| Rio POV |
"Alright, Big Bird," I growl, sliding into a stance. "You wanna throw hands? Fine."
I throw my hands forward, the storm getting more lighting options with my cursed waystones crackling around the sky, lightning howling like a banshee with abandonment issues.
I waste no time closing the distance with the high voltage hazard, could I have done something else? Absolutely, a couple Fire arrows should have smacked in into the ground, but I appreciate a good challenge!
Up close, Nue is massive. Like, Charizard-was-the-tutorial-boss massive. Wings like collapsing radio towers, a body coiled in cursed electricity, and a face that looks like it lost a bet with evolution.
It shrieks, and the pressure slams into me — the kind of pressure that makes your soul hiccup.
"Okay, okay," I mutter. "I just need to hit it. Hard. In the face. Multiple times."
I vanish and reappear above it, fist drawn back, pink aura flaring. I dive—
—and immediately get caught mid-air by a web of lightning.
I scream. Loudly. Unashamedly. I taste colors.
My body slams into the rooftop, skidding through broken tiles and my pride.
[System Warning: User stability compromised. Bird-related trauma intensifying.]
"You got way more annoying since Rotom joined us, I knew he was a bad influence..."
Another bolt nearly atomizes me. The air stinks of ozone and regret.
I teleport sideways — bamf — and reappear behind Nue. My cursed energy flares — pink light twisting with black veins that spark and jitter.
Focus.
Deep breath.
And—
I launch myself forward with a Bullet Punch infused with every ounce of cursed spite I can dig out of my soul.
My paw slams into Nue's back. It reels forwards— spinning a couple times for extra style points, I follow up with an Iron tail straight to its head.
Thunder cracks.
Rain hisses.
I grip the oversized turkey's neck mid-air, flip it over like a folding chair, and drive it down into the clearing with a judo slam that splits concrete.
"I swear to god if you get back up I will be breaking your wings."
Nue screeches — but it's weaker now. Flickering. Its wings twitch once, then collapse as it dissolves into black smoke… and sinks back into my shadow.
"Good birdie."
I drop to my knees.
Burnt.
Glowing faintly pink and definitely radioactive on some level.
[Shikigami Subjugated: Nue]
[New Ability Unlocked: Thunder Essence]
[Produce and control all thunder and lightning not exceeding the user's power]
[Side Effect: User now emits a faint neon glow when used. Great for parties.]
"Oh cool, I'm Enel now."
I look up just in time to see May leaning out of a window.
"You okay down there?"
"I think my insides might be charred, and I'm about 70% sure I'm magnetic now, other than that everything's fine."
I wobble to my feet. My aura's flickering like a dying lightbulb and my fur feels like it's been through a microwave set to maximum spite.
From behind the lab wall, I hear polite clapping. Slow. Sarcastic.It's Sada.
"I think you broke the air," she says.
"Good. The air started it."
Null trots up beside me, inspecting the Nue crater like a worried contractor. I'm too tired to warn him about residual voltage. He sniffs at it anyway, earning him a healthy dose of shock therapy and a fur makeover.
"Okay," I wheeze, patting my chest. "I got Nue… that's two down. Only eight more horrors left hiding in my shadow. Yay…"
[Master of Shadows (Stage 2): Completed!]
Objective: Summon and subdue your next Shikigami.
Optional Objective: Don't get electrocuted to death
Reward:
+1 IV Points
+1 Summon Slot
[Bonus hidden Objective Complete: Beat Bird Trauma]+1 EXP+Bragging Rights
I stare at the screen. Expressionless.
[+1 EXP]
That's it?
No cinematic. No glowing power-up. No dramatic "you've conquered your past" moment. Just… one sad little number.
My eye twitches. The static from Nue's departure still clings to the air. My bones are vibrating. My fur is scorched. My left foot may or may not be numb. I'm not even sure if it's still attached.
And this is what I get?
For fighting my way through sky PTSD and childhood trauma incarnate?
One.
Singular.
Point.
"Cool," I mutter. "Guess we're valuing lifelong psychological warfare like it's a Pidgey-tier encounter now."
Null twitches beside me. I hear May yell something about safety protocols in the distance. Fen's barking at a power box. Mori is trying to bite the stormclouds. Nobody's helping.
I close the notification.
"Whatever. I don't need validation from a pop-up window. I'm still glowing like a toaster with a god complex. That's a win."
Pause.
"...Actually, no. I do need validation. Where's my emotional support cookie? Star? Anyone?"
A slow pat lands on my shoulder. I glance up to see Kirlia standing there, munching her chips and trying not to laugh.
"Congrats," she says dryly. "You've managed to conquer your fear of birds, Combusken will be happy to hear that."
I flop back into the crater with a groan.
"Uh-huh so great..." I mumble.
Wait a minute...
"Where's Combusken?" Me and Star echo at the same time.
| Meanwhile, back in Hoenn |
The sun blazes overhead. A Wingull screeches in the distance.
A peaceful, salty breeze blows through the coastal grass.
And Combusken stands atop a pile of KO'd wild Pokémon like a conqueror fresh from war.
She's got one eye twitching, half a berry hanging from her beak, and the biggest, dumbest grin on her face.
"Baka… birds…" she rasps, feathers ruffled, singed, and wet from several recent battles.
Another Wingull flutters into view.
She snaps her head up.
DEATH.
Wild Wingull used Growl. It's not very effective…
Combusken used Flamethrower. Wild Wingull fainted!
Oh wait, no, it got turned to ash. Yikes.
Somewhere, a Taillow watches from a branch, considers challenging her.
She turns her head sharply, eyes locking onto the black red and white bird.
A full thirty seconds of intense, unblinking eye contact pass.
Taillow: "…"
Taillow: NOPE.
It launches into the sky with a terrified squawk, abandoning all bird dignity.
Combusken watches it go, then slowly, deliberately, pecks open a juice box labeled "Rio's Emergency Ration Kit #3" and sips.
Berries. Strawberry flavor.
She nods in approval.
"Baka sky chicken," she mutters. "I am the superior avian..."
(To be Continued)
Did you seriously leave behind your teammate like that? In an entirely different region?
MC: Alright, this time it is NOT my fault! That's 100% on May!
For the first and possibly the last time, I agree with you.