Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon. It belongs to Nintendo and Game Freak.
Hi all,
Here's the first Pokemon chapter for the week. Lucas starts searching for Mega Stones and gains another team member.
Chapter 54
Lucas and Sabrina reached the top of the hill, squinting against the sun's harsh glare as they gazed out at their land spread out in front of them. Thankfully, despite it being Winter, the temperature was mild enough to be manageable. Though there was still a chill in the air, they were sure once they started working, they would warm up.
It was a promising location for finding Mega Stones, with its sandy terrain nestled in a dip in the ground and surrounded by sand dunes. The Kalos mountainous region was known for its rocky landscapes, but there were occasional patches of desert terrain. It would be much easier to dig in sand than the dirt, which would be much harder.
All plots of land were about a square mile in size, so they wouldn't run out of places to search in the time they spent here.
"I think Bree made a good choice," Lucas said. "That is if we find some Mega Stones."
"I hope so," Sabrina replied. "Perhaps we should have rented some land near the ruins."
"You're underestimating me," Bree complained, from her position in Lucas' arms. "I suggest you set up camp in the patch of trees down there towards the centre."
They had decided to bring Bree with them, as they figured it would be safe enough out here with no one else around. She was more likely to cause trouble if left alone in their hotel room.
Sabrina nodded. "Let's go down and set up a campsite before we start looking for Mega Stones."
They descended the hill, with Diggersby leading the way. They had rented the Pokemon from the store in town to help them dig up the stones, as their own Pokemon weren't equipped for the task. Max was following behind them, carrying a massive pack on his shoulders that held their supplies. They weren't sure whether they would camp here or return to town in the evening, but they were prepared.
"Why am I here again?" Meowth asked. "The sand is going to get everywhere. How am I supposed to stay well groomed?"
"You could stay in your pokeball?" Lucas suggested.
"Not a chance. If I can find a Mega Stone, I can sell it for a high price."
"Meowth is a little too obsessed with pokedollars," Sabrina observed.
"You're only just realising this now?"
Lucas had activated Itemfinder before coming here, and he received an alert when they were halfway down the hill. He took note of it, reminding himself to return later to unearth it or have Meowth do so. It was possible that he could find Mega Stones using Itemfinder, although it was unlikely. He didn't know how deep the ability could detect items, but so far, the items were all close to the surface.
When they reached the bottom, they summoned their Pokemon. They had to be careful because wild Pokemon could be lurking beneath the sands. When they arrived at the patch of trees, Max dropped the pack on the ground and they began setting up the tent.
It was the tent kit Lucas had purchased at Arceus' Emporium. It appeared to be a regular tent but with a hidden repellent feature. It had plenty of space, enough to fit five people comfortably, and a hole in the centre where they could build a fire. After everything was set up, they stood outside and looked at a map of the area they had obtained from the town hall.
"Do you have any suggestions on where we should start digging?" Lucas asked Bree.
She shook her head. "I only got the impression that the central area would be the best place to dig. The rest is up to you."
"Then we may as well search the area surrounding the tent."
Sabrina nodded and turned to speak with her Xatu. "Xavier, can you patrol the skies to keep an eye out for trouble? I don't like that Team Flare has been seen in the area."
Xavier took to the skies and began circling their plot of land, keeping an eye on the ground below.
"Let me know when he needs a break," Lucas said. "I will have Saphira replace him."
Icarus was still suffering from the stat penalty from using his Mega Evolution, so he wouldn't use him until he recovered later this evening.
Meowth left to look for hidden items. Thanks to his new Shadow Veil ability, he would be undetectable by all Pokemon below level fifty-six. Although Xavier would still see him, the ability wouldn't be broken by Pokemon who were considered allies.
They grabbed their shovels and chose a location near the campsite. Diggersby began digging with ruthless efficiency, soon creating a hole ten feet deep and equally wide. He reinforced the walls with rocks as he worked.
Meanwhile, Lucas and Sabrina began digging a hole beside it, intending to connect the two holes eventually. Their Pokemon also contributed, though they weren't as effective as the Diggersby.
They worked hard for the next two hours, digging deeper into the ground and sweating so much that they had to remove their outer garments. Taking a break, Lucas took the chance to peruse his inventory, eager to see what treasures Meowth had unearthed. Much to his dismay, there were no Mega Stones. Meowth returned, only to deflate upon learning the disappointing news from Lucas.
Sabrina stepped out of the tent and handed him a water bottle. "This venture sounded much more exciting in theory, but I'm already feeling discouraged. Even if Bree gave us a hint, it feels like we are digging aimlessly and hoping for a miracle. There must be a better way to do this."
"Where's your sense of adventure?" Lucas asked. "Let us give it a few days before we reassess our options. We always knew that it wasn't going to be easy."
Following their break, they worked until lunchtime, when they took an hour to rest before returning to the task. The rest of the day was spent in vain, as they discovered nothing, let alone a Mega Stone. Disheartened, they returned to their tent and kindled a fire to prepare dinner.
"I'm going to explore a little," Lucas said, "while we wait for the fire to build up."
"Are you sure you should go alone?" Sabrin asked. "It's getting dark out there."
"I won't go far," Lucas assured her. "I just want to check out the surroundings."
"Take me along," Bree chimed in from her spot on the sleeping bag. "I have something to discuss with you."
Lucas hesitated. He wanted to go alone because he had something he wanted to do and didn't want Bree to see anything she shouldn't. Now that Icaria wouldn't be a part of the main team, he could add one or two more Pokemon. He had researched the Pokemon that lived in the area and wanted to see if he could find one he liked.
Bree raised an imperious eyebrow, forcing Lucas to pick her up and take her with him. Outside, Salem appeared beside him, and together with Max, they set out to explore the area beyond the campsite. He walked east for several minutes before Bree spoke up.
"I know there's something special about you."
Lucas felt a shiver of unease. "What do you mean?"
"I have observed you perform strange, inexplicable actions through Salem, such as summoning items out of nowhere," Bree said.
Stunned, Lucas struggled to respond.
Bree continued. "I have never said anything before because it was none of my business as long as Sabrina wasn't hurt. To be honest, I believe we are kindred spirits because we both possess unusual abilities. Something like me shouldn't exist, but by some strange twist of fate, here I am."
"Transforming people into dolls isn't exactly ordinary," Lucas acknowledged, finding his voice.
"Could you explain what your power is? I feel like I have only scratched the surface of your power. Your secret is safe with me."
"You won't tell Sabrina?"
"As I said, if it doesn't hurt Sabrina, it is your own business," Bree stated. "Though I am curious why you are afraid to tell Sabrina. I don't think she would mind if you possessed some unusual abilities. She understands what that feels like."
Lucas sighed. "The basic premise is that Palkia travelled to my world for some reason, which, by the way, doesn't have Pokemon. Palkia killed me, and as an apology, Arceus transmigrated me into a recently deceased Lucas Walker of this world. Arceus granted me the ability to bend reality to my advantage in a variety of ways."
Bree didn't immediately react to the shocking revelation he had just dropped on her.
Lucas paused and opened his menu to look at his map. The path he had taken had been revealed, but it was nothing noteworthy, aside from a few ingredients he had overlooked due to the low lighting.
"You're at it again," Bree said. "Looking at something that isn't even there. Is that part of your ability?"
"That's right," Lucas confirmed. "It is an interactive menu that lets me view information and perform different actions. Right now, I am looking at an interactive map that, once explored, reveals important details about the area."
"How peculiar."
Lucas continued walking for ten minutes until he came across a massive boulder blocking his path. As he walked around its perimeter, an idea struck him.
"Would you like to see one of the cool things my ability allows me to do?" Lucas asked. "I haven't tried it myself yet."
Bree waved her doll's hand dismissively. "It takes quite a lot to impress me."
Lucas accessed Arceus' Emporium and purchased a small secret base kit for one hundred and fifty thousand pokedollars. It felt like he was throwing away pokedollars, but he needed to try it out at some point. Furthermore, having a secret base here would make it easier for him to return in the future if he needed to find more Mega Stones.
The secret base kit appeared in his inventory, which took the form of a small badge. Taking it out of inventory, he pressed the badge to the boulder, and he was presented with a prompt, asking him if he wanted to build a secret base. He chose yes, and the badge vanished from his grasp. The next moment, a quiet rumbling sound emerged, but there was no other indication that anything was happening.
Bree looked around. "What is happening?"
"I think we need to wait," Lucas told her.
A few minutes later, a doorway appeared in the rockface, seamlessly blending into the boulder while remaining distinct enough for Lucas to see. He touched the door, and it slid to the side, revealing a darkened interior. As if in response to Max's size, the door expanded enough for him to fit through.
"Where did that come from? What is it?" Bree demanded.
Even Salem and Max appeared surprised.
"This is one of my abilities," Lucas explained. "I can buy an item that allows me to terraform a space, resulting in a secret base that I can use as a second home."
"This ability is strange," Bree sighed. "Well, what are you waiting for? Let's take a look inside."
As soon as Lucas stepped into the interior, the door slid shut behind him, and a series of torches on the wall lit up, revealing a short corridor leading to another location.
"This is so cool!" Lucas exclaimed.
As he continued down the corridor, it led him to an expansive open hallway with rooms lining either side. Without hesitation, he turned to inspect the doors flanking him. The first two revealed a bathroom and a toilet, complete with the essential fixtures, while the third door led to a well-equipped laundry room.
He returned to the hallway and continued until he reached a living area. A kitchen area ran along the west wall to his left, with the remainder of the space dedicated to a living room. There was a fireplace and a couch, but not much else. Another door was located ahead of him. When he opened it, he found a small bedroom with a single bed.
Bree shook her head in disbelief. "All of this was created in just a few minutes."
Lucas offered a wry smile. "This is just a small sample of what my ability can do."
Lucas returned to the living room and stood silently, taking everything in. He estimated that the entire area measured between five hundred and six hundred square feet. Not too bad for 150,000 pokedollars. It still required a lot of furniture and appliances, and there were no interior decorations. But it was enough for him to move in immediately if he wanted to.
"Let's leave for now," Lucas said. "Sabrina will get worried if we stay out too long."
Before leaving, he summoned Dante so that he could memorise the location and return at any time.
The door shut behind him as soon as he left the secret base. He could see the door's seams, though they were faint. Everyone else wouldn't be able to see that a door was there unless he revealed it to them.
"You should tell Sabrina about your abilities," Bree suggested. "I can imagine how difficult it would be to keep it from her. I'm not sure what else you can do, but I am sure it would benefit her as well."
"Let me think about it," Lucas replied. "It's a huge step. I only told you because—"
A faint sound interrupted him, and Max and Salem issued a warning almost simultaneously. He spun around and saw a Pokemon crawling out of the ground. It was a small quadrupedal Pokemon with a long snout and tail. Its body was mostly light brown except for black stripes crossing over and under its legs. Its most distinctive feature was a large scar running between its eyes and down its snout, giving it a ferocious look.
Species: Sandile
Level: 28
Condition: Perfect
Threat Level: High
"Sandile!" The crocodilian Pokemon snapped its jaws aggressively. Without hesitation, the Sandile lunged forward.
Max stepped forward, positioning himself between him and the incoming attack. He conjured a powerful Protect that surrounded them in a brilliant blue shield. It deflected the attack and then shattered.
Thinking quickly, Max lunged forward with a swift Low Kick that caught the falling Sandile off guard. The impact was powerful, sending the creature spiralling through the air before crashing to the ground. It immediately got to its feet, growling at Max, a challenging look in his eyes.
"Looks like he wants to fight you, Max," Lucas said, stepping back to a safe distance. "Be careful. He's immune to electricity and you're weak to ground-type. But he's weak against fighting-type moves."
"I'm going to crush the little runt," Max's voice sounded in his mind.
Lucas took the opportunity to examine the Sandile, and his eyes widened as he noticed its hidden stats. It was an absolute monster.
"I want to catch this Pokemon, Max," Lucas said, his voice brimming with excitement.
With Lucas' instructions echoing in his mind, Max took the initiative and swiftly executed a Quick Attack. Moving with incredible speed, he closed the distance between himself and Sandile in a blink of an eye. Instead of attacking, Max smoothly transitioned into a Rock Smash, his fist pulsating with fighting-type energy. He brought his glowing fist crashing down onto Sandile.
The fist kicked up an explosion of sand. When it cleared, it revealed that Sandile had disappeared.
"Behind you!" Lucas yelled, forgetting to communicate telepathically in his urgency, seeing the Sandile emerge from the ground.
Max swiftly turned around as the Sand Tomb that the Sandile unleashed, trapped him in a swirling vortex of sand. Lucas winced as Max took the brunt of the attack. With a fierce roar, Max unleashed another Quick Attack, harnessing the speed and momentum to break free from the entrapment.
Sandile leapt to the side, dodging Max's aggressive charge with ease. It landed smoothly on the ground and immediately turned to face its opponent, its jaws snapping open to reveal sharp teeth that glinted with dark-type energy. Max hesitated, his confidence wavering as he faced the intimidating sight before him.
Sandile had just unleashed Torment, a move that would prevent Max from using the same move twice in a row.
Lucas bit his lip in frustration. Max relied on Quick Attack to reach his opponent due to his slow speed. Now he couldn't use it consistently.
With a quick command from Lucas, Max activated Protect, creating a shimmering barrier just in time for Sandile to reappear, his jaws snapping hungrily. The clash was deafening, with Sandile's teeth shattering the shield, but its attack didn't connect.
Max wasted no time in launching a devastating Hammer Arm attack, swinging his arm down. The powerful blow connected with its head, sending Sandile crashing back down with a pained howl. The impact left a deep impression on the ground. The Sandile groaned in agony, its body visibly battered and bruised from the overwhelming force of the attack. The once-confident Pokémon now appeared shaken, struggling to recover from the blow it had just received.
Sandile's condition had halved instantly, and its speed fell by one stage. Hammer Arm was a devastating new move that Max learned after reaching 70% fighting-type affinity.
Max exploited his opponent's weakness and delivered another Low Kick, sending it flying through the air. He followed up with a Quick Attack, blurring forward and reaching the Pokemon just as it was about to hit the ground. He grabbed one of Sandile's legs and slammed it down onto the ground, knocking the breath out of it.
Sandile was now in critical condition, but it didn't look like it was about to give up. It struggled to get to its feet slowly, but its eyes glowing fiercely.
"Finish it," Lucas said softly, impressed by Sandile's determination.
Max's hand was enveloped with fire as he reared back his arm, and delivered a Fire Punch that knocked Sandile unconscious. It was another move that Max had learned after putting so much effort into training his fire-type affinity.
Lucas pulled an Ultra Ball out of his pocket and approached the downed Sandile. He touched it, and activated Pokemon Friendship, before sucking the Pokemon into the pokeball. The ball shook in his hand for several seconds, and Lucas held his breath, not feeling any confidence that he would capture Sandile. But finally, the ball stopped, and a smile appeared on Lucas' face.
"Great job, Max," Lucas said. "You just helped me obtain our new team member."
"What's so great about stumpy legs?"
"Can we go back now that you are finished?" Bree inquired, completely disinterested in the fight.
"Just a moment," Lucas replied. He released Sandile and gave him a revive potion, followed by a super potion.
Sandile opened his eyes, bewildered for a moment, before remembering what had happened. It snapped its jaw, and Lucas withdrew his hand quickly to avoid being bitten.
"Settle down," Lucas said. "We're partners now."
Sandile growled, slapping his tail against the ground.
"Yes, I can see that makes you happy. I even have a name for you. Are you interested?"
Sandile turned his head away.
"I'm going to call you Nero," Lucas announced. "It's amazing how quickly the name came to me."
"Is that a name from your previous world?" Bree asked curiously.
"Yes. It's a name associated with a great person," Lucas said, lying through his teeth. "I'm sure you will live up to the man's namesake."
Lucas examined him again with Insight, wanting to see how Nero had changed after bonding with him.
Species: Sandile; Desert Croc Pokemon
Gender: Male
Status: Owned
Favourability: Disliked 340/1000
Favourite Food: Dryad Dust
Condition: Perfect
Level: 28
Next: [1%]
Exp Cache: [0]
Stats obtained from EV's [0/100]
Current Level Potential Met?: No
Special Ability: Anger Point
Attack: 110
Special Attack: 35
Defence: 54
Special Defence: 55
Speed: 106
Luck: 30
Moves
Crunch: 52%
Torment: 45%
Sand Tomb:31%
Mud Slap: 36%
Swagger: 63%
Dig: 54%
Description: Nero has developed a tough exterior due to his harsh upbringing, making him fiercely competitive and focused on survival. His aggressive nature often leads him to bite first and ask questions later, but with the right guidance, his immense potential can be harnessed to make him an unstoppable force in battle. Its evolved form, Krokorok, is extremely rare due to some obscure affinity requirements.
Hidden Stats
Intelligence: 6
Endurance: 9
Energy: 8
Aptitude: 9
Affinities
Normal: 23%
Ground: 51%
Dark: 42%
Traits
Inherent (Can be passed onto offspring)
Ground-type Aptitude (Intermediate) - Increases ground-affinity training by twenty-five percent.
Attack Boost (Expert) - Significantly increases attack stat potency.
Speed Aptitude (Intermediate) - Increases speed stat training efficiency.
Paralysis Ward - Immune to the paralysis status condition.
Burn Resistance - 50% chance to resist the burn status condition.
Freeze Resistance - 50% chance to resist the freeze status condition.
Learned/Acquired/Unique
Sand Diver - Can swim beneath the sand as if it were swimming through water.
Berserker - When it is in critical condition, it sacrifices defence to raise its attack.
Evolution Conditions
Krokorok
Level 29
Condition: Perfect
Experience in Cache: 50000
Both Dark/Ground Type Affinity equal and greater than 50%.
Evolution Bonuses
Max Experience in Cache = 70000: 15 to All Stats
Rock-type affinity = 30%: Sand Storm learned upon evolving.
Defeat three level 30 Pokemon in a handicap fight = Endurance 1
Special item: Black Glasses acquired = Dark Elemental Trait learned.
Nero: Breeding Type: D
Breeding Conditions
Same Species: 25%
Egg Group - Dark/Ground: -25%
Egg Group - Other: -50%
Same Level: 10%
Base Compatibility
Type A: 5%
Type B: 31%
Type C: 13%
Type D: 92%
Type E - 23%
Nero's hidden stats were slightly better than Saphira's overall. Furthermore, his aptitude was the highest among his Pokemon, as reflected in his stats. As soon as Nero bonded with Lucas, he received any missed stats he didn't train at each level. Comparing him to when he was a wild Pokemon, the difference in stats was huge. Nero had put up a good fight even when his stats weren't optimal.
He was happy to receive such a great Pokemon, and he wouldn't have to work that much to evolve him into Krokorok, as he was only one level away. Once he had fulfilled the evolutionary conditions, he would have another evolved Pokemon in his team.
There was another benefit as well. Nero's ability to swim beneath the sand opened up new possibilities for him to search for Mega Stones. However, it was important to keep in mind its limitations. The sandy terrain only extended to a certain depth before reaching solid rock layers below.
"Let's head back to camp." Lucas returned Nero to his pokeball and got to his feet.
Lucas was feeling discouraged by the late afternoon of the next day. His energy levels were low due to all the digging and the fact that he hadn't discovered any stones yet. Furthermore, his brilliant plan to enlist Nero's help in finding Mega Stones had run into a roadblock. He had overlooked the fact that Nero's favorability rating was Disliked, which made him uncooperative.
He had been offering him bribes all morning, but all Nero wanted was a rematch with Max. He granted Nero's wish, but he lost the fight for the second time. Lucas considered letting Nero win to gain his cooperation, but he decided against it. Max would be upset if he was told he had to deliberately lose.
For the moment, he let Nero rest in his habitat, and he would try to get on better terms with him this evening. He had to be cautious, though, because Nero had the potential to break the bond and run away. That would be a tragedy.
It was the first time one of his Pokemon had a disliked rating, and he had no idea why. It might be because Nero was at a higher level than his other Pokemon when he first got them. However, it wouldn't explain Dante, whose favorability began at Neutral. Maybe it was Nero's personality that was the reason.
Lucas decided to call it quits after going a little deeper. Sabrina had already retired for the day, as she was still getting used to all the physical labour.
A beeping noise jolted Lucas' senses, causing him to freeze in astonishment. He hadn't anticipated hearing the sound echo within the walls of the hole he was digging in. Realising the Itemfinder indicated a hidden item buried deeper under the surface, Lucas's excitement surged and he began digging frantically. After ten minutes of relentless effort, his shovel struck something wooden with a thud.
Lucas set the shovel aside and dropped to his knees, carefully clearing away the sand that surrounded the wooden chest with his bare hands. When the chest was finally unearthed, he lifted the lid and discovered a small, blue stone nestled inside, adorned with a vibrant orange leaf symbol at its heart. As he marvelled at the stone, his attention was drawn to a neatly folded note tucked beside it. He unfolded the note and read it.
Metagrossite
This precious stone has the power to trigger Metagross's transformation into Mega Metagross, enhancing its abilities and granting it a temporary boost in stats. The Metagrossite's efficacy is directly correlated to the level and energy capacity of the Metagross holding it. Because of the Metagross' unique physiology, this stone can only be used once and disappears when the Pokemon dies.
Lucas grinned. He tossed the note and chest into his inventory and scrambled out of the hole. Sabrina was seated outside the tent, feeding her Pokemon. She looked up when he rushed over, and noticed the excitement on his face.
"Did you find something?" Sabrina asked, eyeing his closed hand.
Lucas sat next to her, and opened his hand, revealing the Mega Stone. She gasped and picked up the stone so she could look at it closer.
"This is a new Mega Stone," Sabrina exclaimed. "I have never seen this one before. I wonder what Pokemon it belongs to."
Lucas paused. How was he supposed to tell her without giving away the fact that he already knew? Getting an idea, he headed into the tent and requested Bree's aid. The doll rolled her eyes but allowed him to carry her outside.
"I have our resident psychic here to deliberate on the matter," Lucas said. "Bree, in your humble opinion, what Pokemon does this Mega Stone belong to?"
Bree held her chin as if giving it serious consideration. After a moment, she looked at Sabrina's Pokemon, who seemed to all hold their breath in anticipation.
"I believe it belongs to Axel," Bree announced.
"Gross!"
"What are the odds?" Sabrina murmured in disbelief."Am I dreaming?"
Lucas reached over and pinched her waist, causing her to flinch. She glared at him, but it faded quickly as she returned to being excited about her Metagross getting a Mega Evolution.
"Are you going to try it out now?" Lucas asked. "You have your own Mega Bracelet."
Sabrina looked tempted for a moment but then shook her head. "I need to report this new finding to the Kalos government. They will want to know that there is a new Mega Stone that exists."
"You tell them now, and they are likely to take over this dig site."
Sabrina nodded, tucking the stone away. "It can wait until we have finished here."
"How about we don't say anything? Let others discover because it causes less trouble for us."
"There may be some merit in that."
The next morning, Lucas and Sabrina's spirits were boosted by the previous day's discovery. The duo were forced to leave their previous dig site due to an impenetrable layer of solid rock, prompting them to begin work on a new location, with Diggersby leading the way. They made significant progress and remained determined throughout the morning.
"What is this?" Sabrina poked at the ground with her shovel. "The ground here seems strangely loose."
Lucas approached Sabrina's side to investigate. Just as he neared her, she dug her shovel into the earth again. In an unexpected and terrifying turn of events, a swirling vortex appeared beneath her, swallowing her whole in seconds.
"Sabrina!" Lucas made a desperate grab for her hand. His attempt to save her only resulted in both of them being dragged into the swirling abyss.
Lucas squeezed his eyes shut as he plummeted, shielding him from the onslaught of falling sand and debris. Fear gripped his heart as he braced himself for a potentially fatal impact at the bottom.
Lucas landed with a sickening thud on solid ground, the force of the impact knocking the breath out of him. A sharp pain shot through his body. Luckily, it was short-lived as he slipped into unconsciousness.
So, what do you think? In the next chapter, Lucas meets another legendary Pokemon.
Patrons get access to advanced chapters for all of my stories. If you are interested, read my profile for information on how to join.
Thanks for reading.