Chapter 1: The Truth Beneath the Waves

Lester’s pawprints were left in the sand as he wandered aimlessly, his gaze drawn to a small, yet lively town up ahead. His heart raced, filled with an unfamiliar longing to find answers. It had been days since he’d washed ashore, and the strange sense of urgency within him had only grown. He squinted at a sign that read Treasure Town, its cheerful letters at odds with the haunting silence that surrounded it.

“This… is Treasure Town?” Lester muttered, approaching cautiously. “It looks… deserted.”

As he walked deeper into the town, his eyes caught sight of empty streets, buildings eerily still, with no signs of life. The ground was littered with abandoned possessions and broken items. A chill ran down Lester’s spine. He had seen many things in his visions, but this… this was different. Something was terribly wrong.

He moved to the edge of the town, hearing faint whispers on the wind, and soon found himself near Sharkpedo Bay. The area was shrouded in a dark mist. Curiously, Lester approached the water’s edge, his eyes catching a strange, glowing object. It was a Mega Stone, pulsing with a mysterious energy. He reached out to touch it, and the moment his paw brushed against the stone, an overwhelming vision hit him.

The world around him blurred, and he found himself standing in the middle of the very same town, only this time, it was bustling with Pokémon. He saw the streets filled with life, laughter, and excitement. It was as though nothing had ever gone wrong.

“Mina!” shouted a voice Lester barely recognized.

He turned to see a Manaphy named Mina, her tiny body carrying a large bag of candy and a letter tucked carefully within it. She was smiling, walking alongside a Chatot who greeted her warmly.

“Heading back home, Mina?” Chatot, named Carlson, asked. “I’ve got something special for you in the guild. You’ll love it!”

Lester’s heart skipped a beat. He wasn’t just seeing the past, he was inside it—this was a vision, one of many to come. He followed Mina as she made her way to a small, hidden passage beneath Sharkpedo Bay. She paused, nudging the entrance open, revealing a secret tunnel.

Inside, two Pokémon, a Luxio named Ohnmis and a Lucario named Ecla, slept peacefully in their nest. Mina gently nudged Ohnmis awake, and the moment his eyes opened, he blinked in surprise, a soft smile forming on his face.

“Mina!” Ohnmis greeted, his voice thick with sleep. “Where’ve you been?”

“I was getting candy and a letter from Carlson,” she replied cheerfully.

Ecla stirred beside them, his eyes glowing with a gentle aura. “Are we going trick-or-treating tonight?” he asked, his smile wide and genuine.

“Yeah! Carlson says there’s a haunted house at the guild,” Mina replied, her tail flicking with excitement. “Though, he mentioned the guild master’s not feeling too well...”

Lester stood still in the shadows, watching them as his mind raced. Something felt wrong, but he couldn’t place it. He followed them silently, unseen, as they made their way toward the guild. As they arrived, the eerie, spooky atmosphere of the guild greeted them. It was all decked out in cobwebs, haunted decorations, and ghostly sounds.

Suddenly, a jarring BOO! echoed through the air. The guild’s Wigglytuff, named Wilton, leaped out, startling the group. They all jumped back, startled, but laughed nervously.

Wilton grinned mischievously. “Gotcha! But seriously, welcome to the haunted guild!”

Lester narrowed his eyes, instinctively sensing that something was off about the Wigglytuff. His wide grin revealed sharp, unsettling teeth that seemed too jagged to be natural.

“Wilton…?” Mina asked, her voice uncertain.

Before anyone could react, Wilton lunged at Mina, sending her crashing to the floor. Her breath hitched in pain as she struggled to stand. The others immediately jumped into action, taking defensive stances.

“We need to stop him!” Ecla shouted, rushing to Mina’s side.

The guild members quickly joined in, trying to restrain Wilton, who seemed completely erratic. But as they fought, Lester realized something horrifying—the Wigglytuff’s behavior wasn’t natural. The once-cheerful guild master had been overtaken by something far more sinister.

Wilton’s eyes flickered momentarily, as if a switch had been flipped. He pulled back, breathing heavily. “I—I didn’t mean to do that,” he muttered, his expression shifting into regret. “I… I’m so sorry.”

Carlson quickly approached, offering a gentle paw to Wilton. “It’s okay,” he said, helping the Wigglytuff back on his feet. “We need to get to the guild master’s office. He’s in danger.”

As the group made their way toward the guild master’s office, Lester’s mind was filled with questions. What was going on? What had happened to Treasure Town? His thoughts were interrupted when Carlson suddenly revealed the truth—there was a virus, a parasite called the Husk, spreading through the town, turning everyone into monsters.

Lester’s stomach churned with the gravity of the revelation.

The group reached the guild master’s office, where Carlson handed the guild master a perfect apple, one that could cure the effects of the virus. But as they tried to tend to the guild master, disaster struck.

Wilton, in an uncontrollable state, suddenly collapsed, and Bidoof rushed to his side. Lester’s eyes widened as he watched the Wigglytuff undergo a terrifying transformation, his body contorting into a monstrous form.

“It’s happening to him too…” Ecla whispered, horror etched in his voice.

Suddenly, Wilton, now a terrifying creature, attacked, causing chaos. The group fought valiantly, but it was clear that they were no match for the powerful Husk virus.

“Everyone… is gone,” Carlson cried out, collapsing in despair. “Everyone in Treasure Town…”

The weight of the truth hit Lester like a boulder. The town, the Pokémon he had seen alive just moments ago, were all dead. And now, there was no escape from the Husk.

As the group hurried to escape, Skull the Stunky, the last of his team, appeared, warning them of the coming danger. He led them to a hidden cave where they could hide temporarily.

But the calm wouldn’t last. Ecla, his mind clouded with grief, had a vision—the Husk was coming.

“What’s that sound?” Mina asked, her voice trembling.

Before they could react, the Husk appeared, its shadow looming over the cave. A fierce battle ensued, and despite their efforts, the Husk overpowered them.

Ohnmis, however, stood firm, determined to protect his friends. He stayed behind, facing the Husk, while Ecla and Mina rushed forward.

“Ohnmis…!” Ecla cried out, his voice breaking as he turned back to see his friend standing alone, fighting for their survival.

With one final shout, Ohnmis held out his paw, hoping to hold on a little longer, to protect his friends—his very first friends.

The Husk, weakened by their efforts, faltered for a moment, giving Ecla the opportunity to strike. With a flash of light, he unleashed the full power of his Mega Evolution, his body glowing with immense energy as he faced the monster head-on.

“I won’t let you destroy my friends!” Ecla shouted, his voice a roar of fury.

The final battle was intense. Ecla, with the help of Mina and Carlson, pushed the Husk off the edge, sending it crashing into a pile of rocks below.

As the dust settled, the three of them stood still, their bodies aching, their hearts heavy with the losses they had endured. The town, now empty and silent, would never be the same again.

Mina spoke softly, her voice filled with sorrow. “We’ll never forget them.”

Ecla nodded, his eyes filled with tears. “I’ll never forget Ohnmis… my partner.”

Lester, still lingering in the vision, watched as the memories unfolded. He now knew the truth. He knew what had happened to Treasure Town and to its inhabitants. And he knew where he needed to go next.

As the vision faded, Lester stood at the edge of the town, his mind focused on the future. His journey was far from over.

“Lively Town…” Lester whispered to himself. “That’s where I’m headed next.”

Meanwhile, hidden in the trees, Holten observed the vision unfold. His eyes narrowed with determination. The truth had been revealed to him, and he knew where Lester was going. But there were others—three figures emerged from the shadows: Holt the Grovyle, Trista the Celebi, and Moreno the Dusknoir.

“They think he’s the key…” Holt murmured. “We need to stop him before it’s too late.”

Holten’s heart raced as he sprinted toward Lively Town. He had to reach Lester before they did.

Epilogue of Chapter 1: A Silent Guardian in the Shadows

The moonlight filtered through the dense trees as Lester navigated the forest, his heart pounding in his chest. His mission was clear—he had to reach Lively Town. The visions had led him this far, but every step he took only deepened the mystery. As he ventured forward, a rustle in the bushes caught his attention. He paused, ears twitching, and turned to see three figures emerging from the shadows, their eyes focused on him.

Lester’s fur bristled, his instincts screaming at him to be cautious. These three weren’t ordinary Pokémon. They looked as though they were on a mission—and that mission involved him.

“What do you want?” Lester asked quietly, his eyes narrowing.

“We’re here to bring you in,” one of them said, a Grovyle with dark green markings and a mischievous gleam in his eyes.

Lester took a step back, his body tense. He didn’t trust them—not one bit.

Without a word, he turned and bolted into the trees, his legs carrying him swiftly through the underbrush. He could hear the sound of their footsteps behind him, growing louder with every passing moment.

The Grovyle, along with a Celebi and a Dusknoir, pursued him relentlessly, but Lester was faster. He leaped over fallen branches, ducked under low-hanging vines, and zigzagged through the trees. His agility was unmatched.

“I can’t let them catch me,” Lester thought, his mind working in overdrive.

As the three Pokémon closed in, Lester spun around, his paw glowing with power. He unleashed a flurry of attacks—Dark Pulse, Thunderbolt, Flamethrower, and Psychic—all in quick succession. The attacks hit their marks, sending shockwaves through the air.

“Urgh!” The Celebi staggered back, narrowly avoiding a Thunderbolt, while Dusknoir’s body trembled from the Psychic attack.

“We’ll never catch him if we just keep rushing in like this!” Trista, the Celebi, exclaimed.

Moreno, the Dusknoir, grimaced as he readied his own moves. “We need to trap him. He’s too fast for us.”

Lester, however, wasn’t stopping. He used every ounce of his skill to evade them, expertly controlling all types of Pokémon power as he moved with precision. He could feel the burn of exertion in his muscles, but he refused to slow down.

Suddenly, as he rounded a corner, he realized he was no longer being pursued. He stopped dead in his tracks, his heart thudding in his chest.

A loud crash echoed from behind, followed by the sound of grumbling. He turned to see the three Pokémon had collided with a pile of rocks and fallen trees. The Grovyle, Holt, was the only one still standing, his eyes locked onto Lester with a determined gaze.

Before Lester could make his next move, he heard a sharp rustling from the trees above. The forest seemed to shift in the darkness, and suddenly, the trees around them creaked and swayed.

The Grovyle’s expression flickered with confusion. “What—?”

But before they could react, a series of loud distractions echoed from the forest: snapping branches, shifting boulders, and a deep rumbling sound. The Grovyle, Trista, and Moreno froze, their attention shifting.

“Go!” Lester thought, his heart pounding. He quickly seized the opportunity to escape, sprinting through the forest. His senses told him someone—or something—was helping him, but he didn’t have time to figure it out.

The pursuit resumed, but this time, Lester had a brief head start. He dashed through the trees, his agility a blur. But then, as if the forest had conspired against him, he stumbled into something—or rather, someone.

With a sudden jolt, Lester collided with a solid figure. His paws shot out to catch himself, but the moment he turned, he froze.

Standing before him was a Grovyle, but not the one from before. This one was different—his body was sleek, and his movements were fluid, like a shadow in the night. He wore a dark green scarf, and his presence was calm yet fierce. He looked at Lester, then quickly pointed ahead, as if urging him to follow.

Lester blinked, confused. “Who are you?”

The Grovyle, silent as ever, pointed again, his gaze unyielding. Lester understood—this Pokémon was trying to tell him something.

With no other choice, Lester nodded and took a step forward. “Alright, let’s go,” he muttered, unsure of who this Pokémon was but instinctively trusting him.

The Grovyle, still silent, led him through the forest with astonishing speed, his movements so swift and precise that Lester had to struggle to keep up. The air around them seemed to shift as the Grovyle’s dark and grass-type powers fused together, creating an energy that propelled them forward.

Lester felt a rush of wind in his fur as they raced through the trees, leaping over obstacles, dodging branches, and even climbing up the trunks of trees. It was like they were gliding over the terrain. Lester’s heart raced with adrenaline, the thrill of the chase mixing with the confusion of the situation.

“Who is this Pokémon?” Lester thought, his mind spinning.

Despite not saying a word, the Grovyle seemed to communicate with Lester through his actions—every move purposeful, every direction clear. They made it to a cliff’s edge where the forest opened up, revealing the distant lights of Lively Town below.

“This… is Lively Town,” Lester murmured, peering down at the bustling town. He could sense there were answers here—answers to the questions that had been haunting him since he arrived.

As they stood there, catching their breath, the Grovyle—Lester realized—wasn’t just guiding him. He was protecting him, keeping him safe from whatever force was chasing him. Lester didn’t know who he was or why he was being followed, but he now had a silent ally in this strange world.

The Grovyle stepped forward, motioning for Lester to follow. With a final glance back at the town, Lester nodded. “Alright… let’s go.”

Together, they descended toward the town, prepared to uncover the truth. But Lester had a feeling that the answers he sought were only the beginning of a much larger journey.

Meanwhile, hidden in the shadows of the trees, Holt, Trista, and Moreno regrouped, their eyes filled with determination. They weren’t going to give up so easily.

“He’s the key,” Holt muttered under his breath. “We’ll find him. No matter what.”

But they had no idea that Lester was already well ahead of them, guided by a silent guardian who would protect him through whatever trials lay ahead.

The end

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