Dawn crept over the Wild Area like a sigh of relief. The sandstorm had passed hours ago, leaving behind a golden haze that shimmered across the dunes. Fine dust still clung to the tents and gear, but the world felt reborn. Quiet, rinsed of chaos, and touched with that soft, fresh light that comes only after surviving something heavy.
Niyah stretched beneath the pale blue sky, letting out a slow groan as her joints popped. "Note to self," she muttered, "don't camp near spontaneous sandstorm zones again."
Litwick sat on a rock nearby, his tiny flame flickering low and lazy, casting a sleepy glow. Mimikyu, on the other hand, was sprawled out on her back beside the campfire ashes, disguise crooked, faintly snoring.
Iris, now fully settled into her evolvetion as a majestic Togekiss, perched at the edge of the clearing, her white wings glinting in the morning sun. She was larger than before, easily able to carry Niyah and a smaller Pokémon. Her soft feathers stirred as she turned, eyes half-closed, humming a gentle note that carried on the breeze.
Roty hovered near Niyah's shoulder, camera blinking. "Bzzt, morning! You survived another 'totally safe' night in the wilderness. How's it feel to be a chaos magnet?"
"Pretty standard," Niyah said dryly, brushing sand off her jacket. "Except for the part where we nearly got buried alive by an ancient golem."
"Bttz, yes," Roty said. "Your idea of 'standard' terrifies me."
Niyah smirked faintly, glancing at the fourth Luxury Ball lying in the sand beside her pack. The faint, rhythmic pulse of blue energy inside it beat like a slow, steady heartbeat.
"You can come out now," she murmured.
She pressed the button. The capsule opened, releasing a beam of red light that took shape before her. The air hummed faintly then solidified into the massive, stoic form of the Golett.
Golett's eyes opened, twin orbs of cerulean light glowing softly beneath the carved stone face. For a long moment, the automaton stood perfectly still, shoulders squared, head slightly lowered. Then it looked around, first to Niyah, then to each of the Pokémon, taking them in with a quiet, almost solemn awareness.
"Morning, Eon," Niyah said, keeping her tone calm but friendly. "How's your energy core feeling?"
Golett's chest sigil pulsed once, steady, contained. Then it slowly nodded.
Roty beeped. "Bzzt, vital signs nominal. Core integrity stable. Berserk energy contained. Congratulations, you own an ancient relic that can one-punch a Graveler into the stratosphere."
Niyah chuckled. "Guess we'll keep that part in reserve."
Golett shifted, the grinding of stone against sand surprisingly soft, like the rustle of gravel in water. Litwick floated a little closer, his flame flickering curiously. The two Ghost-types stared at each other, one small, bright, and mischievous; the other large, grounded, and protective.
Finally, Litwick floated a slow circle around Golett and gave a single approving "Lit."
"Looks like he's fine with you," Niyah said.
Golett turned slightly, studying Mimikyu next. The costumed ghost tilted her head then popped her disguise straight and gave a cheerful squeak, hopping up to touch the golem's arm. Her shadow tendrils barely reached halfway.
Golett didn't move. But then, slowly, it extended one hand, massive fingers flexing with deliberate care and gently tapped Mimikyu's head in what might've been a pat.
Mimikyu giggled.
The sound, light, unguarded and bright, made Golett's eyes pulse faintly. A memory seemed to hum beneath its core, something ancient and wordless.
Togekiss floated closer next, wings brushing the sand. Her serene gaze met Golett's, and for a few seconds, they simply regarded each other. Then she extended one delicate wing and brushed it against his shoulder, an almost ceremonial gesture.
"Togee kissss," she said softly.
Golett's massive frame lowered slightly, as if in acknowledgment.
"Well," Niyah said, hands on hips, "I'd say that's a solid welcome."
"Btzz, more like the team adopting a gentle giant," Roty said. "You sure you're not running a daycare for emotionally complex Pokémon? At least Iris has calmed with her evolution…bzzt"
"Shh," Niyah said. "It's called a family."
She stepped in front of her newest team member, over at the towering figure. "You've got power and discipline. That's rare. But we're not here just to fight, got it? We protect each other. We move together."
Golett's eyes glowed brighter, steady, affirming.
[SYSTEM ANALYSIS: BOND INITIATED]
Trainer Compatibility: 87% — High Potential Synergy
Roty whistled. "Okay, that's new. He's syncing with your energy faster than expected. You're giving off similar resonance to his old seal signature, like his core recognizes your aura."
Niyah blinked. "You're saying he listens to me because I... feel like his old command seal?"
"Btzzasically."
"That's... kind of creepy," Niyah admitted.
"Bzzt, also kind of cool," Roty added.
She sighed, smiling faintly. "Yeah, that too."
—
Breakfast that morning was simple: berries, canned curry, and a lot of teasing from Roty about Niyah's cooking skills. Togekiss distributed small berry halves to Litwick and Mimikyu, both of whom fought over the juiciest ones until Golett calmly split one in half with a single precise motion of his stony fingers, ending the argument instantly.
The others stared.
Litwick floated back with a sheepish flicker. Mimikyu grumbled but took her share. Iris made a pleased chirp, a quiet, "approval" sound that made Niyah grin.
"Already keeping the peace," she said. "You fit right in, Eon."
The Golett didn't respond, but the soft hum from its chest deepened, like a purr made of stone.
"It's protective," Roty noted quietly. "Watch how Eon positions itself, always slightly between you and the open sand. Classic guardian instinct. It's scanning for threats even while resting."
"That's… actually kind of comforting."
—
After breakfast, Niyah brushed sand from Iris's wings and climbed onto her back. The Togekiss shifted her weight easily, feathers cool and smooth under Niyah's hands. Below, Litwick floated in lazy circles, Mimikyu trotted with her head bobbing, and Golett followed at a measured pace, his heavy footsteps leaving symmetrical prints in the sand.
"Alright team," Niyah called. "Next stop: Bridge Field. Let's get moving before another sandstorm decides to ruin my hair."
Togekiss chirped and took off, wings slicing through the air with an effortless grace. From above, the area unfolded like a living map, rivers glinting silver, forests blurring green, ruins standing as faded scars of forgotten civilizations.
Down below, Golett moved like a sentinel, unhurried, unwavering. Every few minutes, he'd glance upward, tracking Togekiss's and Niyah's flight path.
When they finally stopped at a small rocky plateau, the sun was higher, and the wind had softened.
Niyah dismounted, her boots crunching against gravel. "Alright, everyone. Quick training check. I want to see where Eon strength is and how it works with the group."
Togekiss floated a little higher, wings shimmering with psychic light. Litwick flared, ready. Mimikyu cracked her neck, disguise tilting slightly.
Golett stepped forward. His shadow stretched across the sand like a mountain.
"Eon, you've got a lot of 'punch' moves plus the Iron Fist ability," Niyah said with a smirk. "Let's start with something controlled. Shadow Punch, target that rock."
Golett's fist glowed a dark indigo, ghostly energy spiraling around his arm. He stepped once, raised his fist and vanished.
The punch landed a split-second later, shattering the rock into gravel. The echo of the impact rolled through the plateau like thunder.
Roty beeped frantically. "Power output, 150%! That's elite-tier precision!"
"Guess we don't need to worry about finesse," Niyah murmured, impressed. "Okay, next: Iron Defense into Ice Punch."
Golett's body gleamed metallic, the sheen of fortified stone spreading across his limbs. Frost bloomed over his fists a moment later, cold steam curling off his hands. He threw a single strike and the frostwave shattered a nearby boulder in one blow.
The other Pokémon looked both awed and slightly intimidated. Mimikyu made a tiny "eep" sound.
Togekiss floated between them, humming something soft, diffusing the tension again.
Niyah stepped closer. "That's incredible power, Eon. But remember, control over strength is strength, too. You're not just a weapon. You're part of a team."
Golett's eyes dimmed for a moment, then flared again, softer this time, understanding.
『BOND INCREASED: +8%』
Roty flashed. "Emotional acknowledgment detected. You're making progress, bzzt."
Niyah smiled. "Good. Because we're going to need all the balance we can get."
She looked at her team, the flickering flame, the shy shadow, the serene light, and now, the steadfast guardian and felt something warm twist in her chest.
The world around them was dangerous, yes. But for the first time since waking up in this reality, she felt… ready.
—
The morning wind carried warmth and the scent of earth and river grass. By the time the sun reached its peak, Niyah and her team had moved from the sandy dunes into the half-wild grasslands that bordered the ancient ruins of the Wild Area.
The change in terrain was stark, golden sand fading into cracked stone, moss climbing over half-buried pillars. Broken statues of Pokémon stood scattered across the clearing, their features worn smooth by time.
It felt like walking through the bones of a forgotten civilization.
Roty hovered close to Niyah's shoulder, scanning with a soft hum. "Energy readings consistent with pre-Galar constructs. Bzzt, the kind of place Eon could have been originally forged."
Niyah looked back at the towering Golett trudging behind her. "You hear that, big guy? We might've just found your ancestors."
Golett paused mid-step, turning his head. His blue eyes glowed faintly brighter, reflecting off the moss-covered pillars. For a moment, he just stood there, silent, almost reverent.
The sound of his footsteps was rhythmic, almost like a heartbeat, slow, heavy, grounded.
Litwick drifted near his shoulder, trying to mimic the same walking pattern, though his little flame body bobbed erratically. Mimikyu trotted ahead, occasionally disappearing into the shadows cast by the ruins, only to pop out again in front of Niyah with a mischievous "Mii~!"
Togekiss soared gently overhead, her wings scattering sunlit motes through the air, almost like blessings.
The sight made Niyah's chest ache with pride and something else, a flicker of unease she couldn't quite name.
Her Pokémon weren't just getting stronger; they were… changing.
Ghost-types and fairy-types were unpredictable enough, but under her guidance they were evolving at a pace that defied logic. Lumos's flames burned hotter than most Litwick's could sustain. Mimi's shadow attacks hit like upper-tier moves. Iris's unnatural control over Metronome. And now Eon, a being of ancient craftsmanship, responded to her voice as if it were the command of the people who built him.
"Roty," she said softly. "You ever think… maybe the system isn't just randomly giving me quests?"
"Bzzt, you mean maybe it's watching you?" Roty replied. "Tracking your progress like you're part of something bigger? Btzz, I think about that all the time. Usually when I can't sleep."
"You don't sleep."
"Exactly."
Niyah smirked, shaking her head. "Figures."
—
They reached a wide, grassy clearing where a small stream cut through the rocks, glittering under the light. It was a peaceful place, the kind that almost begged for training.
"Alright, team," Niyah said, clapping her hands. "Let's see what kind of synergy we've got with Eon in the mix."
Togekiss descended first, settling near the stream's edge. Litwick floated beside her, tiny flame flickering brighter. Mimikyu appeared on a boulder, already bouncing with anticipation. Golett took position at the back, posture perfect, like a sentry awaiting command.
"Okay," Niyah began, tapping her chin. "Let's test out some combo patterns. Iris, Magical Leaf into Eon's Ice Punch. Let's see if we can fuse speed and force."
Togekiss's wings flared, scattering dozens of glowing leaves that danced like emerald ribbons through the air. As they spiraled forward, Golett's right fist shimmered with frost. He pivoted and punched through the storm of leaves and the moment his icy knuckles connected, the air burst with a shimmering explosion of frozen green fragments.
They glittered across the field like starlight.
Mimikyu clapped her tiny hands. Litwick whistled low.
"Nice!" Niyah said, shielding her eyes from the flash. "Precision and control. Let's build on that. Lumos, Confuse Ray! Mimi, double with Substitute and sneak around!"
Litwick flared, releasing a pulse of eerie, twisting light that spun through the air. At the same time, Mimikyu blurred, a perfect copy appearing beside her as she dove into shadow.
Golett's eyes tracked both illusions instantly. His right hand glowed, Shadow Punch, and with surgical accuracy, he struck only the real copy. The Substitute flickered, then vanished.
The real Mimikyu popped back up, crossing her arms. "Mii!"
Golett blinked, then looked almost apologetic, if a golem could.
Togekiss chuckled softly and glided between them, using Morning Sun to cast a gentle wave of light. The warmth rolled over the field, easing tension.
Niyah stood back, watching her team interact learning to understand one another. She felt it again, that pulse in her chest, faintly in rhythm with the flicker in Golett's core.
『Aura Synchronization: 41%』
Her vision flickered for half a heartbeat. For that brief instant, she felt something. The sensation of grounded weight, of time measured in centuries instead of seconds. A deep, unwavering patience.
Then it was gone.
"...Okay," she muttered, rubbing her temple. "That's new."
Roty hovered closer. "Aura sync deepening faster than baseline. Bzzt, you're forming a direct energy tether. If you go full resonance, you could theoretically channel his defensive energy through your psychic field."
"So I could shield the team?"
"Or crush a mountain, depending how emotionally stable you are that day, bzzt."
"Right. Let's not test that before lunch."
—
Training went on for hours. They practiced timing, precision, and protection. Golett quickly became the backbone of their tactics, using Iron Defense to shield Mimikyu's close-range tricks, anchoring Litwick's area attacks with Stealth Rock, and setting up Togekiss' high-speed aerial strikes with perfectly aimed Rock Slides that forced opponents to move where Niyah wanted them.
It was a rhythm, a pulse, like music composed by instinct.
And through it all, Niyah's commands grew more fluid. She didn't need to shout anymore. Her Pokémon simply knew.
By midday, the team collapsed near the stream, exhausted but satisfied. Togekiss floated on her back in the shallow water, Litwick rested in her feathers, and Mimikyu leaned against Golett's arm.
Niyah sat nearby, boots off, letting her feet soak in the cool current.
For a moment, everything was still.
She caught herself smiling. "Not bad for a bunch of misfits."
Golett turned slightly, that faint hum of his core echoing her words.
"Yeah," she murmured. "I think you're gonna fit in just fine."
—
Later that afternoon, they wandered deeper into the ruins. The air grew cooler, the light dimmer, filtered through crumbling stone arches. Ancient carvings lined the walls, depictions of people kneeling before Pokémon of strange shapes. Golett figures appeared often, always guarding something, gates, relics, light itself.
Golett stopped at one mural, tracing the faint grooves of an ancient crest with his finger.
"What's up Eon?" Niyah asked quietly.
Golett didn't move for a long time. Then its chest sigil pulsed once, slow, solemn.
"...Something familiar?" she guessed.
It nodded.
"Then maybe that means we're in the right place."
"Bzzt, or the worst possible one," Roty whispered. "These ruins predate the current League system. The siganals here reported close to reality distort, like time looping around itself."
"Cool," Niyah said dryly. "Love that for us."
—
They set up camp before sunset near a half-broken bridge. The night came with quiet wind and stars scattered across the black sky like spilled glitter.
Golett sat at the edge of camp, unmoving, eyes glowing faintly. He didn't sleep, didn't need to. He simply stood watch, an ancient guardian reborn under new command.
Mimikyu was curled up inside her disguise near the fire, Litwick flickering dimly beside her. Togekiss lay near Niyah, one wing draped over her like a blanket.
Niyah leaned back, staring up at the stars. The flames crackled softly.
For a long while, she said nothing. Then, quietly, she spoke:
"You know… when I first woke up here, I thought it was all a dream. Then the system appeared. The quests. The people. You guys." She smiled faintly, tracing the edge of Togekiss' wing. "Now I'm starting to think maybe I wasn't brought here to survive. Maybe I was brought here to change something."
No one answered but Togekiss' feathers brushed her cheek gently, and Golett's core pulsed once from where he stood, like a heartbeat in the dark.
The fire popped softly.
Then…
[System Notification: Quest Activated]
Objective: Travel to Motostoke and make a new rival.
Reward: Psychic Ability Boost - Mind Control
Penalty: Psychic Instability (Temporary Debuff)
Time Limit: None
Accept / Decline?
Niyah sighed. "Figures. No rest for the haunted."
Togekiss nuzzled her shoulder with a soft chirp.
"Alright," Niyah said, staring into the firelight. "Guess we're heading east."
Roty hovered near her ear, tone softer than usual. "You know, for what it's worth, you're doing good, bzzt."
She smiled tiredly. "Yeah? Maybe one day I'll believe that."
Golett's gaze remained fixed on the horizon, steady, eternal. In its chest, the sigil flickered once more, faint but steady, the heartbeat of a guardian watching over a soul far younger than it.
And as the night deepened, the Wild Area whispered around them, not in words, but in echoes of ancient promises yet to be fulfilled.