Rio POV
Well that was exciting. Who knew fighting a kaiju could be so fun?
10/10 experience. Would recommend.
We're chilling in the Gym's front lobby now, the floor still faintly vibrating from earlier seismic trauma. Roxanne had left a few minutes ago to escort her walking natural disaster to the Pokémon Center. Tyranitar didn't faint—she retired.
I stretch out on the bench like I own the place, bandages on my knuckles, tail twitching in satisfaction.
Sure, I'm sore. Sure, I may have pulled something mid-Cross Chop number seven. But was it worth it?
Abso-freaking-lutely.
Ralts is next to me, still giving me that unreadable little side-eye. May's pacing by the window, holding a new letter she got from somewhere like it's about to explode. And I'm just here, basking in my victory glow.
Look, I know Roxanne was technically supposed to protect us from Team Rocket or whatever. But, uh…
Do we really need it?
Let's be honest. I might've overreacted a little. At the time, "Team Rocket" sounded like "World-ending evil anime antagonist club." But now?
I'm TEMU Sukuna.
Mystery glowing pebble? Got it. Teleporting orbs? Check. Cursed martial arts? Absolutely.Thank you, Celebi, Ho-Oh, or whatever divine lootbox deity dropped me this build.
I could probably solo their entire team and still have time to judge their outfits.
Speaking of which... More powerups!
[Expert battlewon]
+300 EXP
[Quest Complete: My Turn]
+300 EXP
+2 IV Points
+1 Rare Item
[New Achievement: Rock Smasher]
+250 EXP
+1 Random item
+1 random item
[Level Up! Lv. 11 ➔ Lv. 14]
[New Move Learned: Rock Throw]
[Name:] Rio
[Race:] Riolu
[Nature:] Adamant
[Level:] 14
[Abilities:]
Inner Focus (prevents flinching)
Prankster (priority to status moves)
Anticipation (senses foe's move)
[Move Set:] Hidden
[Stats:]
HP: 60
Attack: 99
Defense: 62
Sp. Atk: 52
Sp. Def: 57
Speed: 126
It's the most beautiful thing I have ever seen... I have trained day and night for this growth...
"You were only eating random berries and spamming moves against a rock fro the past month."
And that. my dear Ralts, is the secret to my growth!
May POV
Rio's smugness and excitement is physically leaking off the bench like steam.
I shoot him a look. "You do realize there's an actual criminal syndicate after us, right? With, like, stolen legendaries and a worldwide death cult?"
He blinks at me. "Okay, but did they solo a Mega Tyranitar using nothing but anime physics and good WiFi?"
"I—That's not the point!"
Ralts makes a little chirp of agreement from beside him, though even she looks like she's not sure whether to be impressed or concerned.
I flop into the seat across from them and slam the letter down on the table.
Black paper. Shimmering 'R'. Classic bad-guy aesthetic. It even smells evil. Like cologne and trauma.
Rio leans forward, all casual mischief, unlike his earlier panic. "So. Are we going?"
I look down at the crumbled not in my hands 'Midnight. Devon Corporation. -R'
"Obviously," I say with a sigh. "But we're being careful. Devon Corporation? That seems... Unfitting..."
"Eh, Rich people being creeps as always, I wouldn't be surprised if we had to face off against Mewtwo or something." Rio says, already standing. "Oh, let's not forget to bring snacks!"
"Who's Mewtwo?" I narrow my eyes as Rio rushes out of the gym, a yellow and black themed wallet in his paw as he drags Combusken and Ralts along to be his faithful pack mules as always. Wait, yellow wallet? "H-Hey! That's my wallet! I did not agree to this purchase!"
May POV
I run after him, shouting, "Rio! Give that back!"
He doesn't even glance back. "You're not stopping the grind, May! The gods demand tribute!"
Combusken lets out a confused squawk as she's yanked along, while Ralts floats with the emotional energy of someone who's just resigned herself to the madness.
We cut through Rustboro's streets like a miniature tornado of chaos. Rio makes a hard stop in front of a shop with glittering signs and a name that practically screams 'Stat Boosts R Us.'
I catch up to him, panting. "You can't just steal my wallet."
Rio gives me a smug look. "Steal? No no. Reallocate funds. You're investing in our survival."
He holds up an item from a bargain bin like it's the Holy Grail. "Look! Max Elixir knockoff—MaXX Eliksur—guaranteed to taste like battery acid but probably works!"
I groan, dragging a hand down my face. "We're going to die."
"Not with a five-pack of X Speeds and a mystery TM we won't."
Combusken stares longingly at a display of Poképuffs. Ralts silently takes a bag of Oran chips and adds it to the cart, like this is just another Tuesday.
I grab my wallet back during checkout, but the damage is done. Rio's already humming a little victory tune and swinging his new belt pouch like a gremlin. We step out of the store with exactly three hours left before our "friendly" midnight meeting.
Rio POV
Mission successful. Got the loot. Got the power-ups. Even scored a TM labelled "????" in spooky runes, it was lying at the bottom of the discount bin, but I felt it was haunted, so I decided to nab it. 10/10 shopping trip.
Now we just have to prepare for a late-night corporate cult ambush inside a skyscraper. Totally normal stuff.
I glance up at the Devon building from the street. It's looming in the distance. Menacing. Way too clean. You ever get that vibe where everything's too polished and you just know it's hiding skeletons?
Yeah. That vibe.
May sighs beside me. "You know this could be a trap, right?"
"Good," I grin. "Let them try."
Ralts nods happily, content with letting me go curse overlord on whatever legendary knockoff might be waiting for us. But for now, back to our room so I can get my two new goodie vouchers claimed!
Back in the hotel room, lights dimmed for dramatic effect, I crack my knuckles.
It's time.
I place the two Goodie Vouchers on the floor like sacred runes, apparently that was an option rather than the normal click and done I was accustomed to, Ralts watching cautiously from the bed, a bag of Oran Berry-flavored chips crinkling in her tiny hands.. May's somewhere in the background muttering about "rigged RNG" and "limited sanity points." Whatever. This is ivmportant.
I reach out towards the first ticket, the normal random one and will it to be used, a wheel dropping in front of me like an anvil in an old cartoon.
A glowing multiversal roulette of everything. Pokémon gear, mythical artifacts, cursed scrolls, anime crossover junk—I even saw Excalibur from Soul Eater spin past once. There are hundreds of options. This is the good stuff.
Spin One.
The wheel blurs. Music plays. Lights flash. Somewhere in the distance, a Zeraora screams.
DING!
A small yellow Nintendo ds looking device falls into my paws, I stare at it for a second before the system pings again.
[You received: Pokédex (Passive) — Scanning Interface installed!]
Oooh. Not bad! Like… an Observe skill? Sweet! I focus on Combusken for a second and—yep, there it is.
[Combusken — Lvl. 18 — Mild Temperament — Threat level: low][Not currently plotting anything, but might steal snacks.]
Incredible. I have become Jihan!
"Alright," I smirk. "One more. Gimme something broken."
I use the rare ticket with all the excitement of a child on a sugar frenzy.
Spin Two.
The wheel spins faster this time. Faster. FASTER. I think I see a One Ring, a Choice Band made of literal chains, maybe a cursed Beyblade? Was that a skull???? The music is getting uncomfortably intense—
DING!
[You received: Rotom Dex — ??? (Possessed)]
…
"…No."
The screen glitches. Sparks fly. My newly acquired Pokédex explodes into light as a chaotic orange gremlin leaps out with a "BZZZT!! HELLO, BESTIE!!" and starts circling my head like a demonic halo.
I fall backward in horror.
"What fresh nightmare—?!"
[ROTOM DEX has bonded with your Pokédex (Passive)! Fusion initiated!]
[New Perk: Chaotic Encyclopedia — Gain bonus insights and… opinions. Lots of them.]
"Oh my god it talks. It talks. Why does it talk!?"
"BZZZT! Let's scan some friends and EXPLODE INTO KNOWLEDGE!! :D"
"May! Help! It's sentient!!"
May doesn't even look up from her Pokédex . "Sounds like a you problem."
Word Count: 1388
I pity whoever has to deal with a Rotom of all things.
MC: You doomed me to this fate...
Hey, you spun the wheel. Blame your own luck.Also, real talk? I had like 600+ items across two wheels, both landed on pokedex-related rewards.That's a 1 in 80,000 chance.The RNG gods have spoken, and apparently they want more chaos.