Author's Thoughts: Hello everyone! I hope you can put this Fanfiction in your collections, I wanted to give you a chapter today to revive interest, I plan to resume the project and start publishing more chapters but I have the idea of spending the month writing and start publishing regularly from April 1st, I hope to have your support!
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Nidoran♂, who only looked at me with sadness, snuggled up close to me to comfort me, to which I responded by picking him up and giving him a hug. I think that if it were a little earlier I would have stayed there waiting to see if Ekans came out again, but since it wasn't long before nightfall, I decided to turn around and return to the City while there was still some light.
I was walking heavily with Nidoran♂ in my arms when I heard a loud sound coming from the forest; it was the scream of a woman that seemed very familiar to me: "MAAAXWEEELL" I opened my eyes wide when I realized that it was Mother Clarisse's voice, for a moment I thought it would be impossible until I remembered that she herself had warned me that she would come to look for me so in complete panic I began to run towards the forest: "Please I hope you are okay Mother Clarisse" I said in a low voice as I ran at full speed into the depths of Viridian Forest with my heart beating so loud that it thundered in my ears.
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I felt my head throbbing the deeper I went into the Viridian Forest, it felt like an electric sensation that didn't let me concentrate as I ran with the little Nidoran♂ in my arms who for some reason was shaking trying to get down, I didn't run more than 10 minutes until I heard Mother Clarisse's voice again but this time as if she was right next to me: "Won't you come for me Maxwell?" "I'm waiting for you…", something in the tone devoid of the emblematic warmth of Mother Clarisse managed to get into my senses, I stopped dead and shook my head trying to locate where I was, apparently in my desperation I went too far into the forest and couldn't find the path where I came from, while trying to reason what was happening Nidoran♂ who used a little more force to get away fell to the ground and with a look of desperation nibbled my pants while pulling me towards a huge tree that could be seen in the distance.
It didn't take a genius to identify that something was disturbing the usually serious Nidoran♂, so I quickly picked him up again and started running to the huge tree he pointed to, as I approached the tree I heard Mother Clarisse's voice behind me: "MAXWEELL, WILL YOU LEAVE ME HERE ABANDONED?!" The voice that was heard now felt deformed and eerie which made my skin crawl, whatever that thing was that I heard was definitely not Mother Clarisse.
Without looking back, I ran as fast as I could while I saw how large pieces of rocks flew towards me enveloped in a blue energy, which, either by luck or due to the poor visibility in the forest, did not even manage to touch me.
I ran with everything I had until I stopped seeing the floating rocks around me and stopped feeling the uneasiness in my head, I stopped to take a breath as I realized that I had reached the large tree that Nidoran♂ told me about, which at its base had an opening the size of a person through which I could perfectly pass, feeling worried that the creature that attacked me would return, I went through the opening to discover that a large part of the tree was hollow, this space could only be defined as an improvised nest, basically the size of a medium-sized room but completely dark.
Nidoran♂ once again restless in my arms began to growl as he looked into the darkness, so I let go of him and as we prepared to fight several whimpers and some squeals were heard in the darkness, I quickly told Nidoran♂ to stop and took out my PokeNav to activate the lamp function, what I discovered left me frozen for a second, in the improvised nest of the big tree were 5 children huddled in a corner watching me with fearful eyes, the oldest of the 5 who couldn't be older than 12 years old stepped forward and with an expectant tone spoke to me: "Did they send you to save us? Did you manage to defeat that Hypno?" Hearing him, I hardened my expression as I regretfully replied: "I imagined that the creature that attacked me was that infamous Hypno, I'm sorry, in reality Nidoran♂ and I barely managed to escape from him and ended up here, but I think he lost track of us because he stopped attacking us a while ago, for the moment we are safe" I said the last thing with a reassuring gesture to the boy who looked visibly upset.
I could see the hope fading from the boy's face as he returned to his corner with his companions and sat down on the floor in resignation. "It's not that you escaped from him, rather he led you to his own lair along with his other prey," he said the last part in a solemn tone as he tried to comfort the other children who began to cry as they listened to our exchange.
It didn't take me long to understand that he was right, a Hypno must be at least level 26 so chasing a running child shouldn't have been that difficult, most likely he just left me alone because I ended up in his nest and even with Nidoran♂ I didn't represent a threat to him.
I decided the first thing I needed to do was calm down and think about my options, I quickly turned off the flashlight function and started trying to call the Pewter City Pokemon Center but for some strange reason I had no signal: "What the heck, this thing is supposed to work anywhere, something must be blocking the signal" I said as my face hardened and I turned to the children: "Tell me exactly how you ended up here" I said in a low, calm tone so as not to upset the little ones any further.
The oldest just turned to look at me and said with a sad and resigned face: "It caught us all at different times but in the same way, first we heard the voice of our loved ones, then we lost the ability to resist and ended up entering the forest right where that Hypno was waiting for us who very easily killed our Pokemons and left us in this tree" he said while sobbing at the memory of his fallen Pokemons "every so often it comes here and puts us to sleep, it attacks us with that psychic energy while we sleep and eats our dreams, I think that strengthens it, but it doesn't stay with us for long, occasionally we hear rumblings outside, it seems like it's fighting with something else that is getting closer and closer to this nest" he said the last thing with a thoughtful expression as if he was trying to understand the situation too.
After hearing his story I could only feel compassion for the poor children, most of them looked ragged and it seemed like they had gone a long time without a good meal so even if he wanted us all to run away at the same time I highly doubt we could escape fast enough from that Hypno.
With regret in my head, I made the decision to escape and ask for help, luckily I still had Nidoran♂ and my backpack in good condition so I felt safe enough to escape from the forest and look for higher level trainers to be able to rescue these children at the cost of most of my items but as I was getting ready to escape a thought crossed my mind -If I escape, that Hypno might get desperate and take them somewhere else or worse, he might even kill them and move somewhere else in search of more prey- I thought as my hand tightened regretfully on my backpack.
"Of course! My backpack!" I said out loud, startling the children in the nest. I quickly grabbed the backpack and began rummaging through my things, reaching for what I wanted. With some difficulty, I took out the Escape Rope and inspected it for a second. The other children, interested in what I was doing, were startled and looked excitedly at the object in my hand. "With that Escape Rope, you can teleport to Pewter City and seek help!" said the oldest of the children with a smile that seemed to make all the sorrow the boy was carrying disappear.
Although all of us in the Hypno's nest were rookie Trainers, it was well known by everyone that the Escape Ropes were items that were charged with Psychic energy in order to make emergency teleportations to the nearest Pokemon Centers in their location, usually one Escape Rope was enough to carry one person without problems but on this occasion I would have to carry 6, so to improve our chances of escaping I said to the children: "Listen everyone, take the rope at the same time and think of the Pokemon Center in Pewter City, since there are too many of you I don't think it will take you there but I hope it has enough energy to at least get you out of the forest" I said in a calm tone while giving them a reassuring smile.
The eldest child with tears in his eyes shouted at me: "What about you?! That's nonsense, if you take the rope with us you will also be teleported and we can escape together" he said in a pleading voice while the other children stood up and nodded at his words.
I calmly shook my head and explained my plan: "There are too many of us, in fact, that escape rope getting the 5 of you out of the forest is already a risky bet, so with me it would be even more difficult, so I'm betting on your luck, if you manage to get out of the forest run to Pewter City and look for help to rescue me, in the meantime I, who am fine, along with my Pokemon, will do our part doing everything possible to escape" I said while in my mind I gathered my courage and tried to trust that it was the best option to get out of this problem.
The eldest of the children thought about it for a moment and said to me with a face full of determination: "We will not fail you, if we manage to get out of the forest we will do everything possible to rescue you, even if you do not manage to escape try to resist as long as possible and I assure you that we will come for you" he said while the others approached to take the rope.
"Hurry! Get out of here before Hypno comes back! I won't be staying here for long either," I said as I pushed them closer faster. The children gave me a small smile and grabbed the rope at the same time before they began to glow and disappear without a trace of the nest.
"That was for the best" I said regretfully while a part of me regretted my decision, I'm definitely not a hero or a saint but what kind of adult can leave 5 children to their fate with what appears to be a psychopathic monster? "Although technically I'm a child too now" I said with a small laugh trying to calm myself down while Nidoran♂ looked at me with his head tilted a little strangely.
"I'm sorry, buddy, it seems that once again I put you in a dangerous situation, it seems that my interests may be greater than your well-being, if we get out of this I promise that I will try hard to take better care of you" I said regretfully while Nidoran♂ gave my leg a light tap in what I think was a gesture of camaraderie.
Nervously I took out a couple of Pokeballs and put them in my belt and then carefully left Hypno's nest, with Nidoran♂ behind me we took the first steps- Maybe I should have healed Nidoran♂ with one of my Potions but I think time is essential here, as long as we run fast we have a chance to escape while the Hypno is not nearby- I thought as I hung my backpack on my shoulder and turned around to give Nidoran♂ directions: "Ok Nidoran♂ it all depends on you, I don't really know the way back to Pewter City so we can only trust your instincts, please lead the way" I said as Nidoran♂ nodded in response and started running.
We didn't run for long when the feeling of electricity in my mind came back, this time more concentrated, making me feel the need to turn back but somehow I managed to shake my head and continue forward while following Nidoran♂.
We advanced a little further until I could recognize the safe path of the forest in the distance, - as long as I got there I could find my way faster and with luck I could come across a Trainer who could help me- I thought as I ran until a tree in my path lit up with a blue light and suddenly fell blocking my way, Nidoran♂ who reacted in time jumped back and stood on the defensive while hearing the sound of some bushes moving until a yellow head with a big nose peeked out.
"Damn, I definitely couldn't have any worse luck" I said as the Hypno came completely out of the bushes and looked at us with a mix of malice and mockery "Nidoran♂ looks like we'll have to fight to buy time, that Hypno is out of our league but we'll have to do our best" I said as I took a Pokeball in my hand and prepared to give orders, Nidoran nodded and crouched down waiting ready to attack.
Without wasting much time I ordered Nidoran♂: "Quickly use Read!" Nidoran♂'s eyes lit up red as he followed my orders but the Hypno reacted against all odds by only moving his pendulum hand and letting out an unpleasant noise that I could only describe as a laugh.
"Looks like this will be even harder than I thought," I said as I weighed up my options in my mind since I highly doubted that Nidoran♂'s other attacks would be too effective.
As I was entering into despair and the Hypno seemed to gloat over my suffering, suddenly his attitude took a 180 degree turn and he looked at me with a fury that I could only describe as a personal grudge. I was startled to be looked at in that way only to realize that he was actually watching something behind me. Without waiting too long, I began to turn my head when I felt a hand rest on my shoulder and push me back.
My surprise was even greater when I identified that the hand that pushed me and seemed to be preparing to fight was from another Hypno who just turned to look at me and gave me what I interpreted as a reassuring smile.
Trainer License
Trainer: Maxwell Jones
Hometown: Pewter City
Sponsorship: None
Money: $5,500 Pokedolars
Badges: None
Bag
5 Potions – POCKET FULL
3 Rage Candy Bar
10 Pokeballs
1 Super Ball
1 Red handkerchief (With 20 Oran Berrys)
-15 Spaces Available-
Pokemon
Nidoran♂
Gender: Male
Level: 10
Movements: Leer, Peck, Focus Energy, Double Kick.