XxxxX
The sound of dripping water and the icy chill of the freezing river shock me awake as I begin hacking up water that burns my throat as it comes up. The taste of the river lingers, bitter and cold. I roll onto my side, coughing until my lungs feel like they might burst.
Groaning, I clamber out of the water, shivering violently. My clothes cling to me, soaked through, and my jacket is now barely more than rags. I frantically look around. My bag is gone.
Feeling along my belt, I felt six empty notches… My Poké Balls are gone. My stomach drops at the implications.
"No, no, no!" I shout, my voice echoing off the cave walls. "This can't be happening!"
Every muscle aches as I struggle to stand, the cold seeping into my bones. My eyes dart around the dim cave, desperately searching for any sign of my Pokémon as I pat myself to see what was still on me. Feather pendant? Still around my neck. Phone? Miraculously in my back pocket somehow... But my team… My team was gone.
A sinking feeling of dread fills me as I realize they must have been swept further downstream. I look back at the rushing water, my heart pounding. There's no way I can go back the way I came and the current's too fast for me to guarantee I'd find another open area like this, and I have no clue how far they were swept down. No way I can make it that way without a powerful water-type…
"Damn it! Damn It! DAMN IT! Nova! Aria! Aster! Rukia!" I scream their names, but the only response is the echo of my voice.
Panic turns to frustration, and I punch the cave wall with my fist. Pain shoots through my hand, but I barely feel it. "FUCK!"
I slump to the ground, tears stinging my eyes. My team, my friends… They're gone. How could I let this happen? I feel a pang of guilt and despair, the weight of everything pressing down on my back like a mountain.
I couldn't do anything but sit, my mind racing. This couldn't be real. How could I let this happen? If only I had been more careful. They're gone. I've lost them. They're gone.
But then, a flicker of determination. No. I won't let this be the end. No way in hell am I getting out of here without them, those four are my family.
Wiping the tears from my face, I force myself to stand. I take a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of emotions inside me. "Alright, Rusk. Get it together. They're out there, and they need you."
I look around the cave, trying to get my bearings. I have to find them. I have to. "Stay strong, guys. I'm coming for you."
I pick up my phone, praying for a signal, but of course, there's none. Damn.
The cave stretches out before me, two possible paths branching off into the darkness. Both look equally uninviting, but the left sloped downwards same as the water.
"Alright guys, I'll find you…" muttering to myself, descending down the left path. I trek ahead, the faint light from my phone barely illuminating the way.
The cave is eerily quiet, except for my footsteps and the occasional drip of water. The air is damp and cold, but at least it's not as cold as the water.
The cave stretches on and on, and the hours begin to blur together. The initial rush of adrenaline fades, leaving me feeling drained. Each step feels heavier than the last. The cold, the darkness, and the worry gnaw at my resolve.
As I trek on, my pace slows. My mind starts drifting, grasping for anything to keep me going. I can't stand the thought of stopping, of not finding my team. Memories flicker through my mind—I remember what felt like mere hours ago, when I was trying to connect with my aura… the warmth, the energy I felt… I needed that once more.
Kneeling down, I ignore the pain in my knees as they scrape against the jagged and rocky cave floor. I try to tap into my aura, but finding it was difficult. It felt weak, sluggish, and unresponsive. Frustration began to bubble up inside me. Concentrating hard, I try to get my aura going, but it felt as if I was trying to create a bonfire from a spark.
"Come on, damn it!" I shout into the empty cave. "I need you. I need the strength. Please, just this once, let me control you!"
My voice echoes back at me, the desperation clear in my tone. I feel a faint hum from the feather, a familiar sensation. It's like it's listening, considering my plea. Then, just like before, a wave of warmth floods through my body. My legs feel lighter, my breath comes easier, and the exhaustion starts to melt away.
Slowly standing up, I feel the aura pulsing through me, guided by the feather. It's not perfect, but it's enough. The normally faint blue light from my aura, a vastly different lilac and yellow mix, casts a soft glow around me, giving me more light to see and to press on.
Each step becomes a little easier as I push forward. The warmth from the feather melds with my own energy, creating a steady pulse of power, stoking the small spark into a roaring inferno. The cold and fatigue start to recede, replaced by a determined resolve. Step by step, I continue down the cave, my pace picking up as the energy flows more freely through me.
The cave twists and turns, but I stay on course, driven by the need to find my team. The glow from my aura lights the way, guiding me through the darkness.
As I venture deeper, the path widens into a larger cavern. The air is musty, and the faint scent of something metallic catches my attention. I scan the area, my eyes landing on scorch marks and crumbled parts of the cave wall, with deep imprints that look like they were made by powerful Pokémon attacks. The scene looks like a battleground, and I can't help but wonder what kind of fight took place here.
Stepping cautiously into the cavern, I notice more signs of a fierce battle: charred rocks, shattered stalagmites, and debris scattered everywhere. My eyes catch a faint glint in the corner, near some crates bearing a stylistic J emblem. I make my way over, my heart pounding with curiosity and a bit of apprehension.
"What is all of this…" I mutter under my breath, as I bend down to grab the shining object hidden in the shadows.
Sitting among the debris is a small worn, multi-tool with circular hole in the handle. Overjoyed at finding something that might come in handy, I quickly pick it up. It feels sturdy and reliable in my hand.
"Heh, what are the odds… I had one just like this at home… hell even the compass is gone." With a flick of the tool, I manage to pop the crate open using the flat screwdriver.
With a too loud for comfort creak, the crate opens, and I peer inside. To my surprise, it's filled with neatly packed boxes of Rage Candy Bars. A wave of relief washes over me. These might not be a full meal, but they'll definitely help keep my energy up.
"Finally, something I can eat and give to them once I find them," I say aloud, pulling out a couple of the candy bars and slipping them into my pocket as I munch on another, filling my stomach as it had never felt this empty before. "Alright, some good luck for once."
Taking a deep breath, I survey the cavern one last time. The presence of crates and the signs of battle make me uneasy. Who was down here? What were they up to? And what kind of battle could have caused this much destruction?
Just as I start to turn away from the crate, a loud crash echoes through the cavern. My heart skips a beat, and I instinctively duck down, clutching the multi-tool tighter. A low, rumbling growl follows, shaking the ground beneath me. I glance around, trying to pinpoint the source of the noise.
"Shit," whispering as my breath catches in my throat.
A massive Golem emerges from the wall, what I had thought was an imprint was its body wedged in the wall. Its eyes glowing with anger. It must have been disturbed by the noise from the crate. The Golem finally notices me and locks its gaze forward on me and charges with a deafening roar. "GOL-GOLEM"
"No, no, no!" I shout, scrambling to my feet and sprinting down a narrow path. The ground trembles with each of the Golem's steps, and the roar of pursuit grows louder.
As I race through the cave, I feel the ground shake beneath me. The Golem curls into a ball, gaining speed as it rolls toward me. Heart pounding, I narrowly dodge to the side as it crashes past, smashing into the cave wall. Rocks and debris scatter everywhere, and I use its momentary halt to dash further into the caves.
The path twists and turns, and I can hear the Golem recovering and resuming its pursuit. I push myself harder, legs burning with the effort working purely on adrenaline, my mind too jumbled to properly utilise my aura, the feather's power no longer working its magic.
The narrow path suddenly opens up, revealing a small ledge overlooking a vast, dark cavern. Below, a gaping hole that seemed to stretch down forever.
"Great, just fucking great," I mutter, glancing back to see the Golem finally caught up, roaring at me once again.
I quickly glance around and notice a small path along the wall over the gap, barely even a foot across, I rush over to the path and quickly balance along the narrow ledge, the drop to my right making my stomach churn. The Golem charges again, and I press myself against the wall, barely avoiding its rolling attack. It skids to a halt and turns, eyes blazing with fury.
With a roar, the Golem slams its fists into the ground, using what I can only guess is Stone Edge. Sharp, jagged rocks shoot up from the ledge, and I'm thrown off balance. I lose my footing and tumble into the abyss, the last thing I see is the Golem's glowing eyes before I plummet down what felt like forever.
The strength the adrenaline and aura had given me had left my body, looking downwards took all my remaining strength, the darkness is soon replaced by a faint opalescent light as a large reflective body of water comes into view. Barely conscious, I feel the weight of exhaustion and relief bearing down on me.
A loud splash rings out as I land in the water, my entire body aches from the impact, and the overuse of my aura leaves me feeling weak, as though my body is breaking down. My eyes suddenly far to heavy for me to keep open as the pathetic amount left in my body from the sheer amount of danger I had been in over the day fades completely as my body had run out.
Slowly I began to drift further under the water and the small amount of air in my lungs runs out, a large scaly body wraps around me in a comforting embrace as I'm dragged out of the water onto the land.
I don't even have the strength to open my eyes, and see what exactly had saved me. The pain is overwhelming, and I feel myself slipping into unconsciousness. Just before I pass out completely, a sound reaches my ears—a majestic coo, soft and melodic.
"Miiii~"
The soothing sound lulls me further into darkness, a strange sense of peace washing over me. Whoever, or whatever, made that sound, it feels like a guardian. My last thought is a faint hope that I'll wake up to something good.
XxxxX
The warmth around me feels soothing, comforting. Slowly, consciousness begins to return, though my body still aches all over. I force my eyes open, blinking against the dim light of the cave. The surroundings are unfamiliar, but the air feels warmer, more inviting than the freezing waters I was in before. I really need to stop waking up like this…
Struggling to sit up, I realize that I'm once again soaked. With a groan, I notice three Poké Balls lying open on the ground, their contents missing, but a fourth remains sealed. My heart skips a beat as I scramble to my feet, ignoring the pain that shoots through my body.
As I move, a glowing blue drop of water lands on my chest, spreading a gentle warmth through me. The energy feels rejuvenating, soothing my aches and giving me a slight boost. Life Dew. I glance up and see the beautiful Milotic watching me from the water, a soft, melodic coo escaping its lips.
"Did you save me?" I ask, my voice hoarse. Milotic responds with another gentle coo, as if confirming my question.
"Thank you," I whisper, grateful for the unexpected rescue. Struggling to my feet, I shakily scoop up and slot the three empty PokéBalls onto my belt, praying to Arceus that the fourth one wasn't empty.
Holding the final ball in hand, I press the release trigger and part of the mountain of anxiety that had plagued me since I got swept into the cave, dissipated as a small snow-white fox materialised. "RUKIA!" crying out as I grabbed her in a tight hug, holding her close as tears formed in my eyes.
"Thank God your okay! How come you aren't with the others-It doesn't matter! I've been worried sick, we got washed down into this cave after I fell into a river, and then I woke up and you all were gone! I've never felt so worried in my life!"
I look around the cave, hoping for any sign of the rest of my team. Then I spot my bag, caught on a stalagmite at the bottom of a waterfall flowing into the lake from a large hole at the top of the cavern wall. With a sigh of relief, I retrieve it, feeling slightly more at ease with all of my gear, food, and tools with me once more.
Turning back to Milotic, I see the concern in its eyes. It nudges me again, and I sense the urgency in its movements.
"Rukia, I think Milotic needs our help," I say, and Rukia nods, understanding the gravity of the situation.
Milotic glides over to a hidden corner of the lake, where several broken cages lie scattered, evidence of a recent struggle. My mind races as I connect the dots with the crates from earlier. "Hunter J's crew," I mutter, recalling the infamous poacher who had originally captured Rukia. "They're after the Milotic and Feebas here, aren't they?"
Milotic nods, confirming my suspicion. My heart aches, torn between finding my team and helping these Pokémon. But I know what I have to do. I couldn't willingly abandon those Pokémon.
Beside me, Rukia tenses, her fur bristling. I see a fierce, angry gleam in her eyes, one that I've only seen a few times before. She remembers. She remembers the pain and fear of being captured, the cold steel of the cages, the separation from her family.
"Rukia, I know this brings back bad memories," I say softly, placing a hand on her head. "But we can stop them this time. We can save these Pokémon and make sure they don't suffer like you did."
"Vull," Rukia growls softly, her determination clear. She's ready to fight, to protect those who can't protect themselves.
"Alright, I'll help you," I say, determination filling my voice. "Rukia and I will do whatever we can to stop Hunter J's crew."
Milotic's eyes shine with gratitude, and it leads us towards another tunnel, deeper into the cave. As we move forward, I promise myself that I'll find my team, but first, I need to make sure these Pokémon are safe.
XxxxX
Team Galactic HQ – Pov – ?
In the brightly lit halls of Team Galactic HQ, a blond-haired man in his forties moves through the corridors with purpose. He stands tall, his athletic build evident under the tight-fitting uniform. His sharp blue eyes, set against a tanned and weathered face, scan the area with a focused intensity. A scar runs diagonally across his left cheek, adding a touch of menace to his already formidable appearance. On his left hand, a golden wedding band, worn from age, glints softly under the lights. A Weavile trails silently behind him.
Entering a high-tech training facility, he wastes no time. "Weavile, Night Slash!" he commands. Weavile's claws glow with dark energy, slicing through mechanical targets with precision.
"Good. Ice Shard, now!" he orders, and Weavile's swift attack shatters the next set of targets.
Pausing for a moment, he reaches for another Poké Ball on his belt. "Hawlucha, I choose you!" he calls out, releasing the agile Fighting- and Flying-type Pokémon into the room. Hawlucha lands gracefully, ready for action.
"Hawlucha, use Flying Press!" he instructs. Hawlucha launches into the air, executing a powerful Flying Press that shatters the training dummies with force.
Their intense training session is interrupted as a Galactic grunt hurries into the room. "Commander Hyperion, I have a report for you," the grunt says, slightly out of breath.
The blond-haired man signals both Weavile and Hawlucha to pause and turns to the grunt, his expression serious. "What is it?"
The grunt hands him a tablet. "It's about Professor Rowan's newest sponsored trainer. He's delivered the data to the Oreburgh facility and was last seen near Mt. Coronet."
Scanning the report, Hyperion's eyes narrow. The tablet shows detailed information about Rusk, from age to current team composition. He clutches his head, a look of pained recognition crossing his face as he looks at the picture.
"No… it can't be…" he mutters as he stares at the image, "Ah… Another one of Rowan's protégés."
Hyperion's expression hardens as he hands the tablet back. "Get a tail on him the moment you find him. I need to confirm something," he orders, his tone sharp and commanding. "Now go!"
The grunt, startled by the sudden intensity, nods quickly. "Yes, Commander Hyperion. We'll monitor his activities and update you immediately," he replies before hurrying out of the room.
Once the grunt is gone, Hyperion's composure cracks. He clenches his fists, a mix of disbelief and frustration clouding his features. "It can't be..." he mutters, pacing back and forth.
He stops, a dark look settling over his face. "If it really is you... this changes everything," he whispers ominously, the weight of the statement hanging in the air.
Turning back to his Pokémon, Hyperion forces himself to focus. "Weavile, Hawlucha, let's get back to it," he says, his voice strained but determined.
Weavile and Hawlucha nod, resuming their rigorous exercises. Hyperion watches, his mind momentarily drifting, absentmindedly fiddling with a small compass in his pocket.
He sighs softly, a fleeting look of confusion and grief crossing his face before he pushes it aside, he had a job to get done.
XxxxX
That's chapter 14 folks! How have you liked it so far? It's been a while and I have been really struggling to find how best to continue this part of the adventure, but I think I finally found the right path, and yes I know hunter J shows up in the show really soon with her salamance, and I've taken that into consideration with how it affects the plot of whats happening with the poachers in the next chapter.
Anyways question time! Would you rather have aura abilities or psychic power? Not all-powerful levels, but mid-tier level's of either. I think I'd have to go with psychic, there are a lot of things you can do with aura that you can do with psychic powers, but I don't like the fact aura is tied into the lifeforce of the one that uses it. Seems too dangerous when both are similar.