." ~ Richard Burton
Chapter 1 – New World
Cold, I'm cold, why am I cold? And wet, not entirely, just my left leg. Soaked through my legwear to the skin, I must have spilled something in my sleep. Hopefully it hasn't stained the grass… Wait, grass? "What the fuck?!"
My eyes snap open, "Where the hell am I…", grass, rocks, dirt, is that a waterfall? "Calm yourself...", I mutter as I take in my surroundings. To my left, a cliff, one with a sharp drop and neighbouring an eerily quiet waterfall, explains the wetness, some of the water was hitting the cliff face and forming a small river right into the divot I was unceremoniously dumped in.
"Someone has a sick sense of humour, dropping me off who knows where to do who knows what. Arceus dammit! How did they even get me up here? It's like a five-hundred-meter drop!" It probably isn't actually that high, but with no one to correct me my rant continued, and my anger flared, "And if you're gonna do this shit, at least drop me off in the open, not on a cliff inside of a damn cave!" Not thinking coherently, I took my frustration out on the nearest rock. "FUCK!", kicking it probably wasn't my smartest move if the sharp pain in my big toe was any indication. Regardless, the echo of my shout startled me, returning my attention to the task at hand.
"Right, surroundings, this place sure is big. A pond even formed at the bottom of that waterfall and…" I trailed off, crop circles. Huh, neat. I can just about make out the shapes of a few Pokémon swimming near the surface of the water, red or pink and… black? Not sure what that could be, larger than usual Basculin maybe? The waters flowing so I should be able to get a drink, but best not to swim around if I can avoid it, Basculin are vicious little things and won't hesitate to take a bite.
The "crop circles", regardless of the lack of actual crops, are chunks of earth taken out the ground in straight lines through four circles, two on top of the others. They're massive, at least a few hundred metres from one end of a circle to the next. A few Pokémon darted around the edges, flashes of yellow and light brown never getting closer than a hundred or so meters to the centre.
"Dugtrio and some kind of rodent Pokémon, has to be fairly big for me to even notice them at this distance, probably fully evolved too." They seem timid the way they bolt from one boulder to the next, likely searching for food. A slight change in the angle of light brought my attention back to the circles. Right in the centre, where all the Pokémon seemed to avoid, shone something metallic. It's impossible to tell at this distance, but probably man made.
Movement caught my eye again and one of the larger yellow creatures seemed to disappear into a wall at the far end of the cave. "Unless I want to try my luck climbing", I gazed at the impossibly tall hole the water was falling through. "That seems to be my way out."
*a few moments later*
"You know, the bastards that left me here really know how to pick a spot." I sat, staring at the drop below me. Further exploration past my dumping ground led to a slow decline around a bend, having no other option I followed it, leading to my current situation. "At least it's not a straight drop, could really use some rope or something right about now." My mysterious abductors did not leave me many tools to work with. I must have been hiking or camping when they struck, not that I have any recollection of ever doing so.
"I highly doubt they dressed me up in outdoor clothes and with a pocketknife too, maybe they stole any backpack I was carrying and dumped me in a nearby cave." No, leaving me up here would be far too much effort, even with a Pokémon. It's not important right now and trying to remember is causing a headache, I can figure out where I am once I'm out the cave. I gaze down the drop again, "This is gonna suck." It's steep but not ninety degrees steep, I can definitely slide my way down without breaking a bone or dying but it sure won't be painless. Eyeing the few protruding rocks on the incredibly steep hill I exhaled, "Well here goes nothing…"
Pain. Horrible, horrible pain. The wetness that could only come from blood trickles down my hands, my back was only saved by the cloth between it and the wall. These can't be rocks. Unable to endure, I jumped. "SHIT SHIT SH-!", screaming I plummeted and admittedly short distance to the ground with an unflattering thunk. "Ugh, my hands." I could have sworn that was higher. Dammit, is that obsidian? I thought it was just loose gravel. My hands are ripped apart, I need to clean them, I need water. Getting to my feet, I soldiered on, ignoring the sharp stinging of my hands and dull throb in my right ankle, "I hope it's not sprained…"
Making my way down the wide path I once again took in my surroundings. There are a few Pokémon scattered around, some of what I assume to be the earlier evolutions of the yellow Pokémon I noticed from the cliff face popped in and out of holes and tall grass. A lone Lycanroc bolted behind a rocky outcropping, fortunately not the midnight variant, brutes that they are. Finally, Dugtrio and Diglett are making their way towards the right of the path, forming a large trench along the wall as they travel. Would make for safer travelling, the Diglett line aren't aggressive and tend run rather than fight if they can. At least I'll have some cover from anything in the field.
Hobbling over to the left of the path I stood beside a boulder and tried to scout the base of the waterfall, from here I should be able to - fwoomp fwoomp fwoomp, fwoomp fwoomp fwoomp, fwoomp fwoomp fwoomp. I hit the floor as fast as humanly possible. If that thing sees me I'm dead. Floating above the water I could make out the black and pink creatures from my earlier observation.
"Hydreigon…" I mutter, frozen in fear and rightly so. Hydreigon are creatures of destruction, dealing with anything that moves through relentless and unwavering violence. Few people live to tell the tale of their rampages, fortunately they are solitary and almost non-existent in the wild. At least usually, "three of them…"
Fwoomp fwoomp fwoomp, the wing beats are getting louder, one is right on the other side of the boulder. I need to keep calm, focus on my breathing, and stay still. Breathe in, fwoomp fwoomp fwoomp, breathe out, fwoomp fwoomp fwoomp, breathe in, fwoomp fwoomp fwoomp, breathe out, fwoomp, fwoomp, fwoo… After what feels like an eternity, the creature leaves, wing beats fading alongside my fear, I find the courage for another look.
"They're metal?" The creatures above the water are clearly Hydreigon by design, however, seem far more skeletal and mechanical than the one I'm familiar with. Six spider leg looking wings poked from its back rather than the usual leathery appendages it uses to keep afloat, the hood on its heads are glowing a rather radiant pink and everything just seems sharper than could naturally be possible. I watch as it snaps a large angular fish from the water, chomped in two without hesitation, and leaves the carcass by the waterside. At least eat the poor thing.
Turning ninety degrees on the spot, my next destination was decided, "To the trenches we go."
As predicted, the Diglett and Dugtrio scatter as soon as they notice me, making the journey around the edge of the cave that much easier. What I certainly overlooked is the constant threat of twisting my already sprained ankle in one of the numerous holes or loose ground said Pokémon leave lying about in the trench. While safe, the walk is both slow and tedious culminating in a rather arduous journey. The blood loss isn't helping, I'm jumping at shadows, seeing rows of white teeth in the white rock commonly found in the walls and I'm pretty sure I heard faint laughter a moment ago.
"Damn Hydreigon must have spooked me more than I thought." Ahead is a section where the ground level raises into a mound and the wall of the trench declines, I should be able to rest for a moment and have a look around. Standing on top, I can finally see my surroundings up close.
"Beautiful…" A large field, filled to the brim with multicoloured flowers and knee high, lush, green grass. Crystal outcroppings glow along the walls, the occasional cluster peaking out from the fauna adding light from every angle to the already vibrant location. Pokémon of multiple species laze about, Gabite, Sneasel, even an Espeon sit on rocky outcroppings and even more appear and disappear within the tall grass. In the distance the waterfall is relentless as it crashes into the ground, yet it makes no sound as if refusing to disturb the tranquillity of the underground field.
"Even the wind is trying to look pretty." I chuckle, small particles of glimmering dust constantly cascade through the air, phasing in and out of sight yet somehow never affecting my breathing.
I tore my eyes away from the scenery. The laughter is getting louder, and it sure as hell isn't from a human. Looking around me, the shadows in the trench begin to flicker, I can feel panic setting in. While the more sinister ghost type Pokémon tend to be rather rare, dark types are abundant in caves like these. Regardless, anything with a propensity to laugh at my misfortune and mess with my sanity isn't exactly friendly and I don't want to stick about to find out what "pranks" they'll try on me. I'll just have to risk injury to get as far as possible and get out the cave.
I zigzag my way down the path, left, sharp right, straight, over a boulder, right, left, sharp left, travelling as fast as possible, the laughter doesn't stop but neither do I. I should be nearing the end of the trench, from what I could tell, there was a few hundred metres of open ground between it and the cave entrance.
"HEHEHEHEHE." I halt, that was toward the exit, but I should be close. Ever cautious my next turn is met with a clear path leading up and out of the trench.
"Fina-" I'm interrupted
"HEHEHEHEHE". Once again turning around I come face to face with a hip-high purple goblin, with gems for eyes and two rows of familiar, sharp, white teeth. Its smiling at me, moving its hands in a "gimme" gesture.
"I don't know what you want."
Its smile falters, "Sabe." Its gesturing again, more aggressively this time.
"Listen, I don't understand you and don't know what you want" I wave my arms, "and frankly I don't care, leave me alone!" I shout. The Sableye doesn't respond in words, it doesn't need to. It simply frowns, the four purple balls of energy condensing around it convey exactly how it feels.
"Fuck." Ducking for cover, three of four shadow balls fly right where my head was. The fourth explodes at my feet, knocking me back. Arcs of black energy lick at my skin, causing a numbing sensation as life force is drained from my body.
"Shitshitshit." I'm given no reprieve as the Sableye steps out of a shadow from my right, claws elongated and glowing, the first slash grazes my arm, numbing me further and leaving a shallow flesh wound. The second misses completely, carving deep gashes in the wall where I once stood. I need to get away, sprinting I exit the trench. Dodging left and right as swirls of black energy fly past me, I round the final corner only to be blown off my feet by another Shadow Ball. The damn thing keeps Shadow Sneaking around, it got in front of me.
I don't have a choice, we'll see if its braver than the other Pokémon in the area. Bolting over the open terrain, it doesn't take long to reach the crop circle, Dugtrio and the yellow Pokémon dash away as I sprint over the first lines. I can hear the laughter again, the Sableye is right behind me, but I can't afford to look.
Three sharp glowing gems embed themselves in the ground to the front left of me, confirming its pursuit. Reaching a line going straight through the circle, I can see the glint of metal coming from the centre of the crop circles. Only a few stray attacks are coming my direction now, I stop and turn around as I reach the last line of the circle, I can check the metal thing later, Sableye first. It's just standing there, about halfway across the circle, with no darkness in my surroundings it cannot cross with shadow sneak. Staring at me, no longer smiling, no longer laughing, it sinks into the ground.
"Hah… fuck… you… stupid… ghost… hah…" Damn thing nearly killed me, and for what? I didn't even do anything. It's just one thing after the other in this place, speaking of which. I regard the metal object? No, Robot? Pokémon? Whatever it is, everything in the area seems scared of it, even the Hydreigon rip-offs near the water are steering clear, there's no way they didn't notice all the explosions and Dark Pulses flying over my head, hell, half the cave should be after me by now.
"I suppose I should thank you." The thing resembles a Gardevoir, or maybe a Gallade, yet, mechanical, and entirely chrome, with no other colour except two pure black blades on either forearm, and a hollow protrusion through the chest. It is kneeling, hands in lap and chin to chest, its half skirt is spread out behind it. It's certainly cool, and seems almost tranquil, surrounded by a field of grass like a fallen warrior in a battlefield. I take another step closer, there are no bodies or damage to the surrounding area from battle, it's clear this thing is broken, even poking it doesn't get a reac-
White lights flash through my vision as pain shoots through my body. I stand there, unable to release the protrusion on its chest as hundreds of volts course through me. After what feels like an eternity, the current stops, my muscles finally allowed to relax, falter and my face meets the floor. Lying there, ears ringing and barely conscious, I can just about make out the monotone words coming from the now glowing creature in front of me.
"DEFENCE SYSTEM ACTIVATED. EXITING POWER SAVE MODE. INITIATING COMBAT MODE. ERROR. REBOOTING. . . AI STARTUP INITIATED. . . FAILURE. BACKUP RESTORED. AI STARTUP INITIATED… SUCCESS. HUMAN PRESENSE DETECTED. USER RECOGNIZED. BOOSTER ENERGY DETECTED. UNIT 001 START UP SEQUENCE INITIATED… SUCCESS. PROJECT IRON VALIANT ONLINE."
Well, here's the first chapter. Make sure to review, it helps me improve :)