In less than one day, we had journeyed right into Arcanine's area.
After meeting up with Arcanine, the Pokémon happily agreed to let us pass through his territory. This was quite a blessing. We were wasting a lot of time navigating through the woods to avoid marked territories. It was causing us quite a huge deviation and distracting us from the main destination.
It was even more frustrating as we had only got a handmade map of a part of the Obsidian forest, which we got from the Hunter's tent.
Without any proper idea of the distance or scale of the map, I was worried that even with the map, we could get lost in the forest.
Even worse, we could unknowingly enter deeper into the forest rather than out.
According to the map, the maintenance shaft was built on the outskirts of the forest. The forest was covered by water on all sides. And, according to the hunter I had interrogated before, the island is in the centre of this world.
However, due to some legendary Pokémon guarding the island, no country has dared to claim or search this place, officially at least.
I really doubt that; it is the complete truth.
Anyway, after Arcanine understood that we were trying to get to the shore, it immediately scooped me up, placed me on its back, and started running.
Before long, I called back Luxio.
Zorua was still wrapped around my neck, and Zeraora was running beside us.
I was really impressed by Zeraora's speed. It had improved a lot.
After around a day of riding in Arcanine's back, I finally started hearing the sound of the waves.
However, Arcanine needed some rest, so I decided to take a break.
I got off Arcanine,
"Good job, Arcanine."
"Now, rest for a bit."
"I believe the ocean should be just after that hill."
"Woofff---"
Arcanine shouted back.
"Come out, Zeraora."
I released Zeraora from its Poké Ball. Although he hated his Poké Ball, I had forcefully called him back into his Poké Ball after he was drained from Wild Charge.
Yes.
Wild Charge.
A few hours back, when we were still running through the forest, Zeraora started using the static electricity in the air to re-energize his body.
However, Zeraora soon realized that most of this electricity was being wasted since he was only using his legs at the moment. Still, he was sending signals to his entire body.
So, to optimize his energy, he started trying to channel this energy to his legs.
After a couple of hours, Zeraora's effort was rewarded as he broke through, and his body was covered and gleamed in a yellow mixed with little sparks of blue.
"Wild Charge."
And that was how Zeraora learned another move, Wild Charge.
Zeraora's moveset was already looking quite good, but with Wild Charge, it was straight-up monstrous for any electrical Pokémon.
"Zera--"
"Also, you guys."
I realized all of my Pokémon from their Poké Balls.
"Go find some berries and edible fruits for us."
"However, make sure you don't wander far off."
I didn't have to think about it being someone's territory, as this was all the dog-like Pokémon called home.
Pokémon like Arcanine line, Hoondoom line, Furfrou line, and Lycanroc line claimed this land. And with Arcanine by our side, no one really messed with us.
As long as we didn't take too much or destroy the trees, there was more than enough for the local Pokémon to share, so they didn't mind either.
Fennekin, Jang-mo, Binacle, Luxio, and Archen all listened to Zeraora and started heading off in different directions, while the Huisian Zorua just lay on my shoulders.
"You should help the others too, you know."
"Zzzz--"
"Hhh"
Of all my Pokémon, Zoura was definitely the least hard-working and mischievous.
However, he did become a different beast when it came to training. And the others didn't complain about it.
As I learned afterwards, Zorua was the youngest of them, so they voluntarily chose to do his work for him.
So, I overall had no complaints.
I was looking off into the distant hill we would need to cross next to reach the ocean, when I heard some struggling noises from behind.
As soon as I turned behind, I realized,
I couldn't move.
I couldn't move my hands.
I couldn't move my legs.
I couldn't even move my mouth to call for help.
What happened?
Was I somehow paralyzed?
Then, I saw the blue outline on my body from the corner of my eye.
"Hh??! Psychic."
As I gathered myself, I tried to calm down.
But could I?
Slowly, I started turning to the other side. I was lifted off the ground by a few inches.
I saw Zeraora, Archen, Zorua, and Arcanine also being lifted in the air by the same blue outline.
And the culprit of it all, a Pokémon. It had a large, disc-shaped body with a metallic cross on its face and had four claws.
A blue and metallic Metagross.
A pseudo-legendary.
But there shouldn't have been any pseudo-legendaries here.
As far as I know, steel-type Pokémon wouldn't prefer a territory like this one.
As my brain went into overdrive, a theory both possible and positive came into my mind.
"Is it possible you are related to the two Beldum I saved from the hunters around 2 years back?"
"You know, I am not one of the bad guys. I freed them."
However, the Metagross did not respond. It just stared at me with a blank expression.
I went back into overdrive,
'Am I wrong?'
'There shouldn't be any Metagross here.'
'Will it help us like Arcanine?'
'Is it an enemy?'
'My other Pokémon are still out there. Maybe they can help- '
'But, I-'
Before, I could think no more; my thought process was cut off by another string of noises coming from the side.
I turned towards the noise, only to see Fennekin, Jang-mo, Binacle, and Luxio being controlled by the same blue outline.
But this one did not belong to Metagross.
It belonged to another Pokémon with a spoon in its hands and a moustache.
"Alakzaa-"
'What the hell is happening?-'
'An Alakazam and a Metagross- Both super powerful Psychic-type capable of mega-evolution. In this part of the forest. Also working together.'
'Is this really my end, even before I can start my journey?'
At that moment, I heard another set of noises.
'What the hell? Why is this nightmare not ending?'
'Now, what was it? Hypno? Gardevoir?... Mew?'
"My my- What do we have here?"
"A child and a few Pokémon..."
"Hey, look at that, a Huissian Zorua."
My eyes soon fell on the place where the third set of noises came from.
"Humans."
I muttered under my breath as I saw five humans, two male and two female, following a senior-looking woman towards me.
Her eyes were fixed on me.