(2,100 words)
Chapter 6
Wild Pokemon


The Sinister Woods live up to their name; dense trees block the light, cloaking the forest in shadow. While Compass calls out for the missing bellossom, Thorn watches the brush for any signs of movement. Their walk goes smoothly...

Until the ground starts shaking and knocks them off their feet.

The quake stops as fast as it started, leaving Thorn groaning as they stand. "So are earthquakes a common thing around these parts? Like, did I show up during the annual earthquake season?"

"Actually, you're not far off. Recently, there's been a lot of natural disasters; earthquakes, tornadoes, floods, and the weather's all messed up. There are deserts getting too much rain, snowy mountains melting, it's causing lots of problems. That's why it's even more important for rescue teams to-"

"Yeah, yeah, I get it. Also, we've got company."

"What?"

"Shoot!" a wooper says, jumping out from the brush. "Our cover's blown!"

"Well you didn't need to blow it more," an oddish says, stepping out behind them. "You there, intruders! Leave this forest now and we won't harm you."

"Hey, wait," Compass says. "We're not here to cause trouble, I promise! We just want to rescue a bellossom that's stuck here."

"Don't care," the wooper says. "No civilized folk get into this forest on our watch!"

"The bellossom got in," Thorn says.

"Yeah, but that wasn't on our watch."

"Please, let us through!" Compass says. "That bellossom is in trouble!"

"Don't care."

"If they had stayed out," the oddish says, "they would've been fine. Just because they intruded doesn't mean you have the right to come in after them."

Thorn sighs. "Look, we're here to do a job. We're either going to walk past you, or walk over your unconscious bodies."

"Thorn! Don't threaten them!"

"Alright, if you won't leave, then we'll make you leave!" Wooper sprays a water gun in an arc! Thorn ducks under it, while Compass is caught off-guard and hit, staggering backward. Wooper dashes forward, but Thorn stops them with a kick to the stomach, following up with a bone club to the head that knocks them down.

Thorn turns to face the oddish too late, as a glowing vine wraps around their arm, and they feel their energy draining away! But the vine is struck by a bolt of fire from Compass, making Oddish flinch in pain and retract it.

"Thorn, behind you!"

Thorn jumps to the side, avoiding a water gun from Wooper. They turn and tackle the Wooper to the ground before nailing them with a headbutt, their bone helmet making a hard *CLUNK* as it strikes Wooper's head, knocking them out!

Oddish starts extending their vine again to drain Thorn, but Compass scares them back with a puff of fire. Compass then releases a cloud of smoke, blinding Oddish while they grab Thorn's hand and sprinting deeper into the forest. After getting far enough, the team stops to catch their breath.

"Damn, that was a nice shot back there," Thorn says. "Small target from pretty far away."

"Thanks. Control over your abilities is important to practice, especially for fire-types; if used recklessly, fire can easily make things worse."

"Is that why you refused to hit the oddish directly?"

"Of course. Like I said, we don't need to be brutes."

"You're only making it harder for us then. Damn, my arm still hurts. Why did that hurt so- right, ground-type, gotta remember that."

Compass fishes out a big blue berry from their bag. "Do you need an oran berry?"

"... No? I'm hurt, not hungry."

"Oh, this isn't just food! Oran berries are special berries that soothe your pain and help heal wounds! That water gun hit me pretty hard too, so here," Compass splits the berry in half, "let's share it."

Thorn squints suspiciously at the berry, but seeing Compass already eating their half (and still feeling the pain in their arm), they take a cautious bite... and feel their pain lessen. "Oh shit!" Thorn says, chomping the rest of it. "You seriously have magic healing berries here?!" Thorn pulls a pair of oran berries from inside their helmet. "I thought they were just oversized blueberries."

"You found more? Nice!"

"So just to make sure..." Thorn pulls out an orange from their helmet. "This is an orange, and not some magic fruit that cures any disease, right?"

"Yes, that's an orange."

"Okay good." Thorn bites into the orange like an apple.

"T-Thorn! You're supposed to peel it first! That's so... ew!"

"Speak for yourself," Thorn says with their mouth full, "this is delicious! I think this is my favorite food? No, yeah, I remember," Thorn takes another bite, "I LOVE these things."

"Well, I'm glad you're remembering things, in your own... unique way."



A bit later down the road, a quagsire steps out from the brush. "Hey."

"Wait a sec!" Compass says. "We're not here to cause trouble, we just-"

"Chill out Compass, they're clearly not here to fight," Thorn says, noting quagsire's relaxed posture. "That, or they're just really confident."

Quagsire shrugs. "Both, I guess. You a rescue team?"

"Um, yes," Compass says. "We're Team Rose! We're here to rescue a bellossom that got stuck here."

"Thought so." Quagsire points down the road. "They went that way, turned left at the fork in the path."

"Really? Thanks!"

"No prob. Just don't overstay your welcome, civilized folk."

Compass frowns. "If you don't mind, could you tell me why wild pokemon seem to have something against civilized pokemon?"

"It's not the 'mons, it's what they bring. Civilization has a way of spreading, taking over. I'd bet every wild 'mon grew up hearing the stories; first it's just a few polite campers with a tent, then they make a quaint little cottage, and before you know it, the area's under the control of civilized law. Only a few wild folk are aggro enough to just attack any random intruder, but all of us want the wilds to stay wild."

"But... why? Civilization is so much safer, the laws-"

"Compass, shut up," Thorn says. "I'm pretty sure no one here wants a lecture on why they should like the thing they all hate."

Quagsire nods. "Don't think I'm not aware of the good parts, like you rescue teams. I respect your work. I just want my home to stay wild and free. Good luck on your rescue mission." Quagsire waves them goodbye.

Compass waves back as they walk away. "Goodbye! And thanks for your help!"



True to Quagsire's word, after a left turn, Compass's calls are answered by a distant voice: "Hello? Someone help, I'm trapped!"

"Don't worry! Team Rose is on the way!"

A brief sprint leads the team to a large pit, at the bottom of which is the bellossom. "Help! The ground suddenly opened up under me, and I fell!"

"Don't worry, we'll get you out!" Compass pulls a length of rope from their bag, and with some planning, tying, and pulling, the team pulls Bellossom out!

"Oh, thank you so much Team Rose!" Bellossom lunges forward and hugs Thorn. "I was so scared!"

Thorn sighs and accepts the hug. Why is everyone here so huggy? Still, it is surprisingly nice; seeing a pokemon who was just moments ago terrified, now filled with joy and gratitude. "Yeah, yeah, let's just get moving before you fall into another hole."

The trio's walk doesn't go far before they stumble upon a scyther at the edge of the path, who turns to look at them over their shoulder. "H-hey! Get outta here! This is my turf!"

"Wait, we're not here to cause trouble! We're just escorting this bellossom out of the woods."

"Oh. Well then, uh, make it quick! Or else!"

Compass and Bellossom walk far around the scyther, who watches them carefully. But Thorn stands back, watching Scyther. Seeing the anger and fear in their eyes. Scyther notices Thorn staring, and their fear grows. Thorn notes how Scyther keeps their left side facing away from them. That look of terror in their face... Thorn can't stand it.

Thorn sighs. "Compass, are you shitting me?"

"Wha- Thorn! Language! What does that even mean?!"

"It means get back here, that scyther is clearly injured."

"They are?"

"No I'm not!" Scyther says.

"Yeah, see, they're not."

Thorn facepalms. "God you're such an idiot." They grab an oran berry from their helmet and toss it over to Scyther, who flinches away. "There, that should help with your arm."

"I-I don't know what you're talking about!"

"You're welcome," Thorn says as they walk away, prompting Compass and Bellossom to follow.

The trio walks silently, until they've long since left Scyther behind. Only then does Compass allow their excitement to burst, jumping up and shouting! "Yes, yes, yes! I knew it! I knew you were a good pokemon deep down, Thorn!"

"Wha- Hey, calm down! Do you want the whole forest to find us? And besides, you're making a scene in front of our client."

"Oh, uh, sorry Bellossom."

"No, go ahead," Bellossom says. "This sound interesting."

"Oh. Anyway, Thorn! You're a good pokemon!"

"Would you quit it with the morality bullshit? I just... couldn't stand that terrified look." Especially not with Bellossom's own terror fresh in their mind.

"That's right, you couldn't resist helping a pokemon in need!"

"Ugh, your stupid hero act is rubbing off on me."

"I can't wait to tell mom!"



The rest of the mission goes without incident. Bellossom returns home, leaving Team Rose with 200 coins and a few blast seeds.

"What's a blast seed?" Thorn asks.

"It's a seed that explodes. If you eat it, you'll breathe out a fiery blast!"

"That is not how explosions work."

"Well that's- Hey wait, is that-" Compass runs off toward the bulletin board, where they see three mighty pokemon with golden rescue badges: A tyranitar, a charizard, and an alakazam! "It is! Thorn, it's Team ACT!"

"Team Act?"

"No, A-C-T. They're the most famous rescue team in the world! I can't believe they're here in Pokemon Square... But more importantly, it's said that their leader, Alakazam, is so knowledgeable that he's memorized everything that's ever happened in the world!"

"That's stupid. Wait, so that means... he could tell us if that's how explosions work!"

"Or about your condition?"

"Oh yeah that too."

Team Rose makes their way to the front of the small crowd gathered around Team ACT. "Excuse me! Mr. Alakazam?"

Alakazam turns around. "You need something from me?"

"Y-yes, um, sorry to bother you, but my friend here has a strange condition. We've heard how knowledgeable you are, and we were hoping you could tell us about it?"

Alakazam stares at Thorn, who shifts uncomfortably under his gaze. "... A strange condition indeed. Would you like to speak privately?"

Team Rose heads off with Alakazam, who leaves his teammates behind to pick a job. Finding a nice, secluded spot on the edge of town, Alakazam looks back at Thorn. "... You are no ordinary cubone, are you?"

"That's probably because I wasn't a cubone before," Thorn says.

"I see... Your mind is strange, shrouded in-"

"H-hey, wait, are you reading my mind?!"

"No no, nothing so intrusive. It is more like looking at the cover of a book. Can you tell me more about your condition?"

"Not much. I woke up one day as a cubone with no memory, not even my name or former species."

"Hmm..."

"... Uh, any idea how I can get my memories back?"

"... I'm afraid not. Your mind is... chained, so to speak. Your memories buried deep. I feel that... part of you does not want to remember-"

"That's bullshit, I need to remember."

"T-Thorn!" Compass gasps. "Language!"

"Shut it. What do you mean I don't want to? Knowledge is power, right? Why would I keep my memories from myself?"

"Emotions can be difficult things. Important, but difficult. I sense something from your chained memories, some... darkness, one could call it."

"I can't remember my own name because I had a bad childhood?"

"Not quite. One doesn't simply forget their entire life. It is likely that whatever transformed you was also the trigger for you to seal away your memories."

"Likely?" Compass asks. "Do you mean you don't know what caused their condition?"

"I don't. When it comes to something as rare as transformation, it is hard to separate fact from fiction. However... there may be a way to unveil the truth."

"Really?! How?"

"Go to the Hill of the Ancients in Great Canyon. There, you will find a pokemon that stares into the sun all day... A pokemon who is said to see the future. Xatu is his name. He should shed light on your puzzling friend."

"That's amazing! Thank you so much!"

"You're welcome. I wish you the best of luck."




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