The gap between Level 9 and Level 10 was a canyon and in the games, it was a matter of squashing three or four bugs but On Island 4, it was a two-day slog through mud, sweat, and constant vigilance, it's times like these that Alex remembers the grass search in pokemon games for XP.
Alex crouched behind a rotting log, wiping a mixture of mud and crushed citronella leaf onto his face. The insects here were quite relentless as he had been bitten by things that didn't even have Pokédex entries.
"One more," Alex whispered to Nidoran, his purple rabbit was panting and it's fur was matted with dirt. It was getting strong,the Hustle energy crackled under its skin like static electricity, but it was also tired .
"We need one more solid kill to break the threshold," Alex analyzed.
"Then we rest and then we figure out the fish problem."The target was a Paras and it was clinging to the side of a mossy rock face, munching on fungus.
[ Pokémon: Paras ]
[ Level: 8 ]
[ Aptitude: Black (Common) ]
It wasn't a threat, it was just a resource for future and a XP for Nidoran.
"Go," Alex signaled. "Clean kill, kk, Aim for the spot between the mushrooms."Nidoran didn't rush, It had learned from the Geodude fight so It crept forward, silent despite the dry leaves, and leaped.
Peck
The horn struck the soft tissue of the Paras and the Bug/Grass type shrieked, tried to release a cloud of Stun Spore, but the Nidoran was already retreating, waiting for the opening.
"Finish it. Poison Sting." A volley of needles ended the struggle.
[ Enemy Defeated ]
[ XP Gained ]
Nidoran slumped slightly, the purple light aura fading, It looked at Alex expecting the usual "good job." but then, a subtle shift occurred.
The Nidoran's body stiffened, a faint, white light pulsed from its core,not evolution, but growth, It was the biological click of a threshold being crossed. Muscles became slightly densern and the poison sacs behind its ears swelled, producing a more potent toxin.
[ Nidoran]
[ Level: 9 to 10 ]
[ Status: Rookie Tier Max. ]
Alex let out a breath he had been holding. "Level 10."He walked over and patted the Nidoran on the head.
"You made it buddy, you're officially not fodder anymore." Level 10 was a bit of psychological barrier, below 10, a Pokémon was a baby and at 10, it was a contender. But Alex knew the road ahead was steep, getting to higher tiers where evolution usually became viable, would take weeks, maybe months of grinding.
"And speaking of evolution," Alex muttered, harvesting the Tiny Mushrooms from the dead Paras, he bagged the mushrooms.
"Come on big guy , We need water."
Finding a place to train the Nidoran was easy; the jungle was full of enemies but
Finding a place to train a Feebas was a nightmare, if Alex used the river, the Croconaws would eat her and If he used the coast, a Wingull would snatch her, most nasty situation is that if another recruit saw him training a useless fish, they'd think he was insane or worse, they'd realize he knew something they didn't so he needed privacy.
He led the way deeper into forest , following the slope of the land, he was looking for a depression, a sinkhole, something that held water but was hidden. It took three hours of trekking, but finally found it.
They found it near the base of a limestone cliff, It was a cenote, a collapsed cave roof that revealed a pool of groundwater below. The opening was overgrown with thick vines, creating a natural curtain. Alex slid down the muddy slope, checking for threats.
[ Scan Area ]
[ No Life Signs Detected ]
The water was dark, cold, and still. It was about ten meters across. "Perfect," Alex whispered.He checked the perimeter, Nidoran took up a sentry position at the top of the slope, hidden in the bushes.
"Guard duty," Alex ordered. "If you see a human, click twice, If you see a Pokémon, kill it." Nidoran nodded and vanished into the foliage.
Alex stood alone by the pool,He opened his Inventory Void."Come out."
The Pokéball materialized in his hand and he tossed it into the water.
Splash
Flash
Feebas appeared, She floated there looking miserable.Her brown scales were dull in the dim light and fins were ragged. She looked at Alex with those hollow, sunken eyes.
[ Feebas ]
[ Level: 5 ]
[ Status: Depression / Atrophy ]
"Don't look at me like that," Alex said, crouching by the water's edge. "I saved your life."The Feebas blew a bubble.
Bloop
"Listen," Alex said, his voice echoing in the small cavern. "You are weak, You are ugly., and everyone thinks you're trash."Feebas fin twitched.
"But I know what you are," Alex continued softly. "You have Blue Aptitude,You have Mirror Coat, You are a sleeping dragon, You are a queen, you are beautiful ", he picked up a small pebble.
"But potential means nothing if you die at Level 5, so We need to get your stats up, We need to get your Speed up."
He threw the pebble and It landed near her tail, She flinched, splashing awkwardly.
"Training starts now," Alex announced. "Swim, Lap the pool, Ten times."
The Feebas stared at him, She didn't move. She knew only one move: Splash
"Swim!" Alex splashed the water near her.
She panicked and swam a clumsy circle. She was slow, Painfully slow.
Her Swift Swim ability wasn't triggering because there was no rain, and her muscles were wasted from starvation.
"Faster," Alex coached relentlessly. "If a Carvanha comes, you're dead. Swim!"
For the next hour, Alex played the cruel drill sergeant.He forced the fish to swim until she was gasping at the surface but he couldn't battle with her yet, she had no offensive moves and She couldn't Tackle, She couldn't Water Gun, or anything yet.
"Splash is a useless move ," Alex muttered, watching her flail. "But the motion... it builds the tail muscle." He checked her status.
[ XP Gained: Negligible]
[ Speed Effort Value (EV): +1 ]
"It's going to take forever," Alex realized, rubbing his temples. "Without battle XP, she won't level up but she can't battle until she learns an attack."
It was a paradox, Feebas usually learned Tackle at Level 15,Until then, she was dead weight. "Wait," Alex recalled. "TMs."
Technical Machines, Discs that taught moves instantly. In the game, Feebas could learn hidden moves via TM , Scald? Ice Beam? No, those were rare, but what about something simple? Bubblebeam? Protect?
"I need a TM," Alex decided."I need to buy her one of those .", but TMs were fucking expensive. Hundreds, maybe thousands of points. He looked at the Feebas, floating exhaustedly by the bank, She looked at him, not with gratitude, but with a dull of resentment.
"You hate me," Alex noted. "Good, Hate is fuel, it will make you beautiful."
He recalled her into the ball.
Zzzzp
He stored the ball in the Inventory.
"I need points," Alex said to the damp air. "I need a lot of points."
Alex climbed out of the sinkhole, Nidoran was waiting, looking bored, It had killed a centipede while he was gone.
"Let's go," Alex said. "We're going back to the Outpost."
"We need to check the bounty board. Scavenging mushrooms isn't going to cut it anymore. If we want to raise a Milotic, we need big money." As they walked back through the jungle, Alex's mind raced.
The Monthly Evaluation was coming up in a bit of time and the admin had said that the bottom 10% would be liquidated.
Alex wasn't worried about being in the bottom 10%, he just needed to get his numbers up in getting more points but there must be another way to make money.
He touched the pocket containing the Oddish Leaves and the Tiny Mushrooms.
"I sold the salve to recruits," Alex thought. "But the recruits are broke, Who has the real money?"
The Rocket Grunts
The guards,t he ones running the Outpost, they got paid in real cash or more high level points and they were stuck on this island too,they get bored,they get sick and they definitely get injured, the standard Rocket medical supplies were deducted from their paychecks.
"If I can make a Potion that is better than the standard issue... or cheaper..."
"Information," Alex realized. "Information is the other necessity."He stopped and asked "Nidoran," Alex said. Nidoran looked back,
"We're going to hunt tonight, but not for XP."
"We're going to hunt for a Gloom."
Nidoran groaned, It hated the smell of smelly Gloom. "I know," Alex said, " but Gloom drool, the nectar is a primary ingredient for highly potent sedatives and perfumes so I'm going to make something that the Grunts can't refuse."
[Inventory ]
* Tiny Mushrooms (x2) - Can be ground into powder
* Oddish Leaves - Base for salves
* Feebas - Needs TM
* Points: 47
He was broke again, but he had a nice plan, he was already here, so he should enjoy whatever the world gives , it's time to play dirty.
[ STATUS WINDOW ]
Trainer: Ares (Alex Hales)
Points: 47
Inventory: Knife, Potion (x1), Sharp Beak
[ POKÉMON TEAM ]
1. Nidoran
* Level: 10 (Tier: Rookie to Adept Beginner)
* Aptitude: Red (Dark)
* Moves: Peck, Leer, Poison Sting, Focus Energy, Sucker Punch, Double Kick
* Stats: Strength increased slightly, Poison potency increased
2. Feebas
* Level: 5
* Aptitude: Blue (Solid)
* Moves: Splash
* Progress: Speed EV +1. Zero Battle XP
He took out his MP3 player and put on the music :-
Baby, I'm just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake
I shake it off, I shake it off (whoo-hoo-hoo)
---- Taylor Swift
Authors Note:-
Another chapter , Hope you guys are enjoying it.
Please support your shameless Author with power stones and collections.
Reviews are welcome.