7
The breakthrough happened at 3:00 AM, under the pale glow of a Hoenn moon.
Kage had found a particularly dense, straight branch of ironwood. Instead of trying to coat his tail, he focused the solar energy—stored from the afternoon sun—into the wood. The stick hummed, glowing with a vibrant, plasma-like edge. He swung it in a perfect vertical arc, slicing a boulder clean in half.
"The Solar Tanto," I whispered, impressed. "Nice, Kage."
Emboldened, Kage tried to level up. He gathered the energy into a cluster of leaves and threw them with a spinning flick. The Solar Shuriken ignited, turning into a whirring saw-blade of light... and then the stabilization failed. The energy backfired like a faulty jet engine.
"CHREEE!" Kage squawked as the recoil launched him backward like a green rocket. He flew thirty feet through the air, right into May's tent, landing directly on her stomach with a muffled oof.
[Chat Log (Recording)]
SilentRed: [GIF: Shooting Star Meme]
GymBro_Chuck: THAT RECOIL! HE'S GOT THE POWER, NOW HE NEEDS THE MASS!
The Midnight Visitor
As I was packing up the lights, the air suddenly felt... heavy. Tammy's fur stood on end, and Jerry scrambled behind my leg.
"Yo, Pretty Boy," Tammy whispered, her voice uncharacteristically low. "We got a lurker. And it ain't a fan."
Out of the shadows of the treeline stepped an Absol. Its white fur shimmered like fresh snow, and its scythe-like horn gleamed. It didn't attack; it simply stood there, staring at me with those deep, red eyes. It seemed to be listening to the faint echo of the song I'd sung earlier.
It looked at Kage (who was currently being snuggled by a half-asleep May), then at me. It gave a single, solemn bow—a warning? A sign of respect?—and vanished back into the woods before Lens could even get a focus lock.
"Zzzzt... Signal interference! It was like a ghost!" Lens buzzed, sounding frustrated.
The Morning: The Package
The sun rose, and with it came a Pelipper wearing a professional courier hat. It dropped a heavy, velvet-lined box directly onto my lap while I was eating breakfast. Attached was a stationary card with a gold-leaf Garchomp emblem.
May, looking disheveled but still terrifyingly strong, hovered over my shoulder, her eyes narrowing as I read the note aloud.
"Dear Jake, Your training stream was... intense. I noticed Kage is struggling with energy stabilization. This should help. Also, your rendition of the anthem was lovely. It reminded me of the myths of old—how music could soothe the fiercest hearts. Stay safe. - C"
Inside the box sat a Silk Scarf of incredible quality (perfect for Jerry) and a Focus Sash for Kage. But beneath those was a small, ornate jar of high-end Sinnoh Poffins and a handwritten list of "Historical Sites in Hoenn you shouldn't miss."
"Oh, look at that," May said, her voice dripping with a sweetness that felt like a death threat. "She sent you snacks. And a map. How... thoughtful of her."
"May, she's just a fan," I said, sweating. "A very... high-ranking, knowledgeable, probably-a-Champion fan."
"A 'fan' who knows exactly where we're camping?" May's grip tightened on her spoon, snapping the metal in half. "I didn't see her send me any protein powder."
[Chat Log]
PervySage: THE GOSSIP! THE DRAMA!
IceCreamQueen_C: *I hope the gifts are useful, Jake. :) *
WaterFlower_Misty: Ooh, shots fired! May is about to use 'Outrage'!
Clone_02: The female's jealousy is an inefficient use of glucose. However, the scarf is 10/10.
"Jerry! Don't encourage them!" I yelled as the Rattata immediately started draping the Silk Scarf around his neck like a royal cape.
"I say, this 'C' person has impeccable taste," Jerry declared, admiring his reflection in the pond. "I look absolutely smashing."
May stomped off to "practice her punches" on a nearby tree, which was soon reduced to toothpicks. I looked at the camera, my Charisma failing to hide my genuine fear. "Chat... we're heading to Petalburg today. If I'm lucky, Norman will challenge me to a battle so I can hide behind my Pokémon."