The town of Wellspring sat like a quiet knot between three routes, its stone buildings stitched together by narrow roads and hanging lanterns. Grant liked it immediately. It felt lived-in. Real. The kind of place where journeys passed through but stories stayed behind.
Nyra stretched as they crossed the wooden bridge into town. "Supplies first. Then jobs. Then training."
Grant adjusted his pack. "You sound like a Guild Master."
"Someone has to be responsible," she said, smirking.
Oshawatt trotted ahead, sniffing every crate and barrel it passed.
"Osha! Osha!"
Grant laughed. "Slow down. We're not racing."
The job board stood near the Pokémon Center, cluttered with paper notices pinned in overlapping layers.
Nyra scanned them. "Berry delivery. Fence repair. Escort service through Pinwheel outskirts…"
Grant blinked. "Escort service?"
"Wild Pokémon. Not bandits," she said dryly.
He exhaled. "Good."
They took three jobs.
Berry delivery to a nearby farm.
Fence repair for a rancher.
And escorting a merchant through the edge of Pinwheel Forest.
It wasn't glamorous.
But it paid.
The berry farm sat just beyond the hills. Grant and Nyra walked between rows of bright red Oran berries and golden Pecha trees.
The farmer, a thick-bearded man with sun-darkened skin, wiped his brow. "Just need these crates moved to the storage shed. Watch for Bug-types. They like to steal."
Grant nodded. "We've got it."
Oshawatt puffed up proudly.
"Osha!"
Nyra released Tepig. "Guard duty."
Tepig snorted.
They lifted crates and stacked them neatly.
Halfway through, Oshawatt froze.
Its ears twitched.
"Osha…?"
Grant followed its gaze.
Leaves rustled near the Pecha trees.
A small green shape peeked out.
Two round eyes.
A tiny yellow face.
Sewaddle.
Grant knelt slowly. "Hey there…"
The Sewaddle shuffled forward, clutching a leaf around itself like a blanket.
It tilted its head.
"Seee…"
Nyra whispered, "It's watching you."
Grant held out a berry.
The Sewaddle sniffed.
Then waddled closer and took a careful bite.
Grant smiled. "You're not scared, are you?"
The Sewaddle shook its head.
Then suddenly leaped forward and wrapped its leaf around his wrist.
Grant yelped. "Uh—Nyra?"
She laughed. "Congratulations. You've been adopted."
The Sewaddle nuzzled his hand.
Grant's heart melted.
"It's… really affectionate."
Nyra crouched beside him. "Wild ones usually aren't. Must've been raised near people."
Grant gently freed his hand. "Do you want to come with me?"
The Sewaddle chirped.
Then a wild Venipede burst from the bushes, hissing.
Sewaddle squeaked and hid behind Grant.
Grant stood. "Oshawatt!"
"Osha!"
Nyra stepped back. "This is your moment."
Grant nodded. "Focus Energy!"
Oshawatt glowed.
"Water Gun!"
The blast knocked Venipede sideways.
Venipede hissed and lunged.
"Shell block!"
Oshawatt blocked, sliding back.
"Finish it!"
Another Water Gun sent Venipede skidding into the dirt.
It fainted.
The field fell silent.
Sewaddle peeked out.
Then crawled up Grant's arm and hugged his cheek.
Grant laughed. "Okay, okay. I get it."
He reached for a Poké Ball.
"Sewaddle… want to join my team?"
It chirped and tapped the ball.
The capture was instant.
Grant stared at the click.
Nyra smiled. "Looks like you've got a new partner."
Grant held the ball carefully. "I'll take care of you. I promise."
They finished the jobs by late afternoon.
Fence repaired.
Berries delivered.
And the merchant safely escorted.
They sat on the edge of town counting their earnings.
Grant whistled. "We're actually… okay."
Nyra smirked. "Told you. Trainers survive on side quests."
Grant released Sewaddle.
It crawled onto his shoulder and wrapped itself around his neck like a scarf.
Oshawatt stared.
"Osha…?"
Grant laughed. "You're not being replaced."
Oshawatt crossed its arms.
Nyra snorted. "Jealous already."
The sun dipped low as they took the forest path.
The merchant had warned them. Don't go deep. Strange people have been seen.
Grant assumed it meant poachers.
Or smugglers.
They walked quietly.
The trees grew taller.
The air cooler.
Then they heard voices.
Harsh.
Angry.
"Grab them all."
"Don't let any escape."
Grant froze.
Nyra raised a hand.
They crept closer.
Through the brush, they saw them.
Black uniforms.
White symbols.
A bold letter "P" shaped like a blade.
Five people stood around a terrified group of Pokémon—Pidove, Patrat, a Herdier snarling defensively.
One of the men kicked a cage shut.
"Load them up. N's orders."
Grant's stomach twisted.
"They're stealing them," he whispered.
Nyra clenched her fists. "That's Team Plasma."
Grant's eyes widened. "The ones from the news?"
"Yeah."
One of the grunts laughed. "Humans don't deserve Pokémon. We're liberating them."
Liberating.
From terrified trainers who watched helplessly from behind a tree.
Grant saw a girl crying, reaching for her Herdier.
A Plasma grunt shoved her back.
Grant's vision burned.
"We have to stop them."
Nyra hesitated.
"We're not ready," she whispered.
Grant stepped forward.
"Hey!"
The forest went silent.
All eyes turned to him.
One of the grunts sneered. "Well, look at this. A hero."
Nyra swore under her breath and stepped beside Grant.
"We're trainers," she said. "Let them go."
The leader laughed. "Children playing Champion."
Grant released Oshawatt.
Nyra released Tepig.
Sewaddle clung to Grant's shoulder.
The Plasma grunt cracked his knuckles. "Teach them."
Two grunts stepped forward.
"Go, Watchog."
"Lieperd, tear them apart."
Grant swallowed.
"Oshawatt—"
"Wait," Nyra whispered. "Stick together."
The battle erupted.
Lieperd moved like a shadow, slashing through the trees.
Watchog fired Hyper Fang.
"Dodge!" Grant shouted.
Oshawatt barely rolled out of the way.
"Tepig, Flame Charge!" Nyra commanded.
Tepig slammed into Watchog.
"Water Gun!"
Oshawatt followed up.
Watchog staggered.
Grant felt hope spark.
Then Lieperd struck.
It slammed into Oshawatt, sending it flying.
"Oshawatt!" Grant cried.
Nyra gritted her teeth. "Tepig, cover him!"
Lieperd vanished.
Then reappeared behind Tepig.
Dark Pulse.
Tepig crashed into a tree.
Nyra's breath hitched. "Get up!"
Sewaddle leaped from Grant's shoulder.
"Wait—!"
It shot sticky silk, tangling Lieperd's legs.
The grunt cursed. "Stupid bug!"
Lieperd slashed through the silk.
One hit sent Sewaddle tumbling.
Grant's chest tightened.
"Leave them alone!" he shouted.
The leader stepped forward.
"You don't understand. Pokémon don't belong with humans."
Grant stood shaking. "They choose us."
The leader laughed.
"Then let's see what they choose now."
He released a Bisharp.
The air felt heavy.
Nyra whispered, "Grant… we can't win this."
Grant stared at Oshawatt struggling to stand.
At Sewaddle curled on the ground.
At Tepig shaking but refusing to fall.
He clenched his fists.
"We don't run."
The leader raised a hand.
"Bisharp, Iron Head."
The world blurred.
Oshawatt was struck.
Sewaddle cried out.
Tepig collapsed.
Grant dropped to his knees.
Nyra grabbed his arm. "Grant—!"
The Plasma grunts laughed.
The cages were loaded.
The stolen Pokémon dragged away.
The leader stepped close, eyes cold.
"Remember this feeling, child. This is the truth of the world."
He turned away.
Grant stayed frozen.
His chest hurt.
Nyra knelt beside him.
"We lost," she whispered.
Grant stared at the ground.
Oshawatt weakly crawled into his lap.
Sewaddle curled against his chest.
Tepig limped to Nyra's side.
Grant closed his eyes.
I wasn't strong enough.
The forest was silent again.
But somewhere deeper within it, shadows were already moving.
And Team Plasma was far from finished.
The forest did not go quiet.
Not after Oshawatt fell.
Not after Sewaddle cried out.
Not after Tepig collapsed against the tree with a weak, defiant snort.
Grant stayed frozen on his knees, hands trembling in the dirt. Oshawatt crawled toward him, dragging its shell, eyes dull with exhaustion. Sewaddle curled into Grant's jacket, shaking.
Nyra knelt beside Tepig, trying to lift it.
"Tepig… come on. You're okay. You're okay."
The Plasma leader didn't turn away.
He stepped closer.
Boots crunching against leaves.
Slow. Deliberate.
One of the grunts laughed. "Look at them. Still trying to protect their pets."
"They're not pets," Grant snapped, forcing himself up. His voice cracked. "They're our partners."
The leader tilted his head. "Partners?" He gestured to the fallen Pokémon. "They look more like prisoners."
Two grunts moved forward.
One reached for Tepig.
Nyra reacted instantly.
She stepped between them, arms spread. "Touch him and I swear—"
The grunt shoved her aside.
Nyra hit the ground hard.
"Nyra!" Grant shouted.
The man grabbed Tepig by the scruff.
Tepig tried to bite.
The grunt smacked it.
Grant felt something snap inside him.
"Let them go!"
He rushed forward.
Another grunt caught him by the collar and threw him into a tree. The impact knocked the air from his lungs.
Sewaddle shrieked.
Oshawatt dragged itself in front of Grant, standing between him and the grunts.
"Osha… watt…"
The leader looked down at it.
"Still fighting. Admirable."
He raised his hand.
"Take them all."
Three cages snapped open.
Two grunts lunged for Oshawatt.
Another grabbed Sewaddle.
Nyra pushed herself up, blood on her lip.
"Tepig—run!"
Tepig staggered forward, trying to reach her.
The grunt tightened his grip.
"Struggle all you want. You're being freed."
Freed.
Grant screamed. "That's a lie!"
He threw himself at the grunt holding Sewaddle.
They both hit the ground.
Sewaddle wriggled free and clung to Grant's neck.
But the moment didn't last.
A boot slammed into Grant's ribs.
He cried out.
Oshawatt tried to charge.
It was kicked aside.
Nyra crawled toward Tepig.
A shadow loomed over her.
The leader himself.
"You're brave," he said quietly. "But bravery won't save them."
He raised a Poké Ball.
Bisharp stepped forward.
The blade Pokémon loomed over Tepig.
Tepig trembled.
Nyra reached out. "Please."
The leader's eyes were cold.
"Pokémon don't belong with humans."
Grant forced himself up again, vision blurring.
"They chose us."
The leader smiled.
"Then let's see if they choose to stay."
The cage doors opened.
Metal snapped shut.
And Grant realized, with a sinking horror—
They weren't done.
They weren't leaving.
They were taking everything.