Country Maharlika, Malibo City
August 29, 2005
6:00 pm
Floyd covertly navigated the dense forest with his three Pokémon.
"System," he began, "locate any berries in the vicinity."
A prompt materialized: [Scanning for berries within Gordon's Forest requires 1,000 points.]
"Use the points," Floyd commanded without a second thought. A visual map unfurled before him, visible only to his eyes. It was dotted with markers indicating the precise locations of the berries.
With newfound clarity, Floyd declared, "Let's move."
…
August 29, 2005
8:00 pm
Inside a Mansion - The Dining Room
At an opulent dining table, three figures are engrossed in their evening meal: the Vice Mayor of Malibo City, his wife, and to their left, their son, Jonathan.
The Vice Mayor, after taking a bite, turns his attention to Jonathan. "How was your visit?"
Jonathan, visibly shaken by the memories, replies, "It was surreal, Father. You can't possibly imagine."
The Vice Mayor adjusts his glasses with genuine curiosity. "Oh? Tell me."
Jonathan hesitates, then declares, "We encountered beasts."
His father, slightly amused, asks, "Just a beast? Why the alarm? You've seen many before."
Jonathan quickly corrects him, "Not one, but dozens."
The Vice Mayor raises an eyebrow, "Who has captured so many beasts in our lands? And for what purpose?"
"Father," Jonathan interjects with urgency, "they're not captured."
Both his parents echo in confusion, "Not captured?"
Jonathan's mother drops her cutlery, her face pale with fear. "What do you mean?"
Jonathan clarifies, the gravity in his voice unmistakable, "There were no chains, no iron collars around their necks." He narrates the events that transpired earlier.
His mother, trembling, reaches out to examine Jonathan for any injuries, her eyes filled with worry. "Are you hurt? Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, Mother," Jonathan reassures, attempting to calm her down.
The Vice Mayor's expression becomes more grave. "I'm glad you're safe."
Jonathan, deep in thought, continues, "Father, these beasts didn't harm us from the beginning to the end of our encounter. It's surprising. Could this be true harmony?" He produces a flyer and displays it.
Recognizing it instantly, the Vice Mayor's eyes darken. He had allowed his son to venture out to understand the situation detailed in the flyer, but he hadn't anticipated such an outcome. The idea of humans and beasts coexisting without restraints seemed ridiculous to him.
With rising anger, he retorts, "Don't be naive! There's no such thing as harmony with them. It's only a matter of time before they turn on us. All of these beasts! Whatever they've done, they must pay the price. They are destined to be our slaves for eternity!" He stands up abruptly, his voice echoing in the silent room.
"Bu-but…"
"Enough!" His father's voice rang out sharply. Slamming his spoon onto the plate, he took a moment to wipe his mouth with a handkerchief and then stood, his expression stern. Snatching up the flyer, he declared, "I'll have my subordinates investigate this tomorrow. Forget about it." With one final admonishment - "Return to your room once you're done eating" - he strode away.
Jonathan could only manage a faint, "Yes..." in response.
His mother reached over, placing a comforting hand on his. "Please, try to understand your father. He's deeply concerned for your safety. Do you recall what happened to your grandfather? The beasts caused him great pain. It's a sorrow your father bears quietly."
Nodding solemnly, Jonathan replied, "I understand, Mom." He rose from the table, his shoulders slumped in resignation.
In the privacy of his room, Jonathan pulled out an invitation letter he had hidden from his father. Doubt gnawed at him, making him question his next move.
…
August 30, 2005
2:34 am
Deep within a forest clearing, a young woman in a tattered dress stood face to face with a majestic creature. The beast, named Absol, was a vision of elegance, its lithe body cloaked in gleaming white fur. But what truly drew the eye were the curved horns on its forehead and its striking blue eyes, the irises burning a fierce red.
She took a deep breath, then bowed deeply before Absol. "I must relay a message to the bird saint. I'll be departing for a few months. This might be my chance, and I must seize it. Please, let them know."
Absol regarded her for a long moment before nodding, albeit hesitantly. He then turned to another creature nearby – a bird named Swablu. The bird, however, vehemently shook her head, fluttering to her human companion and gripping her tightly.
The young woman sighed in exasperation, her hair now even more tousled by the Swablu's tight embrace. "Swablu, you must listen," she began, but Swablu remained stubborn as she is.
Absol's felt uncertain. He clearly didn't know how to mediate between the two.
"Little one, go on before your mother becomes furious," she tried coaxing Swablu, patting its wings gently. Yet the bird remained resolute, refusing to budge.
A look of despair crossed the young woman's face. "The bird saint will be furious if anything happens to you," she lamented. Yet Swablu's grip remained unyielding.
Absol watched the scene unfold, uncertainty is evident in his gaze. The woman finally spoke, her voice tinged with hesitation, "Guardian beast, perhaps… I should take care of her... for the time being?"
Tweet Tweet
From Swablu came a series of cheerful tweets. She spread her wings and flapped them in exuberance, signaling her agreement with the proposal.
Absol, however, appeared torn. Trusting the safety of the young avian to this human? The weight of responsibility bore down on him, and he contemplated the potential risks. As he grappled with the decision, a distant sound drew their attention.
Both the woman and Absol turned to gaze upon a magnificent creature. Adorned with plush, sky-blue feathers that resembled soft clouds, the medium-sized creature possessed an elegant and peaceful aura. Its expansive, angelic wings lent it an ethereal grace, striking a balance between avian and draconian beauty. This was Altaria, and her cold stare was fixed on Swablu.
Swablu felt frightened and recoiled slightly sensing the cold look from her mother, Altaria.
A melodic voice, elegant yet firm, echoed within the young woman's mind. "Proceed, but be careful." The voice clearly emanated from Altaria.
Without hesitation, Altaria plucked a soft cotton feather from her body, gently tossing it toward the girl. "When you get in trouble, let this young lad activate her power with this."
Altaria's gaze then shifted to her daughter, a cold warning in her eyes. "Don't cause trouble." Then She offered Absol a nod of understanding, before swiftly ascending with powerful flaps of her wings, disappearing into the horizon.
Absol gave a nod, casting a final glance at the pair before dashing off to follow Altaria.
Swablu chirped joyously, raising her right wing in a triumphant gesture. The young woman chuckled, "Heard what the bird saint said, didn't you? Promise not to cause up any trouble, alright?"
Tweet Tweet
Swablu responded with an affirmative tweet. She knows what her doing, and despite her being stubborn, she is quite intelligent otherwise, they would have found themselves in trouble yesterday afternoon.
"I'm glad you know" the woman smiled and said.
…
August 30, 2005
3:00 am
Within a humble, timeworn house, a young man meticulously packed items into an old, fraying backpack. He paused to check his phone, it's a message prompt that appeared twice yesterday before and after the gathering happened.
The content says: "Capture that creature, if the situation became worse, kill that man"
Displayed was an image of a man, Floyd, accompanied by three beasts at his side. The young man's face remained impassive as he shouldered his backpack.
Before departing, he paused to gaze at a framed picture. Carefully tucking it inside his backpack, he whispered, "Mom, Dad, I'm stepping out."
Without another word, he vanished into the night.
