Chapter Text
If you were to ask Nero, he would say he had everything a ‘mon could ever desire.
Being bred by two wealthy trainers as a birthday gift for their two-year-old son, his early life has been extremely luxurious and carefree, to say the least.
Constantly fed with the most expensive treats, being held inside a Luxury Ball, trained by the most prestigious tutors and battle instructors. He shared every moment with his partner. His first steps, the first words (which where an attempt at saying “Nero”, by the way) and the first time he handled Nero’s Pokéball.
However, what the Houndour truly yearned for though was the adventure, the exploring. Being secluded for so much time inside the house could bring even the strongest wills to the brink of madness, so, his joy could only be immense when his Trainer finally turned 16 and was allowed to finally start his journey as a Trainer.
Nero finally could see how the world looked outside. The various routes, the forest and Santalune City looked so alien and fascinating to someone who previously had only seen a small fraction of Aquacorde at most, he just couldn’t get enough .
However he soon learned this journey was not simply all about exploring, but also challenges and battles. Thankfully he’s a sucker for proving himself. And the challenges didn’t make themself wait.
His first true test of strength and bond with his partner came soon enough, it was what his partner called a “Gym Leader”.
The Gym Leader, a young woman with blonde hair and emerald-like eyes, giggled as she stared down at Nero and his Trainer.
“That glint in your eyes…I like it! Both you and your Pokémon seem determined to win, so let’s see if you’re gonna be good subjects for my camera. Come at me with everything you got!”
She picked up one the Pokéballs attached to her hip, and threw it. “Let’s roll Surskit!”
The ‘Ball opened and a small insectoid with long legs appeared, letting out a cute battle cry.
Nero’s Trainer crouched down to meet him at eye-level and patted his head, speaking softly to him. “You ready Nero?”
Nero barked, as if saying “yes”, and entered the gym’s battlefield, grinning in excitement.
“Surskit, use Ice Beam!” She suddenly yelled, wasting no time.
Nero blinked, before easily sidestepped the cold, light blue beam fired towards him, causing it to hit the battlefield’s floor instead.
However, when he looked forward again he saw the little bug snickering, and he noticed that the ground around him had become frozen, the Ice Beam wasn't truly aimed at him, but rather to freeze the battlefield and limit his movements.
Nero tried to lunge at the Surskit, but, unable to keep his footing on the ice, ended up tripping and failed to dodge the incoming Signal Beam that sent him rolling to the ground.
“Nero, use Ember!” His Trainer commanded from behind.
Nero unleashed multiple bolts of fire towards the Surskit, that gracefully dodged the attacks by skiing on the ice and running circles around Nero.
As the bug-type kept circling around him, and launching occasional bubbles to disorient him, Nero took notice of the path it was traveling around him, and amidst the random bolts of fire he was sending towards the Surskit, he sneakily aimed a few shots at one specific point of the battlefield.
His tactic ended up being successful, as the Surkits ended up skiing in the now-melted zone and ended up tripping, planting its face on the ground and left wide open for another bolt of Ember to hit it directly.
“Now follow-up with Bite!”
Nero teeth glowed white and he rushed down to the Surskit, now struggling to get up, and tackled it to the ground before diving in and biting its face.
The bug threw one last pained yelp, before flopping to ground and fainting.
The Gym Leader didn’t look fazed at all, on the contrary her smirk only grew wider as she excitedly blurted out her next words.
“Fantastic! Just fantastic! You and your Pokémon have been magnificent so far, but let’s see if you can defeat my next one. It’s up to you now, Vivillon!”
She threw her last Pokéball, and a large bug with colorful wings in multiple shades of pink and black appeared.
“Use Gust!” The Vivillon wings started flapping rapidly generating a strong wind that began to push Nero back.
“Nero use Sucker Punch!”
Nero’s left paw became engulfed by a dark purple glow, and he vanished before reappearing, having instantly closed his distance to the Vivillon, and now attempting to strike it with his paw.
However the strong current stopped Nero from reaching his opponent, and the Vivillion began flapping its wings harder increasing the intensity of the wind, pushing Nero back to the ground and pinning him face-down.
After a bit the Vivillion stopped flapping its wings, tired from the effort, and Nero immediately lunged towards the Bug-type once more, tackling it into the ground, and then following-up with an Ember directly in its face.
However it wasn’t quite enough to defeat the bug-type, and it replied immediately by headbutting Nero’s mouth hard, causing him to reel back from the pain and freeing the Vivillion from Nero’s hold.
“Now use Solar Beam!” She yelled.
A yellow ball of energy formed in between its antennae, and Vivillon fired a green beam of energy that hit Nero head-on, still reeling from the hit to his mouth and not noticing the attack in time, generating a huge cloud of smoke and dirt.
Once the smoke dissipated, Nero gritted his teeth and slowly stood up once more, challenging the Vivillon with a defiant glare.
In response, the Vivillon charged at him with a Tackle, slamming violently its whole body directly on Nero face, making his head reel back from the impact…
“Now, Nero! Use Counter!” His Trainer yelled.
…the small skull on Nero's forehead glowed a bright orange, and he bashed his head against Vivillon's face with devastating force.
The Vivillion’s wings stopped flapping as it slowly plummeted towards the ground, fainted from the powerful impact.
The woman’s smile turned even brighter. “Well, you two definitely a new depth of field uh? Just fantastic! I’m honored to give you the Bug Badge!”
Hearing the words the Trainer rushed to hug Nero and lift him up, while in turn he puffed smoke from his mouth out of joy.
Viola picked her camera and quickly snapped a photo of the two, musing to herself. “That’s a nice shot, maybe i can send this to Alexa for that article about new rising stars she was talking about yesterday…”
After obtaining the first Gym Badge, Nero’s journey became even more exciting than before. They explored the capital of the Kalos Region, finally captured new companions, rescued a lost Furfrou, experienced fireworks for the first time, defeated a rampaging Snorlax and faced some shady creeps in red and now they were on their way to obtain the second Gym Badge.
Every new day brought something new and interesting, and he got to share that with his beloved partner. It was everything Nero could possibly ever want, and nothing seemed to be able to ruin that.
Until one fateful day…
Nero was panting heavily.
The battle now had been going on for a while, and dodging that last Rock Tomb flawlessly had taken a lot of effort.
He looked up and gave a nod to the proud-looking Tyrunt in front of him.
No matter the type advantage, this guy was tough.
And nothing fired him up more than a tough opponent.
The guy with small colored stones in his hair, second the Gym Leader apparently, spoke, calm and collected but with a small smile. "This is my last wall for you to climb. Show me how you handle it. Tyrunt, use Draco Meteor!”
The little dinosaur’s mouth spread wide open as he shot an orange sphere into the sky. The sphere then exploded, releasing multiple orange-colored meteors aimed directly at Nero.
The Trainer spoke behind with a decise tone. "Come on, Nero! Let’s finish this, use Sucker Punch!”
Nero only had split second between barking in agreement and jumping to avoid the first meteor.
He then leaped onto the next one, using it as a trampoline.
Gaining momentum, his paw became engulfed in the dark purple aura and he vanished, closing the distance between him and Tyrunt almost instantly…
And with a devastating swipe of his paw, he struck Tyrunt’s jaw hard, sending him rolling across the battlefield floor.
The Tyrunt grunted, trying to stand, as Nero readied another Ember in his mouth, and managed only to give Nero a smirk before collapsing forward on the ground, unable to continue.
Nero hearing the words, finally acknowledged his exhaustion and slumped to the ground, watching as his trainer was awarded the small, shining object—the Badge, as they called it. The second one, actually. Only six more left before they are crowned as Champions.
After some conversation with the Gym Leader, his trainer walked up to him.
After some petting, compliments, and a quick spray of potion, he finally took out the damned device and recalled him.
Now, Nero really, really, really despised Pokéballs. It wasn’t that they were uncomfortable, the volcanic-like habitat inside was nice, but it was so artificial and boring.
There was nothing to do besides sleep and trying listening to what little he could hear of the outside, and it was always the same fiery scenery. It gets tiring after a while.
“I wish I could travel by his side all the time… Besides when I’m out for battle, I don’t see much of the world. And last time, it was just a stupid, boring battlefield in a cave!” He loudly complained to no one.
Nero’s desire to explore and see the world was only natural. Ever since he had hatched from his egg, he had always been confined. First, in his trainer’s parents’ house, where he could at most explore the backyard, and now in whatever this stupid pocket dimension was supposed to be.
Just as he kept grunting in annoyance, he heard the long-awaited sound.
CLICK.
And suddenly, Nero was outside his prison .
Looking around, he noticed it was already night. He stood in the middle of a route lined with huge stones arranged in some sort of formation.
(They made him uncomfortable for some reason.)
Being out so late at night could only mean one thing, and the breathtaking smell he immediately sniffed confirmed it.
It was camping night!
Sure enough, he was served a big portion of his favorite—Spicy Apple Curry, while his trainer called out all his other Pokémon to serve dinner.
First, Lia the Skiddo.
Next, Alice the Floette.
And finally, Ryo the Carvanha.
After serving everyone, the trainer grabbed a plate for himself and retired to his tent, letting the 'mons play together.
Camp time was special to Nero. It was one of the rare moments he could observe the world outside of battle and chat with his teammates.
"Nero! I heard you totally roughed up that Tyrunt, right?" Ryo asked after gulping down a good chunk of his curry.
"Yeah, but it was a close call. Almost fainted when that Dragon Tail hit me, but I managed to get up and finish him off with my signature Sucker Punch!” Huffed Nero, looking proud.
"Eh, show-off” Replied the little fish with a smirk.
"Sorry, guys, I thought I had that one. Didn’t know that Amaura’s Ability could turn Take Down into an Ice move. Next thing I know, I’m lying on the ground with frostbites.” Said Lia, looking apologetic.
"Well, they were tough. That Amaura needed three doses of my Scald to stay down, and that damned Tyrunt shook off my Ice Fang like it was nothing before fainting me with Crunch.” Ryo added.
Alice sighed. "Well, what’s important is that we won and he got the badge, though he could have chosen me to fight…"
"Don’t worry! I heard the next Gym Leader is specialized in Fighting-types. You’ll surely rock ‘em up”! Lia beamed.
Both Nero and Ryo barked out a laugh. “Fighting-types? They’re all yours, girls!"
The quartet continued chatting and eating around the campfire until the plates were spotless and the sky was pitch-black.
Once Ryo put out the fire with a blast of water, everyone lay down, settling in for the night.
"Hey… The stars sure are beautiful tonight," Nero murmured to no one in particular, gazing up at the sky.
"You having trouble sleeping?" Alice yawned. "But yeah… This starry sky is a beautiful sight."
"It’s just… it’s so nice being outside that damned device, surrounded by nature with you guys. Sometimes, I feel a bit envious of wild Pokémon,
But honestly? I wouldn’t have it any other way” Nero sighed.
"Well, being inside the Pokéball sure is frustrating," admitted Ryo. "And I miss my pack sometimes… but sharing this moment with you guys? It feels nice. I like it here. Plus, the food is exceptional!" he added with sparkling eyes.
"Pfft, you ruined the moment, dude," Alice sneered. "You’re such a glutton, always thinking about food."
(Thankfully, they couldn’t see the embarrassed flush on the Carvanha’s face in the dark.)
"Guys, we really should get to sleep. I’d rather not get sent into battle half-asleep, again. Lia mumbled tiredly.
"Oh yeah i remember that one," Nero chuckled. "Alright. Goodnight, everyone."
"Goodnight!" the others replied.
Soon, Nero felt the embrace of sleep pulling him under, his mind slowly blanking out.
...
..
.
Nero woke up, a bit dizzier than usual but also a bit sore… as if he had bumped into something while sleeping.
Eh, it was probably just Lia rolling around in her sleep and bumping into him—not like it didn't happen multiple times before.
Nero decided to keep his eyes shut and grab five more minutes before his Trainer woke up.
At least, that was the plan until a particularly harsh solar ray hit him right in the face, burning away any chance of more sleep.
With a big yawn, he finally opened his eyes. Looking up, he noticed the bright midday sun shining down on him. Had he slept that much? Without being woken up by a screaming Alice? She always made a point of being up early in the morning.
He looked around, his vision still hazy and his mind still foggy. He blinked a few times.
This was not the route he camped on the night before. Did he get called out? But he didn’t remember being recalled, even if he had been asleep, something like that should’ve woken him up.
His surroundings were strange. He seemed to be in some sort of tundra. There were only a few small trees, and the grass below him was short and brownish.
That’s weird. He didn’t remember Kalos having any tundra.
More concerning was the fact that all around him was endless tundra, with nothing in sight, except for a small mountain and the entrance to a cave right in front of him.
It was only after another minute and a couple of blinks that Nero realized something was deeply wrong.
“Where the hell is everyone?”
No tent.
No campfire.
No giant rocks.
No Alice.
No Lia.
No Ryo.
No Partner.
Had some of those “Team Flare” clowns kidnapped him while he was sleeping? No, he definitely would’ve woken up if they had grabbed him or something.
Had he sleepwalked all the way over here? No way. He was pretty sure he couldn’t have walked that far. He wasn’t a sleepwalker, anyway.
Nero really tried to push the next conclusion out of his mind, but it nagged at him.
W-w-what if his Trainer decided to release him? Maybe his performance against the Tyrunt wasn’t as good as he thought… after all, he almost got knocked out, and he barely defeated the Tyrunt. Maybe his Trainer was ashamed of such a pitiful display of weakness and decided to leave him in this desolate place as punishment…
His whole body was now trembling as tears began forming in his eyes.
nonononononononononononono-
No.
No.
NO!
There’s absolutely no way HE would abandon him like this. They’d been together since he was just hatched and he was just a toddler. They traveled, fought, and shared dreams together. He was all he’s ever known, he had no one else. It was impossible to think...
‘Or is it?’ Said a voice in the back of Nero’s mind that he chose to totally ignore.
Alright, since it can’t be that, this must be a dream. Yes!
He raised a paw and wiped his face of the burning tears that were staining him.
Maybe a wild Psychic-type had been influencing his dreams to later feast on them. Munna and Sygiliph were common in the area where they had been camping, after all...
Alright, if I remember correctly Munnas like manifest inside dreams to pull pranks on the victims and eating the dreams. So, if I defeat it, I should be able to wake up. Nero thought to himself.
Noticing there wasn't anything else in sight, he decided to step forward into the cave, spotting a small sign next to the entrance.
‘Firepit Lake
Only Bronze Rank or above explorers may enter.'
Nero frowned slightly. “Rank? Explorers? What is this even supposed to mean...”
He took a step forward into the cave...
… and immediately regretted it.
Firepit Lake
1F
The cave itself looked just like what he expected from the name.
The walls were made of smooth, scarlet-colored stone. Hot steam came out from small holes on the floor and walls, and cascades of magma dropped from the ceiling. A nice place, even.
But Nero felt something was wrong. The cave and the path he was standing on seemed a bit too narrow. The cave looked much bigger from the outside.
And there was this sinking feeling in his gut telling him to get out of there, and fast. Not to mention this sensation of something shifting, moving all around him.
Suddenly he could feel the gaze of…something, staring at him and burning holes through the back of his head.
His instincts kicked in, something he didn’t even know to have.
His fangs bared, his mouth began foaming flames, ready to unleash them at the slightest movement and a low growl rumbled in his throat.
The presence seemingly understood the message Nero conveyed and he could no longer feel being observed, the presence seemingly vanished from thin air somehow.
This place was truly giving him the creeps, enough, apparently, to make him even paranoid.
He calmed down, a bit shaken by such a violent reaction from him. He never acted like this before...
Nero feeling already fed up by the place, tried to turn back and head for the exit…
Only to bump his head hard on a wall...?
Angry from the pain, he looked around once more, trying to spot the exit, but there was nothing. What was supposed to be the entrance was replaced by another wall of scarlet stone.
Nero trembled, having a bad feeling about the place. But he steeled himself and sighed as he slowly started making his way further in the cave.
'There’s no other choice, i gotta explore this shady place and hunt down the Psychic-type messing with my dreams. Hopefully nothing too complicated…'