At the riverbank, animals gathered peacefully—until a surge of magicules rippled from the woods. Instinctively, they scattered. From the trees emerged Al.
His tattered clothes clung to him, his green hair matted with dirt, but his face brightened at the sight of the water. He rushed forward, dropped to his knees, and plunged his hands into the river. Cool water washed over his face, easing the grime and weariness. He scooped a handful to drink—bland, but refreshing enough to quench his thirst.
After rinsing once more, he glanced around. "Now… where do I put my clothes?" he muttered.
A flat stone lay across the river, sunlit and dry. Perfect. With a resigned sigh, he waded into the water, stripping as he went. He scrubbed his ragged clothes and carried them across to the stone. Spreading them out, he let the sun do the rest.
Task done, Al's form shifted. The air shimmered, and in his place stood a Venusaur. With a heavy breath, he settled beneath the sunlight, letting its warmth sink into his body.
---
Hours later, Venusaur stirred, petals shifting as warmth pooled into him. His body hummed with energy, overflowing, almost restless. Slowly, he shifted back into human form, tugging on his still-damp clothes with a grimace.
"Well… back to housing," Al muttered, rubbing his chin, head tilted downward. His gaze drifted across the river and back to the clearing he had scouted earlier. "Doesn't need to be big. Just enough to sleep safely—and sturdy, so I won't have to defend myself every single night."
He paused, scanning the area again."Clean running water… space to practice… yeah. This is the place."
With a nod, he transformed once more. Venusaur's heavy frame shook the ground as he moved toward the flat land. Trees ringed the area, their roots gripping deep into the earth.
One by one, he brought them down. {Cut} carved through thick trunks, the sharp edge of the attack slicing smoother than any axe. {Vine Whip} coiled around the falling logs, dragging them clear of the worksite. Again and again he worked, felling trees until the clearing widened into an open field.
His breathing was steady, but the sheer labor weighed on him. Still, he pressed on. With {Power Whip}, he lashed at the stumps, tearing the roots free from the earth. Each strike ripped through the dirt, leaving holes where the trees once stood. He dragged the root aside, stacking them in a messy pile to burn or reuse later.
When the ground was finally clear, Venusaur focused. The earth trembled as he summoned {Frenzy Plant}. Enormous thorny vines erupted from the soil, smashing flat the uneven terrain, digging a broad, sloping pit about a meter and a half deep. Dirt and loose stone were piled at the edges, making crude walls.
The logs came next. Thick trunks were split apart with {Razor Leaf}. Shards and chips flew as the sharp leaves sliced wood into planks and beams. Some logs he shaved into cleaner shapes, carving hexagonal planks he could put tightly against one another.
Piece by piece, the shelter took form. At the pit's base, he laid the hexagonal planks to form a solid floor. Along the walls, he stacked planks vertically, slotting them tight and binding them together.
Green vines sprouted from the soil at his command, weaving between cracks, pulling wood tight with {Grass Knot}. The living bindings grew thicker and tougher the longer they held, forming natural rope.
Hours passed. The sun crept across the sky as he worked. Whenever his strength flagged, he paused, soaking in sunlight to recover. Then he would resume—lifting, cutting, binding.
Finally, the roof. He dragged the largest planks into place, laying them across the top of the dugout. Vines anchored them down, pulling the roof snug. Gaps in the wood let thin rays of light filter in, but the space below was shaded and cool.
When the last vine tightened, Al shifted back into human form. His chest heaved, but his hand, once covered in mud, was gone with the transformation, and his lips curved into a smile.
Before him stood his first home in this new world. Rough, uneven, smelling of soil—but solid.
The sun was already sinking, casting a warm orange light on the clearing.
Al exhaled, the tension in his shoulders finally loosening."…Not bad for my first Home."
---
It was the peak of the night. A soft wind brushed past the trees, and the great bodies of water lay calm beneath the moonlight.
But beneath that serenity lurked unease. The monsters of the Jura Forest stirred restlessly, sensing something new among them.
A snake slithered across a shallow river and froze when it noticed a small red salamander standing upright on two legs. Its scales gleamed a dark crimson, with a paler underbelly. Sharp fangs gleamed faintly, and on its tail burned a small, unwavering flame—fragile yet eternal.
It was no ordinary creature.
It was Al—now in the form of a Charmander.
At the riverbank, he tested his abilities. First came small sparks from his mouth {Ember}, flickering harmlessly across the grass. The fire grew, stretching into a steady stream that cut through the night {Flamethrower}. The air shimmered with heat until he stopped, exhaling heavily.
He wiped his lips with a stubby arm and let out a cry.
"Char… Charmander."
A smirk tugged at his face as thoughts flowed behind those reptilian eyes.
At this rate, my magicule reserves will only keep growing.
With that, he shifted back into his human form, fatigue settling in. He trudged toward the dugout, scratching his chest beneath his shirt as a yawn escaped him.
Then his stomach rumbled loudly.
"Did I really just forget to eat?"