Quick Note:
This is the first fan fiction I have ever made. It is currently in progress.
The themes and topics listed in the description will take multiple chapters to become fully apparent. Thank you! Enjoy!
Chapter 1, Trial by Rain
I don't remember much of this morning but I do remember my dad waking me up really early. I put on my glasses and strapped on my bag. I'm not too excited for today considering it's exam day. Uck! Exam day is always dreadful for me. I hate every part of it, but it's the only way to move up a grade, and this time it's the only way to graduate and receive my exploring license.
Let me back up though. My name is Matthew, I came to this world 17 years ago as a baby Mudkip, and have been living in Serene Village ever since. My memories of before I came to this world are entirely gone except for my name, so I've accepted I am never going back. Let's save that story for another time though. Today being the exam day is probably the most important day to any pokemon. Basically, you and your team of 2 other pokemon are sent out into the school forest for 3 days with nothing but each other, an empty bag to share, and anything a pokemon might need otherwise, like my glasses. The goal of the exam is to collect a certain number of resources and return to the school before the sun sets on the 3rd day. However, if you don't make it back on time, the local search and rescue teams will go out and look for you. Or if you really got lost, you may be having a run in with the Expedition Society–A group of elite explorers that not only helped to chart the world's 6 continents, but actively serve and protect our world from the forces of evil that so chose to destroy it. On top of that, they are considered to be the best search and rescue team, taking on missions ranked F through B like any other team, but Expedition Society Teams are the only ones willing and able to take on A and S tier missions. Being in the Expedition Society has always been a huge dream of mine, and one day I just know I will get in.
For now though, It's exam day, so focusing on that will be the first step. Conveniently the school isn't too far away from where my house is on the left side of the bridge, So I walked directly to school.
"Mudkip! Pikachu!" Chespin exclaimed in excitement, after seeing me and Pikachu arrive coincidentally at the same time, "you guys ready to sleep under the stars for 3 nights? The 3 days doesn't start until tomorrow morning, I forgot to mention that. No, Today is simply information and preparation for when we are released into the forest tonight.
At the same time, me and Pikachu said, "no," while making our lack of excitement painfully obvious.
"I will say though," Pikachu pondered, "If we are to pass, we ought to do our best and really stick together." Me and Chespin agreed.
Just then the bell rang, and we all rushed to our seats and awaited instruction. Although, as usual, Pancham and Shelmet were goofing off. I couldn't tell exactly why they kept giggling, all that whispering and snickering back there was getting on my nerves.
Just in time however, Vice Principal Watchog came to the front of the room. Or I guess in our case our class-"room" is more of an open field with desks, which by the way got really hot this time of year.
"Good morning students, be quiet and listen up."
"Yes Sir Mr. Watchog," Everyone spouted.
"Today is starts the 3 three day and three night exam that will turn you school kids into functional adults. Or at least that's the idea. Last year only 2 teams were accepted. This exam will test your mental and physical ability to their limit. Everything you have learned about exploring will become vital information not just for your grade, but for your survival. Remember that if you are rescued, or if you run out of time, your test is over and you have failed. Any questions?"
"Yeah teach, I got one," Shelmet quaried, "Are we allowed to sabatosh other teams?"
Just then Miss Audino walked in with a stack of papers and injected, "That's a good question Pancham! That and other questions you might have could possibly be answered by this health and safety agreement you need to sign!" Wasting no time she passed them all out.
Uh Oh. The room fell into silence, and for good reason. Check out what this agreement says:
You, the student of Serene Secondary Educational Sub District, and The Water Continent Secondary Education Program, by signing this health and safety agreement, agree that you waive your rights to sue any or all persons, authority figures, teachers, rescue team individuals, or other participants involved in the event your mental or physical well being is put to harm. Additionally, any or all physical or mental harm you receive as a result of taking this test, pass or fail, will be compensated by local or federal authorities as they see fit. This includes but is not limited to, "Medical Aid, Rescue (Which is always free or low cost in the Water Continent), Temporary Sleeping Arrangements, or in worse cases, Physical Rehabilitation Therapy."
Yeah, that's not scary in the slightest. For quite awhile we all just sat there in shock. Was this test really that difficult? Is it really worth risking everything?
Yes, It is worth it. I will pass this test.
I shared a quick glance and nod of agreement with my team, and reluctantly, but excitedly, signed the form. So that was it, I was in. The Next three days were up to us.
Several hours of preparation later we were sitting in the school yard in the dark, It was time to receive our team names. This will be the team name that we will carry on through our whole lives, so It was one that we must take pride in, and never doubt.
"Mudkip, Chespin, and Pikachu," Principle Semipour Instructed, "Your team name: EX-42"
"EX-42…" Chespin repeated.
"I like it," agreed Pikachu. I nodded. It was late at this point, I just wanted to go to bed but I can't sleep until We've been released into the forest. Which was soon but I couldn't help but wonder if everything was going to be alright. I looked over at Pikachu and Chespin, who were gushing over some fanfic about some novel. I don't always do a good job of keeping up with all the books those two read, especially considering how hard it is for me to just sit down and read a book. It gets annoying, and I was already pretty drowsy just sitting there so I won't join them.
"Attention all students, we will now begin the exam," announced Vice Principal Watchog. Everyone jumped up and jolted awake, "Each team will be released 5 minutes after the last, going first, EX-42."
We grabbed our list of items to find, and dropped off anything we had in our bag. This was it, it started, everything got real. In an instant Chespin and Pikachu jumped on my back, and I began dashing into the forest. My adrenaline was high, and my heart rate higher. I knew that if we had a chance to win this thing we will need to start right away.
Oh yeah, I forgot to say this beforehand, but this is no ordinary forest, in fact, there are no "ordinary" forests. Every forest or cave has a randomized layout each time you enter, and you will constantly run into pokemon along the way. The pokemon you run into though, are always hostile, zombie like even. They don't talk, they don't even make sound, they just attack, and the only way to get past them is to knock them unconscious.
Speaking of the devil, we ran into our first one. "BEHIND YOU," Pikachu yelled, as he and Chespin got off my back and into battle formation. It was an Ariados. A level 1 by the looks of it.
"Awwe," Chespin said as he let his guard down, "It's only a baby!"
Yeah… no, I'm not hurting a baby. "I'll handle it," I asserted, as I shot a water gun directly next to the Ariados. It cowered away screaming and whimpering, so we carried on. Chespin and Pikachu got back on top of me as we continued on into the forest, eventually stopping at a denser section by a small pond.
"You guys wanna stop here?" I asked, exhausted. They both agreed.
"Now let's review this list of items we need," Pikachu Brought up, "It says we need to find 1 red ribbon, 1 silver spike, 20 oran berries, 5 pecha berries, 3 rawst berries, 4 big apples, and a luminous orb."
"What's a… luminous orb?," Chespin wondered. I had no idea what a luminous orb even was, so I kept quiet, although if I had to guess… maybe it admits light?
"It reveals all pathways of a dungeon to the user," Pikachu pointed out, "I remember reading about it at the lively town library." We both agreed that's pretty cool, Although it is pretty late, so I want to start going to bed soon. Here, let's try this:
"Hey, I think we should go to bed, or at least build our shelter," I worried.
"Good idea," Pikachu agreed, "You in chespin?" Chespin nodded.
Chespin wondered though, "where are we gonna sleep?"
"In a mud-bunker," I exclaimed.
"Oh yeah, that's right," Chespin admitted.
A "mud-bunker" is a design that me and the boys have perfected over the years. Basically, it's a 4 room hole underneath the ground to hide in overnight. This allows each of us our own place to sleep, as well as a 4th room for us to talk or play. We used to sleep in mud bunkers all the time when we were younger to hide from our parents, just saying that brings back so many memories. I never had anything to worry about with my parents but Pikachu does, so me and Chespin would hide with him for comfort and safety. I don't want to go into too much detail right now, but I will say that when Pikachu was outed to his parents as trans, they didn't take it too well. Anyway… let's build this mud-bunker!
I started digging a hole into the ground, roughly wide enough to fit one of us at a time. It's a lot of work, but It's pretty easy and I've done it before so It wasn't that hard. My plan for the rooms is as follows: I dig three rooms, each one lower down the hole then the last, then at the bottom I will dig a room big enough to comfortably fit all three of us, in case we need to meetup and talk in the night. Next, I will use water gun to soften the dirt underground turning it into mud, and pack it in with my paws to create hardened walls. Finally, I will use fallen leaves and sticks to hide the entrance to the hole. It's not my best craftsmanship, but It'll do.
As I finished the last room I holorred, "It's Done!"
"Shhhhh! Not so loud!" Chespin reminded. Oops, yeah I can get a bit loud sometimes.
At any rate, the bunker was done. After Chespin and Pikachu got inside their rooms, I briefly looked around our surroundings to ensure nothing is arise, then hid the entrance with sticks and leaves before entering my room, drifting off to sleep.
I wasn't asleep for very long though, I woke up in the middle of the night to the sound of heavy rain and thunder. It was shocking, like jumping into a really cold lake. Quickly I climbed down the hole and one at a time checked on my friends' rooms, neither of them were asleep, or even in their rooms. This got me worried, but not until I heard laughing from below, so I dropped into the shared space and huddled next to them.
"Couldn't sleep either huh?" Pikachu yawned, obviously groggy from the rain.
"Well I slept for a little bit," I reassured. I don't want to sound like I'm too tired.
"Hey we should go searching for some of these items," Chespin suggested. I don't fully like this idea, I don't want to go out in the cold dark rain to search for stuff, but I guess there is nothing else to do with how loud it is. We agreed that Pikachu should be the one to go out. Since he's an electric pokemon he can use his thunder wave to attract lightning to try and strike an apple tree and make it fall. So Pikachu left the mud-bunker, leaving me and Chespin to ourselves.
"So, what now?" I asked, not sure what to talk about. Before Chespin could answer though, we heard a startling boom, followed by an intense crash and some screaming.
This, was our first trial. Trial by Rain.
Quickly me and Chespin rushed out of the bunker, dashing towards the source of the sound. The screaming didn't stop, but got louder, so we knew we were headed in the right direction.
That's when we saw it.
Pikachu had gotten himself stuck underneath a fallen apple tree, with only his head and his left arm visible.
"PIKACHU!" I yelled, In shock. Chespin definitely hesitated, he stood there for a few moments not sure what to do, but I reacted instantly. I pressed my mouth against a crack in the wood from the impact, and shot my water gun with as much pressure as I could. To my surprise this didn't do what I thought It would do. I guess I thought the crack would get bigger allowing Pikachu to free himself or something? But no, it exploded. The whole section of the tree pikachu was under exploded into thousands of tiny shards of wood. Thankfully, Chespin finally snapped back to reality, using his vine whip to knock the wood shards away from me and Pikachu, but unfortunately he himself got hit… Luckily though, we all survived. Both of them were knocked out. It was still raining, and I was tired. Maybe it wasn't the best choice, but I strapped both of them to my bag, and just… ran; I ran away.
