15
The morning mist in the Petalburg Woods was unlike anything I'd seen on a screen. It didn't just obscure the path; it seemed to hum with a faint, blue electric charge. As we hiked deeper, the chirping of Taillow vanished, replaced by a heavy, expectant silence.
The Meeting: The Guardian of the Grove
We reached a clearing where the trees formed a natural cathedral. Standing in the center was a man who looked like he'd stepped out of a tapestry. He wore a tattered, forest-green cloak and leaned on a staff that wasn't wood, but a weathered, ancient blade. Beside him stood a Lucario, its aura sensors flared out like ribbons in the wind.
"You've come far, Anomaly," the man said, his eyes piercing through the fog. "I am Aaron. And my partner has been tracking your 'Vigor' since you stepped into these woods."
The moment he spoke, May's eyes began to flicker. Not just a sparkle, but that pulsing amber light Norman had warned me about. She wasn't looking at Aaron; she was looking at the Lucario. The "Human Pokémon" in her was recognizing a predator.
"Kage, get ready," I whispered, reaching for the Everstone shard in my pocket. "He's testing us."
The Ambush: Shadows in the Mist
Before Aaron could move, the blue mist turned a sickly, artificial purple.
"Zzzzt! Signal jammed! We're being—" Lens's voice cut out as a series of specialized canisters thudded into the dirt, releasing a heavy, paralyzing smog.
"TEAM AQUA! SURRENDER THE STONE!" a voice boomed through megaphones.
From the shadows, a dozen grunts emerged, but they weren't alone. They had pulled out high-output sonic emitters—the same ones used on Raven. But this time, they were tuned to a frequency that hit May like a physical blow. She dropped to her knees, clutching her head, her amber eyes glowing brighter and brighter.
"Jerry! Tammy! Vanguard formation!" I shouted, the adrenaline finally overriding my lack of stamina. "Aaron, we need to clear the emitters or May is going to blow!"
[Chat Log - Attempting Reconnect]
IceCreamQueen_C: The signal is dying, but I saw the purple fog. That's not Aqua tech... that's something else.
GymBro_Chuck: PROTECT THE ANCHOR, JAKE!
SilentRed: [GIF: Danger signs]
Jerry didn't wait. He used his new Noble Rattata speed to become a silver streak, aiming his tail-whip at the nearest emitter. Tammy followed, her Opal collar catching the dim light to create a strobe effect that confused the grunts' night-vision goggles.
Kage stood over May, his ironwood stick ignited with Sun Breathing. He wasn't just defending; he was a barrier of solar heat against the encroaching fog.
"Aaron!" I yelled over the screech of the machines. "Give me the Key! I can't stabilize the team without the resonance!"
The mysterious traveler looked at the chaos, then at me. He saw I wasn't running. He saw a man with zero strength holding the line for a girl who could level the forest.
"Catch, Storyteller!" Aaron yelled, tossing the broken hilt toward me.
The Key Stone embedded in the metal began to glow in sync with the Sceptilite in my bag. The resonance hit me like a freight train, and for the first time, I felt what my Pokémon felt.