Overcast Village

I floated through the fog, away from the Top Plaza. The sun was almost set. There'd certainly be no customers back at the old recyclin' shop at this time. No need to take a gander at it before heading home.

I took a sharp right down the alley next to ol' Flapple's home. He's sure been missing for a while now. I miss those times when we hung—

when we hung—

when we hung—

hungasfgdgdwqrqrqopnzmanzaggleccQSAJKJKJAOPFAFMALFLAPPLEFLNALFKAQOIUQNI

Toucannon can launch plain seeds with enough power to destroy boulders.

I floated through the fog. The distance to the village outskirts was not large.

Within a short amount of time, I reached my place of residence, in the middle of a clearing just outside of the village. Something else was there, though.

Through the fog, I could see a figure that did not register in my memory banks. It was moving erratically. Strange.

I cautiously approached—

I approached it. Soon, I could clearly see what it looked like through the fog.

WHAT IN THE DISTORTION WORLD WAS THAT?!

It was wrong in every possible way. It looked like someone had taken half an Arctoar and half a Ruzolt and stitched them together in the worst way they could. The bottom half was unnervingly still while the top half was shivering like its life depended on it, which I wouldn't be surprised if it did. The two halves so desynced, it was almost like they were completely separate beings.

The top half almost looked parasitic, like a Poisonous Slowking or a Parasect, as if it was a stem that had grown out of the corpse of an Arctoar. The hands almost seemed like they were tacked on as an afterthought, unable to reach anything. The whole top part looked like it was permanently locked in an ice bath, a frozen glob of snot dangling from its nostrils, almost like that of a Cubchoo.

The snow around its top half shifted as I heard an eerily familiar jingle. I couldn't quite remember what it was, like its memory file had been overwritten long ago, but still had twinges of its former self. I almost expected the hands of a Cofagrigus to leap out of the snow and grab me, pulling me in, never letting me out, keeping me frozen in there for all eternity.

Yet, nothing happened. All was silent. It was just me, and this...thing, alone in the fog.

Perhaps...did it need help? Was it lost? Did something do this to it?

I floated a bit closer to it, and with as much warmth in my voice as I could muster, told it, "Do you requi-qui-quire assistance?"

Suddenly, it lunged—

it lunged—

it LUNGED—

LUNGEDAFAKJFJAJFLARCTOJLFLAPPLEQKFJQFKAJKFJAKFKAFHLAJL QRQUINOJMQNOHUMANOBJCMBJBQAWHFCHASVBKFQHNO KFNQKJBJFQ BJB FJQVJQHARUNOHFHZOLTAKHFJAH FHAJKFN0JS11KJN0G010101010100101010

Error. Six unreceived packets. Backing up memories, then commencing reboot with unit PNS-NT.

Burhalla's Home

"What made you think any of that was a good idea?! We still don't know why Pokemon are going missing! What if you ran into whatever was causing this? What if you had gone shadowy?! Then we'd have even more missing Pokemon!" my father roared once we arrived home. I winced at the volume. It was worth it in the end. I had found Saltriv, after they'd been missing for months, and got them home.

There was also that odd Oshawott who had lost his memory. Gen. I didn't get a chance to bring him to Mayor Jellicent to see if she could help, like I had offered. I'd have to do that tomorrow, if I'm allowed to even leave the house by then. Hopefully he'd be able to find a place for the night on his own.

"Did you at least pack the right equipment?" he asked, tone a bit gentler.

I could probably lie here, and escape punishment. It would be simple, and easy. But I wouldn't be like him.

"Everything but the escape orb," I told the truth. The flames on my father's back instantly flared up.

"THAT'S THE MOST ESSENTIAL PART!" he shouted. "You had no way to leave the dungeon if an emergency happened! Twig Woodland has Monster Houses! If you had run into one of those, you wouldn't make it out!"

And yet, me, Saltriv, and Gen had made it through one, or at least something very close to one. Before I could say a rebuttal, though, the flames on his back died down, and extinguished.

"I'm not going to punish you, Burhalla. You saved Saltriv, and I'm sure their parents are thrilled to have them back. As reckless of a decision it was to go into there, I'm proud of you for saving them," he told me, in a softer tone.

I smiled a bit in response. That was a relief, unless he was lying again.

"I'm still not happy with what you did, but I'd be a fool to punish you for saving them," he told me with a soft smile on his face. "I'm not done, though. From now on, any time you even THINK of entering a Mystery Dungeon, I need you to take at least two others with you, and I want you to show me what items you're bringing. Otherwise, there WILL be consequences. Alright?"

There's the catch. This will be a hassle whenever I form a search party like I wanted. I nodded, not wanting to be admonished further, even if I wasn't happy with the result.

"Also, when I say it's time to go home, it's time to go home. No buts about it, like I said earlier," he added.

"But I needed to do something!" I pleaded.

"And what was that?" he asked, narrowing his eyes slightly.

"I told Gen I'd bring him to the mayor, and see if she could help him figure things out," I answered.

"It was far too late for that, and besides, I don't trust the Oshawott. He's almost certainly just another pretender, and just faked not remembering his moves."

Here we go again. "He didn't mention being a human, like the others."

"Why do you trust this Pokemon you didn't know before yesterday more than your own father?" my father demanded.

"Because he hasn't lied to me like you do!" I shouted back.

"For your own benefit!"

"Lying to me about my mother isn't for my benefit!"

"You wouldn't have been able to handle learning about her death!"

"It would have been better than you keeping me in the dark about it for YEARS!"

"Dad! Burhalla! Please!" Valorch's voice cried out against our argument. I looked away from my father, seeing the Quilava that was my sister standing in the doorway.

"You have this argument every other week and it gets worse every time! Please just stop!" she pleaded.

Before either of us could respond, I heard PNS-NT's voice, muffled by the walls. "SOM-OM-OMEONE! HELP!" they yelled.

We all looked at each other in the dim room, lit now by little other than the flame on my tail. "Go to bed, you two. I'll deal with this," my father said, before walking out the door. Valorch sighed, before heading back to our room. I followed after her, not in the mood to argue further.

Saltriv's Home

? Month of Autumn, ? Day

It's been a while since I wrote in here!

I was walking to Burhalla's house, when suddenly, I felt something soft hit me, and I woke up in this strange place. The sky was all these different colors, and I was on this dark, glassy platform. In the center of it, there was something tall, with fur only on its head, and two arms ending with five fingers. It looked just like the humans of legends!

Can you believe it? A real human? And not even a former one!

I asked who they were, and the next thing I knew, the human had grabbed me, and I heard something smash right into where I was standing before. I didn't get a good look at it, but it looked pink and black, and really big.

I think that human had saved me from that thing! Or maybe it was just a dream.

After that, I woke up at the end of Twig Woodland. There was an Oshawott there named Gen. He didn't know what was going on, either. He asked me what I remembered last, and I told him about that place with the weird sky and the human. I don't think he believed me, though. I can hardly believe it myself! An actual human!

I asked him the same question, and suddenly, Burhalla came into the clearing! He was really relieved to see me, and told me where I was. Then he started talking to Gen. Apparently Gen couldn't remember where he lived, or much of anything at all! I'd almost think he was just faking it, or maybe even another human turned Pokemon, but later he said he didn't even remember being human!

Burhalla had forgotten an Escape Orb, so we had to head through the dungeon backwards. It was pretty difficult. We even ran into a huge group of Dungeon Pokemon! I thought it was a Monster House, but Burhalla pointed out that there weren't any items in it. We must have just been unlucky. A Weedle had poisoned me there, but Gen gave me a pecha berry to help with that.

Speaking of Gen, he couldn't even remember how to use moves! He tried shouting out "Water Gun!" at a Pikipek, as if that would do anything! I really needed that laugh after what Burhalla told me.

He said that I've been missing for months. MONTHS! All of Summer, it seems. Morpeko, Flapple, and even Leon had gone missing while I've been gone. According to Burhalla, Kecky and the rest of the Kecleon clan have been searching for him ever since.

I hope he's found soon. I miss helping him out with his shop.

At least mom and dad are ok. Once we got out of the Mystery Dungeon, mom was at the top of the hill, with Burhalla's father and PNS-NT. I was so happy to see her, even if it felt like I saw her just yesterday.

We didn't have much time to talk, as Burhalla's dad accused Gen of lying about his amnesia. I couldn't believe him! We had just gotten out of Twig Woodland, and Gen had already gone through a lot in there. That accusation was too much after all that! Me and Burhalla helped defend Gen, though I do wonder what Gen's life was like before we met him.

Once we got back to town, Burhalla, his dad, and PNS-NT went home, while me and mom went over to talk with dad. He was so happy to see me! I think the whole town heard him shout my name! We talked things over a bit. He and mom had been running the Kecleon Shop in town since Leon had disappeared. Normally, I'd be ecstatic about this, but it wouldn't be the same without Leon there.

While we were talking, Gen asked if he could stay with us. I pleaded with mom to let him. She was unsure at first, but after some persuasion, dad agreed that Gen could stay.

Once we were home, mom went to get the guest bed ready for Gen, and dad went to the parents' room. While we were waiting, I asked Gen if he really did have amnesia, and if there's anything he did remember. He told me yes, but before we could talk much, mom told us the guest bed was ready.

It was right next to my bed, and Gen just stared at it awkwardly. Guess he didn't remember seeing a bed before! I suggested for him to keep a journal like I do, to help remember things! I also asked if he could tell me exactly what he remembers. He said he was tired, though, and asked if we could do it tomorrow. I was pretty tired, too, so I agreed. I was so tired, I didn't even get to write in here before I fell asleep!

Once he's awake, I'm going to ask him. There has to be something other than his name.

Honestly, I don't really know why I'm doing all this for Gen. Maybe it's because he was the first Pokemon I saw since I woke up in Twig Woodland. Maybe it's because we both don't remember the past few months. Maybe it's because he healed me with that pecha berry. Maybe it's just that he feels familiar somehow, like I've met him before. Did we meet each other while I was missing?

Anyways, the sun's been up for a while now. I should get up. See ya tonight!

~ Saltriv

I wiped away the tear stains, before closing the journal, and laying it back under the blanket with a vine. Looking over to my right, I saw Gen still sleeping. He must be a really heavy sleeper! Mom and dad would be awake by now, and they already wake up pretty late!

I pushed my blanket off of me and stood up, heading to the wide open area of the main room. Mom and dad were already there, getting out breakfast. I think I saw mom breath a sigh of relief as I entered.

"Good morning, Saltriv! Did you sleep well?" Mom asked, as she laid a few berries on the table, which I quickly grabbed with my vines and munched hungrily.

"I did!" I told her between berries.

It was pretty quiet as we all ate, and not long before we were all finished. I'd probably need to explain myself now. Would they really believe me if I told them I saw a human in that strange place?

Couldn't hurt to try!

"Let's talk about what happened to you over the morning news. Then we can write a letter to your uncle about what happened," Dad said, as he turned the radio on. At least some things didn't change, like dad always listening to the news in the morning.

"To all residents in Overcast Village, stay alert. There has been a report of a strange creature terrorizing a resident. We have PNS-NT, the Porygon-Z who was the victim of this creature's assault, here for an interview..."

Team Seedlings Base

The small, blue house fashioned after a Squirtle on the outskirts of Pokemon Square was packed, with 8 very special Pokemon. A Wartortle and a Meganium were the hosts for this particular meeting, as it was on their home turf, and were standing at the back of the house. A Sceptile and an Empoleon, the only two there that had saved the world twice over, and part of the few who actually deserved to be here, were standing off to the side, near a pool of water. On the other side of the room, on a small wooden platform next to the cyan wall, was the most obscure duo there, a Dewott and a Servine, whose meager escapades on the Mist Continent were not known by many. And near the entrance was the final pair, a Combusken and a Bayleef, the most recent heroes of the bunch, perhaps even the second greatest of the bunch, and the ones who had the idea to begin these gatherings to begin with.

"Everyone's here. Let the meeting begin!" said the Wartortle, with a strained smile.

All was silent for a few moments, before the Bayleef spoke up. "Did that amnesiac Riolu lead to anything, Pahelia?" they asked the Empoleon, their signature hope in their voice.

The Sceptile shook his head, as the Empoleon, Pahelia, responded. "We really hoped another human had come, but they were just another imitator. They admitted it."

A wave of disappointment flowed over the room.

"There has to be some kind of lead, right? Gen, did you find out if anyone had disappeared from the human world?" the Meganium asked, looking towards the unkempt Dewott.

"That's still a work in progress. Nothing of the sort has happened in Hoenn or Sinnoh, but I haven't checked the other regions yet," Gen the Dewott told him, before pausing. "By the way, Acacia, was your nibling found yet?"

"...no. Saltriv's still missing," the Meganium, Acacia, solemnly responded.

The Servine immediately spoke up. "We'll find them. It will happen, even if I have to look for them myself!"

Acacia smiled a bit at that. "Thank you, Vernir."

Things were quiet once more, until the Combusken broke the silence. "We need to take action with this crisis on the Thunder Continent. We can't just stand by and let all the Pokemon there suffer!"

Pahelia the Empoleon was the first to respond. "We've all been trying, Ayueg. Nobody knows what's going on with the surge of disappearances, or those shadowy Pokemon. Me and Apoyime tried when we visited the Thunder Continent, and we found nothing."

The amazing Sceptile beside Pahelia, Apoyime, nodded in agreement.

"What if I told you I knew what was causing this?" the Wartortle announced.

A chorus of gasps occurred, until Vernir's voice rose up and ruined everything. "This isn't another one of your jokes, Lidequir?"

The Wartortle, Lidequir, gave a sheepish grin. "You got me."

"This is serious! Now's not the time for jokes!" Acacia admonished his partner.

"Come on! I bet it would have been funny!" Leviene rightfully backed the Wartortle up. "Besides, we need to lighten up a bit!"

"Jokes aside, most of us have our own things to attend to. Mystery dungeons have been on the rise again recently, and we've been having to do the most rescues we've had to since the Dark Matter crisis," Lidequir explained.

"Couldn't Team A.C.T. take care of those? Or Team Blast, or any of the other rescue teams around here?" Ayueg the Combusken questioned.

"There's been too many for even them to handle. And the Thunder Continent has its own organization for helping Pokemon. They're not entirely helpless," Acacia said.

CRASH!

The entire base shook, knocking some members of the group over as the sudden noise reached everyone.

"What was that?" Pahelia asked, quickly and heroically picking herself up.

"Sounds like it came from outside! Let's go!" Gen proclaimed, before the entire group hurried out the exit.

Outside, there was a sizable crater next to the path to Pokemon Square. Chunks of dirt and rock were scattered everywhere. In the middle of the crater, was a wooden red mailbox, intact save for its post being jagged and half missing, as if it had been snapped off. Everyone soon crowded around it.

"That looks just like our old mailbox before our base was remodeled," Acacia pointed out quizzically. "It almost looks like it fell from the sky!"

"Something's inside!" Vernir said, pointing with a vine to a white slip of paper in the mailbox's opening.

Apoyime gracefully walked through the rubble, and pulled out the paper inside, before immediately frowning, a bead of sweat sliding down their head.

"Gen," he said, speaking for the first time since the meeting started. "Your name is written here. In English."

The Dewott rushed over, and looked at the paper. "Please write your name on this paper, then put it in the mailbox," he read out loud. "Then my name's written below that."

"Did you write this?" Leviene asked, mouth agape.

"No. Even if I didn't remember writing this, neither part is written in my handwriting or pawwriting," Gen answered. "I don't understand. Who wrote this, and why did they use my name?"

"Vernir, do you know anything about this?" Pahelia inquired to the Servine, who looked to be in either deep thought, or had forgotten how to think entirely.

"I have an idea," the Servine began. "Like Acacia said, it's almost as if this mailbox fell from the sky, but it looks to be mostly fine. Gen had fallen from the sky when I first met him, and was fine when he landed."

"Are you suggesting this could mean another human has arrived?" Ayueg asked, eyes widening.

"Yes! Though I have no clue what that paper could mean, or why that mailbox might have been with them," Vernir answered with a smile.

"YEAH!" Leviene cheered, sparkles in their eyes. "They're finally here! I can't wait to meet them!"

"Where are they, though?" Gen questioned. "Why wouldn't they be here if this mailbox was with them?"

"Maybe they're back inside the base, and we just missed them," Lidequir suggested in a joking tone. As Acacia shot a look at the Wartortle, she continued. "In all seriousness, they might be on the Thunder Continent. The crisis is happening there, after all."

"You have a point," Ayueg began with confidence. "Most of us humans arrived on continents in crisis. The only exception is myself, and that was a worldwide crisis."

A quiet "ding" could be heard from everyone's bags. The group all fished out devices with a screen in the middle, and a connection orb at the top, save for the two newest members, who pulled out an expedition gadget. A news report was on the screen.

"Are you all seeing this?" Acacia asked everyone with a twinge of fear, as he and Lidequir looked at Teem Seedling's Connection Device.

"The report of a half Arctoar, half Ruzolt creature terrorizing a village on the Thunder Continent?" Gen asked, as he and Vernir looked at their own Connection Device.

"C-could something like that really exist?" Pahelia wondered aloud, looking with Apoyime at their team's Connection Device.

"It's like one of those scary stories from back in school, but real!" Leviene mentioned, as they looked at their Expedition Gadget alongside Ayueg.

"Do you think this has anything to do with the shadowy Pokemon?" Vernir pondered.

"We won't know until we find out more," Ayueg pointed out.

"We'll have to send someone to the Thunder Continent to deal with this, and to look for the human, if they really are there," Lidequir announced. "Who's open to volunteering?"

Several variations of "I'll go!" were said by just about every member of the group, aside from the Wartortle, Dewott, and Sceptile. A bead of sweat slid down Lidequir's head.

"We can't all go," she told everyone. "There's rescues and other missions that still have to be done."

"Why not just let the rest of our teams work on that while we investigate this? We'll work faster as a group," Vernir suggested. "Back when we went to the Great Glacier the first time, Emolga led the rest of our team on missions until we got back."

Everything was silent for a few moments, until Lidequir broke it. "Oh. I never thought of that."

The awkward silence resumed, as most of the Pokemon there stared at Lidequir.

"I guess the question I should have asked is if there's anyone who doesn't want to go." Lidequir half-joked, before Gen spoke up.

"I'll stay behind. I don't feel right leaving everyone back home without telling them, and I still need to look around in the human world more for clues. We're not entirely sure yet if the human has arrived yet, even with that mailbox. It could just be a coincidence," Gen said. "Vernir, you can go without me."

"We aren't leaving right away, silly!" Leviene pointed out. "I'm sure we'd have plenty of time to go home and tell everyone what we're doing."

"They're right. We won't be leaving until tomorrow," Acacia told him.

"I'll go, then. I can look in the human world while I'm there. I've been wanting to see what the Thunder Continent was like, anyways," Gen decided.

"So we're all going?" Vernir asked, smiling.

A chorus of 7 agreements and nods were his response.

"That's settled, then! We're going to be leaving for the Thunder Continent tomorrow morning," Lidequir told everyone. "We'll all meet up at Moonlight Town, then decide what to do from there. Keep in touch with your Connection Devices. Any objections?"

Nobody else spoke a word.

"This meeting of the Council of World-Savers is adjourned, then. See you all tomorrow!" Lidequir announced with a wave.

Ayueg and Leviene were the first two to leave, heading towards Pokemon Plaza. Inside the former's shadow, I followed them, thinking back over what had happened.

This was juicy. So they ALL were going to the Thunder Continent. It was a great decision to spy on this meeting.

Time to bring the news to Necrozma.