However, when he was finally dragged off to sleep, a strange sound teased at the edge of his hearing, keeping Kenji from fully falling asleep.
An odd music, like overlapping chimes or bells pervaded his dreams and pulled him awake. Giving in to the pull of the music, he gave up on his attempts to rest and stood up. He yawned widely, his jaw nearly cracking from the effort as he stretched out his arms. There was a surprising lack of soreness, which he was grateful for as he climbed to his feet.
Leaving his pack behind, Kenji followed the strange sound through the trees. The noise was oddly familiar, though he could not place it. Flutter tried to gather his attention, the Beautifly's emotions sent through the link. However, the connection was muted and the Pokémon's cries easily ignored. Sprout was less vocal, his warbles already softer than the butterfly's piercing trills, and barely registered to Kenji.
Unable to stop him, the two beasts followed close behind as Kenji led them on a circuitous route through the forest. The moon lit the way, its scant light reflecting off the flowers decorating the forest.
As he followed the alluring notes, the Energy gradually increased and became more active. His body continued to absorb the power, helping bolster his aura in order to resist the foreign influence. Clashing together, the conflicting Energies eventually lifted the fog from his mind. The ethereal music continued but he found himself able to ignore now that he was aware of the beguiling sounds. Paling slightly, Kenji realized how close he had come to being consumed entirely.
All the same, by the time he managed to break free of the mystical trance it was too late.
In the scant light of the waxing moon, a massive field divided the plateau into two. A strange Energy thrummed through air, rising to blend with the ambient Grass Energy. The power granted the space a sense of unreality and continued to tug at his mind, attempting to lure him forwards.
Staring out into the field, even Flutter refused to trespass and sample the flowers beyond. A variety of colors trailed to form a pattern, he belatedly realized, one that he could not understand. At least not without the proper tools to trace the plants path.
As Kenji studied the scene, searching for what pulled him here, the music shifted. Joining the tapping of bells was an unfamiliar sound, a vibrant hum that rose high and sharp. It hung in the air in a manner that Kenji envisioned to be as delicate as a hair and sharp as a katana.
A heartbeat passed and shadowed figures stepped out of the tree's domain.
They were short, less than halfway to Kenji's knee at the most. An odd cut to their hair hid the figure's faces while a trailing dress caused several to trip as they moved. The forms stumbled forwards, following the path laid out by the flowers.
A soft glow could be seen underneath their dome heads, emitting shades of color.
The strange creatures kept to the edges of the field, stumbling and occasionally falling. When they did, the figures merely brushed at their rumpled dresses and hurried to catch up with the others. Despite the falls, the entire scene appeared perfectly in pace. Almost as though their falls were practiced and purposeful, their mistakes worked into the performance.
Their eerie similarity to young children made the scene all the more unnerving.
The musical tempo increased, the plucking of raindrops filling the plateau as more figures stepped out of the trees.
The new forms were taller, and far more graceful. Their mannerisms and movements were human, yet bore a distinct sense of other that made Kenji's skin crawl.
Limbs were too narrow to bear the weight that they should. What passed for the creature's hair did not shake or move as natural fiber should. More glaring were the softly glowing horns that rose from the harsh curtain that decorated the Type Beasts skulls.
The creatures danced forwards, twirling down the paths. Figures spun throughout the clearing, never pausing, even when it seemed that they may collide.
Kenji watched, entranced by the scene.
Yet, his mind prodded at him, noticing something off about the way the figures spun about with each other. There were gaps in the dance that was performed, noticeable for the fact that some individuals were dancing as though they were partnered despite no other figure was close.
Peering closer, he sensed a change in the Energy gathering in the massive field. Energy roiled, the Grass Type supplanted by the alien power. The other Energy that sought to evade his attention rose to the forefront, bringing with it a visible shimmer in the air.
Like a mirage on a boiling day, more forms slowly took shape.
They bled into the world, fading into reality. New forms appeared, joining the complex interweaving of Type Beasts without interruption. Missing partners were revealed and seeming holes within the dance were filled.
The music started to reach a crescendo, and with it the Energy in the field gathered. A larger mirage took shape in the center of the split in the forest. Soft, unusual light shined from nothing as a more evolved figure formed itself.
Easily taller than Kenji, the new Pokémon was dressed in a long, flowing white dress that hid its lower body. The few paces it moved, made the creature appear to glide. Spindly, green arms spread outwards to gesture at the field as if directing the younger creatures. How the Type Beast moved them was distinctly wrong, making Kenji's own joints ache. It was as though the Pokémon could move its limbs in nearly any direction. He could see no joints, only long spindly limbs.
With the creature's appearance, the music halted as did the others in the clearing. The world seemed to hold its breath, whether in fear or awe, he could not tell.
The moment passed as the sharp notes resumed, a melody that grew faster with every heartbeat. Kenji's own blood quickened as he heard it, and he clenched his hands into fists. It was harsh and unforgiving, promising resolution.
The unearthly figures resumed their dance, nearly frantic when compared to their early pace. Attention was directed to a section of the forest's edge and Kenji followed it.
Stepping out of the woods emerged another figure, with a passing similarity to those dancing through the large field. Straight forelimbs gleamed in the moonlight, appearing sharp as a blade. Pale legs stood firm and wide, giving the Type Beast a stride that made it stand out from its brethren. Rising from its skull was a horn that glowed softly as it faced down the field of figures.
The Pokémon studied each other, one against a constantly moving army.
For a moment, Kenji felt its attention upon him and he paled at the blank gaze that met him. The creature dismissed him quickly, returning its focus to the ritualistic dance.
After the brief pause, the beast stepped forward. It lashed out, arms flickering to lightly touch its lesser evolutions before moving on. The bladed creature moved unhindered, even as others placed themselves in his path.
Kenji had to clench his jaw to keep back a shout as he witnessed the Pokémon perform near perfect katas in a rare performance of its Art. He strove to memorize each movement, from how the beast positioned its arms to its gliding steps as the swords-Pokémon lashed out. Few Masters were willing to take on apprentices to pass down their secrets to, with Sages a lifetime and a dream even further away. When in public, they were careful to hide their secrets and only exhibit as few of their skills as possible, lest an enemy take note.
Deceptively fast, the aggressive Pokémon reached the center of the field.
The taller Type Beast was waiting for it, power glowing brightly from the horn protruding from its chest. Power shimmered around it, twisting the air even further. As the other Pokémon neared, Energy started to warp the air above, bending the light of the moon around it.
The distortion grew, eclipsing the moon and drawing all towards it until the bladed Type Beast raced forwards. The music sung fast and sharp, racing to beat the quickly moving Pokémon.
With a leap, the creature swung its arms downward, carving through the distortion. It landed into an honorable kneel before the other Pokémon. Two pairs of eyes held each other as the Energy in the air grew.
Released from the distortion, moonlight bloomed outwards, blinding Kenji and causing the clearing to disappear.
Kenji fell back with a startle yelp of surprise, furiously rubbing at his eyes to clear his vision. Spots continued to blind him, slowly fading until he was able to see again. By the time he could, there was nothing remaining in the clearing. In fact, as he searched, Kenji saw that there was little evidence that the ritualistic dance had occurred at all.
"Beau!" Flutter trilled loudly, aggravated by the blinding of the light by equally as humbled as him. The butterfly always moved artfully, a product of her brightly colored wings, yet the performance they witnessed was on another level entirely.
Sprout was more confused than in awe, warbling his complaint at being up in the middle of the night.
"Apologies little one," he murmured to the young turtle as he looked to the other side of the field.
The flowers were undisturbed, with the underlying grass unbowed from the thin limbs of the beasts. The Energy in the air was still and completely of the Grass Type as far as he could tell. There was no hint of the beguiling Energy that rose to the forefront during the gathering.
Frowning warily, Kenji retreated from the split in the forest. While both sides were in bloom and full of light, the other half of the plateau seemed to be . . .
Waiting.
There was an odd air of patience, as though a Sage watching a flower grow or a sleeping beast ready to wake.
Shaking his head to clear the lingering vestiges of the entrancing music, Kenji turned around. Envisioning the movements of the sword master, Kenji wandered back to his pack. He struggled to copy the Pokémon's graceful movements, especially without a sword or even his bō.
While he was by no means skilled with the weapon, he at least had passing knowledge and several lessons in wielding a blade. While it was potentially useful to memorize the positioning of the Type Beast's arm, Kenji was more focused on how the Pokémon moved. The placement of its feet and how it turned its body to add force or just barely avoid another attack.
Flutter bobbed along, often performing strange and awkward seeming maneuvers in the air. He could sense that his bond was filled with determination, though he was not quite sure what she was determined to do. Still, he offered advice when able or critiques that he thought could help the butterfly.
As a result, it took some time before Kenji found his pack again. The haze from the music and Energy was his guide and he remembered little of the path he took to the middle of the plateau. While he did not truly mind, as it gave him time to ruminate over what he saw, his stomach was starting to complain. The ethereal dance consumed much of the night, more than he expected, and by the time he found his pack again, it was nearly dawn.
As a result, Sprout was deeply tired and Kenji had to carry the heavy turtle when the beast could no longer trundle along. Despite all the excitement of the night and day before, Kenji did not feel nearly as exhausted.
Arriving back at the tree he rested at, Kenji was startled to see three large, pink flowers resting upon his pack. The colors were a rich gradient that lightened in color as it lightened towards the stem. While Kenji paused to inspect them warily, Flutter held no such reservations.
"Fly." The butterfly rushed forwards with a squeal of excitement and extended its proboscis into one of the open flowers.
"Ti, ti," she squealed once more as she tasted the pollen and nectar, bobbing in place happily.
However, when the Beautifly moved to taste the other two flowers, Kenji objected.
"Flutter, no," he said firmly. Along with his words, he sent a feeling of disapproval through their link. "Those are not for you."
"Beau," she whined back, surprised at his refusal.
"There are three flowers and three of us," he said, before reaching up to touch his mother's pendant. "Well, four," he amended, sending a wave of apology to the subdued bond. "There is no way they simply fell there."
Indeed, the flowers were artfully arranged on his pack and deliberately tucked in place. Frowning, he craned his head around to search the nearby area for any trace of who, or what, left them behind. There was nothing he could see and Kenji stepped forward from pausing with a small smile as he remembered that he was no longer limited to just his mortal senses.
To aid in his search, Kenji closed his eyes and gathered his will. Extending his aura outwards, he searched the surroundings. The ambient Energy both helped and hindered his efforts as it blinded him, but at the same time also caused anything that was not a part of it to stick out.
As such, he was able to catch the hint of foreign Energy that hid behind a tree several paces away. Instead of alerting the beast as to his knowledge of its presence, Kenji approached his pack while keeping part of his mind focused upon it.
He made a show of inspecting the flowers closer. While he loudly commented on the color and thoughtfulness of someone leaving behind flowers, he paid close attention to the creature. Its aura was open and not nearly as controlled as it should have been, leading Kenji to believe that the beast was young. As such, he was able to somewhat grasp at the creature's emotions and possible intentions.
There was no ill will or anger that he could sense, merely an innocent curiosity, reaffirming his belief as to the age of the Pokémon. It reacted to his investigation of the flowers, though Kenji could not tell if it understood him or not.
Only once Kenji was sure of his safety, did he turn towards the Pokémon and call out to it.
"I know you're there," he said softly. "Thank you for the flowers." he continued with a slight bow. "I am lost and could use your assistance."
Alarm overrode the curiosity, but it was still innocent to his mind. Fear of being caught, a child sneaking off with desert before dinner, rather than the terror of expecting an attack.
"It's ok," he soothed, "I will not hurt you, I'm just looking for some help."
Fear was still present, then something he could not grasp. A shift in the Energy around him had Kenji spinning around in shock.
Standing behind him was the tall, thin creature with the flowing gown from earlier. There was indication of its presence from his aura, the beast perfectly hiding itself from his perception. A single arm was upraised and held Flutter still in a shimmer of power. More alarming, there was no indication of his bond's state from their link.
"Wait, wait," he rushed to say, putting up his hands. "I did not approach them or intend anything untoward. Please, release her," he added desperately.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
Now that he was aware of it, he could feel a faint slipperiness to his link with the butterfly. It was the same with Sprout, except the turtle was merely hiding within his shell rather than held in the Pokémon's grasp. Even knowing about it, Kenji found it difficult to sense the disguise covering links.
A flat gaze met his scared eyes and assessed him without care. The red eyes sported a narrowed iris, much like a predator, and started him down. Kenji felt exposed under the creature's piercing gaze yet forced himself to stand strong.
The other limb lifted up and Kenji flinched. Instead of assaulting him with the same colorful power that held Flutter, the hand beckoned towards the tree hiding the beast that left him flowers.
"Ral," a dismayed cry was let loose and a small shape stumbled out from its cover.
Similarly colored to the tall form next to him, the younger Type Beast was white and green. A helmet bob of hair covered much of its eyes, with a strange white gown clinging to its body.
Now that the creatures were closer, Kenji was unable to tell exactly what their 'skin' was. It did not move like fiber or feathers, nor did it have the inflexibility of leather. The strange material was a part of its body, in a way that Kenji found to be alien.
More surprising was the appearance of another beast.
This was more natural looking, with soft, fluffy fur in shades of brown. Colorful leaves were arranged in the beast's mane and tail, much like the flowers that decorated his pack. This one did not wilt under the hard stare of the older Pokémon, but its bushy tail was tucked underneath it in a clear display of fear and submission.
Kenji turned his head back to the powerful Type Beast and stiffened in fear. The creature's mouth was bared in a sharp smile, pointed teeth revealed to make its human-like face decidedly less so.
Its point made, the Pokémon closed its lips and hid the sharp teeth behind a more polite smile. The unnaturally thin arm beckoned again and the young beasts grudgingly approached.
The horns of the child-like Type Beast glowed briefly while it tugged on the pale dress of the elder creature. It was seemingly ignored, and pouted as the bundle of fur bumped into it. Kenji could not help but notice that the four-legged beast kept its companion between it and the evolved Pokémon.
Kenji's aura was withdrawn, at first to keep the wild creatures at ease. Once his aura was close, he found himself forcibly suppressed. It felt like a blanket wrapped around his body, only the fibers were made of iron and refused to budge.
He eyed the tall Type Beast with wariness, still unsure as to its presence. The flowers were mostly undisturbed, as Kenji was reluctant to touch them despite Flutter already having done so.
The horn sprouting from the creature's chest and back glowed lightly before Kenji felt a brush across his mind. Like the Pokémon, the sensation was distinctly other and a shade too uncomfortable to ever be considered normal. Much like the Guardian, the beast communicated with emotions and images that he had to translate into words.
The connection to the other mind remained open, and Kenji tried to respond in kind. He likened mental link to a spiritual, though temporary, one.
Kenji hurried to stop the sending, but it was too late. The Pokémon clearly received his memories and sensed his despair. It stepped back, shielding the younger beasts within its voluminous skirt.
"Garde," it warned verbally, the mental link narrowing.
He was quick to respond, as Kenji could feel the creature's urge to rip the answers from his mind. He added his knowledge of the lower forest and what he knew of the Pokémon Hunters.
Kenji received a series of conflicting emotions as the Pokémon processed his memories. The large horn glowed brighter as fury grew within, barely eased by the temporary satisfaction when he showed how he interfered in the hunt and left the Ronin behind wrapped in silk. The emotion was twisted and dark, causing Kenji to shudder as he imagined it turned towards him.
However, the stream of images was interrupted as her skirt twitched and Kenji felt another touch against his mind. This one far more untrained, a painful fumble that was more an uneven staccato than an invitation. Jerking backwards, he nearly tripped over himself and barely recovered before he fell.
The Gardevoir was more controlled with its movement as it glided backwards, the strange dress parting to reveal too-thin legs and the young Pokémon.
The brown, furry one wilted at the glare of the evolved Type Beast while the child-like creature glared back.
"Ralts,"
The sending from the young beast was weak and uncontrolled, less thoughts and more emotion. The older Pokémon did nothing to shield Kenji from the foreign feelings, leaving Kenji off balance as he was forced to separate the other mind from his own. Worse, the older Pokémon decided to respond in kind.
Unfortunately, the sending did not provoke the response that it must have been seeking. The humanoid Type Beast stood straighter while even the scared four-legged one stood up and lightly bared its teeth.
While sharp, they did not have the ferocious affect the beast likely intended.
"Ee, eev," it barked out, only shaking a little as the red eyes turned on it. "Vee."
The Pokémon considered the younger beasts carefully, calculating eyes shifting between the two. When the smile opened once more to reveal the painfully sharp teeth behind its lips, Kenji shuddered along with the two small Pokémon.
"Gar, voir, garde," the powerful beast stated.
The two young beasts glanced at each other, murmuring too quietly for Kenji to hear. When they finished, the two looked to their elder.
"Ral," the child-like Pokémon said firmly.
"Vee," the furry beast yipped.
The tall, thin creature regarded them seriously. She lowered her arm, freeing Flutter from the technique as she did so. However, the unnatural suppression of his links continued.
The butterfly squealed angrily and swung around to regard her attacker, only to pause when she saw the larger Pokémon. The Beautifly retreated back towards Kenji, but not without another begrudging chirp.
"It's ok, girl," he said lowly to the flying bug. "I don't think she means us harm."
Kenji received a sense of amused confirmation from the beast, as though a Leavanny watching a Starly try to fight. Much like the Guardian, it was clear that the thin Pokémon disliked his presence on their plateau and wanted him gone.
"Help?" he asked tentatively. "How do I get down?" As he asked the Pokémon, he sent a feeling of confusion and fear, along with the long fall to the ground below.
The beast stared at him for several heartbeats, making Kenji want to fidget. He resisted the urge and met the creature's eyes as steadily as he could.
"Arde," the Pokémon almost seemed to sigh.
She turned and walked into the forest. The only indication Kenji was given to follow was the continued connection to her mind. He hurried to pick up his pack and withdrawn bond, the turtle still hidden within his shell, before striding after the Gardevoir.
The young beasts did not move until he did, the child-like one scrambling onto its companion's back.
Surprisingly, Kenji found himself suppressing a smile at the sight. Though he was not sure how successful he was at hiding his amusement considering the glares and sense of indignation that the two sent his way.
His guide led him on a convoluted path through the forest, circling trees or pausing for several beats before continuing. Kenji tried to mimic the Type Beast as closely as possible. When he did not at first, the creature sent him a wave of harsh disapproval and a flat stare, her slitted pupils contracting in a clear threat.
Afterwards, he meekly followed along with even Flutter copying the powerful Pokémon's actions.
At one point, the trees became viciously scarred as though by long blades. It was the only section of the lifted forest that he stumbled across to be damaged so, and he was wary of trespassing into the beast's territory. The Gardevoir was considerably less concerned as she glided through without hesitation.
The scars grew more numerous and fresh, some oozing sap, and the evolved beast skirted a large clearing. The open space was full of trampled grass and patches of dirt. In the middle of the clear was a mound of earth, out of place with the rest of the area. Large leaves and strange green tendrils reminiscent of fur sprout from the mound.
When they were on the other side, Kenji craned his head backwards and skipped a step when he met the dark brown orbs peering out of the mound. They were as cold and calculating as the Gardevoir's, and a massive leaf swayed through the air ominously.
Kenji swallowed as he picked out the form that he took for ground. Dark amusement flowed from his guide as she sensed his apprehension.
Tense muscles and limbs were positioned to pounce after him. Only their avoidance in entering the clearing and the two young Pokémon stayed its attack. The small fluffy beast pranced forward, the younger evolution of Gardevoir clinging to its back.
Kenji could hear the growling and yipping to the leaf-bladed beast, the sounds fading as they continued.
Eventually, they reached the edge of the plateau.
The forest ended several passes away from the edge, this side as sharp of a cliff as the one climbed. The lower forest spread out before them, with the sloping mountain range to their right. However, as he stepped up to stand by the Pokémon, Kenji's eyes caught a glimmer in the distance.
Into the horizon, nearly a straight shot from where he stood, was a massive city.
Towers that reminded him of stories of Violight gleamed, reflecting the lowering sun. It straddled a split in the earth, the sea separating the two halves of the city. Even from here, Kenji could tell that it was large, perhaps even greater than his kingdom's capital. Islands dotted the ocean around it, with great constructs connecting them.
Kenji felt his mouth fall open and a glimmer of tears obscured his sight, until he quickly rubbed them away. Looking up again, he confirmed that he was not hallucinating.
Unable to help himself, he started to laugh.
Soft chuckles at first, then more hysterically, Kenji cried and cheered.
"I made it," he shouted, lifting Sprout up into the air. "We made it!"
He jumped up and down, his flying bond joining in the celebration. The jostling roused the turtle as well, his curiosity and annoyance at the hard movements causing the young Pokémon to emerge from his shell.
"Tur?" he cried.
"Yes!" Kenji shouted in response. Throwing a hand forward, he continued to shout. "We're finally free!"
A harsh sending from the Gardevoir silenced his loud words with a strangled yelp. Anger tinged by fear flowed through the mental connection and he turned to face the Type Beast with a flinch.
Her red eyes glared at him yet she retreated back to the safety of the woods.
"De," she growled shortly.
"What's wrong, great one," he asked anxiously, glancing from civilization back to the Pokémon. "Danger?"
She answered him with a repeat sending of humans, along with the need to protect.
It took him a moment to understand, but when he did Kenji relaxed. The Pokémon was scared of humans hunting her, despite the distance from the city and the protection of the Guardian.
Nevertheless, he followed her lead and stepped backwards into the forest.
"Keeper of the Plateau," he started with a bow towards the Pokémon. "This one would be overjoyed if you could return him to the land below. Or even the city?" he added with a hopeful glance upwards.
The Gardevoir caught his eye and looked up towards the distant civilization. He could sense her considering his emotions and thoughts, but not without a distinct sense of wariness. Her emotions made him hopeful, as it indicated that the act was within her power.
Finally, she turned towards him fully.
the Pokémon sent.
Kenji's shoulders dropped and he despaired at the thought of civilization so close yet so far away. Next to him, the Pokémon flinched and retreated away from him, both physically and mentally. Consumed as he was by the sudden depression, Kenji did not notice.
He was wrenched free of his overpowering emotion as a violent surge swept through the connection with the Gardevoir.
"Voir!"
Staggering, Kenji heard her cry out and he lifted his eyes towards the powerful Type Beast.
The rounded horn protruding from the Pokémon's chest and back were glowing brightly, and she was cradling her head. Her three fingers dug through hair-like growth from her head as the Gardevoir's eyes squeezed shut.
Violently separated from the dark emotions swirling inside, Kenji felt abruptly clear minded. Standing straight, he bowed his head to the beast.
"Many thanks, great one," he said, "I meant no harm towards you and apologize for any offense that I may have caused."
The Pokémon took a moment to recover before meeting his eyes. Her's burned red with the iris expanded and the pupil dilated. Bared teeth gave her a terrifyingly inhuman expression before she smoothed it away.
Through it all, Kenji felt composed and relatively uncaring of the fear that the harsh expression should have brought on. Cocking his head, he recognized the forced suppression of his emotions as one similar to the slippery sensation currently afflicting his links.
The mental sending was one of the clearest so far, with little foreign emotions and images clouding the communication.
"If that is agreeable with you, then I shall accept," Kenji said with a nod of thanks.
"Garde," she said, the mental connection beginning to withdraw. Before she broke the link completely, he received another image.
"You wish for me to return?" he asked with a blink of mild surprise.
"If the Guardian of the Grove allows it, then I shall return when we are stronger," he answered.
The Pokémon smiled lightly, exposing a flicker of white teeth before her expression smoothed away. Lifting one arm, she spread her three fingers to point at Kenji and his bonds. The digits twisted too much to ever be mistaken for a human's, as she unerringly pointed. With the other, the Gardevoir directed her arm towards the mountain.
The Gardevoir's aura reached out and encompassed Kenji and his bonds. Much like the strange Energy from the ritual, it was elusive and difficult for him to grasp. Rippling waves emanated both around them, before a flash of light consumed his vision. Kenji twisted and molded, feeling like he was turned inside out and upside right.
Falling to his knees, he immediately started to throw up. Gagging and choking, he spewed the scant fruit and berries that he ate along with whatever remained in his stomach from the day before. When there was nothing left but bile, he could still feel his stomach trying to pump itself clean.
Coughing, he wiped his mouth clean and wanted to resume vomiting when he tasted the remains in his mouth. Finally able to focus, he saw his companions fallen around him.
Sprout was warbling weakly on the ground, limbs splayed out and eyes nearly rolling. Flutter bobbing in the air, unable to hold herself in place for long as she fought to regain control of her wings.
The slippery sensation coating their links was gone, allowing Kenji to feel their alarm and the nauseating sensations of the teleport. The links shared their emotions and feelings, allowing the vertigo to affect them all the more.
Eventually, the three of them recovered and Kenji was finally able to stand without tilting over.
"That was," Kenji coughed roughly, "Was certainly an experience to remember."
Flutter and Sprout agreed with him faintly while he started to peer at the surrounding forest. Kenji joined them as he remembered where the beast teleported them to.
The mountains rose high behind them, its shadow beginning to stretch forwards as the sun started to set. The forest was thick, with trees that grew wide and tall. Looking up, he could make out faint rivulets that indicated a possible river on this side. However, they were too disparate for him to properly determine where the water would for a large stream.
Turning his head forwards, Kenji tried to gauge the direction where the city would stand. With the size of it, he was sure that as long as he moved in its rough direction, he would come across it or a road that led towards the it.
"Violight," he muttered. The kingdom was not an outright enemy of his own nation, but to call it a true ally was disingenuous. For all that, it was far better than being stuck in the kingdom of Ignis, with the fiery people constantly ready to fight.
Kenji was broken from his considerations by an all too familiar howl. It caused an instinctive hunch to form as he tried to make himself smaller and search for the source of the terrifying sound. The roar was picked up by others, only a few able to match the coughing bellow of the first.
"No," he moaned. "Not now, I'm so close."
Forcing himself to move, Kenji snatched up Sprout and called for Flutter to follow him. It was difficult to gauge where the predatory howls originated from, but they did not start until he neared the mountain. As such, he raced forwards, picking up speed as he ran.
With the gleaming city somewhere in front of him, the choice was clear.
Kenji did not bother trying to conserve his energy as he ran. There was no point. Even Warriors had difficulty in outracing Type Beasts. His only chance was taking the lead he had now and hoping that some other prey became the focus of their hunt.
"Flutter," he called out, "Lead the way and keep watch for the beasts," he instructed.
The butterfly flew ahead, using a hint of Energy to speed itself along. The days carrying Sprout were already showing, as he was able to move quicker with the heavy turtle in his arms.
The howls followed after him, the weaker roars closest.
As he dodged around trees, a flicker in the shadows gained his attention. Turning his head, Kenji saw a four-legged beast with black fur and demonic mask of bone lunge at him.
The beast missed, as Kenji managed to duck in time to avoid the sharp fangs poised to grab him.
Not pausing further, Kenji felt heat bloom at his back. Turning his head, he saw a blaze of fire emerge from the beast's mouth and spray towards him.
Shouting wordlessly, Kenji dove sideways. He struck the ground roughly and scrambled to right himself. He spared what little thought he could to thank his past self for keeping the leather on. While there was none left to protect his arms, it was his torso that he was concerned with.
The flame died off and left behind a lingering noxious gas that left him coughing as he resumed his frantic pace. Ash clung to his skin, uncomfortably warm.
Instead of chasing after him, the beast unleashed an unearthly howl that drove him onwards. It was quickly picked up by others, the forest working to disguise the beasts' locations as they echoed around him.
Kenji found himself panting, fighting to breathe as the gas and ash burned in his lungs. His links were equally terrified, their emotions fueling each other's fear. Flutter's wings were singed, leaving the beast unable to move as fast as before, while Sprout whined from within his shell. The hard scales did little to protect the turtle from the gas, and he was suffering as Kenji did.
Only one link was unaffected, the seal affecting the Pokémon shielding it from their overwhelming emotions. Kenji was momentarily distracted as he felt it flare to life, a soft sea breeze brushing against his skin for a moment and whisking away the heat burning at him.
Darkness was closing across his vision as Kenji found it harder and harder to breathe. It was difficult to He needed to keep running move, but he forced himself forwards. His lungs ached and his skin was starting to burn as flames flared up around him. Sweat ran underneath his leathers and stuck to the ash, turning it to a light mud on his skin.
His first bond's aura surrounded him, helping to shield Kenji from the techniques of the Pokémon hunting him. Run, Run, Run, Several times, he was forced to leap through a wall of flames as the beasts tried to catch him. The canines were unmindful of the flames, the bones shielding their backs reflecting the bright fire.
Flutter managed to fly over the fire, the heat creating wind that buffeted the bug. She cried out in pain and fear as embers touched her delicate wings, burning through the panels.
Still, as fast he ran, it was impossible to avoid inhaling the bitter gas that beasts sprayed out. His vision grew dark and
With an empty mind and a ghostly aura supporting him, Kenji fled the pack hunting him.
write to me. It wasn't until I had landed on a strange thought and furiously wrote the entire prologue in a single night: keep the isekai, but change the original setting. Instead of another world, our MC was torn from his home and casually discarded in foreign land.